If You Were In Charge

A Billionaire on Wealth Distribution and the Radical Gift of Giving

Welcome back to our special “If You Were in Charge” summer series with Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. Each week, we’re thematically pairing some of our favorite conversations and this time, we’ve brought together two powerful voices on wealth and generosity. First, filmmaker and activist Abby Disney shares what it was like to grow up as an heiress to the Disney fortune, and why she’s urging the ultra-wealthy to give more, and give boldly. Then, Chris Worman from Giving Tuesday explores how philanthropy can be reclaimed by ordinary people as a force for good, personal fulfillment, and even joy. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the⁠ ⁠⁠Bjian Ghaisar Foundation⁠ And ICAN⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media  Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠Africa Digital Audio Production⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Chapters 00:00 Exploring Wealth Inequality and Philanthropy 07:27 The Impact of Extreme Capitalism 12:05 Fundamentalist Capitalism and Its Consequences 17:50 Political Power and Wealth Dynamics 25:28 Racial Justice and Economic Inequality 32:06 Philanthropy vs. Systemic Change 45:25 The Role of Civil Society in Crisis 57:06 Building Local Infrastructure for Generosity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Settler Rabbi & a Palestinian Scholar: Two Visions for Peace in Israel and Palestine

As we gear up for Season 3 of If You Were in Charge, we’re revisiting some of Sanam’s most compelling conversations, curated into thematic pairings to offer deeper insights into the complex issues we explore. This week, we bring you two powerful perspectives on building peace between Israelis and Palestinians—even in these dark and challenging times. First, Sanam speaks with Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger about the surge in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. They discuss the urgent need for lasting peace and the difficult path to achieving it. Then, she sits down with Mohammad Darawshe, a leading political analyst and expert on Jewish-Arab relations inside Israel. Darawshe unpacks the intricate realities of coexistence, the struggles faced by Palestinian citizens, and the transformative power of education in forging a shared future. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network You can find out more information or how to get in touch following the link to our homepage -  https://shows.acast.com/if-you-were-in-charge Original Music, Little Monster Media  Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an Africa Digital Audio Production ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fear of peace: Iran, Israel, and the path away from their forever war

Sir Richard Dalton, former British ambassador to Iran, joins Sanam Naraghi Anderlini on this week's episode of If You Were In Charge. They discuss the collapse of diplomacy following recent U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, examining how Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA, Netanyahu's hardline policies, and the Ayatollah's defiance have escalated regional tensions. Dalton argues that without renewed multilateral engagement, lasting peace will remain elusive, criticizing Britain's failure to lead in condemning Gaza atrocities. Despite these challenges, he maintains that dialogue and diplomacy offer the best path toward a collective future. As Iran is Sanam's childhood home, she also speaks with her daughter Soleh before and after the main interview, both to hear how Soleh's college community has responded to recent events and to reflect on loved ones directly impacted by the conflict in Iran, as well as those watching from afar. If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the⁠ ⁠⁠Bjian Ghaisar Foundation⁠ And ICAN⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media  Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠Africa Digital Audio Production⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personal Reflections on Iran & Honoring the Palestinian Women of the Sun

A personal reflection from Sanam on two weeks of war in Iran. What it is like watching the bombardment of her childhood neighborhood from afar. — We also wanted to celebrate our former guests, Women of the Sun from Palestine, who won the 2025 Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment. So we re-uploaded our conversation with Marwa Hammad of Women of the Sun in Palestine and Yael Braudo-Bahat of Women Wage Peace in Israel two remarkable women who refuse to give in to despair, and who refuse to give up on the future. Women of the Sun - https://womensun.org/ Women Wage Peace - https://www.womenwagepeace.org.il/en/ If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bjian Ghaisar Foundation⁠⁠ And ICAN⁠⁠ International Civil Society Action Network⁠⁠ ICAN’s newsletter: ⁠⁠https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/⁠⁠ Original Music, Little Monster Media Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an ⁠⁠Africa Digital Audio Production⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

USAID left. Dr. Jessie Stone stayed: A story of care and crisis in Uganda

Dr. Jessie Stone, a six-time U.S. freestyle team member, shares her journey of how an illness to one of her team during a kayaking trip led her to establish a health clinic in Uganda. Now she is on the front line as USAID cuts mean millions can no longer access life-saving care. Welcome to If You Were In Charge with Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. In the last ten years, Dr. Jessie Stone's clinic has served hundreds of thousands of patients and helped address critical health issues like malaria and community health. Speaking to Sanam, she stresses the importance of community education and describes the challenges faced in providing healthcare in a country with one doctor for every 25,000 patients. She highlights the extraordinary resilience of local communities and the need for grassroots solutions in healthcare. And as always, listen to the end for news on upcoming episodes and words of wisdom from Soleh! If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network You can find out more information or how to get in touch following the link to our homepage -  https://shows.acast.com/if-you-were-in-charge Original Music, Little Monster Media  Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch This is an Africa Digital Audio Production ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices