The Power of Collective Effort: Lessons in Belonging and Activism With Bryony Schwan

Connection From Here: Finding Community in a Changing World

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How does true community shape our sense of self, resilience, and purpose in a rapidly changing world?

This week on Connection From Here, host Ashley Perry welcomes guest host Rhiana Wiggins and changemaker, Bryony Schwan. Bryony shares her powerful journey from a community-rich childhood in Zimbabwe, through international moves, to spearheading innovative organizations such as Women’s Voices for the Earth and the Biomimicry Institute.

Together, they discuss the complexity of building community across cultures and why authentic connection, belonging, and purpose are essential both for personal well-being and for creating a more just, sustainable world.

Bryony’s life has been one of remarkable creation. She founded Women’s Voices for the Earth, a non-profit environmental justice organization, which included GUTS, one of the first outdoor leadership programs for girls–as well as Coming Clean, a national alliance of health and environmental groups working to reform chemical policies. She then co-founded the Biomimicry Institute, establishing an international network for the creation of nature-inspired solutions for a healthier planet. She also founded KindKudos, which was a mobile app to help deepen social connection between people and decrease the human drive to over-consume. She has since become a consultant and coach and remains passionate about creating a more just and sustainable world.

Topics covered:

• Bryony’s early upbringing in Zimbabwe, where communal life played a central role and the experience of collective safety and belonging shaped her worldview.
• How moving countries brought challenges of isolation, highlighting the cultural contrasts in community-building and the importance of seeking connection in unfamiliar places.
• How Bryony found that the power of collective action is amplified when every individual feels seen, valued, and heard.
• Bryony’s work and her creation of the Kind Kudos app underscore that meaningful happiness comes from human connection, not material possessions.
• Small, intentional acts that make lasting impacts.

True belonging is cultivated through small acts of reaching out and seeing one another.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

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챕터

1. Introduction of Bryony Schwan (00:00:00)

2. Bryony's Childhood in Zimbabwe (00:03:37)

3. Navigating War and Life Changes (00:08:44)

4. Mentorship and Engagement Wisdom (00:16:02)

5. Balancing Individual and Community (00:17:23)

6. Nature-Inspired Sustainable Design (00:23:25)

7. Finding Next Steps and Connection (00:24:21)

8. Empowering Voices in Activism (00:30:10)

9. Proactive Connections Through Activities (00:33:01)

10. Connection Tip (00:34:50)