131. How TroubleMaking Builds Bridges To The Future (And Hip-Hop Inspired Change) with Mohan Sivaloganathan

Our guest on the podcast today is Mohan Sivaloganathan is the Batman of Social Impact, as a nonprofit leader by day and hip-hop artist by night. Mohan is the CEO of Our Turn, the nation's leading movement of students fighting for education justice. Above all, Mohan is a father, husband, son, brother, friend, and Troublemaker for the status quo. Mohan has partnered with young people, professionals, and organizations to advance transformative change in the areas of education, justice reform, mental health, civic engagement, and more. On the mic, he has delivered performances and talks in partnership with the World Economic Forum, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Net Impact, NYU, Penn State, the University of San Diego, Independent Sector, Fordham, Synergos Institute, Centre for Social Innovation, Defy Ventures, the World in Conversation Project, and many more. Mohan was awarded as a “40 Under 40 Rising Star” by New York Nonprofit Media and a “Next Generation Leader” by the Human Services Council. He was featured in Good is the New Cool, an Amazon Philanthropy & Charity #1 new release.

Today, Mohan shares his path of continuous personal growth behind the scenes, his experiences as an immigrant and a father, and how his roots have fueled his passionate drive for social justice. We discuss the power of troublemaking as a force for good, the sacred in life and business, and the transformative possibilities when we weave music, culture, and activism into a harmonious movement for change.

We dive deep into the heart of what it means to be a leader in today's world. We discuss Mohan's approach to inclusive "harmonious leadership," which suggests that embracing individuality and community is key to unlocking our collective potential. We tackle the formidable task of addressing systemic inequities, emphasizing the need to change not just structures but also mental models and narratives, and we talk about the pivotal role of the CEO in driving change.

Key Takeaways

• How can Mohan authentically be himself as CEO of ‘Our Turn’
• The Power of Music and Art in Social Movements
• Reimagining education to focus on student talents and creativity
• Investing in narrative change, mental models, and diversity in guiding deeper change
• Concept of Harmonious Leadership
• Mohan sharing his hip-hop song "Love Letter" as an expression of music for social justice

Memorable Quote

“We need to invest more deeply in narrative change work, changing the actual conversations that are happening. We need to be passing the mic because if you want to be able to move mental models, you need to have proximity to different communities” - Mohan Sivaloganathan

Episode Resources:

• Mohan’s Personal Website
• It’s Our Turn Website
• Mohan’s Linkedin Profile
• SacredChangemakers.com
• Our Sacred Community
• Jayne Warrilow on Linkedin

Thank you to our sponsor:

A HUGE thank you to the members of our Inner Circle, who are our podcast sponsors, and also our extended Sacred Changemakers community, who are helping us to make a global impact aligned with the United Nations...