Description

Kristine Michie welcomes longtime policy strategist and justice advocate Robert Raben in this Brave Voices episode of The PlayFull Podcast. Together, they explore how humor, faith, strategy, and emotional grounding can sustain meaningful work during times of cultural and political pushback. This is a deeply human and refreshingly unfiltered conversation about staying present, playful, and principled in complex times. Whether you’re navigating burnout or seeking renewed clarity, this episode invites you to reconnect with your purpose—and your joy.

Key Takeaways:

• Build teams intentionally around those historically excluded from power; let them demonstrate their capacity to lead complex, high-stakes work.
• Embed humor into your culture and contracts as a form of resilience and connection in emotionally demanding environments.
• Create intentional spaces—emotional, virtual, or physical—for people to process, connect, and develop coping strategies in challenging times.
• Anchor every action in a clear strategy, ensuring your tactics serve long-term goals rather than concern about near-term reactions.
• Speak openly about your faith if it fuels your justice work, and bridge divides by engaging faith communities as vital allies in progressive change.
• Focus less on debates about shifting language and more on why those words matter to you and what results you're striving to achieve.
• Allow yourself or others to step back or pause when needed, recognizing rest as essential to long-term impact.
• Treat joy, music, and play not as luxuries but as powerful tools that restore energy, deepen purpose, and sustain your commitment to justice.

"If you're a person of faith, scream it, particularly on the left… get right with people of faith. They are going to be the wedge … to set us free." — Robert Raben

"[Our movements] are under assault again, but we have always been under assault. That's what conservatives do, and [regardless] we, who now call ourselves progressives, keep moving forward." — Robert Raben

"Humor, to me… is a mark of resilience." — Robert Raben

About Robert Raben: Robert Raben is a strategist’s strategist on a lifelong mission to inject humanity, common sense, equity, and justice into the fabric of American politics and culture. He is the president and founder of Raben, a mission-driven national public affairs and strategic communications firm committed to making connections, solving problems, and inspiring change across the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors. Beyond his work, Robert has served on the boards of The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, NRDC, the UnidosUS Action Fund, President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, the Mississippi Center for Justice, and others.

Robert previously served as assistant attorney general under President Bill Clinton. Robert was the first openly gay man to receive Senate confirmation and to lead a law enforcement agency. He also served as counsel to U.S. Rep. Barney Frank and Democratic counsel for two subcommittees of the House Judiciary Committee. The Miami native is a graduate of the Wharton School and New York University Law School.  

Episode References: 

I Love the Lord; He Heard My Cry: https://open.spotify.com/track/6I0J0pZkuCmastxfvgzdyZ?si=4d3d48e30a6045a8

I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart: https://open.spotify.com/track/1ubwRHcUhPJcpiG6QvAMJt?si=6e65962b53574295

Oh Happy Day: https://open.spotify.com/track/2CvxJaYyNX6xVhpIhqU02B?si=33af8ea330024792

Connect with Robert: 

Website: https://www.raben.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.raben/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-raben-11304a73

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.raben/

Connect with Kristine:

Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/ 

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