Latest news with #KristaBo
CNN
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
The Heart Transplant that Connected Two Families - CNN 5 Good Things - Podcast on CNN Audio
Krista Bo 00:00:01 Hey there, need a reason to smile? Well, I've got five. Let's get into it. At one school district in Pennsylvania, students are learning a whole new way to make music. Plus, a powerful storm carried some priceless memories across the state. Luckily, they got into the hands of the right people. Bonnie Hemman 00:00:18 I feel like we're here to help each other, and that's what I wanted to do for them. Krista Bo 00:00:23 From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is Five Good Things. Krista Bo 00:00:33 If you're on the hunt for a new reality show, check out the one starring a power couple in California, navigating love, survival, and parenthood, feathers and all. I'm talking about Jackie and Shadow. They're a celebrity bald eagle couple that the internet's really been rooting for. Sandy Steers 00:00:50 We've had at times over 100,000 people watching at the same time. It allows you to see nature in its everyday life and at the same time open yourself to connecting to nature and it just warms my heart that people are so connected to them. Krista Bo 00:01:07 'Sandy Steers is the executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley. The nonprofit has been live streaming the 145-foot high eagle's nest for almost a decade on its YouTube channel. It has over 600,000 subscribers who've seen Jackie and Shadow go through their fair share of ups and downs, since their first season together in 2019. Krista Bo 00:01:29 Since 2022, Sandy says they've lost five eggs and one chick. But now they're proud parents of two healthy eaglets that hatched in early March. A big win for the endangered species in the state. Sandy Steers 00:01:41 They look like gray balls of fluff, and their wings are getting bigger very quickly. They're getting along. They're snuggling even, and every once in a while they have a bop, but everything's going great. Krista Bo 00:01:55 To name these chicks, Friends of Big Bear Valley launched a fundraiser. $5 got you one name entry, $10 for three, $25 for 10, that kind of thing. From 54,000 submissions, 30 names were chosen. Names like Sky, Talon, Swift, Liberty, Bell. And this week, local elementary school kids got the final say. Sandy Steers 00:02:16 'The bigger chick is named Sunny, S-U-N-N Y, and the smaller chick is named Gizmo. We had 469 students vote from third, fourth, and fifth grade. We included fourth and fifth because when they were in the third grade, there were no chicks that they got to vote on. So we included them, and that's the names that got the most votes. Krista Bo 00:02:40 In the next few weeks, Sandy says the eaglets will be spreading their wings and exploring what life's like outside their nest with help from mom and dad. Krista Bo 00:02:48 If you want to watch this family with feathers for yourself, the link is in our show notes, or you can head to their website, Krista Bo 00:03:00 'Want to hear what a 3D-printed violin sounds like? 3D Violin Practice 00:03:03 Yes! Alright, you guys ready? Yeah. Ok Krista Bo 00:03:10 Elementary school students from a small district south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are practicing for their spring recital next month. Laura Jacob 00:03:17 The violin is so hard and it takes years for you to get a pretty sound out of it. At first it's really scratchy and it's difficult, but over time they really, they nail it. I'm really proud of them. 3D Violin Practice 00:03:32 Well done, well done. Laura Jacob 00:03:35 We've put violins into kids' hands for free by 3D printing them on our own and ensuring that children have the access to any type of musical instruments that they're interested in learning. Krista Bo 00:03:48 Superintendent Laura Jacob is the maestro behind this unique music program at the California Area School District in Southwest PA, where a third of students live below the poverty line. Laura Jacob 00:03:58 instrumental rental places require a credit check. And a family might not initially pass that credit check and so then a child wouldn't have access to instruments, and so the 3D violin option really created an ability for us to put stringed instruments in kids hands, build our own orchestra for half the cost that it would be for say the district or for families if they were to rent. Krista Bo 00:04:24 'Any K-12 student can join, and they get to help design and 3D print a custom violin made from corn-based plastic in three days' time for about 50 bucks a pop. All paid for by grants from the Grable Foundation. Laura Jacob 00:04:37 They can choose whatever color they want. So we have hot pink violins, we have green violins. We have black and gold violins for the Steelers, which the kids absolutely love. And we just add real violin strings to it. And then we just added the wooden bridge to it Krista Bo 00:04:54 Beyond music, Laura says this program helps students tap into STEM skills so they can tune up for the future. Laura Jacob 00:05:00 I think it opens up the possibilities for kids to better understand what they can do in the world. Even if it's not just going to be music, it could be a different pathway. Krista Bo 00:05:14 Addison McArthur lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. She turns 14 next week. It's pretty sweet that her birthday's in April because it's also National Donate Life Month. And she's been an organ donation advocate for years already. Addison McArthur 00:05:30 On May 8, 2011, which is Mother's Day in Canada that year, my heart surgeon called mom and he was like, I have a Mother's day present for you. And it was a new heart. Krista Bo 00:05:42 'When she was just a few weeks old, she got a life-saving heart transplant from another infant, a baby girl named Audrey, who died of unknown causes. A year later, Addison's mom, Elaine, sent a thank you note to Audrey's mom, Felicia Hill. Elaine Yong 00:05:57 It was something I always knew that if I could meet the donor family, I would want to. Felicia Hill 00:06:05 It was so amazing to hear from the mom that gets to raise her daughter. The letter was great, but I wanted a picture. I wanted a hug I hoped for. Just anything more. Krista Bo 00:06:17 So two years later, Addison, her mom, and her dad, Aaron, met up with Felicia. Meet up 00:06:22 Hi, how are you? Meet up 00:06:23 Great, how about you? Meet up 00:06:25 I'm good. Krista Bo 00:06:26 The McArthur's brought a stethoscope, so Felicia could hear Audrey's heart beating in Addison's chest. Meet up 00:06:35 Thank you! For you to wear tomorrow. Meet up 00:06:36 Do you know who that is? Meet up 00:06:38 Audrey. 00:06:38 That's right. Awww. Yeah! Krista Bo 00:06:41 'And Felicia brought Addison a t-shirt with Audrey's picture on it. The families have kept in touch ever since. Felicia Hill 00:06:47 I do call her a friend. More, actually, family. Elaine Yong 00:06:51 I don't know if there's a word to describe our relationship because there is no definition that really fits it. It's more special than a friend. She is like family. Krista Bo 00:07:01 In 2018, Felicia went to Vancouver to watch Addison compete in the Canadian Transplant Games. Meet up 00:07:07 It was really cool and it felt really good that she could see how much the gift of life has really helped me. Krista Bo 00:07:17 And for years now, when Addison wins a medal at a competition, she sends it to Felicia. This is the note that Addison sent Felicia along with the gold medal she won at the 2023 World Transplant Games in the 50 meter freestyle. Felicia Hill 00:07:31 'It says, I just want you to know that I think of Audrey almost every day. And I think that me and Audrey are like two minds in the same body. I think it like a we - we did this together. We won this medal together. Love, Addison and Audrey. Krista Bo 00:07:51 Felicia will be with Addison at the next World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany this summer. Our girl CNN's Eryn Mathewson will be competing then too, so we'll have to check back in. Krista Bo 00:08:02 If you're interested in becoming an organ donor, you can register at your local DMV or online at Krista Bo 00:08:12 People around the world are living longer these days. In fact, the World Health Organization says most people can expect to live past 60 years of age. And by 2050, it predicts the number of people 80 and older will triple. Alberto Chab thinks a lot about seniors who are living longer. He's 97, lives in Buenos Aires, and was tired of feeling lonely. Krista Bo 00:08:34 'So with the help of his granddaughter, he posted a video. asking other 90-plus-year-olds to get together and talk about their life experiences. He says he got over a thousand responses. Alberto Chab 00:08:52 That little video created a tsunami, 1,500 emails. I mean, there was a very real need for people, for seniors to get together and talk to each other. I touched on a very necessary point, which is why people from all over Latin America wrote to me, even from Canada. Krista Bo 00:09:09 Eventually, Alberto and a group of five men and women started meeting up every two weeks. They discuss a range of topics, from accomplishing life goals to the candy they used to eat when they were kids. Alberto Chab 00:09:23 Just say everything that comes to mind, it's never going to be absurd, because whatever happens to one of us, having a car crash or going to the eye doctor, a similar situation will arise for the other. Krista Bo 00:09:35 'A 26-year-old journalist named Guadalupe Camurati heard about the group and also got involved. Guadalupe Camurati 00:09:42 From the first minute I saw them, I was kind of excited. It touched me. I said to Alberto and the people who were there, this has to be done digitally. For me, we have to make a podcast. Krista Bo 00:09:54 And so they did. They started a podcast called 90 and Counting, or Noventa y Cantando in Spanish. The first season launched in 2024, and now season two is in the works. Alberto says he thinks the podcast is having a positive impact on members of the group and the listeners, because it gives them more stories to tell their loved ones. And it also shows you're never too old to learn a new skill. Alberto Chab 00:10:19 I'm still learning at 97. I still have so much to learn. Krista Bo 00:10:25 When a tornado scattered pieces of one couple's past, strangers almost a hundred miles away stepped in to bring part of it home. That's next. Bonnie Hemman 00:10:38 So my husband found this laying just about right here as he drove by to go to the winery. Krista Bo 00:10:45 Bonnie Hemman from Missouri spotted random wedding photos scattered across her front lawn like leaves. She had no idea who the smiling couple was or how the pictures had gotten there, but she had soon learned that they had flown into her yard from nearly 100 miles away. Krista Bo 00:11:02 Last month, the tornado ripped through Poplar Bluff, Missouri with 138 mile per hour winds, destroying thousands of homes, including Darby Rusum's. She and her husband lost nearly everything outside their basement. But somehow, photos from their wedding 16 months ago, traveled through the storm and landed at Bonnie's feet. Bonnie Hemman 00:11:26 I just think that God placed it here because he knew I could find the person it goes to. So Bonnie posted the pictures on Facebook, asking if anyone recognized the bride. Meanwhile, about 50 miles from Darby's town, another stranger found more of her wedding photos and shared them online too. Krista Bo 00:11:46 In less than three hours, people started tagging Darby friends and soon enough, the mystery was solved. Bonnie Hemman 00:11:52 I feel like we're here to help each other and that's what I wanted to do for them. Krista Bo 00:11:58 Darby was overwhelmed by the kindness from strangers. Not only are the photos being returned, but she said so many people have offered to help her and her husband clean up and bounce back. That's so sweet. Krista Bo 00:12:12 All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. National parks are a target of DOGE's cuts. CNN's David Rind talks to park workers about the impact on visitors, wildlife, and the history of public lands. Krista Bo 00:12:28 Five Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director, and Steve LIchteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow. Special thanks to Devyn Byers and Wendy Brundige. And thank you, especially, for listening. Take care, till next time.
CNN
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
The Barber Who Pays Kids to Read - CNN 5 Good Things - Podcast on CNN Audio
Krista Bo 00:00:00 'Hey there, it's a good day to look at the bright side, isn't it? People all over the world are playing ding-dong ditch for some fish. Plus... Billy Monger 00:00:09 That moment that you know felt like the end of the world and the world was sort of falling down around you has actually brought you to like this destination where you're doing this incredible thing. Krista Bo 00:00:19 This former race car driver had both of his legs amputated after a horrific crash, but his comeback story is nothing short of inspiring. From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is 5 Good Things. Krista Bo 00:00:36 We all know how good a new haircut can feel. It's a confidence boost and a fresh start. At City Cuts Barbershop in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, they're taking that feeling a step further when kids show up for a fresh cut. Jon Escueta owns the barbershop. And in 2017, he noticed that some of the kids in his community were struggling with public speaking. Jon Escueta 00:00:59 So I figured, man, why not do something in the shop, so kind of get the public speaking and the comfortableness in order so they reach a certain age and it's a little easier rather than kind of have to work backwards. Krista Bo 00:01:10 He said he talked it over with his wife, and she suggested having his young clients read whenever they got a trim and to offer an incentive. John turned this brainstorm into a program called Books by Kids, where kids get paid $3 to read a book of their choice out loud, whenever they come in for a cut. Jon Escueta 00:01:27 I think three is a perfect number to kind of get them really, really interested because their eyes light up when you tell them you're getting paid to read. They're like, I am? And the goal is to improve their literacy and be more comfortable with public speaking. Krista Bo 00:01:41 There's no word or time limit. And John says toddlers to teens get involved. Jon Escueta 00:01:46 Just as long as we get the interaction and the effort with them, that's all that matters. Then you're gettin' paid. Krista Bo 00:01:52 'Over the last eight years, John says hundreds of kids have participated, over 1,000 books have been donated, and more than $14,000 has been raised to help pay the kids to read. And the results are transformative. Take it from seven-year-old Hunter Velarde. Barber (from City Cuts IG post) 00:02:07 What you reading? Hunter Velarde (from City Cuts IG Post) 00:02:11 On Monday, he ate one apple. Hunter Velarde 00:02:19 I feel good when I read that say cuts. I am gonna be reading a lot of books like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and Dr. Seuss. Krista Bo 00:02:34 Hunter joined the Books by Kids program a few years ago and said he's saving up the money he's earned for something special. Hunter Velarde 00:02:40 A drum set. Krista Bo 00:02:43 'Jon hopes to expand the program and start a scholarship fund for college-bound students. Krista Bo 00:02:50 Spring is finally here, which means it's also cherry blossom season. The famous pink and white flowers will bloom in cities around the world from late March to early May. This includes Washington, D.C., which is home to more than 3,500 cherry blossom trees and a famous National Cherry Blossom Festival that attracts millions of visitors each year. Peak bloom is actually expected this weekend. And this season, festival organizers invited visitors to take part in a tandem paddle boat race for a good cause. Race Announcer 00:03:22 On your marks, get set, paddle! (cheering) Catherine Brenner 00:03:28 We hosted our inaugural Stumpy's Petals and Paddles Race at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. Fifty percent of the proceeds are going to the Trust for the National Mall's Cherry Tree Endowment Fund. So overall, helping restore and save the other trees in the area. Krista Bo 00:03:44 Catherine Brenner helped organize this new race, which is named after an iconic cherry blossom tree named Stumpy. The National Park Service unfortunately had to cut down the beloved tree as part of project to strengthen the Tidal Basin against flooding. Something experts say will allow these beautiful trees to continue to bloom for years to come. Catherine Brenner 00:04:03 Even my mother in Pennsylvania, like the background on her phone is a picture of Stumpy in bloom because it's just so adorable. Krista Bo 00:04:10 118 tourists and locals ranging from three to 70 years old entered the race. Catherine says teams were pretty creative. Catherine Brenner 00:04:18 One team's name was simply the unicorns, and they dressed up in inflatable unicorns. The peddling pandas wore panda onesies, so just a variety of things that made me really happy to see. Krista Bo 00:04:33 49 teams raced from the Tidal Basin to the Jefferson Memorial and back. CNN affiliate WJLA reports the winning team was a college student from Florida and his sister. Race Announcer 00:04:45 I see our winners! Krista Bo 00:04:45 Who finished the race in five minutes. They won $50 bucks and a Boating in DC season pass. Catherine says she's already thinking about next year's competition. Catherine Brenner 00:04:54 The Cherry Blossom Festival is such a big part of DC. So it's another way for people to enjoy the trees and of course know that they're giving back. But we also just wanted it to be a fun event. Shiloh Hill on TikTok 00:05:08 All right, nobody freak out, but I just want to let you guys know that it's finally fish doorbell season again, which is the most wonderful time of the year. Krista Bo 00:05:15 Shiloh Hill on TikTok is one of millions of people around the world hooked on a quirky invention in the Netherlands. The fish doorbell. It's a live stream where people can spot and report fish stuck at a canal lock in the Dutch city of Utrecht. And those fish are on an important mission. Mark van Heukelum 00:05:34 In springtime they want to travel upstream because they instinctively know that they're shallow water and also it contains a lot more water plants and those are very nice spots to lay their eggs. Krista Bo 00:05:47 Ecologist Mark van Heukelem noticed a lot of fish would get stuck in a traffic jam outside the main canal lock. Mark van Heukelum 00:05:53 It's like one big maze for these fish. And it's a big problem because fish are so important for a good water ecosystem and for good water quality. And if they have to wait a long time for a lock or for an other obstacle, it's real big challenge for these fish. Krista Bo 00:06:09 The lock stays shut most of the time to manage boat traffic and water levels this time of year. And it's hard to see the trapped fish because the water's murky, making them easy prey for predators. So Mark's idea was simple, but clever. An underwater camera streams live to the website which is Dutch for fish doorbell. Mark van Heukelum 00:06:30 As soon as you push the button, the doorbell on our website, then a photo or screenshot is made from the live stream and then we see which fish and how many fish are on the photo. And from all the photos we can see, we can decide whether it's a good time to start and open the lock for the fish. Krista Bo 00:06:50 They've got to be selective because it takes an hour to open the lock by hand. The fish doorbell's now in its fifth year, and they say over nine million people from all over the world watched the livestream last year, ringing the bell over 40,000 times. So one small click for you can be a big swim for them that'll help native fish thrive. Pig 00:07:16 (Pig grunting) Krista Bo 00:07:16 Does this pig sound stressed to you? That's what researchers in the UK are trying to figure out. Prof. Melvyn Smith 00:07:22 The idea that a machine can tell the emotional state of an animal, perhaps in a way that we can't, I think could be really interesting. Krista Bo 00:07:30 Scientists from the University of the West of England, Bristol, and Scotland's Rural College are developing a product called Intellipig. This technology aims to help farmers better understand the highly intelligent and emotional animals with AI, so they could step in sooner if something's wrong. Prof. Melvyn Smith 00:07:48 What IntelliPig really aims to do is to develop a pig health station that could be integrated into an automated feeder. So there would be a camera built into the feeder and some lighting, looking at the animal's face as it goes to feed. And then the camera image would be processed by an AI algorithm. Krista Bo 00:08:06 Professor Melvyn Smith says the AI algorithm is learning what each pig looks like and capturing data about their expressions and emotional state. Over time, they think and tell a pig can build a picture, quite literally, of how that animal tends to look when it's stressed, in pain, or doing just fine. Prof. Melvyn Smith 00:08:23 Because that's something I was very good at doing, finding features that we can't detect. Krista Bo 00:08:28 Professor Smith says most pig emotion research has focused on signs of stress or discomfort. But with this new technology, they want to change that. Prof. Melvyn Smith 00:08:36 We're trying to expand the spectrum from the negative into the positive. The next step is very much to expand this from the face to the whole animal to be more holistic, seeing how the animal is moving, how it holds itself. Krista Bo 00:08:50 Smith and his team aren't alone. Scientists around the world are turning to AI to decipher the facial expressions of all kinds of animals, from dogs and cats to sheep and horses. This kind of technology could be a game changer that would help us understand and treat animals better. Krista Bo 00:09:08 No legs, no limits. Meet the man who turned a tragedy into triumph and shattered a world record in one of the world's toughest races. We'll be right back. Krista Bo 00:09:20 'A split second changed Billy Monger's life forever. At just 17-years-old, the rising British race car driver was chasing his dream on the track until a horrific crash during a Formula Four race turned his world upside down. The accident was so severe, Billy had to have both of his legs amputated. But instead of letting tragedy slow him down, he decided to chase a different kind of race. Billy Monger 00:09:47 The only time I ever actually think about it now, I'd say, is in moments like when I crossed the finish line and I could call myself a world record holder. Krista Bo 00:09:56 'Last October, the now 25-year-old broke the world record for the fastest double amputee to complete an Iron Man. And for Billy, crossing the finish line was more than just setting a record. It was a powerful reminder of how far he had come. Billy Monger 00:10:11 You think back to that moment and those dark times and I think it's more just like pride more than anything. That moment that you know felt like the end of the world and the world was sort of falling down around you has actually brought you to like this destination where you're doing this incredible thing. Krista Bo 00:10:26 'He set the record at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, which is considered one of the hardest endurance events in the world. He trained for a year to complete the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle, and a full marathon. Battling jellyfish, gusty winds, and scorching heat, he finished the race in 14 hours and 23 minutes, two hours faster than the previous record. Billy Monger 00:10:51 I was basically my own car, I was my own engine, I was my fuel, like slightly different to motorsport in a way where I wasn't having to rely on other people for this challenge. Krista Bo 00:10:59 but it wasn't just about personal triumph. Billy competed to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity fighting global poverty. Billy Monger 00:11:07 This world record was positive for me and it gave me a lot, but also knowing for others that was a big fuel for the fire. Krista Bo 00:11:13 And Billy isn't done. He's got his sights set on the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles, where he hopes to represent Great Britain in the Paratriathlon. His story is proof that even when the road ahead looks impossible, every small step forward counts. Krista Bo 00:11:35 All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. CNN's Arlette Saenz joins David Rind to break down why a state Supreme Court race next week is getting national attention. Krista Bo 00:11:47 Five Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director, and Steve Lichteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. Krista Bo 00:12:04 We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namarow. Special thanks to Amanda Davies and Wendy Brundige. And thank you for listening. And if you like the show, please consider giving us a good rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or sharing it with a friend. It helps us spread the good vibes. Take care. Till next time.
CNN
22-03-2025
- Health
- CNN
A Sports Bar Where Barriers (and Brackets) Are Broken - CNN 5 Good Things - Podcast on CNN Audio
Krista Bo 00:00:00 Hey there. I know the world can feel a little cruel sometimes, but kindness is actually more common than you might think. Don't believe me? Well, I have the data to back it up. This year's World Happiness Report from the U.N. says 7 in 10 people worldwide did at least one nice thing for a stranger in the last month. Hundreds of high schoolers in Pennsylvania are learning just how far a small gesture can go. Kristina Ulmer 00:00:26 I think it's important to know that not only are people out there doing kind things, but that kids are doing fine things, and that these kids are going to grow up and be the adults that are running our world. Krista Bo 00:00:36 Plus, how justice and dessert was served to a four year old with a sweet tooth. From CNN I'm Krista Bo and this is Five Good Things. Krista Bo 00:00:50 Having a heart of gold is ideal. But an Australian man is living proof that having a titanium heart could be a real lifesaver. Prof. Chris Hayward 00:00:59 This isn't the first time that someone with a total artificial heart of this sort has gone home in the world, and so really, it is world leading. Krista Bo 00:01:08 St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney says an Aussie in his 40s, is now the first person to live 100 days with an artificial titanium heart. Facing severe heart failure, the man got the surgery back in November and left the hospital in February. Doctors say he was living at home until a donor heart became available earlier this month. Professor Chris Hayward is one of his cardiac specialists. Prof. Chris Hayward 00:01:30 This kind of technology is a real game changer. Our patient is up and about. He's walking around. He is doing things that he has been able to do for many years. Krista Bo 00:01:39 'The U.S. has also had some success with the new technology. Five patients in an FDA trial received titanium hearts, including a 58-year-old man in Texas who was sustained for eight days last July until he received a transplant. Krista Bo 00:01:53 The World Health Organization reports cardiovascular diseases claim 18 million lives globally each year. And in the U.S., federal data shows only a fraction, about 3500 people received donor hearts last year. Professor Hayward predicts that within a decade, these artificial hearts could become a vital alternative for those waiting for a lifeline. Krista Bo 00:02:17 'If someone gave you $20 to make someone else's day, what would you do with it? Well, students at Hatboro-Horsham High School in Pennsylvania certainly understood the assignment. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:02:29 So for the $20 challenge, we decided to combine all of our money. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:02:33 And we're here to target getting toys for little kids in the hospital. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:02:37 Yup. Let's go. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:02:38 Our $20 challenge. We made goodie bags for hygiene items for the homeless. We made truffles and distribute them to all the teachers, and we planned to do it until we graduate. Krista Bo 00:02:47 That's just a taste of how hundreds of teams over the last seven years have turned $20 bills into ripples of kindness. Their English teacher, Kristina Ulmer, started the $20 Kindness Challenge in memory of her sister Katie, who tragically died in a car crash in 2014 after finishing her shift as a waitress. When Christina arrived at the scene, she asked the police officer if she could go home with her sister's purse because she didn't want to leave without something of Katie's to hold on to. Kristina Ulmer 00:03:15 And she had a wallet and it was stuffed full of cash, you know, dollar bills and fives and tens. I just sat there with the money and I thought, what do I do with this money? I don't know what to do with this. But I knew I had to go to something good because my sister, from the time we were little, always wanted to help people in like, their worst moments. Krista Bo 00:03:35 Kristina stashed the purse and its contents in the back of a closet. Fast forward to 2018, she assigned her students Ray Bradbury's 1953 classic, "Fahrenheit 451." The novel is set in a world where everyone is glued to their screens and lacked empathy. Kristina Ulmer 00:03:50 And so we were talking a lot about dystopian novels are their warnings to us. And so what can we do to prevent our world from becoming that world to this very eerily similar. Krista Bo 00:04:01 That was her light bulb moment. Use her sister's money to create the $20 Kindness Challenge. Kristina Ulmer 00:04:07 And my only requirement was that they record a little reflection. And then I compiled it in a big video just for me to share with them, so that we could all watch it and see what everybody did. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:04:15 We combined our $20 to make cookies for people at a retirement home. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:04:19 We helped to buy presents for one of the kids in our school district. 'Hatboro-Horsham High School Students 00:04:22 We went to the animal shelter, bought them a bunch of toys and gifts for them. Krista Bo 00:04:27 And thanks to donations. She's been doing it twice a year ever since with her classes. Kristina Ulmer 00:04:32 They start to realize I can do things that show that I'm thoughtful, and I'm thinking about someone without really spending a dollar. Krista Bo 00:04:39 She finds comfort in the fact that these acts of kindness keep her sister's memory alive while planting seeds for a better future. Kristina Ulmer 00:04:46 These kids are going to grow up and be the adults that are running our world. And so the fact that they're doing it as teenagers, my hope is that they continue doing it into adulthood. Krista Bo 00:04:57 March Madness fans, your time has finally come. The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament has officially kicked off, and for the next few weeks, dozens of teams will battle it out to get to the championship game in Tampa, Florida on April 6th. And if you're looking for a place to watch the games, Jenny Nguyen suggests finding a spot that champions women's sports. Like The Sports Bra. Jenny Nguyen 00:05:21 So The Sports Bra is the world's first sports bar, 100% dedicated to women's sports. We support women. That's that's our tagline now. It's like a double entendre. It's funny, but it's also true. Krista Bo 00:05:33 Jenny is the founder and CEO of the Sports Bra, or just "the bra," as it's affectionately called, located in downtown Portland, Oregon. It's got four screens, a bar top custom made from NCAA tournament hardwood floors and walls covered with sports jerseys and memorabilia. Jenny Nguyen 00:05:50 We were seeing record numbers like hours and hours of waits. People like lining up around the block, and that's when it was just like, oh, you know, I feel like we've tapped into something really important and really special. Krista Bo 00:06:02 Opened in 2022, Jenny says her secret sauce was just being inclusive and community centered. Jenny Nguyen 00:06:09 I opened a place for a lot of people, whether they were women's sports fans, sports fans in general, or not. Krista Bo 00:06:16 I'm sure you remember last year's Women's March Madness tournament was so popular it broke TV viewership records, which meant Jenny's Sports Bra had to keep a waitlist. Jenny Nguyen 00:06:25 I feel like people were calling in sick to work to come watch their teams play in March Madness, like brackets were legit. Krista Bo 00:06:32 'This year, Jenny says she's expecting the same energy and attendance, especially during the evening games. When the big dance is over, jenny expects business to keep booming, along with the popularity of women's sports and the number of bars where you can watch them. And with some help from Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams husband and Reddit co-founder, Jenny plans to franchise for The Sports Bra. She hopes to open three new locations by the end of the year. Krista Bo 00:07:01 'When Mary Cooper was sorting through her late mother's belongings, the 81-year-old stumbled upon an unexpected treasure - a library book that was way overdue. Sherri Taliercio 00:07:12 Mary had said, you know, you're going to want to take a look at this. You know, it's 99 years late. Mary Cooper 00:07:17 And I find the dates and I'm thinking this had to have been taken out by my grandfather. Krista Bo 00:07:23 Mary's grandfather's name was Charles Tilton, a boat builder and craftsman who checked out the book from the Ocean County Library in New Jersey back when Calvin Coolidge was president in 1926. Krista Bo 00:07:34 The book was called, "Home Made Toys for Girls and Boys" by A. Neely Hall. Published in 1911, it taught readers how to make toys from wood, metal, and household items. Mary says her grandfather used to build toys for her mom when she was a kid. The toy boat in the book looked just like the one her mom used to have. Mary Cooper 00:07:53 I said, I have to return this book to the library. I was sure they would like to have it back. Krista Bo 00:07:59 And Sherri Talierico from the library said the timing of the book's return couldn't have been more perfect. Sherri Taliercio 00:08:05 What a serendipitous thing to happen that during our 100th year is when this book got returned. Such a throwback to a different time, a simpler time. Krista Bo 00:08:15 Mary was worried about getting charged a late fee, which the library said would have been $18,000 if they still charged fines. FYI, you won't be able to borrow this book. The library is going to keep it in a special case to preserve it. Sherri Taliercio 00:08:28 It's finally in its home for years to come. Krista Bo 00:08:36 'A four-year-old called for backup after his mom did the unthinkable and stole his ice cream. Up next, hear how he got some sweet justice for a sweet tooth. Krista Bo 00:08:52 'A four-year-old in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, accused his mom of committing the ultimate crime - eating his ice cream. Unwilling to let this injustice slide, CNN affiliate WTMJ reports the little boy called 911 for backup. Emergency Operator 00:09:07 What's the address of the emergency? Four Year Old 00:09:10 My mommy's being bad. Emergency Operator 00:09:12 Okay, what's going on? Mom 00:09:15 I ate his ice cream, so that's probably why he's calling 911. Emergency Operator 00:09:19 Okay. Krista Bo 00:09:20 Officers showed up at the family's house just to make sure everything was okay. And they were met with the pint sized prosecutor who doubled down on his case for his mom's arrest. Police officer 00:09:29 Did you call the police? Four Year Old 00:09:31 Yeah. Police officer 00:09:31 Why? Four Year Old 00:09:32 Tell my mommy to go to jail. Police officer 00:09:35 Why do you want mommy to go to jail? Four Year Old 00:09:37 Because she's being bad to me. Police officer 00:09:41 Should we take her to jail for eating your ice cream? Four Year Old 00:09:43 Yes! Police officer 00:09:44 I agree. Mom 00:09:44 I would let you arrest me, I think. Krista Bo 00:09:47 Instead of mom doing the time for the crime, officers struck a plea deal. Police officer 00:09:51 Okay, you got to be good for mom, okay? And then you get some ice cream. Can you say yes ma'am. Four Year Old 00:09:56 Yes ma'am. Police officer 00:09:57 Okay. Krista Bo 00:09:56 In the end, cooler heads and sweet treats prevailed. 48 hours later, the officers surprised the young whistleblower with two scoops of ice cream topped with blue sprinkles. Case closed. Krista Bo 00:10:13 All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. All about the problems Tesla is facing right now amid Elon Musk's DOGE efforts. Krista Bo 00:10:23 Five Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director. And Steve Lichteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow. Special thanks to Wendy Brundige. And thank you for listening. Take care. Till next time.
CNN
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
One Mom Turned Her Struggle Into a Movement - CNN 5 Good Things - Podcast on CNN Audio
Krista Bo 00:00:00 Hey there, it's International Women's Day and we wanted to celebrate the game changers and record breakers. Lindsay Dewar 00:00:07 It's great that the women are getting their chance to kind of even everything up and be more recognized in the market. Krista Bo 00:00:13 'We'll highlight one industry where women are doing better than men for a change. Plus, from a ten-year-old girl making sports history to a tribal chief fighting for cleaner water, these stories you'll hear prove that when women rise, we all win. From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is a special edition of Five Good Things. Krista Bo 00:00:38 'All right, I want you to take a second and think of a woman who shaped who you are today. I'm willing to bet a lot of you pictured your mom or your grandma or someone who felt like that to you. Those women poured everything into us. And I'm sure they'll tell you motherhood is a wild and beautiful ride - full of love, sacrifice and making it up as you go. Especially in those blurry postpartum days. Amy VanHern 00:01:06 When my son was just a baby, just a few weeks old, I found myself in a reality of either nursing or pumping or thinking about nursing and pumping. It was my new reality as I tried to keep this tiny human alive and fed, and I found it incredibly overwhelming and so isolating. Krista Bo 00:01:28 As a mother of two young children, Amy VanHern was balancing work and motherhood. In 2015, she was about to board a redeye back to Maine from San Francisco. Amy VanHern 00:01:38 And I was sitting on a very dirty, sticky bathroom floor in the San Francisco airport, hooked up to a breast pump that was sounding like Darth Vader, and I was just beside myself, wanting to quit both breast feeding and my job and everything. And in that moment, the one thing that saved me was a text from my sister checking in. A light bulb went off for me. Krista Bo 00:02:01 That moment turned into a movement to uplift and support new and expecting mothers across the country. In 2016, she cofounded an app called Pumpspotting, where mothers can virtually connect and tell stories, ask questions, and raise concerns with each other and experts. Amy VanHern 00:02:19 We're making it easy for mothers to get the information, the education, the experts they need so that they feel seen and supported at every step of the way. Krista Bo 00:02:29 They then wanted to meet mothers where they were physically. So Amy bought a 40 foot long RV, painted it bright teal, and hit the road in 2018. Meeting thousands of women and dozens of cities at places like hospitals, parks and eventually even outside NASA's Space Center in Houston. Amy VanHern 00:02:47 And that was the first of what will now be four tours in 2025. So she is lovingly called "Barb the Boob Bus." We call her: the Breast Express. And, you know, she really feels like a tiny home. Breast Express Experience 00:03:02 Welcome aboard. Hi! How's it going!? Oh my gosh. Amy VanHern 00:03:06 You step on board and there is a space to sit and connect with other moms, complete with lots of boob pillows and graphics and comforts of home. It's a space to get what you need and be who you are, to be seen, and to just have a moment of real joy. Breast Express Experience 00:03:23 Thanks Barb. Awww, we love you. We love it, thanks! Krista Bo 00:03:27 They've partnered with advocacy group Chamber of Mothers for this year's tour, kicking off in July, hitting more stops than ever. Amy VanHern 00:03:34 Since we started Pumpspotting. We have supported moms through more than 3.5 million feeds, and so I feel incredibly proud. Krista Bo 00:03:46 So when I was researching stories to highlight for this episode, I thought to myself, how cool would it be if there was an industry or a field to spotlight where women are doing just as well, if not outperforming men. And good news there is. Lindsay Dewar 00:04:03 Women have achieved sales value parity with men in the African art market. It started in 2023 and it's continued into 2024, which to me shows a really positive trend. Krista Bo 00:04:14 That's Lindsay Dewar. She's the CEO of ArtTactic, a London based art market research and data analytics firm. Lindsay Dewar 00:04:21 What's great is that we are seeing diversification, and we're seeing that there's a desire to kind of look in different locations, to investigate different areas of the market that people may not know, and to kind of own a broader range of artists. Krista Bo 00:04:36 Last year, Lindsay said African women artists made up 53% of total African art auction sales worth $22 million, with Ethiopian American artist Julie Mehretu leading the way. It's not just about the big bucks. It's about representation, too. More women than ever having their work at auctions next to heavy hitters in the contemporary art world, like Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. Lindsay Dewar 00:05:01 So over the last decade, we've seen a growth of nearly 130% of the number of women artists that are being sold at auction. And this is a trend that's been mimicked in the African art market as well. So in 2024, there were over 450 individual women artists of African descent sold at auctions. Krista Bo 00:05:22 So will this trend continue? 2025 is already off to a good start. Sotheby's Auctioneer 00:05:27 Ladies and gentlemen, showing here in the room works by the South African born in London based artist, of course, a very rare to market. And I'm going to start here at 800,000 pounds at 800,000. Krista Bo 00:05:37 Earlier this week at Sotheby's auction house in London, a South African artist named Lisa Brice set a personal record with the sale of her painting called, "After Embah." Lindsay Dewar 00:05:47 And it's this amazing, huge canvas in these red tones. Nicki Minaj is referenced in the painting, so it's a really kind of contemporary celebration of women and challenging the male gaze. Sotheby's Auctioneer 00:06:02 Gentlemen's bid. 1,500,000. Give me six, sir. Krista Bo 00:06:04 It was only supposed to go for no more than $1.9 million, which is nothing to sneeze at. Sotheby's Auctioneer 00:06:09 At four million four, and I'm going to sell it with a new world record price for Lisa Brice at Sotheby's in London here. Four million four, Lisa (gavel pounding podium) it's yours. Thank you very much a day. Thank you. Krista Bo 00:06:19 That's an incredible $5.6 million. Lindsay Dewar 00:06:23 It's great that the women are getting their chance to kind of even everything up and be more recognized in the market. I think that we're going to see a lot more of that going forward. Krista Bo 00:06:34 When it comes to tackling climate change, the U.N. says women and girls have been at the forefront, with indigenous women often leading the charge on environmental conservation. Take Chief Caleen Sisk, for example. People call her "the chief" for short. And for over two decades, she's been leading the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and its efforts to preserve sacred indigenous sites, rivers and salmon in northern California. Chief Caleen Sisk 00:06:59 We're on the edge of not having salmon, and that all of our generations after us will not have salmon if we don't do everything that we can to make sure that salmon survive. Because they are the keepers of our water, nobody else can do in the river what they do. Salmon in the river system keeps the river clean. Krista Bo 00:07:22 The Winnemum Wintu Tribe has lived along the icy cold McCloud River for generations, which is considered one of the most endangered rivers in the country, according to the nonprofit, American Rivers. Chief Caleen says the McCloud used to be home to hundreds of thousands of Chinook salmon. Chief Caleen Sisk 00:07:40 When the Shasta Dam went in, and the salmon were not able to go back to the McCloud River. The same thing happened to the tribe. Krista Bo 00:07:48 The chief says the population of the tribe has dropped as well, from about 20,000 before the 1850s, to 126 today. And to her, this is no coincidence. Chief Caleen Sisk 00:08:00 We know that whatever happens to the salmon happens to us. Krista Bo 00:08:05 'So blocked by the Shasta Dam and battered by climate change, these endangered fish need help, and their return could heal ecosystems and old wounds. In 2023, the tribe signed a historic agreement with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They're moving thousands of fertilized eggs from places like New Zealand to hatch in the McCloud River to grow the population - slowly but surely. Krista Bo 00:08:33 The goal? The chief says she wants 25,000 salmon, new tribal run fisheries and cleaner water for all. Healthy salmon means a healthier planet and better brain food for all of us. Amanda Pullinger 00:08:50 So what's really fascinating is we're now in a place in the world where I believe globally, there are more women going through universities proportionally than men. Why aren't they being promoted in large numbers. Krista Bo 00:09:04 That's especially true in venture capital. The industry that funds the world's biggest ideas. Reports have shown that women are more likely to invest in other women. But here's the problem. In the U.S. alone, less than 20% of the investors writing those checks are women. That means with fewer women making those big investment swings, fewer female entrepreneurs are getting the chance to take their ideas to the next level. Krista Bo 00:09:30 But here's the thing. According to the European Investment Bank, companies founded by women deliver twice as much revenue per dollar invested, despite receiving less than half the investment capital of their male peers. And research also consistently shows women investors are more interested in social impact businesses, which can benefit society more widely. Krista Bo 00:09:52 So after spending 25 years as a finance leader and seeing all of this take place, Amanda Pullinger wants to make more women visible in the industry as a whole, especially in leadership and management roles. Amanda Pullinger 00:10:04 There are lots of women's networks out there, but I felt these women needed their own network. For most women, they want to be able to see a pathway into leadership roles. Krista Bo 00:10:16 'So last year, she co-founded a group to connect women in this particular world of finance. It's called Global Female Investors Network. It's a community of 2000 women she calls "risk takers." And they're laser focused on managing money, whether it's hedge funds, traditional funds or VC funds. She says groups like this are key to addressing the gender gap in finance. Amanda Pullinger 00:10:38 And so the first step is to be able to see other people like you in those roles, who've gone through it, who've been there, done that. The second step is to get men to be much more active in encouraging women to be visible within their organization. Men are such a critical part of of getting to the solution. Krista Bo 00:10:59 Amanda says, which she's noticed in her career, is that women spend more time hunkering down doing the work, which is important. But they spend less time doing what the guys do. Amanda Pullinger 00:11:10 Build the relationships. Get yourself on conference panels. Be vocal, right. It is a curiosity to me. Because when women actually focus on it, they're much better, they're much better at building long term relationships that are mutually beneficial. Krista Bo 00:11:28 So she hopes this group will inspire more young women to become risk takers. Up next, we visit the court, the met and the racetrack to see what history is being made. Krista Bo 00:11:46 'Serena Williams told CNN last year that she was interested in expanding her sports ownership portfolio into the WNBA, if the right opportunity came along. Well, that time has come. The league announced this week that the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is now the part owner of Canada's first WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo. Serena Williams 00:12:07 I think women's sport is having a moment that it should have always had. People are realizing that is exciting to watch, and so it's an overly safe bet to me when it comes to investing. Krista Bo 00:12:19 As the WNBA enjoys new heights of popularity, the league's expanding to 13 teams this year, with the Golden State Valkyries joining the season. The Toronto Tempo and a new franchise in Portland will be right behind them in 2026. Krista Bo 00:12:33 From the court to the wrestling mat. Ten year old Honor Smoke is smoking her opponents. Honor Smoke 00:12:38 Well, I'd wrestle around with my sisters a lot. So I just thought, why don't I try wrestling? And since it's male dominated, it feels better to win against the boys in matches. Krista Bo 00:12:51 'She started taking the sport seriously at seven-years-old, wrestling both girls and boys. And now she's made history as the youngest athlete to be on the cover of a special edition of Sports Illustrated that celebrates her and nine other young female athletes who are breaking barriers. Honor Smoke 00:13:08 It was crazy. My mom showed me and I'm like, what!? Because I didn't think I would be on. Krista Bo 00:13:15 For my NASCAR fans out there, on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, sports car driver Katherine Legge will be the first woman in seven years to compete in a Cup Series race. After 20 years behind the wheel in a male dominated sport, Katherine says that even though some fans underestimate her, the car doesn't know the difference. Katherine Legge 00:13:35 They don't just let anybody jump at this kind of level and say, have at it. It's not for the faint hearted, right? You're doing 200 miles an hour or something crazy. So I personally want to have fun and enjoy the racing that I'm doing. And I want to leave as big a mark as I can on the sport. Krista Bo 00:13:57 All right, that's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. Host David Rind speaks to a Democratic congressman about what his party's plan is to push back against President Donald Trump and Republicans. Krista Bo 00:14:09 Five Good Things is a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director. And Steve, Lichteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru, and Lisa Namerow. Special thanks to Bijan Hosseini and Wendy Brundige. And thank you for listening. Take care. Till next time.
