#91 Ken Woodward: The Fear Is Far, The Hope Is Near: America At 250

"That is what a patriot is. Someone who loves the country enough to trade the myth for the question." - Ken Woodward

We took a single question to two places: the garden of the Heurich House in Washington, DC, and a town-center street in Rockville. What are you asking, right now, about America at two hundred and fifty? We did not coach anyone. We asked, and we listened. What came back was not one mood. It was several, sitting side by side. A civility one immigrant was taught here and watched thin. A fear for the vote. An institution lost and a resolve to become one. The next two hundred and fifty years held in one hand and tonight's parking in the other. A whole country found again in a crowd at a pool.

Underneath all five runs one thread: the fear lives at a distance, and the hope lives within reach. Agency far away arrives as something done to us. Agency close enough to touch arrives as hope. The episode follows that thread back to the founding, to Frederick Douglass, and to what the word patriot is supposed to mean.

This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions)

Keep questioning!

#90 Ken Woodward: Right Now Questions - Union Market, DC: When Now Becomes Next

"When someone asks us about now, many of us answer with next." - Ken Woodward

We took the mic into Union Market and asked strangers one question. What is your Right Now Question? Their answers, and the quiet trend running underneath them.

On a warm June afternoon in Washington, DC, we stood in Union Market and asked the people passing through a single thing. Not what they do. Not where they are headed. Just this. What is your Right Now Question?

What came back was a market full of strangers, each one carrying something. A job. A move. A book they could not choose. A neighborhood changing faster than anyone can hold. Listen for the trend running underneath the answers, then meet us on the other side for what we noticed.

A few of the Right Now Questions we heard:

Am I going to get this job?
What does peace look like?
Do I stay, or do I go?
Do the new neighbors know what this used to be?
Where will these protests lead us?
What is so hard about being kind?

This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the weekly Curated Questions Dispatch newsletter for more fun with questions and curiosity! (https://substack.com/@curatedquestions)

Keep questioning!

#37 Ken Woodward: Walking 2,085 Miles Through America's Hard History

Curated Questions host, Ken Woodward recounts his transformative journey of questioning deeply held beliefs about patriotism and social justice, influenced by significant moments, readings, and personal encounters.

This introspective episode delves into his midlife reevaluation of American history, racism, and the resilience required to challenge ingrained myths. From walking through Washington DC to participating in significant social movements, Ken shares the trials, learning experiences, and the courage it took to step outside his comfort zone.

The episode underscores the importance of continuous questioning and engagement in personal and societal growth.

#04 Austin Graff: Raising High EQ Kids, Living With Intention, & Curiosity Led Global Travel

Austin Graff has seen much of the world. Born to American parents, he grew up in Russia and Kazakhstan and returned to the United States for college in Michigan. He has lived in Washington, DC, for nearly 20 years and is married with a seven-year-old daughter.

Austin has spent his entire career in social media and digital marketing. He started at non-profits, then shifted to larger companies such as Coca-Cola and, until recently, the Washington Post. In 2022, Austin launched Curiosity & Connection, which combines media consulting and travel guides. His family joins him on adventures as he explores and writes about DC's 131 neighborhoods and various global destinations.

Austin shares deep insights into raising inquisitive children with high emotional intelligence, planning and executing worldwide travel with care for the local community, living a designed lifestyle, and describing what is necessary for a level 10 community. This journey is characterized by Austin's humility, love for people, and insatiable curiosity.