Episode Details

Welcome back to a new season of If You Were in Charge.

This week, we sit down with Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, who has built a life creating an ice cream empire while also becoming a passionate activist fighting against military spending, which he believes is irrational and immoral, and is used to keep ordinary people poor and oppressed.

We explore his journey from ice cream to activism, and his unwavering belief in the power of collective action.

This episode also features Sanam’s daughter, Soleh. Together, they discuss the ongoing Epstein fallout and why it is cutting through the media noise, Marco Rubio’s imperialist speech in Munich, and Iran—along with what America is going to do next.

That's this week on If You Were in Charge, the radical leadership podcast about people, power, and possibilities, hosted by Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, founder of ICAN and a peace strategist who has worked with women in conflict zones for over thirty years, and co-host Kavita Nandini Ramdas, senior advisor to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and former head of the Global Fund for Women.

If You Were In Charge is brought to you by ICAN⁠ ⁠International Civil Society Action Network⁠⁠

Original Music, Little Monster Media 

Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch

This is an ⁠⁠ADA Production

key topics

• Ben Cohen's background and activism journey
• The role of business in social justice
• Campaign against militarism and Pentagon budget
• Ben and Jerry's stance on Gaza and Palestine
• Corporate social responsibility and social mission
• The importance of collective action and community engagement
• The influence of personal values on business decisions
• Strategies for engaging the public on social issues
• The intersection of peacebuilding and business
• Inspiration for young activists and entrepreneurs

Chapters

00:00 Health Care vs. Militarism

01:50 Public Outrage: Epstein vs. Gaza

04:44 The Role of Youth in Activism

06:44 Political Extremism and Identity

08:50 The Absurdity of Militarism

13:02 Ben Cohen: Activism and Ice Cream

14:29 The Origins of Ben and Jerry's

15:13 Childhood Aversion to Militarism

17:42 Economic Violence and Lead Poisoning

20:57 Connecting Militarism to Everyday Issues

24:59 Human Security vs. National Security

25:26 Activism and Business: A Dual Role

30:44 The Game of Business and Social Responsibility

33:45 Innovative Financing and Community Engagement

35:10 The Balance of Wealth and Fulfillment

37:12 Corporate Responsibility and Social Justice

38:21 Ben & Jerry's Social Mission and Unilever

40:41 Political Stance and Corporate Complicity

42:43 Hope Amidst Outrage and Activism

47:01 Vision for a Better World

49:39 People Power and Collective Mobilization

51:32 Cultural Connections Through Ice Cream

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