2024 brought some exciting developments for PTU’s weekly TV show, Challenge 2.0. We doubled our number of subscribers on YouTube, the podcast version became available on Spotify and several other podcast apps we weren’t previously on, and most importantly: We produced several episodes “in the field”, visiting individuals and places that had inspiring stories to tell. After our initial years only filming studio interviews (in the tradition of the original Challenge show that started on KOMO TV in 1960), and then switching successfully to Zoom interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now excited to combine all three formats to cover even more topics with guests from across the country. Some of my favorite episodes this year had us visiting the Yakama and the Nez Perce Tribes in Eastern Washington to report on their fight to save the salmon population that holds such tremendous spiritual, economic, and ecological importance for our region (Swimming Upstream for Survival, Part 1), and our conversation with American Pagans who represent 1.5 million Americans, one of the fastest growing wisdom communities in the United States (Pagan Faith – The Unacknowledged Partner).
Our mission with Challenge 2.0 is to bring you stories of hope and understanding that goes deeper than news headlines. We speak to experts, leaders of wisdom communities, and individuals who have been personally affected by an issue. Bringing all of these perspectives together, we hope to introduce you to stories you haven’t heard before – shining light on the ongoing injustices in our country and the world, yet always focusing on how much good is being done by people of all walks of life. We are proud to sometimes bring people with opposing views into conversation without conflict.
In this past year of ongoing wars and escalating political divisions, the daily news became overwhelming for many of us. On Challenge 2.0, we chose to tell stories of communities coming together and supporting each other. In our three-part look at Youth Mental Health, we followed a community grieving the loss of a son, friend, and baseball team captain to suicide. Their sorrow was transformed into an active program to help teens in crisis get the support they need. We also had regular visits from faith leaders from Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam who shared their wisdom tradition’s takes on how to find resilience and joy in an increasingly tense world.
You can see or listen to the show in so many ways. Paths To Understanding’s YouTube Channel has all 164 Challenge 2.0 episodes available to date. You’ll also find a number of playlists for certain topics, such as Environment, Indigenous Voices, Racism, and Civic Engagement. I personally listen to the show on the PTU Podcast on commutes and while walking my dog. It’s an easy way to find out what people are doing to make the world a more positive and connected place.