What’s The Value In Community?

What’s The Value In Community?

Author: Sony Music Entertainment / Jonathan Van Ness February 5, 2025 Duration: 47:36
JVN sits down with Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon—educator, entrepreneur, and founder of The Village Market—to unpack one of the biggest myths of our time: being self-made. In a culture that glorifies individual success, Dr. Key challenges us to rethink the power of community. Together, they explore why no one truly makes it alone, how the myth of self-sufficiency keeps us isolated, and why collaboration is the real key to overcoming systemic barriers. Dr. Key shares the economic, social, and emotional costs of hyper-individualism, as well as practical steps to start building meaningful, values-driven communities. Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon, better known as Dr. Key, is an educator, entrepreneur, and founder of The Village Market, an organization dedicated to supporting and uplifting Black entrepreneurs. Dr. Key challenges us to unlearn the myths of individualism, rethink our obsession with being “self-made,” and explore how collaboration and community are the real keys to overcoming systemic barriers and achieving economic prosperity. Her new book No One Is Self Made is out now! You can find Dr. Key on Instagram @drkeyhallmon. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Go to nordvpn.com/jvn with our link, you’ll get an extra 4 months free on the 2-year plan and it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know that feeling when you’re just trying to figure it all out, and you need a guide who’s equal parts insightful and hilarious? That’s the space where Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness lives. Hosted by the beloved Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye, this podcast turns genuine curiosity into a powerful engine for personal growth. Each episode feels like a vibrant conversation with a deeply empathetic friend who isn’t afraid to ask the big, awkward, or wonderfully silly questions. Jonathan sits down with a diverse array of experts, authors, and thinkers, weaving together discussions that are as enlightening as they are unexpectedly funny. The result is a unique blend of education, comedy, and culture that tackles everything from societal issues to the intimate details of self-improvement. You’ll find yourself laughing one moment and having a profound revelation the next, all while feeling less alone in the challenges of modern life. This isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about the ongoing, messy, and beautiful process of understanding ourselves and the world. Produced in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, the podcast delivers consistently engaging audio experiences that are both a lifeline and a joy. Tune in for a weekly dose of warmth, wit, and the kind of conversations that leave you feeling genuinely better equipped to navigate your own path.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
Podcast Episodes
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Southern Resident killer whales are a lot like us. They have family meals, chat in different dialects, and sleep side by side. They even engage in an activity called sword fighting—which is exactly what it sounds like. O…
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Sea daddies! Sea queens! Land hoes! This week, we’re getting wet and wild with Dr. Seth LeJacq to learn what life was like for queer sailors in the British navy from the 15th century to the 19th century. How did these sa…
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Duration: 1:07:29
Paris. Lindsay. Kim. We know the celebs in paparazzi photos, but what about the people behind the cameras? This week, Professor Vanessa Díaz takes us inside the world of Hollywood's paparazzi—who are predominantly Latine…
Are Parasites Out To Get Us? with Dr. Sebastian Lourido [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:46
Parasites are everywhere: in our bodies, in our water, even in our cats’ litter boxes. Are they agents of chaos—or just misunderstood? This week, Dr. Sebastian Lourido joins Jonathan to discuss the epic world of parasite…
How Can We Ease Eco-Anxiety? (ICYMI) with Dekila Chungyalpa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:22
Last week, Earth hit record-high temperatures—three times. We’re feeling the heat of climate change, literally, and it’s f*cking scary. To help us handle this moment, we’re re-releasing an episode from our archives, with…
How Does The Universe Get It On? with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:54
Is life one big cosmic orgy? To wrap up our Pride Beyond Borders series, we’re going big… with an episode all about our universe! Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein joins Jonathan to discuss why spacetime isn’t straight, what…
What’s It Like To Be Gay In China? with Dr. Travis S. K. Kong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:30
What do 90 young, gay men in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have in common? They’ve all spent years sharing their stories with this week’s guest: Dr. Travis S. K. Kong. He joins Jonathan as part of our Pride Beyon…