Upstander Ripple Effect Episode 12: Empathy

Jackie starts this episode with some definitions of Empathy:

“the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation” — Cambridge Dictionary

“the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another” — Merriam Webster

“understanding a person from their frame of reference rather than one’s own, or vicariously experiencing that person’s feelings, perceptions, and thoughts” — American Psychological Association

In this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge dive deep into the idea of empathy—what it really means, why some people are questioning its value, and how it plays a powerful role in standing up for others. Along the way, they reflect on how empathy is often misunderstood as agreement, when really, it’s about connection and understanding.

As Kevin puts it:

“Empathy is what helps bring us to a point of understanding, which then can dictate better our responses, our actions, and our words… What you are validating is their lived experience, which cannot be invalidated.”

The episode also features moving stories from the archive at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, including Holocaust survivor Conrad Weiner, who reminds us of the danger of indifference, and Tulane Chartock, a social worker who helped Holocaust survivors rebuild their lives in Cincinnati. Both stories show how empathy can shape our lives.

And in our Upstander Shoutout, we recognize Brandon Saho, a former Cincinnati sports reporter turned mental health advocate. Through his podcast The Mental Game, Brandon is creating space for honest conversations about mental health, especially in the often tough-it-out world of sports.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

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