Running to the Noise
Claim This Podcastby Oberlin College & Conservatory
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<p>When First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to the graduating class of Oberlin College and Conservatory in 2015, she encouraged students to embrace Oberlin’s history and run to the “noise”— those challenging, contentious situations that threaten to divide us. </p><p>As the first college in America to officially embrace the admission of black students, and the first co-ed school to grant bachelor’s degrees to women, Oberlin has been Running to the Noise almost since our inception. And that’s just what we’ll do in each episode of our podcast, hosted by College President Carmen Twillie Ambar.</p><p>President Ambar will talk with all manner of interesting and influential people on and off our campus who are tackling some of the world’s toughest problems, working to spark positive change for everyone.</p>
Language
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Publishing Since
9/26/2023
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Recent Episodes
May 22, 2026
Billion-Dollar Giving: Cecilia Conrad on Changing How Philanthropy Funds Big Ideas
Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar interviews Cecilia Conrad, founding CEO of Lever for Change, about revolutionizing philanthropy to fund impactful big ideas.
March 31, 2026
The Power of an Oberlin Education
<p><span>In this special spring episode of </span>Running to the Noise<span>, President </span><strong>Carmen Twillie Ambar</strong><span> reflects on what makes Oberlin College and Conservatory a place where students don’t just imagine change—they step up and make it happen. From student-led initiatives to alumni shaping fields as diverse as the arts, artificial intelligence, public policy, and journalism, this episode brings together stories rooted in the Oberlin experience—time on an extraordinary campus where a top-tier college of arts and sciences and a world-class conservatory are seamlessly intertwined, and where a long tradition of educating leading scholars and musicians continues to evolve.</span></p><p><span>Through excerpts from conversations with artists and innovators drawn from the past three seasons, we hear how Oberlin shaped their paths—from Broadway stages and opera houses to breakthroughs in machine learning, efforts to address climate and conservation challenges, bestselling novels, and national policy debates. These are not just careers—they are contributions that influence how we understand the world and how we live in it.</span></p><p><span>At the heart of each story is a shared mindset: a willingness to take risks, embrace complexity, and, as Michelle Obama once said of Oberlin students, </span>“run to the noise.”</p><p><br></p><h3><span> Featured Guests </span></h3><ul><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-19" rel="nofollow"><strong>LaTanya Hall</strong></a><span> – Associate Professor of Jazz Voice, Oberlin Conservatory</span></li><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-19" rel="nofollow"><strong>Georgia Heers</strong></a><strong> (Class of 2021)</strong><span> – Broadway performer (</span>Good Night, and Good Luck<span>)</span></li><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-23" rel="nofollow"><strong>Thomas Dietterich</strong></a><strong> (Class of 1977)</strong><span> – AI pioneer and professor emeritus, Oregon State University</span></li><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-17" rel="nofollow"><strong>Rumaan Alam</strong></a><strong> (Class of 1999)</strong><span> – Bestselling author (</span>Leave the World Behind<span>, </span>Entitlement<span>)</span></li><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-25" rel="nofollow"><strong>Tamara Jade</strong></a><strong> (Class of 2012)</strong><span> – Singer, actor, and performer (</span>The Voice<span>, HBO, Lincoln Center)</span></li><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-24" rel="nofollow"><strong>Benjamin Wittes Part 1</strong></a><strong>;</strong><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-24-2" rel="nofollow"><strong> Part 2</strong></a><strong> (Class of 1991)</strong><span> – Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Editor-in-Chief of </span>Lawfare</li><li><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-14" rel="nofollow"><strong>Limmie Pulliam</strong></a><span> – Operatic tenor and Oberlin Conservatory alumnus</span></li></ul><h3><br></h3><h3><span>Episode Highlights</span></h3><ul><li><strong>Mentorship that transforms lives</strong><span>: LaTanya Hall and Georgia Heers discuss the power of trust, discipline, and artistic growth in the conservatory model.</span></li><li><strong>AI, ethics, and the liberal arts</strong><span>: Tom Dietterich explains how Oberlin shaped his approach to machine learning and complex global challenges.</span></li><li><strong>Writing without fear</strong><span>: Rumaan Alam reflects on how Oberlin fostered creative risk-taking and intellectual courage.</span></li><li><strong>Artistry without limits</strong><span>: Tamara Jade shares how Oberlin empowered her to embrace multiple creative identities—and disrupt expectations.</span></li><li><strong>Finding your path</strong><span>: Benjamin Wittes on pivoting from fiction to journalism—and why close reading, critical thinking, and civic engagement matter now more than ever.</span></li><li><strong>Resilience and return</strong><span>: Limmie Pulliam’s journey back to the stage shows why it’s never too late to pursue your dreams..</span></li></ul><h3><br></h3><h3><span>What You’ll Take Away</span></h3><ul><li><span>Why Oberlin students “err on the side of doing”</span></li><li><span>How mentorship, community, and curiosity shape lifelong success</span></li><li><span>The importance of embracing complexity—and rejecting easy answers</span></li><li><span>What it really means to “run to the noise” in your own life</span></li></ul><p><span><span></span></span></p><p><strong>Listen now and discover how Oberlin students and alumni are changing the world—for good!</strong></p>
February 28, 2026
From Big Dreams to City Hall: Ali Najmi ’06 on Electing Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Reshaping New York’s Courts
<p>A decade ago, Ali Najmi ’06 ran for city council in Queens and lost. But that loss forged a partnership and a political foundation that would eventually help propel Zohran Mamdani to the mayor’s office in New York City. Today, Ali sits at the center of power in the nation’s largest city as Mayor Mamdani’s election lawyer, trusted advisor, and chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. From organizing immigrant communities to reshaping New York’s criminal and family courts, Ali’s story is about representation, persistence, and what it takes to move from insurgent campaigns to the hard work of governing.</p><p>In this episode of Running to the Noise, President Carmen Ambar speaks with Ali about identity, authenticity in politics, and the courage to dream big. They explore what it means to build coalitions across communities, to lose and learn, and to carry big ambitions into real institutional power.</p><p>Ali reflects on belief as a political force. Belief in yourself. Belief in your community. Belief that what sounds unrealistic today can become institutional reality tomorrow. From a hookah bar conversation about running for mayor to reshaping the city’s judiciary, his journey is a reminder that dreaming big is only the beginning. The work that follows is what turns vision into change.</p><p><strong>What We Cover in This Episode:</strong></p><p>● Growing up in Queens as the son of immigrants and becoming the first in his family to graduate from college and law school</p><p>● Leadership at Oberlin, including organizing for a permanent Muslim prayer space on campus</p><p>● What he learned from running for city council and losing</p><p>● The origins of his partnership with Mayor Zohran Mamdani</p><p>● Lessons from insurgent campaigns and multiracial coalitions</p><p>● How authenticity and affordability became winning political messages </p><p>● The transition from campaigning to governing</p><p>● The work of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary and why criminal and family court judges shape daily life in New York City</p><p>● What it means to run to the noise in public service</p><p><strong>Episode Links</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-mamdani-appoints-ali-najmi-as-chair-of-mayor-s-advisory-co" rel="nofollow">Mayor Mamdani Appoints Ali Najmi as Chair of Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary</a></p><p><a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-zohran-mamdani-appoints-christine-clarke-to-lead-the-new-y" rel="nofollow">Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Christine Clarke to Lead the New York City Commission on Human Rights</a></p><p><a href="https://www.cityandstateny.com/magazine/?oref=csny-nav" rel="nofollow">Who’s who in Zohran Mamdani’s administration?: Meet the folks who are running New York City</a></p><p><a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office" rel="nofollow">Office of the Mayor of New York City</a></p><p><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast" rel="nofollow">Running to the Noise podcast archive</a></p><p><a href="https://www.oberlin.edu/" rel="nofollow">Oberlin College and Conservatory</a></p>
30 total episodes available with 3 transcripts
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Cecilia Conrad
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- What is Running to the Noise?
<p>When First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to the graduating class of Oberlin College and Conservatory in 2015, she encouraged students to embrace Oberlin’s history and run to the “noise”— those challenging, contentious situations that threaten to divide us. </p><p>As the first college in America to officially embrace the admission of black students, and the first co-ed school to grant bachelor’s degrees to women, Oberlin has been Running to the Noise almost since our inception. And that’s just what we’ll do in each episode of our podcast, hosted by College President Carmen Twillie Ambar.</p><p>President Ambar will talk with all manner of interesting and influential people on and off our campus who are tackling some of the world’s toughest problems, working to spark positive change for everyone.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates bi-weekly.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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