Life After Hate with Christian Picciolini (Part 1)

The Get InPowered Podcast: Fostering Community through Shared Stories

"If we can find a way to amplify the good things that people are passionate about, and provide opportunity, I suspect we’ll see less extremism when people are more resilient." - Christian

On the Get InPowered Podcast, we often talk about transformation and life-altering moments. Christian Picciolini is perhaps the prime example of such a transformation. A leader of white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups in his youth, Christian now works as an ambassador to help members of those communities transition out of hate and violence back into the broader community.

Christian’s perspective is unique and his passion for helping people overcome their hatred and defeat the core issues in their lives that lead them to these paths is overwhelming. How do you reach people who’ve turned against their fellow man? By listening first, then extending the three things people want most: Identity, community and a sense of purpose.

"It made me feel powerful when I felt the most powerless, and I was willing at that time to put aside the racism just to belong, just to feel accepted and have a status of somebody who was not on the margins anymore." - Christian.

"It’s pretty simple. We tend to hate other people because we hate ourselves, we hate the situation we’re in. And we project the pain that we feel onto other people so that we can rid ourselves of that pain." - Christian

"Hatred is born of ignorance; fear is its father and isolation is its mother." - Christian