93: Lean into Clean with Jarvis Smith - Episode 93

93: Lean into Clean with Jarvis Smith - Episode 93

What drives someone to seek a life that heals people *and* the planet? This episode of Lean into Clean with Jarvis Smith follows that question through the remarkable story of peace educator and UN changemaker Rebecca Irby. Recorded live from New York during Earth Week, the conversation links climate, indigenous rights, nuclear disarmament, and inner healing into one clear thread: real change starts heart-first and grows through community.

Rebecca shares her childhood "tree protest" at four years old, the moment she felt her own power, and how that energy evolved into founding PEAC Institute (Peace, Education, Art and Culture). You’ll hear how she went from classroom work to co-leading a global campaign that helped make nuclear weapons illegal under international law, gathering millions of signatures and contributing to a Nobel Peace Prize–winning effort.

Yet she keeps bringing the focus back to people, asking in policy work: “Who is benefiting? Who is being harmed? And who isn’t even at the table?” For anyone interested in recovery, this lands close to home: Rebecca talks about integrating healing into leadership, balancing masculine "hard facts" with feminine softness, and seeing transformation happen through honest stories, not just data. Her multicultural background and love of shared meals become a gentle lesson in curiosity over judgement.

There’s also a peek behind the scenes at a historic week at the UN, where indigenous leaders, finance experts and Earth Day activists are being brought into one shared space. As Rebecca puts it, change comes when we “rise up” together, never alone. If you’ve ever wondered how your own healing journey might ripple out into social change, this conversation might spark a fresh question: what small, heart-led action could you take next?