Embracing Kulture™ – Interview with Steven Schauer

Embracing Kulture™ is a global movement that amplifies multicultural voices, creating space for people worldwide to share their stories of navigating multiple cultures and how this complexity shapes every aspect of their lives. Through authentic storytelling, the magazine empowers readers to embrace their full cultural identity while educating organizations on how multicultural perspectives drive innovation and strengthen workplace communities.

ID: A picture of Steven Schauer wearing glasses and smiling. He is wearing a blue shirt and headphones.

Steven Schauer is a contributing writer for Embracing Kulture Magazine™ and host of the "Stories Sustain Us" podcast. A storyteller at heart who believes in the power of gratitude and embracing life's paradoxes, Steven brings a unique blend of public service dedication and spiritual wisdom to his writing. As someone who finds joy in the journey—whether hiking by rivers, advocating for sustainability and justice, or exploring the transformative power of stories—he reminds readers that worthiness isn't just an intellectual concept but something to be felt deep in the heart and soul, especially when life gets hard.

• Can you tell us a bit about yourself? How do you define who you are?

Today, I would define who I am in the following ways. I am a husband (my greatest title), son, brother, and friend. I'm a storyteller and a curious learner who is passionate about music, books, art, and football, not American football, but rather the kind the world plays. I’m an advocate for sustainability and justice, helping to illuminate a path toward a more sustainable and equitable world for all. I’m a dedicated government sector executive who is committed to public service and has extensive experience in watershed and riverine management. I find pleasure in hiking and kayaking – really, any day I can be outside by a river, in a forest, on a mountain, or near the ocean is a good day. I enjoy writing, podcasting, and watching (and occasionally making) films. I’m both a dog-person and cat-person.

While my body may be considered middle-aged, my spirit (and often my behavior) remains young at heart. I cherish life, even when it’s hard, and it’s important for me to laugh as often as possible, particularly when life is hard. I recognize gratitude and the ability to embrace paradoxical and contradictory feelings as human superpowers we all have access to, and I try to use these superpowers every day. Blissfully trudging the Road of Happy Destiny, I’m a wonderer who loves to travel and understands the joy is in the journey. I strive to live as a spiritual, emotional, and sporadically rational human being, guided by kindness, compassion, and love. Finally, I fully expect if I’m asked to define myself at some point in the future, my answer will be different than this one (at least a little different, if not completely overhauled) as I believe learning, growing, and evolving are life-long pursuits.

• How would you describe your cultural background and identity?

The surface aspects of my identity are easy to label based on typical demographic groups including: Gen X (age bracket: 45-64), white (not Hispanic or Latino), cis-gendered, male, heterosexual, middle income status, graduate degree education level, white-collar professional “executive” career level, married (without children), no religious affiliation claimed, US born citizen, no military service, and no disability status claimed. While I do not claim a disability, it’s important for me to note that I have been in recovery for nearly 20-years and I fully acknowledge, accept, and agree with medical diagnoses and definitions of substance use disorder as both a complex brain disorder and mental illness. Therefore, I act every day to improve my mental health to avoid relapsing into old, unhealthy behaviors. 

Defining my cultural background is a bit more nuanced. I didn’t grow up focused on a cultural heritage or background. That really wasn’t a top-of-mind aspect of my family upbringing. That said, we all grow up in a culture, or cultures for some, and here’s a bit about mine.

My family’s socioeconomic heritage is primarily from a working, poor-to-middle-class background. Farmers, mechanics, occasional military service, that’s the type of blue-collar work that makes up much of what I know of my family’s lineage. My dad, for example, was an incredible mechanic, and he probably could have become a great engineer (electrical or mechanical) had the pursuit of a college degree after high school been a realistic option for him. My mom was the first in her family to go beyond high school as she received an undergraduate and graduate degree later in life – college wasn’t an option for her either right after high school. Going on to college and moving into more white-collar professions didn’t really come about in my family line until the generations that include my siblings, cousins, and me. 

While solidly “American,” most of my family lineage is from Germany, so I was raised with a sense of some stereotypical German culture such as being disciplined, orderly, efficient, pick-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps, hardworking, do-it-yourself, emotionally cold, and matter-of-fact type of people. Some of those stereotypical aspects of my cultural background have served me well in life, while others, not so much. I’ve worked hard in my adult years to change in some areas that I have outgrown, particularly in areas of my life related to emotional and mental health.

Being born in Wisconsin, I have some mid-western US culture in my background, such as hard-working, meat-and-potatoes type lifestyle, which overlaps with the German heritage. However, I largely grew up in Texas, so there’s some classic Southern Hospitality in my cultural background. Yes, I’ve been known to say “y’all” and “howdy” and I still often say “sir” and “ma’am” to everyone from complete strangers to work colleagues. Spending most of my life in San Antonio, I also have Tex-Mex, Mexican, and Latin American cultural understandings and appreciations as well. I am quickly adapting to the culture of the Pacific Northwest, where my wife and I moved to a few years ago. For example, I have fully embraced the Pacific Northwest fashion style, which is all about earthy tones, relaxed, nature-inspired, and functional clothing. The comedian, Jim Gaffigan jokes that everyone in the Pacific Northwest dresses like they are ready, at any time, for an impromptu hike, and that’s me. As I type this, I’m literally sitting here in olive green, super comfy hiking pants and a cream-colored t-shirt with a picture of the earth (colored green) with the statement “Vote Her” around the globe (also in green font). I could close my computer right now and go for a hike – oh, maybe I’ll go do that! 

• What inspired you to create the Stories Sustain Us podcast?

My passion for storytelling, love of the natural world, and compassion for humanity is what inspired me to cast a bright spotlight on the struggles and triumphs of those working to improve the world’s environmental, social, and economic conditions. With my show, Stories Sustain Us, my mission is clear: harness the transformative power of storytelling to inspire others to join in the collective effort to shape a sustainable future for all.

• What drives you to keep advocating for sustainability and justice?

I am driven to keep advocating for sustainability and justice because I understand scientifically, and believe both spiritually and morally, that we are all inextricably connected. Advocating for sustainability and justice, for me, is simply the right thing to do, and I have been driven by this belief most of my life.

From a young age, I wanted to be involved in helping to make this planet better for humans and all the other creatures, critters, and living things we share it with. Educationally, I pursued this by receiving my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science over 30-years ago and my Master of Public Affairs almost 25-years ago. Since then, I’ve had an amazing career, working with dedicated and talented public servants and elected officials, business and non-profit leaders, and engaged communities to effectuate long-lasting, positive change for people and the planet. I’ve also hosted others from around the globe and have been able to travel around the world myself, speaking with people from all over this beautiful planet who are working without fanfare to improve their communities, and thereby also improve the world. 

As my knowledge of environmental degradation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainability grew over the years, so did my understanding of the systemic problems that created the environmental harms in the first place. It’s these very same systemic problems that also create social and environmental injustices. While I started out over 30-years ago focused solely on environmental issues, as I evolved into an advocate for sustainability, it became clear to me that true sustainability must also include advocating for justice. As I mentioned, everything is connected.

Today, I know first-hand there is so much good happening around the world, and there is also so, so much, more that needs to be done to undo the damage humanity has often unwittingly, and sometimes purposefully, unleashed upon our only home. I also know, as I’m sure you do too, it’s easy to find the negative stories. Negative stories are everywhere. Just turn on the news and you’ll see story after story of how us humans are hurting each other, our planet, and everything else that lives on this planet as well.

With Stories Sustain Us, I can focus attention on the positive stories that often go unnoticed. In doing so, I can help provide some hope, a little light to hold back the doom and gloom that is so prevalent in our traditional news and social media feeds. What sets Stories Sustain Us apart is its ability to transform complex and urgent global topics, including climate change, biodiversity, poverty, healthcare, education, and social, racial, and environmental justice, into accessible and engaging tales. By using the universal human lens of storytelling, instead of simply relying on facts, figures, and data, the show skillfully addresses pressing issues, both educating and inspiring its audience to take meaningful action toward a more sustainable future for all.

In the end, with or with my show, I will remain driven to advocate for sustainability and justice because there’s more to do. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," and I fully believe in his statement that “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I would add, as others have, the “bends toward justice” part requires action by you, me, and all the others who believe in standing up and speaking out for a more sustainable and just world for all. We’re responsible for helping the Universe bend toward justice!

• What challenges have you faced on this journey, and how did you navigate them?

One of my biggest challenges has been resisting the pull of cynicism to stay engaged. Managing the emotional weight that comes from confronting massive local and global problems like climate change, environmental degradation, and systemic injustice can be difficult. When you’re steeped in this work you can really see the harm being done, and that’s hard. Combine that with the reality, as I mentioned, that we live in a world overflowing with bad news, and it can feel sometimes like the environmental harms, injustices, and bad news are winning. 

Just so you know, if like me, you feel that way from time-to-time, that’s okay. That’s normal. It shouldn’t feel good to see others suffer. Feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, despair, and overwhelm are undoubtedly associated with suffering, whether that suffering is your own or you’re witnessing it in others. For me, there are a few ways to navigate the challenges associated with cynicism and related uncomfortable emotions.

One practice that helps me is acknowledging those uncomfortable feelings when they arrive in me without letting them define me. Naming an emotion is much healthier for me than burying it and pretending it’s not there or giving it too much power by thinking the emotion is who I am. Emotions are typically temporary and useful, even the uncomfortable ones. By acknowledging them and being curious about why I’m feeling a certain way, I can learn something about myself and help the uncomfortable emotion move on its way. I’ve also learned through the practice of acknowledging my emotions that opposite emotions can coexist at the same time. For example, despair and hope can coexist. Paradox is a human superpower! 

And look, with the feeling of being overwhelmed, that’s a big one! Overwhelm requires taking a break, and that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up if you need to take a break. We all need to take a break every-now-and-then, and when we’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s our body’s way of letting us know we must take a break. So, my advice, give yourself a break before you get to the feeling of being overwhelmed, and if you’re overwhelmed, be kind to yourself and take the break your emotional mind and body are needing. 

Another way through cynicism and uncomfortable emotions has been to stay rooted in perspective. I remind myself daily that I don’t have to solve every problem alone. I just have to do my part, and my part can be as simple of showing kindness, compassion, and love to the people I encounter throughout the day. This includes showing kindness, compassion, and love to myself. Self-compassion is fundamental to personal well-being and being able to demonstrate empathy and compassion to others! 

For me, Stories Sustain Us is also an antidote to cynicism and uncomfortable emotions. With Stories Sustain Us, I’ve created a space to amplify voices doing quiet, hopeful, meaningful work. I draw strength from the individuals I’ve met through Stories Sustain Us. The stories shared by people quietly doing extraordinary things in their own communities reminds me that hope isn’t passive; it’s active. When we connect through storytelling, we remember why the fight for sustainability and justice matters. That connection renews my sense of purpose, even when the headlines scream otherwise. I believe our collective resilience grows stronger when we choose to focus on what’s working and build from there. 

Finally, recovery has also taught me that healthy daily practices matter. This includes focusing on the good, embracing paradox, and surrounding myself with others who care and are also working to better themselves and the world around them. Therefore, for me, staying mentally and emotionally well is part of my advocacy. I prioritize gratitude, spend time in nature, and laugh as often as possible—especially when life is hard. We need joy to sustain justice. And that’s what helps keep me going. 

• If you could give one piece of advice to your past self, what would it be and why?

The advice is: go explore the world and decide for yourself what gives your life meaning and purpose. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Never forget you are worthy and deserve to be here. And above all, be kind, compassionate, and loving to yourself and others.

It took me far too long to learn these lessons. I spent decades erroneously believing I had to prove to the world my worth, and even my very right to exist. While that grossly mistaken attitude helped me earn numerous accolades, recognitions, and successes, there was no external person, place, or thing that could fill the hole inside me. To be clear, I don’t really know for certain who I was constantly trying to prove myself to. It was everyone, it was no one, it was me trying to prove my worth to me. Living that way was untenable. 

My journey involves getting sober in my 30s, but it wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I fully understood and accepted the indescribable sense of freedom and peace that comes from knowing, deep from within, I am inherently worthy, as are you. This is not debatable. It is a fundamental truth. My hope for you is that you find the contentment that comes from this deep understanding.

Because I no longer feel an unescapable need to prove myself to you or anyone, I am now free to determine what gives my life meaning and purpose. And, for me, what gives my life meaning and purpose is exploring the world and expressing kindness, compassion, and love as often as I can. One of the ways I do this is by advocating for sustainability and justice, but there’s countless ways, large and small, that this can be done each day. 

There’s a quote from a Brené Brown article that sums up where I am these days. It makes me tear up every time I read it. The quote goes, “I am here for my purpose. I’m not here to make people comfortable or to be liked. My purpose is to know and experience love. This means excavating the unsaid. In the world and in me. Knowing and experiencing love means calling shame, fear, dehumanization, and injustice by their birth name: lovelessness. It means finding love in beauty, art, music, and nature. It means not turning away from pain or working pain out on other people. Knowing and experiencing love requires making connections between experiences and emotions that often feel a million miles apart. And, for me, love always requires living into courage and faith.” 

If I could, I would go back and tell “teenage me” to live life this way, and as I’m sharing with you now, please don’t wait until you’re in your 30s, 40s, or 50s to figure that out!