The Film That's Making People CRY – And Why That's Exactly the Point

What Would You Do If a Single Bite of Food Could Kill Your Child?

In this episode of The Movement, the podcast from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, host Mark Hulet sits down with Mandi Kearns, COO of Just Like You Films, and Genevieve Muncy, the YMCA's Senior Behavioral Health Director, to talk about empathy, inclusion, food allergies, and the emotional realities many children face every single day.

They discuss the film May Contain My Life, which brings audiences into the daily realities of children and families living with life-threatening food allergies, and how storytelling – and a VR experience that shows both the child's and a friend's perspectives – can deepen understanding and inclusion. The conversation explores invisible needs, the burdens families carry, how kids learn empathy through social-emotional learning and conflict resolution, and why adult modeling matters in creating safe, inclusive spaces in camps, schools, and community programs.

Whether you're a parent, educator, coach, camp counselor, or simply someone who wants to better understand others, this conversation will challenge the way you think about empathy and community.

To learn more about YMCA of Greater Kansas City visit https://kansascityymca.org/

00:00 Welcome to The Movement

00:36 What Is May Contain My Life?

02:33 Storytelling Builds Empathy

03:41 Invisible Allergy Realities

04:33 The Burden on Families

06:13 Inclusion and Small Tweaks

10:15 Reactions After the VR Headsets Come Off

13:45 Empathy Into Action

16:05 Teaching Empathy to Kids

18:00 When Adults Are the Obstacle to Modeling Empathy

19:18 Impulse Control Skills

22:12 Modeling Invisible Needs

24:57 Life Is Not Fair Talk

27:43 Inclusive Spaces Without Spotlight

30:14 Why YMCA Partnership Works

33:10 Empathy Engine Program

35:54 Closing Thanks And Call To Action

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