Rochester Speaks podcast: Debra Ross on How Extraordinary Moments Build Extraordinary Communities
Sept 20, 2026: Debra Ross, founder of Kidsoutandabout.com and co-chair of the National Eclipse Task Force, joins the show to talk about her new book The Eclipse Effect and what the experience of organizing Rochester's total solar eclipse response taught her about community, leadership and what it means to seize an extraordinary moment. Debra shares how she went from eclipse skeptic to the woman who spent seven years rallying 175 active members and hundreds more around a single moment in the sky, how Rochester became the national gold standard for eclipse community organizing, and why cloudy skies on April 8th 2024 did not make the event a failure at all. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and any of your other favorite channels.
Destination on the Left podcast: Nicole Mahoney interviews Debra Ross
April 1, 2026 : The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
Anyone can be a community leader; you don’t need official authority or a title. What leadership means is being curious, seeking out others, and intentionally knitting networks that support your community, whether for a major event or to respond quickly to emergencies. Redefine leadership as connecting, celebrating successes (big and small), and embracing failure as a growth opportunity. Tune your radar to notice moments of momentum, positive or negative, and by connecting diverse people around them, you help build something greater than the sum of its parts. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
Sidewalk Talk, What's Up Fairport: The Eclipse Effect
February 6, 2026 : This week’s episode of Sidewalk Talk from Fairport, NY features Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com. Ross was chair of Rochester's 2024 Solar Eclipse Task Force and is still co-chair of the American Astronomical Society's national Solar Eclipse Task Force. Ross talks with Ed Smith about the powerful connections forged among business owners, government leaders, and residents as communities prepared for the eclipse. She also discusses her new book, The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities.
