About FOSH – For Our Shared Humanity

Our Mission

Inspiring, promoting and educating targeted inter-generational awareness for shared common humanity as a national unifying force.

FOSH Who?

For Our Shared Humanity (FOSH), is a charitable non-profit organization created to shape and share an educational, cross generational voice focused on strengthening the indivisibility rooted in the common ground upon which we all walk.

Conversations create change.

Here’s how we plan to make a difference.

First Steps:

Walking the Middle

FOSH officially launched in the summer of 2021 when John took his first steps on the 4th of July in a 1700-mile, 120-day walking journey from Westhope, North Dakota to Hope, Texas.

Next Steps:

Finding Common Ground

The purpose of the WALK was to slow life down to a walking pace. We connected with strangers in over 75 towns, through 6 states, straight down the book spine of our country, on foot, at eye level, in first person, concentrating solely on what we all have in common; walk to the middle to find common ground.

Step for Step:

Look, Listen, Learn

John and team FOSH looked, listened, and learned, and documented the entire journey, shaping a voice, and building a base of appropriate educational content and programing to later share in our schools, at all levels, promoting a national unifying dynamic influenced through shared humanity at all levels of education.

Meet the Support Team for
John's 2021 Walk to the Middle

John Inserra

John Inserra, the Founder of FOSH, is a 27 year resident of Mount Prospect, Illinois where he & Carol, his wife of 31 years, raised their three sons, Patrick (28), Andrew (25) and Matthew (22) and continue to nurture deep community roots to this day. As active community volunteers, John and Carol have generously supported many community efforts over the last three decades. As a retired C-Level executive spanning a 40 year career connection to Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality operations, John held influential leadership roles over the final 35+ years responsible for successfully building, shaping and scaling high growth, cultural iconic brands, including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, STK Steakhouse and Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants, where John retired as President/COO. John’s early career included a decade as a restaurant founder in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Throughout his hospitality journey, John became known for his inspiring motivation in prioritizing the power of extraordinary hospitality connections. Over these next 4 months, as John “walks to the middle to find common ground”, he will lean heavily on his hospitality expertise, extending his hand every day in common connection. John is the sixth child in line of 7 born to parents Robert & Dorothy of Park Ridge, Illinois.

Rob Ryndak

Rob Ryndak is a first-generation American raised by European immigrants in Des Plaines, Illinois. He and his wife, Laura, along with their three children made their home in Mount Prospect, Illinois. In 1982, Rob earned a Masters Degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois Chicago. After starting his career at Cessna Aircraft, he went on to a 32-year career as a Bridge Engineer with Parsons Corporation. Rob’s bridge career spanned design, construction and inspection of major bridges around the world. Life-long passions include classic cars, making music, biking, hiking and playing hockey. Rob feels that the timing and message of this project are a perfect fit at this stage in his life. He looks forward to seeing what knowledge comes from this trip and sharing it with others.

Miles Inserra

Miles Inserra is a music producer with a knack for mellow, hip-hop inspired compositions. The Bay Area native emerged on the scene in 2018 pushing boundaries in the lofi hip-hop movement under the alias Inzerra. Composing primarily with a computer and old-school recording and sampling gear his sound continues to develop as he puts his own spin on jazz, hip-hop and electronic music. As content creator and documentarian for FOSH, Miles is now making his filmmaking debut. He is grateful to his friends and family for their love and support and would like to thank all those involved in FOSH for making this one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.

Andrew Inserra & Declan Brown

Backpocket Productions

Backpocket Productions is a podcast and media production company co-founded by Andrew Inserra (John’s son) and Declan Brown. 4 years ago they start the Backpocket podcast in St. Paul, MN out of their college house while studying mechanical engineering (Declan) and business management (Andrew) at the University of St. Thomas. Their passion for recording podcasts and connecting with the greater Twin Cities community was unmatched as they have recorded over 315 episodes over the last four years and reach roughly 10 million people a year doing so. In 2021, they expanded their business to include podcast and media production. Since this announcement, Backpocket now officially produces 6 podcasts including the Straight Candid podcast (a comedy podcast in the top 20 in the USA), current Vikings WR Adam Theilen’s ETS podcast, and they just launched a new speed dating podcast called Kings and Kweens: the Date Night Podcast. They are helping FOSH on all things media production.

Lauren Pahl

Lauren Pahl is a student at the University of St. Thomas, finishing her senior year with a major in Marketing and a minor in Spanish. She has worked in various marketing and events roles over the past three years for companies including Skyline Specs, the Minnesota Vikings, Backpocket Productions, St. Croix Valley Summer Music Series, and the Basilica Block Party. Growing up in Savage, Minnesota and being a dancer for fifteen years, music and entertainment have greatly influenced her hobbies today. In her free time, Lauren plays the guitar, shops for vinyl records, coaches dance, and stops at any venue with live music she can find. As seen by her involvement, Lauren is energized by bringing people together to have a good time and enjoy each other’s company. She is excited to see how these values relate to FOSH and teach her new lessons as we go through the For Our Shared Humanity journey as a team.

Your donations matter.

With your financial support, the majority of the proceeds from your charitable giving will gratefully benefit the ability of ForOurSharedHumanity (FOSH) to shape an educational voice targeting intergenerational awareness for our shared humanity and share this same voice after the WALK through an organized national education campaign.