It's September, after Labor Day, and a new school year is in full swing. Our guest this week, Dr. Trisha Sams, joins me to have a conversation on getting this year off to a healthy start for students, families, faculty, and staff. Listen in as we spend time thinking about important intentional healthy practices we can start today to ensure a great academic year!

CASA Talk checks in this week with Southeast Nebraska CASA Executive Director, Marci Fehlhafer, to find out what's new at CASA since we last talked, we talk about how to help our littlest neighbors prepare for returning to school, especially if they are new to our communities and we talk about the upcoming Nebraska State CASA Conference coming up at the end of August. So much good stuff.

I had the pleasure of talking with John Hendrix about making stuff, process, learning, growth, and teaching. It was awesome. I hope you enjoy it.

June was a month to remember Immigrant heritage and to reflect on what makes this country so great- the coming together of peoples from all over the world to create a strong society under an idea that all of us are created equal and are free to pursue life, liberty and happiness in many and various ways. Our guest today is Khenda Mustafa from the "Nebraska is Home" project talking to us about how we as people and communities can welcome our newest Nebraskan neighbors into the circle, into all areas of civic life, and build stronger communities together. For more information visit:

http://nebraskaishome.org/

https://neappleseed.org/immigrants

Today's guest is magician and comedian, Michael Callahan. Listen in as Michael talks about how he got his start in magic, what sets magic apart from other performance arts and the kind of connection and discovery that resides in a magic show. It was such a pleasure to have this conversation. 

To find out more about Michael and to reach him for future bookings, [email protected]

This week's CASA talk is a reflection on Fatherhood. Included is a reading from Garrison Keillor's book, "Leaving Home: A collection of Lake Wobegon stories."

Krista Koch from Region V Services joins us to talk about the Host Homes Housing Program and the work she's doing to find safe transitional housing for youth on their own as they work to build an independent life. 

To find out how you can be a Host Home for a young adult in Nebraska, contact Krista: [email protected]

To find out about the national movement to end youth homelessness visit Pointe Source Youth https://www.pointsourceyouth.org/what-we-do

This episode is a powerful conversation with two amazing women representing Rise Academy, a non-profit organization working in the prison system in the state of Nebraska and helping their clients post-incarceration to build stronger, healthier lives. Join me, Amanda Struble, and Chantal Randall to talk about being a felon and the obstacles and trauma that exist in serving a prison sentence and then rejoining society. 

To find out more and to become a volunteer: www.seeusrise.org

Today's mini-episode is in honor of April being Child Abuse Awareness Month and, we are celebrating our CASA volunteer's this week most especially for all they do to protect and advocate for kids in foster care. Thank you. To find out more and to become a volunteer yourself, listen to the information at the end of the episode.

Nebraska's Child Abuse Hotline is: 1 (800) 652-1999

Join me on this episode where I have the pleasure of sitting down to talk with performing artist, songwriter, advocate, clinician (and my friend), Kyshona Armstrong about the history of Music Therapy, her work in the field and how it has informed her work as a songwriter and performer.

To find out more about Kyshona, visit her website: www.kyshona.com

Her album, "Listen" is available everywhere.