Episode 26

Brenton Gicker and Chelsea Swift of CAHOOTS — Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets — describe how this 24/7 mobile crisis intervention program in Eugene, Oregon pairs a mental health worker and a medic to respond to crises that don't require police. They walk through what a typical shift looks like, how 911 calls are routed to their team, and why this model is both cost-effective and more humane — reducing arrests and using de-escalation over force. CAHOOTS offers a compelling, proven vision for what community-based crisis response can look like.

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Episode 25

T. Marie King and Abigail Schneider of the Jefferson County Memorial Project in Birmingham, Alabama share their work to research, honor, and memorialize the 30 documented victims of lynching in Jefferson County. Responding to the Equal Justice Initiative's call for counties to claim their monuments from the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the project centers the humanity and stories of those who were killed — including T. Marie's own great-uncle, murdered in 1935 for organizing sharecroppers. This episode is a powerful testament to the ongoing work of racial truth-telling, memory, and justice.

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Episode 24

Eric Ward, Executive Director of Western States Center, shares his decades of experience organizing against white nationalism and white supremacy. He explains how antisemitism and racism fuel the white nationalist movement and outlines its growing political influence in the U.S., particularly in shaping policy. Eric discusses community-based strategies used by Western States Center — like local research, coalition building, and education — to counter this threat. He also reflects on his personal path into this work and offers actionable ways listeners can get involved in the fight against white nationalism.

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Episode 23

Jordan Thierry, owner of Dream Chase Media and policy consultant, shares his work at the intersection of storytelling and social justice. He discusses his film The Black Fatherhood Project, which examines the structural forces shaping Black families, and his new YouTube series Grandma's Roses — a tribute to his grandmother and a platform for the stories of grandmothers of color. Jordan reflects on what this storytelling work has meant to him personally and how it connects to his broader goal of educating and inspiring people to action.

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Episode 22

Rachel Frome, Program Coordinator of Social Workers Against Solitary Confinement, makes the case for abolishing solitary confinement and its connection to the broader fight to end mass incarceration. She details the severe mental health impacts of solitary, exposes how euphemisms like "administrative segregation" obscure the reality of the practice, and describes alternatives and organizing strategies. Rachel also speaks directly to social workers—including those working inside these systems—about their role and responsibility in this work.

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Episode 21

Asia Piña, Early Defense Social Worker at Bronx Defenders, describes her work defending parents facing abuse and neglect charges in the Bronx. She exposes how racism and systemic oppression shape child welfare policy and practice, resulting in the disproportionate removal of Black and Brown children and children living in poverty. Asia speaks to the experience of families in the Bronx who feel under constant surveillance by the state, and offers a message for social work students considering this field.

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Episode 20

Ocesa Keaton, Executive Director of Greater Syracuse H.O.P.E., shares her organization's comprehensive approach to anti-poverty work—addressing systemic barriers at both the individual and systems levels to create real opportunity and equity. She discusses the racial wealth gap, the harmful stereotypes that surround people in poverty, and why policy work and voting are essential tools for social change. Ocesa also reflects on her own unexpected path into social work and what drives her commitment to this work.

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Episode 19

Margo Walsh, Founder and CEO of MaineWorks and Co-Founder of the Maine Recovery Fund, shares how her organization provides employment to people with felony convictions re-entering society—addressing the profound barriers that a criminal record creates for the rest of a person's life. She discusses Maine's opioid crisis, the problems with the term "ex-felon," and the intersection of recovery, mental health, and reentry. Shimon also opens up about a personal loss that connects him to this work.

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Episode 18

Christopher Cuevas, Executive Director of QLatinx in Orlando, shares the story of how this grassroots organization was born in the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub shooting on June 12, 2016. He speaks to the pain, healing, and collective power that emerged from that tragedy, and names the layered oppressions faced by LGBTQ+ Latinx communities—including barriers to culturally competent mental health care, marginalization within mainstream LGBTQ spaces, and lack of legal protection. This is a story of community, resilience, and justice-centered organizing.

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Episode 17

Leili Lyman, a first-generation college student at UC Berkeley, shares the Youth Participatory Action Research she conducted as a high schooler at the RYSE Youth Center in Richmond, California. Her research explored why marijuana was the primary coping strategy for youth in her community—uncovering how trauma, lack of resources, and distrust of adults created significant barriers to seeking help. This episode centers youth voice and lived experience as a powerful tool for understanding and addressing community needs.

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