Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change

By Shimon Cohen

Podcast highlighting people working for social change.... more

· Society & Culture

4.8

119119 ratings

FAQs about Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change:

How many episodes does Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change have?

The podcast currently has 69 episodes available.

Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change episodes:

April 01, 2019Public Library Social Work – Elissa Hardy, LCSW
Episode 16
Guest: Elissa Hardy, LCSW
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Elissa Hardy, LCSW, Community Resource Manager at the Denver Public Library, describes how social workers and peer navigators are embedded across 26 library locations to serve people experiencing homelessness, immigration challenges, mental health issues, reentry from incarceration, and more. She shares how this model has evolved and how her team has intervened in over 23 overdoses. This episode makes a compelling case for the library as a frontline community resource—and for social work's role within it.
In this episode:
The evolution of library social work and how it operates across 26 Denver Public Library locations
The range of issues social workers address—homelessness, immigration, mental health, reentry, benefits access, and more
How the team has intervened in over 23 opioid overdoses
How social workers and peer navigators collaborate with librarians to serve diverse communities
Email [email protected]
http://denverlibrary.org
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Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
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Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
33min
March 04, 2019Social Workers in Political Office – Daniella Levine Cava, MSW, JD
Episode 15
Guest: Daniella Levine Cava, MSW, JD
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Daniella Levine Cava, MSW, JD, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, discusses how her social work background shaped her path to elected office and continues to inform her political work. She reflects on founding what became Catalyst Miami, her transition from direct practice to policy and politics, and how social work values show up in governance. Daniella offers a direct challenge to social workers to strengthen their civic engagement—on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
In this episode:
Daniella's social work background and the creation of the Human Services Coalition, now Catalyst Miami
How her social work training shaped her political campaign and approach to governance
Implementing social work values and principles in elected office
A challenge to social workers to "grow their civic muscle" at every level
X https://twitter.com/DLCAVA
http://www8.miamidade.gov/global/government/commission/district08/home.page
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Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
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Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
29min
February 04, 2019Child Welfare, Foster Care, Family Preservation – Ronnita Waters, LCSW
Episode 14
Guest: Ronnita Waters, LCSW
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Ronnita Waters, LCSW, Program Operations Administrator at the Center for Family and Child Enrichment in Miami, walks through the realities of child welfare practice—from what happens when abuse is reported to the interventions used to support children and families in foster care and family preservation. She speaks candidly about the emotional demands of this work and how she has learned to self-regulate in order to stay present for the families she serves. Ronnita also shares how her own life experience shapes her approach to this work.
In this episode:
An overview of the child welfare system—foster care, family preservation, and the interventions involved
What happens step by step when child abuse is reported
The emotional challenges of this work and how Ronnita has learned to self-check and regulate
How her personal life experience informs her practice and commitment to this field
Email [email protected]
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Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
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Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
31min
January 07, 2019Health Education, Peer-to-Peer, High School Students – Valerie Berrin
Episode 13
Guest: Valerie Berrin
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Valerie Berrin, Co-Founder and Director of Operations of the Health Information Project (HIP) in Miami, shares how this peer-to-peer health education model brings ninth graders together to learn from each other across 58 Miami-Dade County high schools—reaching 34,000 students in a single school year. She discusses how HIP partnered with both public and private schools to scale its impact, and reflects on the personal and professional experiences that led her and her sister to create the organization.
In this episode:
How HIP's peer-to-peer health education model works and why it's effective
How HIP expanded to 58 high schools across Miami-Dade County, serving 34,000 ninth graders
How the organization built partnerships with both public and private school districts
The personal and professional story behind how Valerie and her sister founded HIP
https://behip.org/
X http://www.twitter.com/hiphealthy
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/hiphealthy
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U990hPJrWdE
Stay In The Know | Join the Email List
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Explore Continuing Education Courses
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Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
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Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
32min
December 03, 2018Mindfulness Meditation, Incarceration, Substance Abuse – John Paulson, LCSW, LCAC
Episode 12
Guest: John Paulson, ACSW, LCSW, MAC, LCAC, CCS, HS-BCP
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
John Paulson, Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Southern Indiana, shares his volunteer work teaching weekly mindfulness meditation to people in a substance abuse program at a county jail in Kentucky—driving over an hour each way to do it. He discusses the challenges of developing a mindfulness practice in a jail setting, the evidence base for mindfulness as an intervention, and how his own personal practice informs his work with incarcerated individuals.
In this episode:
How John volunteers weekly to teach mindfulness meditation at the Hopkins County Jail substance abuse program
The unique challenges of developing a consistent mindfulness practice in a jail setting
The growing evidence base for mindfulness meditation as an effective intervention
The connection between John's personal mindfulness practice and his work with others
Email [email protected]
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Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
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Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
33min
November 05, 2018School Social Work, Immigration, Racism as Trauma – Katherine Ambía, LMSW
Episode 11
Guest: Katherine Ambía, LMSW
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Katherine Ambía, LMSW, clinical site coordinator at a school-based mental health clinic in Queens, New York, shares her work with high school students navigating racism, historical trauma, colonialism, and the fear created by immigration enforcement. She discusses how she creates space for students to talk openly, the impact of family separation and deportation on youth and their families, and what it means to do this work as a member of a targeted community. Katherine also reflects on self-care, self-disclosure, balancing work with activism, and finding hope in youth.
In this episode:
School-based mental health work with high school students in Queens and creating safe space for honest conversation
Racism, historical trauma, colonialism, and immigration as issues affecting students' lives
The impact of family separation, ICE, and deportation on students, families, and practitioners
Self-care, self-disclosure, balancing work with activism, and finding hope in youth organizing
Email [email protected]
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Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
https://dointhework.com/podcast

Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
30min
October 01, 2018Mental Health, Community Violence, Culturally Effective Practice – Myriam Bernardo, MSW, RCSWI
Episode 10
Guest: Myriam Bernardo, MSW, RCSWI
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Myriam Bernardo, MSW, a therapist at Community Connections for Life in Miami, shares her community-based clinical work with a diverse population of clients navigating mental health challenges and community violence. She talks about her approach—learning from clients while integrating evidence-based interventions—and offers a grounded, refreshing perspective on why she loves social work and what sustains her in this field.
In this episode:
Community-based clinical work with clients experiencing mental health issues and community violence in Miami
Myriam's approach of learning from clients alongside evidence-based practice
What draws her to social work and what keeps her going in this field
Email [email protected]
Stay In The Know | Join the Email List
https://dointhework.com/listen

Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
https://dointhework.com/podcast

Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
32min
September 03, 2018Youth Organizing, Restorative Justice, Youth of Color, Community Organizing – Keno Walker
Episode 9
Guest: Keno Walker
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Keno Walker, youth organizer at Power U Center for Social Change in Miami, shares his decade-long journey with the organization—from joining at age thirteen to becoming a full-time organizer at twenty-three. Growing up in Liberty City, Keno offers a first-hand account of how racism and poverty shape life in marginalized communities, and discusses his work organizing Black and Brown youth around issues like the school-to-prison pipeline. This episode centers youth voice and the power of community organizing as a path toward justice.
In this episode:
Keno's journey from community member to youth organizer at Power U over ten years
Organizing Black and Brown youth around the school-to-prison pipeline and other community issues
A first-hand account of the impact of racism and poverty on marginalized communities in Miami
Power U https://poweru.org/
Email [email protected]
Stay In The Know | Join the Email List
https://dointhework.com/listen

Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
https://dointhework.com/podcast

Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
31min
August 06, 2018Black Disability, Disabled Women of Color, Empowerment, Advocacy – Vilissa Thompson, LMSW
Episode 8
Guest: Vilissa Thompson, LMSW
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Vilissa Thompson, founder of Ramp Your Voice!, shares her work advocating for the rights, visibility, and empowerment of people with disabilities—especially disabled women of color. She discusses how racism and ableism intersect to create unique barriers, and how social workers, educators, and medical professionals can move from harm to helpfulness. Vilissa also talks about creating the hashtag #DisabilityTooWhite and the Black Disabled Woman Syllabus as tools for education and action. This conversation challenges us to confront ableism and commit to more inclusive, intersectional justice.
In this episode:
Ramp Your Voice! as a self-advocacy and empowerment movement for people with disabilities
How racism and ableism intersect to harm disabled women of color
How social workers, educators, and medical professionals can be helpful rather than harmful to disabled people
The creation of #DisabilityTooWhite and the Black Disabled Woman Syllabus
Steps anyone can take to become a better ally and advocate for disability justice
Ramp Your Voice! http://rampyourvoice.com/
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/RampYourVoice
Stay In The Know | Join the Email List
https://dointhework.com/listen

Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
https://dointhework.com/podcast

Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
34min
July 02, 2018Youth Leadership, Mental Health, School Shootings, Adult Allies – Martin Rafferty
Episode 7
Guest: Martin Rafferty
Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW
Martin Rafferty, CEO of Youth ERA, shares his organization's approach to youth empowerment through drop-in centers, youth leadership development, and training for adults who work with young people. He discusses how Youth ERA responds to school shootings, challenges the stigma around mental health, and centers youth voice as a driver of change. Martin also shares the personal journey that led him to this work.
In this episode:
Youth ERA's model—drop-in centers, youth leadership, and adult ally training
How Youth ERA responds to school shootings and supports affected communities
Addressing stigma around mental health for young people
Martin's personal journey into this work
Youth ERA https://www.youthera.org/
Resources for Adult Allies https://www.youthempowerment.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheYouthERA/
Stay In The Know | Join the Email List
https://dointhework.com/listen

Explore Continuing Education Courses
https://dointhework.com/courses

Podcast Episode Pages + Transcripts
https://dointhework.com/podcast

Music credit
"District Four" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
...more
33min

FAQs about Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change:

How many episodes does Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change have?

The podcast currently has 69 episodes available.

More shows like Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change

If Books Could Kill

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Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change

FAQs about Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change:

How many episodes does Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change have?

Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change episodes:

FAQs about Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change:

How many episodes does Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change have?

More shows like Doin’ The Work: Frontline Stories of Social Change

If Books Could Kill