Future Hindsight

A sneak peek of our next episode: civic engagement requires no minimum age. Tyler Ruzich, 17-year old Kansan, shows us how.

In the 8th and last episode of Season 1, we discuss the elder boom, and the increasing importance of home care and domestic work in our society.

Award-winning activist Ai-Jen Poo, a leading advocate for domestic workers' rights and family care, discusses the challenges of the elder boom. She lays out how home care can help us face the coming demographic change and the ways in which we can engage to demand a new Caring infrastructure.

The Care Crisis is Here:

Baby boomers are aging at a rate of 10,000 people per day. This means that 4 million turn 65 every year. The 85 and older demographic is the fastest growing demographic in the country. The demand for care workers is exploding, but we have no program in place to support these people to be able to afford elder care.

Home Care is the Future:

Elders want to age at home. It is cheaper and has better outcomes. Good care giving is the best prevention, which avoids unnecessary and expensive end-of-life hospitalization or institutionalization. We need a Care infrastructure that provides affordable, high quality care for families and creates professional jobs for care workers with dignity, benefits, and a living wage.

Demand a Solution:

Track and follow Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Create demand by supporting political candidates who are champions for a care agenda. States can be a laboratory for federal policy. Hawai'i passed a family caregiver benefit program in 2017. Maine has a ballot initiative called "Home Care for All" in November.

Find out more:

Ai-Jen Poo is the Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) and the Co-Director of Caring Across Generations.

Andrea Miller is the president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health. We talk about the broad support among men for Roe vs. Wade, the Hyde Amendment, and the two most damaging misconceptions about abortions.

This interview belongs to a two-part episode in which we discuss the importance of reproductive rights and why we should engage with this issue for the general welfare of our communities. Listen to the first part here.

Men Are Supportive:

There is no huge gender gap in attitudes and opinions about support for Roe vs. Wade. Men are also outraged by laws that shame, pressure, and punish women who have decided to have an abortion. They care about health and safety, individual rights, and autonomy.

Hyde Amendment:

Federal government health coverage does not cover abortion care. This affects a wide range of women from those who work for the federal government or serve in the military to those who receive healthcare through Medicaid and Indian Health Services. The amendment is a rider, which means that it is attached to budget bills every year. We can demand that the rider not be put in.

Have a conversation and bust the myths:

In an environment where people don't talk about abortions, damaging misconceptions and falsehoods are easy to spread and thus easy to believe. The real attitudes and public opinion are pro-choice. Access to abortion is important to the women who are a part of our daily lives.

Find out more:

Andrea Miller is the president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health and a nationally recognized expert in reproductive rights and women's health for more than two decades.

Andrea Miller is the president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health. We talk about the impact that reproductive legislation has in society and how it's historically been affected by safety and public health concerns.

This interview belongs to a two-part episode in which we discuss the importance of reproductive rights and why we should engage with this issue for the general welfare of our communities. Listen to the second part here.

Learn the Facts:

Polls show that 80% of the public supports safe, affordable, quality abortion care, as long as it is legal, which it is. The percentage of women who are already mothers and obtain an abortion is 59%. The highest abortion rate is among women who are 20 to 29 years old. A woman spends approximately 30 years of her life trying not to get pregnant. Say no to taboos:

Treat talking about reproductive rights and health like talking about healthcare issues that affects all families in our communities. One in four women have an abortion in their lifetime. Over 90% of poll respondents say that it should be supportive, safe, and informed by medically accurate information. Talk to your elected officials:

There is a divergence between policymakers and the public. Be informed about ballot initiatives to roll back rights and be engaged in the voting booth. Have a direct conversation with your elected representatives and communicate your priorities.

Find out more:

Andrea Miller is the president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health and a nationally recognized expert in reproductive rights and women's health for more than two decades.

Joe Hartigan has cracked the code on how to effect change. He is a retired NYC Fire Department lieutenant and community activist since 1995. His passion, dedication, and consistency over many years brought about ferry service for the residents of Rockaway, Queens. Every community would benefit from a fervent advocate like Joe. We can become advocates for our communities by focusing on specific issues, joining forces, and staying persistent.

Showing up and pushing the point helps you to stay focused and keep going. Planning meetings, community board meetings, and conferences are excellent opportunities to speak to officials, share your priorities, and demand accountability.

Pick something that is important to you because not everybody is going to be as committed as you to show up consistently. Be willing to dip into your own pocket. Do your research and become an expert. Learn how others have achieved their civic goals.

Push your civic agenda by highlighting its importance for your community's citizens. With attention in local elections, there is more likely success for your issue to be addressed.

Find out more:

Joe Hartigan was the driving force behind getting ferry service from Rockaway to Brooklyn Army Terminal and Wall Street, Pier 11. He is also been a tireless advocate for the revitalization of the Rockaway area after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and the Jacob Riis Park in his community.