This week the podcast continues the theme of Series 3, Gap Filling. Casey and Ashley welcome Mahananda Luitel, Elected President of the Greater Akron Hindu Sewa Samittee and Integration Administrator of the International Institute of Akron. The discussion examines how these organizations fill the gaps in helping refugees adjust and succeed in the Akron area and create a welcoming community for all.

Links:

Greater Akron Hindu Sewa Samittee - https://www.gahss.info

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/greaterakronhindusewasamittee/

International Institute of Akron - https://www.iiakron.org/

Mahananda’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mahananda.luitel

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVLExCT_WCY

News Stories:

NPR - https://www.npr.org/2016/03/11/470040254/naturalized-citizen-in-ohio-takes-voting-for-the-first-time-very-seriously

NewsChannel 5 - https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/akron-organization-aims-to-help-immigrants-in-area-adjust-to-new-life-enhance-current-skills

This week the podcast continues the series, the Power of Political and Civic Engagement. In this episode, Ashley and Casey welcome field organizer William Shostrand. The discussion looks at political engagement through the various levels of government and how civic engagement can lead to finding common interests across the political spectrum.

This week the Growing Democracy Podcast celebrates its 50th episode! In honor of this achievement, Casey and Ashley talk with two previous guests to get updates on their organizations work. Katie Carver Reed, from the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank, and Maple Hts. Mayor Annette Blackwell return to discuss how their organizations have managed and adapted throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic. This episode is also the final episode of Series 1.

This week the podcast welcomes Rahsaan Harris, Chief Executive Officer at Citizens Committee for New York City. CitizensNYC provides micro-grants to local leaders on the front lines of change to help democratize civic engagement. The discussion ranges from active listening, privilege, philanthropy, and how organizations can fill the gaps that government can’t or won’t provide for communities.

Links:

Citizens Committee for New York City - https://www.citizensnyc.org/

Peace Corps - https://www.peacecorps.gov/

This week the podcast continues the series, the Power of Political and Civic Engagement. In this episode, Ashley and Casey welcome Service Employee’s International Union (SEIU) Local 1 union organizer Camilo Villa and union representative Kathy Curlee-Jones. The discussion includes how unions protect worker’s rights and how labor unions help individuals collectively build and shift the balance of power in today’s economy.

Links: SEIU Local 1 - https://www.seiu1.org/

This week the podcast continues the series, the Power of Political and Civic Engagement. In this episode, Ashley and Casey talk with Iris Meltzer, President for the League of the Women Voters of Ohio. The discussion centers on how the League of Women Voters operates at various levels of government and the work the league does to encourage voter participation and civic engagement.

Links:

League of Women Voters of the U.S. - https://www.lwv.org/

League of Women Voters of Ohio - https://www.lwvohio.org/

League of Women Voters of Kent - https://my.lwv.org/ohio/kent

Find your Local League of Women Voters - https://www.lwv.org/local-leagues/find-local-league?field_zip_code_value

Voter Girl - https://my.lwv.org/ohio/kent/voter-girl

Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County - https://www.mental-health-recovery.org/

Kent Free Library - https://kentfreelibrary.org/

This week the podcast welcomes the Founder and Executive Director of Recess Cleveland, Alex Robertson. Recess Cleveland throws pop up recess events in schools, parks, and areas that lack a safe space to play, which helps to stimulate economic growth, promote physical activity, and increase community participation. The discussion centers on the benefits related to recess and how Recess Cleveland is filling the gaps as schools continue to cut recess from the school day. 

Links:

Recess Cleveland - https://recesscleveland.com/about-us/

This week the podcast continues the series, the Power of Political and Civic Engagement. In this episode, Ashley and Casey talk with Breannah Alexander Oppenhuizen, Director of LEAD Programs at Michigan Disability Rights Coalition and the Founder and Co-Director of women reVamped. The discussion centers on how power structures and the white supremist culture stifles political and civic engagement within the nonprofit sector and how nonprofit organizations should look to find solutions to the problems they look to address.

Links-

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition - https://www.copower.org/

Women revamped - https://www.womenrevamped.org/

This week the podcast welcomes Dr. Rasheda Weaver, first Assistant Professor for the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Iona College. The discussion revolves around social enterprise organizations and their impacts on the community. Social Enterprises help to fill the gaps between nonprofit and for-profit organizations by using commercial strategies to help address social issues.

Links

Dr. Rasheda L. Weaver – [email protected]’s Social Enterprise Directory - http://socialenterprisedirectory.com/

Professional Website - http://www.rashedaweaver.com/

Latest Research Articles by Dr. WeaverThe Impact of Covid-19 on the Social Enterprise Sector - https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/9DYGMFKBPNHW929SWZZ9/full?target=10.1080/19420676.2020.1861476

The Utilization, Benefits, and Challenges of Online Social Enterprises Directories: Online Social Enterprise Directories - https://socialinnovationsjournal.com/index.php/sij/article/view/420

The International Undergraduate Journal for Service-Learning, Leadership, and Social Change - https://opus.govst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1120&context=iujsl

Social Enterprise Examples:

Edwin’s Bakery and Training Institute - https://edwinsrestaurant.org/bakery/

Greyston Bakery - https://greystonbakery.com/

Newman’s Own Foundation - https://newmansownfoundation.org/

This week the podcast continues the series, The Power of Civic and Political Engagement. In this episode, Ashley and Casey talk with Kristi Andrasik, a licensed independent social worker. The discussion examines the intersection of social work and civic engagement. Topics include how nonprofit organizations manage relationships with the foundations who fund them, and how nonprofits can engage in advocacy for the causes they seek to address. Links: Northeast Ohio Scholar Strategy Network - scholars.org/chapter/northeast-ohio Andrasik, Kristi & Mead, Joseph W. (October 10, 2018) Know Me Before You Speak for Me: Substantive Public Representation Among Nonprofits, Public Performance and Management Review, pp 34-58, retrieved from www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080…76.2018.1486212