How to Disaster

"It's all about hope. And hope is what carried slaves through the worst discrimination… So hold on to hope because tomorrow shall come." -Lorez Bailey 

Episode Description: 

 

What makes leadership harder than it already is? It's when you're caught between being a leader that everybody needs and someone that your self need. Today, Jennifer interviews Lorez Bailey, the Executive Officer of Chop's Teen Club, a non-profit that provides a safe space for teens. Lorez gives us a glimpse of this unique mission and how it impacts recovery. Jennifer and Lorez also discuss remarkable points about connecting families to resources, staying true to your mission without a mission drift, the need for leaders to care for themselves, a secret path to conquer fear, weaving the fun and the laughter in your assignment, and the secret to being authentic and vulnerable without losing your credibility as a trusted leader. Also, learn some common mistakes to avoid if you are to extend help to disaster-affected families. As an African-American, Lorez also shares what leadership looks like amidst equity issues. Tune in and discover the power of hope in giving light during the darkest of times. 

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Highlights:

02:14: Teen  Responders

10:14: Teens Do Need

16:54: Listen to the Kids

20:25: Don'ts to Avoid

27:29: Overcoming Challenges 

36:41: Improve Virtual Community Connection 

41:43: Leadership During a Disaster

46:47: Self-Care How To's  

57:16: How to Face Your Fear

01:04:27: Stay Out of Despair

"Advocate for each other. Come up together and rebuild together." -Belia Ramos

Communication is a crucial factor in a successful recovery and rebuild project. But with all the chaos, communication is also the first defense to fail. In this episode, Jennifer interviews Napa District Supervisor, Belia Ramos about effective communication strategies. They talk about the major elements of getting the message out: the message, the spokesperson, and the manner of transmission. Belia also stresses the vital role of the board and its constituents in ensuring that communication within and outside the community is supervised. You are an important part of the rebuild work! Tune in and learn where you are most effective and how you can advocate for your community to be able to pay it forward. 

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Highlights:

02:16: The Role of the Board

08:45: Management Amidst Chaos

16:32: Communication Failures

26:01: Finding the Right Messenger

30:16: The Work Has Just Begun

39:46: Learn to Distinguish Yourself

45:02: Find Your Groove

52:54: The Simplest Thing You Can Do 

 "Don't isolate first responders by making them into heroes. The greatest thing that anyone can do is just say, 'thank you for your service.'" -Susan Farren

 

"We owe it to our first responders to do whatever we can to help make their jobs easier." -Bailey Farren

Episode Description: 

 

First responders are no doubt, modern-day heroes. But could naming them as such do them more harm than good? This week, our focus is on helping the helpers. Jennifer interviews two outstanding pioneers in this field, Susan Farren, Founder of First Responders Resiliency and Bailey Farren, CEO and co-founder of Perimeter. Our mother and daughter tandem talk about their unique work in helping first responders and their families mitigate post-traumatic symptoms caused by a disaster. Sue shares her research about the unwanted and subtle effects these events have on first responders while Bailey speaks about tools to help both first responders and citizens gain quick access to needed information. We also learn Sue's secret in getting fundings and the 2 worst questions anyone could ask a first responder. It's overwhelming when we get the help we so needed at the right time from a complete stranger. Tune in and learn how you can show gratitude and return the favor you received from today's podcast!

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Highlights:

01:51 Different but Effective Ways to Help the Helpers

05:00 Why Helpers Need Help

14:11 Unwanted Responses

17:52 Access Disaster Information Made Easy

26:47 Mom and Daughter Tandem

32:01 What About Fundings (During COVID)?

39:03 The Worst Questions to Ask First Responders 

44:07 The Citizen's Role

47:22 A Project for First Responders

"As soon as we start to understand and see the benefits of private sector contribution, and then we set the roadmap, so we can understand how we can all play, great things will come from it." -Renae Hanvin

Episode Description: 

When businesses are resilient, communities can thrive! Join Jennifer and Corporate2Community Founder, Renae Hanvin as they discuss the crucial role of the private sector in recovery. Renae narrates how they were able to align the right corporate to match the specific needs of a community. She expounds further on this framework as a bridge to meet immediate needs and support recovery in the long run. They also discuss how the public and the private sector can serve as one instead of operating independently. The private sector is a vital component of recovery before, during, and even post-disaster. Press play and hear practical ways on how businesses can show up authentically during a crisis. 

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Highlights:

01:05: From Corporate to Community

05:55:  Disaster and the Private Sector

09:33: Output vs Outcomes

13:01: The Relationship Between the Public and Private Sector

18:39: Capitalism vs Authentic Contribution

"If we're all working together, we will quilt these wonderful disparate pieces into a beautiful quilt solution." -Debbie Mason 

 

Are you a fire survivor? This week, Jennifer and Debbie Mason talk about what it means to be a fire survivor- the struggles within and how to keep thriving. The 2017 wildfire left physical and emotional scars. Some wounds may heal and the things lost can be replaced. But lying beneath is a psychological trauma that most people tend to brush off, which is detrimental to the person and to others as well. Debbie works to bridge the gap in the mental health system, and she shares practical ways to do so in your community. She also shares positive mental health strategies and advice. Don't miss out on today's episode!

 

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Highlights:

02:05: The Huge Rift in Mental Health

06:58: The Realization

12:29: Who is a Fire Survivor?

18:18: Effective Dealing with the Resistance

25:11:  Apps For Mental Health To Install Today!

29:22: How to Get Through a Disaster  

34:18: Watch Out for These Indicators 

"We need to start from a place of humility and understanding that with ever-changing situations, we're not always going to get it right, but we can always learn." -Belia Ramos

 

Episode Description: 

 

Talk about equity and cultural differences. Communicating can be a real challenge when multiple languages are spoken in a community. To help individuals understand the message accurately and on-time, technology and AI may not be enough. This week, Scott interviews Napa Supervisor, Belia Ramos about the non-technical, but equally important side of communication. Belia emphasizes the importance of cultural competency in addressing communication barriers, the type of communication, and the people who will receive the message. The effectiveness of communication is crucial in the survival of each individual in the community. Tune in for wisdom and approaches to enhance your community's communication strategies.   

 

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Highlights:

03:24: Cultural Competence in Community

06:32: Communication Mistranslation Solved

16:29: Establishing Trust in Communication

19:09: Addressing Language and Cultural Difference

26:22: Pivot in Communication

"That whole idea of what being a citizen means is that we all have responsibilities to make our government work and to make our communities stronger." -Cynthia Murray

Episode Description: 

 

The private sector is no doubt one of the first to be greatly affected in the event of a disaster. While we are all looking to revive the economy, some changes must be implemented first. Our guest, Cynthia Murray, the CEO of North Bay Leadership Council refers to this as the "next normal." Scott and Cynthia discuss the responsibilities of citizens and leaders in rebuilding a stronger, more resilient community. They also talk about rescaling and upskilling, equity, upstream investments, and more. We are an ecosystem, interconnected with each other. If we work together, the extent of what we can rebuild is unimaginable. Tune in and discover the power of collective will!  

 

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Highlights:

02:58: The Next Normal

07:56: How to Prepare Businesses 

16:03: VUCA Times

20:37: Investment Matters

24:02: Build a Collective Will

28:17: Break the Political Tension

"There's no one perfect solution to any of this. It's a collection of a lot of different tools that can help make us safer, more resilient, and hopefully avoid any catastrophes and loss of life." -Reva Feldman

 

Episode Description: 

Modernization made communication easier and faster, at least when there is a supply of power. But what if you're community faces a train of disaster and a major power outage? Join our guest host, Scott Adams, as he interviews Reva Feldman, the City Manager of Malibu. Reva relates how the Woolsey fire greatly challenged their preparedness as a community and what lessons came as a result. Reva provides tips on how leaders can continue to provide the urgently needed information and where citizens can get the latest news even in these situations. She also talks about the importance of having a redundant system and organized evacuation plans. We are facing the threat of bigger and longer disasters. Tune in and learn how to think big and be prepared!  

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Highlights:

02:28: A Train of Disasters

10:19: Communication Challenges

14:51: How to Prepare

18:22: No Power? No Problem!

22:20: Organized  Evacuation 

26:41: Think Big! 

 "Be very careful what you promise unless you know you can deliver something. There is enough heartbreak in a disaster that people don't need to hear that you're going to solve all their problems, and then you don't." -Charles Brooks

 

The last thing we want to do in a disaster is to create another disaster, that's why having an organization to help build a system is invaluable. This week, Jennifer interviews Charles Brooks, the Executive Director of Rebuild Paradise Foundation. The Rebuild Paradise Foundation, incubated through the North Valley Community Foundation, is a grassroots movement of Camp Fire survivors and community leaders from the public and private sectors who are dedicated to serving the long-term needs of Butte County's disaster-affected residents, businesses, and workforce. Founded in January of 2019 under the mentorship of Rebuild Northbay Foundation, this non-profit foundation provides access to resources and helps lower barriers to entry for those repopulating the disaster affected areas. The Rebuild Paradise Foundation is proud to partner with other non-profits, corporate donors, private donors, and government agencies to accomplish our mission.

 

Charles talks about building a sustainable model- from conceptualizing to framing projects that will serve the community best. We also learn how to measure and reach the target population, leverage resources to get the most impact, work with the public sector, relate your story, and furnish implementation. Emergent leaders are humans too. Hear Charles' advice on how to avoid crashes and burns and be sustainable in giving. Most importantly, never give up on your dream to get people back to their homes. If you are receiving a chain of rejections to prospect funders, tune in and find out the secret to turning their NO into an ABSOLUTELY YES!      

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Highlights:

01:57: The Building of a Rebuild Org

07:50: The Value of Connections

12:33: The How of Fundraising 

21:32: Facing the Hurdles

29:01: Develop Relationship with the Public Sector

32:17: Telling Your Story

40:49: Sustainable Giving

45:12: Do You Have a Disaster Buddy? 

52:12: How to Create a Rebuild Organization  

56:02: Be Careful What You Promise 

 "We cannot and should not let our community down and go through another wildfire and lose them their life. That should be our mission, that should be our goal."  -Brad Sherwood

 

What mission do you have as a wildfire survivor? Today, Jennifer sits with Brad Sherwood, the Co-Founder and VP of Larkfield Resilience Fund, to discuss how we can be advocates, both as a local citizen and at the state level. Hear how the community and the government can work together to meet emerging needs, manage funding, invest in long-term projects, develop a systematic plan, and implement that plan efficiently. Tune in and find out how to make your community better and stronger, not only for the present but also for future generations.

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Highlights:

03:38: How One Night Can Change Everything

12:19: Who Are The Cavalry? 

17:58: What Constituents Can Do

27:24: How to Advocate For Your Community

34:15: How to Advocate in the State Level

39:24: A Time for Long-Term Investments to Stop Wildfire

44:15: 2 Ways to Manage Funding

49:04: How to Survive and Build After a Disaster