In this urgent episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Mitzi, Education & Empowerment Coordinator at Love Never Fails, an organization on the frontlines of fighting human trafficking in the Bay Area and beyond.

Human trafficking isn’t just happening overseas or in movies, it’s happening here, in California, in our neighborhoods and in our communities. With 100,000–300,000 people trafficked in the U.S., Mitzi sheds light on the realities that most people never see.

Through powerful analogies and real-life stories, Mitzi explains why victims often can’t “just leave,” the tactics traffickers use to exploit vulnerabilities and why awareness and education are key to ending this hidden crisis.

She shares about:

The psychology of force, fraud and coercion in trafficking.

Why victims feel trapped, even when escape seems possible.

How traffickers use social media to target vulnerabilities.

Why trafficking affects every community, not just the vulnerable.

The role of advocacy, new laws like SB 14 and community action.

How organizations like Love Never Fails are creating real change.

This episode is more than awareness, it’s a call to action. Together, we can build a world where human trafficking no longer exists.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Mitzi — Education & Empowerment Coordinator, Love Never Fails

Location: Bay Area, California

Topics:

Human trafficking in the U.S. today.

Psychological manipulation and control.

Social media and grooming.

Policy, advocacy and prevention.

How you can get involved.

→ Visit loveneverfailsus.com to learn more and support their work.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe, share and leave a review — your support helps amplify voices building the future.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:48 Human Trafficking Is Happening Here

2:00 The Elephant Analogy: Why Victims Can’t “Just Leave”

4:20 Force, Fraud & Coercion Explained

7:06 Who Is Affected by Trafficking

8:40 The Hidden Crisis in the U.S.

9:20 Social Media & Grooming Tactics

10:24 How We Can Raise Awareness

11:11 Volunteering, Advocacy & Taking Action

12:27 Policy, Laws & SB 14

14:22 How to Support Love Never Fails

.

#innovat3podcast #humantrafficking #justice #awareness #loveneverfails #secondchances #community #prevention

In this raw and powerful episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Danny, a tech entrepreneur whose journey from crime and incarceration to building solutions for reentry is nothing short of transformative.

Danny opens up about the moment that changed everything, a confrontation that spiraled out of control, leading to tragedy and five years behind bars. He reflects on the weight of responsibility, the consequences of unaddressed trauma and the sobering reality of carrying another man’s death.

But this is also a story of growth and vision. From prison basketball courts and unexpected communities of encouragement, Danny discovered humility, redemption and the belief that people are more than their worst mistakes. Now, through his startup Dignify, he’s using technology to support reentry and create pathways for second chances.

He shares about:

The confrontation that led to voluntary manslaughter charges.

Why unhealed trauma can destroy lives.

Lessons learned from prison life and unexpected community.

The founding of Dignify and its mission to transform reentry.

Why restorative justice and second chances matter for both people and society.

This is more than a conversation about crime and punishment. It’s about what happens when we face our deepest failures, embrace responsibility and reimagine what justice and redemption can look like.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Danny — Tech Entrepreneur & Co-founder of Dignify

Location: California

Topics:

Crime, trauma and personal responsibility.

Prison, faith and the power of community.

Reentry and technology for justice reform.

Restorative justice and second chances.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe, share and leave a review, your support helps amplify voices shaping a better future.

What happens when surviving prison becomes the easy part and re-entry is the real challenge?

In this powerful episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Danny, a man whose story spans incarceration, survival and the lifelong journey of rebuilding after prison.

From growing up in an unstable home to navigating a justice system that offered more punishment than rehabilitation, Danny shares raw insights into the realities of incarceration and the even steeper climb to re-enter society. His journey reveals the courage it takes not only to survive prison, but to face freedom without a roadmap.

Through honest, unfiltered conversation, Danny opens up about the moments that shaped him, the fears that came with release and the purpose he’s found in helping others avoid the same traps. His story challenges us to rethink what true rehabilitation looks like and what support returning citizens really need.

He shares about:

The moment he learned he’d be released and why it was more terrifying than joyful.

Childhood trauma that shaped his survival instincts.

The gap between incarceration and real rehabilitation.

The emotional toll of re-entry and navigating life after prison.

Finding purpose in sharing his story to create change.

This is more than a testimony, it’s a first-hand account of resilience, redemption and the fight to create a better system for the next generation.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Danny — Formerly Incarcerated Advocate for Re-Entry Support

Location: California

Topics:

Re-entry and rehabilitation after prison.

Overcoming childhood trauma.

Justice system reform.

Life skills for returning citizens.

Advocacy for second chances.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe, share and leave a review — your support helps amplify voices building the future.

0:00 Intro

3:12 Growing Up in Chaos

8:47 Prison Survival Skills

15:03 The Fear of Freedom

24:18 What Real Rehabilitation Should Look Like

32:56 Finding Purpose After Prison

#innovat3podcast #prisonreform #reentrysupport #secondchances #formeryincarcerated #restorativejustice #rehabilitation #justiceimpact #livedexperienceleadership #californiastories

In this moving episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs continues his conversation with Evan, a pastor whose life’s work has been rooted in the streets of San Francisco, not from a pulpit, but from buses converted into homes, Bible studies and community hubs run by the homeless themselves.

From embracing a life among the unhoused to creating the Grace Healing Home, Evan shares powerful stories of transformation, people once written off as “throwaways” becoming leaders, singers and ministers in their own right. He reflects on moments of supernatural protection, the spiritual history of San Francisco, and why he believes the city still holds the potential for revival.

Evan’s dream? A San Francisco where every block is part of one great, living church, not bound by buildings, but built on connection, healing and second chances.

He shares about:

Why he chose to live on the streets to serve better.

The story of James Woods and the transformation from homelessness to ministry.

San Francisco’s deep spiritual roots and potential for revival.

Why true change starts with valuing people above everything else.

His vision for a “new gold rush”, one that treasures human lives, not just wealth.

This is more than a story about helping the homeless. It’s a blueprint for rethinking community, faith and the kind of leadership our cities truly need.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Evan Prosser — Street Pastor & Founder of Grace Healing Home

Location: San Francisco, California

Topics:

Ministry alongside the homeless.

Spiritual revival in San Francisco.

Healing homes and community transformation.

The intersection of faith, justice and compassion.

A vision for valuing people above profit.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe, share and leave a review — your support helps amplify voices building the future.

0:00 Intro

0:52 Life in the Mission District

4:04 Buses as Community Spaces

8:11 Supernatural Protection Stories

10:46 James Woods’ Transformation

18:23 The Birth of Grace Healing Home

23:00 San Francisco’s Spiritual Roots

33:02 A New Gold Rush for People, Not Profit

38:48 Rethinking Success and the American Dream

#innovat3podcast #homelessness #streetministry #gracehealinghome #secondchances #restorativejustice #communitytransformation #sanfrancisco #livedexperienceleadership #urbanministry

What if the fight against human trafficking started with one woman saying “yes” to the hardest mission of her life?

In this inspiring episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Diana Mao, the co-founder and president of Nomi Network, a global organization that fights human trafficking by creating economic opportunities for survivors and vulnerable women.

Diana shares how witnessing extreme poverty and exploitation firsthand transformed her life and mission. From confronting generational cycles of abuse to building programs that train women to earn 300 times more than before, her story is proof that economic empowerment can end exploitation at its roots.

She opens up about:

A heartbreaking encounter with a family that revealed the cost of generational trafficking.

Why economic opportunity is the most effective tool to break cycles of exploitation.

How Nomi Network is creating pathways to safety, stability and dignity for women and girls.

The ripple effect of empowering women, changing families, communities,

and future generations.

What it takes to fight trafficking on a global scale while keeping hope alive.

This episode is not just about awareness. It is a call to action for anyone who believes in justice, restoration and creating lasting change.

Show Notes

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Diana Mao — Co-founder & President, Nomi Network

Location: Global / California-based focus

Topics:

Human trafficking prevention and survivor empowerment.

Women’s economic independence as a tool for justice.

Breaking generational cycles of exploitation.

Nonprofit leadership and social impact.

Faith, purpose, and creating sustainable change.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms.

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe, share, and leave a review — your support helps amplify voices building a future free from exploitation.

"00:00 Intro

03:26 Wake-Up Call

06:38 The Birth of Nomi

13:30 First Grant

15:54 Shelters to Scaled Solutions

21:14 From Rescue to Systems Change

25:20 Trauma-Informed Workforce

32:03 Rethinking Nonprofits

43:54 Collaboration or Bust

46:09 Best-in-Class Impact

52:52 Jobs Over Training

01:00:14 Funding & Future"

#innovat3podcast #dianamao #nominetwork #endhumantrafficking

#womensempowerment #socialimpact

#economicempowerment #globalchangemakers #restorativejustice

#livedexperienceleadership

Can a former hippie and Harvard grad turn addiction and disillusionment into a life of radical faith and street-level impact?

In this unforgettable episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Evan Prosser, the founder of The Homeless Church, a Bay Area congregation led by and for people experiencing homelessness.

Long before leading spiritual movements, Evan was living in communes, dodging careers and buying weed for $28 a kilo. But when the lifestyle collapsed under the weight of emptiness, Evan found himself crying out for something more and everything changed.

In this deeply honest conversation, Evan shares how he went from smoking under sawmill roofs to singing “Amazing Grace” on the job site and how a moment of surrender sparked a lifetime of service.

He opens up about:

Why dropping out of society wasn’t enough to heal what was broken.

How his transformation started with one quiet prayer during a work break.

What it felt like to be “born again” without religion, but full of conviction.

How The Homeless Church began as a calling, not a strategy.

The painful fallout of spiritual abuse and finding faith again through integrity.

A vision for church that centers the overlooked, the rejected and the deeply human.

If you’ve ever wondered whether change is possible, even after decades of disillusionment, this story will leave you with hope, clarity and purpose.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Evan Prosser — Pastor, Founder of The Homeless Church

Location: San Francisco, California

Topics Covered:

Addiction, counterculture and the search for truth.

The Jesus Movement and the birth of modern faith-led activism.

Homelessness, dignity and street-based ministry.

Rebuilding spiritual trust after religious harm.

Church as community, not just building or brand.

Living by faith in urban California.

The intersection of social justice and spirituality.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts

Subscribe, share and leave a review. Your support helps amplify voices that don’t just preach change—they live it.

0:00 Intro

2:10 The Hippie Life

9:04 Drugs, Poetry & the Commune Circuit

15:29 Sawmills & Searching for God

21:36 The Surrender Moment

26:07 Born Again

41:35 The Homeless Church Vision

"Demised To Shield by Ghostrifter Official: https://soundcloud.com/ghostrifter-official

Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported

Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/ghostrifter-official/demised-to-shield

Music promoted by Audio Library"

#faithandculture #fromcounterculturetocalling #innovat3podcast #spiritualtransformation #faithleadership #bayareafaithcommunity #redemptionjourney #callingandpurpose

#counterculturemovement

What happens when gang leaders become pastors and dropout teens become rocket scientists?

In this unforgettable episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Dr. Linda Lara, a former gang leader whose transformation led her to become a pastor, community builder and co-founder of Firehouse, a gang intervention and youth development organization in San Jose.

With decades of experience reaching the overlooked, Dr. Lara shares how love, consistency and radical faith helped her and her husband Sonny shift from prison time and street life to family restoration, education reform and leadership development.

From running youth programs in gang-infested neighborhoods to launching a STEM partnership with Valley Christian that sent experiments to space, her story proves: when you believe in people’s potential, the impossible becomes possible.

She opens up about:

Growing up in East San Jose and surviving redlined neighborhoods.

Leading a gang as a teen and navigating a broken justice system.

Her powerful encounter with faith that changed her life overnight.

Launching Firehouse to work with gang-impacted youth and foster care teens.

Partnering with elite institutions to give ‘failing’ students a second chance.

Reaching families through love, parenting workshops and consistent presence.

Building a church that feeds the homeless, welcomes the rejected, and lives the gospel outside the walls.

This is not just a testimony. It’s a masterclass in lived experience leadership, community transformation and what happens when you show up for the people society overlooks.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Dr. Linda Lara — Pastor, Advocate, Founder of Firehouse

Location: San Jose, California

Topics:

Gang prevention and intervention programs in California.

Women in faith-based leadership.

Trauma-informed youth outreach.

Homelessness prevention in San Jose.

Parenting programs and family restoration.

Restorative justice through lived experience.

Educational access and equity through partnerships.

Grassroots innovation and community transformation.

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts

Subscribe, share and leave a review — your support helps amplify voices building the future.

0:00 Intro

3:08 Faith-Driven Impact

5:31 From Streets to Space

12:05 All They Need is Care

16:41 A Marriage Redeemed

30:17 The Church That Won’t Quit

38:32 Breaking Cycles at Home

54:11 The Power of Belief

1:00:17 Full Circle

1:03:11 Prayer as Protest

#innovat3podcast #drlindalara #gangintervention #restorativejustice #youthdevelopment #sanjosestories #faithbasedleadership #homelessnessprevention #familyrestoration #livedexperienceleadership

What happens when one of San Francisco’s most effective homelessness interventions is cut despite having the data to prove it works?

In this episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs speaks with Adrian Tirtanadi, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Open Door Legal, who helped cut homelessness in Bayview-Hunters Point by 50% through universal access to legal aid.

But instead of expanding the program citywide, local leadership tried to defund it.

So Adrian went on a hunger strike.

This is the story of how a lawyer-turned-activist is fighting for housing justice with real data, spiritual conviction and grassroots organizing across San Francisco. From courtroom wins to budget cuts and protest vigils, Adrian’s work shows that access to legal help can reduce homelessness more efficiently than most traditional interventions at a fraction of the cost.

He opens up about:

Why the U.S. is the only developed country without universal legal aid in civil cases?

The link between poverty, eviction and lack of legal representation.

What it costs to keep someone housed versus reacting to homelessness?

How faith and community power helped restore 70% of Open Door Legal’s defunded budget?

Why justice for the poor is a government mandate, not a luxury?

This isn’t just about San Francisco. This is a roadmap for how cities nationwide can cut homelessness and expand access to justice if they’re willing to listen.

Show Notes

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Adrian Tirtanadi – Executive Director, Open Door Legal

Location: San Francisco, California

Topics Covered

Homelessness prevention in California.

Bayview-Hunters Point housing statistics.

Universal legal aid for civil justice.

Hunger strikes and civic advocacy.

The cost of shelter vs. the cost of legal services.

Faith-based justice leadership.

Community organizing to influence policy.

Data-driven policy for social impact.

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

1:34 Fight Against Homelessness

4:26 When Politics Defies Proof

7:37 Fasting for Justice

14:10 Human Face of Homelessness

20:55 Fixing the Guardrail

25:05 Faith, Resilience & the Cost of Change

31:19 Long-Term Vision

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms

→ Watch and listen on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts

Subscribe, share and leave a review. Your support helps amplify the voices building a better California.

#housingjustice #opendoorlegal #adriantirtanadi #sanfranciscohomelessness #legalservicesforall #homelessnessprevention #universalaccesstojustice #bayviewhunterspoint #faithbasedadvocacy

#podcastaboutpoverty #innovatepodcast #homelessnesscrisiscalifornia

Can the Bay Area’s faith community become a catalyst for healing, unity and real transformation?

In this inspiring episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Gary Gaddini, longtime pastor, faith-based leader and Executive Director of Transforming the Bay with Christ (TBC) — a coalition of churches and nonprofits working to rebuild the Bay through unity, proximity and purpose.

From the collapse of traditional church influence to the challenges of competing KPIs, Gary opens up about the moment he realized his ministry model had to shift.

More than numbers, he began measuring success by one thing, the flourishing of the city.

He shares how his church stepped into the public school system, supported unhoused communities and became a partner in regional disaster response. Now, he's helping faith-rooted leaders across 11 counties build collaboration models that can outlast crisis and multiply social impact.

He opens up about:

Why Silicon Valley leads the world in wealth but not in well-being.

How competition between churches misses the bigger mission.

The story behind TBC’s origin and purpose, transforming the Bay to transform the world.

Why real collaboration between nonprofits, churches and cities requires humility.

How faith-led disaster relief is quietly shaping countywide recovery plans.

The mindset shift from building “my church” to serving “our city”.

The impact of uniting lived experience, policy leaders and spiritual communities.

This episode is a must-watch for anyone in the nonprofit, civic or faith sector working toward system-level change and human-centered healing.

Show Notes

Host: Ted Hahs.

Guest: Gary Gaddini — Executive Director, Transforming the Bay with Christ (TBC).

Location: Bay Area, California.

Topics Covered

Church collaboration and cross-sector partnerships in California.

Faith-based leadership in disaster recovery and school outreach.

Poverty, housing and mental health in Silicon Valley.

Regional transformation models led by local churches.

Shifting the success metrics in ministry from growth to impact.

Uniting nonprofits, schools and churches for social justice.

Reimagining faith leadership in the nation’s most unchurched region.

Now streaming on Spotify, YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

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Subscribe, comment and share to help amplify voices changing systems from the inside out.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

2:49 Faith, Division, and Social Challenges

9:57 Unity and the Role of the Church

15:53 The Formation of TBC

24:45 Community Engagement & Local Initiatives

43:27 Disaster Relief

49:52 Super Bowl Outreach

54:44 Human Trafficking & Church in the Community

57:45 Personal Calling

01:04:43 Technology & Bay Area Vision

What if your greatest moment of loss became the doorway to your life’s deepest purpose?

In this moving episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with David Bolch, a former attorney whose picture-perfect life collapsed under the weight of hidden addiction and devastating grief.

After the tragic death of his four-and-a-half-year-old son, killed by a drunk driver, David’s private battle with alcoholism collided with an unbearable spiritual crisis. That pain didn’t destroy him. It transformed him.

Today, David leads one of California’s most relational homelessness outreach programs in Salinas Chinatown. What began as a personal search for healing has grown into a mission to restore dignity, trust and belonging to people living on the margins.

He opens up about:

His hidden struggle with addiction while serving in the church.

How losing his son sparked a new level of faith and emotional honesty.

The importance of showing up consistently, not just offering charity.

What it means to truly walk with the unhoused, not just around them.

How stories, not services can shift systems and drive true change.

This isn’t just a story of recovery. It’s a call to reimagine how we serve, how we lead and how we love.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs.

Guest: David Bolch - Advocate, Father, Outreach Leader.

Location: Salinas Chinatown, California.

Topics:

Faith and addiction recovery in California.

Alcoholism and redemption stories.

Fatherhood and healing after grief.

Trauma-informed homelessness outreach.

Faith-based response to poverty and suffering.

Asset-based community development models.

Restorative justice and lived experience advocacy.

Building trust with unhoused communities.

Christian social justice in California.

Emotional healing through service.

Supporting mental health in street ministries .

→ Follow @INNOVAT3Podcast on all platforms.

→ Watch & listen on Spotify, YouTube.

Subscribe, share, and leave a review - your support helps amplify voices building the future.