PolicyWise

Featuring: Demi Wack.
Host: Michael Wiafe.

Guests: Raymart Catacutan, Alejandra Espinosa, Michael Navarro, Daphne Ramirez.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Ellinor Arzbaecher, and Kody Stoebig.

We are so ridiculously grateful for everyone who came to yli's birthday celebration in November! 

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Hosts: Ellinor Arzbaecher and Michael Wiafe.

Guests: Natalia Arzbaecher and Zofia Trexler

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Ellinor Arzbaecher, and Kody Stoebig.

In 2018, the CDC reported that 26 percent (one in 4) of adults in the United States have some type of disability. In 2019 the US census found that over three million children in the United States had a disability in 2019, up since 2008. With the highest rate of childhood disability belonging to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), followed by children of more than one race and Black children.

And guess what?? Today's a Surprise Sibling Episode as we are joined by Ellie's sister Natalia! Who has lived with Diabetes since she was 7 years old.

Also joining us is Zofia Trexler who work with Disability Rights California as a Peer Self Advocacy Trainer, specifically working and creating content for Transitional Age Youth with mental health disabilities.

We'd Love to Hear from You! Clink the link below to fill out a quick survey and let us know what you think!
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Round Table With: Demitria Wack, Ellinor Arzbaecher and Michael Wiafe.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Mehek Kandru, Elli Arzbaecher, and WELCOME TO THE TEAM KODY STOEBIG.

Welcome to Season Three! On the season 3 premiere of PolicyWise, Hosts Demi, Elli and Michael get together (In Person![FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!!]) at the Youth Leadership Institute office in Fresno, California. 

The PolicyWise Podcast began right as the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdowns went into affect–as a result the team has never been in the same room together. UNTIL NOW!

Join the team as they discuss high school dances, their personal Mt. Rushmore's, AOC's dress (yes that dress) and of course policy. 

Hi Everyone! 

You might be wondering where this week’s episode is...After 16 Episodes we’ve decided to mark the end of Season two!

But don’t worry PolicyWise People, PolicyWise will be back for Season three in just a couple weeks! But first we’re getting back in the lab and planning out the best season yet! 

In the meantime, tell us what you think using the feedback survey in the description of every episode or message us on social media and tell your friends! 

We have lots of previous episodes that you may have missed for you to enjoy during this break. 

Stay Tuned! And Stay Wise… PolicyWise that is. 

We'd Love to Hear from You! Clink the link below to fill out a quick survey and let us know what you think!
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/QLVPBCT

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Hosts: Demitria Wack and Michael Wiafe.

Guest: Jim Keddy and Sarah-Michael Gaston.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Mehek Kandru, Elli Arzbaecher, and Abby Pugh.

The roots of racialized drug laws and drug enforcement are deeply ingrained into our criminal justice systems. The War on Drugs starting in the 1970s drove this discrimination against people of color, specifically Black deeper into families, communities, and institutions--driving families into poverty, separating children from their families , and creating generations of cumulative disadvantage. The enforcement of marijuana laws has played a particularly large role in this process. 

As an increasing number of states legalize majauana, there is debate where money raised from this industry should be spent. Youth Forward is an organization dedicated to improving the health, education, and wellbeing of our most vulnerable children and youth through policy advocacy, education and community action. They have become a leading voice for racial equity and community reinvestment in regards to cannabis legalization in California

Resources:
California Forward
Youth Leadership Institute 

We'd Love to Hear from You! Clink the link below to fill out a quick survey and let us know what you think!
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Hosts: Demitria Wack and Elli Arzbaecher.

Guest: Jacob Martinez.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Mehek Kandru, Elli Arzbaecher, and Abby Pugh.

In California, though broadband subscriptions were at record height pre-pandemic, significant gaps still exist, with diminished broadband access within low-income, minority, and rural communities. Considering the ever-expanding reliance on technology within education and workforce development, it is vital to close the digital divide to give underserved communities and youth equal opportunity for success and achievement.

A few episodes back, we talked to Prince Ogidikpe and Sunne Wright McPeak about legislative efforts to tackle the digital divide. Today we will be approaching the issue from a new angle, learning from an organization who works directly with young people throughout California and beyond. The DigitalNEST aims to create economic equality for the residents of low income and rural regions and teach young people the technical skills needed to become competitive and self-sufficient in the digital future. The Digital NEST’s model for tech equity has received national recognition for conquering the digital divide in underserved communities throughout the U.S.

We will be talking to the DigitalNest Founder, Jacob Martinez. Before starting Digital NEST, Jacob spent nearly 10 years running a program funded by the National Science Foundation, to encourage underrepresented Latina girls, and later boys as well, to study computer science. Jacob currently sits on several community boards and has  received many leadership awards, such as being named one of TechCrunch’s 2014 “Top 10 Men in the Country Supporting Women in Technology.” 

Resources:
DigitalNEST.org

We'd Love to Hear from You! Clink the link below to fill out a quick survey and let us know what you think!
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Hosts: Demitria Wack and Mehek Kandru.

Guest: Jewel Hurtado.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Mehek Kandru, Elli Arzbaecher, and Abby Pugh.

Jewel Hurtado was born and raised in the Central San Joaquin Valley. At the age of 22, Jewel is the youngest elected official in the Valley and a powerful voice for young people in her community and beyond. She is currently an undergraduate student majoring in Sociology at California State University Bakersfield. She has chosen to pursue her education locally with the desire to continuously give back to the community that saw her grow up.

Jewel recently proposed an official recognition of Pride Month to the City of Kingsburg, and was very surprised when it was met with resistance and effectively killed.

So...now what?
 
Today, we get Jewel's thoughts on being a new mother, a student (among other identities), what she thinks life experience brings to decision-making tables and how to move forward from here.

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Hosts: Demitria Wack and Michael Wiafe.

Guest: Michael Tubbs.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock, Mehek Kandru, Elli Arzbaecher, and Abby Pugh.

Instead of getting policymakers to listen to the youth voice, Michael Tubbs brought the youth voice directly to the table--actually the very front of the decision making table. In 2016, The election of Michael Tubbs as Mayor of Stockton, made him the youngest Mayor of any major city in American history at only 26 years old, as well as Stockton’s first African-American Mayor. 

As Mayor, he was known for his dedication to education programs, crime reduction, and for leading the nation’s first-ever mayor-led guaranteed income pilot. Under his leadership, Stockton was named an All American city in 2017 and 2018, and named the second most fiscally healthy city in California. Stockton also led the state in the decline of officer-involved shootings in 2019, and saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019 under his leadership. 

Tubbs was named a member of Fortune’s Top 40 under 40,  a Forbes 30 under 30 All Star Alumni, the “Most Valuable Mayor” by the Nation Magazine, the 2019 New Frontier Award Winner from the JFK Library and the Institute of Politics, as well as several other recognitions. 

Currently, Michael Tubbs serves as a statewide appointee of Governor Gavin Newsom on the Commission for Police Officer and Standards Training (POST) and as a member of the National Police Foundation’s Council on Policing Reforms and Race.

We'd Love to Hear from You! Clink the link below to fill out a quick survey and let us know what you think!
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Hosts: Mehek Kandru and Michael Wiafe.

Guest: Gia Vang and Wenda Fong.

Production and Marketing: Jarrett Ramones, Tim Haydock and Abby Pugh.

Gia Vang is an emerging leader in news broadcasting Previously having worked in Arizona, Missouri, and Oregon, she is Now the news anchor for Kare 11 based out of the twin cities of Minnesota, where she covers a wide variety of topics including politics, weather and sports. She is the first Hmong American anchor in the Twin Cities providing representation for by far the largest metropolitan population of Hmong in the United States.  Before that,  she was an anchor in Fresno just a little closer to those of us in California and she graduated with her degree in Journalism from Sacramento State University.

Wenda Fong is an inspiring media trailblazer. She has produced and directed awards and talk shows, musical and reality specials, sitcoms, documentaries and more. She is the first person of color and only woman to have produced the Emmy awards and launched productions across the world. Wenda spearheaded diversity at Fox broadcasting and was the first vice president of creative diversity development. She launched and oversaw American Idol in 2002 and moved on to supervise all reality series including American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef and many other shows that some of us grew up watching, . She is the co-founder and chairperson emeritus of the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment which is the largest, long-running and most influential organization for Asian American Pacific Islanders in entertainment. Among SO many other accomplishments, leadership, community service she is the Vice Chair of the California State University Board of Trustees and got her degree in Asian American Studies from University of Southern California.

Resources and Links:
Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE)
Stop AAPI Hate
Happy AAPI Heritage Month PSA

We'd Love to Hear from You! Clink the link below to fill out a quick survey and let us know what you think!
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/QLVPBCT

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