Good Things from Lemonada

What does it take to build confident readers? Just ask educators at Baltimore City Public Schools, where students are outpacing the rest of the state in English Language Arts thanks to a focus on literacy instruction and intensive professional development. In part two of our series on literacy, Gloria dives into how BCPS is engaging diverse, multilingual learners with Dr. Joan Dabrowski, Chief Academic Officer at BCPS, and Olia Hardy, Principal of William Paca Elementary. This episode is created in partnership with the Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Thank you to Baltimore City Public Schools for making this conversation possible.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across the country, states and school districts have been changing their approach to early literacy, particularly how reading is taught. In this two-part series, we’re highlighting two school districts that have been on the front lines of this shift. In our first episode, host Gloria Riviera sits down with Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras and Literacy Coach Megan Siepka. They talk about literacy as a means for empowering students and the real, hard, everyday work of teaching it.  This episode is created in partnership with the Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Thank you to Richmond Public Schools for making this conversation possible.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Election Day around the corner, host Maya Rupert continues her conversation with Gaby Goldstein, co-founder of Sister District, about the critical importance of voting in state legislative races. They discuss key battleground states to watch in the upcoming election, plus, strategies for how we can all become more informed voters when it comes to state-level candidates and issues. This episode is created in partnership with Sister District. To learn more and take action with Sister District, go to sisterdistrict.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many voters “roll off” their ballots after voting at the top of the ticket, leaving races at the bottom empty. Host Maya Rupert talks to Sister District co-founder Gaby Goldstein about how those lost votes can make all the difference in state legislative races – some of which have been decided by razor thin margins. And how the fight for the things we care about – abortion rights, environmental justice, LGBTQ+ issues – are happening in state legislatures.  This episode is created in partnership with Sister District. To learn more and take action with Sister District, go to sisterdistrict.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Too often than not pregnant patients in the U.S. leave their provider feeling like concerns weren’t carefully listened to or things weren’t properly explained. As two moms and experts, Wildflower Health CEO Leah Sparks and obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Fatima Naqvi know this experience far too well. That’s why they’ve dedicated their time to providing value-based care by meeting mothers where they’re at. Leah and Fatima tell our host Gloria what it looks like to move from reactionary care to preventative care and transform maternal health across the country.      This episode is presented by Accountable for Health. To learn more visit https://accountableforhealth.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Moy, a caregiver and advocate, shares her heartfelt journey of caring for her husband with a chronic illness while raising children and assisting aging parents. She dives into the emotional toll of spousal caregiving, discussing the challenges of maintaining intimacy and companionship. Kim introduces the concept of 'ambiguous loss,' exploring how caregivers navigate their grief for someone still physically present. Her insights underscore the importance of support, open dialogue about aging, and the necessity of self-care in these demanding roles.

In the final episode of our CAPS series about community violence intervention work we talk about how improving the criminal justice system is a huge piece of the puzzle. Travon checks in on Indianapolis, Indiana and sees how people there are pushing for less incarceration and breaking cycles of recidivism. Executive Director at the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform David Muhammad and RecycleForce Director and councilwoman Crista Carlino share the ways in which they are reducing crime while investing in formerly incarcerated men and women.     Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform and RecycleForce for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit https://www.capsinitiative.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the third episode of our series about The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS) and its partner organizations making a difference in communities across the U.S., we take a closer look at Baton Rouge. Antohony Smith is the Executive Director of Cities United which works closely with the local community street team to reduce crime and boost violence prevention efforts. He tells Travon why this work starts with shifting people's perception of public safety, nurturing relationships with city leaders, and saving seats for everyone at the table.   Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular Cities United for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit https://www.capsinitiative.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the next episode of our series about The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS) and its partner organizations spearheading community violence intervention efforts throughout the U.S., we hear from changemakers in Newark, New Jersey. Travon chats with co-founder of the Community-Based Public Safety Collective, Aqeela Sherrills, and CEO of New Direction, Shadee Dukes. We learn how they are leveraging relationships to curb crime inside their neighborhoods and serving as prime examples of why those who are most impacted by violence are best equipped to bring solutions to their own problems.    Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular the Community-Based Public Safety Collective and New Direction for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit https://www.capsinitiative.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special 4 part series, we’ll be highlighting The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS), a coalition of organizations working to intercept and prevent violence in communities across the U.S. The coalition’s work builds on years of knowledge of public health, gun violence prevention and the particular needs of different locales, as well as the lived experience of community members on the ground. With these tools, CAPS creates and maintains community violence intervention (CVI) ecosystems around the country. In our first episode, Travon Free sits down with Joe Kim from CAPS’ Health Alliance for Violence Intervention and Freedom Jones from LifeBridge. They chat about what it means to implement a health-centered approach to combating violence in Baltimore and what lessons can be applied to other cities in the U.S.   Thank you to the Coalition to Advance Public Safety, and in particular Health Alliance for Violence Intervention and LifeBridge for making today’s conversation possible. To learn more about CVI, and the individual organizations at work in this coalition, visit https://www.capsinitiative.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.