Open Records with Deborah Gonzalez

Today we welcome Johanna Weller-Fahy and Ada Allaire, graduate students from the University of Georgia's School of Social Work, to speak about the Social Justice Symposium to be held on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, Georgia. They answer what is social justice and what can participants expect at the free Symposium.    

Rabbi Eric Linder, (Congregation of Children of Israel), Noris Diaz (Farmer's Insurance), and Rev. James Lawson (First AME Church) share with us holiday traditions from their childhoods and their religious backgrounds.  We learn a bit about how our neighbors in Athens and Oconee celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's. 

On this episode we welcome back Athens Chief of Police Cleveland Spruill to give us an update on what’s been happening at the ACCPD and give us some tips on how to be safe this holiday season.  

On this episode we explore a somber topic regarding food scarcity and insecurity in our home town. Our guests include: Eliza Radford McCall, a native South Georgian, who has served as Chief Marketing Officer of Second Harvest of South Georgia since 2013 and Vicky O. Kimbrell, the Georgia Legal Services Program Health and Family Law specialist attorney leading the program's Health and Family Law practice groups. She is the Project Director of GLSP’s Benefits Hotlines and the GLSP Domestic Violence Project.

On this episode we invite Donarell Green, Athens defense attorney to join us for a conversation about the role defense attorneys play in our community and to outline some challenges our current criminal legal system is facing.   

Today's special episode focuses on on all things related to Oconee County – our next door, southern neighbor with Maria Caudill and Cassidy Carson Gonzalez. Maria Caudill is married to John Caudill, a professional engineer.  Maria and John have made Georgia home for 34 years and raised their daughter in Oconee County. Maria Caudill has worked in the public sector for state government in Finance and Transportation.  She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.A./Education – History, English & Political Science. Maria Caudill has more than twenty-five (25) years of work experience in the private sector in the planning, development and implementing of engineering support in the area of civil and environmental design and real estate due diligence.  Some projects are part of nationwide community economic development programs.    Cassidy Carson Gonzalez is the former owner/operator of Studio Dance Academy in Athens, GA.  Currently instructing dance and Area Managing Director for Studio Go, Athens-Oconee area. She has been instructing dance for over 25yrs. Cassidy is also current owner/operator of “On Occasion” event planning and consultation. She is an advocate for Project Safe and former instructor in Dancing with the Athens Stars (DWTAS) several times over. Single mother of 12 years to Delaney June Brewer, and recently married to Israel Gonzalez Jr.  She is a native of Oconee County and comes from a long line of entrepreneurs in the Athens and Oconee areas.  

Listen in as our guests Suki Janssen, Director of Solid Waste and Stacy Smith, Program Education Specialist, Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful, discuss all things litter-related in Athens.  Do you know how many tons of garbage we produce every day?  I almost fell off my seat when I heard the answer.  But don't worry - we start with the basics like what exactly is litter, what do you mean by accidental littering, and do we really need to take those little plastic rings off the plastic water bottles?

On this episode, Adam Shirley, our resident SPLOST citizen review committee member, comes back to update us on all things related to the SPLOST proposal on the ballot this year.  We will review what is a SPLOST, review the process of how we got the list of projects that are being proposed, and then take a deeper look at some of those projects including the Classic City Arena, Bethal Homes Affordable Housing, renewable energy, and more.

Vicki Krugman, from Indivisible 10, and Jonathan Wallace, former GA State Rep. for HD119, join me in a discussion about the Athens-Clarke County and Oconee County Boards of Elections, the current situation with new voting machines, and what will be on the ballot this upcoming November election.    

Murem Sharpeis a Savannah, Georgia-based technology business founder and former corporate executive who serves in leadership position with local, state and national organizations in the fields of healthcare innovation, political change, technology entrepreneurship, and academic advancement. As Principal with the StrategyRx consultancy, the firm enables innovators in medicine and healthcare to bring breakthrough products and services to market. For WomenHeart, the national coalition of women heart patients advocating for women with or at risk for heart disease, Murem became a WomenHeart Champion through training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, as well as men. Through WomenHeart Savannah, which she founded in 2016, she and her sister volunteers bring patient support, community advocacy, and heart health education throughout Savannah and South Georgia and advocate on Capitol Hill for affordable, available healthcare for all. As a Cornell alumna, Murem was elected a Lifetime Member of the Cornell University Council, having previously served as founding Vice Chair of the President’s Council of Cornell Women and the Chair of the Advisory Council for Entrepreneurship@Cornell program. She holds a B.A. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management. Resources (provided by Murem): Georgia Health rankings and statistics:  https://www.americashealthrankings.org/learn/reports/2018-health-of-women-and-children-report/state-summaries-georgia https://oasis.state.ga.us/ Georgia Department of Public Health Statistics  https://gbpi.org/policy-areas/health/ Georgia Budget and Policy Institute About WomenHeart: https://www.womenheart.org/  The leading voice for the 48 million American women living with or at risk of heart disease.Trained more than 900 women heart disease survivors as community educators via the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. Now in its 20th year, WomenHeart’s many accomplishments are a credit to the work of its committed Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Council, volunteers, staff and corporate partners who spend countless hours advancing awareness of women’s heart health.  From WomenHeart: Know Your Rights: Breaking Through Barriers to Care: https://www.womenheart.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Know-Your-Rights-Fact-Sheet.pdf Black Mamas Matter: https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/ Murem Sharpe’s TED Talk: “Let’s Do Mammograms for the Heart” - TEDx Savannah 2016. A view of the colossal impact of a heart attack and how many people are at risk. An overview of the simple, yet informative process of a "heart mammogram" or calcium scan and how informative the results can be.   https://youtu.be/EFMwJd_d-30    

This is a special episode and a special format - we welcome Hattie Whitehead, Linda Davis and Joey Carter to the studio to have an in-depth discussion on the topic of the erased African American history of Athens by focusing on two particular locations and incidents - the African American cemetery under the current UGA Baldwin Hall and the African American neighborhood of Linnentown, which was condemned under "urban renewal" for UGA dorm halls. After a recounting from Hattie Whitehead, former resident of Linnentown, and Linda Davis, Joey Carter and I discuss the importance of reparations and making the community whole after this kind of generational wealth loss. These are somber and cautionary stories.  Unfortunately they are not the only ones. This is an episode not to miss but also to share.  Please help us spread the work.  

This is an episode filled with music - from smooth jazz to James Brown we got it all as we sit down with local Athens musician Charles Thompson to discuss what music means to him and where he gets his inspiration from. We also discuss the recent Global Climate Strike that had over 4 million people and 163 countries around the world participate.  What are you doing to save our planet?  

On our first bilingual show of the season we welcome Beto Mendoza, founder of the Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition.  We go over the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and then put it into context in today's political environment of anti-immigrant sentiment.   En nuestro primer espectáculo bilingüe de la temporada, damos la bienvenida a Beto Mendoza, fundador de la Coalición de Derechos de los Inmigrantes de Atenas. Repasamos la historia del Mes de la Herencia Hispana luego lo ponemos en contexto en el entorno político actual de sentimiento antiinmigrante.

This is a special program in our criminal justice system series where we explore different components of the system with those who lead them.  Today we speak with Dale Allen, Chief Probation Office of Athens Clarke-County.  He tells us about the history of probation in ACC, the services they offer and the philosophy he follows in his department. Dale Allen has over forty years of experience in the criminal justice field, with the last fifteen specializing in probation and pretrial services. He has developed several innovative projects in Georgia for probation and pretrial, especially in the area of new technology use in supervision. He holds a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice and is a member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and Georgia Professional Association of Community Supervision.

We go over the history of Labor Day and send out some appreciation to Labor Unions.  Then we discuss women, politics and power with Melanie Childers. Melanie Childers is a Master Certified Confidence and Leadership Coach, activist, yogi, writer, educator, and all around badass, with a M.Ed. in Learning Design and Development. She specializes in coaching progressive women activists and candidates by showing them how to build confidence, manage stress, handle criticism, and lead with integrity. She’s taught these concepts and more to VoteRunLead, Netroots Nation, RepGA, and PaveItBlue, and has appeared in Cosmo.com and Esquire.com. She's also a co-founder of TheUnderbelly.org, an online breast cancer magazine.  

On our episode with have Noah James Saunders, wire sculpture artist and Lynn Sanders-Bustle from UGA's Lamar School of Art.   Noah James Saunders  https://www.noahjamessaunders.com A Georgia Native, working 25 years as a full time artist.  Manifesting wire sculptures, jewelry and ceramic forms. He has lived in Athens for the past 20 years Winner of the People's Choice award at this years ArtFields: an annual, nine-day art competition and exhibition in Lake City, South Carolina, ArtFields awards more than $140,000 in cash prizes to artists from across the Southeast. I'll be giving a detailed lecture about my Sculptural Practice at The Lyndon House  Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 5:00 p.m, all are welcome if you wish to know the deep ins and outs of how and why I create wire art. AND!  As a gift to my fellow creative spirits residing in and around the City I call home, I've manifested two amazing and FREE lecture/work shops to help folks attain full expression of there creative dreams hosted by OCAF in Watkinsville  https://ocaf.com/ November 20th, 6:30pm-830pm;  Brainard Cary  founder of Praxis Center for Aesthetic Studies from NY will talk about the practical steps on needs to take to get the funding your dream requires, to getting your art shown in a gallery.  https://praxiscenterforaestheticstudies.com/   Lynn Sanders-Bustle holds an undergraduate and graduate degree in Art Education from East Carolina and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech. Sanders-Bustle is currently Chair and Associate Professor of Art Education at the University of Georgia. Prior to coming to the University of Georgia she served as Director of Programs at Greenhill Center for NC Art where she oversaw curatorial and education programs. From 2002 through 2012 she coordinated the Art Education program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In 2011, she received the National Higher Education Art Educator of the Year from the National Art Education Association. She is editor of the book, Image, Inquiry, and Transformative Practice: Engaging Learners in Creative and Critical Inquiry Through Visual Representationpublished by Peter Lang. Sanders-Bustle has published in professional journalsandpresented at the International Arts and Society Conference, the International Society for Education and the Arts Conferences, the American Educational Research Association, the National Art Education Association and the Literacy Research Association. Her research focuses on socially engaged art, community-based art education, service-learning, and teacher preparation. November 22nd, 6:30-830pm;  creative development advisor Marc Zegans from CA will be discussing the Transitions on the Path to a Fulfilled Creative Life  http://mycreativedevelopment.com/

In this episode we welcome Contura Thompson to talk about her Women's Empowerment Ministry and we talk a little about the Athen's accountability courts.  Athens has 6 Accountability courts that serve to divert people from incarceration: Treatment and Accountability Court (drug and mental illness court) DUI/Drug court Felony Drug Court Veteran’s Court Family Dependency Court Parental Accountability Court    

We start our Second Season with a great conversation with Lemuel LaRouche, aka "Life," who founded Chess and Community; Shane Sims, Athens-Clarke County Police Chaplain and Exec Director of People Living in Recovery; and Marisue Hilliard, of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. We discuss the recent gun violence happening in our country and in our neighborhoods, solutions to what we must do to help our youth, recap a number of events regarding gun violence, and end with a callout to join Moms in their Recess Rally on August 17. Lots to digest.      

Michael and I are doing a recap going through all 25 of our past episodes and remembering what they all have in common - the power of voice and speech. You don't want to miss this episode. We will be taking a three-week break after this episode and will return on August 9, 2019 via podcast with our second season - more incredible guests and topics. So subscribe to "Open Records with Deborah Gonzalez" via your podcast app. Or subscribe via https://openrecords.podbean.com.

This week I got to interview Joey Carter, Representative of the United Campus Workers of Georgia. We had a fascinating conversation about what is a union, how do unions work in right to work states (like GA), the history of unions, and their role today and in the future. #unionstrong

Catch our 4th and final bilingual program of Season 1 with Alejandra Cava and Estelle Carillo.  They talk about the groundbreaking program Lazos Hispanos and key issues regarding health and the LatinX community.   Esta es nuestro cuarto y último programa bilingüe de la temporada 1 con Alejandra Cava y Estelle Carillo. Hablan sobre el innovador programa Lazos Hispanos y sobre temas clave relacionados con la salud y la comunidad LatinX.  

Guest host Mokah Jasmine Johnson and special guest Lecia Brooks from Southern Poverty Law Center discuss Juneteenth, confederate monuments, and what is happening right now in our town about these issues.  

It’s a great show. We have Rashe's Cuisine and Nicole Shaadrian Vernon talking about challenges they face as Biz Owners and Dawn Hawkins Johnson talking about why she and her husband Joe Johnson started Classic City News.

In today's episode I give a Live Update and Report regarding this week's American Constitution Society's Annual Conference held in Washington, DC, our nation's Capitol. From honoring Bryan Stevenson to reflecting on the insights from a progressive prosecutor's panel - all things related to criminal justice - and more.  This is one you don't want to miss.  

I love doing this show. We got the Chief - Chief Cleveland Spruill - to spend some time with us to discuss law enforcement in Athens, his busy first four months and how the community can learn more about the Athens Clarke County Police Department.  Plus catch the latest Millennial Minute with Diamen Flore Espiegle. Cleveland Spruillwas named the ACCPD Chief of Police on February 4, 2019. Prior to this role, Spruill was the Chief of Police in Huntersville, North Carolina for five years. Born in the Bronx, New York and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Spruill served four years with the U.S. Army before beginning his law enforcement career with the Alexandria Virginia Police Department.  He served in Alexandria for over 25 years, with 17 years of command level experience. Diamen Espiegle (es-peagle) was born and raised in Haiti. A promising young student, Diamen speaks Haitian Creole and French. Upon moving to the United States in October 2013, Diamen learned a third language, English. She completed high school and matriculated as undergraduate student at the University of Georgia. She pursued her passion for politics and charitable works to complete a double major in Political Science and International Affairs. As a recent graduate, Diamen will be pursuing work in Georgia to continue her passion in local government and social affairs. This summer, she will be working at Extra Special People or ESP, an organization that serves people with disabilities and their families, as a Camp Counselor. Diamen’s future goal is to complete a graduate degree in law, public administration or business administration.

In case you missed it - click and listen here.  Better yet, subscribe and never miss an episode - delivered straight to your phone. In this episode we speak with Montu Miller about the intersections among hip hop, racism and politics.   William Miller, more affectionately known as Montu, is the Ambassador of the Athens HipHop Community, co-founder/chief operating officer for ATHfactor-Liberty Entertainment, a dedicated special education paraprofessional (Clarke Central High School), and father of five. He embraces his role as a writer, poet, mentor and community activist. Montu values his mentorship relationships with students and musicians in the community. Montu's interests range beyond music and extend to other parts of the Athens community. He is an advocate on the Chess & Community Conference board as a community liaison/event planner, Hot Corner Festival steering committee/stage manager. The Athens HipHop movement that Montu helps lead has a variety of education,  community, and after-school programs. Through this movement, motivational speakers and trained mentors help guide students within the schools and often on a daily basis. Overall Montu is an organic intellectual, a revolutionary, and a community leader. Even with these titles, Montu's mission is to convey to others that he will never stand idly by when so much needs to be done.  

This is our third bilingual program in Spanish with Luz Lopez, attorney for Southern Poverty Law Centerand Adonahi Meza, DACA student from U-Lead Athens. They will both share their stories and attorney Lopez will go over immigrant rights. Buenos dias, nuestro programa de esta tarde es nuestro tercer programa bilingüe en español con Luz López, abogada del Southern Poverty Law Center y Adonahi Meza, estudiante de DACA de U-Lead Athens. Ambos compartirán sus historias y la abogada López revisará los derechos de los inmigrantes.  

Our topic today is understanding some immigration fundamentals and the realities DACA students face. Our guests are: Sujata Gupta Winfield was born in Kolkata, India.  Her studies in law, and her desire to practice law for the poor and disadvantaged, were transferred to Athens, GA, when she married Richard Dien Winfield, a professor of Philosophy at the University of Georgia, whom she had met in art class in New York city.   After completing her law studies at the University of Georgia law school in 1987, Sujata practiced employment discrimination and minimum wage-overtime law and then immigration law.  Since 2003, she has been running a solo immigration practice, Sujata Gupta Winfield LLC.  Sujata continues her dream of representing the disadvantaged ... which in immigration law, comprises all peoples wanting to live in the United States temporarily or permanently, who are attempting to maneuver the complicated immigration system, but particularly, people who come from Mexico and Central America.  Sujata's practice includes family and humanitarian visas and green cards, naturalization and asylum applications, and deportation defense in immigration court. JoBeth Allen retired after 28 years of teaching in UGA’s College of education. In 2014, along with educator from CCSD and UGA, she co-founded and continues to co-direct U-Lead Athens. She loves reading, cooking and eating locally grown produce, spending time with her 5 grandchildren, and working with Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition to make Athens a safe and equitable home for immigrants who are un(der)documented. 

Ready for another amazing episode? Athens is often referred to as a music town - but the arts and culture that make up the core of our city far expand the limited scope of just a music label. Tune in this Sunday as we hear from Erin Mullins Barger, project manager of Envision Athens, about the true role of arts and culture in our community, the Envision Athens CREATE subgroup and what's next, including how can you be a part of what's hot and happening. Sunday, 5 pm, WXAG Athens, Ga, 92.7 FM. Hailing from the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, Erin Barger has worked in community development for two decades. She began her career serving adults with disabilities, going on to work in refugee resettlement, serving as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in China for two years, and then returning to attend graduate school at UNC-Chapel Hill before moving to Athens in 2009. Erin worked for nearly a decade to address poverty across north Georgia, when she was invited to serve as a volunteer Steering Committee member for Envision Athens. Today she serves at the Project Manager for this movement, compelled by the vision of Athens reaching her full potential in unity, prosperity, equity, and compassion. She strives to live by the Athenian oath in hopes that she will transmit the city more beautiful and greater, to her children and others.  

Want to know more about possible environmental solutions in Athens? Join us on this episode as we speak with  Melissa Hopkinson and Cary Ritzler to discuss current environmental trends and solutions tailored to the Athens community. Melissa Hopkinson is a Lecturer of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of North Georgia, where she teaches courses on Weather and Climate and Geography. She earned her Ph.D. from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. She is currently involved with the Georgia Climate Project, a statewide initiative to synthesize climate knowledge, create better conversations about climate, and work toward climate solutions and recently attended a Climate Reality leadership training conference, led by former Vice President Al Gore, in Atlanta. Cary Ritzler is a local environmentalist focused on climate change solutions at the local and national level. Cary co-leads the Athens chapter Citizens Climate Lobby, a national grassroot organization focused on building political will for bipartisan climate change legislation. She is also a member of the 100% Athens Renewable Energy Initiative Steering Committee which is currently working to transition Athens-Clarke County to clean and renewable energy by 2035.

Want to hear unique perspectives on education inequalities? On this episode some of my  Gonzalez Fellows: Davis Bergsagel, Ashley Kalinda, Mennah Abdelwahab, and Marleena Tamminen, discuss the different layers of inequality in our education system. Davis is a UGA graduate who is interested in how our evolving technologies are changing the way we govern and communicate with constituents, specifically education in this show. Ashley is a third year UGA student majoring in International Affairs. She hopes to go to graduate school to study international development policy after spending some time in the Peace Corps. Mennah is a first year UGA student studying International Affairs and Journalism. She is excited to share her passion for politics with the Athens community. Marleena is a first year UGA student studying International Affairs and Economics. She is excited to use her knowledge on education and democracy in this podcast as well as in her future career.

What are negative Latino stereotypes, where do we experience them and how do we combat them? That is the topic we will explore with Dr. Eric Morales-Franceschini. Dr. Morales-Franceschini received his PhD from UC Berkeley and is currently an Assistant Professor of English and Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Georgia were he specializes in analyzing tropes, symbols, and narratives of the postcolonial Caribbean and Latinx literature.  This program is mainly in Spanish with an English Millennial Minute.  

Wondering if a conviction can be restricted? Which charges are eligible for restriction? What is the process? Join us as we host Judge Ryan Hope to learn the answers. Judge Ryan Hope is the Municipal Court Judge of Athens-Clarke County. In this position, he is responsible for all court proceedings and operations in the Municipal Court of Athens-Clarke County. The Municipal Court of Athens-Clarke County adjudicates traffic offenses, ordinance offenses and some misdemeanor cases. He received his JD in 2000 from the University of Georgia School of Law. After graduating from University of Georgia, Judge Hope worked as an Assistant Public Defender for the University of Georgia Legal Aid Clinic and then proceeded to serve as the Chief Assistant Solicitor of Athens-Clarke County. He has experience working as a public defender, prosecutor and judge in various accountability courts in Athens.

Want to know more about the future of transportation and infrastructure in Athens? Join us as we discuss what’s in store for Athens with Kelly Girtz and Tim Denson. After serving as a County Commissioner in Athens-Clarke County for 12 years, current Mayor of Athens-Clarke County Girtz has prioritized a connected set of initiatives in Athens designed to provide a strong foundation for all Athenians, and to create a sustainable, resilient community that our children and grandchildren will be proud to call “home.” Tim Denson, current District 5 Commissioner for the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and former President and Organization Coordinator of Athens for Everyone, organizes and advocates for initiatives his community think are important. He was integral in the campaigns for Sunday Bus Service, Living Wages for Athens-Clarke County Workers, an Athens Civil Rights Committee, and Athens Transit’s move toward hybrid-engine buses.

On this episode we welcome Maxwell Ruppersburg, an Athens native and Executive Director for Reform Georgia, a nonprofit advocating for criminal justice reform at the state and local level in Georgia. He graduated from Emory University, worked at The Carter Center, and built a startup company before earning a Masters of Public Administration from Syracuse University in 2016. Since returning to the Atlanta area, he has been working in local government management and advocating for progress in Georgia. Ruppersburg believes criminal justice is a fundamentally local issue and that a research-driven approach to policy reform is a critical part of the solution. We discuss the current status of state and local bills, laws, and ordinances regarding medical cannabis cultivation and social equity, legalization of marijuana, and restorative justice.

Want to know how recent cybersecurity policy could affect the local community of Athens? Jonathan Wallace, Scott Jones, and Chuck DeLozier discuss the complexities of cybersecurity legislation and different ways it affects Georgia communities. Jonathan Wallace, former Representative for House District 119, uses his degree in Computer Science from the University of Georgia to write software and code for various endeavors. Currently, he is VP of Engineering at Softgiving, a financial technology startup, and he's recently been appointed to the Oconee County Board of Elections. Scott M. Jones serves as Acting Director of Electronic Frontiers Georgia, a local activist group focused on protecting and promoting civil rights and civil liberties online and in technology-mediated spaces. Mr. Jones was present for the ACLU v. Miller case and also coordinated opposition of the "State DMCA" bills. Additionally, he is a system administrator for a small startup in the insurance industry and has also been a developer during his nearly 30-year career in the technology field. Chuck DeLozier is the founder of Valiente, a lifestyle company that caters to people’s needs while also maintaining their privacy. One of his focuses is on engaging Georgian's around personal computer security and best practices. He’s also been a leading activist in the Atlanta area against the recent FCC Net Neutrality decision. What do these three men have in common? Their concern over recent Georgia legislation that authorizes the state to purchase unsafe and hackable election machines.

Wondering what sexual harassment policy changes our legislature is making and how domestic violence affects Athens? Join us with Tangela Ferguson (Beard) from Project Safe and Representative Renitta Shannon to discuss recent sexual harassment procedural changes in the Georgia legislature and different ways domestic violence hurts a community. Tangela Ferguson is a Domestic Violence Advocate with Project Safe Inc currently in the Associate Director where her current focus is on increasing intimate partner violence trainings and presentations in Project Safe primary service areas of Clarke, Oconee, Madison, and Oglethorpe county, and helping to evaluate the work and services of Project Safe to adapt it to the needs of the local communities they serve. She also has a graduate degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Industrial Psychology from the University of Phoenix. Renitta Shannon is currently the 84thdistrict House Representative for Georgia. While she sits on the committees of Government Affairs and Insurance, last January, Rep. Shannon launched the Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council which is a coalition of state legislators dedicated to advancing reproductive freedom in state capitols and to push back against this administration's work to restrict access to birth control and women's reproductive services both through general legislation and court rulings that lay the groundwork to reverse Roe v. Wade. Rep Shannon is also one of the founders of HerTerm, an organization focusing on preparing female Democratic candidates to run and win office in Georgia.

Our first bilingual episode (English & Spanish) Curious about LatinX identity and what it means in Athens? Tune in and listen to Dr. Sharina Maillo-Pozo, Beto Mendoza, and Jimena Pacora discuss their LatinX identity, the shaping of LatinX identity in the U.S., and how their own LatinX identity reflects their experiences in Athens. Dr. Maillo-Pozo is an assistant professor specializing in Latinx and Caribbean literature and culture paying special attention to the cultural production of the Dominican Republic in the U.S. at the Romance Languages Department of the University of Georgia. Mr. Mendoza is the founder of Athens Immigrants Rights Coalition which he formed to assert justice for Athens area immigrants regardless of their legal status after HB 87 and SB 59 made life extremely difficult for hard-working immigrant communities and made it a criminal act to employ, transport, or give shelter to an undocumented person. Jimena is using her privilege to unapologetically fight for undocumented immigrant rights and the liberation of Black and Brown people after observing the injustices the U.S. while she lived here as an undocumented immigrant from Lima, Peru for the first half of her life.

Join us as we discuss STEM opportunities for all children with Monique Sanders. As the Program Director of Get STEMulated in Athens, she implements different learning techniques to enhance students' understanding of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) principles for k-12 boys and girls. She will be discussing how to engage students with engineering, biology, medicine, and physics through exciting experiments that helps their comprehension with these STEM skills. Why is STEM important for all students to learn now? What opportunities are there? Tune in and learn how your children can prepare and be part of the STEM career path.

This week we speak with Robert Covi and Vickie Krugman from Indivisible 10 GA.  The group advocates for a paper-based voting system that would have voters submit their vote on a paper ballot which then gets scanned and recorded as a vote. The current GA legislature is considering which voting machines to buy and when will they be implemented.  Listen in to learn about the pros and cons of hand marked ballots vs. machine marked ballots.  Did you trust the voting machine you voted on in 2018?  

Adam Shirley - as a District 3 committee member for the SPLOST 2020 Citizens Advisory Committee in Athens-Clarke County and member of numerous committees at Commerce Middle School where he is a teacher, Shirley is one of 22 committee members responsible for recommending a list of candidate projects for adoption by the Mayor and Commission with SPLOST revenue. These projects range from increasing the stock of affordable rental housing to a new recycling facility. Adam has been posting about these on Facebook, but we will have a chance to ask him questions in person about his experience with the process and his take on why we all need to get involved in the selection of SPLOST projects. By the way you will find out what those letters - SPLOST - actually mean.

On our second episode we welcome Celeste Ngeve to discuss empowering students. Celeste is a local sheroe, poet, author, support coach and Director at Rutland Academy. She is an expert in facilitating crisis management and therapeutic support that includes self-growth, self-love, and self-awareness. Inspired by Maya Angelou, Ngeve’s empowerment brand, #SheSPEAKS, uses her experiences and education to help every girl, woman and man SPEAK their ugly truths to attain mental freedom. Celeste also graces us with a mini spoken word performance called "Gathering the children."    

Welcome to Open Records with Deborah Gonzalez a broadcast and podcast shining light on news and issues that affect our everyday lives. Focus is to bring transparency and accountability to what is happening in our capitols in DC and ATL, as well as make it relevant to all of us here on the ground. We will have interviews with incredible people who are in the midst of what is happening, and highlight community organizations doing the hard work in the trenches. We will have a Millennial Minute (hosted by interns) as well as bilingual episodes so we can reach all of the wonderful people who make up our community. With community leaders as co-hosts and everyday people guiding our topics - this show is about and for you. Our first episode introduces me, your host, and what we are trying to achieve with the show.  We also have an enlightening interview with Tommy Valentine.  Tommy is the Executive Director of the Athens Historic Heritage Foundation and former candidate for an Athens Commission seat.  Today he agreed to stop by and talk to me a bit about some the meaning of “place” and “heritage” and some upcoming projects the Foundation is involved in that seeks to protect segregated properties.