Voice: A Catholic Charities Podcast

In this episode of Voice, Lorna Schmidt and Mike Rios-Keating discuss Direct Cash Transfers which is the idea of the government giving cash to individuals with no strings attached as a possible intervention to end poverty and homelessness. 

We'd like to think that when we pause and reflect on the holidays, those things that bring us joy and comfort, it's an invitation to ask ourselves, how do we let that fuel us to give back or to do hard work or be in relationship with others? The team is going to share with each other some of our favorite holiday things but in a unique way.

Shawn Phillips, Lay Director of the Church of Gichitwaa Kateri and Office of Indian Ministry for the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis, shares stories from his ministry within our Native American communities, discusses the importance of learning about our interconnected histories, and reflects on this work within the context of Catholic Social Teaching. You can learn more about the Church of Gichitwaa Kateri here or contact Shawn at phillipss@archspm.org. For a list of referenced resources for further learning, visit the podcast's blog page.

"Criminal." When you hear the word, what comes to mind? Do you envision someone of a certain age, gender, race, or place? Do you think of yourself, or those closest to you? Lorna and Mike speak with Emily Baxter, Executive Director of We Are All Criminals, a non-profit organization dedicated to challenging society's perception of what it means to be "criminal." 

Helping a household find alternative housing rather than entering shelter or experiencing unsheltered homelessness is less costly and more effective at preventing homelessness.  Lorna Schmidt talks with Alanna Hinz-Sweeney and Breana Guernsey about the practice of diversion and how it results in highly successful housing outcomes. 

Lorna Schmidt and Mike Rios-Keating talk with Jazz Hampton, Co-founder and CEO of TurnSignl, an innovative app for on-demand guidance from an attorney to get you home safe. Developed in the wake of the death of Philando Castile, TurnSignl aims to be one part of the ecosystem of justice through safer interactions between law enforcement and drivers. You can learn more at TurnSignl.com

Homeless. What comes to mind when you hear that word? The Housing and Urban Development definition to be homeless is to have stayed last night in one of four locations or situations.   That's a place not fit for human habitation, like under a bridge or a skyway or bus stop. An emergency shelter would be one of those, transitional housing or if you're exiting an institution like a prison or a hospital. There is a vast diversity of situations that exist in homelessness. Some may even challenge some assumptions you have about "homelessness."

Lorna Schmidt, Public policy manager with Catholic Charities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis offers some top tips and tricks for getting lawmakers to listen to you. Lorna is joined by Paul Slack, who is the vice president of Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. 

The importance of stable housing is undeniable; it is one of the best-researched indicators of good health. Housing instability puts one at risk for poor health, and poor health increases the risk of housing instability. What are the individual, societal, and cultural impacts of this cycle? What are the underlying causes, and how can we address them?

Lorna Schmidt and Mike Rios-Keating take a look back at some of the key episodes and guests from the first year of the Voice podcast.  

Incidental music: Point de vue by Mathieu La montagne & Emmanuel Toledo

As a society, we operate in systems: ecosystems, education, economic, political systems. How systems relate to social justice and what it means to bring about systems change is the work of Courageous Change Collective.  Sindy Morales Garcia and Kirsten Johnson of Courageous Change Collective join Mike Rios-Keating for a discussion on systems change.

In this podcast, we've taken some time to explore Catholic social thought, teachings that have given Catholic Charities its grounding, and on which the agency's mission was founded. In this episode, we wanted to get into what is often referred to as the core pillar, the cornerstone tenant: human dignity. To dive into this pillar we talk with Doctor Roger Bergman, professor emeritus of Creighton University.

When explaining homelessness, statistics are used to demonstrate the scope of the issue, but can the arts create awareness and understanding about homelessness that numbers can't? Mike Rios-Keating talks with Maren Ward, Artistic Director of the zAmaya Theater Project about the organization's unique approach to community collaboration and partnership using performances and storytelling to share experiences of homelessness through those who have experienced homelessness, are experiencing homelessness and those with no experience with it.

The tendency is to think of housing as an issue at the municipal level but what role does the state play in addressing the housing crisis when each community's needs are so different? Can statewide policy really meet local housing needs, given the diversity we see across the state? Lorna Schmidt talks to Representative Mike Howard, a 2nd term legislator representing District 50A, which includes the suburb of Richfield, and who serves as Vice-Chair of the Housing Finance & Policy Committee.  

Trauma exists in many forms and millions of Americans experience it every year. Traumatic experiences impact mental and physical health and significantly impacts one's overall well-being. Trauma has ripple effects for one's families and across generations. As statistics on trauma become more widely known there is a growing need for what is known as Trauma-informed Care. Lorna Schmidt discusses Trauma-informed Care with Stacie Joncas, Senior Program Manager of Clinical Health at Catholic Charities. 

Mike Rios-Keating speaks to Ron Krietemeyer who has deep roots in Catholic Social Teaching and was instrumental in forming the list of ten themes that are still used as an overall framework for understanding how the principles of Catholic Social Teaching flow from one to another.

Every year the legislature convenes to conduct some of the states most critical business. Even though their work impacts every one every single day, how much do average citizens know about how it works and what goes on at the capitol and how can you make your voice heard?

When talking about issues like homelessness or affordable housing, the phrase "housing continuum" is often referred to but many people have questions about what it means. In this episode of Voice, Amanda Horner and Mike Rios-Keating provide answers to the most asked questions.

From our daily social services to our social justice advocacy work, the mission of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis is built on Catholic Social Teaching. Despite its deep roots in scripture and church documents, Catholic social teaching is not universally understood. In the first of a series of episodes, Mike Rios-Keating explores what Catholic Social Thought is, its history, why it matters and what its implications are for us today.

Learned stereotypes that are automatic, unconscious and deeply engrained shape how our brains process and make sense of the world. When they impact other people or put in place systems that impact others, unconscious bias becomes problematic.  Harvard Implicit Association Test

Corporate giving used to be a box to be checked to get good P.R. but in the wake of natural disasters and pandemics, private companies are reexamining their responsibilities to the communities that support them and the employees that power them. 

Cooperation between political parties is a rare occurrence in the current political environment. There have been examples of bipartisanship that resulted in acts which meant to solve problems and serve constituencies. One such law was the Americans with Disabilities Act which recently marked its 30th Anniversary. We talked with former Senator Dave Durrenburger who introduced the ADA in the 101st Congress about the origins of the act and the pursuit of leadership that prioritizes governance and tempers political rhetoric. 

Homelessness and housing instability are not issues limited to core urban areas, they just look different in other areas of the state.

In this episode, Amanda Horner speaks with Jessica Hancock-Allen, former CDC Epidemiologist and Catholic Charities medical respite manager about COVID-19 and disparities in communities of color.