Podcasts about Amy Smith

In this episode, Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), discusses the Convention's first State of the World's Migratory Species report, the urgent threats facing migratory animals, and the need for international cooperation and ecological connectivity to protect them. The conversation covers key findings from the report, main threats such as habitat loss and over-exploitation, successful cross-border conservation efforts, and practical ways governments, communities, scientists and industry can work together to safeguard migratory species.   Resources: Ask a Librarian! Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals  State of the World's Migratory Species Report: https://www.cms.int/publication/state-worlds-migratory-species Central Asian Mammals Initiative: https://cami.cms.int/about-cami Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/4AK9WjzyQRs  Content    Guest: Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary, UN Convention on Migratory Species Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded online & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Locarno Treaties of 1925, this episode explores the treaties' place in the "long 20th century," examining how leaders like Gustav Stresemann, Aristide Briand, and Austen Chamberlain sought a new European order in a transformed Atlantic and global setting after the First World War. Professor Patrick O. Cohrs explains the Treaties' significance, strengths, weaknesses, and wider global echoes, and considers what the Locarno spirit can teach today's leaders about diplomacy, learning, and collective security. Patrick O. Cohrs is Professor of International History at the University of Florence. He specialises in the history of modern international politics. His work focuses on war and peace and the transformation of the transatlantic and global order in the long twentieth century. He is the author of The Unfinished Peace after World War I (Cambridge University Press, 2006). His second book, The New Atlantic Order. The Transformation of International Politics, 1860–1933 (Cambridge University Press, 2022) won the 2023 Prose Award in World History. Resources: https://archives.ungeneva.org/ Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/ Content    Guest: Professor Patrick O. Cohrs Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

In this episode of Fostering Conversations, host Amy Smith welcomes Utah's First Lady Abby Cox to announce the statewide launch of the Care Communities program. After a successful two-year pilot with Utah Foster Care, Care Communities are expanding across the state to provide essential support for foster families and children in care. Abby shares how this initiative was born out of a desire to strengthen foster care in Utah and ensure that every child has a safe and supportive environment. The Care Communities model surrounds each foster family with 8–10 trained volunteers who provide emotional support, physical assistance, and trauma-informed care. This helps foster parents feel less isolated and ensures children in care have healthy, lasting connections with caring adults. Key highlights from this episode: Statewide Care Communities launch – a first-of-its-kind effort in Utah. The top three benefits foster families experience: emotional support, physical help, and positive impact on children. How Care Communities prevent burnout and keep families fostering longer. Success stories from the pilot program, including mentorship moments, adoption celebrations, and lifelong community bonds. Practical ways listeners can get involved, even if they aren't able to foster themselves. Abby emphasizes that Care Communities not only support foster families but also give children the community connections they desperately need. This initiative is backed by faith organizations, nonprofits, local businesses, and state agencies—all working together to improve outcomes for Utah's most vulnerable kids.  Learn more or sign up at utahcarecommunities.org  Explore Utah Foster Care programs at utahfostercare.org Transcript Fostering Conversations Podcast Episode 64: Building Care Communities Amy: Thanks for joining us for Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith, and today we have our amazing guest and First Lady Abby Cox. Thanks for joining us, Abby. Abby: Thanks so much for having me. Amy: So we are excited. Today is a special episode because, there is an exciting announcement that Abby is going to share with us. So go ahead and share that with us and we’ll dive in. Abby: we are super excited to announce that we are having a statewide launch of our Care Communities program. So we have been doing a two year pilot, around this Care Communities program. We’ve had. Great successes. We’ve had some incredible stories. we are thrilled with the outcomes, frankly, of what we’ve been seeing, and we are ready to launch statewide, which is very exciting. Amy: It is so exciting and honestly for me as a former employee, this is flown by, so I can’t believe it’s already out of the two year pilot and ready to go, so that’s exciting. So would you just tell us a little bit about why you started the Care Communities program, why you joined up with Utah Foster Care to create this specific program? Abby: Yeah, so when I got into this position,and wanted to see where in child welfare, really didn’t know that much about it, but knew that I wanted to, see if there was. Somewhere that I could have an impact or that my team could really maybe help in ways that, that some of the other organizations needed. And so for us, it was, it really was a learning thing. and the more I got into it, and the more I started learning about it, the more, I learned great organizations like Utah Foster Care and others throughout the state that are doing the really tough work of, Helping to minimize the trauma that’s experienced when a child enters, the child welfare system and all the touchpoint that come. I often hear as I go throughout this work is, the system’s broken. And I always say to people, no, the system is not broken. The system is complex. It’s very complex, and people are doing their best in most cases, to find ways to help, children who have been, hurt in some way and need our help and that are the most vulnerable in our state. so on the out, I started to learn and meet people, families. Current and former children in care, just incredible people that are doing this work together. And I realized , there was maybe one place , that our team could really have an impact. And that is making sure that we have enough. trained quality foster families that are diverse enough for the population of our kiddos and that we can have a safe place for these kids to land. and we see it across the nation. We are woefully short of foster families. and it’s because it’s hard work, as you know. and it’s, beautiful work, but it’s also anything that is worth doing is also gonna be really hard. and so a lot of these families that, that, are in foster care or have a license, they usually give up their license within a year. Again, as we. what’s hard is that, if we don’t have a place for these kiddos who have been abused and neglected to have a safe place and a loving and place where they belong, and they can feel that, that sense of safety, then,we’re in trouble as a state. We’re in trouble if we don’t take care of the most vulnerable among us. So I had heard about this idea of care communities. I’d seen it in different places in the country where they’re doing little pockets of this, mostly in christian congregations in the South, and I thought, is it possible that we could do this here in the state and do it statewide and have a real concerted effort to make this happen? And through our partnership with Utah Foster Care, through amazing partnerships with interfaith, groups across the state, again, we’re where we are right now, and it’s an opportunity for us to surround these foster families and take care of their needs as they do the really important work. Amy: One of my favorite parts about care communities is that not everyone can be a foster family. I personally was a foster family for four years, and then our family grew unexpectedly, permanently, and it was like, we can’t foster anymore, right? Because. We’re ca, we’re tapped out at this point. but Care Communities gives everyone an opportunity to give back and to help with this child welfare system. So that’s one of my favorite parts about it, is that not everyone can foster. I totally get that. But there are ways that you can give back big or small, through this care community program. Abby: That’s exactly right. And Amy, what, first of all, I wanna thank you for showing out. You’ve been so amazing. You’ve been outspoken and helping people to understand not only the really tough parts of being a foster family, but really the joyful parts. You and I have had conversations about, people. Scared to,have teenagers in their home. they have a preconceived notion of what that looks like or what that means. And you’ve combated some of those fears , but also not sugarcoated things and you’ve been really real, which is what we need. We absolutely need that. We need both. We need to understand that these issues are not just our, foster families, that are doing this work, but it’s all of us as a community that can come together and help out. So to me, the idea of a care community where, through a congregation or a business or a neighborhood, we can have eight to 10 families surrounding these foster families that help take care of their emotional, their physical, and any other needs that family has. Especially making connections with those kids in care sometimes, it’s just as simple as a child needs a positive role model in their life. And for them, this just couldn’t be better, to make sure that they have just a whole network of people that are in their corner. Wanting them to succeed, and they can feel that. To me, that’s the Utah way. that’s Utah in a nutshell. We want the help and that’s the other, you said, no, not every family gonna be foster. Amy: Almost every family that I know of that I talk to says I wanna help in some way, and I wanna volunteer in a way that is impactful. Abby: And so to me it’s like it’s a no-brainer that this is an incredible program that people in our state are hungry for. They wanna be helpful, and now we’re giving them the perfect way. To step in a meaningful way that is, that has all the protections that has the training. this isn’t just, grandma down the street telling you how to be a better parent. It is. I’ve been trained on what these kids have gone through and the best ways to interact with them. And the best way is to keep them safe and make them feel like they belong. Amy: Yeah. I love that this program provides , that safety net. Like you say, it’s not just, okay, let’s just rally around and hope this works out. It’s no, let’s be trauma informed. Let’s help these individuals support this child and foster family in the best way possible. one of my favorite. a personal thing is that one of my teens, who we had in care and she aged out, she’s having a baby and it was so fun to throw a shower for her and to have her tell me who she wanted to invite. And it was so neat to see that she wanted to invite the adult women on our street. And even some of those women were like, wow, that was so thoughtful that you invited me thinking me, Amy invited them and I said, no. She invited you, she gave me your name, and I just think that’s what a care community is, right? That was an unofficial one for us. but that’s what a care community is having. Strong, good adults that are there for your big moments to come to your baby shower and to be there. And the amount of things that she got from these women, just she wasn’t gonna be able to go get all of those things. And so the tangible goods, but also just knowing, hey, there’s a group of women that’s gonna come to my baby shower. That is amazing. Abby: Yeah. I just think that’s the beauty of this program. again, it’s gonna be a little more organized than your unofficial one. and it’s gonna help people to understand, like I said, like I didn’t know that much about foster care until a couple of friends of mine in my own congregation, began to be foster parents. and to me it is it was eye-opening. there’s a lot of just don’t say that kind of things that we can learn. Amy: Totally. Abby: there’s some things that, you’ve endured some, and it’s a way for all of us. We all wanna be supportive. I think all of us don’t want to say anything terrible. I think we all have good intentions and wanna be the best support, but also, you know what? the idea that these foster families can also have, the parents can have their emotional needs met. We had an experience in our, one of our pilots where, one of the foster moms just said, you know what I really need? I need a walking buddy. Amy: Yeah. Abby: I need somebody just to go on a walk with me every day. And to me, like, how beautiful is that? it’s so great. And there, there’s a dozen of like a million other stories I could tell. we had a single mom who was fostering teenagers. And again, the challenges and the things that go on with teenagers that are, my own teenagers, it’s and they didn’t have that, the background of some intense trauma and, And honestly, like she had her care community come in and instead of just coming in and mowing the lawn, which is great, would’ve been awesome. She needed that lawn mode. They came in, a couple of the male members of this care community, they came in and taught the teenagers how to mow the law. And again, that, that was a relationship that, that these, there was a teenage, one of the teenage boys that I had never had. A real positive interaction with a male adult. Amy: Yeah. Abby: and to have that sort of mentor and then to go out in the world and have this incredible network like you’re talking about,to say, maybe I can have a job opportunity with somebody in my care community. Maybe i. To go visit ’em on a holiday or they get invited to my big events and my special moments. it’s just, there’s just to me, this is Utah, this is us. Supporting each other and doing it in a way that is organized and keeping kids safe from more trauma, keeping them safe from, any kind of harm that would come to them through all the protections that we’re putting in place. By doing it in a really organized and thoughtful and, with the support of our. Public entities, our DCFS, the H-H-S-D-H-H-S folks, our agencies, as well as the legislature. we got some funding for this from the legislature. We’ve had amazing private donations and helping get this pilot off the ground. We’ve had incredible philanthropists that have been supportive of this. We’ve been, had people throughout the state that are excited. To see this be successful and especially our faith organizations, our first Presbyterian churches who’ve been a part of our pilot as well as the LDS church and businesses that have been a part of our pilot. and to me it’s just everybody wants to be a part of the solution on this and I think this is a huge way to do that. Amy: Yeah, I love that it literally can include everybody. That is amazing. Something that when I started foster care, it, this should be obvious, but it’s not, and it became very obvious to me once I became a foster parent. Kids come into your home a stranger because there is nobody that they know that is safe for them to be with and that Is horrifying to me, right? If my kids were to be removed from me, do you know how long my list is of people they could go to? and kids in foster care don’t have that list. They have no one that is safe enough for them to live with. And if that doesn’t tell you that they need a community, I don’t know what will, like these kids need healthy. Community. And so I think this care community program, yes, it supports the foster families, but it’s also giving these kids a safe community. And that is worth a lot. Abby: you’re exactly right. and Utah has been recognized, throughout the country the state that has the most social capital. So if you think about this, that means that, yeah. I had the same conversation with my daughter. We were talking about this. I said, can you imagine that you had literally nobody? I told her like, I mean, Spencer and I both come from huge families and huge, amazing support, supportive, wonderful families, and I told her, I said, there are hundreds. Amy: Yeah. Abby: People that if we weren’t able to take care of you, that would take you today yet, like right now. I told her, can you imagine that same scenario where these children that come into care have zero. There’s literally no one. they have to be, taken in by a stranger, which again, we’re so grateful for and grateful that we have those safe places. But Utah, again, we have that most of us, and we are the lowest in the nation for poverty. so I feel like it’s such a doable. thing for us to tackle that, that we do have this, like every state we have our struggles with kids who have had to be removed for abuse and neglect, but. we can be that caring community for them. we are a state of people who want to give, who want to be a part of the solution. and these kiddos that come into care become the most vulnerable people in our state. Period. These are kids that are the highest risk for incarceration at highest risk for, addiction, at highest risk for homelessness, at highest risk for, Suicide, suicide, you know,all the really terrible things. They are like literally at the top of the list, on all those stats,for risk. and to me that it’s just unacceptable in Utah. I don’t think we would accept that. I don’t think anybody in the state is ready to accept the fact that, there are kids that, that don’t have a place to go and don’t have a loving connection and community that’s ready to. To help them. So to me, this is just accessing what Utah already does well and making it, accessible for everyone. to be a part of a care community and foster parents that need that is just a great, little matchmaking of the people that wanna help and the people who need it. Amy: Yeah, absolutely. Let’s talk a little bit about, statistical outcomes for kids in care, of what the Care Communities program is doing. Can you tell us a little bit about like how many kids have been affected so far? I just think it’s really fascinating for people to actually have a tangible number and understand what this is actually looking like, not just, yeah, it’s helping people. Abby: Yeah. So we talked about the pilot when you are asking people to help fund a program, to me it can’t just be, oh, we think it’s doing great. We think it’s helping. So I knew that in order for us to be successful in this pilot and as we scale it statewide, we had to make sure that we were tracking impact, that we were doing this right. So we had an incredible, in kind donation as well as, our philanthropists donating the, impact study. So company. So it really is that we did this in a really strategic way. It wasn’t just a feel good way. so to your point, we do have some great stats and some great impact report from Sorenson that shows that what, what’s been happening, and we use that as went along in the. Make changes along the way. we made big changes, and that’s what a pilot does. Like you’re learning what’s working, you’re learning what’s what you need to change. You’re learning about who, who wants to be involved and how best for them to be involved and to. To be able to do this. so we measured everything and we measured,outcomes and we’re measuring like how this is working out. And then we also have all the anecdotal data. We have the empirical data that is helping us to understand not only numbers and how the outcomes. Again, this is not gonna be a super longitudinal study because it’s been two years, so we’re not gonna be able to say that these kiddos, long term down the road. But we do know some of that, those studies from other places where when they have the supports, when those outcomes are really, are, much, much better. But I will just as far as the actual pilot, we did a two year pilot. We had, We had 26 total care communities and 13 of those are still active. And what happens is sometimes that we get that, that family, they get stabilized, they get the help they need in the moment they get, it’s. Six months, maybe six, eight months. And then the family’s like, yeah, we’re really cooking now. We’re doing really well. And of course that community is not like disappearing, but maybe the needs aren’t quite as intense and that care community can actually move on and maybe help, another family. So that’s why that number and then we plan to do, We hope in the next year to add 60 new care communities, and by the end of the next three years, I hope the stated goal has always been it that every foster family that wants a care community will have one. And I think we’re getting there. We really are. So to add another 60 this next year, and again, just keep adding those care communities and, again, the outcomes that we have a great, impact study, like I said, that we can share, but we’re seeing just huge impacts on these families. one. Again, I always love the stories ’cause numbers are great, but, the actual impact comes in when you actually see what the impact is on the families and the kiddos. One of my favorites is there was a, their care community that had been surrounding this family for a number of months. The placement turned into a permanency, which means that, they actually had the opportunity to adopt this child. And the family, the care community went to. adoption to the court for the adoption. tears, all the things. And then it was just beautiful. And then as they left the courthouse, the one of the care community members said, got concerned and said, Does that mean we can’t be their care community anymore? And of course, of course those connections are there and of course they’re gonna stay forever for that child. And again, in a time when we need to think about our neighbors, we need to look outside of ourselves. We need to love each other in a better way. We need to see people and show up for people. No matter who they are, and especially people that are struggling, this to me shows the beauty of humanity and what we could be as people if we really come together and focus on the good and helping others. Amy: Yeah. Some of the things that I think are important for listeners to hear is, Tammy, who’s over the program at Utah Foster Care sent the three, most positive impacts on foster families, and it was emotional support. foster families felt that they were seen and less alone, but also they felt like care communities. their specific teams were less judgmental than their personal family or friends. And I think that’s really important. Family and friends aren’t always trained and aren’t always. 100% informed of why the heck we’re doing this. So I think that, these care teams are educated and so I thought that was really neat just to have, just having that emotional support because there are days I was a foster family where you think, why in the world am I doing this? This was the dumbest idea I ever had in my life. So having people say, no, this was a good idea. This moment’s really hard, but you can keep doing it, is very invaluable. Abby: Yeah. And and you say you talked about the, that impact and really the impact on everyone. to one of the numbers that, and I’m not sure, I hate to quote numbers ’cause I think we’re always changing and I’m not sure exactly where we are right now, but the last I checked we were about 200. 50 people that had been trauma trained throughout the state, and I know it’s bigger than that right now. But what happens is, to your point, is that every one of those people in that care community and in that congregation who’ve been involved in that, or the business or neighborhood, they are being trauma trained. They are knowing the best ways to support that family and support that child knowing, not how not to. Re-traumatize or even cause just, some uncomfortableness around, you know what to say. And then a lot of us are like, oh gosh, I know they’ve been through a lot. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to interact. and this just really helps people to be trauma informed, to understand the impacts of trauma. And like I said, I always joke that, ’cause I guess I think. Most parents have had that experience where either a family member or somebody you know, or somebody you’re in congregation in your neighborhood, like tries to tell you what you’re doing wrong as a parent. And first of all, it’s never great, so just like maybe don’t ever do that. But also there’s, sometimes people don’t realize the way children who have experienced trauma. Behave sometimes in certain ways. and so you know, that regular oh, just, buck up kid and do the kind of regular parenting that you did, years ago, and it maybe doesn’t work when a child has had, those kinds of experiences. And so we do have to parent in a different ways, foster parents,parenting in loving ways. and we do have to figure out as community members the best way to support and interact with those. Amy: Yeah, absolutely. the two other things that were mentioned as the, in the top three most impactful things about the care communities were the physical support, which we talked about, right? Teaching these kids how to mow a lawn, going on a walk, like actually being there, showing up. and then the positive impacts of that. The care community has on the children in care, which we also touched on a lot, creating this hopefully lifetime healthy community for kids that haven’t had that. So I think those are really important to remember. Just, these care communities are invaluable to not only the foster family, but also the child in care. Abby: and the care community members, I’m telling you like the stories we get from the care community members, they’re, they are having beautiful experiences in, in, anytime you are serving or giving or you’re actually end up, better off than you started. And so I think that’s a huge impact as well. Amy: Yeah, I love that. so we al already have to wrap up, which it always goes by so fast because there’s always a million things that you can just keep sharing and talking about. And this is such, I feel such an impactful opportunity for the state of Utah to be involved. It is a tangible way to give back. so maybe let’s just talk about, how do you, how do we get involved? What do we actually do to. Become a care community. Be part of a care community, and maybe just share one of your favorite things that you’ve heard that relates to care communities. Abby: Yeah, the beautiful thing about this program is, again, not everybody can be a foster parent, although we do need those and this, there’s a secondary thing where people who are part of a care community all of a sudden either maybe they had a license and are ready to get back in and say okay, if I had a care community, like I could definitely do this. So obviously that’s great. Or somebody’s learning about foster care for the first time and saying, you know what? I actually am at a point in my life where this could be something that. That I could consider. And so of course we want that outcome as well. We wanna keep our great families and we wanna add more to them so that helps as well. Be watching for us. We’ll be in your congregation, in your neighborhood, in your region, but also you can go to Utah care communities.org. great information on that site to help you understand how to get involved, what it entails, how to get your own congregation to, to get involved, how to support foster families in your area. So that’s a big way to get involved. And then there’s a million stories. one of the beautiful things about the pilot was that my former director of First Lady initiatives after she left me to go be home again with her kiddos. She. She became, like totally unexpectedly, she became a foster parent and their family became foster family and they were fostering this beautiful little 3-year-old. And, so I asked her, of course, to be a part of the pilot, and she was a part of that pilot, and I can’t tell you, it was so valuable to, to get her feedback. And she just kept telling me like over and over again, I don’t know how people do this without a care community. And so she just, she got help with. Helping with her own kids when she had to take kiddos to therapy. you see this, there’s just a court date that’s gonna be really hard and a lot of our folks just maybe I just need a diet co swig on my, when I get back from this really. Sub court date or I just need to debrief and have somebody to talk to. And that’s what we’ve seen over and over again in these, in this pilot. And as we move forward with these care communities, we see just this overwhelming sense of I’m being supported. I can handle this now because I’ve, have this help. And again, the care community members are just finding so much joy in, in serving and connecting and making a difference. Amy: Yeah, I love that and I could not agree more. I thought there was a really good quote from a foster parent. it says, all of a sudden there was this group of people that just wanted to help. I just knew in that moment I wasn’t alone. That’s what I needed. They’ve just been able to do so many things I wouldn’t be able to do myself. And just as a former foster parent, that really strikes a chord with me just because There are moments where you feel really alone and you feel really overwhelmed and to take care of your own children and the children that you have agreed to bring into your home and care for. And so I just think that, this care community program really is invaluable and is such a beautiful opportunity to, to the members of our community to serve, but also for our foster families and the kids in care to receive such kind and loving support. Abby: Yeah, I love it. I love it. if I could just wrap every foster family in my arms and say, you’re not alone. I think that’s what care communities is are doing, and every, not everybody’s gonna foster, but every. Child can have the beauty of a care community around them. Amy: Yeah. thank you Abby, so much for your time today on the podcast and for all that you do for the state of Utah, and especially for the welfare system, the most vulnerable kids in our state, it really is making an impact and it’s changing the trajectory of children’s lives. So thank you so much for all that you do. Abby: Thank you, Amy. It’s been fun to be with you. Amy: Yes, you too. If you wanna learn more, you can go to Utah foster care.org and learn how you can get involved. Thanks for joining us.

On the 100th anniversary of the League of Nations' 1925 Resolution on the Collaboration of the Press in the Organisation of Peace, we talk with Professor Kaarle Nordenstreng to explore how media, moral disarmament, and broadcasting shaped interwar internationalism and later global media debates. Professor Nordenstreng shares his thoughts on his research on the 1925 Resolution and the developments that led up to the 1936 International Convention on the Use of Broadcasting in the Cause of Peace. He connects these landmarks to the first mass media declaration by UNESCO in 1978. He also recounts highlights from his career from his early involvement in radio to interviewing Carl Jung in 1961, and speaking at the UN in 1982, and reflects on the continuing challenges of journalistic ethics, disarmament, and multilateralism today. The episode connects past media diplomacy to today's challenges, urging renewed focus on media ethics, international cooperation, and the power of journalism to shape public opinion for peace. Resources: Ask a Librarian! Ask an Archivist! Communicating the League of Nations: Contributions to a Transnational Communication History of the League of Nations in the Inter-War Period (1920–1938).  United Nations Historical Series. 2024.  https://doi.org/10.18356/9789213589274 Kaarle Nordenstreng's home page https://sites.tuni.fi/kaarle/ Publications available via the homepage related to the episode: Nordenstreng, K. and Seppä, T. The League of Nations and the Mass Media: Rediscovery of a Forgotten Story. Paper presented at the XV Conference of the International Association for Mass Communication Research IAMCR, New Delhi, August 1986. (17 pp.)  The New World Information and Communication Order: Testimony of an Actor. In Frank Deppe, Wolfgang Meixner & Günter Pallaver (eds.), Widerworte. Philosophie Politik Kommunikation. Festschrift für Jörg Becker. Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press, 2011, 227-237. Revisiting 45 Years of History in Communication Policies (with Juan Somavia). Media Development, Vol. LXVII, 2/2021, 5-10. Does communication research and education take peace seriously? Panel presentation in IAMCR Conference Plenary “The contribution of academia to peace-building: Critique, creativity and activism” in Lyon, 11 July 2023. Interview with Carl Gustav Jung | Kaarle Nordenstreng's academic home page | Tampere Universities Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/ Content    Guest: Professor Kaarle Nordenstreng Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva With texts read by Natalie Alexander and Wouter Schallier. Coordinated by Hermine Diebolt. Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva   

In this episode of Fostering Conversations, guest host Liz Rivera guides a powerful dialogue with Native leaders and advocates about the importance of culture, tradition, and belonging for Native children in foster care. You'll hear from: James Toledo (Utah Division of Indian Affairs) on how culture provides a foundation for resilience. Stephanie Benally (Native American Specialist, Utah Foster Care) on supporting Native children's traditions in foster homes. Craig Sandoval (Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake) on creating culturally responsive models for Native youth and families in urban Utah. Together, they reflect on the sacred role of clans, ceremonies, and language, as well as the ongoing significance of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in preserving tribal sovereignty and protecting children's cultural identity. Listeners will learn why everyday practices—from observing ceremonies to speaking Native languages—help children thrive, and how foster parents can honor and support these connections, even outside of tribal communities. Transcript: Liz: [00:00:00] On today’s episode, you’ll hear how cultural traditions give Native children strength and belonging, and why the Indian Child Welfare Act or ICWA is so critical , in protecting those connections for children in foster care. Welcome to Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Liz Rivera, filling in for Amy Smith. We have a special episode for you today. We’re weaving together conversations with several native leaders and advocates here in Utah. Liz: Let’s begin with introductions in Navajo culture, introductions are not just about your name, they’re about where you come from, your clans, your language, and [00:01:00] lineage. First, we’ll hear from James Toledo from the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, followed by Stephanie Benally, the Native American specialist from Utah Foster Care, and finally, from Craig Sandoval from the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake. James: [Navajo Introduction] James Toledo James: and, and again. Thank you. I, I’m a member of the Navajo Nation and we introduce ourselves, sharing our clans. So as we probably will talk about this later in the program, our clans are a way to identify our family relationships, connections with others within our community. Stephanie: Hello. Thank you. I am a citizen of Navajo Nation. My clans are Red Streak people born for Bitter Water. My maternal grandfather is Mexican People clan, and my paternal grandfather is Red House. Thank you very much for the opportunity to participate on the podcast. Craig: Hello everybody, and wanted [00:02:00] to introduce myself and my native language. First [Navajo introduction]. Craig: So I introduced myself in my native Navajo language. Just wanted to reintroduce myself in English for all the non Navajo speakers. Good day to everybody. My name is Craig Sandoval, and I’m originally from New Mexico in a small community named Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico. So it’s [00:03:00] just west of Albuquerque, made about two hours. Craig: And my clans are Near the Water People. I’m born for the Mexican clan. My maternal grandparents are the Red Paint People, and my paternal grandparents are the Towering House People. And so that’s who I am, and that’s where I come from. And then now I’m here in Salt Lake working to provide a culturally responsive clinical model for our community here to bring the reservation teachings and bring them here into the valley so that there’s still a connection. I came to Utah about two years ago working with the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake. Liz: As Craig shares, , staying connected to traditions and language is essential for native children. Even here in urban areas of Utah where families may live far from their tribal homelands. James adds that culture, gives children a foundation to thrive. While [00:04:00] Stephanie reminds us how important it is for foster parents to support native traditions, sometimes through simple everyday practices. Craig: The Urban Indian center, the goal is to connect our community members and our families to. Our tradition and our heritage back home. And that includes providing dancers, providing teachings, providing a class to where they can feel home, they can feel at home.For me, it’s the language, making sure that I can continually speak my language. So with the Navajo language classes, it does bridge that. When we think about Utah Foster Care and our Native kids that are in foster care here in Utah, how do we continue to bring them to connecting with their tradition and culture? And that’s also our goal. Several months ago, the Navajo Nation did a resource fair and one of the division directors, Mr.Thomas, [00:05:00] Cody. Who worked very well with Utah Foster Care really emphasized that there should always be a connection to our Navajo language, to our Navajo culture, to our Navajo environment, to our Navajo values, even though we live in the urban area. Craig: That is absolutely true., And that’s how we’ll stay strong. And so during Mr. Cody’s speech, he asked those that have our children and Navajo, our children in their custody to reconnect in any way they can . That’s where the strength is there. And so we want to, as the Urban Indian Center, while we provide a lot of these events, demonstration classes on Navajo history, Navajo language, Navajo culture, Navajo dances, we want them to connect with our traditional ways in that way. Craig: And so that’s the goal what providing all [00:06:00] the classes that we do at the Urban Indian Center. Craig: It is very important to keep the culture whether something small as a bracelet, a necklace, that means a lot to a native child. growing up in a native home, there’s so many milestones and so many traditions that are celebrated. I wanna give a little bit of background on myself too, as well. I am Navajo, however, I do have heritage and lineage into the Hopi and San Domingos communities, and each one is very different. And I’m gonna give you a great example on this side. Craig: As Navajo, we are born into our mother’s clan. I believe that’s number one. When it comes to really being, I guess it’s a. Coming to the earth is that you’re given your first clan, you’re you. You hear your first clan and as a baby they tell you that your first clan is this. Your second clan is [00:07:00] this. And that’s the introduction to the land. Craig: That’s the introduction to the air, the waters, the clouds, the beings that are on earth. Your introduction. When I look into our Hopi side, we have a child is born and kept in a dark room until a certain number of days have come. They prepare, and within this preparation they do a hair washing and they wash the hair and say, you’re able to come to this land in this world. Craig: And then they go out early in the morning and they introduce the child to the sun And when this happens, they tell the child that, here’s the sun The sun will be with you throughout from day one to the day of your death. They’ll watch over you. They’ll look over you, and there’s that introduction to the sun. Craig: And those are some of the main milestones. And you have Santo Domingo who also wash your hair and receive into the world the [00:08:00] child. So those are your milestones. And when you look into Navajo specific, you then can go into, for example, everybody knows the first laugh You know when a child laughs it means that there is laughter in the world. Craig: There’s happiness in the world, and you might think about it as a child has no worries in the world, but that one laugh has given the world what we call, or what we would call happiness. That child brings that, and they want that happiness to continue within the family, within the world. Craig: And so those are some of the important milestones. And then you get to puberty, the milestones of the women going through the puberty ceremony cannot the the men going through the Sweat Lodge ceremony on that side. Craig: Those are milestones that you have. And then overall you have the weddings, and then you have other things that happen [00:09:00] and they’re all different. When our children go through these rites of passages, there’s other small ones in between, for example, piercing the ears. Craig: When we pierce our ears, it’s that now that the gods can hear us through that, we can hear them too as well. And so that happens at a young age, washing of the hair with different herbs so that we prevent sickness and illness and so that our bodies are strong. Craig: Being a parent of a native child and a foster care parent, these are questions that you can ask like, how can I support? And I know on the reservations there are families willing to guide. There are connections that say we can help with that because they wanna keep the child aligned. They wanna keep the child connected to the traditional ways of life. James: Culture sets a foundation really for any individual. I think looking at a [00:10:00] broader picture, we all were raised in certain cultures, whether that’s within a religious environment, whether that’s with our traditional teachings as indigenous peoples, or whether that’s just your own family traditions that we have. James: So when a child is raised with that culture intact, it sets them up with a strong foundation. So as they. Get older and they start navigating and, and experiencing life. What helps to give them some guidance as they are learning about how to be an adult and to different situations that you encounter. And because when we encounter difficult situations, you immediately go back to Those core teachings. So I think that’s the importance of culture in the context that I was using it, is trying to broaden that perspective to help listeners try to understand why Indigenous families want to maintain that cultural connection. Stephanie: So a lot of our native kids are being placed in non-native homes, and [00:11:00] providing that education for all foster parents is important. So they are aware of some do’s and don’ts, like for example. We had an eclipse and I shared the protocol what Navajos do for our foster families to ensure that the Navajo children followed what needed to be done during the eclipse. Stephanie: It’s just also providing that information, so if they’re caring for a Navajo infant, that they’re able to do a first laugh ceremony or get more information to be able to do that. I’ve had a foster parent reach out before and wanted to know what needed to get done and. Directed her to a Native Elder in the community who was able to help her with that. Stephanie: And so it’s just making sure that even though the Native kids are not in Native homes, they’re still being provided that cultural connection, even though it’s very limited. my hope is that sharing the cultural information, the foster parents will then share that with the Native children that are in their [00:12:00] home. Because it’s not just taking a child to a powwow or reading a book, but it’s the everyday living. Stephanie: It’s a discussion around the table. It’s going to an event with the family and seeing other people. Stephanie: One family was taking care of siblings from the Hopi tribe, and I was able to connect the family with resources so they would be able to go over the information with the children in their home. So hoping that will bring some connection while they’re placed in that non-native home. Liz: I think even the foster parents recognizing the importance of it. Liz: I mean, cutting over to what James said, I think the culture’s that it’s just like in our bones, it’s just how we live, and it’s so hard to. Apply that if it’s not really a part of you, but a foster parent who isn’t native, if they’re at least reaching out and they’re at least trying, that really does show that they honor where these children come from. Liz: In 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act, known as ICWA [00:13:00] became law after decades of Native children being removed from their families and tribes at alarming rates. Here’s Stephanie and James explaining the history and purpose of ICWA and why it continues to matter here in Utah. Stephanie: Prior to 1978 and ICWA there was a 25 to 35% removal of Native children from their homes, and 85 to 90% of those children were placed in Non-native and non-relative homes. And so over that 10 year span, Congress studied the removal of Native children. Found that there was a need for the federal law based on the study and the testimonies from the families. Stephanie: The Indian Child Welfare Act is a federal law. It is the core of ICWA to recognize tribal sovereignty. It also recognizes the important roles that the tribes play, protecting the wellbeing of Native children. It also protects the children and parents’ constitutional rights. Stephanie: ICWA applies to children under the age of [00:14:00] 18. The child can either be a member of a federally recognized tribe or eligible for enrollment. Eligible for enrollment means that one of the birth parents is an enrolled member with a federally recognized tribe. Stephanie: Federally recognized tribe is a Native American or an Alaska native tribe entity that recognizes as having a government to government relationship with the United States. If the child is a part of a state tribe, they would not fall under the ICWA law. James: Well, as you know, with history of Native Americans, with our government, hasn’t been the best ’cause. James: You can go back to the boarding school era where children were forced to attend federally managed boarding schools. And the intent at that time was to destroy the culture, destroy the connection to culture, and so as kids were going through these various boarding schools, they were taught a different way of life and removed from their family and and [00:15:00] cultural settings. James: I mean, that’s a really brief summary. This could be an entire podcast series if we really wanted to dive into that history. But to go back to your point when it comes to the foster care system or why ICWA was created, as Stephanie had mentioned, there was a history of state child welfare agencies where Natives children were being forcefully taken from their families. James: In some instances, it was minor infractions. For whatever reason, these children were removed and placed into foster care. Some of them were put in through the adoption system. Hence, this was an ongoing challenge that many Native communities were experiencing and it, it caught the attention of Congress and there was a series of public hearings that Congress put on, and so this was an opportunity for those families to share their experiences and the challenges and obstacles that they were experiencing. James: Those testimonies are what led to the creation of ICWA ICWA [00:16:00] Was created to try to help to preserve that and to ensure that those cultural teachings would be able to be shared with future generations and to ensure that we as Indigenous people are still here. Liz: Almost two years ago, they tried to codify ICWA into state law and tell us a little bit about why they thought that was necessary. James: So Representative Watkins at the time was the lead sponsor of the state bill, and the reason this was being pushed forward by the tribes in Utah was because at the time there was a case that was going before the US Supreme Court. James: That was on ICWA So there was a potential that if the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in this case, then they would have overturned the law. And those protections that are part of that statute would have gone away. And so there was an effort at the state level to codify the spirit of the [00:17:00] law, so to speak, and make sure that is preserved care at the state of Utah. James: There was a lot of support for the bill. We went through several revisions. The tribes were heavily involved throughout that process, but unfortunately it still ran into resistant in the legislature. James: It did not pass. I think the tribes are talking about reintroducing the law again, presently, the Supreme Court has ruled and they basically upheld. James: I think there’s a desire to learn. It’s a complex issue, and as you talk with people, you’re going to have to approach that in unique ways because it is a complex topic and it’s not a one size fits all, or my perspective isn’t the be all perspective out there. And so I think as, um, people are curious, I would encourage people to read up more about the history behind the law, why it became a law. James: Also, if they have further questions, if they [00:18:00] have indigenous friends or connections to that way, then I think it would be appropriate to have those conversations or try to educate themselves as as best as they can, and maybe contacting Stephanie at a public event or. There are ways to continue to learn and try to understand the purpose of the law and why many indigenous communities are fighting to preserve this legislation. Liz: Does the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, do they ever get involved in foster care cases? James: Good question. So my office, we are not involved in the child welfare process at all. We do get phone calls from community members inquiring, but we refer those inquiries to, uh, DCFS. So within DCFS, there is a, ICWA coordinator who works directly on these matters in these cases, and so. James: We would refer them to contact DCFS to speak with that ICWA administrator who can guide them through the process. [00:19:00] We do try to give them as much information as we can. We do share resources, Utah Foster Care and other legal services generally that provide legal assistance or can answer some of those legal questions. Liz: Of course, even with protections in place, the realities aren’t always easy. Many families, even in Salt Lake, may not have the resources to be near or return to their ancestral homes in traditions. And though ICWA cases can be complex, the goal is always to place Native children with family first or in Native homes whenever possible. Stephanie: Any time there is reason to believe that there is a native child when the investigation is happening and someone says, I believe my grandmother is a Native American, even with that reason to believe they need to treat the. Stephanie: Case as an ICWA case, so DCFS notifications will then go out to the tribe and then it will be the tribe who will then to determine if the child is a member [00:20:00] or eligible for enrollment. While that’s taking place, the state will then try to find a native home for the native children. So under ICWA there is a foster placement preference, and it would be family first, and then it would be with, um, foster parent of the same tribe. And then the third one would be from a different tribe. And then the last placement would be to any open foster home that’s available. Craig: there’s Craig: multiple reservations in the United States. And one that is particularly for the Navajo reservation. . So the Navajo people were put on this land, on our homeland, and it goes back to the history of how we have our ancestral homeland. Craig: Where we emerged, we came to our mother earth, and the deities at that time said, this will be where you will live. This will be your homeland. So our ancestral homeland became the boundaries, became the four sacred mountains. So we have to keep that in [00:21:00] mind. Craig: Before lines were made by the US government, there was our ancestral homeland, and the boundaries were created with four sacred mountains and with two mountains in the middle that serve as our central location. ? So that’s our ancestral homeland. However, during the 1860s, we were removed from our land and put onto a different reservation in New Mexico. , We were released due to whatever political reasons that was, and a treaty was formed. And with that treaty, what a struck of a pin, we were given four diagonal lines and said, this is your reservation. And throughout the next couple of years. With new presidents coming in and out of office with executive orders, our reservation grew, but it still stayed inside our ancestral homeland boundaries, and I think we’re grateful for that. Craig: Yeah, other tribe have different experiences. Some [00:22:00] did stay on their ancestral land, some did leave their ancestral land and put onto reservations. However, as the Navajo people we’re very fortunate to have returned and the government really accept that we return to our ancestral lands, we’re very thankful for that, that we return to our ancestral lands. Craig: So when I say reservations, and when I say on our ancestral lands, it’s where we call home. The land that we call home. The land that times the Navajo names. For example, our four sacred mountain. Craig: When we hear that, we hear home. A lot of our urban community members here in Salt Lake don’t have the resources at times, the needs or even the transportation to go home. Because you look at it, the Navajo nation as the almost from eight to 10 hours away, depending on where you live, and maybe even more. Craig: And our community members do want to keep that [00:23:00] connection. And the Urban Indian Center understands that. And I understand it because I was raised on the reservation and I, I moved to an urban area to where I don’t have the connection. Liz: The good news is there are resources right here in Utah for Native children. The Urban Indian Center in Salt Lake City offers language classes, cultural events, and outreach to help children and families stay connected. Utah Foster Care also provides similar opportunities from cultural education to community events like the Indigenous Foster Care Fashion Show and the Moccasin Run-in White Mesa. Stephanie: As I mentioned before, there is a shortage of native foster homes. Stephanie: Being very present in the community is important. Being at the table when it comes to policy making, meeting with the tribes and making those connections with the community is important. Stephanie: So they are aware that there is a need that. If they’re not able to foster, then there’s other ways to support our Native kids through the Cedar Project or provide [00:24:00] support to our foster families. And again, it’s just coming up with unique ideas of recruitment. We collaborated with James’ office in Ute Mountain Ute years ago and have an Annual Moccasin Run that we hold in White Mesa, Utah every year to bring awareness. Stephanie: And just coming up with different types of events who bring the community together to make sure that our Native kids have that cultural connection. And that’s why it’s important to be considered a, a kinship placement or a foster placement. Craig: With families that don’t have that tie. First of all, you have resources in your state, and some of these resources are at the state level. Craig: I know Utah. Does have the eight tribes in Utah. However, there are also the urban areas. For example, one can start from the State Department of Indian Affairs, and then Indian Affairs can guide you to other resources in the areas such as the Urban Indian Center. The Urban Indian [00:25:00] Center can provide many of those resources to as well. Craig: They can provide, this is what this tribe is, what this other tribe is, and how they’re unique from one another. What the Urban Indian Center and how it’s unique too, is also that they have employees that are employed from different tribes, so the navigation there also can span out even more. Sure. But. Craig: Another area is that each of the tribes have their own program. The social services programs, the tribal historic preservation offices, those are areas to where they like to connect the vital records departments. They will connect their, and we ensure that the Native children are connected to their native heritage and their native ways. Craig: At the beginning when a family is navigating these, it might seem like a very scary thing to do, but overall, the community the Urban Indian Center, they’re [00:26:00] open to it. They’re open. Which way do we go? How do we navigate it? Craig: And if we don’t know anybody there, you know, that will help you navigate. There’s always somebody that they will connect you. So I would really let the families. That have native children in their care to always reach out, Stephanie Benally is a great resource and she’ll connect you with any resources that you may have. And they’re always open to whether non-native, whether non Navajo. But they still have a Navajo child in their home. We encourage them to bring the Navajo child, their child, our child, to our home, their Indian center, and learn from us too as well, so they understand the importance of our Navajo culture. Craig: We have our main location, which is on 120 West, 1300 South in Salt Lake City, hours from eight to five. Our phone number is (801) 486-4877. And we do have a [00:27:00] team there. So if you have a question. Reach out and you can ask for me, Craig Sandoval. Craig: Or you can ask for our outreach department, Rhonda Duval heads that department. Everybody knows Rhonda. . We know her as Honey, but she’s a great resource too as well. Feel free to reach out to us so we can make some of those connections for you and support you as a parent, support you as one of our family members too. Liz: These are all ways foster families can support Native youth in care. As we close, our guests reflect on the great work of families that foster Native children, keeping Indigenous people and culture strong, and underscore the urgent need for more native foster homes in Utah. Craig: Thank you for the Utah foster care. Thank you to your team and also thank you to. Foster parents out there taking a new child, a Navajo child can have its challenges. It’s a beautiful thing too, as well. Craig: And we wanna thank you. I personally wanna thank you. We wanna thank you [00:28:00] and always remember that the Urban Indian Center is a resource. You can come see us at any time. James: I just appreciate having this conversation. I think it’s good to help your listeners understand this complex law, and hopefully this conversation today will give some insight and encourage listeners to learn a little bit more about this history and to try to better understand why ICWA was created and why many Indigenous communities around the country are working very hard to preserve this federal legislation. Liz: We hope today’s episode has shed some light on ICWA and the importance of culture and connection for Native children in foster care. To learn more about Native services at Utah foster care, visit Utah foster care.org. You can also connect with the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, or the Utah Division of Indian Affairs for resources and support. Liz: Thank you for joining us for Fostering Conversations. Together we can ensure every [00:29:00] child in Utah grows up connected to the rich heritage of their roots.

Episode 125: That Witchy One Amy Smith Amy is fellow witchy soul sister. I only just came across her Instagram this summer, I felt a complete and deep resonance with her. From her mannerisms and expressions to her attitude and how she carries herself. I was stoked to connect with her for a reading just 2 weeks ago. We work very similarly with how we receive information for energy healing work. I asked her soon afterward if she'd come be a guest here just to shoot the spiritual shit and was so happy she agreed! I hope you enjoy getting to know her and listening in on two witches talking shop.  Find Amy on Instagram Here ​​WATCH ON YOUTUBE To learn more about me (Karen) and the work that I do, go to rebalancewithreiki.com - if you are local to Northern NJ and you'd like to check out my store front you can visit my page moonmagicwellness.com. For more information about my online course Spiritual Seekers 101 go here. For more info and to book a distance healing session with me go here.  

Francesco Pisano, Director of the UN Library & Archives Geneva, reflects on the transformative power of knowledge, and the role of the Library & Archives in democratizing access to knowledge. He discusses projects like the Total Digital Access to the League of Nations, the balance between humans and machines, and how knowledge-led leadership can strengthen multilateral cooperation. As he prepares to step down from his 32-year UN career, Francesco Pisano emphasizes optimism, hope, and the responsibility of international civil servants to persist in doing the hard work of building wiser decisions for the future. Francesco says, "There is work to do. The system needs to get down to work, hard work."   Resources: Ask a Librarian! Archives platform: https://archives.ungeneva.org/lontad  Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/O44zlI7mGwg Content    Guest: Francesco Pisano https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/discover-institute/francesco-pisano  Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded and produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Send us a textIn this episode, we're joined by Amy Smith and Travis Miller, members of the Mindpick pod, to talk about the power of peer-based learning and what it really takes to thrive in FMCG.Key highlights include:How trust is built when things don't go to plan—and why that matters in account relationships.The value of being cross-functional and taking on challenges outside your comfort zone.Why peer-based learning is so powerful—and how Mindpick fosters it.The reassurance that “no one is alone” in FMCG—everyone is facing similar challenges.The importance of staying ahead with data and AI to remain competitive.This conversation is a must-listen for anyone in FMCG looking to grow, connect, and lead with confidence.

In this powerful episode of Fostering Conversations, host Amy Smith sits down with Sheri, a resilient young woman who aged out of Utah's foster care system and is now thriving as a leader at Angels Landing Foundation. Sheri shares her deeply personal story from entering foster care at age 12 after bravely reporting abuse, to cycling through 13 foster homes, and ultimately finding healing, empowerment, and purpose. Listeners will gain insight into: The emotional reality of sibling separation in care The challenges of instability and aging out alone The importance of supportive adults and safe spaces How Angels Landing Foundation is transforming outcomes for aged-out foster youth Sheri's journey highlights the real-world impact of organizations like Angels Landing, which provide community, mental health support, life skills training, and financial empowerment to young adults aged 18–26 transitioning out of care.  Resources Mentioned: Angels Landing Foundation: angelslandingfoundation.org Follow Angels Landing on Instagram: @angelslandingfoundation Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: bbbs.org Learn About Foster Care in Utah: utahfostercare.org Transcript: Episode 62: Aging Out Strong Amy: Thank you for joining us for Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith. Today we have Sheri who grew up in foster care and aged out of the foster care system. She currently works at Angels Landing, and we’re so excited to have her with us today. Thanks, Sheri. Sheri: Thank you. Amy: You have a really incredible story and I’m sure filled with also a lot of heartache and pain as well. So we wanna be sensitive to that. But would you just start by introducing yourself? Sheri: Absolutely. [00:01:00] Like you said, my name’s Sheri. I’m 23 years old. Gonna be turning 24 this year and I , work at Angels Landing. I, that’s like the best introduction I think I’ve got. Amy: I love it. So tell us a little bit what Angel’s Landing is for those who don’t know. Sheri: So Angels Landing is a nonprofit organization that serves young adults from eighteen to to 26. And our mission statement is Angels Landing builds community centered on empowering young adults transitioning from foster care to achieve self-sufficiency and create a life that they love. And so that is absolutely something that I needed when I aged out of foster care. And it’s been an absolute great opportunity and another resource as someone who doesn’t have tons of resources, and especially that family unit. Having another spot is always something that creates [00:02:00] So much support in my life. And so Angel’s Landing been great and I’m excited to, to dive into what that looks like. Amy: I love that. So maybe start by telling us a little bit about your story and how you found. Sheri: I aged into foster care when I was 12 years old. My mom passed away when I was three and a half, and so she passed away in a car accident on Valentine’s Day, Amy: Oh man. Sheri: so it’s the love day. So I try to always look at it like all the positives, right? But yep. Lost my mom at three and a half years old and. I’ve got a beautiful, twin sister and another big brother. He’s about a year and a half older than I am, and then an older sister who’s seven years older. So there’s four of us total. But yeah, so growing up, um, didn’t have a, a mom for, for very long and, um, after she passed away, it was really hard for my dad and I have a hard [00:03:00] time saying my dad, but just ’cause of that, the trauma. the history in there. Unfortunately, we were left with our dad and he was abusive and in all ways emotionally, but vocally, all the things. As we got older, I, I thankfully had other. People in my life that weren’t that way. I had my grandma and school teachers that treated me with love. And I soon began to realize how the way that I was being treated at home was very different from the way that I was being treated in other places. And I really liked the way that I was being treated in other places than at home. And at 12 years old. I, I made the courageous act of turning my father in. That was a really hard thing. Amy: Yeah, I. Sheri: But it needed to happen because it was the life I needed, this life that, that, that love that I always felt [00:04:00] from the outside. And I wanted to live that every day. And so heard of this thing called foster care, and you get a new mom and a new dad, and I was like, man. That is exactly what we need. That is exactly what we need. And we’ll be perfect you guys. I promise. My brother was really scared. My sister was like super trusting and so early morning, two hours we ended it outside of school. But as soon as That door opened, we went inside the school and we advocated for ourselves at 12 years old and what was going on and some situations that had happened at home. And thankfully, after about eight hours at school the conversations had ended and the foster care journey had started. And it was hard. That was hard too, but it was much better than what we were dealing with before anything. Give me anything. Foster care’s hard, but it was better. And that’s how it all started for us. For the beginning of that [00:05:00] entering of foster care and, not starting that big, that journey without a mom and then really not starting that journey, a supportive. Father figure that I could look up to I felt that foster care was our golden ticket, and it truly was in a lot of ways. I am so 100% grateful for foster care and yeah, it took me out of a really dark place at home and it was hard. And yeah, then the journey started. Amy: That is, I think that’s a really unusual story. I think a lot of kids come into foster care and they’re trying to hide this trauma And abuse that’s going on and they’re not brave enough to go and tell a trusting adult, Hey, this. Is not okay. So I find that really admirable that you and your siblings were able to do that. That’s really amazing. Sheri: Thank you. Amy: yeah. The bio that you sent over before this episode, it showed that you bounced around quite a bit in foster care. Are you [00:06:00] able or willing to touch on, you know what, so you entered foster care and, and it was a relief in some way, but. What were the hard parts of foster care and where were the pains and the struggles in the foster care system? Sheri: Oh man. See, there’s a polarity of the two, right? Yeah. Where do I begin? Is where my head starts, and I think the beginning of it is, I was eventually separated from my siblings. And, that’s very common in foster care. It’s not something that anybody wants, but unfortunately that’s just sometime is the case. And being separated from my brother, my big brother was one thing, but being separated from my twin sister was. S completely different.  She was the person that I walked into the school with to tell the counselor what was going on at home and she was the person I wanted to grow up with, as sisters do. And so eventually we had, I think about. Two foster [00:07:00] homes together about maybe a year and a half, two years until we were separated. And that was a very big heartache and super, super hard. Still something that today in my life and a her life that we are actively trying to create this relationship and.Kind of fix that gap that we got in foster care. Amy: Yeah. I bet. Sheri: Yeah. Being separated for her was, it was like a, it was like a movie. We had our hands like this until we just couldn’t anymore. It was the most dramatic thing you’d ever see, Amy: Yeah. Sheri: but just definitely shows how much love there is there and how important family is. And yeah. After that I, I went through a lot of homes. Total. There was 13 foster homes from 12 to 18 years old. The longest that I was placed in a home was about 10 months, so never a full year in any home.That [00:08:00] itself created a lot of instability in my life. And actually before I, as I’ve been. This podcast has been coming up for me. I’ve been digging into my past a little bit and getting back into that little girl who was living in that.And something that, I’ve realized and I’ve learned is I’ve kept a ton of journals. That was, That was my outlet, that was the person that I confided in, was my journal. ’cause there were so many therapists, there were so many foster parents. And so the one person that always stuck with me was my journal. And so I’ve just got Amy: What a gift to have that now, wow. That’s cool. Sheri: Yes. And so being able to dive back in that has been such a eye-opening thing. But I’ve got about 10 journals just filled, and I’ve seen just through the process when you open this first journal of this 12-year-old girl, she’s so sweet and she’s excited and innocent and. I hope that I find my mom and dad and just [00:09:00] really have so much faith in that, and that’s something I really have always carried. there’s even still a little something in there still just that love and that faith. But. Throughout the years of foster care from 12 to 18 in those journals, you see this innocence this faith after the many homes to fade away. It’s just a little bit of the hardening. A little bit more of those guards start to come up after each, door of a home. And some homes didn’t work out because for my own preference, it was maybe that family was a very different lifestyle than I could. That would make me genuinely happy. Or, it just didn’twork out on their part too. I’ve had, there was multiple homes that I had that were, they were very young foster parents. One was 27, and then I even had a pair of foster parents that were 23 and being 23 years old now I’m just like. What in the world, where Amy: Having a teenager. Can you imagine? Sheri: yes. And so [00:10:00] I, I have so much grace now for it, Amy: Yeah. Sheri: but it was definitely tough. And so realizing that I needed a very stable and sturdy home and during that time, and it was definitely a rollercoaster for sure. I’d love to touch on my longest placement For a little bit, if that’s. Okay, so my longest placement was In Salt Lake City and this placement was just after a previous home that I was potentially going to be adopted from. And this woman was 20, I think she was 27. She was the one of the younger ones. She was so amazing. The second I saw her, I was like, wow, she would be the best mom in the world. Amy: Wow. Sheri: And I spent four months in her home before I got moved and that, that didn’t work. And like I said, now as an adult, I’m just like, yeah, I totally understand. And she’s sweet. She’s told me you helped me [00:11:00] more than I helped you. And I’m like, man, thank you. And if you’re welcome, Amy: Yeah, exactly. Sheri: she’s a sweetheart and. All grace to it, it’s really lessons that I feel like we can pull from it, like for foster parents listening, like making sure that they’re at a age and they’ve got that experience that they’re really ready to take on that kind of a role. After this move, I moved up to Salt Lake City, Utah, and coming from St. George and that potential adoptive home was in Manti. So I’ve only ever experienced small town. Amy: Yeah. Sheri: Thanks. And next thing I know, I’m being moved up to West Valley, Utah in, a very big city and I was just like, whoa. And I was just had turned 16 out there just , becoming this young woman and I’m, I’ve just gone through all these homes and now I’m in this big city and I’m just like, holy moly. Life is wild. [00:12:00] But just always, still carrying that attitude of, just getting through it and I think a big thing that really got me through it was, of course my sister. Just having that person to want to keep going for and that person to want to be like, how do, sorry, gimme just a second how I explain this. Be a role model for her, because I won’t, wouldn’t want my sister to be sad. I wanna be a good, I wanna be happy, I want, so that, that can be shared and that can be, like, I’ve seen Lots of people around us, that just feel really sorry about their situation and so just doing, I’ve always had that attitude of just doing my best in. And being a light and just being as positive as possible. But after entering Salt Lake and going through about 10 homes at this point and leaving a home, I didn’t get adopted in. I was feeling pretty, [00:13:00] pretty sad. And then being this big city, just feeling like really small, big tall cities, Amy: very overwhelming. Yeah. Sheri: And actually when I got moved over to this home, half of my stuff didn’t get moved over, Amy: Oh man. Sheri: and so when I had been moved over, it was wintertime and up north you get snow down St. George, you don’t even really need to buy a big fur coat, you just need a hoodie and you’re fine. I needed a big code out there and going through homes and having this instability, something I had a hard time in learning was how to advocate for myself. How to ask for help. And so I didn’t even think about asking my foster mom for a pair of socks and a jacket, and I didn’t have socks and I didn’t have a jacket. So I layered up five long sleeve shirts and I just got as warm as I could and I had my little vans on and I walked to school and I had to walk a while to get to the bus, and the bus would take me to the train. And then after the train, you walk [00:14:00] to school and. After a few weeks of doing that, this was my first entry into West Valley. And the city was winter. And not having the the basic needs to feel warmth and how to advocate for myself. And I’ll never forget this moment. I love sharing it. And about two weeks of walking in the snow, each step just got more painful. This little cheery, like we can push through. It was just like This sucks. I’m really starting to say it like this is just starting to suck, and so I got to this point where I had to wait for the crosswalk and I raised up my fists and I finally let some emotion out and I said, God, could it get any worse than this? And a school bus drove right past me and splashed cold water all over me. And I said, okay, I hear you. It could get worse. But interesting enough, [00:15:00] I look at other kids and I would completely understand to com have a complete fit. At that point, I was so happy. I felt that I had just gotten an answer and that.I was exactly where I needed to be and that things could be worse and that things are gonna get better. And That really carried me through foster care. And yeah, just having a lot of that faith and, I eventually came back to St. George and was able to be with my siblings and went to a lot of different schools. I went to seven high schools total in just the span of four years. I have a lot of friends, a lot of connections. Amy: yeah. Sheri: I could, I take the pros from it. There’s lots of pros from it and so I just really try to look at life that way. I think that’s the best way. For me, so Amy: I think that’s actually quite unusual. I think there’s a lot of youth who experience [00:16:00] similar things to what you’ve experienced. They experience aging out. We all know the statistics. They are not great. So I think that’s really remarkable that you have been able to have such a positive attitude and have that kind of faith and have, you are a remarkable person that you’ve endured so much and you’re just keep going and you have a beautiful demeanor about you and you’re happy and finding the good. I think that’s really unusual and really beautiful. Sheri: Thank you. It’s that polarity, right? Amy: I guess so. Sheri: I love it. I love it. Yeah. Amy: So tell us about how you found Angels Landing and what that offered you and what it can offer other kids that are experiencing similar life circumstances. Sheri: So after aged out of foster care I didn’t have the foster parents. I didn’t have the caseworkers. I had bills after I had bills and I had to go to work and there was no more school and there was no more hanging out with friends. It was time [00:17:00] to start growing up and it was time to start figuring out what life I wanted to create and make that for myself. And so at 18 years old, after all those homes and all that, really it was. It was hard to transition into that. I, it took me a while. I think I still tried , be a kid as long as I could. I think the biggest piece of it though, was after finally getting out of, I wouldn’t say getting out of foster care because really the goal was to get adopted for me. But that’s not the case for everybody. And so once I did age out of foster careI, got a job and I think the biggest piece of it for me was that once I aged out of foster care, I could now finally start to process all of it because being in it, there was no chance of that. Okay, Amy: Interesting. Sheri: so for the last five years I’ve been processing all of it. And 18, 19, you’re this young [00:18:00] still kid, right? You’re labeled an adult, but you’re still really a kid. And so just figuring that out and processing it all. But now that my frontal lobe’s getting closer to developing, that’s something I could, I’m excited about. But really I think just the time. It’s the time to be able to process what I had just went through and that was hard. Doing that alone at 18. Like I said, my mom passed away when I was three and I turned my dad in at 12. And so he was incarcerated for 10 years and that’s not a connection I’m willing to have. And so there was no such thing as a parental figure in my life after foster care. And even in foster care, I had people I could look up to, but there really wasn’t a solid, too much of a solid person. Amy: Right. Sheri: And just to advocate, I feel that this is something I would love to share is shout out to Big Brothers and Big Sisters program seriously be [00:19:00] because I’ve had a big sister from Big Brothers Big Sisters since I was 12, and she. Wasn’t my mom, know, didn’t have to take on this big duty, but she took on this role as a sister and she was my sister throughout foster care and, she’s still my big sister now.  And so she was someone I was able to really look up to and have that solid connection. Amy: That is amazing. Sheri: It’s probably over 10 years now, Amy: Yeah, Sheri: yeah. Amy: and I think a lot of times we talk about in foster care, you just need one caring adult and it would be lovely to have 10 or 20 caring adults, of course. But it sounds like you have that caring adult and you have that person who you can rely on. Maybe they’re not your mom, maybe you weren’t adopted by them, but you have that stable connection. That’s incredible. Sheri: So it didn’t for me in this case, it didn’t need to be that, but it did need to be somebody. That’s, and that’s so true that one caring adult. And for me that was Katie. Her name’s Katie, and she’s absolutely [00:20:00] phenomenal. And I think I bug her and call her as much as she used to try to get ahold of me when I was a kid. She’s got, she’s got her own now. Yep.  They’ve totally turned. I love it. But she’s, I say that she’s really a big reason of who I am today and just been able to be that stable person. So I had her in foster care after aging out, and she took me to get my first set of groceries, everything I needed, and laundry detergent and just all the stables like, here it is, this is what you need. Go get ’em, sister. And she just totally believed in me and set me up for success. And yeah that was great. But like I said, she’s got tables of turns. She’s got her own kids now and. I was still very young and needed some support. And navigating that alone for some time in some spaces were hard, but very growing. And that’s just when Amer clap happened for me and for, for Utah. And that’s when Angel’s Landing came around. And seriously, it was just like, wow, all my [00:21:00] prayers have been answered. When I was a kid in foster care, I always wanted to be a part of something that helped young adults that have aged out or just in something. And I just, I love the goal of it. It’s beautiful. And Angels Landing They help young adults that wanna create a life they love and former foster youth. There’s a certain, there’s a specific dynamic, this specific space, and I love that’s. That’s important to this community and that’s a part of this community. And being around other like-minded individuals that aren’t defined by their past and don’t wanna be defined by their past And come together and and create the life that they love and have that opportunity to do so through different things, different resources, like Angel’s Landing has. Activities once a month. So that’s providing, new experiences that maybe one wouldn’t get to have. Amy: Yeah. Sheri: Going hiking to Zion or going boating out in San Hollow. They really try to incorporate these [00:22:00] experiences that we. Adults like to have and give our own kids and that really are showing casing that there is so much life to live and so much fun to have. And that’s such a beautiful piece of just that community and get getting together. That just is really awesome. And they also have core classes. They do. Let’s see here. I just wanna go off of our website just to give some real real service here. And so the biggest service of Angels Landing is mental health, because I know that, okay, these guys have been through so much, which is so true. It’s not a, it’s not a normal situation. And so being able to provide a space where that can be worked out and processed and free, it is such a resource. And so Angel Landing provides that and it’s absolutely awesome. They have really cool learning opportunities that teach different skills that any young [00:23:00] adult would wanna know, like finances housing wellness.Tools transportation, how to buy a car, what all of those things look like. Here are the tools. Here’s the information. And then after that, they provide that financial support so that, that gap can really be bridged and that opportunity can really be given because in a world that we are in, that’s something that’s necessary.And if there’s that, that beautiful, that leg up, that financial support with that learning opportunity, it’s. So awesome because it feels so earned and it’s just man, I’m really getting on this path of success here. Like these people are really seeing this, writing this, path out for me and giving this opportunity for me to have, and then of course, just that community piece with those activities. So it’s a wonderful opportunity for young adults that have been through foster care and need that kind of support. Amy: I think all those things that you’re saying, those are [00:24:00] things that parents should be teaching that role models should be teaching, that healthy adults should be teaching. So kids that are aging out, they have missed that opportunity and it is. Horrible. They should never have had to miss the opportunity. But having this program, this nonprofit that’s now providing these resources, that is invaluable and it’s gonna change the statistics of kids aging out, Sheri: It is gonna a hundred percent change the statistics. And, I always say like you might be seeing and hearing one person right now, It’s, gonna be a generational thing because I’m gonna go on to teach my kid these skills and then that kid’s gonna do the same, and then those statistics will get lower. And that’s just how it works. I just love it. I just, I love the mission of it all. It’s. Amy: No, it’s, it is amazing and I didn’t even know it. existed, and I. I. have closed my foster care license, but. I have been a foster parent. And I think this is really important for foster parents to know about to teach the kids, show them this resource that they do have and [00:25:00] also to educate the public. Kids are aging out with no support. Some kids are aging out with awesome foster parents, right? That happens too. And so just educating the public that this is a resource for. Kids that have experienced aging out of the foster care system, that is invaluable. So where are the best places that people can get information? Do you guys have a website, an Instagram? What’s the best place that someone can reach out and find ways to get support? Sheri: Yes, so we’ve got a website, angels landing foundation.org. And we’ve also got an Instagram, Angels Landing Foundation. Amy: Okay. Awesome. So those are two really easy ways that foster parents or kids that are aging out or have aged out and need resources can reach out to you guys. I love that. On a personal note, I would love to know what the outcome of your twin sister and your brother were in the foster care system. Sheri: Great question. Thank you. Me and my sister live together now. We’re together now. Um, yeah, it’s definitely something that [00:26:00] we have to, really practice our, as just sisters do and family does. But on top of just what we’ve been through, it’s definitely been a learning curve and twins, but we love each other and she’s doing amazing. She’s actually an Ayurvedic chef. Amy: Wow. Sheri: she’s cooking at a retreat center and diving into holistic medicine and wellness and just, yeah. I think just providing the tools we can to live our best life. That’s what we wanted when we were 12, when we were leaving our situation, and it’s what we still want now.And yeah just, yeah. I’m so proud of her and what she’s doing and I love that we’re both in this realm of kind of.Giving backand providing the tools for ourselves but also not being defined by our pasts.And I love how that shows light to other, other people. I I’ve had, there’s young adults that walk into Angel’s Landing and they say she was a she was in foster care. Like what? [00:27:00] They just can’t even believe it. And it’s like you have this light inside of you as well and you are capable of all of these things as well. And none of that is even the you You’re not your past. And so it’s just super cool to be able to round like-minded individuals and it’s wonderful. Amy: I love that. That is beautiful. Thank you so much. And it truly is,as a foster parent who has had a lot of kids come through my home, it’s really remarkable to see. How courageous you are, how much you’re giving back the good that you’re doing for yourself and for the community. It’s just, it’s really remarkable. And I just wanna commend you on that ’cause you’veendured a lot. I can imagine. And you’re really putting your best foot forward for yourself and for others. And that’s, it’s really beautiful. So thank you for all that you’re doing in the community. Thank you so much for joining our podcast today. We are so excited for our listeners to be able to have the chance to listen and learn from you, and [00:28:00] hopefully they can head over to Angels Landing Foundation to learn more. If our listeners have questions about foster care, they can head over to Utah foster care.org to learn more.

In this insightful episode, we are honored to host Mr. Martin Chungong, the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and a leading voice in global parliamentary diplomacy. With over forty years of experience, Mr. Chungong shares his perspectives on the role of parliaments in addressing global challenges, fostering international cooperation, and promoting peace. We delve into the significance of the upcoming Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in a world in turmoil, exploring its role in bringing top legislators together to tackle pressing issues such as climate change, conflict resolution, and health emergencies. Mr. Chungong also sheds light on the IPU's efforts to advance gender equality, youth participation, and interfaith dialogue, emphasizing the organization's commitment to an inclusive, collaborative approach. Join us as we explore how the IPU is redefining parliamentary diplomacy, integrating scientific research, and setting the stage for effective solutions to modern global dilemmas. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in how parliaments can be a pivotal force in shaping a more democratic and harmonious world. Resources: Ask a Librarian! The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments: https://www.ipu.org/ Parline: global data on National Parliaments: https://data.ipu.org/ Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/D_IRzeA-a08 Content    Guest: Martin Chungong, Secretary General, IPU Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Let's Think About "Our Awakening" With Special Guest Amy Smith. Amy shares her thoughts on our awakening, reminding everyone that we can fix how we see the world. While learning about Amy, we discussed feeling alone and how we can create new truths to remove the lies we believed. This episode aims to make you think.  To stay in touch, please visit her website, https://www.earthnaircreations.com/, to learn more about Amy. Want to check out another conversation we had together? Please listen to "Let's Think About Power Of Presence & Rituals."

Welcome to the latest episode of The Next Page, where we explore the fascinating domain of "well-beingology" with Roberto De Vogli, Associate Professor at the University of Padua and Visiting Professor at the University of London. Roberto de Vogli delves into the social determinants of health to uncover how a transdisciplinary approach can enhance our understanding of well-being. Throughout the episode, we explore how well-being extends beyond health, addressing the complex interplay of factors including socioeconomic conditions, political contexts, and environmental influences. Discover how these elements are biologically embedded in our lives, impacting not only our present but also the future. De Vogli also illuminates the evolving challenges posed by climate change, highlighting the necessity for a cooperative, global approach to safeguard future generations. Gain insights into the concept of a well-being economy and the promise it holds for sustainable development. Join us for this enlightening conversation as we seek to redefine the pursuit of happiness in a world facing unprecedented challenges and explore the potential pathways towards a positive social transformation.   Resources: Ask a Librarian! De Vogli, R. (2013). Progress or Collapse: The Crises of Market Greed. Routledge.  De Vogli, R. (2024). Managing and Preventing Pandemics: Lessons From COVID-19 (1st ed.). Routledge. De Vogli, R., (2025) Selective Empathy: The West Through the Gaze of Gaza. Studies in Critical Social Sciences, Volume: 348. Brill. Not yet published. Fioramonti, L., Coscieme, L., Costanza, R., Kubiszewski, I., Trebeck, K., Wallis, S., ... & De Vogli, R. (2022). Wellbeing economy: an effective paradigm to mainstream post-growth policies?. Ecological Economics, 192, 107261. Simms, A. (2013). Cancel the apocalypse: The new path to prosperity. Hachette UK. Newell, P., & Simms, A. (2020). How Did We Do That? Histories and Political Economies of Rapid and Just Transitions. New Political Economy, 26(6), 907–922.   Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/ Content    Guest: Roberto De Vogli Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded online with apologies for the sound quality Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Olympic Champion, Kaylia Nemour speaks up about her gym change; Parkettes coach banned and we preview this week's US Classic. GymCastic LIVE in CHICAGO this Friday: Tickets HERE Get Tickets before they sell out HEADLINES What does the LA28 schedule tell us about the Mixed Team event? The schedule for LA 2028: Artistic Gymnastics  July 15-20 and 22-25, Trampoline  July 21, Rhythmic Gymnastics from July 27-29 The FIG revised its rules regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. Will this make it easier for them to compete in international competition? Kaylia Nemour opens up about her decision to leave Avoine-Beaumont Just a reminder, her coach was fired from his national coaching role because of his abusive training methods and later exonerated via investigation. Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos posted on Instagram that she had surgery Two coaches at Parkettes, John Holman and Robin Netwall, have been suspended by SafeSport for alleged misconduct. Parkette elite Amber Trani spoke up about her experience Related: A Quitter's Try – The CNN Parkettes Documentary (Commissioned) Classic Preview: What are the stakes of this meet? What score do gymnasts need to qualify to Championships? Who needs to be at Classics and who doesn't? What scores do you want to reach to be in contention for a Worlds team spot? Who are the top all-around gymnasts here? What can we expect to see from Leanne Wong, Joscelyn Roberson, and Lexi Zeiss - all making their 2025 elite debuts What event specialists are we most excited to see? Do we think Leanne and Joscelyn have their Chengs back? Are there any U.S. gymnasts you would take to Worlds as a bars specialist? Where do Jayla Hang, Hezly Rivera, and Tiana Sumanasekera fall on the beam hierarchy? Can anyone break into 14-territory on floor? Why we are excited to see Reese Esponda and Myli Lew on the roster The artistry checklist, brought to you by Nola Matthews Code Changes You Need to Know About Part Two The FIG is so done with your Tkatchev-half variations and is devaluing all of them The double layout 1/1 dismount was upgraded to an F so expect to see more of those Hallelujah because forward Stalders, or Endos, are being upgraded to a D-skill! What's the precision rule?  Link to helpful thread from Pamchenkova. Example of a -0.1 precision Ricna Example of Ricna with no precision deductions The "we care about your ligaments" rule on bars Why Karina Schoenmaier probably loves the new 0.2 bonus for vaults that have different post-flight directions Gymternet News: Alicia Zhou won the all-around at American Classic with a 52.350, qualifying her to Nationals next month Alabama Gymnastics and the self-reported NCAA violation uh-oh Junior Worlds will be heading to the Philippines this year! ICYMI Chuso took home vault silver at the Tashkent World Challenge Cup on her 50th birthday #Chusothings Ruben Padilla won the World Cup title at the Coimbra World Cup with a new world D-score record! Sam Peszek got engaged! Check out her Instagram announcement  Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos' must-watch mini documentary, Golden Soul, is out on YouTube. Check it out here Clemson cleaning up: Paige Anastasi (UCLA), Ella Cesario (Cal), and Sophie Stuart (incoming freshman) will join Clemon for the 2025-2026 season Riley McCusker (Florida) and Alexis Jeffrey (LSU) announced their comebacks for a fifth year Amy Smith fired with cause: new information from The State obtained documents that clarified Smith was fired with cause aka Clemson does not need to pay her buyout All about our new logo UP NEXT: Live Show July 18th LIVE FROM US CLASSIC IN CHICAGO: Instant Recap podcast on Saturday about an hour after senior session two ends. July 28th podcast: Drag icon, actor and Drag Race winner, Katya Zamolodchikova joins us for a gymnastics coffee klatch episode. BONUS PODCASTS  Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!) for access to weekly Behind the Scenes Q&A show. Club Gym Nerd members can watch the podcast being recorded and get access to all of our exclusive extended interviews, early bird discounts on live shows, two extra podcasts: Behind The Scenes and College & Cocktails. Not sure about joining the club?  Here are some samples. MERCH GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast! Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store NEWSLETTERS Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters  RESOURCES Spencer's essential website The Balance Beam Situation  Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim The Gymternet Nations Database Just added Group Commission: Pantheon of Gymnastics RESISTANCE  Submitted by our listeners. Action ResistBot Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you   Indivisible Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus LITIGATION: Donate or volunteer for organizations suing the administration for illegal actions Lawsuit tracker by subject ACLU Southern Poverty Law Center Northwest Immigration Law Project Stay Informed: 6 Tools for Tracking the Trump Administration's Attacks on Civil Liberties Podcasts: Amicus Daily Beans Pod Save America Strict Scrutiny Immigrant Rights Know Your Rights Red Cards We Have Rights Video ACLU: Your Rights 

Get ready to set sail on an exciting episode of DIZPod! We're joined by special guest Amy Smith, who's sharing her first-hand preview of the Disney Wish cruise—from the luxurious accommodations to the jaw-dropping entertainment and family-friendly experiences onboard. Plus, we'll dive into the latest updates and tips for traveling to Disney parks with kids, including must-know advice on strollers, attractions, dining, and planning for the smoothest Disney vacation ever. Whether you're dreaming of a magical voyage or just looking to maximize your next Disney trip, this episode is packed with insider knowledge you won't want to miss!

In this episode of Fostering Conversations, host Amy Smith and co-host Tami Carson welcome Melina Moore, Utah Foster Care’s Volunteer Services Manager. Melina shares how individuals and organizations can support foster families across the state—not by fostering, but by volunteering. Learn how opportunities like Kids’ Night Out, Service Saturdays, and event support offer much-needed connection and respite to foster families. Hear inspiring stories of volunteers making balloon animals, leading pottery nights, or helping families with yard work. Plus, discover how simple acts of service—like assembling connection kits or hosting mindfulness events—can make a lasting impact. Whether you’re a student, parent, professional, or business owner, there's a role for you. Find out how volunteers create meaningful connection and contribute to the wellbeing of children and families in foster care. Volunteer with Utah Foster Care: https://utahfostercare.org/get-involved/volunteer/ Learn about Care Communities: https://mycarecommunity.com Key Topics: Why connection and childcare are essential for foster families Types of volunteer roles across Utah Training, background checks, and trauma-informed practices Ways organizations can get involved Heartwarming stories of impact and community

In this enlightening episode of "The Next Page," we are joined by Nilufer Oral, member of the International Law Commission and expert in climate law and ocean governance. We take a deep dive into the intricate relationship between climate change, the oceans, and international law. Niloufar shares her journey from focusing on navigation and marine protection to her involvement in pivotal climate change negotiations, including the Paris Agreement. Listeners will gain insights into the complexities of integrating climate change considerations with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and learn about the critical new report of the International Law Commission's study group on sea level rise. The conversation also explores the economic and humanitarian implications of ocean acidification and the migration challenges posed by rising sea levels, urging a coordinated international response. Engaging and thought-provoking, this episode offers a comprehensive look at how legal frameworks are evolving to address the pressing challenges climate change poses to our oceans and global society. Resources: Ask a Librarian! ILC Reports https://legal.un.org/ilc/guide/8_9.shtml#ilcrep UNCLOS https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_overview_convention.htm   Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/CWDmjqi9gfU Content    Guest: Nilufer Oral Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Summer At The Movies: Wicked | Pastor Amy Smith by City of Life Church

Join us for the special episode in partnership with UN Women to commemorate the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. This conversation on gender equality in diplomacy features insights from the Director of UN Women in Geneva, Sofia Calltorp, and Dr. Sarah Chehab, a Senior Research Fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Chehab shares the journey of founding the Women in Diplomacy Research Program and provides the stark statistics on gender representation from the Women in Diplomacy Index. With compelling data, Dr. Chehab discusses the pressing need to bridge the gap in senior diplomatic roles and sparks discussion on the importance of feminist foreign policy. Also joining the conversation, Sofia Calltorp, Director of UN Women in Geneva, shares her extensive experience in diplomacy and humanitarian affairs. She offers insights into UN Women's global efforts and highlights key developments in gender-responsive foreign policies. This episode navigates through the challenges and triumphs of women's representation in diplomacy, emphasizing the crucial role of gender equality in achieving sustainable and inclusive peace and governance on a global scale. Tune in for an engaging dialogue on the future of diplomacy and the critical steps needed to ensure equal representation for all. Resources: Ask a Librarian! The UN Secretary General's report on the 30-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action - https://docs.un.org/E/CN.6/2025/3 CSW 69 Political Declaration- https://docs.un.org/E/CN.6/2025/L.1 Women in Politics: 2025- https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2025/03/women-in-politics-map-2025 Women in Diplomacy research programme, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy: https://www.agda.ac.ae/research/publications-multimedia-events/women-in-diplomacy Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nn7Z6YolbXc Content    Guests: Dr. Sara Chehab, Senior Researcher, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, United Arab Emirates Ms. Sofia Calltorp, Director, UN Women Geneva Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

In this episode, we explore the world of parliamentary diplomacy with our special guest, Ambassador Anda Filip, Director for Member Parliaments and External Relations at the Interparliamentary Union (IPU). Ambassador Filip, an experienced diplomat, shares insights about her career journey and the pivotal role IPU plays in fostering global cooperation through its work which helps bridge international and national levels, and the democracy gap in international affairs. We explore the importance of the upcoming Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and how it serves as a platform for addressing pressing global issues by providing a unique forum for high-level engagement and dialogue among parliamentary leaders from around the world. As we celebrate International Day of Women in Diplomacy in June, Ambassador Filip also highlights the critical challenges and advancements in gender equality within parliaments, celebrating success stories from around the world and underscoring the barriers women continue to face in politics. Join us as Ambassador Filip offers valuable perspectives on the evolution of IPU's relationship with the United Nations, the power of parliamentary diplomacy in conflict resolution, and the inspiring initiatives that are paving the way for inclusive governance globally. Resources: Ask a Librarian! IPU: https://www.ipu.org/ Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, 29-31 July 2025 https://www.ipu.org/event/sixth-world-conference-speakers-parliament   Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/ Content    Guest: Ambassador Anda Filip Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Join us as we celebrate International Archives Week on the theme of Archives for Everyone, with our latest news from the Library & Archives.  In this compelling discussion, Danielle Hughes, an archivist and the chief of the Records Management Unit at UN Geneva, speaks about the significance of the archives related to the International Bill of Human Rights being inscribed into the UNESCO Memory of the World Heritage register. Discover how these archives related to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, were preserved and recognized for their global importance, including the original drafts and influential changes inspired by key figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Hansa Mehta. The episode also sheds light on the role played by Geneva in hosting these pivotal documents and addresses the broader context of preserving institutional memory for future generations, emphasizing the imperative of safeguarding both historical and contemporary archival collections. Resources and for more information: Ask an Archivist!: Ask us - Ask us UN Archives Geneva online catalogue: www.archives.ungeneva.org UNARMS online catalogue in New York: www.search.archives.un.org   Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/15ThYV_-g_A  Content    Guest: Danielle Hughes, Archivist, UN Geneva Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded and produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva   

Show Notes: In this special Pride Month episode of Fostering Conversations, host Amy Smith and co-host Tami Carson (Director of Community Volunteers at Utah Foster Care) sit down with Adrienne, a longtime foster and adoptive parent and leader of the FLY Cluster—Fostering LGBTQ Youth. Adrienne shares her personal experience raising five adopted children, two of whom identify as queer, and the powerful impact of simply providing a safe and affirming space. She speaks candidly about the fears some parents may face when a child comes out, and how acceptance, validation, and education can make all the difference in a child's well-being and future. Listeners will learn why LGBTQ-specific spaces—like the FLY Cluster—are vital. These monthly virtual meetups offer foster families across Utah the opportunity to connect, share lived experiences, and find support navigating the unique challenges LGBTQ youth may face. From casual get-togethers like root beer floats in the park to more structured peer support, these events are centered on building confidence, community, and connection. Looking for LGBTQ Resources? Adrienne highlights the comprehensive list available at utahfostercare.org, including statewide organizations like Encircle and the Utah Pride Center. Whether you're a foster parent, ally, or just someone with a heart for helping kids, there are many ways to get involved—even if fostering isn't an option for you. Donating event space, sponsoring youth activities, or simply taking the Safe Home Pledge are all meaningful ways to support LGBTQ youth in care. Tune in to hear heartwarming stories, practical tips, and how you can make a lasting impact in the lives of young people by showing up with love, empathy, and open arms. Guest Bio: Adrienne Shearer Adrienne Shearer is a longtime Salt Lake City resident and foster parent who's been opening her home to kids for the past 14 years. She's adopted five of those kids and brings a wealth of lived experience to every conversation about parenting, community, and care. Adrienne also works as a Fly Cluster Facilitator and a sign language interpreter. When she’s not juggling schedules or advocating for families, she loves digging in her garden and soaking up quiet moments outdoors. Transcript: transcript_ep60_jun25

The Keswick Convention podcast 2025 meets some of the speakers and seminar leaders to unpack the content and topics that feature at this year's Convention, where the big theme is ‘Transformed'.Hosted by Graham Albans and Matt Holden.Ed Drew & Amy Smith (Faith in Kids) - Can God make me a better parent?Ed Drew is the Director of Faith in Kids, a registered charity, which exists to see confident parents and thriving churches raising children together to trust Christ eternally (www.faithinkids.org). Amy is a Resources writer for Faith in Kids and co-hosts the parents' podcast.Ed and Amy will deliver a seminar series titled ‘Transformed vision for my parenting' during Week 1 of the 2025 Convention. Visit the Convention: 2025 Convention: Transformed - Keswick MinistriesBOOKSBooks mentioned in this episode:Andrew & Rachel Wilson - The Life You Never ExpectedPaul David Tripp - ParentingRaising Confident Kids - Ed Drew10ofThose have kindly provided a discount code for listeners of this podcast, and a link to find all the titles mentioned in this series. Simply visit https://uk.10ofthose.com/partners/keswick-podcast and use the discount code: Keswick5Support the showThe Keswick Convention is free to attend, and will be running between 12th July and 1st August 2025. Find out more: 2025 Convention: Transformed - Keswick Ministries Visit the Keswick Ministries website for talks, resource and events.

Join in an epic chat with Graham Daniels (Dano to his mates) of Christians in Sport about the discipleship opportunity that sport presents.

Dr. Martin Wählisch, Associate Professor of Transformative Technologies, Innovation, and Global Affairs at the University of Birmingham, delves into the intersection of emerging technologies and international relations in this fascinating episode focused on science-fiction. Dr. Wählisch discusses how AI, especially empathetic chatbots, can redefine diplomatic conversations and peace processes.  Martin also explores the role of futures thinking and science fiction in shaping multilateral policies and encouraging creative solutions to global challenges. This discussion highlights the growing importance of strategic foresight in diplomacy and the valuable lessons hidden within science fiction narratives. Resources: Ask a Librarian! Dr. Martin Wählisch: https://globalpeacelab.net/    Where to listen to this episode  Apple podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-page/id1469021154 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10fp8ROoVdve0el88KyFLy YouTube: https://youtu.be/2lKIx8bFxuY Content    Guest: Martin Wählisch Host, production and editing: Amy Smith, UN Library & Archives Geneva Recorded & produced at the United Nations Library & Archives Geneva 

Jesus First Jesus Always: Mother's Day | Pastor Amy Smith by City of Life Church

When we hear the word “codependent,” we often picture someone clinging to toxic relationships or constantly rescuing others.  But the brilliant psychotherapist and boundary expert Terri Cole challenges this idea, revealing how capable, competent, and successful people can struggle with codependent patterns too,  just hidden under the mask of over-functioning and over-investing in people's lives.  Doing it all? That's the problem. In this episode, Terri shares how our deep desire for peace and control can drive us to do too much for others—emotionally, mentally, and physically— even at the cost of our own well-being. This conversation is a loving nudge to pause and ask:  “What am I doing for others that they could be doing for themselves?” We explore how stepping out of this “handle-it-all” mindset isn't just freeing—it's life-changing.  Tune in to this episode to learn to overcome high-functioning codependence and find ease, joy, fun, balance, and healthier relationships in your life! Terri Cole Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist and global relationship and empowerment expert. She's the author of the books Boundary Boss and Too Much. For over 20 years, Terri has worked with a diverse group of clients–  from stay-at-home moms to celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. She makes complex psychological concepts accessible and actionable so the people she works with can achieve sustainable change.  IN THIS EPISODE Understanding the term “high-functioning codependency” Physical manifestations of being a high-functioning codependent  Helpful ways to set and maintain boundaries with others  Addressing resentment in a relationship  Why burnout is common among high-functioning codependents  Letting go of intervening to “help” others & focusing on yourself QUOTES “You see it as well, that high functioning codependence. We give too many F's for too long about all the things and all the people… and perfectionism and making sure everything gets done.” “There are ways we can help children and people we love find their own answers without therapizing them. But giving them our answers is not loving. It's treating people as projects.” “When you spend decades of your life checking boxes that someone else constructed, you end up with this existential crisis of loneliness– like, ‘wow, people do not know ME'.”  RESOURCES MENTIONED Get The HFC Toolkit:  Simplify & Do Less video lesson with integrative exercises & meditations  Terri's Website Order Terri's Book Too Much HERE  High-quality olive oil: go to www.getfreshenergized.com to get your free $39 bottle for just $1 shipping. Skin longevity made simple: Head to oneskin.co/ENERGIZED and use code ENERGIZED. Terri's Socials:  Instagram Facebook YouTube Podcast  RELATED EPISODES  #569: How to Build a Strong Emotional Connection with Your Partner and How to Transform Your Love Life with Vanessa and Xander Marin #629: Unlocking Emotional Resilience with Awareness, Lifestyle and Tools to Regulate Your Stress Triggers with Dr. Drew Ramsey #170: Saying NO to People Pleasing and Establishing Effective Boundaries with Amy Smith

Amy Smith, 2025 Shinn Speaker, preaching Worship service given April 20, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In this sermon,  Dr. Amy Smith reflects on her experiences in international development and how those experiences have been influenced by the UU principles she grew up with. The Shinn Service honors Barbara Shinn (1912-1976) and her commitment to justice. Barbara served as chair of what was then known as the Social Responsibility Committee. An educator and leader, she had a passion for teaching children with disabilities. She displayed personal courage in the face of a debilitating illness, arthritis of the spine. This years' Shinn Service preacher is Amy Smith. Amy Smith is the Founding Director of MIT D-Lab, an innovative university-based program in international development and a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also the founder of the International Development Design Summit, co-founder of the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge, co-founder of Rethink Relief conference, and originator of the Creative Capacity Building Methodology. Amy's most recent work has been in Africa with displaced people, often in refugee camps. She works collaboratively with them as they identify problems and collectively create solutions. She grew up as a Unitarian Universalist in the Follen Church in Lexington, MA. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

In this heartfelt episode of Fostering Conversations, host Amy Smith is joined by guest co-host Jennie Shepherd, Director of Recruitment, as they welcome Celeste Edmonds—Executive Director of The Christmas Box International and author of Garbage Bag Girl. Celeste shares her inspiring journey from growing up in foster care to leading an organization that supports children in need. She opens up about the impact of The Christmas Box House, the importance of keeping siblings together, and how small acts of kindness—like a stuffed animal or a brand-new duffle bag—can change a child's life. We also dive into the realities of foster care, the emotional challenges children face, and how anyone can make a difference. Whether you’re a foster parent, an advocate, or someone looking to give back, this episode will leave you inspired and ready to take action! Topics Covered: Celeste's personal foster care story & the origins of The Christmas Box House How The Christmas Box House supports children entering care The importance of keeping siblings together in foster care Small but powerful ways to make foster children feel seen & valued How YOU can get involved and make a difference Resources & Links: Garbage Bag Girl by Celeste Edmonds – Available on Amazon Learn more about The Christmas Box International – thechristmasbox.org Get involved with Utah Foster Care – utahfostercare.org Guest Bio: Christmas Box House Executive Director Celeste Edmunds understands what the children she serves at The Christmas Box Houses are going through. She went through it herself. Her biological parents were addicts, and her childhood was an ongoing cycle of police calls, fighting, and physical, sexual, and mental abuse. At age 7, Celeste was taken from her home and placed into a child welfare system, where moving every few months to a new environment became normal. By age sixteen, she had lived in more than 30 cities. Celeste views her childhood as a difficult but essential growing experience. There were terrible things, but there were also caring people along the way who did what they could to protect and nurture her. She was author Richard Paul Evans' assistant when he founded The Christmas Box International. She quickly became an integral part of its creation, helping to build and refine the original shelters for a decade before taking a new position in Corporate America. Working in the corporate world gave her valuable knowledge of a different kind, with experience in marketing (receiving Marketer of the Year by Utah Business Magazine), public relations, community giving, and team management. Combining her nonprofit and corporate experience, Celeste is uniquely fit to guide The Christmas Box International. Celeste is passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth and the child welfare system so that others may not have to go through the same experiences she had. The Christmas Box International celebrates 29 years of defending more than 170,000 children. That is enough to fill Madison Square Garden more than eight and a half times. Celeste believes that The Christmas Box International is more than a place–it is a concept where community, government, and nonprofits come together to bring the resources to children that they need. As a child who grew up in the system, Celeste understands the importance of providing these youth the opportunity for a better life by providing them with safety, dignity, and hope. Her goal is to give these beautiful children everything she wished for as a child, including hope for a better future. Celeste released her book last fall titled Garbage Bag Girl. She hopes to bring more awareness to the issues that face children in the child welfare system and help them know that they deserve a childhood and are worthy of safety and love. Transcript: ep58_apr25_transcript

In this episode of WLEI Podcast, we welcome Amy Smith, Founding Director of MIT's D-Lab, an innovative university-based program in international development and a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

What makes a mortgage company not only survive but thrive in a competitive industry? People, technology, and culture. In our upcoming LinkedIn Live episode of Lykken on Lending, we're sitting down with Amy Smith, Chief Lending Officer at ALCOVA Mortgage, to explore how they've built a company where top talent stays, innovation drives efficiency, and community impact fuels growth. From their goal of 8-hour loan approvals to gamifying technology adoption, ALCOVA is redefining success in mortgage lending. Join us as we dive into their unique approach to leadership, culture, and cutting-edge automation—you won't want to miss this!

In this episode of the Prepared School Psych Podcast, host Jenny Ponzuric interviews Dr. Amy Smith, a distinguished school psychologist and President of the Ventura County Association of School Psychologists (VCASP). Dr. Smith shares insights into her role, the importance of community involvement, and the value of professional development within the association. She discusses her journey with VCASP, emphasizing the benefits of networking with colleagues and the numerous workshops and trainings offered by the affiliate. Dr. Smith also offers advice for new school psychologists, highlighting the importance of joining local professional communities to advance knowledge and leadership skills. This episode underscores the significance of ongoing education and the role of supportive networks in the field of school psychology.Resources:VCASP Website: https://www.vcasp.org/VCASP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/VCASP**NEW** Try the Prepared School Psychologist Membership for FreeWe're offering a free 4-week trial of the Prepared School Psychologist Membership. Use the code PODCAST to explore our valuable resources, including 2 mini-courses designed to support your professional growth and development.Join today to see how the membership can help you enhance your skills and make a greater impact in the field of school psychology. Try the Prepared School Psychologist Membership for FreeWe're offering a free 4-week trial of the Prepared School Psychologist Membership. Use the code PODCAST to explore our valuable resources, including 2 mini-courses designed to support your professional growth and development.Join today to see how the membership can help you enhance your skills and make a greater impact in the field of school psychology. https://jennyponzuric.ac-page.com/the-prepared-school-psych-free-trial---------------------------------------------------------Follow us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more:Instagram: @jennyponzuric https://www.instagram.com/jennyponzuric/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-ponzuric-1562a8119/Join my FREE LinkedIn Group "Resources for Special Education Professionals": https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14462888/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:38 Getting to Know Dr. Amy Smith01:16 Role and Impact of VCASP01:44 Amy's Journey with VCASP03:36 Balancing Volunteering and Career04:18 Importance of Affiliates05:27 Professional Development and Workshops06:54 Advice for New School Psychologists07:59 Encouraging Leadership and Involvement09:04 Final Thoughts and ConclusionThe information and advice provided are for guidance purposes only, and all participants are required to follow federal and state law and their school district guidelines and policies.

One of many schools facing the worry of losing funding towards special education programs - one of whom has suffered this fate for now is the University of St. Thomas due to the Trump administration slashing of special education funding and grants - we talked to Amy Smith, Dean with the School of Education for the University of St. Thomas about if there will be a rebuttal to this and what they and other schools are doing to take action and protect the teachers and the special education students that are in need of this help!

"Our ability to communicate has really exploded." Connect With Our SponsorsGreyFinch - https://greyfinch.com/jillallen/MyOrthoVA - https://www.myorthova.com/get-startedSmileSuite - http://getsmilesuite.com/ Summary In this conversation, Jill interviews Amy Schmidt, the president of Ortho2, discussing her journey in the orthodontic industry, the evolution of orthodontic software, and the importance of communication and data management in modern practices. They explore how Ortho2 adapts to the needs of both single practices and larger organizations, emphasizing innovation and user feedback. The discussion also touches on the significance of effective communication and the tools available for practices to enhance their operations. Connect With Our Guest Ortho2 - https://www.ortho2.com/ Takeaways Amy Schmidt's journey from intern to president of Ortho2.The importance of evolving with technology in orthodontics.Ortho2's focus on user-friendly software for patients.The shift towards better communication in orthodontic practices.The balance between serving single practices and OSOs/DSOs.Data management tools are crucial for practice success.Customizable dashboards help practices track their goals.User feedback is essential for software development.Ortho2's commitment to education through webinars and events.Effective communication is a key business skill.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Amy Schmidt and Ortho202:54 The Evolution of Orthodontic Software05:47 Communication in Orthodontics08:56 Adapting to OSOs and DSOs11:53 Data Management and Reporting Tools21:02 Staying Competitive in the Industry23:51 Speed Round with Amy Schmidt Are you ready to start a practice of your own? Do you need a fresh set of eyes or some advice in your existing practice? Reach out to me- www.practiceresults.com.     If you like what we are doing here on Hey Docs! and want to hear more of this awesome content, give us a 5-star Rating on your preferred listening platform and subscribe to our show so you never miss an episode.    New episodes drop every Thursday!    Episode Credits:  Hosted by Jill AllenProduced by Jordann KillionAudio Engineering by Garrett Lucero

Episode Summary: In this episode of Fostering Conversations, hosts Amy Smith and Liz Rivera sit down with Angela Tucker, adoptee advocate, mentor, and founder of the Adoptee Mentorship Program. Angela shares her journey from being adopted out of foster care to building a global community for adoptees to connect, heal, and grow. They discuss: Angela's experience growing up in a multiracial family. The challenges of identity and belonging in adoption. How the Adoptee Mentorship Program is creating spaces for adoptees to connect and find support. The power of storytelling and mentorship in navigating adoption experiences. Practical tips for adoptive parents to support their children better. Angela also offers valuable insights into racial identity in transracial adoption and the importance of building inclusive family networks. Whether you’re an adoptee, an adoptive parent, or just curious about the adoptee experience, this conversation is a must-listen. Resources Mentioned: Angela Tucker’s website: AngelaTucker.com Follow Angela on Instagram: @AngieAdoptee Watch the documentary Closure on Angela's website. Read Angela’s book “You should be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption” Learn about the Adoptee Mentorship Program and Adoptee Remembrance Day. Explore Angela's workshop: “Cultivating an Anti-Racist Family Network for Transracial Caregivers.” Memorable Quotes: “There's something healing about talking to someone who just gets it.” – Angela Tucker “We don't just mentor kids. Adoptees at any age need spaces of belonging.” – Angela Tucker “Love is already there, but behaviors show you understand who we are.” – Angela Tucker Angela Tucker Bio~ Angela Tucker is a Black transracial adoptee. She is the author of “You Should Be Grateful:” Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption. Her book was published in April 2023 by Beacon Press. Angela’s search for her biological family is featured in the documentary CLOSURE which premiered on Netflix in 2015. In 2022, Angela founded the non-profit, the Adoptee Mentoring Society to provide virtual mentorship for adoptees world-wide. With 15 years in child welfare, she has appeared on CNN, The Red Table Talk, The New Yorker, and more, advocating for adoptees. Angela lives in Seattle with her Emmy-award-winning spouse, Bryan Tucker. Ep 56 transcript

My Roman Empire Part 1 | Pastor Amy Smith by City of Life Church

The journey continues as Ed & Amy go off-road into the harder parenting moments. Whatever the stage of parenting, there will be situations that take us and our children to our limits. Listen in to a few scenarios....- The screaming toddler on the floor of the supermarket aisle. - The lonely child who has no friends to play with in the playground.- The crisis with a teen that involves the emergency services.For all of these, Christ has a better story to offer our hearts and for us to hold out to our child.Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Resources:Everyday Talk by John Younts - Talking freely and naturally about God with your childrenCount Yourself Calm by Eliza Huie - Taking BIG feelings to a BIG God Raising Confident Kids by Ed Drew - A Parent's Guide to Grounding Identity in ChristSupport the show

What better way to start the year than with a hope filled chat with top friends Ed & Amy?Here is encouragement, honesty and inspiration for the Christian parent to lean in and go again as we:- explain where we are going - explore emotions  - share the hope filled truth we have in everyday walk to school and argue over a screen momentsA great place to begin your parenting adventures of 2025!Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Resources:Everyday Talk by John Younts - Talking freely and naturally about God with your childrenCount Yourself Calm by Eliza Huie - Taking BIG feelings to a BIG God Raising Confident Kids by Ed Drew - A Parent's Guide to Grounding Identity in ChristSupport the show

Join Iain, Ed & Amy for a festive journey through flammable tinsel trees, Christmas pants, calpol and tears as we share a parent's journey from heartache to hope.Listen in for honesty, encouragement and a moment to re-focus in the middle of the chaos to remember that Jesus really is good news! Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Iain Ridley is the Welcome and Integration Worker at City Gates Church in Norwich and a very funny man! Iain is married to Faith and they have three children.Resources:Faith in Kids resources for family Bible times in Advent:The Adventure of Christmas.The Adventure of Christmas Advent Calendar.Come Along, Christmas! Advent Calendar for pre-schoolers.Explore the Christmas Build-Up here:christmasbuildup.faithinkids.orgSound Effect by Krzysztof Szymanski from PixabaySupport the show

In this enchanting episode of The DIZPod, we sit down with Amy Smith from A Kind Of Magic Travel to explore the wonders of visiting Disney with young children. Amy shares expert tips on planning the perfect Disney vacation, from navigating the parks with little ones to making the most of Disney's family-friendly amenities. Whether you're a seasoned Disney-goer or planning your first trip, this episode is packed with invaluable advice to ensure a magical experience for the whole family. Tune in for insider secrets, heartwarming stories, and a sprinkle of pixie dust! ✨ Want to support our efforts to share Disney with the world??? https://patreon.com/user?u=76639700&utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink More about the products we use... These are affiliate links and we receive a small commission paid by that company in exchange for a purchase: ECamm LIVE - https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=lawrence25 Streamyard - multi-stream to different platforms... https://streamyard.com/pal/c/6337690280787968 Moza Gimbals - https://bit.ly/4aAqO1n VidIQ - https://vidiq.com/thedizpod TubeBuddy - https://www.tubebuddy.com/pricing?a=thedizpod

Cut through the chaos and fight for a space to enjoy the brilliant truth of the Bible with your family, your way. Join us on this parents episode with Lucy Rycroft from the Hope-Filled Family. She is all about getting her kids asking questions.Amy's gang gets into the Bible by floating jelly babies in cream and stabbing Goliath's balloon head.️Ed's family hangs off the sofa, refuses to sing but the Bible still gets opened.Different families, different dynamics, different struggles, same Bible getting opened, from squidgy tots to moody teens, we talk through it all.Let's do this!Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Lucy Rycroft is the founder of The Hope-Filled Family, a ministry encouraging Christian parents through books and digital resources. She is also a part-time secondary music teacher. Lucy lives in York with her vicar husband Al, their four kids, aged 10-15, and a crazy cockerpoo called Monty. She enjoys cooking and hospitality, reading, good comedy, music and plenty of chocolate.ResourcesBusy family Devotional by Lucy Rycroft.Meals with Jesus by Ed Drew.Faith in Kids resources for family Bible times in Advent:The Adventure of Christmas.The Adventure of Christmas Advent Calendar.Come Along, Christmas! Advent Calendar for pre-schoolers. Support the show

Thank you for listening to the LA Artist Podcast, where we chat with local artists about their works, style, what influenced them to start their artist journey and more. It was amazing to be able to not only see artwork from around the world, but be able to have great conversations with artists who have traveled to be a part of The Other Art Fair. Follow the Artist: Amy Smith https://www.instagram.com/amysmithart/ https://www.amysmith.art/ Follow the Host and Co-Host: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrdavidruano⁠ ⁠http://www.instagram.com/arystudio⁠ Follow the Podcast at: ⁠Instagram@LAArtistPodcast⁠ ⁠Instagram@LosRuanoGallery⁠ Official Podcast Website: ⁠http://laartistpodcast.com/⁠ ⁠Official LA Artist Podcast Merch HERE⁠ ⁠https://losruanogallery.square.site/shop/apparel/9⁠

Join Pastor Andy, Ed & Amy for uplifting parenting chat.Discover how God can use the ordinary challenges of family life, including the Poonami to teach us dependance on him.With help to know what to pray and advice about striking when the iron is cold, Christian parent you're gonna love this episode!Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Andy Mason has been the Vicar of St Johns Chelsea since its relaunch in 2006. Andy is the Director of Co-Mission, a Church planting network in London and is the author of Leaders Who Follow and God's Leader. Andy is married to Kathrine, they have two children, Ori & Pella and they live on the World's End Estate.2024 has been a brilliant year. As we look ahead to 2025, let's build on these firm foundations for the next year and beyond.https://www.faithinkids.org/give/give-online/big-build-2024/hammering.wav by jpbergerSupport the show

Seeking asylum is an act of resilience and protection. This final episode of the three-part series focuses on the implications for direct practice social work with families who are seeking or navigating asylum. Amy Smith, Clinical Faculty and Director of Social Work Services at the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services at the University of St. Thomas and Liz Franklin, Director of Behavioral Health at Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES), discuss how to join with families as a social worker, considerations for establishing and sustaining trust, contextualizing care, navigating benefits eligibility, and sustaining yourself as a social work practitioner.

Join us for the latest episode of the Manager Minute podcast, where host Carol Pankow sits down with the incredible Serina Gilbert, Cheryl Carver, and Peter Pike from Colorado's Pathways to Partnership DIF Grant! In this episode, they dive into their groundbreaking Pathways to Partnership project, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. Discover how they're embedding VR counselors in schools, launching the innovative “Map My Transition” app, and partnering with Centers for Independent Living to create a brighter future. Tune in as the team shares valuable insights, learning experiences they've faced, and what's on the horizon for the grant's second year. Don't miss this inspiring conversation about transforming lives through partnership and innovation! Listen Here   Full Transcript:   {Music} Serina: To support the families that are surrounding these young adults with disabilities, as well, to help them gain the skills to be able to help those students move into competitive, integrated employment.   Peter: The centers for Independent Living are required to deliver core services in one core service is supporting young adults transitioning into high school.   Cheryl: We will actually incorporate those components of the six core skill sets and the age ranges, along with all of those local partners into map my transition.   Serina: Gosh, there's so many things we're doing.   Intro Voice: Manager Minute brought to you by the VRTAC for Quality Management, Conversations powered by VR, one manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well, welcome to the manager minute. Joining me in the studio today are the Tri-Force from Colorado, Serina Gilbert, Cheryl Carver, and Peter Pike, Co-project, directors for Colorado Partnerships for Partnership DIF Grant. So how are things going for you, Serina?   Serina: I'm doing fantastic. I like that word Tri-Force. It feels really, really fancy. It's October here and it's like almost 80 degrees, so I'm happy.   Carol:  Ahh, good for you. You know what? In fact, I had to use a little ChatGPT because I said, well, how could I describe a fearsome threesome? And they gave me all these different things. And I went, I'm going to go Tri-Force. I really liked it.   Serina: So don't tell people your AI secrets. You came up with that all on your own. you did it.   Carol: I know, I know, how about you, Cheryl? You are old hat at this. I got to talk to you a couple years ago, which was super fun. So Cheryl's like the podcast queen now. She's on this twice.   Cheryl: I'm with Serina, though. I liked that word too. I thought it was empowering. I think this is awesome. We're going to have to use that again. Things are going well. Always busy though, you know, and the DIF grant has added to that, but in an awesome way in terms of growing, expanding and learning. So we're excited to be here today.   Carol: Awesome. And Peter, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited you are on. How are you doing?   Peter: Well, I got to tell you, I'm a little nervous. This is my first time joining a podcast, so I'm not sure how it's going to go, but I appreciate the opportunity. And I'm coming off of two big meetings today, one with the Centers for Independent Living, where we get to get caught up on priority topics, and of course, our Disability Innovation team meeting. We meet on a regular basis. So the timing is great.   Carol: Good. Well, you're all bringing the energy. So that's great. So I just want to do a little quick refresher for our listeners so they understand what the earth we're talking about. So I have been doing different series on the Disability Innovation Fund grants. And this particular grant has to do with the Pathways to Partnership grant that was funded by RSA, and it supports projects aimed at fostering deeper collaboration between agencies. Turning these collaborations into true partnerships, and the projects aim to enhance service delivery by piloting cohesive models that better manage resources, while coordinating efforts to improve outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and their support systems, ultimately facilitating smoother transitions. And Colorado is wrapping up the first year of the grants. So let's dive in and see how things are progressing. All right. So let's get into it Serina, I'm going to kick off with you first. Could you just start by telling our listeners a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in VR?   Serina: Sure. So you already know my name is Serina Gilbert, and I'm currently a program manager under our youth services team with the Division of Voc Rehab here in Colorado. I actually got involved with VR because I was a recipient of VR services way back when, when I was in college, and while I was receiving services, I kind of flipped the script around, I was like, well, what do you do? This looks fun. Like, I want to learn this. So I got my master's and a few years later, here I am. So I've always enjoyed working with youth. That's always been my passion and I'm super excited to even be in this role.   Carol: Awesome. So, Peter, what's your journey to get to VR? Tell us a little bit about you.   Peter: Well, that's a great question. My name is Peter Pike and I work for what's called the Colorado Office of Independent Living Services, which is part of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. And I got to tell you, for a couple decades, I actually worked outside of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as a vendor and as like a community partner on different grants. And a few years back, Colorado established this Office of Independent Living Services, dedicated to working with nonprofits called the Centers for Independent Living. That's how I got involved with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and I'm also a person with a Non-visible disability. And so this fits very nicely in terms of my philosophy and being part of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.   Carol: I love that because you bring a whole other perspective. Having come from that vendor field. So you've got some things going on that can contribute greatly to the agency and this project for sure. And Cheryl, last but not least, you know, it's been two years, but let's tell our listeners again a little bit about you and your journey into VR.   Cheryl: Well, mine is not as direct as Peter's or Serina. Again, my name is Cheryl Carver. I am the second program manager we have here in the state of Colorado under Voc Rehab for our youth services and transition programming. So Serina and I work very closely together. I kind of fell into this by accident, but I have always been in healthcare related fields. I've worked for the independent living centers. I've also worked in assisted living and I worked as a vendor as well with DVR in the mental health sector. After that, I really lucked out and was able to apply for a position. That was 24 years ago and I joined the youth services team 20 years ago, so it's been an indirect path, but once I found my niche, I have loved growing in this position with youth services at the administrative level.   Carol: I love it, you know, no matter which way, if you come in a direct way or lots of people, it's kind of a long and winding road to get into VR. Whatever way you get here, we love the energy you all are bringing, and we think it's great because people are bringing all kinds of different perspectives to the work now. I was super excited about your project when I was reading through RSA's website and looking at the little synopsis, and I'm like, oh, I got to grab the Colorado people first. You're the first in my group on this particular topic, and I understand that your project has multiple components. Can you give our listeners a little overview of the project and what you aim to accomplish? And I think, Serina, you were going to kind of give us the big picture to start out with.   Serina: Yes, it's a very big picture. So I'm sorry. We dreamed really big when we saw this grant posting last spring. We saw a lot of opportunity in our state to maybe help build some capacity and some connectedness throughout the state. So one piece of it is we started out by deciding to build what we're calling interdisciplinary teams. And what that is, is traditionally in Colorado, we don't usually have DVR counselors housed specifically in the school districts. We do have counselors that liaison with the district, but they are not like actually full time there. So we actually just did some hiring, and we'll have a couple of counselors starting in the next few weeks that will be housed directly in the local school districts and embedded with the school transition teams to make sure that services are able to be delivered to the students with disabilities within those districts. Another super exciting part that coincides with that is that there'll be services provided by the Centers for Independent Living, which Peter will talk a little bit more about as well, to make sure that there's a dedicated service provider to be able to help support those teams. And one really big, huge thing that we're really excited about is what's going to be called Map My Transition. And we jokingly call this the You are Here Website. So it's going to be a website and iOS app and an Android app designed for students, their families, educators and service providers and other community agencies within the state of Colorado. And the way that it'll work is we'll start from the student perspective, as the student will create an account on the site, they'll be asked a few questions about where they reside and what their long and short term goals are, and then they'll be presented with customized resources and videos that are specific to what their needs are, and specifically, how to get connected with the agencies that can support them. The super exciting part about that is that that also allows kind of that turnover resistant piece of things, because The educators and the service providers can also see that same list of community providers that are specific to their geographic region. So if somebody leaves a position, the next person can come into that position and get connected on this website and instantly know who their community partners are within their geographic area to connect with.   Carol: I love that app idea though.   Serina: I'm so excited about it.   Carol: Well, you know, when you talk about kids like students, man, they're not. Don't email them. They're not out looking on the internet.   serina: No.   Carol: like their phone is their life. Like they need everything to be direct connect that way. That's how they're going to, you're very smart to go that route.   Serina: Yeah. So we're super excited. Also gosh, there's so many things we're doing also to support the students. We are partnering with our family led organizations to support the families that are surrounding these young adults with disabilities, as well, to help them gain the skills to be able to help those students move into competitive, integrated employment. But then that's not all, I feel like a game show host.   Carol: Do tell more.   Serina: I know, I know. I'll have Cheryl talk a little bit about our interagency transition building as well, because that Map My Transition is also going to support that aspect of what we're doing here in Colorado.   Carol: I think that's cue to you, Cheryl.   Cheryl: I was just going to say, is that my cue? so five years ago, Colorado began an initiative through the National Assistance Center on Transition Coalition, and we began looking around the state to identify where our own gaps and weaknesses were as it pertains to interagency coordination teams. What we discovered were several of the components that Serina has mentioned that we hope to build into Map My Transition. Things like we were having trouble sustaining interagency transition teams, and that was due in large part because of turnover and staff. When interagency transition teams were coming together locally, they placed those responsibilities with an individual instead of their position. And as a result of that, once that person left, there was nobody to continue on with the work. And these interagency transition teams just eventually dissolved. Additionally, they really didn't have any goals that kept them together and gave them a reason for continuing to come together. So we wanted to help the local partners rediscover their interagency transition teams, identify tools that would help bring them together and give them an actual purpose. As a result of that work, what we created was a workbook for all partners that come to the table locally in these interagency transition team efforts, every partner at that table is required to identify within six core skill set areas that we've put together an age range, what services they actually provide. That way, when education is working on developing an IEP, an Individualized Education Program, or other entities sitting around the table like the division of Voc Rehab, developing their individualized plans for employment, we can look and see what areas does this student need to grow in, depending upon their age and their skill gap. With that, then we can pick and choose and strategically work together towards the same goals with that student. So we actually have coordinated student outcomes. We are not duplicating services. The challenge we faced was that the workbook, because we didn't have any backing to help us complete this, is overwhelming and it's difficult to use. And as a result of that, again, this is where Map My Transition comes in. We will actually incorporate those components of the six core skill sets and the age ranges, along with all of those local partners into Map My Transition so it will be easier for all users, whether it is the youth themselves or a family member, or any one of the number of entities that sit around an interagency transition table to be able to go in and see, we know what the students ultimate goals are, and these are the areas we are working on. So let's take a look at and consider what are the choices for the service providers. So I am also extremely excited about Map My Transition, because I think it is going to be fabulous in terms of what we are envisioning to create, as well as to help interagency transition teams accomplish that coordinated student outcome.   Carol: I think that is going to be super replicable across the country, like the work you guys are putting into that, because I know that's one of the things with the DIF grant, they're hoping that some of the things you all create are going to help other states out there. And that particular piece, I think that's fascinating. I think that sounds really cool.   Cheryl: I agree. So with that, we'll take it to the next level, if you will, and continue to enhance, we hope at least. What else would do you want me to kick it back to you, Serina, for apprenticeships or family member training?   Serina: I forgot about our apprenticeship piece because we're just doing so many things. We shot for the moon, right?   Carol: Yes, yes you did. There's like, 20 moving parts on this thing. I'm like, wow.   Serina: Cheryl is correct. One other aspect was to make sure that we're connecting young adults with apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities. So we are partnering with our apprenticeship representatives here in Colorado within the Department of Labor and Employment, called Apprenticeship Colorado, and they will be helping the counselors and the interagency teams learn about how to connect with employers for apprenticeships and actually be developing apprenticeships in the areas that we're serving. And then they're also going to create training for us to put on Map My Transition for future reference, but also train our staff on it. I did talk a little bit about the family led organizations in the training, but what we didn't talk a lot about was the Centers for Independent Living Partnerships, and I'd love for Peter to be able to cover that a little bit for us.   Carol: Peter, I know you're passionate about those CILs for sure.   Peter: Yeah, I always love the opportunity to talk about the Centers for Independent Living. And maybe a starting point is to just briefly talk about what is the Center for Independent Living, right? These are nonprofit organizations that actually exist in every state of the Union. And so in Colorado, we have nine centers for independent living that are focused on helping people with disabilities of all ages, any disability type, living as independently as they can. And I want to be clear, that doesn't mean they are residential facilities. These non-profits are not residential facilities. They are non-profits that we have contracts with to support people living independently in the community, and they are a key partner. One of the great things about this grant is there was a requirement that Centers for Independent Living be part of this grant. And so with that, it really accentuates some of the strengths that they have. There are two things that come to mind. Number one is the Centers for Independent Living provide peer support services. What that means is that these organizations have over 50% people with disabilities from the board of directors, all the way down to their entry level staff. And that is key because an emphasis of this program is peer support services. So in their work for this grant, that's what they're going to be doing, is working with young adults in high school, transitioning out of high school to Address and navigate some of the adult issues that come up, whether that be employment, post-secondary education and otherwise. So that's an important strength. The second strength that I believe the Centers for Independent Living offer is that this service system you don't age out of just because you turn 18 doesn't mean, oh no, now there's another program I need to join. As I said earlier, Centers for Independent Living serve all ages of all disability types. So that provides a key continuity of services as folks transition out of high school into what's next. So in addition to that, the Centers for Independent Living will have contracts with the centers for Independent Living, serving on the interagency teams and some of the expectations in terms of the services they're going to be providing are things like benefits, planning services, things like financial literacy. They'll be focused on supporting and educating people on accessing what are called ABLE accounts. Able stands for achieving a Better Life Experience, but it's an opportunity for these young adults to actually increase their assets and resources. In addition to that, they will also be serving as vendors for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. And so those are key elements that they'll play in working alongside the interagency transition teams with the school districts, with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. So it is a great opportunity for those organizations to really illustrate their strengths and the difference they make in the lives of people with disabilities.   Carol: I love that you are leveraging the Centers for Independent Living, because I think sometimes people I don't know, they're there, but you sort of forget about them as being a resource for more than maybe folks are thinking about. Oh, somebody needs a ramp to get into their house. Let's call the CILs, you know, type of thing. But they have a lot more going for them. And they're strategically positioned throughout your state and in every state. You know, they're all throughout all the geographic areas. So they're excellent partner to leverage. When you're looking at an endeavor like this I think that's smart.   Peter: You know Carol, it also fills one more gap. Like the Centers for Independent Living are required to deliver core services, and one core service is supporting young adults transitioning into high school. So with this particular project, they're actually working with youth in the schools. That's not necessarily part of their core services. So it really complements the opportunity to start the work earlier and support it ongoing even when they're out of high school.   Carol: Yeah, I really like that, Peter, I think that is so great. So I know you guys are you know, you're at the end of year one and you made it. You made it through year one. What kind of learning experiences. And I love it because I'm not going to say what sort of challenges did you have? What learning experiences have you had so far? Cheryl, I think I'm kicking that to you.   Cheryl: You are. So while this is a multi-pronged approach that we are taking, if you will, with several different outcomes for each one, we have encountered challenges that we have had to overcome or lessons we have had to learn along the entire way, starting from the very beginning with communication. Even between this Tri-Force. And I don't think it's a terrible thing to mention. That was one of the things that the grant reviewers brought up how, as three managers, are you going to do this job together? And we were like, we can manage this, we can handle this. We did. We had to learn how to communicate well together. We had to understand one another's styles and figure out what worked best for each of us in order to come together, agree upon things and respect when somebody didn't, and hear them out, even if that was not the direction we were going to go in. Inclusion has been another one. While we put above everything equity and diversity and inclusion. Just because we are the division of Voc Rehab, it's still easy to overlook or forget to give certain audiences the opportunity to have a say in things, especially something this large. And when you're moving forward and you've got deadlines and timelines, having to take a step back and say, wait a minute, did we check with everyone is really, really hard. So fortunately, again, because there's three of us, we always have that one that raises their hand and says, wait a minute, did we do that? So it's good to have that piece there. When we're working with our planning and advisory team or other partners around the table, we are also learning all about marketing and how to go about getting the marketing. We need to message things correctly and deliver that message out there to the communities about things as simple as trainings that we hope to offer to family members in partnership with our parental consortium here in Colorado. We are maintaining, I think maintaining is a good word, maintaining a huge, massive budget and having to be willing to be flexible within that budget. We are given certain parameters to operate within, and we have to go about getting changes approved periodically. But every time we turn around, there's been another new need or a new requirement or oh, wait a minute, we calculated that wrong. So we've got to go back and recalculate it. It has absolutely been, I think, a learning process for all of us. Another area that we have worked very diligently in is just as a state government, where we have had to learn different processes and procedures. Things have taken longer than we expected, having to write reports in certain manners or fill out certain forms. That in and of itself has been a hurdle that we have had to overcome together in regards to learning things.   Carol: You guys are not unique. I mean, I do ask this question of everybody when I'm talking about the DIF grants, just because the learning opportunities you've had this first year, it is really common because there are so many systems and practices and processes within each state. Everybody's got their own little nuances and things. And when it isn't your everyday job to navigate those and you now are co-directing, you know, this Tri-Force and this lovely DIF grant, and you're getting exposed to all these other processes that you didn't know about. It is quite a learning curve just to get through all of that. And once you get it figured out, then you fundamentally go, okay, you know, year two gets easier. It's like, all right, now we figured out all the pieces of the process and it gets better as you go along. So that is common. Everybody, I don't think I've talked to anybody across the country that hasn't had that as well. So I think you guys stated that really nicely. Now I know you all when I got to visit with you a little earlier, you had mentioned that you had this really important realization about your service model and that maybe it doesn't work like you thought it was going to work. When you are conceptualizing something and then you're going to put it into practice. So I don't know. Peter, can you talk a little bit more about that?   Peter: Yes, thanks. I'd be happy to. So as we've been talking, we talk about establishing three pilot sites or three interagency teams. And so we went through a process with our planning and advisory team, came up with a matrix, and we were able to identify three sites. And so we have this vision in this model about how those sites are going to be implemented and moving forward, including the Centers for Independent Living. And so one of the communities where we are working to establish a pilot site is in northwestern Colorado. And the school district that's involved is based out of a rural community, but it's also a mountainous resort community. And so what that means is the cost of living in that particular area actually is pretty high. And there's been articles on it within the city and across the state talking about challenges, just filling some government positions in that community. And so as we were having conversations with that interagency team, particularly the Center for Independent Living, that serves not just that community, but a five county area, they talked about the challenges. If we're going to have a contract with and bringing on a staff because the wage and the affordability for someone to live in the community that they're serving don't align very well. And so we've had to sort of pause and talk with our local partners about, man, what does this need to look like in order to meet the needs of the students and families in that school district, and at the same time, navigate some of these real issues around the cost of living. And so we're taking some extra steps in working with the Center for Independent Living and the school district to identify maybe where do we need to bring in new partners or other partners, or what are alternative ways to deliver the services that are necessary to meet the needs of the youth and families, right? Just because you're living in a resort area doesn't mean everybody is of the same economic class. And so our aim with this project is to make sure we're serving underrepresented communities. And sometimes socioeconomic status is kind of an important factor in that way. And so we have to take more time and understand how best to meet the needs of that community and how it might look different than the other two communities where we're continuing to move forward with all the parts.   Carol: That's a really excellent observation. I know VR has been facing this ever since the pandemic, kind of across the country, especially as people moved, you know, we had like floods of people moving to Florida, people moved into Idaho and different communities. And I know the directors have said, boy, it's impacted the program in different ways because now you have whole communities where they've had this big population move in and all the prices have gone up. And so it's tough even to get counselors and different staff working in these different regions and even to get vendors in those regions because the cost of living is so expensive. So you've got people there who've been there for many years, but yet new people are coming in and you've just got this kind of mire of crazy economic conditions that make it really difficult to navigate all of that for the consumers that are in those areas. So that is a really good realization you had. Now, I know we're on year two like you're three days into year two. You guys, what are your plans for year two? Miss Serina.   Serina: Sound like I'm in trouble.   Carol: Oh, no.   Serina: No, no. We have a lot like we talked about it a little bit earlier where we're hiring the school based rehabilitation counselors. We're well into that. And making sure that they have the training and support that they need to get started with everything. We're super excited because we're in the early stages of planning their kickoff meetings, where we'll be on site with each of the teams and help them, A, get on the same page and like kind of level set everything like so everyone has all the same information. And then one of the bigger pieces is that they all walk away with a tangible plan for how they're going to initially start collaborating and coordinating services with one another. So we're super excited about that. Another thing that I'm really personally excited about, because I'm kind of a marketing and social media dork in a way, is we're going to be coming up with some branding and a way to refer to this grant that resonates with the people that we're serving with students, families, educators, and, you know, the service providers that are working with us. Saying DIF grant, unfortunately, doesn't mean much to the average person. And there's a lot of DIF grants now. I believe they just funded the fifth or sixth round of them. So.   Carol: Oh yeah, and there's like 28 of those or something.   Serina: Yeah.   Carol: so there's a bunch   Serina: There's a lot. So we're super, super excited to get some branding and social media going and things like that to get people excited about what we're doing. Um, what else are we doing? Team what am I missing? Those are some really big things that we're doing.   Carol: Do you have anything cool that you're doing with the branding? Like can you share if there's something little or is it all top secret right now.   Serina: No, we just, thanks to our grant manager, Lauren Riley, and our program assistant, Amy Smith, they found us a marketing agency, and we're going to be meeting with them in the next couple of weeks so that they can talk through kind of what our needs are and things like that, and then they're going to have some focus groups with stakeholders to get their input and see what resonates. So I'm super excited.   Carol: Very cool. Very cool.   Peter: You know, Serina, thanks, sort of opened up an opportunity to talk about family and youth engagement. And one of the opportunities we have with this project is we actually can pay honorariums to young adults and families to participate, particularly on the planning and advisory team. And so we definitely want to hear the voice of the people we're serving and bring them to the table so that as we bring this to life, we have their input from the beginning.   Carol: Yeah, I love that, that's great, you guys, the energy of the three of you, it is super funny. I can feel it like our listeners can't see it. But coming off the zoom screen. Like it is so fun. I think you three complement each other very nicely. Now, I know for our listeners, you know, sometimes people want to reach out to you. I know you're in your initial stages, but sometimes folks just have questions or they're super interested, like Map My Transition, they're gonna be like, when's that going to be ready? Because we want to borrow it like we want all of that. Do you have an email or something you can share with our folks on a way to contact you?   Cheryl: We'd like to direct those questions to our actual grant manager, who is Lauren Riley, and her email address is l a u r e n dot R i l e y at state dot co dot US.   Carol: Excellent. Now that's helpful because otherwise the stuff goes kind of all over. And I do end up hearing back from the different folks we've had podcasts with. They're like, oh, we had some people reach out. So I'm hoping folks will do that. Are you three going to be at the CSVAR conference?   Cheryl: Not the upcoming one.   Carol: Possibly in the spring?   Cheryl: Maybe.   Carol: Yeah, because then people can track you down there as well.   Peter: I'd like to. Next time you talk to Kristen, say, hey, Kristen. Sending Peter to the CSVAR conference?   Carol: I'll put in a plug for you, Peter. That's awesome. Well, you three have been an absolute delight and I really appreciate your time. And I'm hoping I get to check in with you down the road to see how things are going. And I wish you the very best with this project. Have a great day.   Cheryl: Thank you, Carol.   Serina: Thanks so much, Carol.   Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR, one manager at a time, one minute at a time, brought to you by the VR TAC for Quality Management. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening!

Inspire Session | Joe Aviles, Amy Smith, Zach Jenkins | 11/3/2024 by Redeeming Love Church

A bonus episode as our Black History Month series comes to a close. With important stories for us to hear from Trevor Pearce, Andrew Gordon and Gemma Hunt. Let's be humble enough to learn and passionate enough to work for Kingdom equality in more than just one month. Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Trevor Pearce is the Senior Minister for Children and Youth at All Souls Langham Place. Born in Chessington he is married to Eva. They have three children and three grandchildren who he loves even more than West Ham.Andrew Gordon was born in London and left school at 17 to work in a bank. He later worked with London City Mission and is now minister of Donnington Evangelical Church in Willesden. Andrew is married to JoAnn and has two adult daughters.Gemma Hunt is best known as the face of Swashbuckle on CBeebies. You can also see Gemma on the Alpha Film Series. She is the author of two children's books “See! Let's be me!” and “See! Let's be a Good Friend”.  She lives in Kent with her husband Phil and their 7 yr old daughter.ResourcesBBC documentaries:Sitting in LimboBlack and British by David Olusoga Books for children:Fannie Lou HamerMaria FearingBlack and British: An Illustrated History by David OlusogaBooks for adults:Healing the Divides by Jessamin Birdsall and Jason RoachBlack and British by David OlusogaFind out more about:George Washington Carver from  the C.S.Lewis Institute.Olaudah Equiano with from the Dictionary of African Christian Biography.Walter Tull from BBC Bitesize.Our brand new “Growing Up” Resources are out NOW for parents and churches to use together as we help our children grow up in today's world, with God's word as their guide. Head to faithinkids.org for all the details on this excellent series. They're growing up fast so come on, let's share God's good story.Support the show

Full of careful wisdom from Rev Dr Israel and great help from Amy answering the questions that make you squirm. We loved this mic drop moment from Israel:"It's not political correctness. It's kingdom correctness."We're walking parents through the differences, the similarities and the sad: church in a cinema, "that's not fair" and kids being mean.Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Rev Dr Israel Olofinjana is originally from Nigeria. He came to the UK to pursue a calling to be a reverse missionary, bringing the Gospel back to the UK. He's married and is a parent to 2 lovely young children (3 and 6). Israel is a theologian, former church leader and director of the One People Commission for the Evangelical Alliance; working to unite the ethnically and culturally diverse church. He is a leading figure in the UK church on unity and ethnic diversity.ResourcesFind out more about Daniels Ekarte and Wangari Maathai here:Daniels EkarteWangari MaathaiSome great books from the Good Book Company about Betsy Stockton, Fannie Lou Hamer and Marie Fearing:Betsey StocktonFannie Lou HamerMaria FearingOur brand new “Growing Up” Resources are out NOW for parents and churches to use together as we help our children grow up in today's world, with God's word as their guide. Head to faithinkids.org for all the details on this excellent series. They're growing up fast so come on, let's share God's good story.Support the show

Join us this Black History Month as we sit down with the wonderful Felix Aremo. Listen in for how to enjoy more of the beautiful diversity the Kingdom ... eating together, hearing each other's stories and celebrating our unity in Christ. Felix understands British culture and he understands church culture. He understands the subtle ways we continue to 'other' our neighbours, our brothers and sisters. He helps us long for and work for better. Ed Drew is the director of Faith in Kids.Amy Smith is a writer for Faith in Kids.Felix Aremo is a Bible teacher and mission theologian at London City Mission. He trains Christian leaders and gospel workers in urban mission and cross-cultural disciple-making. He is married with two young boys.Resources:God's Very Good Idea Storybook - for young children, from the Good Book CompanyThe Big Wide Welcome Storybook - for 3-6 year olds, from the Good Book Company. Healing the Divides - for adults, from the Good Book Company Our brand new “Growing Up” Resources are out NOW for parents and churches to use together as we help our children grow up in today's world, with God's word as their guide. Head to faithinkids.org for all the details on this excellent series. They're growing up fast so come on, let's share God's good story.Support the show

Discover what's possible when you're prepared for the environment.  Are you or anyone you know either over-sensitive or under-sensitive to specific sights, sounds, smells, or textures? While this can sometimes be an asset, it can also cause distress or discomfort.  If you're familiar with difficulties in processing everyday sensory information, stick around, because today's episode is a roundtable discussion where we talk about Sensory Challenges, featuring Autistic Self-Advocates Hattie-Angelys Fox, Amy Smith and Adrian Sanchez, as well as fellow members of our online Global Autism Community, Cheryl Albright, Tj Larum and Danielle Terrell.  Among other things, we discuss:  Human sensory systems and needs Hyper- and hypo-sensitivities Levels of burnout and how to recover from it Regulatory strategies for various environments and situations Teaching children how to cope and ask for help Examining someone's overall health to support their sensory issues The importance of collaborating with specialists when writing treatment plans Speech processing and interpreting Supports across the lifetime  Sensory Differences - A Guide for All Audiences ----more---- Are you a self-advocate willing to share your story and educate others? Or a professional seeking to hear directly from autistic voices and improve your practice? Or maybe you're a family member hoping to support and empower your loved one? Whatever your connection to autism is, we'd love to hear your takeaways from this episode in our online Global Autism Community, where hundreds of people from all over the world come together to support each other and know that they're not alone. Join us today at community.globalautismproject.org. Let's work together to transform how the world relates to autism. ----more---- We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you'd like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

I am excited to host Amy Smith-Hightower, a leading expert in customer acquisition within network marketing. In fact she may be #1 in the world at customer acquisition over the last 4 years. Amy has built one of the largest and most active Facebook groups dedicated to attracting and providing value to customers.Join us as Amy shares her proven strategies for evolving and succeeding in today's recession and rapidly changing market conditions. Learn how to effectively engage with potential customers, build a strong online presence, and adapt your approach to stay ahead in these challenging times.Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Amy Smith-Hightower and take your customer acquisition skills to the next level.