In this episode, Dr. Pierre Berastaín, the Centre for Public Impact's Regional Director for North America, talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about his journey from Peru and his extensive work in addressing systemic challenges like immigration, gender-based violence prevention, and restorative justice.
About Pierre Berastaín:
Dr. Pierre R. Berastaín is a public health leader and advocate with academic degrees in Social Anthropology, Divinity, and Public Health from Harvard and UNC-Chapel Hill. He co-founded Caminar Latino – Latinos United for Peace and Equity, a national organization supporting Latino families affected by domestic violence, and has held leadership roles in several organizations focused on gender-based violence, including Harvard’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. Pierre has led federal grant programs, trained nationally and internationally, and advanced culturally competent approaches to violence prevention. Originally from Peru, he now lives in Washington, DC with his husband and has been recognized among Boston’s Top 25 Most Influential LGBTQ People of Color.
Learn more about Pierre Berastaín via https://centreforpublicimpact.org/team/pierre-r-berastain/
Guest:
Pierre Berastaín (Regional Director for North America, Centre for Public Impact)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Liam Burley (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Deb Aikat, University of North Carolina Professor of Journalism and Media, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about how technology impacts government processes and media communication. They discuss the media's crucial role during the pandemic and emphasize the importance of providing balanced news to support a healthy democracy. This is the seventh episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
About Deb Aikat:
A former journalist, Deb Aikat has served as a faculty member in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media since 1995. Aikat’s peers elected him to lead as the 2023 President of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), the premier 112-year-old scholarly organization with members in 43 countries across six continents. An award-winning scholar, Aikat theorizes the role of media platforms in two democratic societies, India, the largest democracy of 1.4 billion people, and the United States, one of the oldest modern democracies. By integrating news agenda-setting and agenda melding concepts, Aikat has theorized how media platforms in India and the U.S. are empowering people to protest, publish and provoke ideas through media platforms devoid of government control.
Learn more about Deb Aikat via https://hussman.unc.edu/people/deb-aikat
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://myadv.ucr.edu/forms/spp-neumann
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Cara Chiaraluce, Santa Clara University Professor of Sociology, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the impact of internet access on health outcomes. This is the sixth episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
About Cara Chiaraluce:
Cara Chiaraluce specializes in the fields of carework, gender and family, and health. Chiaraluce has published articles in the Journal of Family Issues, American Behavioral Scientist, and her forthcoming book Becoming an Expert Caregiver: How Structural Flaws Shape Autism Carework and Community (Rutgers University Press, 2024) examines the process through which lay women become expert caregivers to provide the best care for their children. Prior to joining the department in 2015, she taught Sociology at UC Davis (where she won the 2013 "Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award") and California State University- Sacramento. Chiaraluce is originally from Boston, Massachusetts, received her B.A. in Sociology from Assumption College, and M.A. and Ph.D. from UC Davis.
Learn more about Cara Chiaraluce via https://www.scu.edu/cas/sociology/faculty-and-staff/cara-chiaraluce/
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
This week, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from last year! In this episode, AllSides Co-Founder and CEO John Gable talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about how understanding media bias and filter bubbles can help better bridge gaps amongst political polarization.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About John Gable:
John Gable received his B.A. in Philosophy, with an emphasis in Mathematics, from Vanderbilt University as well as Masters of Business Administration from Duke University. He has worked in a variety of fields, having previously been an Executive Director for various political campaigns, a Product Manager at Microsoft, the President of Stearns Ventures, and now the Co-Founder and CEO of AllSides. Overall, John Gable is a high technology executive focused on building, marketing and monetizing products, online services and teams that have a positive social impact.
Learn more about John Gable via https://www.allsides.com/news-source/john-gable
Podcast Highlights:
"The medium, the content, and the way we interact is driven a little bit by the medium itself. And what I thought about the internet was that it was mostly by metaphor: this is similar to that, and therefore you're a friend of a friend or I'm searching for something similar to what I'm trying to solve. I thought it would encourage us to think by metaphor or if you will, [in the extreme sense] stereotype."
- John Gable on the topic of how the internet is structured to make connections, which can initially be beneficial, but can also lead to dangerous steryotypes.
"[With the way the internet works] we see an issue, and we only hear or get information that we already agree with, which might only be 10% of what we need to know about an issue. But we hear that 10,000 times, and so we're really absolutely confident with no doubt that we're correct. But we know less about the issue than we did before the Internet.”
- John Gable on the topic of how filter bubbles can limit our access to necessary information, despite the increased access to information the internet seems to provide.
“[What we need to do is] get people out of the information filter bubble. Get them out of the relationship filter bubble, and provide people the skills and confidence to disagree, to have a conversation and not agree with each other and recognize the differences and appreciate the differences that each of us bring to the table. With that, that's how it would get to a better place.”
- John Gable on the topic of how teaching people to understand the value in disagreement can help people be more aware of filter bubbles.
Guest:
John Gable (Co-Founder and CEO of AllSides)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Divya Bharadwaj (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Juliana Maria Trammel, Associate Professor of Journalism & Mass Communications and Laura Robinson, Professor of Sociology talk with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the challenges and vulnerabilities with delivering information and services using eGovernment. This is the fifth episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at:WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Juliana Maria Trammel:
Dr. Juliana Maria Trammel is a communications consultant, professor, and researcher. She has 12 years of experience in the field of communications that includes journalism, public relations, organizational and strategic communication, and communications research. She is currently an associate professor of Journalism & Mass Communications at Savannah State University. She earned a Ph.D. in Communication and Culture (organizational communication) from Howard University; a MA in Public Communication (social marketing) from American University; and a BA in Print and Broadcast Journalism (double major) from Rust College.
Learn more about Juliana Maria Trammel via https://www.savannahstate.edu/class/departments/mass-communications/juliana-trammel.shtml
About Laura Robinson:
Laura Robinson specializes in digital sociology, research methods, and global media in Brazil, France, and the U.S. Robinson’s work has appeared in journals including Information, Communication and Society; New Media & Society; Sociology, and Sociological Methodology. Robinson earned her Ph.D. from UCLA, where she held a Mellon Fellowship in Latin American Studies and received a Bourse d’Accueil at the École Normale Supérieure. She also earned degrees from Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3 and USC. Leadership to the discipline has included serving as CITAMS Section Chair and as a member of the ASA Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities in Sociology.
Learn more about Laura Robinson via https://www.scu.edu/cas/sociology/faculty-and-staff/laura-robinson/
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Dinara Godage (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, CEO of Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, Carolyn Fajardo talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about modern approaches to food insecurity and long-term, sustainable solutions. Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside About Carolyn Fajardo: Carolyn Fajardo, born Carolyn Solar, is a Latina and the first in her family to earn a bachelor's degree. She graduated from California State University, San Bernardino, with a BA in Communications and began her career in food banking as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for FARSB. She later pursued her MBA at California Baptist University while advancing to the role of Development Director. Later, she was appointed CEO.
Learn more about Carolyn Fajardo via https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynfajardo/ Interviewer: Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Dori Pham (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador) Music by: Vir Sinha This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Catherine Sandoval, Santa Clara University Law Professor and Patrick Lanthier, co-founder of RIVERA/LANTHIER & Associates talk with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about how social vulnerabilities and the digital divide shape disaster response outcomes. This is the fourth episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Catherine Sandoval:
Catherine Sandoval is a tenured Law Professor at Santa Clara University, specializing in Communications and Energy law. She served in the US federal government as a Presidential-nominated, Senate Confirmed Board Member of the US Chemical Safety Board, and as Director of the FCC Office of Communications Business Opportunities. California Governors Brown and Davis appointed her as Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission, and Undersecretary of California’s Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency, She earned a B.A. from Yale University, a Master of Letters from Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Learn more about Catherine Sandoval via
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-sandoval-7a2a2416a/
About Patrick Lanthier:
Patrick Lanthier co-founded RIVERA/LANTHIER & Associates, a Silicon Valley-based technology and policy firm in 1997. At AT&T & BELL Labs, he was on early Cellular, Internet, and National Security & Emergency Preparedness teams. He co-founded New Ventures (total $1B) and advises 22 countries’ Emergency Communications Planners, the United Nations, the European Union, and the US Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State. He advised at Carnegie Mellon University, Santa Clara University, and both California’s Emerging Technology Fund and its Office of Emergency Services. He has led teams in more than 50 countries. His education includes California Polytechnic, San Francisco State, Golden Gate, Seton Hall, and The Wharton School. He testified in the US Congress and other venues.
Learn more about Patrick Lanthier via
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-lanthier-6ba8068/
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, President of Cover My Mental Health, Joe Feldman talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about policies addressing mental health care parity and the role of employers in improving access to care.Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside About Joe Feldman: Founder Joe Feldman began advocating for access to mental health care after overcoming denials for a family member’s care, including with a successful federal lawsuit. His advocacy work has included policy-driven discussions with legislators and regulators, a board role with The Kennedy Forum Illinois, presentations to parent groups, and publication of actionable guidance such as a 2021 article in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice on medical necessity letters. Learn more about Joe Feldman via https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmfeldman Interviewer: Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador) Music by: Vir Sinha This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Noah McClain, Assistant Professor of Sociology talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about security and technology vulnerabilities within New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This is the third episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Noah McClain:
Noah McClain (PhD, New York University) is a sociologist with interests spanning the sociologies of cities, law, inequality, complex organizations, work, policing, and security, and how these intersect with technologies high and low. Dr. McClain has published a broad range of articles dealing with these topics in venues such as the Journal of Consumer Culture, Poetics, and Information, Communication, and Society. He has served on the faculties of Illinois Tech, and the Bard Prison Initiative, where he was also a postdoctoral research fellow. He is also a former investigator of police misconduct for the City of New York.
Learn more about Noah McClain via https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-mcclain-2b415769
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Watch the video version of this episode via: https://youtu.be/kKr6yODUQGQ
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Director of Mapping Black California, Candice Mays talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the availability of comprehensive data, how gaps in population data impact policy, and the critical role data plays in shaping informed, equitable policies.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Candice Mays:
Candice Mays serves as Mapping Black California’s Project Director. Alongside a diverse professional background in grassroots nonprofit organization management, development, and grant making, she spent three years as a literacy teacher with the New York City Department of Education after receiving her M.A. in English Education from New York University. Her time as a public school educator inspired her pursuit of an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Fiction at the University of Miami where was a Michener Teaching Fellow and a M.F.A. Summer Award winner. Her research experience includes conducting cultural and historical analysis of Louisiana Creoles reflecting the content of her fiction which critically examines multi-cultural, African American existence in non-inclusive spaces. Having returned to Southern California and her beloved Riverside County, Candice seeks to humanize GIS by mining narratives from data on all things historical, Californian, and most importantly, Black.
Learn more about Candice Mays via https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-mays-a7382b8
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Music by: Vir Sinha
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, John Thomas Flynn, Former CIO for the States of California and Massachusetts talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about government's current challenges regarding technology implementation and utilization. This is the second episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About John Thomas Flynn:
John Thomas Flynn is MeriTalk’s Senior Advisor for Government Programs. He was the first Chief Information Officer for both the State of California and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and was president of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). He was also a White House appointee in the Reagan and G.H.W. Bush administrations.
Learn more about John Thomas Flynn via https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtflynn/details/experience/
Interviewer:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Author of Recoding America, Jennifer Pahlka, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about government's current challenges regarding technology implementation and utilization. This is the first episode in our 11-part series, Technology vs. Government, featuring former California State Assemblymember Lloyd Levine.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Jennifer Pahlka:
Jennifer Pahlka is a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center and the Federation of American Scientists and a senior advisor to the Abundance Network. She founded Code for America in 2010 and led the organization for ten years. In 2013, she took a leave of absence to serve as U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer under President Obama and helped found the U.S. Digital Service. She served on the Defense Innovation Board, started by the late Ash Carter, under Presidents Obama and Trump. At the start of the pandemic, she also co-founded U.S. Digital Response, which helps government meet the needs of the public with volunteer tech support. She has received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, and was named by Wired as one of the 25 people who has most shaped the past 25 years. She serves on the boards of US Digital Response, America’s Frontier Fund, and the Volcker Alliance.
Learn more about Jennifer Pahlka via https://www.jenniferpahlka.com/
Interviewers:
Lloyd Levine (Former California State Assemblymember, UCR School of Public Policy Senior Policy Fellow)
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
LINK YOUTUBE-ANCHOR
Music by: Vir Sinha
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Founder and Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), Osprey Orielle Lake, talks with the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about shifting the narrative on international climate justice using a feminist lens.
Thank you so much to our generous sponsor for this episode, the Wall Street Journal. Activate your free school-sponsored subscription today at: WSJ.com/UCRiverside
About Osprey Orielle Lake:
Osprey Orielle Lake is the Founder and Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International, working nationally and internationally with grassroots and frontline women leaders, policy-makers, and diverse coalitions to build women's leadership, climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition to a decentralized, democratized clean energy future. Osprey is the Co-Director of the Indigenous Women's Divestment Delegations, and actively leads WECAN International's projects — from various trainings and work to shift the narrative on climate justice using a feminist lens, to engagements at United Nations climate conferences — from frontline delegations, to campaigns such as the 'Women for Forests' program. Osprey was the visionary behind the International Women’s Earth and Climate Summit, which brought together 100 global women leaders to draft and implement a 'Women’s Climate Action Agenda', and co-founded the International Women’s Earth and Climate Initiative (IWECI), the precursor initiative of WECAN International.
Learn more about Osprey Orielle Lake via https://www.linkedin.com/in/osprey-orielle-lake-4286bb12
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Watch the video version via: https://youtu.be/c1TtUF1lm3E
Music by: Vir Sinha
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments Kurt Wilson talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about community development, disproportionate minority contact deficiencies within the criminal legal system, and regional governance and collaboration.
About Kurt Wilson:
Dr. Kurt Wilson serves as the Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), bringing over 25 years of local government leadership experience. A native of the Inland Empire, Dr. Wilson has held senior management roles in five cities across the West Coast and served in both state and federal capacities, including two gubernatorial appointments from former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. His career highlights include guiding the City of Stockton through a financial recovery from bankruptcy to becoming one of the most fiscally healthy large cities in the U.S. Dr. Wilson is also an educator, teaching courses in public policy and government operations, and has held leadership roles such as Vice President of the California affiliate of the International City and County Management Association.
Learn more about Kurt Wilson via https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-wilson/
Podcast Highlights:
"There was a time in our history... that once someone is convicted of doing something, we sort of throw them away... and then when they come out, having been in that environment, we're somehow surprised that things didn't get better."
- Kurt Wilson on the topic of the evolution of reintegration processes into society, post-incarceration.
"A lot of equity efforts fail because they're presented in a way where there's a clear winner and subsequently a clear loser. The person who feels as if they're being attacked, or that they're likely to lose is inherently going to push back. We see that in issues of race, we see that in issues of policing, all of our social issues, it's a very similar theme where we're not starting from the same place. By understanding that from the get-go, you're able to come up with some concepts to make a little bit more sense."
- Kurt Wilson on the topic of equity efforts and how framing can affect public perception of key issues.
Guest:
Kurt Wilson (Executive Director, Western Riverside Council of Governments)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Esa Hasan (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpphttps://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, United Nations Senior Policy Advisor Manav Sachdeva talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about his insights from his decorated career in international policy and how he works to help countries navigate from conflict to stability.
About Manav Sachdeva:
Manav Sachdeva is a senior policy advisor and emergency expert personnel deployed at short notice for the United Nations Development Programme. He has worked for the UN and UNDP in several capacities since 2007 including as programme specialist for Asia Pacific and Arab States, Development consultant, senior advisor to Afghanistan UNWOMEN, and as a proposal writing consultant for UNDP Somalia. Manav’s cross-border cooperation and peace/stabilization missions have included, Afghanistan, India, Lebanon, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Guyana, Liberia, and Kosovo. He holds a graduate degree in Economic Development and State/Society structural relations from Columbia University and academic research experience with Harvard University.
Podcast Highlights:
“The more you get knowledge of places on the ground, [and] the more you [hear] the stories about them, [you learn that they don't] have control over their own narrative... they have a whole set of issues that have not been listened to."
- Manav Sachedva on the topic of the importance of giving people the space to tell their own stories so they can advocate for what their communities need, especially in the Global South.
“There are layers of suffering and we need to... listen. So the main thing I find in transition [from conflict to stability] is the mistakes we make when we don't listen…there is a cost to not listen in this line of work”
- Manav Sachedva on the topic of the importance of intentionality and learning from the locals when helping areas transition from times of conflict to stability.
“We did a project and we dug a well where we didn't even check if the ground were levels were good enough - people do silly things out of hubris. So, check yourself a little bit because if you do it with humility you will have such a happy life."
- Manav Sachedva on a project he worked on in Afghanistan and the value of maintaining humility when trying to help others.
Guest:
Manav Sachdeva (United Nations Senior Policy Advisor)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Vice Chief Ambassador)
Dinara Godage (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpphttps://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Judge Magdalena Cohen, Jennifer Bender, Eric Stopher, Deborah Johnson, and Dr. Stephanie Brooks Holliday talk with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (or CARE) Act and the intersection of mental health and criminal justice in California.
Podcast Highlights:
“We do what we can to make sure that coming out of an inpatient setting, that person is prioritized, to receive the services that they need, including medication. We have a whole host of outpatient clinics from the city of Riverside all the way to Blythe, and so really we try to work with that individual to provide them with the best of their needs. And it's individualized, whatever it's going to take… to keep that person stable in the community.”
- Deborah Johnson on the topic of ensuring that care is provided to individuals beyond hospitalization, helping ease them with their transition.
“It's a policy thing that has to be looked at, is how are we going to plan for those housing issues [that are so prevalent in California], not only in Care Courts, but in any other program that the state wants to have the counties look at, and even with LPS. And I think that that's not a problem, but something that Riverside is not unique to, but it's certainly more unique than some of the other larger counties in California.”
- Eric Stopher on the topic of how Riverside County is preparing to provide housing amidst a state housing shortage.
“Even though there are a range of services available, some of the limiting factors are having enough providers to be able to offer services to everyone who might need [them]. There's a lot of variation from county to county with respect to the resources that are available, meaning that a lot of times it feels like access to mental health services can really be determined by the zip code that you live in.”
- Dr. Stephanie Brooks Holliday on the topic of geographic barriers to resources.
Guests:
Judge Magdalena Cohen (Judge, Riverside Superior Court)
Jennifer Bender (Deputy Public Defender, Riverside County Public Defender’s Office)
Eric Stopher (Deputy County Counsel, County of Riverside)
Deborah Johnson (Director of Innovation/Integration, Riverside University Health System - Behavioral Health)
Dr. Stephanie Brooks Holliday (Senior Behavioral Scientist; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School)
Interviewer:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Vice Chief Ambassador)
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
spp-ikhrata.eventbrite.com
bit.ly/spp-ikhrata
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, California State Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about election policies and civic engagement.
About Sabrina Cervantes:
Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes was elected in November 2016 and represents California’s 58th Assembly District. Assemblymember Cervantes earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside and completed an executive education program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She currently serves as Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, leading a record-breaking 35 legislative members, which also includes a historic number of 21 Latinas. The first Latina Millennial elected to the State Assembly, she is currently a member of the Human Rights Campaign and serves on the Advisory Board for the University of California, Riverside (UCR) School of Public Policy.
Learn more about Sabrina Cervantes via https://a58.asmdc.org/biography
Podcast Highlights:
“One thing that I have learned, being the first Latina millennial to represent us here in the legislature... [is that] bringing these experiences to these positions of power and advocacy and having a seat at the table, that's what drives good public policy, that we each have something to bring to the table. No matter your background, no matter your experience, that's what makes the difference in the future of our communities.”
- Sabrina Cervantes on how diverse individual experiences drive good public policy.
“In 2021, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted by a vote of 4 to 1 to adopt a Supervisorial district map for the 2020 round of redistricting that was really fraught with a lot of controversy. Many individuals, organizations, and elected leaders really noted that it fractured the Latino community within our county. That means it dilutes the Latino voting power and their capacity to elect a representative of their choice. And so this failure to protect voting rights and comply with state and federal law underscores the need for an independent redistricting commission to draw fair maps for Riverside County. That is why we got to work on AB 1307 [to allow] truly independent and unbiased citizens who are empowered to draw supervisorial districts for Riverside County.”
- Sabrina Cervantes on the importance of electing an independent citizen’s redistricting board for Riverside County.
“Even in these positions of power as a woman of color and just a minority, we are still not the majority. When I step into rooms, oftentimes I'm still the only woman or woman of color, whether that's locally or whether that's in Sacramento. And we are changing that paradigm by electing more women and people of all different backgrounds. And I just really always encourage folks to lean in with the experiences that you bring to create that positive change and that ripple effect that will come with it.”
- Sabrina Cervantes on increasing diversity within the elected representatives.
Guest:
Sabrina Cervantes (California State Assemblymember)
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Vice Chief Ambassador)
Joseph Anastacio (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Watch the video version of this episode here: https://youtu.be/57h7hjkC6ME
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
https://bit.ly/spp-homeless-aid
https://www.scipolsymposium.org/
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about increasing equity and job quality with the groundbreaking California Senate Bill 150.
About Lola Smallwood-Cuevas:
Since graduating from the California State University at Hayward, Lola Smallwood-Cuevas has had an influential career, working with the Newspaper Guild before co-founding the Los Angeles Black Worker Center. She later went on to become the Project Director for the UCLA Labor Center, where she directed the Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity (CARE) at Work, before becoming California State Senator in 2022, representing the 28th District.
Learn more about Lola Smallwood-Cuevas via https://sd28.senate.ca.gov/biography
Podcast Highlights:
“Far too many of our families are living in poverty, far too many of our families are facing homelessness, food insecurity, and the only way we can transform that is through quality work and particularly working with our union partners and our education partners.”
- California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas on the topic of the necessity of collaboration to achieve meaningful progress for working-class families.
“Our bill ensures that every project that we are building through these climate resiliency funds are built with community benefits agreements and project labor agreements... Our intention is that all of the work, including the manufacturing, will also be supported by this policy... because at the end of the day, our state only does well when all of the workers in our state are doing well."
- California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas on the topic of the relationship between the success of California workers and the success of the state as a collective.
"We have tremendous state agencies that have tremendous resources, some of the most creative minds in this state. And our job [as legislators] is to make sure that we are bringing them to the table, and we're breaking down their silos so that they can come together, share information, maximize their capacity, and do the work that the people of California needs them to do."
- California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas on the topic of the role of legislators in supporting individuals to make change.
Guest:
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (California State Senator)
Interviewers:
Raiyan Kalam (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Chief Ambassador)
Dinara Godage (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/9ukTHtM-Tcs
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
CARE Act Live Podcast Recording: https://presley-care.eventbrite.com/
Violeta Aguilar-Wyrick Community Seminar: https://spp-aguilar-wyrick.eventbrite.com/, https://bit.ly/spp-aguilar-wyrick
UCR School of Public Policy MPP Program: https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpp, https://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/ Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce Chairman of the Board Bob Mendez talks with students from the UC Riverside School of Public Policy about policies that impact middle income families, and how we can alter existing policies to create a better environment for them to thrive.
About Bob Mendez:
A former member of the US Navy, Bob Mendez has had a decorated career in finance, having worked at Merrill Lynch Smith Barney, and Morgan Stanley. He also is actively involved in his community as Chairman of the Board for the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, Chairperson on Budget Engagement Commission for the City of Riverside, and a member of the Honorary Commanders - a civilian organization that supports the March Air Reserve Base.
Learn more about Bob Mendez via https://www.raymondjames.com/rlmwealthgroup/about-us/bio?_=bob.mendez
Podcast Highlights:
“When we look at middle-income families as a whole in our society, they provide us with a source of economic stability in that they generally make up the largest portion of the workforce. They can provide a steady stream of local income and taxes as well. And it's critical, especially for any local economy like here in Riverside, which [needs to be able to demonstrate they have a stable workforce] in order to be able to effectively borrow. Plus, they provide consumer spending, which is critical for our local businesses…”
- Bob Mendez on the topic of the value middle income families bring to local families.
“The California Environmental Quality Act, is designed to protect our environment. So, I understand the need for CEQA and I like some aspects of it, but there are certain things that could easily be tweaked in order to help, especially suffering middle income families. It's my understanding that, when a developer is looking to build a housing unit, there is approximately $40,000 to $50,000 of cost associated with just regulations that go into the building of just one unit. And we could make simple, I think, adjustments there [so that middle income families can have access to housing they can afford].“
- Bob Mendez on the unintended consequences policies such as CEQA bring forth, despite good intentions. “I always say it comes down to three things, and it's jobs, jobs, and jobs. You know, we really need to come together, you know, in terms of being able to all move in the right direction to produce good paying jobs for individuals. You know, we just really have to break down all these silos between the city, the county, even our institutions of higher education, and the chamber, you know, where we all work collectively together for the betterment of our community."
- Bob Mendez on the importance of collaboration between sectors to create jobs and effective change.
Guest:
Bob Mendez (Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce Chairman of the Board )
Interviewers:
Rachel Strausman (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Vice Chief Ambassador)
Pia Prashanth (UCR Public Policy Major, Dean’s Ambassador)
Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/AoX6HO_K8AY?si=aH7l4IouhnzmuSkt
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Links:
https://spp.ucr.edu/ba-mpphttps://spp.ucr.edu/mpp
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode. Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
In this episode, Dr. Johannes Moenius, Peggi Hazlett, Sheheryar Kaoosji, and Dr. Juan De Lara talk with the University of California, Riverside Inland Center for Sustainable Development about the impacts of logistics and warehousing on employment and quality of jobs in the Inland Region.
About the Inland Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD):
Established in 2003, the ICSD conducts and disseminates research and reports on issues of suburban growth and its impact on social, environmental, and transport systems. At our center, we focus on our region's interconnections between social well-being, the economy, and environmental sustainability.
Learn more about ICSD via icsd.ucr.edu
Podcast Highlights:
“It's really hard to overestimate the importance of the logistics sector for the Inland Empire at this point in the economic development of the Inland Empire and actually also for the Southern California region. It’s by now the largest employer - about 16.4% of all employment in the Inland Empire actually is in the logistics sector."
- Dr. Johannes Moenius on the topic of the impact of the logistics sector within the Inland Empire.
“This sector in particular has designed its workflows and its work systems in a way to really take advantage of temporary work to really keep a permanent underclass of workers who are always desperate to get a permanent job. It also destabilizes the sector because those people who do have permanent jobs know there's always somebody looking over their shoulder for the next person who's trying to get their job, doing that same job sometimes for half the wage.”
- Sheheryar Kaoosji on the topic of the detrimental hiring practices that are standard within the warehousing industry.
“I'd like to see a shift in the narrative when we start to talk about these things. I'd like to see some change in the way that the industry is upskilling its employees to make sure that they are the next generation of workers that we need to have to move with the technology changes that are happening in the industry.”
- Peggi Hazlett on the topic of the future of warehousing industry jobs as technology only continues to advance.
Guests:
Dr. Johannes Moenius (William R. and S. Sue Johnson Endowed Chair of Spatial Economic Analysis and Regional Planning at University of Redlands)
Peggi Hazlett (Chief Executive Officer, Greater Ontario Business Council)
Sheheryar Kaoosji (Executive Director, Warehouse Worker Resource Center)
Dr. Juan De Lara (Director, Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies at University of Southern California)
Interviewer:
Rick Bishop (External Director, Inland Center for Sustainable Development)
Music by: C Codaine
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Minimal_1625
https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Xylo-Ziko/Phase
Commercial Link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winning-big-for-workers-through-politics-and-policy-registration-799346445737
This is a production of the UCR School of Public Policy: https://spp.ucr.edu/
Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss an episode.
Learn more about the series and other episodes via https://spp.ucr.edu/podcast.
