Commentaries from the Edge: Recent Episodes
Keren Goldberg
The podcast series highlighting outstanding and innovative programs at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) continues with a visit to another Peer Resource Center located in South Los Angeles, California. This Center is part of a sprawling complex at the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Hospital, in an area renown for a lack of services. In a welcoming space expressed by both staff and its decor, the Center is on the ground floor of a building that provides an array of mental health services. Listen to this episode and you will hear from Roslynn Adolphus, Supervising Community Health Worker, who describes the menu of activities and support awaiting anyone who walks in the door. This includes art classes, parenting groups and special attention for youth in those pivotal years of 18 to 25 years old. This Peer Resource Center at the MLK Hospital, sits on the border of Watts and Compton, neighborhoods predominately Black and Latino with residents often struggling to manage to survive the demands of daily life. The Center staff, like Roslynn, are ready to meet those in need wherever they are, whether it is just a place that offers them comfort or to provide some of the basics like food and clothing. The Peer Resource Centers are a model for how to make our communities better during these troubling times. They provide a path to the motto of the Mental Health Department, “Hope, Recovery and Wellbeing”. The LACDMH access number for help is 1-800-854-7771The National Suicide Crisis Lifeline is #988
The launching of a new series of episodes on this podcast, COMMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE, is covering important aspects of innovative and powerfully effective ways of supporting and promoting mental health. The projects, beginning with what is called the Peer Resource Centers, are part of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) in California. Given that many people will not enter into offices that are part of a traditional governmental program, with the operation of these Centers you have, “a welcoming place where everyone coming for help is greeted by others who also have faced emotional difficulties” - surrounded by warm and caring individuals with the “lived experience”. In these two episodes you will hear from outstanding staff at LACDMH, Catherine Clay and Joseph Cuevas in Episode #1 and Tosha Sweet and Tammy Lofton in Episode #2. Each of them will be describing the kind of successes in mental health programming that is possible, and through their stories show how this approach is needed in neighborhoods across all communities. The LACDMH 24/7 access number for help is 1-800-854-7771The National Suicide Crisis Lifeline is #988
The launching of a new series of episodes on this podcast, COMMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE, is covering important aspects of innovative and powerfully effective ways of supporting and promoting mental health. The projects, beginning with what is called the Peer Resource Centers, are part of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) in California. Given that many people will not enter into offices that are part of a traditional governmental program, with the operation of these Centers you have, “a welcoming place where everyone coming for help is greeted by others who also have faced emotional difficulties” - surrounded by warm and caring individuals with the “lived experience”. In these two episodes you will hear from outstanding staff at LACDMH, Catherine Clay and Joseph Cuevas in Episode #1 and Tosha Sweet and Tammy Lofton in Episode #2. Each of them will be describing the kind of successes in mental health programming that is possible, and through their stories show how this approach is needed in neighborhoods across all communities. The LACDMH 24/7 access number for help is 1-800-854-7771The National Suicide Crisis Lifeline is #988
There is courage and there is sacrifice, and Ruth Belonsky’s life is an example of both. Born into the world of Apartheid in South Africa, she grew up in an area called East London near Cape Town, segregated like everywhere in that Country. A child of immigrants from Germany, she believes that hearing stories of how her family escaped from the Nazis, motivated her to seek ways to end the laws separating people by race and color. As a young adult she entered politics and was elected to her City Council, all the while secretly participating in what were illegal activities that brought Blacks and Whites together. Listen to her telling of harrowing stories, and to her outspoken commitments against Apartheid, which eventually led to her and her family being forced to leave South Africa to save their lives. Today, in Los Angeles, California, she continues a life of social activism bringing people together across faiths and races to create a more just society.
Los Angeles (L. A. ) is renown as a City of sunlight, a place of gorgeous topography from the mountains to the desert to the Pacific ocean. And yet, Writers for the last hundred years have been attracted to finding out what is lurking in the shadows of L. A. Daniel Weizmann in his second mystery novel, follows in that long tradition of what is called, “crime noir”, with an added bonus. The Author is a native of this sprawling global locale who is gifted with a curiosity and a keen sense of observation taking the reader to corners of diverse neighborhoods that he can write about with special detail. He introduces us to an amazing variety of characters from a couple living in a trailer park to some low life types who have come to own a mansion, to an Attorney who hides away living on a boat docked in the Marina at the mouth of the ocean. The story is set in Los Angeles in 2024, and in the mid- 1980s, full of the rock and roll music scene at that time, which Weizmann covered back then as a Music Reviewer. At the very opening of the book, we meet Adam Zantz, the hero of the story, and we learn about the mystery of a long ago crime that he must solve. As a Private Investigator (P. I. ) in training he has the passion for his assignment which is also fueled by complicated family relationships. It all brings color to this beautifully written tale of suspense and surprise. Once you finish CINNAMON GIRL you will know Los Angeles in its true mosaic, a magnet for all people of the world with dreams for a better life underneath all that sunshine. TO PURCHASE:Penguin Random House and Amazon - The Author is available via zoom to speak at Book Groups.
What symbol could be more famous for the United States of America than the Statue of Liberty. At its very top is the famous poem which reads in part “…..Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free,…..” It is famous because that is the essence of the U. S. , a Country that has welcomed people from all over the world who are in distress, often running for their lives, determined to make a better future for their families. This podcast episode introduces Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). She has headed the organization since 1999, which incudes offices in Los Angeles, and up and down the State of California. In the process, Ms. Salas has become a national leader in developing programs and advocacy for the millions of immigrants currently living in the United States. She takes us down the road of the fraught and unpredictable relationship of immigrants and refugees to the U. S. and to countries around the world. Listen to what makes up the Coalition and how their work raises the bar in making a more just society for us all. To Contact: Check the Website or email, Info@chirla.orgTo speak with an inmigration Attorney, Call (213) 201-3797
“…..but no one, it seems, is able to give you directions.” Excerpt from a book of poems by Billy CollinsHave you ever wished you had a roadmap of your life, like a GPS that clearly tells you what direction to take? DISPLACED PERSONS, Author and Educator Joan Leegant’s most recent book of stories, creates characters that enthrall you as they struggle to find their direction and make difficult decisions. As a gifted short story Writer, Essayist and Teacher, Ms. Leegant pushes her readers, not allowing them to shy away from the complexities that everyone faces as life is navigated. This beautifully written compilation of fictional tales was published this year, 2024, and won the New American Fiction Prize. It is not the Author’s first award recognizing her as a major talent. In 2003, her first book of short stories, AN HOUR IN PARADISE, won the New England PEN Book Award. The greatest award awaits the readers of the 13 short stories of DISPLACED PERSONS. Here is a limited sample of its story titles: “The Baghdadi”, “Remittances”, “The Innocent”, “The Book of Splendor”, “Roots”, all full of Ms. Leegant’s layered imagination and compelling story telling power. If there is a theme running through all the tales it is that everyone is dealing with a fast changing world. All of the characters in this book are at different stages of finding solid ground to stand on and the strength to go forward into the unknown. TO CONTACT: Go to the website, joanleegant.com Order the book at Amazon or Barnes & Noble
Turning 90 years old to Harvey Keenan means simply opening new doors to walk through continuing his involvements in the community. What is his key to having a vibrant life at any age? He advocates for remembering that there are choices to make to keep yourself on a path to meaning and purpose to your days. Harvey likes the term Elder for himself, not old, a way of thinking of yourself with dignity and respect. Listen to his menu of activities and commitments. He gives his energy to it all with a devotion to family and friends at the same time. At 90 years old he is an inspired man, and gives inspiration to others.
At the moment of this podcast episode recording, the world is waiting to see the very future of war in the Middle East, the very future of war or peace in the world. What better time to highlight a program with a legacy of bringing Muslims and Jews together. It is called “NEW GROUND: A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change”, which has been operating in Los Angeles, California, for the last 17 years. Its programming creates a learning curve for its participants in workshops and specialized trainings. The Communication and Operations Coordinator, Ben Ginsburg, gives the listeners a full description, bringing hope in the midst of conflict, promoting understanding in the midst of growing prejudice against both groups. To Contact: The website - www.MJNewGround.orgNew Ground Telephone, (818) 856-0815, Los Angeles, California, USA
Once again the prominent leader in the mental health field, Dr. Marvin J. Southard, joined the Podcast program as a guest for the fourth time. Continuing the theme of divisiveness in the United States society and how it has impacted much of pubic and private lives, Dr. Southard reflects on the recent passage of the controversial political Proposition 1, in the recent California elections. He is looking through the lens of divisiveness in seeing a model cure as many conservative and progressive voters came together to try and defeat the proposed law. It narrowly passed by a slim margin of over 50%, and yet left a legacy of how disparate groups can agree on a common cause. Listen to Dr. Southard discuss the parts of the Proposition and its way of redesigning the California mental health system. Then find some optimism for the future with the possibility of a bridge over our troubled divisiveness.
This is the moment that TOMORROW’s WOMEN, created 20 years ago, was made for, a moment bleak with pain and suffering after October 7th, offering hope and a vision forward. Listen to the young women alumnae of the program, Noga Bar Oz, Lana Ikelan, both talking from Jerusalem, and the Executive Director, Holly Morris from the offices in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, tell their story about this program. TOMORROW’S WOMEN brings young women from Israel to a beautiful Camp in the nature of Santa Fe, far from conflicts and turmoil, to have a three week experience that changes them forever. At this moment the young women are preparing for a tour to the United States together with the Executive Director on March 7th. Listen to where they will be in Seattle, Washington until March 11th, and in Los Angeles, California, from March 12th to the 17th. If you are in the area at that time you may meet them at the UCLA Hillel and the Stephen Wise Temple, (310) 476-8561. Lana and Noga are on a journey to show how they became peacemakers and leaders in their communities, imagining and working toward a better future even in the midst of war. Their goal is to inspire all of us for change, for justice and for equality and peace. Shalom - SalemTo Contact - email holly@tomorrowswomen.orgFor more information - go to their Website
Israel is a traumatized nation since the morning of October 7th, when Hamas Terrorists entered the land and went on a rampage of killing, torturing and raping. Israel is the only nation where repeatedly its very existence is threatened and yet, it is populated by a people, like everyone everywhere, who only want peace, a secure life for health and happiness. This episode of Commentaries From the Edge highlights an Israeli organization called The Ariel Center. In talking with its founder, Gila Rockman, we learn that the Center was created in memory of her Brother, Ariel Goldsmith. It is dedicated to serving those affected by trauma and now, after October 7th, the Center is focused on healing and treating an entire generation. Listen to their array of projects rooted in promoting resiliency with the theme of transforming adversity into strength and despair into hope. Gila explains that most recently they are building The Ariel Village in the southern area of Israel, which she is calling “a healing hub”. Their website will give more details and ways their method is a model for treating trauma anywhere in the world. Www.thearielcenter.org - to volunteer and/or make a donation.
It is a New Year, 2024, and we are walking through turbulence in the United States in many ways. There is climate turbulence, political turbulence and the turbulence of a divided society increasingly breaking into hostile groups. All of this feels more consequential because the U. S. is heading toward a Presidential election by the end of the year which will impact the global community. Addressing this divisiveness and their consequences, Dr. Marvin J. Southard, a longtime leader in the field of mental health, visits the podcast program for the third time and once again gives us a roadmap for coping in these times. Listen and learn how Dr. Southard offers us a recipe for empowering ourselves to face a world full of challenges today and into the future.
A documentary film titled, LIONS OF THE SEA, is in the process of being created as a journey into the world of Sea Lions. In the story to be told we will meet them in a most protected environmental area off the coast of the Galapagos. Adam Leipzig, the Producer, is no stranger to creating nature documentaries. As past President of National Geographic Films, he brought March of the Penguins to the world, considered one of the best documentaries of all time. As viewers we will see the Sea Lions among the Galapagos Islands, a volcanic chain 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. The film will be taking us to a place considered a priceless living laboratory, a place that inspired Charles Darwin to write his seminal work, ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES. Adam is heading an extraordinary team of artists in the making of this film including Ecuadorian filmmaker and explorer Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador and Mexican Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, an Academy Award winner for the movie Pan’s Labyrinth and who is heading a group of underwater documentarian photographers. Listen to the story behind the making of this film which will eventually show the love and adversity of the Sea Lion’s lives and inspire us to appreciate and safeguard the natural wonders around us.
We are very grateful to all of you listeners and the podcast guests. Have a healthy and happy New Year.
Returning once again to the Pico Union Project (PUP), we hear in this episode from Bianca Juarez Escamilla, who is a new staff member that brings her talent and knowledge as a resident in this multiethnic neighborhood near the downtown area of Los Angeles, California, to the development of innovative programming. This is an extraordinary community center, a model that responds to the neighborhood with a humanitarian spirit created by its founder, Craig Taubman. Bianca discusses the various programs and services provided and clearly describes a place that brings people together as we struggle in the USA where people now feel divided and often in conflict. This is the third episode highlighting the Pico Union Project which over its ten year history has become even more important than ever to the spirit of the City of Los Angeles. TO CONTACT:www.picounionproject.orgAddress - 1153 Valencia, Los Angeles, California 90015, USAEmail - bianca@picounion-project.org
Besides remembering what is long gone, decimated by the Holocaust of World War II, the CENTROPA organization is dedicated to recapturing the vibrant Jewish life of the early 20th century on the European continent. Their operation is based in headquarters in Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; and Hamburg, Germany. The organization’s full name is Central Europe Center for Research and Documentation. The motto for CENTROPA is “Preserving Jewish Memory, Bringing History to Life”. It is a daunting task given the great diversity and variety of the Jewish way of life from 1900 to the 1930s, which was often integrated into every layer of European society. In this podcast program episode, listen to Lauren Granite, Centropa United States Education Director, describe the ways they accomplish their goals. It includes the development of educational programs for schools, award-winning films, food recipes from former Jewish kitchens, photos from the Balkan Sephardic communities, and most of all through the archives of interviews and story telling. It is a noble mission that CENTROPA has and poignant because the more European Jewish history of the 20th Century is brought to life, the value of what has been lost is more profoundly understood. TO CONTACT:www.centropa.orgGranite@centropa.org for educational resources and materials
Sometimes there are extraordinary people who arrive just at the right position to make a community a better place to live for everyone. This is the case at the Los Angeles City Pubic Library system with Karen Pickard Four and Edna Osepans. Karen has been the lead Librarian at what is called the Library Experience Office since 2021, and Edna, the Supervising Social Worker for the last seven months at the same Office. They are leaders and pioneers in rethinking the library experience in the face of 21st century challenges that could not have been imagined years ago. In this podcast Karen and Edna explain in most captivating ways, what it means to transfer a system made up of 72 library branches into what they call “trauma-informed practices”. In fact, Karen is an advocate of having this theme become a centerpiece of the City of Los Angeles, California, where the Mayor, Karen Bass, has called a State of Emergency in confronting over 50,000 fellow neighbors who find themselves unhoused. Listen to the rich array of resources and services at the Los Angeles Library system and learn why cities in far flung locales and even other countries, are calling them to find out how to imitate their innovative path. To Contact: Email - KPickard@lapl.org and edna.osepans@lapl.org Go to - www.lapl.org to learn more Tel. 1 (213) 228-7000, L. A. Central Library
United States of America sits on lands that were first occupied by Indigenous Tribes. They are the Native Americans. Today, these same lands are mostly occupied by descendants of immigrants or current immigrants. In this podcast you will be listening to Isaac Cuevas, Director of Immigration and Public Affairs for the Los Angeles, California, Catholic Archdiocese. He is taking us on a verbal trip, first to the border of California with the country of Mexico. Then, we go with him to scenes in downtown Los Angeles, where buses arrive from Texas bringing immigrants who have just recently arrived in the United States. These scenes of immigrant arrivals have been repeated for hundreds of years in the United States and fuels the energy and diverse creativity that moves the USA forward. The State of California is an example of ancient land history where tribes lived such as Coachella, Tsongva and Aquas Calientes, names all around us in the 21st century and today. From its inception, California’s beauty has exuded a promise of possibilities for the future. It continues to be a magnet of vitality attracting people from all over the world. As Catholic Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles recently wrote in a book called The Jewels of Elul, (in the previous episode) he reminds us of the Golden Rule, “ to love our neighbors as ourselves”. He goes on to declare it, “remains the most powerful force we have to bring healing to our broken world and to unite our divided and polarized society”. TO CONTACT AND TO VOLUNTEER: go to the website,LACatholics.org/immigrationTel. (213) 637-7484
We are all walking through a turbulent time in the world, and particularly in the United States. It is a time when many are turning to their spirituality or faith for inspiration, for comfort, for some guiding principals. The JEWELS OF ELUL books published annually for the last 21 years, are part of the idea of spiritual preparation for the Jewish New Year. Ross Chait, Project Coordinator for these books of wisdom, explains on this podcast episode that each book has a one page commentary for the 29 days leading up to the New Year Holiday. Those 29 days are a period called ELUL in the Jewish faith. Thus, each year 29 people are asked to write their thoughts, memories, advice on one page of these unique books. In addition, through these many years of publication, each JEWELS OF ELUL has a theme. For an example, in the ninth year of publication the theme was, “The Art of Welcoming”, and for the 16th year, it was “Lessons From My Parents”. This year, the 21st publication, the theme is “Finding Balance”, which could not be a more challenging goal in the year 2023. Listen to the podcast about how these books are a treasure for everyone as we all try to learn from one another to navigate the world together. Thanks to Craig Taubman, the creator and producer of JEWELS OF ELUL for more than two decades now, and gratitude to him as a great community leader exemplified in his development of the Pico Union Project of Los Angeles, California. To Learn More and Order the book, go toWww.JewelsofElul.com, Instagram and Facebook
In this moving and emotional debut novel, GUESTHOUSE FOR GANESHA, Judith Teitelman takes us on a lyrical journey with her poetic writing style and her spiritual awareness. We are introduced to Esther, the center character of the story, and we immediately learn two elements that fill this novel; Esther’s connection to the Revered Hindu Diety, Ganesha, and Esther’s need to keep traveling across the European continent over a 22 year period as she deals with her torment. It is both a personal torment caused by love, and her world descending in torment caused by the outbreak of war in 1939.
In the extraordinary imagination of the Author a link is made between the beauty of Hindu and Jewish beliefs. The Hindu Diety Ganesha brings new beginnings, wisdom, obstacles to learn from and obstacles to be removed. In addition, Teitelmam tells the reader on an introduction page to the novel that “Bet” is the first letter of the Old Testament, known to Jews as the Torah. She explains that it “denotes a house …….the created world is meant to house the spiritual within”. Thus, a Guesthouse.
In the podcast conversation you will hear how this is a novel to savor, to reflect on, and to enjoy a reading journey full of surprises and revelations.
To Contact the Author, Judith Teitelman, email, jtconsult@sbcglobal.net
For more information go to her website: www.GuesthouseforGanesha.com
There are borders on the European continent where civilizations have clashed, empires have risen and fallen. The Country of Kosovo is one of those places, formerly part of what was Yugoslavia and now bordered by several nation States such as Albania, Serbia and Macedonia. As we take up the fate of Kosovo Romani (formerly referred to as Gypsies), Barry Fisher, award-winning humanitarian Lawyer, continues describing his work with Romani people to defend their rights worldwide. In the 1998 - 99 Kosovo War, like often in history, the Romani were victims by all sides and still await justice for their suffering. The Romani abuse throughout the ages is a bellwether sign of how humanity treats one another. We have much progress to make to continue the dream of world peace as the 21st century is unfolding.
Do you remember the image of old people spending their days sitting in a rocking chair? That may be extreme but so is the revolution happening about getting older in America. No place are the radical changes more apparent than at a new place called the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace. For people of an older age, think of a place to hang out that is vibrant, colorful, full of diverse activities and diverse people. Welcome to an innovative space geared to older adults and by its very success, changing what it means to grow old in the 21st century. In this episode, listeners will hear from Dr. Jennifer Wong, the Director of GenSpace, which is located in a modern Pavilion set on a main thoroughfare in the City of Los Angeles, California. It takes what used to be called a Senior Center and becomes something else completely. GenSpace clearly reflects the vision of Philanthropist, Wallis Annenberg, who has created new pathways for older adults that are designed to bring fulfillment, empowerment and excellence. In other words, recognizing the basic goals for a good life are the same whether younger or older. Step into GenSpace and listen to Dr. Wong describe a place with walls of color, modern, cozy furniture, paintings and photos room after room, full of light, and everywhere, busy with creative programming. Learn what it means to reimagine getting older.
TO CONTACT: info@annenbergspace.org
Here is an example of taking the oldest sound, and most primitive, and using creative innovation to apply it to current 21st century needs. Steven Angel, President and Creator of the Drumming for Your Life Institute, is a prolific inventor finding ways that an ancient activity can improve our lives. He tells us that he discovered what he calls “the doubtful internal voice”, that inhibits learning especially for youth in the classroom. Steven explains that drumming can affect the neural pathways in the brain, releasing the ability to focus and concentrate. He has brought his Reading and Rhythm program to school districts and a new research project at UCLA will be examining the results of his work. In other community settings, he designed what he refers to as Life Skills Drumming Program, which has been shown to relieve anxiety and depression. Listen to this episode and find out the power and success of the Drumming for Your Life Institute. To Contact: Email, Stevenangel@dfyl.org, tel. (562) 904-6775
The thoughtful and systematic arrangement of a nation to eliminate an entire people who had resided in the area for 1000 years, became the Holocaust by Germany in the World War II era. This is not to ignore the many European nations during that time that participated in and encouraged the annihilation of Jews. Other groups such as the disabled, the homosexual and Romani, to name a few, were also targeted for elimination during these years of massive crimes against humanity. In this episode Dr. Michael Berenbaum, a renown world scholar of the Holocaust as well as a Professor, a Rabbi, a Writer and filmmaker, paints a picture of how this happened directed from what was considered the most cultured and accomplished nation as the 20th century was unfolding.
he Fountain Theatre, Stephen Sachs, is modest about his 33 years at the helm of its creative and award-winning accomplishments. As an example, the City Council of Los Angeles, California, recognized Stephen for his contributions to the cultural life of Los Angeles. Being an actor, director and playwright, he took the helm of a theatre organization with a vision that the theatrical experience can be a sacred space. A place where community problems can be presented and the audience can learn new ideas and understandings about the world around them. In this episode, listeners will hear about his courageous choices as an artistic leader in the Los Angeles community believing that audiences will come to enjoy the adventure of the unorthodox and innovative. Early on for both institutions, Def West Theatre had a home at the Fountain when the idea of deaf theatre was hardly considered possible. The rest is history, as Def West went to Broadway and great successes. Deaf Theatre is an important centerpiece of the Fountain’s history and culture. The Fountain Theatre has produced new plays, classic American plays, plays from around the world and was honored by becoming the home of South African Playwright Athol Fugard’s many world premiers. As we slide forward into 2023, Stephen Sachs reminds us that all of us are changed by the pandemic and that we are reassessing. This is true for theatre stages, and important institutions like the Fountain Theatre, that will be finding through their artistry ways to help all of us move forward. To Contact and for program information,Email: Info@fountaintheatre.org
In a world finding its way out of years of a pandemic way of life and restrictions, Aaron Paley’s long career in championing cultural connections may be a winning path. Aaron’s incessant creative programming in the public spaces of Los Angeles is grounded in his impressive credentials. He received a Masters in Business (MBA) in non-profit Arts Management from UCLA and an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in Architecture at the College of Environmental Design. To some, Aaron Paley with Katie Bergin, in founding the Community Arts Resources(CARS) organization 34 years ago, accomplished the impossible in a City like Los Angeles, California. They found a way to link culture, the arts, civic institutions and public spaces, bringing diverse peoples together in a sprawling metropolitan environment. Drawing upon models from around the world, here are only a few of the highlights of how Aaron’s championing of cultural and arts connections have enriched Los Angeles and inspired other cities:
- The J. Paul Getty Museum and Center’s 25th Anniversary - produced ten free weekend festivals in ten different neighborhoods
- The Los Angeles Philharmonic - launched the 100 year celebration with a free day long event from downtown to the Hollywood Bowl, a L. A. open-streets festival
- Inspired by a weekly street closure in Bogota, Columbia of South America, created, produced and implemented CicLAvia, a car-free, open streets for pedestrians and bicyclists where Los Angeles residents can walk, bike and socialize
As a native of an often disconnected City like Los Angeles accustomed to being separated in cars, Aaron attributes his vision of the power of culture and art for creating connections having been brought up in a Jewish Yiddish-speaking environment. It inspired him to look at the great diversity of his City which was the essence of its civic history. He started this idea of cultural programming in 1989 with an organization he created called Yiddishkayt, and went on to tap into the great art and cultural menu of neighborhoods that sweep through all corners of Los Angeles with COMMUNITY ARTS RESOURCES.
The book, THE INNOVATIVE PARENT: Raising Connected, Happy and Successful Kids through Art by Erica Curtis and Ping Ho, takes its place among important guides to support and cheer on the best kind of parenting. It is the winner of a 2019 National Parenting Products Association Award. Ping Ho, MA, MPH, is the Founder and Director of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA ) Arts and Healing Program which is known to transform lives through creative expression. She joins the podcast program once again at a crucial moment for families and their kids. The reports from the frontlines of parenting tells us of their particular struggles in these recent years because of the covid pandemic and its affect on children and teens. The book is based on cutting edge research and the Authors’ years of experience in the field. Ping has been a champion of promoting the benefits of creative expression and in this book brings together her knowledge of how to use all the arts - dance, drawing, drama, music, writing - to enhance the relationship and communication between parents and kids. In a sense, THE INNOVATIVE PARENT presents a tool box of the myriad ways of using such readily available artistic expressions as emojis, pencil tapping, journal writing, for parenting when faced with common behavior problems from early childhood to the teen years. Connected, happy and successful kids are what all parents want for their kids. Ping Ho gives a recipe for that kind of outcome when the act of parenting can become more joyful using the arts for the many times non verbal ways of communicating are a necessity and a great benefit. TO CONTACT: Email: Ping@uclartsandhealing.orgPurchases of the book can be made on Amazon
We live in a time of great tension between the forces of inclusion for all peoples and the forces pushing us apart in often hateful and threatening ways. In this episode you will hear from Omar Ricci, one of those who is dedicating his life to linking people together in their humanity. Mr. Ricci is the Spokesperson for the Islamic Center of Southern California, located in the heart of Los Angeles. In addition he is a Reserve Police Officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, a board member of the Muslim Public Affairs Council and works professionally as a Management Consultant. He speaks to what it has meant to be a Muslim in America since 9/11, and about the ways the United States society has come to understand the faith, with Muslims now much more integrated into the fabric of American life. Ultimately, he is optimistic that the U. S. can become a model of peace and appreciation for the diversity of many faiths. TO CONTACT: Email, Omar.Ricci@Islamiccenter.com
The City of Los Angeles, a young city, has been a magnet for over 100 years, attracting people from all over the United States and the world. Dr. Fernando Guerra, a Professor of Political Science and Chicano Latino Studies for almost 40 years at Loyola Marymount University, founded the Center for the Study of Los Angeles on the campus in 1996. As the Center’s Director, he wanted to create a place to understand the people of Los Angeles in hopes of making the city more equitable by engaging residents and leaders. The impetus for creating such a Center was the citywide uprising that occurred in 1992, in response to the Rodney King trial, a black man who had been savagely beaten by a group of Police Officers. In this Part 2 episode, Dr. Guerra returns to the podcast program to continue describing how the Center has grown to become an important voice for the people of Los Angeles. The Center’s approach is to amass dats from answers to important questions asked of residents during periodic surveys. The results provide information to leaders and decision makers which they can use in formulating policies and laws. Dr. Guerra begins and ends the conversation declaring a sense of optimism that pervades Los Angeles no matter the challenges and obstacles. In fact, he emphasizes that these problems may be statewide in California or beyond and often the City of L. A. is looked to for inspirational solutions. Some of the current news from the Center’s data will surprise, especially as he addresses many of the issues surrounding the humanitarian crisis of homelessness in sun-filled Los Angeles. FOR CONTACT:StudyLA@lmu.edufernando.guerra@lmu.edu
At a time when the world is faced with a new “normal”, the question is how do we prepare for a future that will look very different than the past. According to Dr. Ximenez, it is time for us to embrace the unknown and to relish the freedom to create a life with new possibilities. Clearly, as the pandemic spread around the world since 2020, it brought death and destruction in its wake. In this episode, Dr. Ximenez speaks about this time of reconstructing our lives once again. She asks us to take risks, to listen to our inner voices and to allow for new thinking. It is a recipe for an even better future as we Start Again, in the year 2023. To Contact:http:/DrLeticiaXimenez.comhttp:/StartAgainNotOver.com
The people’s of the world are on the move, migrating across regions and continents. Many, due to wars, oppression and violent circumstances, come as refugees with little salvaged from their past lives. In Los Angeles, California, there is an organization called the INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE that works in tandem with the offices of the State Department of the Federal government. The Institute takes responsibility for resettling individuals, families and unaccompanied minors from the moment they land at the airport. In this episode, we hear from the President and CEO of the International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA), Cambria Tortorelli, not only about the organization’s history but about all their resettlement efforts with those fleeing from Afghanistan in 2021, and the Ukraine in 2022. Cambria explains their menu of services and the additional programming of the Institute that provides such needs as legal services for immigrants and support for victims of human trafficking and low income residents, as well as other projects. To learn more, and to make a donation - go to the websiteWww.iilosangeles.org
Tracy Newman came to comedy writing by being a founder of a Los Angeles improvisational organization called The Groundlings. It was located on the famous Melrose Avenue, and it was during the heyday in the 1960’s for these kind of entertainment venues. The Groundlings, which still operates today, became a training ground where aspiring actors could learn how to create jokes and how to respond to a live audience when creating comedy. Many members of the group went on to have stellar careers like Tracy and her younger Sister, Lorraine, who became part of Saturday Night Live. Incredibly, Tracy’s television career as a sitcom Writer began on the CHEERS program at the time when it was, and still is, one of the most popular programs for T. V. ever created. From there she continued joining with her partner John Stark, what is called the Writers’ Rooms, with many of the most famous television sitcoms such as the Drew Carey Show and The Nanny. She won an Emmy with other Writers, the highest award in Television in the U. S., for the script for the ELLEN Show where Ellen announced to the world that she was a Lesbian. At the time, that was a risky and radical career decision for a popular entertainer. In this episode, Tracy takes us into the world of the typical Writers’ Room of a sitcom comedy, a place she left years ago to return to songwriting and singing. She gives us an insight into the history of how television comedy was made and evolved. To hear her music, see her videos and purchase CDs, go to the website,www.tracynewman.com
Evelina Fernandez, actress and Playwright, is a founding member of the Latino Theatre Company, one of the premier theatrical groups telling the stories from the growing Latino community in Los Angeles and around the United States. The Company took residence in the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC) in California, an important part of this major cultural center. From the onset in the mid 1980s, LATC was dedicated to showing how the arts could address community problems and become a place for provoking audiences to consider solutions. In 2007, the Latino Theatre Company took over the management of the cultural center and continued the tradition of LATC using this artistic platform in service to the greater Los Angeles community. In this podcast episode Evelina describes some of the rewarding initiatives operating in this organization. They include the following:LatinX Playwriting Circle - made up of new and aspiring Latino Playwrights sharing the development of their works which will encourage the future of Latino playsLatino Theatre Initiative HUB - LATC was chosen to manage various Foundation’s funds and is the center for Latino Theatre organizations around the U. S. to apply for grantsCommunity College Links - offering classes to students at these two year colleges to students who often come from poor communities or even may be homeless. The students are given free tickets to LATC programs In conclusion, we learn about the exciting and diverse season of plays planned for the year 2023, and the plans for the future of the Los Angeles Theatre Center. To contact: LATC, 514 So. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 Website - www.thelatc.org Tel. 1 (213) 489-0994 Evelina Fernandez - Evelina@thelatc.org
Understanding the brain, how it functions and its impact on our individual destiny is an endless quest. Dr. Steven Siegel, Chair of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine and Chief Mental Health and Wellness Officer for Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC), in Los Angeles, has spent years conducting brain research. It is a research that continues to be a frontier of learning, much like the exploration of space.
The challenge with understanding the human brain is the unbelievable complexity of its millions of cells. The amazing fact is that Dr. Siegel explains how in embryo our brain is created with an individual pattern which sets the foundation for our nervous system, and our responses to our environment and stresses throughout life.
Dr. Siegel urges us to cease the artificial separation of mental illness from physical illness and allow for more comprehensive organic care. The legal and political challenges are embedded in the issues of one’s rights to choose. The contradiction is that in mental illness, the organ that makes decisions about choosing care, the brain, is the organ that is in disrepair and in need. The answer to this dilemma is still hanging and unresolved. According to Dr. Siegel, the younger generation who he is seeing at the University is melting away the stigma of mental health and approaching mental illness the same as physical illness. It gives hope for more humane and effective policies in the future.
To Contact Dr. Steven Siegel, email - steven.siegel@med.usc.edu
It appears that what holds American society together has some serious cracks. These fissures are the seemingly unchecked spread of extremism expressed in acts and words of hate and racism. In this episode, Rev. Najuma of the University of Southern California’s (USC) Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC)addresses the recent recording of four Los Angeles, California, civic leaders released to the public which revealed disgusting and racist commentary while detailing a plot to manipulate voting districts. This conversation broadcast to the local community played into the recipe for social chaos when leaders depended upon betray the public. At the moment in American society there is the mix of a diminished faith in political leaders and certain segments of the society questioning the very legitimacy of elections. Much is at stake in the coming months and years which will challenge America’s viable future.
At CRCC, the great spiritual leader, Rev. Cecil R. Murray wrote, “our actions in these troubled times must be guided by A Declaration of Interdependence”.
For more information about the CRCC programs at USC, contact Rev. Najuma by email, damalism@USC.edu
In the wake of a leaked recording of a conversation by four Civic officials in Los Angeles, California, full of racist and demeaning words, many community leaders have stepped forward to respond. In this episode listeners will hear from Hyepin Im, the founder and President of FACE, Faith and Community Empowerment. It is an important and inspiring service organization connected to the 5000 Korean Churches, with a long menu of programming for all who are in need. Their efforts for others to promote home ownership, to secure employment and to help youth, contribute to a better community. At the same time that FACE’s President Im is adding her voice to the outcry insisting that the officials on the recorded conversation resign their leadership positions, she is pleading for justice for those who committed most recently in Los Angeles a murderous attack against a defenseless Korean Shopkeeper, Tommy Lee, who lost his life during a robbery. Violent attacks against Asians continue as they have these last years. The despicable recorded conversation leaked to the public that has caused a civic crises in the City, feeds into the dehumanizing of certain groups undermining the very spirit that makes Los Angeles a diverse, dynamic array of people from all parts of the world. To contact the FACE organization - go to their website, www.facela.org
Like many places in the world, Los Angeles is in a phase of great transformation. Across the town, old and dilapidated structures are being torn down and replaced by modern, new buildings.
At the same time, in Los Angeles, there is an ongoing humanitarian crisis with tens of thousands of people and families homeless or falling into homelessness every day. It means that as the City experiences this physical transformation, it is imperative that housing becomes a priority, and especially affordable housing.
In this episode you will hear of a new kind of Civic Center being built called the WEST L. A. COMMONS. Lara Regus, Senior Vice President of Development for Abode Communities and William Lee, Vice President of Development for AvalonBay Communities, describe a model that brings private and public entities together to create a special way of living at this location and an environment for all L. A. to enjoy as well as the many visitors year round. The theme of this building transformation is to provide equitable housing and to encourage health and well being in this innovative community space.
Fernando Guerra is the Founder and Director of The Center for the Study of Los Angeles started in 1996, at the campus of the Loyola Marymount University,(LMU), located in a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. In addition to growing the Center in its breath of research, he has continued in the position of Professor of Political Science and Chicano Latino Studies for almost 40 years. He arrived at LMU after completing his Doctorate at the University of Michigan.
From the very beginning of his teaching he focused his classes on Los Angeles. The inspiration for the creation of such a Center came from the 1992 riots civil unrest which erupted in response to the lack of conviction of the Police Officers who had brutally beaten Rodney King, a Black man. Fernando saw the Center as a place to understand the people of Los Angeles in hope of creating a more equitable City through information from research, student mentorship and engagement with residents and leaders.
Fernando explains that the central technique at the Center is to survey the L. A. population about their views of civic issues and events and in essence become the City’s pollsters, amassing data that leaders and decision makers can use when considering policies and community programs. Given the dynamic quality of the City of Los Angeles, California, there are new challenges to survey for years to come. He discusses some of their findings and surprises from the past and for today.
- To contact Dr. Guerra, email, StudyLa@lmu.edu or fernando.guerra@lmu.edu
Hillel, on campuses across the United States and internationally, takes their place with other religious centers on college campuses, to enrich the lives of young people during their academic experience. In particular, the purpose of Hillel is to serve Jewish students at a pivotal time in their lives to foster learning about Jewish values and to promote their commitment to social justice as a lifelong cause. At the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) what is unique is the presence of a significant art center initially endowed by the late David Dortort, a renown television producer, inspired by the former UCLA Hillel Director, Rabbi Chaim Zeidler-Feller, and continued with the support of the current Director, Rabbi Aaron Lerner. It is called the Dortort Center for Creativity and the Arts at UCLA Hillel. And it is one of a kind, with 550 Hillels around the world, it is the only campus organization with a significant commitment to the arts for inspiration and for deepening learning experiences. Perla Karney, the Artistic Director of the Center for the last 18 years, has provided the kind of leadership and dedication that has demonstrated how a Hillel and other campus organizations can use the power of the arts in all its variety to expand the education of college students and engage the greater community as well. With her direction, painters, writers, photographers, actors as well as academic experts can bring people together in the common quest to make a better world. In the breadth of her programming for the UCLA Center both on campus and internationally, she has become a beacon of artistry as an arts administrator. For more information, or to propose an arts project, email: Perla@UCLAhillel.org
The thread of Fred Kaplan’s long career as a stellar Journalist has culminated in the last twenty years as the WAR STORIES Correspondent for Slate.com. It seems war is a topic for a lifetime career, and now in the year 2022, the war in Ukraine has no end in sight. Kaplan, besides being a Pulitzer Prize winning Defense Correspondent, is the author of six books, displaying his deep knowledge of the military issues that surround us. His latest book is, THE BOMB: Presidents, Generals and the Secret History of Nuclear War. He comes to this podcast episode with a keen assessment of how and why the war in Ukraine came about and where it is today. Looking at the geopolitical and historical perspective between Russia and the Ukrainian area, he is also able to draw upon a career highlight as the Boston Globe Bureau Chief in Moscow for three years. No one has a crystal ball and as Fred Kaplan explains, it is hard to know when the end of the war will come and what that will mean. In a global world, war or peace sends ripples far and wide.
At this writing in June of 2022, there is breaking news that a bipartisan agreement has been made among Leaders of the United States Senate bringing some hope of meaningful gun legislation.
Dr. Tony Beliz is returning to the COMMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE podcast program for the third time, responding to what seems like an epidemic of gun violence and school shootings moving across the U. S. ,with his emphasis on the importance of specialized training and preparation. Dr. Beliz brings decades of experience in developing how to asses persons on a path to violence and has worked as an independent consultant with mental health staff, law enforcement and educators nationally and internationally. Previously, he worked for 14 years as a Deputy Director at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health in California, organizing a team approach to threat assessments and innovative training protocols.
Dr. Beliz asks us to question what each of us can do on a local level, how we can become an advocate for increased training and collaboration in our communities as a way to stem this horrific surge of gun violence and deaths in the U. S. He urges us to realize it is time for us not to wait for the politicians to act but for each of us to become involved at least by voting for leaders who will work to protect all of us.
TO CONTACT Dr. Tony Beliz, email, belizphd@earthlink.net.
This is the final episode of a three part series asking three distinguished Rabbis of Los Angeles, California, to answer the same question - what is a Jew? According to Rabbi Missaghieh, showing three very different opinions on the same subject, each with valid points, is the essence of answering the question of what it means to be a Jew. The question is more important than the answer. The Jew, in this Rabbi’s answer, is someone living with ambiguity. The search itself for answers is the cornerstone of the identity. Rabbi Missaghieh is an innovative clergy, enriching her congregation at Temple Israel with creative programming. She has created Women’s Retreats and a series called TIOH Speaks - where she interviews Temple members on a variety of different topics. In addition, she has trained over 50 men and women to be part of the Temple’s Chevrah Kadisha, a group that prepares deceased for burial according to traditional practices. For the annual Jewish High Holidays, she conducts services that are participatory and standing room only. Listen to this third Rabbinic answer that ends the series and ponder the complex question - What is a Jew?
Into the 21st century we are struggling, challenges all around us, locally and globally. Award winning Journalist Howard Rosenberg helps us confront and understand where we are in the constantly changing world of media. How have the developments in the last years blurred our way of knowing the truth from the lies and driven us into a world of divisiveness and hostility. Rosenberg, as a 25 year veteran of television criticism writing for the Los Angeles Times, and a Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) teaching critical writing and news ethics retiring in 2019, can only offer us awareness and warnings for the path we are on in the Information Age. Howard Rosenberg, with Charles Feldman, is the author of NO TIME TO THINK: The Menace of Media Speed and the 24 Hour News Cycle. The Pulitzer prize was won for 10 columns in The Los Angeles Times. HERE IS A QUOTE FROM THE NEWS LITERACY PROJECT, 1/31/2022 “ Mindlessly sharing information can be harmful to others and our society. Remember to check your sources and verify facts before sharing information online."
Sexual harassment and assault often in the work place has been headlines in our society in the last years. Many prominent men have lost their jobs and their standing in the community after being immune from any accountability. At the same time, issues of blaming the female victim and protecting the male predator are still common in the lives of teen young women.
Listen to the voices of three teens who made this topic a research project as Fellows of an organization called MOVING TRADITIONS. Alex Nelson, Mayah Windt and Mia Vorkoper, all describe themselves as Feminists advocating for a change of attitude and the need for supportive responses in the high school’s culture and in their communities. They also explain the importance of publicizing resource information so that teens in need can know where to go for help.
Thanks to Dr. Robin Kay for coordinating the opportunity to hear from these outstanding young women who are speaking up to make all of us aware that female teens need protection and support and places to turn when necessary for healing.
Over a span of decades, Tracy Newman has used her creativity in folk song writing and singing, and in her pioneering work as a comedy writer for live performances and television audiences. The origins of much of the comedy we enjoy today in the United States, came from a blossoming of talent that arrived on the scene 50 years ago now. One of the places that became a hotbed of developing future comedic stars was a place called the GROUNDLINGS IMPROV THEATRE in Los Angeles, California, and Tracy was a founding member. It was there, like a farm team in sports, that future Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast members honed their talent and their performance styles in front of an audience. The likes of Melissa McCarthy, Will Farrell, Kristen Wiig, Phil Hartman and Lorraine Newman, to name a few, were plucked from the West Coast to arrive on the New York TV stage of SNL.
Tracy Newman takes us down the path from her folksinging days, to her trail of television sitcom writing with her partner John Stark, for popular shows like, Cheers, The Drew Carey Show, and her Emmy Award for the Ellen episode where Ellen announces to the world that she is Gay. After leaving television writing she returned to song writing and has produced CDs with her band TRACY NEWMAN AND THE REINFORCEMENTS. She also has created CDs for kids through her company, RUN ALONG HOME.
To hear her music, see her videos and purchase CDs, go to the website,
www.tracynewman.com
This topic is part of a series asking three Rabbis of Los Angeles, California, to answer the question, What is a Jew? In this episode you will hear from Rabbi Chaim, Director Emeritus of the UCLA Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life. He recently celebrated his fortieth year of working with students and faculty making Hillel a place where thousands would come for learning and personal growth. One of his greatest joys has been his Rabbinic work with students who would come to study with him. Rabbi Chaim is a frequent lecturer in various academic departments at UCLA and other universities. In 2014, he initiated a fact finding mission for non-Jewish student leaders to Israel and the Palestine Authority which is now offered on ninety campuses. Here he honors this podcast program by departing with his spiritual wisdoms in coming to grips with an enduring and complex question.
To contact Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, email, ChaimSF@UCLA.edu
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The Kurds are a people who lay claim to a land always under threat. In this episode, Barry Fisher, a return guest, talks about his link to the Kurds and their long suffering goal to create a Kurdistan, not dissimilar to the current struggle of the Ukrainians with their endless fight to carve out and maintain a separate country. The Kurds continue to be a people whose dream of having a peaceful, geographic space is a distant goal. They often become caught in historic struggles and swept into times when the world is full of refugees fleeing for their very lives. Fisher, as a well known humanitarian Lawyer, has no lack of work that calls him to all corners of the globe in defense of the vulnerable. He gives us a picture of the Kurds and their role on the global stage as they sit on the border of four Middle Eastern countries, lands that gave birth to Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
In March of 2021, one year ago, Dr. Tony Beliz, drew upon his expertise to discuss assessing persons on a pathway to violence. In this episode he returns to describe the long list of traumatic changes caused by the pandemic that has affected all of us. Dr. Beliz not only details prevention strategies but what families and friends need to look for in young people who fall into a state of isolation and hopelessness. He continues to be a Consultant to mental health staff, law enforcement personnel and educators, teaching how to respond to those individuals who become prone to hurt themselves or others. In conclusion, the costs of the pandemic, particularly on young people requires an expansion of training and mental health services. To contact Dr.Beliz, email, Belizphd@eartlink.net
Rabbi David Wolpe is a renown spiritual leader and scholar in the Jewish community and beyond. He is based in Los Angeles, California and holds the position of the Max Webb Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple, a large and historic place of worship and learning. He has taught at various significant universities, appeared in multiple television series and appeared in a myriad of public debates with the likes of Christopher Hitchens. Rabbi Wolpe is in demand as a keynote speaker, lecturer and spiritual teacher in the United States and around the world, from Israel to India. He is the author of eight books including a best seller, Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times (Riverhead) and his latest, David, The Divided Heart(Yale U Press). He is a Rabbinic innovator bringing a deeper understanding to what it means to be a human being and in enhancing Jewish spirituality. In this podcast episode Rabbi Wolpe has a unique answer to the topic question - What is a Jew? - a question that persists through the ages.
Mental health has become a wider concern as the pandemic way of life has restricted human contact and promoted feelings of depression and despair. For some time now, research has shown that turning to one’s sense of spirituality can be a powerful tool for increasing and maintaining mental health. In certain agencies and organizations mental health services have incorporated a client’s spirituality into an effective plan for their recovery from emotional distress.
Dr. Chris Miller discusses how this search for the benefits of spirituality at a time of stress can come from a formal religious practice or from a place where meaning, purpose and uplift can be found. For some finding spirituality may mean regular meditation, visits to nature, or involvement in an artistic endeavor, as examples. In recognizing the important role of spirituality in healing, the American Psychiatric Association has formed the Mental Health and Faith Community Partnership.
Dr. Miller can be contacted by email - CamillerLG@aol.com
Gypsies, known as Romani people, with their long history of moving across countries and continents, fit into the modern day movement of millions struggling to find a better and more peaceful life. Barry Fisher tells us the story of his own musical and professional legal relationship as their lawyer, a population often stereotyped, living in the realm of mystique and mystery. We come to understand like other marginalized and abused groups, that Barry Fisher as a Lawyer, calls upon the First Amendment Rights in the United States Constitution to offer Gypsies the cornerstone of human rights protection. Over many centuries, their music, their decor, and their fortune telling custom, is at times incorporated into mainstream cultural life even as they continue to be considered outsiders. Barry Fisher, in addition to his long career defending Gypsies as a Lawyer on the front lines, has struggled to protect the wilderness, defend free speech, retrieve funds from Swiss banks for Holocaust Survivors and represent Asian victims of sexual slavery of wartime Japan, as a partial list of his legal successes. In 2021, he was declared the International Lawyer of the Year by the California Bar Association. Thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast, COMMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE - Creator/Host, Keren Goldberg
Grieving, it seems, is something we all need to learn how to approach as it is inescapable in the human experience. It is offset by the joys and beauty of life as we carry it along with us. In these last two years, we are living in a time with grief all around us from the worldwide pandemic that persists. With guidance from Robin Kay, Ph.d, current Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and former Chief Deputy as well as Acting Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, we learn some essential information to assist in the common grieving process. In this podcast episode Dr. Kay covers what are some misconceptions, what are the facts, the four tasks we need to accomplish in the process and finally, the ultimate goal of moving on into the future with health and happiness. A wise person said, every happy moment in our life gives us the strength for the other.
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Note to Listeners - There are a few points on this podcast recording with tech difficulties. Thank you for listening for the valuable information about the functioning of the brain. K. G.
Dr. Steven Siegel, Chair of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine and Chief Mental Health and Wellness Officer for Keck Medicine, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, has spent years researching the brain. Beginning with an interest in scientific research especially on schizophrenia, he decided that becoming a medical doctor would allow him to make a more significant contribution to improving people’s lives. In this podcast episode Dr. Siegel helps us understand some of the complex biology of the brain and emphasizes the impact of early childhood experiences and stresses on our brain cells. He explains that this early childhood life affects the outcomes of the rest of our lives. Finally, Dr. Siegel’s plea is for societies, in response to the impact of the pandemic, greatly increase funding for mental illness and mental wellness services for better communities. To contact Dr. Siegel, email steven.siegel@med.usc.edu
Amie Quigley, Director of Community Programs at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood in California, has spent over the last decade perfecting outreach techniques and practices to those who are homeless, often mentally ill and with addictions. The centerpiece of her successes is her way of organizing agencies and service groups to coordinate their services through the Church sponsored Hollywood Healthcare Partnership. Community resources are leveraged in a concerted way to maximize results. To understand the true effectiveness of all Amie does, is to learn of her loving and respectful way of approaching everyone no matter their dire circumstances or condition. Amie Quigley is the model of a humanitarian reaching out to those individuals in the most trouble. She has lessons to teach us all and trains others to practice and organize her approach in response to the homeless.
Velina Hasu Houston, Playwright and Professor, child of a Japanese Mother and African American Father, was born on a United States Military Ship sitting in contested waters. All her life she has had that sense of fluid borders. Velina was raised in a small town in Kansas, middle America in every way, and at a young age announced that she wanted to write. Navigating through a society that more often searched to give her a fixed identity and limit her ambitions, she rejected that characterization and in spite of discouraging advice, went on to garner awards for playwriting and a Distinguished Professor designation at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dramatic Arts. Velina discusses the many sided ways of looking at identity, how her famous play, TEA is a homage to her Mother and her life in Kansas, as a Japanese immigrant woman, and muses about what identity means today as the world changes in the 21st century. Dr. Velina Hasu Houston’s play, TEA, is available from Dramatist’s Play Service on its website.
“Telling Untold Stories: The Latino Theatre Company of the Los Angeles Theatre Company” Evelina Fernandez, a founding member of the Latino Theatre Company and currently an Associate Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Theatre Center located in the heart of downtown, Los Angeles, describes her path from her part in the original production of Zoot Suit which went to Broadway, to becoming a lifelong advocate for social justice in the Chicano-Mexican American-Latino communities.
Everyone has an opinion about what the United States public education classrooms need, and everyone agrees there is something terribly wrong with how young people are learning, or not learning, in America’s public education system. Robin Lithgow, a prominent educator in California, was a classroom teacher for 21 years before becoming the Director of the Arts Branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District for 14 years. She has what might seem to some both classical and radical ideas for what is desperately needed for young people to become educated. It is clear we are living in a time when there are several threats to the functioning of our United States democracy, and having citizens who can think and calculate is obviously essential to its future. Listen to Robin Lithgow’s approach to fixing public education and along the way promoting how young people can become geniuses in our future society. Look for her upcoming book soon to be published, - LEARNING THE WAY SHAKESPEARE LEARNED: Classroom Dramatics, Physical Rhetoric and a Generation of Geniuses. For Contact: Robin@RobinLithgow.com
In December of 2020, at a moment when we were in the throes of a raging pandemic, Dr. Marvin J. Southard, former Director of the Los Angeles, California Department of Mental Health, talked about the costs and cures of our increasing divisiveness in the United States society and in families and friendships. We ended that episode by promising to visit this topic once again six months later, and in our salutations of good-bye, expressed hope for a better future. Fast forward to the Summer of 2021, late June, again with Dr. Southard who is a leader in bringing new understandings about mental illness and the necessary ingredients for mental health. In this episode he acknowledges that this condition of divisiveness regretfully is still with us with additional aggravations. Using his expertise, he explores the mental health and spiritual consequences when people feel the need to always be right, and what each of us can do to foster common goals for the greater good.
At a time of drought in the area of Southern California, and in the Southwest region of the United States, award-winning Novelist, Barbara Crane, gives us hope with her compelling and beautifully written story, WHEN WATER WAS EVERYWHERE. Fictional characters are set in the history of California at the dramatic moment when it passes from being part of Mexico to joining the United States as a result of the Mexican American War in the middle of the 19th century. Crane’s novel contributes to a greater understanding of the original population of the region by the indigenous tribe, the Tongva, which was a time when water was in abundance. We learn as we follow what happens to the people populating her novel, about the Los Angeles River, and in the Podcast conversation, how drought in California has developed. WHEN WATER WAS EVERYWHERE by Barbara Crane, entertains us with her fascinating story and at the same time, inspires us to consider our current water crises given new understandings of what is possible for better outcomes in the future. The book is available at Amazon and can be ordered at any bookstore. It can be found on Kindle or most E-book platforms. The website is Whenwaterwaseverywhere.com
The Karsh Family Social Service Center of the Los Angeles Wilshire Blvd. Jewish Temple is a Center for our times, offering a menu of free services for anyone walking through their doors. Given the increasing needs of individuals and families in many metropolitan cities of the U. S. , it is a model for how a religious institution can practice the commandment of love thy neighbor by reaching out. The Karsh Center is located at 3750 6th Street, Los Angeles, California, 90020, and to contact - www.karshcenter.org.
The organization, Faith and Community Empowerment (FACE), has a membership of over 300 Korean Churches in Los Angeles, California. The Founder and President of FACE, Hyepin Im, discusses the long standing history of Asians in the United States, especially in California, being an invisible minority and what this means with the current violent attacks against Asians. Suddenly, there is a focus on Asians in America revealing their great diversity, their historical contributions and place in the United States society, and the racism they have endured. The dedicated work of Hyepin Im is to make sure that Asians have a voice at “the table” where community concerns and decisions are made. Learn about FACE as a community organizing model of services for Koreans while open to everyone in need. To Contact: Hyepin Im, President FACE Www.facela.org Info@facela.org 3550 Wilshire Blvd. , #1124 Los Angeles, CA 90010
Some young people have hardly known what a consistent family life could be. They have spent much of their childhood and adolescence being shuffled from one foster family to another in a system allowing them to arrive at 18 years old unprepared for their future as an adult. Today, there is an organization that is taking on this challenge head on based in Los Angeles, California. Listen to the approach of the FAITH FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK (3FN)’s Executive Director, Nancy Harris, describing their program, and their advocacy for more mental health funding and for the ways the child welfare system, with its youth in foster care, needs to change. To become involved and/or make a donation: Contact, info@faithfosterfamilies.org or call, 1(323) 531-7900 Website - www.faithfosterfamilies.org Follow on FB or Instagram at faithfosterfamilies
In Los Angeles, California, there is a church that is historic for being a center for social justice and police community relations. It is called the Church of Epiphany, one of the oldest Episcopal Churches in L. A. , and has a famous basement where meetings of social activists of the 1970s, and beyond were part of the Chicano (Mexican American) Movement for immigrant reform and a Moratorium on the Vietnam War. Today, Rev. Carey carries on the tradition of being out front in finding solutions for our most pressing societal problems.
The long trail of brutality toward African American males is the backdrop of Pastor Oliver Buie’s opening commentary on 400 hundred years of being discounted and mistreated. Facing the last year, and the future in this year of 2021, he makes the case for the remedies for racism, and the call for America to live up to its promise at last. Recounting memories from his own life, Pastor Buie describes how the whole of the United States society can benefit when we come together to be inspired by the late Congressman John Lewis - to create the “beloved community”. Pastor Buie is carrying on in the spirit of Lewis and Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. both Clergy leaders full of hope for humanity.
Dr. Tony Beliz, renown Psychologist in developing programs and trainings to assess persons prone to commit acts of violence, talks about his past work at the Los County Department of Mental Health as well as an independent consultant, to teach mental health staff, law enforcement personnel and educators how to respond to those individuals who, often out of hopelessness and isolation, become prone to hurt themselves and others. The basis of his approach is to remember that everyone has a story that has brought them to this terrible moment. In conclusion, he urges all of us to be aware that the expansion of mental health services and their access, is imperative for creating prevention resources and safer communities. To contact Dr. Beliz, email - belizphd@earthlink.net
MEDIAU is a concept ready to facilitate new pathways to a career in the changing and expanding world of media. It offers an online education available globally credited by and associated with the University of California at Irvine (UCI). There are several unique aspects of an education at MediaU. Adam Leipzig, the Founder, is a former movie producer, and past President of National Geographic Films. Besides spearheading the development of this innovative online media education, he is a Professional Faculty member of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He and his team of media experts have access to media employers’ needs and with that in mind, allow courses to be designed by students with the goal of promoting their creativity and career aspirations. At MediaU the securing of a job is kept in mind as choices are made for individual educational courses. Six months from now the full launch of MediaU programming will be completed. In the meantime, contact MediaU.com to be added to a list for additional information on courses and fees, and available scholarships.
In the olden days there were orphanages in the United States. Since the 1980s, in a major metropolis like Los Angeles, California, there has been a foster care system for children who are not growing up with a family member. This system has created its own problems with currently 30,000 youth under the charge of the Los Angeles County government. In 2017, arrived on the scene a new coalition, the Faith Foster Families Network (3FN), made up of six Black Churches and community organizations dedicated to improving the fostering of children and their outcomes for a better future life, addressing the fact that 80% or more of these children are Black and Brown. The Network’s quest is to find and support loving foster families who provide a temporary setting or, if possible, may provide foster children with a permanent home which may lead to an adoption.. Listen to the Network’s goals, hopes and accomplishments. To contact or become involved: Info@faithfosterfamilies.org, telephone, (323) 531-7900, address, 3320 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90018
Healing is needed now more than ever. The arts, available to all, offer powerful tools for sustaining us as we navigate the challenges of life during this pandemic. Ping Ho, Founder and Director of the University of California at Los Angeles (USA) Arts & Healing Program, gives us a roadmap for how to harness the arts for our well-being. She insists that we are each capable of self-expression in myriad forms such as dance, painting, drumming, drama, and more. What is necessary is that we abandon self-judgment and embrace the artistic process in order to facilitate creativity. Ping gives specific techniques we can use in times of stress to find empowerment, self-discovery, connection, and joy, even when sheltering at home. To learn more and to participate in workshops, go to www.uclartsandhealing.org
Marvin J. Southard, Ph.d in his long career, contributed to new understandings and acceptance of mental illness, explaining in his innovative programming, that we are all on the same path of mental wellness, educating communities on how to reduce the stigma of mental illness. He had a lasting impact as a Director of the Los Angeles County, California, Mental Health Department bringing together spirituality and mental health in partnership of service to individuals and families. This has meant a partnership between clergy leaders and the largest government mental health department in the USA. In discussing the divisiveness in the United States society and in many parts of the world, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience spanning decades of working in diverse communities. He has a unique proposal how we may come together knowing the high costs of what a continuing divided society can mean.
Speaking as a Pastor of the Word of Encouragement Community Church, Reverend Smith Pollard discusses why clergy are in a position to be out front in helping congregants deal with the issues of our time - the pandemic, social justice, systemic racism and economic struggle. Most importantly, she explains why Black Lives Matter means everyone’s life matters, and the tradition in history of clergy of many denominations leading people to a better world.
The Pico Union Project is the name of an extraordinary community center located in a Jewish Synagogue dating back to 1909, situated in a multiethnic Los Angeles neighborhood of many refugees. The Center is a model of vibrancy that practices responding to the needs of neighbors with determination and imagination. PUP founded by Craig Taubman who worked for years in the music industry, uses his talents to bring people together from all over Los Angeles to a Center created at a time of divisiveness. To make a donation go to www.picounionproject.org or write to PUP 1153 Valencia, Los Angeles, California 90015, USA
Learn about the history and operation of an important and pioneering regional theatre in the USA as part of the global City of Los Angeles. Evelina Fernandez, playwright, actress, and Associate Artistic Director, has been a part of the performing arts center (LATC) since the mid-1980s. She discusses the pioneering theatrical work of LATC celebrating and encouraging the arts from diverse communities locally and worldwide. Evelina explains how the Latino Theatre Company developed in this exciting atmosphere of artistic innovation and evolved to managing this four theatre complex since 2007.
ARMENIANS: FROM TRAUMA TO RESILIENCE Salpi Ghazarian, Director of the University of Southern California Institute of Armenian Studies, comes to this episode at a moment of war in the Armenian enclave of Azerberijan where drones supplied by Turkey are attacking the population as a way of forcing Armenians to leave this territory. The moment conjures up the long historic story of trauma in Armenian life. The most stark example was the genocide of 1915, by the Ottoman Turkish Empire that murdered 1.5 million Armenians and how the telling of this event from generation to generation has become part of Armenian identity. Director Ghazarian explains how sustained trauma in Armenian life has promoted resiliency, the need to continue reinventing themselves wherever their diaspora has brought them. To contact her for information and/or questions, email, Armenian@USC.edu I
A conversation with Judith Sydner-Gordon. A New Way of Life Re-Entry Project (ANWOL) founded and directed by Susan Burton, is a model for bringing people leaving prison back into a productive and contributing way of life. In this organization the focus is on the unique needs of women and their children. Learn about ANWOL’s 22 years of success and how it continues to grow. To contribute or to volunteer - The website - anewwayoflife.org or text, #Freedomwork to 44321 Write to P. O. Box, 875288, L. A. 90087 Call - the office, (323) 563-3575 Susan Burton’s Memoir - BECOMING MS. BURTON is available from Amazon and Audible Audiobooks
Dr. Robert Scott describes his unique career and experiences both locally and all over the world, treating and teaching how to bring healing to Firefighters who give so much to their community. He was with many for two weeks during 9/11, in New York, and has traveled to Kuwait to help those fighting fires in the middle of war, as examples of his rich career.
What to expect with the new series with outstanding guests from a variety of disciplines.
A talk with Psychologist Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, Author, and Minister