Homeless to Lawyer: Recent Episodes
Nikki Johnson-Huston
Nikki Johnson-Huston’s journey of overcoming poverty and homelessness to become a successful attorney has shaped her view of the world and her commitment to making sure that others have the same opportunities to pursue their own dreams, but in today’s world that seems to be more and more complex and we seem to be more divided than ever. This podcast is about having the sometimes difficult conversations with people who may have widely differing worldviews and values but to do so honestly and respectfully. Nikki hopes to listen, learn and open up the lines of communication, and she hopes that you will join her on that journey.
Meiyoko Taylor is a distinguished and acclaimed celebrity life and transformation coach acknowledged as one of the Top 23 Innovative Coaches for today's leaders by Business Insider and has earned the well-deserved title of "The Trajectory Changer". With expertise in transformation coaching, mental health advocacy, and entrepreneurship, Meiyoko has dedicated the past decade to guiding high-profile figures, entrepreneurs, and professionals on a journey to bid farewell to burnout, reclaim their time, and construct lives overflowing with purpose, freedom, and profound fulfillment.
This episode of "The Homeless to Lawyer Podcast" will discuss the role that coaching can play in helping their clients overcome failure, define what success means for them individually and find their gifts and purpose in life.
Jennifer Lynn Robinson, Esquire is a professional speaker and the CEO of Purposeful Networking. Her expertise is in strategic networking, communications, leadership, resilience, and workplace relations. Jennifer gave a TEDx talk in June 2020. She is a media contributor who has been featured both locally and nationally. Some of her media coverage includes Cheddar, CBS, NBC, PHL17, FOX, Forbes, The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Chicago Tribune, and Philadelphia Magazine. Jennifer is also a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine. She began teaching Business Communication at The Wharton School in Fall 2022.
This episode discusses Jennifer's journey from being a successful litigation attorney to having to overcome a devastating accident that caused a traumatic brain injury. Jennifer discusses the challenges of having an invisible disability and finding a new passion after losing a well-established career and identity that she had worked her entire life to attain. Jennifer has become an inspiration and motivational Keynote Speaker and most recently a beauty queen where she won the world title and was crowned Mrs. Classic Universe 2022-2023. Be prepared to be moved and inspired by this accomplished and resilient guest.
In this episode, we meet Katherine Gilmore Richardson who is serving her first term as Councilmember At-Large for the City of Philadelphia. Gilmore Richardson is the youngest woman ever elected citywide and the youngest African American woman ever elected to Philadelphia City Council. She is focused on addressing the city’s ongoing recovery from Covid-19, upskilling and reskilling our workforce, supporting local, small, and minority-owned businesses, and addressing climate change and environmental justice.
Councilmember Gilmore Richardson also created Philadelphia’s first Apprenticeship Guidebook. The Guidebook includes information about application requirements, training programs, career fields, and pay and benefits for over 20 apprenticeship programs in Philadelphia. The hope is that the Apprenticeship Guidebook will allow young people who are unable or uninterested in attending college to have the opportunity to learn an essential skill that will enable them to earn a liveable wage.
Gilmore Richardson previously served as a staff member for Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown for 11 years in roles ranging from Constituent Services to Chief of Staff. A lifelong Philadelphian, Gilmore Richardson is a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Girls and West Chester University. She is a Riddge Avenue Church of God of Prophecy member and a proud life member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. Gilmore Richardson resides in Wynnefield with her husband and three children.
Elizabeth Fortuner is currently the Outreach & Marketing Specialist for a statewide program called, Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness. Elizabeth has a vigorous understanding and background in informing and training local school districts, county welfare agencies, and higher-ed institutions of their responsibilities to children and youth experiencing homelessness and/or in the foster care system which falls under the two federal educational laws, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act. In this episode, we discuss the important work that Liz is doing to support children experiencing homelessness and how her journey of 18 years in the Foster Care System and experiencing periods of homelessness has inspired her to improve our lives using the very important McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Amber Monet is a filmmaker, Founder, and CEO of Daphne Pictures and is the documentary director on the life of the famous gospel icon, entitled "The Legendary Marion Williams," currently airing on Amazon Prime. This episode of the Homeless to Lawyer Podcast discusses Amber's challenges as a creative woman of color, how she was able to get experience in the media space when she came into the industry as a trained professional dancer, and how she was able to get a documentary made in terms of financing and finding a distribution channel. Amber lastly discusses how she got her documentary on the streaming platform of Amazon Prime and the next steps in her career.
Marc Zucker, Esq. is a prominent Philadelphia Attorney, and partner in the law firm of Weir Greenblatt Pierce, LLC. Marc focuses on complex commercial litigation and serves as a private arbitrator and mediator in commercial matters. Marc Zucker is currently the 96th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association which has over 10,000 members and is the oldest association of lawyers in the country. In this episode, we discuss Chancellor Zucker's journey within the legal profession to his current positions in leadership, and how he manages to succeed professionally and personally with the support of his wife Karen, a magisterial district judge. We discuss the many changes the legal industry has undergone since the Covid pandemic and the opportunities and challenges that these changes present especially for young lawyers. The discussion turned to the division within the country and how such a large organization balances the competing needs of numerous members who have different value systems, politics, and ideologies. Lastly, we discuss the alarming rise in antisemitism and the work that he is doing at the community level to better educate the public about the danger these harmful ideals present.
This episode focuses on the meteoric career of this young, dynamic, and brilliant award-winning journalist who is the author of a thought-provoking new book called "The Case for Cancel Culture". We discuss Ernest Owens's rise from student journalist at the University of Pennsylvania to becoming one of the most prominent freelancers in the country while speaking out about issues related to race and sexuality as an openly gay Black Man. We discuss the pushback he received from speaking out about racism in the gayborhood in Philadelphia and how standing up against injustice made systemic changes that are benefitting LGBTQIA+ individuals of color today. A journalist who is creating a media empire using an adversarial style that calls out those in power and holds them accountable for their words and actions while also providing opportunities to the next generation of journalists of color. Ernest Owens is a young man to watch.
Ernest Owens is an award-winning journalist and CEO of Ernest Media Empire, LLC. He is the Editor at Large for Philadelphia Magazine and President of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. He hosts the hit podcast "Ernestly Speaking!" and is an author of the upcoming book "The Case for Cancel Culture" to be published by St. Martin's Press, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, in February 2023. As an openly Black gay journalist, he has made headlines for speaking frankly about intersectional issues in society regarding race, LGBTQIA, and pop culture. In 2018, he launched his growing media company which specializes in multimedia production, consulting, and communications.
Reverend Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a daughter of Detroit, is a Black queer preacher, teacher, and activist. Rev. Naomi currently serves as the Director for Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs for the City of Philadelphia. In this role, she serves as a public-facing leader, liaison, and subject matter expert for the Mayor's Office on local and national matters that impact diverse communities of faith.
Rev. Naomi is an Intergroup Relations Facilitator and Adjunct Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University.
In, 2021, Rev. Naomi founded Salt/Yeast/Light, an organization that develops spaces and spiritual; education, disruption, reflection, transformation, and public action.
This episode discusses the work that Reverend Naomi does in the religious space with an emphasis on having the sometimes difficult conversations around racial justice, LGBTQ+ issues and how to making lasting and systemic changes in a world that seems unable to answer the question about whether "Black Lives Matter"?
Rich Cedron is a 35-year Union Carpenter, Diabetes Advocate, and President of the Friends of Marconi, the lead plaintiff in the Christopher Columbus statute case, which had been fought since the Summer of 2020 after the social justice protests over the death of George Floyd. The Philadelphia Historical Commission voted to remove the statute to the objections of some in the Italian American community who see Christopher Columbus as a representative of the achievements of Italian-Americans and others in the community who see him as a divisive person engaging in the destruction of indigenous people. This conversation discusses the challenges of balancing the needs of one community to maintain what they perceive to be their heritage while respecting the voices of groups who believe those traditions have harmed them. We also discuss the importance of young people learning union trades as a path to economic prosperity. Lastly, discuss Rich's struggle with Diabetes and how he has learned to survive and thrive through this illness that impacts millions of Americans.
- This podcast episode discusses sexual matters and nontraditional relationship dynamics. Listener discretion is advised.
Malloy Hanfling is a licensed clinical social worker and Ph.D. Student of Human Sexuality at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She has a private practice called Courage to Grow Counseling, focused on serving LGBTQ2IA+ individuals and couples. Mallory also runs a group for a population she refers to as "fireflies" or currently referred to as "late-in-life lesbians."
This conversation will focus on educating listeners about the meaning of “LGBTQ2SIA+”, why it's important to society to expand our definition of sexuality and gender beyond our traditional understanding, Mallory's own journey as a firefly after being married to a man, and how her TikTok about "fireflies" went viral. We discuss some of the challenges that people within the LGBTQ2SIA+ community struggle with and why creating a more accepting and supportive world benefits all of us.
Join us for a special holiday episode of the Homeless to Lawyer Podcast. Pastor Chuck Blair is the dynamic, charismatic, and spiritually engaging founder of New Church Live, one of the leading churches in the Philadelphia area around online community and services. Our conversation will focus on the importance of service and gratitude all year round and explore why we feel the need to serve, especially during the holiday season. While the holiday season can be incredibly joyful, it can also be very sad and challenging for those struggling with personal issues, and we discuss how to best support each other during this time of the year. Lastly, we discuss how the New Year is an opportunity for renewal and a fresh start, both personally and spiritually.
Linda A. Kerns, Esq. is a well-known election law expert who practices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In this episode, we discuss how she became involved in election law, what an election attorney does, and the vital role she plays in helping elections be more transparent. Ms. Kerns discusses how she came to represent The Donald Trump for President 2020 Campaign and about the issues of election integrity and issues of voter suppression.
Randy Robinson is a political consultant and government relations liaison for M R Strategies, LLC and RRR Consulting, LLC. Randy has a proven record of success in planning and leading comprehensive strategies in support of candidates and/or organizations' goals and objectives. Randy is also an On-Air Political Contributor for Fox 29. This episode discusses Randy's journey into the political world, becoming a Black Republican, and the issues and concerns he has about the current state of the Republican Party. We speak about his commitment to the black community and his involvement with the National African-American Gun Association, and his advocacy around promoting responsible gun ownership for black gun owners. Lastly, we discuss which party has the best solutions to today's most pressing social issues.
Ira Anthony Evans is a Gifted Celebrity Makeup Artist based in Philadelphia, PA. This podcast focuses on his passion for beauty and how he used it to become a successful self-taught makeup artist. This conversation discusses the standards of beauty in today's social media world, helping women to find the best version of themselves, and how he is growing his brand to be not only an incredible artist but also a successful business person. Ira discusses the challenges that he has had as a gay black man in the beauty industry and how he is using those experiences to move his business forward into the future.
Jeffrey Sitcov is President & Founder of Doors of Change (also known as Photocharity). For over 20 years, Jeffrey has been leading an amazing group of committed volunteers to help homeless youth ages 17-25 get off the streets in San Diego and 13 different states. Over this time, the group has helped over 15,000 homeless youth, helped place over 2,300 homeless youth in long-term safe housing, and developed an award-winning music and art program ("Taking Music & Art to the Streets") that has benefited more than 8,300 homeless youth. Elton John, Billy Joel, The Rolling Stones, Carlos Santana, B.B King, and many others have supported Doors of Change. Jeffrey has received awards locally and nationally, including the Channel 10 Leadership Award, Torrey Pines Bank Circle of Excellence Award, La Mesa Rotary "Peacemaker of the Year Award," and the Jewish Family Services Volunteer of the Year Award. He was also a semifinalist for the national Volvo For Life Award. Jeffrey speaks about why helping homeless youth has become such a passion and what it takes to end the cycle of homelessness successfully.
Sister Mary Scullion has been involved in service work and advocacy for homeless and mentally ill persons since 1978. In 1989, Sister Mary and Joan Dawson McConnon co-founded Project HOME (Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, Education). This nationally recognized organization provides supportive housing, employment, education, and health care to enable chronically homeless and low-income persons to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. Under their leadership, Project HOME has grown from an emergency winter shelter to 900 units of housing, three social enterprises, the Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Lab, which is a catalyst for education and employment, and the Steven Klein Wellness Center.
Alfonso Geiger has been a resident of Project HOME for eight years. He is a Peer Support Specialist at Northeast Treatment (NET) Centers, where he supports individuals in their recovery journey. He is also an active member of Project HOME's Advocacy Committee and Speakers Bureau.
Sister Mary and Alfonso discuss the vital work of Project HOME, how we can support those experiencing homelessness, and what community members can do to be more educated on the issue. Alfonso also has a raw and honest conversation about how he ended up on the streets, the life lessons he learned along the way, and why it's important for him to pay it forward by sharing his success story. The issue of homelessness is personal to me because of my own family's experience living on the streets, so this discussion focuses on finding solutions to homelessness and providing grace, kindness, and support to those experiencing homelessness. Because as the motto of Project HOME states: "None of us are home until all of us are home.
Gina Rubel is a communications expert, former litigator, three-time book author, and CEO of the nationally renowned legal marketing agency, Furia Rubel Communications. On top of that, she's also the mother of two college-age children and an avid community volunteer. Gina discusses her journey from practicing attorney to being a Public Relations Diva and the pride of celebrating 20 successful years of her company Furia Rubel. The discussion then turns to the services she provides to her clients, with a particular focus on the world of social media. We discuss the importance of social media and the pitfalls that individuals and businesses need to be wary of because the influence that can be given by social media prominence can be taken away if social media is misused in the form of cancellation. Gina's values are reflected in one of her favorite books, "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz. We discuss how following those rules has helped her find personal and professional success.
In 2017, Peter Urscheler was elected the youngest mayor in the 169-year history of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, at the age of 34. Mayor "Pete," as he is affectionately known, is an innovative leader. While he is an unabashed cheerleader for his community, he also tackles some of today's most challenging issues like community/police relations and homelessness in an area that is becoming increasingly affluent. There is a fear that it will become unaffordable for some people who may have previously called Phoenixville, PA, home. Mayor Pete discusses how his diverse ethnicity and supportive parents made him the leader he is today, caring for his elderly father during his race for Mayor and how it impacted his time as Mayor and the lessons he learned. When there is a significant political divide, it's refreshing to speak with a politician who represents everyone in his community regardless of whether they agree with him or not. While it's easy to focus on all national issues, don't forget that "All Politics Is Local."
Yasmine Mustafa is a social entrepreneur and the CEO & Co-Founder of ROAR for Good, a mission-driven technology company dedicated to cultivating safer workplaces. The patented platform protects at-risk hotel and healthcare workers from harm by using wearable panic button technology to summon help with one touch of a button. Yasmine speaks compellingly about her journey from undocumented to tech guru, the challenges of being a successful woman leader in the technology spaces, and how being a woman of color has informed her mission of combating violence against women.
Wesley R. Payne, IV is the 95th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association and an experienced trial attorney with over 30 years of advising clients on complex litigation matters. In this edition of the Homeless to Lawyer Podcast, Chancellor Payne discusses his background and what lead to his career in law, his involvement in numerous charities with a special emphasis on helping those experiencing homelessness, and his commitment to increasing Diversity and Inclusion within the legal profession. The mission of the Philadelphia Bar Association is to serve the profession and the public by promoting justice, professional excellence, and respect for the rule of law. In so doing, the association strives to foster understanding of, involvement in, and access to the justice system. The Bar Association is the oldest association of lawyers in the country and recently celebrated its 220th Anniversary. Chancellor Payne discusses leading during such challenging times and how he and the Philadelphia Bar Association can best support lawyers.
Prominent Philadelphia Attorney and Republican U.S. Senate Candidate George Bochetto is an American Success story. As an infant, Mr. Bochetto was left on the doorsteps of a Catholic orphanage, where he was raised until the age of six, when he entered the foster care system, where he bounced around until he was finally adopted. George worked his way through college and decided to become an attorney. He has had a successful legal career for the last five decades. This podcast will explore Mr. Bochetto's journey from orphan to a lawyer, how his conservative and cultural values shaped his life and why he has decided to run for public office during some of the most politically polarizing times this country has seen in recent memory. Mr. Bochetto explains why he believes that being a conservative is not at odds with wanting to provide better opportunities for everyone, the most pressing issues that Republican voters are concerned with, and answers whether he believes that we as a country can find common ground.
Reggie Shufordbecame executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania in September 2011. Before joining the ACLU-PA, he served as the director of law and policy at the Equal Justice Society (EJS), a national strategy group heightening consciousness on race in the law and popular discourse. From 1995-to 2010, Reggie served as senior staff counsel in the national ACLU's Racial Justice Program. During his tenure there, he helped pioneer legal challenges to racial profiling practices nationwide. He was the ACLU's chief litigator in challenges to racial profiling, leading national litigation efforts and consulting with ACLU state affiliates and others in cases of "driving while black or brown," airport profiling, and profiling related to the war on terror.
This podcast discusses Reggie's upbringing in North Carolina, his experience as the first black graduate in 1984 from Cape Fear Academy, which was a school created as a "segregation academy" so white children would not have to attend school with black children, and his graduation from The University of North Carolina's School of Law in Chapel Hill. We discuss how these life experiences have fueled his passion for civil rights, equality, and social justice. We also discuss some of today's most talked-about issues like Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Law, Critical Race Theory, and the role that organizations like the ACLU play in creating opportunity and fairness for all people. The recent nomination of the first African-American woman to the Supreme Court and how political polarization hurts the country, especially those in marginalized communities.
Keisha Hudson is the new Chief Public Defender for Philadelphia and has spent nearly eighteen years as a public defender, first with the Defender Association of Philadelphia and then as a capital appellate defender with the Federal Defender-Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Capital Habeas Unit), representing people on death row in their state post-conviction and federal habeas appeals. As a seasoned trial and appellate defender, Ms. Hudson has an in-depth understanding of what it means to be a public defender. At the Capital Habeas Unit, Ms. Hudson was the Director of Training.
In 2016, Ms. Hudson left the Federal Defender and joined the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender Officer to become the Deputy Chief Defender. Ms. Hudson joined the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender with the goal of building and strengthening advocacy in the courtroom. Along with former Chief Defender Dean Beer, Ms. Hudson addressed systemic issues regarding policing, pretrial detention, sentencing, and probation in the county. In four years, Chief Defender Dean Beer and Ms. Hudson built one of the best public defender offices in the state.
In 2020, Ms. Hudson worked with The Justice Collaborative and The Appeal, developing and leading advocacy and media campaigns on criminal justice issues- campaigns specifically aimed at looking at creative and thriving community alternatives that truly create public safety. From 2020 to the present, Ms. Hudson has been a visiting professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law.
Ms. Hudson talks about what she believes to be the root causes of crime, why we are seeing a sharp increase in the crime rate, and what can be done to create an equitable system while maintaining public safety. Some of the hot button issues in criminal justice reform like reduced probation terms and no cash bail and why the role of Public Defender is so important. Ms. Hudson discusses her journey as an immigrant from Jamaica to advocate for those who end up in the criminal justice system.
Christine Flowers is a proud Philadelphian, accomplished immigration attorney, conservative writer, and controversial political commentator.
Christine discusses her journey from Democrat to Conservative and the challenges of espousing a very different political philosophy than many who live in her beloved Philadelphia. Christine has been vocal in her opposition to abortion, critical race theory, and Black Lives Matter. She is equally vocal about what it means to be a good Catholic.
We talk race, crime, and cancel culture. Hear Christine's thoughts on political figures President Joe Biden and progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner
Join us for an honest yet respectful conversation that touches on many current hot-button issues. We try to answer the question - how do you find common ground with such divergent viewpoints, and, more importantly, is it even possible in today's divisive political climate?
In January 2010, Seth Williams was elected the first African American District Attorney in Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. During his time in office, there was a significant decrease in gun violence. His office also aggressively prosecuted Catholic Church sex abuse cases. Seth Williams was a trail-blazing district attorney in criminal justice reform. Unfortunately, he would be indicted on 23 counts of bribery, extortion, and fraud within seven short years. He was forced to resign and pleaded guilty to one charge in June 2017. After spending three years in Federal Prison, Seth Williams is back working in Philadelphia with recently released inmates helping them obtain the necessary skills to succeed in life after prison. This conversation will discuss Seth Williams's rise, fall, and hopeful redemption. As a former District Attorney, he shares his thoughts on the increasing crime rate and what he believes we can do to provide a fair and equitable criminal justice system while preserving public safety.
State Representative Donna Bullock is a Pennsylvania House of Representatives member representing the 195th Legislative District in North and West Philadelphia. State Rep Bullock is undeniably an American Success Story. Raised by a single mother, she overcame a childhood of poverty and food and housing insecurity to become the incredible leader she is today. A fierce advocate for those living in poverty, she used her passion for helping others to become an attorney for Community Legal Services before serving as special assistant to Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke. A wife and mother to two boys, State Rep. Bullock has taken on the fight for access to quality public education for all and criminal justice reform. State Rep Bullock has recently been making headlines as an outspoken critic of the Philadelphia School District's new lottery process for placing students in some of the best public high schools in the city. A move the Philadelphia School District believes will provide better opportunities for disadvantaged students, but State Rep. Bullock believes will hurt many of the students it's intended to benefit. I hope this discussion will answer how do you best help disadvantaged students find educational opportunities?
On January 6th, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump believing that the 2020 Presidential Election had been stolen by then President-Elect Joe Biden attempted to overturn the election by interrupting the joint session of Congress that was set to count the electoral votes which would certify that Joe Biden would become the 46th President of the United States. There is a dispute about what the intent was of the Trump supporters marching over to the U.S. Capitol but it quickly devolved into a riot which saw one of the protestors shot and killed by the Capitol Police, numerous people injured, including 138 police officers, looting, vandalism and included members of Congress being locked down for their safety.
President Trump’s claims of election fraud and his failure to call off his supporters who had taken over the Capital, for hours was the basis in which he was impeached for incitement of insurrection. Hear from the attorneys who represented President Trump, prominent Philadelphia attorneys Bruce Castor and Michael Van Der Veen who defended the case on behalf of President Trump. In February 2021, the Senate acquitted President in a vote of 57–43.
The attorneys will share how it felt to be part of one of the most significant cases in American History, what treatment they received for representing President Trump while living in a Blue State, how they feel that we can lessen the political divide and what Former Donald Trump is really like?
The discussion ends with Bruce Castor who was the District Attorney in the Cosby case who made the original deal talking about how he feels about Bill Cosby going free and what he thinks about the women who accused Bill Cosby of assault.