Susan McClelland is a journalist, and an author of some special books–ones that focus on the life of children, young people in war-torn lands. Her latest is Boy from Buchenwald–The True Story of a Holocaust Survivor. The young boy is Robbie Waisman who moved to Canada in 1948 following rescue from a concentration camp and some years of education in France. This is a very tough story, but one that needs to be read, for numerous reasons–among them to understand the horrors and atrocities of war and the resilience of human beings.

www.smcclelland.com

Matthew Cave is the Market Director for Cricket Wireless and joins us to provide details of the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit program. This is really great for qualified individuals and households to get some financial help, up to $50/month –until the fund is expended or 6 months after the end of the public health emergency. People can find enrollment info at : https://www.cricketwireless.com/emergency-groadband-benefit.html

Warren Leyh is the Director of Clinical Services at “Lifelong” a non-profit organization that makes it their goal to support persons who are facing illness and injustice, in particular the LGBTQ community. It’s important and critical work and while big strides have been made with simpler medications, and getting some control, the case numbers have really increased for Persons of Color. Lifelong provides advocacy, and case workers who work alongside individuals to coordinate help, navigate the medical and insurance systems, and find housing. Volunteers are always needed, and financial donations always help.

www.lifelong.org

Ravi Hutheesing is a culture catalyst, a keynote speaker, was a guitarist for Hanson–and triple Grammy nominated. He is also an author and his book: PIVOT: Empowering Students Today to Succeed in an Unpredictable Tomorrow, couldn’t be more timely. Its value is for teachers, parents, and students themselves, to learn how to ‘Pivot’, move from what was to a current condition, and do so fluidly. It’s something we can learn, it’s something to incorporate into classrooms which need to become a hybrid model. And learning this will set the foundation to be life-long learners. Ravi engages students and teachers in ‘Ravi Unites Schools, a global school network that enables teachers to have groups of students participate in online real-time AV interactions with peers around the world.

www.raviunites.com

Dr. Marybeth Shinn is a Professor at Vanderbilt University in the department of Human and Organizational Development, and author of the book– In the Midst of Plenty: Homelessness and What to Do About it. She provides some history of how we have arrived at today’s crisis. Inequity in wages and the lack of affordable housing are major issues.

http://www.evidenceonhomelessness.com/experts/marybeth-shinn/

Two guests offer good, supportive information about facing and dealing with mental health/illness conditions. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, 41% of Americans report anxiety and depression symptoms up from just 11% in 2019. So it’s important to be open about it and talk about it. Kevin Petersen is a family addictions psychotherapist and author of Chronic Hope: Families and addiction. Kevin speaks and counsels from his own experiences with addiction. www.ChronicHope.us

David Rabadi is a mental health advocate whose mission is to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness. He’s also written about his experiences with bi -polar disorder in his new book: How I Lost My Mind and Found Myself. www.DavidRabadi.com

Robert Beatty has establishing himself as a #1 New York Times best selling author and even has his books optioned for movies–the Sarafina series. His newest book is: Willa of Dark Hollow. Very thought provoking about the interconnection between all life! His daughters and his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina are the source of his inspiration. Great books for middle schoolers are so critical for their education and development and they’re also good reading for all ages.

www.robertbeattybooks.com

Luke Minor is the Director of WA529, Washington State’s College Savings plans. The 2 programs: GET is still a good option, and the new Dream Ahead college investment plan is the option for folks choosing to have the funds work in ‘the market’. These funds can be used anywhere in the country, at most educational institutions, including technical schools and even now pay off student loans. Students who know there’s a goal and plan for them post high school have shown they perform better in school.
www.wastate529.wa.gov

Dr. Ruchi Sharma is an internal medical physician at Pacific Medical Centers. Dr. Sharma talks about the covid vaccines, their safety, the need to still follow safe protocols, and the importance of the majority of people taking the vaccine. And we must look at the broader landscape, and think about the greater good.

www.pacificmedicalcenters.org

Betsey Brock is the Executive Director of On the Boards a Seattle based non-profit who invests in leading contemporary performing artists near and far, and connects them to a diverse range of communities interested in forward-thinking art and ideas. An important part of our greater Arts community, On the Boards is also part of Give Big WA and would appreciate our support to continue their work that positively affects us all.

www.ontheboards.org www.givebigwa.org