Community Action

Lisa is joined by Jillian Benfield and Usha Tewari in a conversation about how to find community, how to build community, and how to leverage the strength of a community to make life better for all caregivers. Featuring Billie Short, Elizabeth Miller, and Shana Jones.

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Immigration and America’s Labor Shortage – Are Guestworkers the Solution?

America is aging and many industries say they need more immigrant workers to do lower-skilled jobs Americans don’t want. Are they right? If so, how should we be looking at immigration and America’s labor shortage to find those solutions? And if immigration is not the answer, how will we fill the growing number of open positions in industries like healthcare and construction? In this episode of the podcast, we’re reframing the debate about immigration, with a closer look at short-term migration. We tend to think of immigration as being exclusively a permanent thing, but development economist Lant Pritchett says most immigration is intended to be rotational. Could immigration work better for America – and for the people who want to come here – if we significantly expand guestworker programs? We explore the history of guestworkers in the US, speak to someone who’s worked in America on an H-2A farmworker visa and consider the risks of expanding that program without significant reform. We hear about the need for better enforcement of existing immigration laws and border security. And we consider a proposal to meet America’s labor needs without more immigration.

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The Christmas Chronicles

In time for the holidays, The Apple Seed brings shares a Christmas tradition of sharing The Christmas Chronicles. Listen to the first episode on the road or around the fire, and find the rest of the series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at byuradio.org/the-christmas-chronicles.

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Lisa Recommends: Constant Wonder

We’re putting the finishing touches on the last two episodes of our Caregiving series, and we want to make sure we’re telling those stories exactly the way they deserve to be told. So while we’re making our final edits, we wanted to share with you a special caregiving story from our sister podcast, Constant Wonder.

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The Hidden Cost of Fines and Fees

Fines and fees have become the default way we punish people in America; deterrence is the ultimate goal, but do fines actually deter bad behavior? Often the consequences of fines and fees are not felt equally, because what’s expensive to you might be pocket change to me. Still, the overdue book or speeding ticket costs the same for both of us. In this podcast episode, we interview a library advocate and former library director who successfully eliminated fines at his library. We also share the story of a man who struggled with traffic fines which led to 15 years of license suspensions. A former judge and advocate for reforming fines and fees shares how her organization is aiming to reduce the negative consequences of monetary penalties. And a behavioral economist who conducted one of the most famous experiments on fines discusses the many ways financial penalties can backfire, if we’re not careful.

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How can I keep my kids safe online?

Every year it feels like there's a new kind of phone, a new social media app, or some new tech that our kids want to try. And as parents, it can feel impossible to keep up with. What is safe for them to use, and at what age? Is it even possible to protect them from the harmful influences on the internet? In this episode of The Council of Moms, Lisa talks with Gina James, Emilie Starr, and Julie Taylor about their experiences.

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Eat the Invaders

When invasive plants and animals crowd out native species—and you just can't beat 'em—you might as well eat 'em! That's Joe Roman's argument. It's not a perfect solution, but from lionfish in the Caribbean to the snails and weeds in your backyard, chefs and foodies are serving up invasive species in the name of conservation. Enjoy this short bonus episode from Constant Wonder!

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Advocating for Yourself and Navigating the “System”

Any caregiver will tell you that maybe one of the harshest realities of taking care of another person is just how much time you spend dealing with the "system"--meaning meeting with doctors, making calls to insurance providers, emailing pharmacies, working with government programs, and handling all of the logistical pieces necessary to support someone who needs it.

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