Welcome back to VALOR Conversations!This season, hosts Leah Aldridge, Marsela Rojas-Salas, Grace Glaser, and Rocio Molina sit down with advocates as they share how their experiences shaped their advocacy and work in the gender-based violence movement.In this episode, Amika Mota, the Executive Director of Sister Warriors and formerly incarcerated survivor joins VALOR Conversations to talk about how she became an “accidental activist.” She shares how her experiences as a teen mom, midwife, and within the carceral system pushed her to reimagine justice. Amika’s story compels us to imagine the work we can do alongside her to create a future where mass incarceration and societal barriers do not exist.
In this episode, Jasmine Wali, a policy, advocacy, and research consultant and organizer with Survived and Punished California, joins us to discuss the criminalization of poverty. Jasmine’s story highlights transformations for social workers to become advocates who support, not report, children and families in need.
Primera Parte / Episode 1En nuestros primeros episodios de Conversaciones de VALOR (VALOR Conversations) en español y dividido en dos partes, Anabela Aguirre y Verónica M. Lagunas comparten sus historias transformadoras de ser conserjes inmigrantes en el turno de noche que experimentan entornos de trabajo hostiles para construir una comunidad unida y poderosa como co-fundadoras del Centro ¡Ya Basta! En el episodio se habla de cómo Anabela y Verónica comenzaron su labor de abogacía y su explosivo especial de primera línea, “Violación en el Turno de Noche.” El episodio 2 continúa la historia de abogacia de Anabela y Verónica después de “Violación en el Turno de Noche” y comparten el activismo directo en el que participaron y las leyes que aprobaron para crear entornos más seguros para inmigrantes, conserjes y trabajadores del turno de noche.----In our first-ever Spanish language and two-part VALOR Conversations episodes, Anabela Aguirre and Veronica M. Lagunas sit down with VALOR Conversations to share their transformational stories of being night-shift, immigrant janitors experiencing hostile work environments to building a tight-knit and powerful community as co-founders of the ¡Ya Basta! Center.Episode 1 discusses how Anabela and Veronica came into advocacy and their explosive frontline special, “Rape on the Night Shift.” Episode 2 continues Anabela’s and Veronica’s advocacy story after “Rape on the Night Shift” and they share the direct activism they participated in and laws they passed to create safer environments for immigrants, janitors, and night-shift workers.
Segunda Parte / Episode 2En nuestros primeros episodios de Conversaciones de VALOR (VALOR Conversations) en español y dividido en dos partes, Anabela Aguirre y Verónica M. Lagunas comparten sus historias transformadoras de ser conserjes inmigrantes en el turno de noche que experimentan entornos de trabajo hostiles para construir una comunidad unida y poderosa como co-fundadoras del Centro ¡Ya Basta! En el episodio se habla de cómo Anabela y Verónica comenzaron su labor de abogacía y su explosivo especial de primera línea, “Violación en el Turno de Noche.” El episodio 2 continúa la historia de abogacia de Anabela y Verónica después de “Violación en el Turno de Noche” y comparten el activismo directo en el que participaron y las leyes que aprobaron para crear entornos más seguros para inmigrantes, conserjes y trabajadores del turno de noche.----In our first-ever Spanish language and two-part VALOR Conversations episodes, Anabela Aguirre and Veronica M. Lagunas sit down with VALOR Conversations to share their transformational stories of being night-shift, immigrant janitors experiencing hostile work environments to building a tight-knit and powerful community as co-founders of the ¡Ya Basta! Center.Episode 1 discusses how Anabela and Veronica came into advocacy and their explosive frontline special, “Rape on the Night Shift.” Episode 2 continues Anabela’s and Veronica’s advocacy story after “Rape on the Night Shift” and they share the direct activism they participated in and laws they passed to create safer environments for immigrants, janitors, and night-shift workers.
In this episode, Leigh LaChapelle joins VALOR Conversations once again to discuss how they transformed their lived experiences as a queer youth in South Carolina into activism as the Associate Director of Survivor Advocacy at the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST), Los Angeles. Leigh touches on the importance of showing up and caring in an unjust world as a key aspect of their work.
In this episode, Ponny White, who started in this movement as a community youth engagement specialist and activist storyteller, discusses how she is transforming reproductive freedom advocacy through narrative-based storytelling. As a Senior Prevention Coordinator at the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, Ponny highlights the impact of youth activism as we strive to create a more inclusive world. We hope you enjoyed Season 5 of VALOR Conversations!
Welcome back to another great season of VALOR conversations! This season, our host, Leah Aldridge, sits down with advocates from across the globe as they share their stories about their important work in the gender-based violence movement.
In this episode, Leah sits down with friend and colleague, Coach V, discussing how she founded Open Door Abuse Awareness and Prevention (ODAAP). ODAAP is a Philadelphia-based, youth violence prevention program. Coach V shared about her evolution into becoming a violence prevention advocate and her plans to continue to grow her reach and positive impact on youth athletes.Please note this episode describes domestic violence and homicide. Please listen at your discretion.Did you find this episode, helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode, Marlee Liss, survivor and Canadian-based restorative justice advocate, shared with Leah about her journey in engaging in a restorative justice healing circle after recognizing she did not want to go through the criminal legal process. A strong advocate for restorative justice, Marlee makes the case for why we should be implementing restorative practices into everyday aspects of our lives. Check out additional resources on Marlee's website!Did you find this episode, helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode, Leah has a moving conversation with Paul Bancroft, Executive Director of Sierra Community House, a rape crisis center in Tahoe and Truckee, California. Paul highlights his work in this movement when he started as a young violence prevention educator and eventually worked up to become Executive Director. As his time as an Executive Director, Paul shared how his advocacy unknowingly supported hundreds of survivors who experienced sexual violence caused by a healthcare professional and the work Paul did across state lines to prevent future violence.Did you find this episode, helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode, VALOR’s Senior Legal Advisor, Rocio Molina, sits down with Leah to discuss her evolution of supporting immigrant and undocumented survivors, the challenges she has faced in the field, and how her childhood influenced the work she does now. Did you find this episode, helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations. Audio clips credit to @fernandacortesx and NBC News.
In this episode, Leah chats with Patima Komolamit, Executive Director of the Center for the Pacific Asian Family in Los Angeles, California. Patima shares how her journey as an advocate started out in her early 20s when she entered youth detention centers to educate incarcerated youth about violence prevention, and how it transitioned into engaging in healing services and violence prevention in AAPI communities. Did you find this episode, helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
Welcome back to season 3 of VALOR Conversations! This season, dive into conversation with us as we explore rape culture in the media and how that influences our work to prevent and end sexual violence.
In this episode, VALOR Conversations host, Leah Aldridge, “travels” all the way to Sydney, Australia to have a conversation with Augusta Supple, theater director and producer. Augusta and Leah discuss looking at theater and art through a communal lens and reflect on cultural shifts they’ve seen over the years. Augusta defies the the historic role women have, or have not, played in the theater, and how they are challenging their roles today.Did you find this episode helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode, Fatima Shabbazz, President and CEO of Fatima Speaks, and the Policy Advocacy team lead for Decrim Sexwork ACLU, joins us to discuss sexual violence in detention centers. Fatima shares her experience as a trans woman while she was incarcerated, and the work she is doing now to advance the rights of incarcerated trans folks and survivors of sexual violence. Did you find this episode helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations. *Please note this episode contains profanity that listeners might find disturbing.
In this episode, we are so excited to welcome, Leigh LaChapelle, Associate Director of Survivors Advocacy, at the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST). Leigh and VALOR Conversations host, Leah, talk about the history of the anti-trafficking movement and how it has been portrayed in movies and television. Leigh provides some insights into their policy and advocacy work to support survivors of human and labor trafficking.Did you find this episode helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode of VALOR Conversations, student activists, Taylor and Kyla, join our guest podcast host to discuss the evolution of media both on- and off-screen. They reflect on their journeys to become MFA students and share their hopes for the direction the film industry is headed towards.Did you find this episode helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode, VALOR Conversations host, Leah Aldridge, sits down with Dr. Samantha Majic, Associate Professor of political science at John Jay College - CUNY. Dr. Majic shares about the lack of progress in policy updates to protect sex workers and therefore, public acceptance, explains the whoriarchy and disparities within sex work, and highlights at the end of the day, sex work is just work. Did you find this episode helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode, Tonjie Reese, founder of eleven24, and Timiza Wash, Chief Equity and Transformational Change Officer at WEAVE, join Leah to talk about their work as youth educators. Have you ever thought about how the infamous WAP by Cardi B can be used as an educational tool? Well, they have! Tune in to this episode to learn more about the evolution of youth-based sexual violence prevention education. Did you find this episode helpful, interesting, or insightful? Leave a comment below and tune in for another episode of VALOR Conversations.
In this episode we spoke to Patty Berne, co-founder and executive director of Sins Invalid, a performance and disability justice movement organization. Vulnerable populations in our society tend to be devalued, marginalized, and treated as powerless. Devaluing people is the first step toward dehumanization, and in its place we start a process of “othering.” When disabled people are made “other” their artistry risks becoming fetishized. Counteracting this begins with centering each other’s humanity, which is an essential element in the work of Patty and Sins Invalid.