SLO Equity Podcast

As immigration enforcement intensifies across the Central Coast, concerns about voter intimidation, election security, and access to the ballot are growing.In this episode, Rita Casaverde, Executive Director of Diversity Coalition SLO County, speaks with Elaina Cano, SLO County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer, about how this climate of fear affects voters and poll workers, and what protections are in place.They also discuss voter data privacy, election accessibility, and practical information about casting ballots and how votes are counted.Election Day: November 3Last day to register online: October 19Voter ResourcesSLO County Elections — Voting locations and ballot drop boxes.Register to VoteTrack Your BallotCheck Your Voter Status

What happens when a proclamation meant to celebrate a community becomes a reminder of how far we still have to go?In Part 2 of More Than Symbolic, we turn our attention to Pride Month and Immigrant Heritage Month proclamations, examining the political decisions, public reactions, and questions of representation that emerged across San Luis Obispo County.We speak with Tobin Johnson of the San Luis Obispo County NAACP's LGBTQIA+ Committee about the effort to bring Pride proclamations to every city in the county, which cities participated, which did not, and the history of partial support for these recognitions.We also hear the reading of the Pride Month proclamation at the County Board of Supervisors meeting, where Trevor Norcross of GALA Pride & Diversity Center accepts the recognition and speaks about the ongoing attacks against the LGBTQIA+ community. We provide context for what unfolded in the room, including two supervisors declining to support the Pride proclamation and one declining to support Immigrant Heritage Month.Finally, we return to Tobin to reflect on the gap between his expectations and what actually happened. Together, we unpack what these moments felt like, why they matter, and what they reveal about political leadership, representation, and whose communities are publicly acknowledged.Proclamations are more than symbolic, most of the times the decisions behind them reveal who is willing to stand with their community, who isn't, and how much work remains to build a county where everyone belongs.Continue LearningDiversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County: https://diversityslo.orgSLO Equity Podcast: https://diversityslo.org/sloequitySan Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/board-of-supervisorsGALA Pride & Diversity Center: https://galacc.orgNAACP San Luis Obispo County: https://naacpslocty.orgAbout the PodcastThe SLO Equity Podcast shares local stories and conversations that explore equity, inclusion, power, and belonging in San Luis Obispo County.The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County, its board members, partners, sponsors, or any organizations with which the speakers may be affiliated.Find the SLO Equity Podcast at https://diversityslo.org/sloequity, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode has been more than six months in the making. We followed these proclamations as they were submitted, introduced, debated, celebrated, and, at times, challenged. When we started recording, we didn’t know where the story would lead, or how much these seemingly symbolic recognitions would reveal. There was simply too much for one episode, so we’re telling this story in two parts.What does it mean when a local government chooses to recognize a community? And what does it mean when that recognition becomes controversial?In this two-part episode of the SLO Equity Podcast, we look beyond the ceremonial language of proclamations to explore what they reveal about belonging, representation, and local politics in San Luis Obispo County.Through conversations surrounding Arab American Heritage Month, AAPI Heritage Month, Pride Month, and Immigrant Heritage Month, we hear from people involved in bringing these recognitions forward and examine what happened when some proclamations faced resistance, controversy, or failed to receive full support.These conversations remind us that proclamations may be symbolic, but the process behind them is not. Who gets publicly recognized, who is willing to offer that recognition, and where resistance emerges can tell us a great deal about where our community is right now.Continue LearningDiversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County https://diversityslo.orgSLO Equity Podcast https://diversityslo.org/sloequitySan Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/board-of-supervisorsGALA Pride & Diversity Center https://galacc.orgNAACP San Luis Obispo County https://naacpslocty.orgAbout the PodcastThe SLO Equity Podcast shares local stories and conversations that explore equity, inclusion, power, and belonging in San Luis Obispo County.The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County, its board members, partners, sponsors, or any organizations with which the speakers may be affiliated.Find the SLO Equity Podcast at diversityslo.org/sloequity, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What does voting have to do with belonging?In this episode of the SLO Equity Podcast, we sit down with City of San Luis Obispo staff to talk about representation, civic participation, and the move to Citywide Single Vote beginning with the November 2026 election.We unpack what’s changing, why the change happened, what voters need to know, and how participation in local government extends beyond Election Day. And we wrap things up with a lightning round, a chance to have a little fun and get to know the people behind City Hall beyond their job titles.GuestsMatt Pennon — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ManagerSamantha Vethavanam — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Administrative SpecialistNatalie Harnett — Policy and Project Manager City of San Luis ObispoResourcesCitywide Single Vote information: slocity.org/votingThe Belonging Project & DEI: slocity.org/diversityQuestions about Citywide Single Vote: [email protected] Coalition events & resources: diversityslo.org

This episode of the SLO Equity Podcast recognizes Disability Pride Month through conversations about access, inclusion, employment, and belonging.We begin with Jennifer Chassman Browne, disability advocate, writer, and speaker for Diversity Coalition's upcoming Disabilities 101: Access, Awareness, and Community event. Jennifer shares her own lived experience with disability, reflects on the meaning of Disability Pride, discusses recent federal disability policy changes, and introduces her upcoming book, See Us, Know Us, which highlights the diverse experiences of people with disabilities through personal stories.We also hear from Andrea Wasko, local business owner whose company has intentionally created employment opportunities for people with disabilities. As she prepares to transition the business,Connoisseur Creations, Inc., to new ownership, Andrea reflects on the value of inclusive hiring and her hope that this commitment to opportunity and belonging continues into the future.Together, these conversations explore a simple but important idea: accessibility is about more than removing barriers—it's about creating communities where everyone has the opportunity to participate, contribute, and belong.GuestsJennifer Chassman Browne — Disability advocate, writer, and speakerAndrea Wasko — Business owner and community memberResourcesJennifer Chassman Browne: Preorder See Us, Know Us and learn more about Jennifer's work: www.jenniferchassmanbrowne.comInterested in continuing Andrea Wasko's mission of inclusive employment or learning more about the business? Contact Andrea at [email protected] views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County, its board members, partners, sponsors, or any organizations with which the speakers may be affiliated.Thank You to:Thank you to the City of San Luis Obispo - DEI Office - DEI High Impact Grant. Programs and projects supported by the City of San Luis Obispo funds are open and accessible to all otherwise qualified members of the public and without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability.