The Invisible Americans

We open with a clip of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaking about how she’s been working with the state legislature to get cash back into the parents of young children – at the time when parenthood hits wallets the hardest.

Then we feature a clip from December 2024. Carol spoke with New York Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald at a symposium hosted by the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University. They discussed h...

In this episode, we take a look into what poverty actually looks like. We dive deep into Robin Hood's newly published poverty tracker with Chris Wimer, director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University, and Chloe Sarnoff, Director of Policy Research at Robin Hood.

Then we talk to Christine Quinn, CEO and president of WIN, discusses the nuts and bolts of providing shelter to the unhoused - and how the face of ...

Carol Jenkins talks to Speaker of the New York City Council Adrienne Adams about the $1.5 million plan to provide unconditional cash support for expectant parents facing housing crisis. 

Then Carol and our first guest host of the season, Dr. C. Nicole Mason, talk to Executive Director of the Bridge Project Laura Clancy about cash payouts in urban and rural areas.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast pa...

"It's a solution that's elegantly simple."

Jeff and Carol talk to Dr. Dave Chokshi, who served as the Former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, about how to actually get on track to reduce child poverty in half by 2032. He says there is an "elegantly simple" solution: put money into the pockets of parents and caregivers.

They then talk with Greg Silverman, chef, activist, and CEO of the We...

In this episode, Jeff and Carol talk with two folks passionate about helping kids in foster care: friend of the show and former foster child David Ambroz and executive director of CASA-NYC Kerry Moles.

They discuss ways that you can get involved in your community and help the children who are most in need.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the ⁠Podcast page⁠ on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible A...

"It's the care that we give or the care that we lack. That's what's at the heart of everything." - Sarah Jones

In this episode, Jeff and Carol talk with Ai-Jen Poo and Sarah Jones, who collaborate on a one-woman show about caregiving, emphasizing the need for paid leave, affordable childcare, and better wages for care workers.

Then Beverly D'Angelo and Stephan Dweck discuss their upcoming film "No Address," which addresses homeles...

The Invisible Americans is proud to present this conversation held at Roosevelt House.

"Roosevelt House is proud to present the Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, about the accomplishments and challenges of her first year in office, and the critical issues facing urban leaders nationwide. The first woman to be elected Mayor of L.A., she is also a former Member of Congress and, as former Speaker of the California Legislature, the fi...

Note: this episode deals with discussions of suicide and depression. Please listen with care. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org to get help and guidance.

This week, Jeff and Carol talk with Jonnel Doris, CEO of START Treatment & Recovery Centers, about the state of teen mental health: The American Academy of Pediatrics declar...

Jeff and Carol kick off Season 3 with an eye-opening look at the hidden crises facing kids and families today.

Rachel Sabella from No Kid Hungry breaks down how food insecurity is getting worse in New York, where 85% of families say they can’t keep up with grocery prices. She shares why programs like SNAP and the Child Tax Credit are so important—and how we need bipartisan action to make real progress.

Then, journalist Alice Driver...

In honor of the Fourth of July, we are proud to present this panel, originally recorded at the "Disrupting Poverty" conference hosted by EMPath in March 2024.

Dr. Kathryn Edin, Dr. H. Luke Shaefer and Timothy Jon Nelson discuss the persistence of poverty in America, particularly in Appalachia, and the historical and ongoing mechanisms that perpetuate inequality.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see th...

We're proud to present this Pride-centric panel presented by CASA-NYC on how we can all work to support LGBTQIA+ foster youth.

The panel is hosted by Steven Baker, VP of development at Candle Media. Friend and guest of the podcast David Ambroz shares his story of homelessness and being a queer youth in foster care. Chef Brieanna Hayes, former CASA fellow, also speaks on her experience and her work now. Steven Gordon, director ...

In this special episode of The Invisible Americans Podcast, we partnered with Kim Janey, president and CEO of Economic Mobility Pathways. Enjoy this special presentation of this conversation between Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Dr. Ibram X Kendi at their March "Disrupting Poverty" conference.

As we celebrate Juneteenth and the end of slavery in the United States, we have to simultaneously honor and uplift the issues that we ...

In this episode, hosts Jeff and Carol talk to Kim Janey, former mayor of Boston and now president and CEO of EMPath. This Boston-based organization transforms people’s lives by helping them move out of poverty and to provide other institutions with the tools to systematically do the same.

Then we present a session between Lee Pelton and Darrick Hamilton from EMPath's "Disrupting Poverty" conference, which took pl...

In this recording of our third live panel, presented with The Bridge Project at Roosevelt House, we discuss a simple, effective way of alleviating childhood poverty: direct cash payments.

Listen in to an illuminating discussion between:

• Holly Fogle, founder of The Bridge Project
• Daniela Guiterrez, one of the first recipients of a payout from The Bridge Project
• Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, co-founder of RxKids
• Catherin...

In this episode of The Invisible Americans podcast, hosts Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins speak to Emi Nietfeld, who details her journey out of childhood poverty and warns against using success stories to deny help to others.

Then they speak with Eboni Brown and Kaleen Daughtery, members of the parental advisory board of the ABC Coalition, which aims to provide an Automatic Benefit for Children.

For more detailed show notes and a f...

In this episode of The Invisible Americans podcast, hosts Jeff Madrick and Carol Jenkins ask Alex Coccia for updates on the expanded child tax credit and talk to the CEO of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Elizabeth McCarthy.

For more detailed show notes and a full transcript, see the Podcast page on the Invisible Americans website.

The Invisible Americans Podcast is a non-profit communications organization. Its mission is t...

In today's episode, hosts Jeff and Carol talk with two people on the ground in Flint, Michigan.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Dr. Luke Shaefer.

Listen to Dr. Shaefer discuss his work on Episode 22.

Together, Dr. Hanna-Attisha and Dr. Shaefer are directing Rx Kids, a program that gives cash to expectant people and provides guaranteed income for the first year of their lives.

Hear how the program got started and what is next for ...

This episode of The Invisible Americans podcast explores efforts to support underserved communities facing poverty and health crises. Guests discuss the financial toll that cancer treatment can take and the critical role of nonprofit organizations in filling gaps.

Amy Sutton of Crossroads4Hope shares how her organization helps cancer patients and families access care, manage distress, and improve health outcomes by addressing basic...

Our hosts speak first with Hope Wollensack in Atlanta. She discusses the $30 million fund called The GRO Fund that provides monthly cash assistance to mothers in need. This program is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of guaranteed income. Named "In Her Hands," the program aims to empower mothers economically, reminiscent of King's belief in individual dignity and stability through self-directed fina...