September 27, 2024 • 30 mins
In this episode, we explore three impactful conversations:
Cerebral Palsy Awareness & Community Support
I speak with Ceciry Rodriguez-Pimentel, Director of Development & Community Engagement, and Christina Service, Marketing & Development Specialist at HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. They share insights about the school’s upcoming 3rd Annual Community Day in celebration of World Cerebral Palsy Day, HMS’s 142nd Anniversary, and their biggest fundraiser of the year, taking place on October 6, 2024, from 11 AM to 2 PM at their backyard, 4400 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Learn more:
Website: www.hmsschool.org
Event Website: www.hmsschool.org/communityday
Social Media:
X: @hmsschoolcp
Instagram: @hmsschoolcp
Facebook: HMS School
LinkedIn: HMS School
Affordable Healthcare for Seniors
Accessing quality healthcare can be particularly challenging for seniors in under-resourced communities, especially when many prefer to age at home. I speak with Stephen Kinsey, VP of Government Advocacy and Community Engagement at Patriot+CareRing Health, and Steve Guenther, CEO of Caring Health and Patriot Home Care. They discuss how their organizations work to ensure seniors in underserved areas have access to affordable healthcare.
Learn more:
Patriot Home Care:
Website: patriothomecare.org
Facebook: Patriot Home Care
Instagram: @patriothomecarepa
LinkedIn: Patriot Home Care CareRing Health:
Website: careringhealth.com
LinkedIn: CareRing Health
Addressing Grief for Children and Families
Grief impacts children in profound and unique ways, especially when faced with the loss of a loved one or significant life changes. In this episode, we delve into how to best support children through these difficult times, exploring their emotional needs and providing practical tools to help them heal. One important resource we'll highlight is Peter’s Place: A Center for Grieving Children & Families. I speak with Stephanie Lim Capello, the Executive Director, about their work and the support they offer.Learn more at:
www.PetersPlaceOnline.org
Follow them on social: @petersplace
Cerebral Palsy Awareness & Community Support
I speak with Ceciry Rodriguez-Pimentel, Director of Development & Community Engagement, and Christina Service, Marketing & Development Specialist at HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. They share insights about the school’s upcoming 3rd Annual Community Day in celebration of World Cerebral Palsy Day, HMS’s 142nd Anniversary, and their biggest fundraiser of the year, taking place on October 6, 2024, from 11 AM to 2 PM at their backyard, 4400 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Learn more:
Website: www.hmsschool.org
Event Website: www.hmsschool.org/communityday
Social Media:
X: @hmsschoolcp
Instagram: @hmsschoolcp
Facebook: HMS School
LinkedIn: HMS School
Affordable Healthcare for Seniors
Accessing quality healthcare can be particularly challenging for seniors in under-resourced communities, especially when many prefer to age at home. I speak with Stephen Kinsey, VP of Government Advocacy and Community Engagement at Patriot+CareRing Health, and Steve Guenther, CEO of Caring Health and Patriot Home Care. They discuss how their organizations work to ensure seniors in underserved areas have access to affordable healthcare.
Learn more:
Patriot Home Care:
Website: patriothomecare.org
Facebook: Patriot Home Care
Instagram: @patriothomecarepa
LinkedIn: Patriot Home Care CareRing Health:
Website: careringhealth.com
LinkedIn: CareRing Health
Addressing Grief for Children and Families
Grief impacts children in profound and unique ways, especially when faced with the loss of a loved one or significant life changes. In this episode, we delve into how to best support children through these difficult times, exploring their emotional needs and providing practical tools to help them heal. One important resource we'll highlight is Peter’s Place: A Center for Grieving Children & Families. I speak with Stephanie Lim Capello, the Executive Director, about their work and the support they offer.Learn more at:
www.PetersPlaceOnline.org
Follow them on social: @petersplace
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Welcome to What's going on, a show about
making a difference in our lives and our communities. I'm
Lorraine Ballad Marl. We'll be telling you about the PhDc
Housing Fair with great resources for first time home buyers
and more. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We'll tell
you about resources for addressing this issue and a campaign
to raise awareness called I Pledge sponsored by Women Against Abuse.
(00:24):
But first, the recent presidential debate put the issue of
women's reproductive rights front and center to give us a
sense of the current and future state of reproductive rights.
Joining us right now is Shannon Trinity, acting co president
and CEO and Vice president of Strategic Initiatives for Access Matters,
a Philadelphia based organization dedicated to expanding access to sexual
(00:48):
and reproductive health services for all, especially underserved communities. Thank
you so much for joining us here today, and before
we get into the state of the state, tell us
a little bit about the Access Matters mission and the
services that you provide to the community.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Thank you for having me so.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
As you said, our mission is to protect, expand, and
enhance equitable access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and information.
We fulfill our mission by supporting a large network of
healthcare providers mainly throughout the Greater Philadelphia area as well
as some throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania. We also
conduct research, provide trainings to health professionals, and conduct advocacy
(01:26):
work on issues such as this reproductive health and rights.
Our work within our network of providers reaches more than
one hundred thousand people each year, again mostly in the
Greater Philadelphia area and throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and
we administer several large public health programs funded either federally
or through the state or through the city. And those
(01:46):
include programs such as family planning, Perry, natal and postpartum health, breast,
chest and cervical cancer screening, STIs, HIV treatment and screening,
and these programs are a critical part of the region
healthcare safety net.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
That's the work that excess Maiter.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Absolutely. I remember back in the day in my twenties
taking full advantage of those very affordable and often free
health services that were available to me before I had
my own insurance. But let's talk about the state of
the state of reproductive rights. Right after the Dobbs decision,
people in some states immediately lost access to abortion care
(02:23):
due to trigger laws. These laws existed and immediately banned
abortion the moment V Wade was overturned. In the aftermath
of this overturning of ROV Wade, a lot of states
across the nation have put restrictions on abortion and reproductive
health care. So I wonder if you can give us
(02:45):
a little bit of a sense of what the landscape
is now nationally regarding reproductive rights.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
So, as you said immediately after the Dobbs decision, many
states instantly restricted access to abortion care. Currently have about
half actually, yes, exactly half of US states have implemented
restrictions on abortion and reproductive healthcare, ranging from enforcing complete
bans on abortion in fourteen states and eleven states have
(03:15):
enacted other severe limitations to abortion access based on factors
like gestational age, the pregnancy, there's the type of medical procedure,
and other things like that. Abortion does remain legal in
Pennsylvania as well as New Jersey and Delaware, so the
Tri state area states, we do have access to safe,
(03:35):
legal abortion, and we also know that there are many
legislative efforts underway to restrict access to abortion and related
reproductive healthcare.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
These attacks on reproductive.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Rights and body autonomy often come from people who are
also launching attacks on adolescent autonomy and transgender health and
rights and.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Gender affirming care.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
They're all kind of linked under the topic of restricting
individuals' rights to body autonomy and privacy.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
One thing that I'd like to talk a bit more
about is the impact on those underserved communities that you
do offer services to, And I wonder if you can
also talk more about how all of these restrictions are
starting to impact those underserved communities.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Sure, we are already seeing that racial disparities and health
inequities that currently exist in the United States are just
being further exacerbated by the Dobs decision, and these restrictive
policies that have been implemented since Dob decision are allowing
states to dictate what is.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And what is not legal. They are impacting.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
People who are already low income, maybe living in healthcare
deserts where they're not able to access healthcare already, or
access is very limited and hard to attain, and then
those providers that are providing this are restricted from offering it.
We're seeing providers are leaving many states where there are
(05:02):
abortion bans because they're afraid of being criminalized, and they
also just feel like they cannot care for their patients
that are in need of their medical services.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I'm also curious there has been talk about a national
abortion ban Roe v wad overturning kind of put it
back to the states to make those decisions about reproductive rights.
But there is talk amongst some in the Republican Party
of enacting a national abortion ban. What does that actually
(05:33):
mean and what are the chances of that happening.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I am not sure because I've also heard various things
and denials.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I'm not sure what that would mean.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
We do know that on the state by state basis,
when voters are being given the opportunity to vote directly
on this issue through ballot initiatives, they consistently vote.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
To support abortion access.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
It is very clear that the majority of American voters
believe that abortion should be legal, and in fact, recent
polls have shown that seventy percent believe it should be
legal in most or all cases, and sixty four percent
believe Congress should pass along guaranteeing abortion access across the country.
So that is the exact opposite of what voters in
(06:17):
America want.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
What are some of the biggest challenges Access Matters faces
in advocating for equitable healthcare and how can the community
support your efforts.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
As I mentioned before, as you know, one of the
main things that Access Matters does is we administer large
public health grants that are related to providing greater access
to sexual and reproductive healthcare. One of those is our
Family Planning Project. One of the issues that we have
come up with. Access Matters has been the regional grantee
for this work for over fifty years, but it has
(06:50):
been flat funded by Congress for over ten years. So,
as you know, we have inflation, costs are rising, we
are trying to provide access to more people, and yet
the money has not increased in ten years. We have
been advocating for members in Congress to support equitable funding
for this public health service as they have provided more
(07:11):
equitable funding for other critical public healthcare and services throughout
the country. We also want people to know that, yes,
voting is one thing you can do, but you can
also do issue education. You can educate people in your networks.
You can show up at school board meetings. You can
talk to the people who represent you and make sure
(07:34):
that they know that you want to protect access to
all reproductive healthcare in the country.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
As I indicated earlier, a lot of my healthcare came
from family planning clinics, and I think it should be
pointed out that for many women, that is really your
primary person to go to for not only reproductive issues,
but also for general healthcare. I found that that I
was able to get free or affordable healthcare through this clinic,
(08:04):
that because at that time I was just a young
person with no healthcare. So if people would like more
information about the work that Access Matters does, and also
if they'd like more information about where they can go
for access to reproductive care, how do they find out more?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
As someone is looking directly for information about healthcare, they
can contact our information hotline, where we have folks on
the phone calling as well as through texting available to
help people connect with healthcare providers to provide non judgmental, unbiased,
comprehensive options as well as referrals for care. And that
(08:44):
number is two one five nine eight five three three
zero zero. It is also on our website. It's I
think it's on the front page of our website. Also
on our website we have a section on our advocacy work.
So folks can sign up for our newsletter and read
through our action alerts to kind of see what the
issues are that we're advocating for, and fign up if
they'd like to participate.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Shannon Trinity, acting co president and CEO and Vice president
of Strategic Initiatives for Access Matters, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
In today's housing market, many aspiring homeowners face significant barriers
to purchasing their first home. Rising property prices, limited affordable housing,
and high down payments are just some of the challenges.
Housing programs for first time home buyers play a critical
role in leveling the playing field. We're going to be
talking about a very wonderful event that's coming up on
(09:45):
September twenty eighth. It is sponsored by PhDc, which is
Philadelphia's full service community development organization providing financing for the
preservation and creation of affordable housing. So not only are
we targeting first time homeowners, but also longtime homeowners who
want to stay in their homes. So we're going to
(10:06):
talk about this great event with Dave Thomas. David S.
Thomas is the CEO of PhDc. Dave, thank you so
much for joining us here today and I wonder if
you can, first of all, tell us more about who
this PhDc Housing Fair is targeted for.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Loraine. This has been a great opportunity for us to
showcase many of the programs that the City of Philadelphia
offers as residents. This time, we're having our second annual
PhDc City of Philadelphia Housing Fair. This year, we have
over seventy exhibitors, so we're hoping that we can provide
whatever it is that people are looking for, whether you're
(10:44):
a homeowner, whether you're a renter, whether you're looking to
be a homeowner, a first time buyer, if you're just
looking for opportunity to refinance your existing property, or as
you know, we just got hit with tax bills, if
you're looking for got opportunity to be to get exemptions
from those increased taxes. We're trying to cover every opportunity
(11:06):
and every concern that the residents of Philadelphia have here.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
With this housing here, Dave, I know that for many individuals,
home ownership is a pathway to financial success, financial stability,
wealth building, and I wonder if we can talk more
about the importance of home ownership when it comes to
alleviating poverty in the city of Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
We see that as an opportunity to build what we
always have conversations about here in the city, generational wealth.
One of the things that make folks opportunity greater is
stability housing stability, whether it be new buyers and or
folks that are living in properties that they're trying to maintain.
We've had a situation where we see rent increasing exponentially.
(11:53):
The rent in Philadelphia has really outpaced incomes. We're really
trying to be very thoughtful in terms of how we
provide stabilize housing to our residence here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
That's what's so important about a housing fair like this,
and that is providing those resources not only for those
first time homeowners, but as I mentioned before, there are
a lot of homeowners, longtime homeowners who want to stay
in their homes but can necessarily afford the opcape that's
required in order to maintain a very sound house. So
(12:26):
I wonder if you can tell us about programs that
support those longtime homeowners.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
At this fair, we'll be bringing out our PhD C
Housing Improvement Program Clinic that will be designed to one
provide opportunity for residents or eligible to submit an application
for repairs necessary, whether it be roofing, electric plumbing, or
something even greater. We'll also be able to pool applications
(12:52):
to see the status of folks who already applied for
those that are not eligible for the grant program. And
we'll also have our Restore Repair renew program, which is
an opportunity for folks to receive up to fifty thousand
dollars loan at a fixed interest rate of three percent.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
We find to be very attractive as well. And that
program I had to put a shout out to our
current America because that program started when she was a
councilperson is very dear to her. So that program was
designed to attract and focus on what we consider to
be many of the folks who are in that middle
bracket where they make just above what our income guidelines
(13:33):
are for our grant, but don't make enough to make
the necessary repairs and maintain that stability that we're talking about.
So Councilwoman now Mayor Parker created a very great opportunity
for our residents here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
It's very important to surround individuals, especially those first time
homeowners or perhaps renters who are challenged with other services
to support them in maintaining their home. And so it's
not just about getting a person into the home. It's
about teaching people how to be financially sound or perhaps
(14:07):
get a better job with more pay to better afford
good housing. Tell us more about some of the wrap
around services that you are also providing at this housing fair.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Yeah, so, like I said, this housing fair is designed
to really focus on all the things necessary for us
to have a stable life. Jobs are certainly important. With
that will have the city's hiring bus that's new to
the city, so they'll be out. Opportunities for employment will
be available. We'll also have housing counseling agencies that can
(14:39):
provide financial literacy and assistance in that fashion. We also
have lenders who will also be providing loan products, but
more importantly financial literacy sessions to better understand what it
is and how you go about securing that mortgage to
your first home and or rEFInd financing the existing mortgage
(15:01):
that you have to make your life. Back to that
word stating, because at the end of the day, like
I said, inflationary costs are certainly outpacing most people's income.
The costs to make the repairs have dramatically increased since
coming out of the pandemic. So we'll also have general
contractors there because that's also a big challenge at homeowner's face.
(15:21):
Even though they may have the resources, they have a
difficult time finding qualified and competent contractors to actually deliver
the services. So we'll have contractors there that can also
provide some of that support. We're trying to cover every
point that's necessary for us to survive this challenging situation
that we find ourselves here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Right, and although housing is a very serious issue and
people are going in, you know they're going to be
taking care of business there, but you're making it fun, right,
You've got a kid zone, you've got massages. It's this
is not your typical housing fair good point.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
And we did that because we want we WRENT recognize
that many of our residents who are aspiring to be homeowners,
those who actually live in their homes already and own
their homes, they're also challenged with childcare and what to
do with the child. So I didn't want we didn't
want folks to feel like this was not something they
could do simply because they still had the child. On
(16:19):
the weekend, we understand those responsibilities. We want your child
to actually come with you to experience what we have
to offer with our kids own, as you point out,
but we also just wanted to make sure that we
made it more family inviting. And you know, it's not
about just buying a house, it's about building a home.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Right And of course you got to give a shout
out to the sponsors who are helping make this fousing fair.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
I want to give a shout out to several of
our sponsors, because without them, we wouldn't be here. Those
sponsors include Wells Fargo, Temple University, NBC ten, the City
of Philadelphia, of course, Independence, Blue Cross, and we also
have sponsorships by Prosperity Home Mortgage, TD Bank as well
(17:05):
as WISFIS WISFIS Cares Foundation. I want to really be
specific there. We are very excited and we think that
what we're doing is something that the residents of Philadelphia
should hopefully find rewarding, but more importantly appreciative for the
services that are being offered by the City of Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Well The housing Fair will be Saturday, September twenty eighth,
between ten am and three pm a Temple University Star
Complex located on North fifteenth Street and a dave. If
people want more information, they'd like to sign up or
just find out more, where do they go?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
So you can go to our website at PhDc Philip
That's p h d C Phila dot or forward slash
Housing Fair.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Great and final words.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I look forward to seeing everyone on September twenty eighth
at the Temple University Star Complex located on North fifteenth Street.
We will be there from ten to three. Please come
on out. I'm sure you will enjoy it. One of
the things that I also want to encourage people to
do because we also have a furniture opportunity here. So
(18:16):
if you come out to our meet the lender sessions
throughout the day learn more about mortgage lending and processes,
you will be entered into a chance to win five
hundred dollars furniture store gift card. There's a very very
strong incentive for you guys to come on out and
furnish that home.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Well, lots of great resources there for first time home buyers,
for existing home owners, renters, contractors, you name it. This
is the place to be. It's the PhDc Housing Fair
twenty twenty four David Thomas, CEO of PhDc, Philadelphia's full
service Community Development Corporation, providing financing for the preservation and
(18:57):
creation of affordable housing, also building wealth for so many
individuals out there in the city of Philadelphia. Dave, thank
you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Thanks again for having me. Look forward to seeing all
your listeners. On September twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
We're going to be talking about the difficult but critical
topic of intimate partner abuse. This issue affects people of
all backgrounds and has far reaching emotional, physical, and psychological impacts.
In this conversation, we're going to be talking about the signs,
the cycle of abuse, and most importantly, how survivors can
seek support and healing, as well as information about a
(19:37):
wonderful organization called Women Against Abuse and an upcoming event
which raises awareness for all of us about intimate partner abuse.
Joining us is Katie Young Wilds. She is senior communication
specialist for Women Against Abuse. Thank you so much for
joining us today.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Thank you so much for having me well.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is a time
to raise awareness about the issue that impacts one in
three women, but also one in four men and nearly
half of the LGBTQI plus community, which is very interesting,
and I think people don't always recognize that intimate partner
(20:15):
abuse can cross so many different boundaries.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Tell us more, domestic violence does not discriminate.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
It really is such a pervasive issue that impacts all
of us, and we say one in three women one
and four men. If you're not directly impacted on a
personal level, you certainly know someone who is. And so
that's why it's so important to be talking about this
issue and creating advocates, safe people in the community who
can lend support to those experiencing this.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
For so many of us who have friends or family
who are experiencing intimate partner abuse, there is often a
lack of vocabulary, a lack of understanding what it is
that we need to know, first of all to recies
that this problem exists, but then secondly to provide the
(21:04):
right kind of support that can truly help that individual
who is the object of this. Tell us what are
some of the red flags and also what are some
of the things that we, as potential allies and supporters
can do.
Speaker 6 (21:18):
There are some red flags, so intimate partner violence can
look different from relationship to relationship, but there are red
flags to be aware of.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
One of them is if maybe you have a.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
Friend who's in a relationship and it's really escalated.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
It's moving really quickly.
Speaker 6 (21:34):
Maybe they move in together really quickly, or they become
pregnant together really quickly, things that a couple might do
on a slower pace. Maybe it feels like it's on
fast forward a little bit. That's one thing to just
be aware of. It doesn't mean it's abusive, but just
to be aware of escalation. Another red flag is if
(21:55):
that friend is becoming isolated from you, from their family,
their friends, their support networks. Are you having trouble getting together?
Is their partner showing up unexpectedly when you do finally
get together, That can be a red flag. Maybe that
friend doesn't have as much autonomy, as much decision making
power about how they spend their time and who they
(22:17):
spend their time.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
With and where they go.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
So those are some red flags to be aware of.
Any type of stalking is a huge red flag. So
if their partner is repeatedly showing up maybe when they
don't want them to, you know, maybe they're showing up
at work, Maybe they're showing up on a friend's night
out and making them uncomfortable.
Speaker 5 (22:38):
That's another red flag. So that kind.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
Of controlling nature where maybe your friend isn't making the
decisions they would want to make, or isn't spending their
time the way they want to spend it.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Those are all ways that.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
An abusive partner starts to gain control, and that's really
what domestic violence is all about, that power and control dynamic.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
And so you know.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
There are unhealthy relationships, but an abusive relationship is really
when that power and control dynamic is off balance, where
one person feels like they can't say no or they
can't make the decisions they want to make without being
in danger in some way, whether it's physical, emotional, there's
all sorts of types of abuse, but having the ability
(23:24):
to communicate on an even keel and have that balance
of power is really If that's not there, that's a
huge issue. And so if you're seeing red flags and
you're concerned for someone in your life, there are definitely
steps you can take to show support, and I think
one of the most impactful things to do is to
(23:46):
be a consistently non judgmental source of support. If your
friend is being abused they're losing their ability to make
decisions for themselves, and so don't pressure them into leaving
or making a certain decision, because then you're almost like
mirroring what they're already experiencing. Instead, you want to really
listen and ask what can I do to help?
Speaker 5 (24:07):
They might not.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Realize they're in an abusive relationship. Abuse happens in a cycle,
and so it can be hard to identify what's going on.
It can be upsetting if you're realizing, Wow, this relationship
isn't what I thought it was. So as a friend,
don't pressure them into something. Just say, hey, you know,
what can I do to help? It seems like maybe
things are a little tough in your relationship.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
How can I help? And be non judgmental.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
We know leaving is a very actually dangerous time in
an abusive relationship, and so it's really important for your
friend to know that you are a safe person, that
you're not going to judge them if they haven't broken
things off yet, that you are you're just there for them,
And safety planning is hugely important. If your friend is
(24:54):
trying to break out of that relationship, or even if
they're not ready to leave yet, they can still create
a place plan to help keep themselves and their children safe.
And so a safety plan is unique to each person,
but it can include things like avoiding rooms.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
With weapons when you're in an argument.
Speaker 6 (25:10):
You know, maybe don't go in the kitchen where they're
sharp knives, talking to your caves about what to do
if you're being attacked, telling them it's not their job
to protect you that you want them to run outside
and get the neighbor. Maybe packing a go bag with
essentials like prescription medication and leaving it with a safe person,
a friend, a neighbor. You know, each person's situation is
(25:31):
unique and different, but having a safety plan can make
such a difference.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
There are counselors on.
Speaker 6 (25:37):
The Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline that are available twenty four
hours a day to help callers create a safety plan,
you know, something specific to each caller. If you're worried
about a friend, I would say safety planning is huge,
and you can also read up about it on our website,
Women Against Abus dot org. That can be a nice
place to kind of get your feet wet and get
(25:57):
familiar with this information.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Yeah, Katie, I think you make such an important point
about not being judgmental because I think that on the outside,
sometimes people might say, Okay, she's in this relationship. We
all see that it's awful. Why doesn't she leave him?
Or maybe she leaves him and she returns. And I
think that that's what's often difficult for people on the
(26:21):
outside to understand what that power dynamic is and how
difficult it is to extricate yourself from that. And so
you know, we can see someone very smart, a professional,
who is in a relationship that we know is bad.
But it's really important, as you point out, for us
to be supportive, not judgmental, and to provide any kind
(26:45):
of resources that are available, certainly through Women Against Abuse.
Now there is a very very inspiring event that's coming up,
and I wonder if you can tell us more about
I pledge absolutely.
Speaker 6 (26:57):
So I pledge as Women Against Abuses PAIN for Domestic
Violence Awareness Month. This is going to actually be our
seventeenth year holding it in the month of October, and
I pledge this about asking people to pledge with us,
to stand with us against relationship violence. So we're trying
to really shine the spotlight on this. We host a
(27:18):
press conference and a resource fair. We want to shine
a spotlight on the issue, have people talk about it,
and then connect our community members with local supports. And
this year our theme is about unity. We know our
society is divided on a range of issues, but when
it comes to intimate partner violence, this is something we
can all stand together to really rise above and only
(27:40):
together can we prevent this and really create the safe
Philadelphia we all deserve. So this year we're going to
be really focusing on that call for unity and asking
the community to stand with us. And that event is
coming up on Tuesday, October first. It'll be at noon
in the courtyard of City Hall.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Great and once again would like more information about Women
against Abuse. If they'd like to know more about the
I Pledge campaign an event, where do they go?
Speaker 6 (28:08):
They can go to our website, which is Women Against
Abuse dot org. It should be the very first story
you see all about Iepledge and you can find out
who we're honoring and who else is involved. And Lorraine,
we're so thankful to you for hosting our event this year.
We're really excited to be working with you.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Well, I'm so excited to be a part of it.
And shout out to former City Councilwoman Maria Quimona Sanchez,
who is the twenty twenty four Social Impact Awardee. This
is for her leadership and addressing some of the city's
most entrenched challenges, including intimate partner violence. Once again, thank
you so much. This is such an important issue. I
(28:46):
think we all know someone. I certainly know someone who
has been the survivor of i'd say the survivor of
intimate partner abuse. And she's now in a positive relationship.
Our girlfriends got together, did an intervw and she's cool now.
But it's difficult and it is something that can impact anybody.
(29:07):
But there are resources, there is support for you. Go
to Women Against Abuse and what is the hotline number.
Speaker 6 (29:15):
One eight six six seven two three three is zero
one four and that's the best place to go. Whether
you're experiencing abuse or maybe you're concerned about someone in
your life. You can call the hotline, you can talk
about the situation, you can get support for safety planning,
and also be linked to available resources, including Women Against
(29:36):
Abuse of services. We have shelter, legal services and support,
so that hotline is a great resource and all calls
are confidential. We have translation services available so yeah. I
can't stress that enough. It's one eight six six seven
two three three zero one four.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Katie Young Wild, who is senior communications specialist for Women
Against Abuse, thank you so.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
Much, Thank you so much, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in Keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app Keywords Philadelphia Community Podcast.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard. I'm
Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to our
community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(30:23):
You've been listening to what's going on, and thank you
Good morning, Welcome to What's going on, a show about
making a difference in our lives and our communities. I'm
Lorraine Ballad Marl. We'll be telling you about the PhDc
Housing Fair with great resources for first time home buyers
and more. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We'll tell
you about resources for addressing this issue and a campaign
to raise awareness called I Pledge sponsored by Women Against Abuse.
(00:24):
But first, the recent presidential debate put the issue of
women's reproductive rights front and center to give us a
sense of the current and future state of reproductive rights.
Joining us right now is Shannon Trinity, acting co president
and CEO and Vice president of Strategic Initiatives for Access Matters,
a Philadelphia based organization dedicated to expanding access to sexual
(00:48):
and reproductive health services for all, especially underserved communities. Thank
you so much for joining us here today, and before
we get into the state of the state, tell us
a little bit about the Access Matters mission and the
services that you provide to the community.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Thank you for having me so.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
As you said, our mission is to protect, expand, and
enhance equitable access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and information.
We fulfill our mission by supporting a large network of
healthcare providers mainly throughout the Greater Philadelphia area as well
as some throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania. We also
conduct research, provide trainings to health professionals, and conduct advocacy
(01:26):
work on issues such as this reproductive health and rights.
Our work within our network of providers reaches more than
one hundred thousand people each year, again mostly in the
Greater Philadelphia area and throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and
we administer several large public health programs funded either federally
or through the state or through the city. And those
(01:46):
include programs such as family planning, Perry, natal and postpartum health, breast,
chest and cervical cancer screening, STIs, HIV treatment and screening,
and these programs are a critical part of the region
healthcare safety net.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
That's the work that excess Maiter.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Absolutely. I remember back in the day in my twenties
taking full advantage of those very affordable and often free
health services that were available to me before I had
my own insurance. But let's talk about the state of
the state of reproductive rights. Right after the Dobbs decision,
people in some states immediately lost access to abortion care
(02:23):
due to trigger laws. These laws existed and immediately banned
abortion the moment V Wade was overturned. In the aftermath
of this overturning of ROV Wade, a lot of states
across the nation have put restrictions on abortion and reproductive
health care. So I wonder if you can give us
(02:45):
a little bit of a sense of what the landscape
is now nationally regarding reproductive rights.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
So, as you said immediately after the Dobbs decision, many
states instantly restricted access to abortion care. Currently have about
half actually, yes, exactly half of US states have implemented
restrictions on abortion and reproductive healthcare, ranging from enforcing complete
bans on abortion in fourteen states and eleven states have
(03:15):
enacted other severe limitations to abortion access based on factors
like gestational age, the pregnancy, there's the type of medical procedure,
and other things like that. Abortion does remain legal in
Pennsylvania as well as New Jersey and Delaware, so the
Tri state area states, we do have access to safe,
(03:35):
legal abortion, and we also know that there are many
legislative efforts underway to restrict access to abortion and related
reproductive healthcare.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
These attacks on reproductive.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Rights and body autonomy often come from people who are
also launching attacks on adolescent autonomy and transgender health and
rights and.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Gender affirming care.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
They're all kind of linked under the topic of restricting
individuals' rights to body autonomy and privacy.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
One thing that I'd like to talk a bit more
about is the impact on those underserved communities that you
do offer services to, And I wonder if you can
also talk more about how all of these restrictions are
starting to impact those underserved communities.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Sure, we are already seeing that racial disparities and health
inequities that currently exist in the United States are just
being further exacerbated by the Dobs decision, and these restrictive
policies that have been implemented since Dob decision are allowing
states to dictate what is.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And what is not legal. They are impacting.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
People who are already low income, maybe living in healthcare
deserts where they're not able to access healthcare already, or
access is very limited and hard to attain, and then
those providers that are providing this are restricted from offering it.
We're seeing providers are leaving many states where there are
(05:02):
abortion bans because they're afraid of being criminalized, and they
also just feel like they cannot care for their patients
that are in need of their medical services.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I'm also curious there has been talk about a national
abortion ban Roe v wad overturning kind of put it
back to the states to make those decisions about reproductive rights.
But there is talk amongst some in the Republican Party
of enacting a national abortion ban. What does that actually
(05:33):
mean and what are the chances of that happening.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
I am not sure because I've also heard various things
and denials.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I'm not sure what that would mean.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
We do know that on the state by state basis,
when voters are being given the opportunity to vote directly
on this issue through ballot initiatives, they consistently vote.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
To support abortion access.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
It is very clear that the majority of American voters
believe that abortion should be legal, and in fact, recent
polls have shown that seventy percent believe it should be
legal in most or all cases, and sixty four percent
believe Congress should pass along guaranteeing abortion access across the country.
So that is the exact opposite of what voters in
(06:17):
America want.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
What are some of the biggest challenges Access Matters faces
in advocating for equitable healthcare and how can the community
support your efforts.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
As I mentioned before, as you know, one of the
main things that Access Matters does is we administer large
public health grants that are related to providing greater access
to sexual and reproductive healthcare. One of those is our
Family Planning Project. One of the issues that we have
come up with. Access Matters has been the regional grantee
for this work for over fifty years, but it has
(06:50):
been flat funded by Congress for over ten years. So,
as you know, we have inflation, costs are rising, we
are trying to provide access to more people, and yet
the money has not increased in ten years. We have
been advocating for members in Congress to support equitable funding
for this public health service as they have provided more
(07:11):
equitable funding for other critical public healthcare and services throughout
the country. We also want people to know that, yes,
voting is one thing you can do, but you can
also do issue education. You can educate people in your networks.
You can show up at school board meetings. You can
talk to the people who represent you and make sure
(07:34):
that they know that you want to protect access to
all reproductive healthcare in the country.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
As I indicated earlier, a lot of my healthcare came
from family planning clinics, and I think it should be
pointed out that for many women, that is really your
primary person to go to for not only reproductive issues,
but also for general healthcare. I found that that I
was able to get free or affordable healthcare through this clinic,
(08:04):
that because at that time I was just a young
person with no healthcare. So if people would like more
information about the work that Access Matters does, and also
if they'd like more information about where they can go
for access to reproductive care, how do they find out more?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
As someone is looking directly for information about healthcare, they
can contact our information hotline, where we have folks on
the phone calling as well as through texting available to
help people connect with healthcare providers to provide non judgmental, unbiased,
comprehensive options as well as referrals for care. And that
(08:44):
number is two one five nine eight five three three
zero zero. It is also on our website. It's I
think it's on the front page of our website. Also
on our website we have a section on our advocacy work.
So folks can sign up for our newsletter and read
through our action alerts to kind of see what the
issues are that we're advocating for, and fign up if
they'd like to participate.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Shannon Trinity, acting co president and CEO and Vice president
of Strategic Initiatives for Access Matters, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
In today's housing market, many aspiring homeowners face significant barriers
to purchasing their first home. Rising property prices, limited affordable housing,
and high down payments are just some of the challenges.
Housing programs for first time home buyers play a critical
role in leveling the playing field. We're going to be
talking about a very wonderful event that's coming up on
(09:45):
September twenty eighth. It is sponsored by PhDc, which is
Philadelphia's full service community development organization providing financing for the
preservation and creation of affordable housing. So not only are
we targeting first time homeowners, but also longtime homeowners who
want to stay in their homes. So we're going to
(10:06):
talk about this great event with Dave Thomas. David S.
Thomas is the CEO of PhDc. Dave, thank you so
much for joining us here today and I wonder if
you can, first of all, tell us more about who
this PhDc Housing Fair is targeted for.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Loraine. This has been a great opportunity for us to
showcase many of the programs that the City of Philadelphia
offers as residents. This time, we're having our second annual
PhDc City of Philadelphia Housing Fair. This year, we have
over seventy exhibitors, so we're hoping that we can provide
whatever it is that people are looking for, whether you're
(10:44):
a homeowner, whether you're a renter, whether you're looking to
be a homeowner, a first time buyer, if you're just
looking for opportunity to refinance your existing property, or as
you know, we just got hit with tax bills, if
you're looking for got opportunity to be to get exemptions
from those increased taxes. We're trying to cover every opportunity
(11:06):
and every concern that the residents of Philadelphia have here.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
With this housing here, Dave, I know that for many individuals,
home ownership is a pathway to financial success, financial stability,
wealth building, and I wonder if we can talk more
about the importance of home ownership when it comes to
alleviating poverty in the city of Philadelphia.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
We see that as an opportunity to build what we
always have conversations about here in the city, generational wealth.
One of the things that make folks opportunity greater is
stability housing stability, whether it be new buyers and or
folks that are living in properties that they're trying to maintain.
We've had a situation where we see rent increasing exponentially.
(11:53):
The rent in Philadelphia has really outpaced incomes. We're really
trying to be very thoughtful in terms of how we
provide stabilize housing to our residence here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
That's what's so important about a housing fair like this,
and that is providing those resources not only for those
first time homeowners, but as I mentioned before, there are
a lot of homeowners, longtime homeowners who want to stay
in their homes but can necessarily afford the opcape that's
required in order to maintain a very sound house. So
(12:26):
I wonder if you can tell us about programs that
support those longtime homeowners.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
At this fair, we'll be bringing out our PhD C
Housing Improvement Program Clinic that will be designed to one
provide opportunity for residents or eligible to submit an application
for repairs necessary, whether it be roofing, electric plumbing, or
something even greater. We'll also be able to pool applications
(12:52):
to see the status of folks who already applied for
those that are not eligible for the grant program. And
we'll also have our Restore Repair renew program, which is
an opportunity for folks to receive up to fifty thousand
dollars loan at a fixed interest rate of three percent.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
We find to be very attractive as well. And that
program I had to put a shout out to our
current America because that program started when she was a
councilperson is very dear to her. So that program was
designed to attract and focus on what we consider to
be many of the folks who are in that middle
bracket where they make just above what our income guidelines
(13:33):
are for our grant, but don't make enough to make
the necessary repairs and maintain that stability that we're talking about.
So Councilwoman now Mayor Parker created a very great opportunity
for our residents here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
It's very important to surround individuals, especially those first time
homeowners or perhaps renters who are challenged with other services
to support them in maintaining their home. And so it's
not just about getting a person into the home. It's
about teaching people how to be financially sound or perhaps
(14:07):
get a better job with more pay to better afford
good housing. Tell us more about some of the wrap
around services that you are also providing at this housing fair.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
Yeah, so, like I said, this housing fair is designed
to really focus on all the things necessary for us
to have a stable life. Jobs are certainly important. With
that will have the city's hiring bus that's new to
the city, so they'll be out. Opportunities for employment will
be available. We'll also have housing counseling agencies that can
(14:39):
provide financial literacy and assistance in that fashion. We also
have lenders who will also be providing loan products, but
more importantly financial literacy sessions to better understand what it
is and how you go about securing that mortgage to
your first home and or rEFInd financing the existing mortgage
(15:01):
that you have to make your life. Back to that
word stating, because at the end of the day, like
I said, inflationary costs are certainly outpacing most people's income.
The costs to make the repairs have dramatically increased since
coming out of the pandemic. So we'll also have general
contractors there because that's also a big challenge at homeowner's face.
(15:21):
Even though they may have the resources, they have a
difficult time finding qualified and competent contractors to actually deliver
the services. So we'll have contractors there that can also
provide some of that support. We're trying to cover every
point that's necessary for us to survive this challenging situation
that we find ourselves here in Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Right, and although housing is a very serious issue and
people are going in, you know they're going to be
taking care of business there, but you're making it fun, right,
You've got a kid zone, you've got massages. It's this
is not your typical housing fair good point.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
And we did that because we want we WRENT recognize
that many of our residents who are aspiring to be homeowners,
those who actually live in their homes already and own
their homes, they're also challenged with childcare and what to
do with the child. So I didn't want we didn't
want folks to feel like this was not something they
could do simply because they still had the child. On
(16:19):
the weekend, we understand those responsibilities. We want your child
to actually come with you to experience what we have
to offer with our kids own, as you point out,
but we also just wanted to make sure that we
made it more family inviting. And you know, it's not
about just buying a house, it's about building a home.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Right And of course you got to give a shout
out to the sponsors who are helping make this fousing fair.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
I want to give a shout out to several of
our sponsors, because without them, we wouldn't be here. Those
sponsors include Wells Fargo, Temple University, NBC ten, the City
of Philadelphia, of course, Independence, Blue Cross, and we also
have sponsorships by Prosperity Home Mortgage, TD Bank as well
(17:05):
as WISFIS WISFIS Cares Foundation. I want to really be
specific there. We are very excited and we think that
what we're doing is something that the residents of Philadelphia
should hopefully find rewarding, but more importantly appreciative for the
services that are being offered by the City of Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Well The housing Fair will be Saturday, September twenty eighth,
between ten am and three pm a Temple University Star
Complex located on North fifteenth Street and a dave. If
people want more information, they'd like to sign up or
just find out more, where do they go?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
So you can go to our website at PhDc Philip
That's p h d C Phila dot or forward slash
Housing Fair.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Great and final words.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I look forward to seeing everyone on September twenty eighth
at the Temple University Star Complex located on North fifteenth Street.
We will be there from ten to three. Please come
on out. I'm sure you will enjoy it. One of
the things that I also want to encourage people to
do because we also have a furniture opportunity here. So
(18:16):
if you come out to our meet the lender sessions
throughout the day learn more about mortgage lending and processes,
you will be entered into a chance to win five
hundred dollars furniture store gift card. There's a very very
strong incentive for you guys to come on out and
furnish that home.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Well, lots of great resources there for first time home buyers,
for existing home owners, renters, contractors, you name it. This
is the place to be. It's the PhDc Housing Fair
twenty twenty four David Thomas, CEO of PhDc, Philadelphia's full
service Community Development Corporation, providing financing for the preservation and
(18:57):
creation of affordable housing, also building wealth for so many
individuals out there in the city of Philadelphia. Dave, thank
you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
Thanks again for having me. Look forward to seeing all
your listeners. On September twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
We're going to be talking about the difficult but critical
topic of intimate partner abuse. This issue affects people of
all backgrounds and has far reaching emotional, physical, and psychological impacts.
In this conversation, we're going to be talking about the signs,
the cycle of abuse, and most importantly, how survivors can
seek support and healing, as well as information about a
(19:37):
wonderful organization called Women Against Abuse and an upcoming event
which raises awareness for all of us about intimate partner abuse.
Joining us is Katie Young Wilds. She is senior communication
specialist for Women Against Abuse. Thank you so much for
joining us today.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
Thank you so much for having me well.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is a time
to raise awareness about the issue that impacts one in
three women, but also one in four men and nearly
half of the LGBTQI plus community, which is very interesting,
and I think people don't always recognize that intimate partner
(20:15):
abuse can cross so many different boundaries.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Tell us more, domestic violence does not discriminate.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
It really is such a pervasive issue that impacts all
of us, and we say one in three women one
and four men. If you're not directly impacted on a
personal level, you certainly know someone who is. And so
that's why it's so important to be talking about this
issue and creating advocates, safe people in the community who
can lend support to those experiencing this.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
For so many of us who have friends or family
who are experiencing intimate partner abuse, there is often a
lack of vocabulary, a lack of understanding what it is
that we need to know, first of all to recies
that this problem exists, but then secondly to provide the
(21:04):
right kind of support that can truly help that individual
who is the object of this. Tell us what are
some of the red flags and also what are some
of the things that we, as potential allies and supporters
can do.
Speaker 6 (21:18):
There are some red flags, so intimate partner violence can
look different from relationship to relationship, but there are red
flags to be aware of.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
One of them is if maybe you have a.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
Friend who's in a relationship and it's really escalated.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
It's moving really quickly.
Speaker 6 (21:34):
Maybe they move in together really quickly, or they become
pregnant together really quickly, things that a couple might do
on a slower pace. Maybe it feels like it's on
fast forward a little bit. That's one thing to just
be aware of. It doesn't mean it's abusive, but just
to be aware of escalation. Another red flag is if
(21:55):
that friend is becoming isolated from you, from their family,
their friends, their support networks. Are you having trouble getting together?
Is their partner showing up unexpectedly when you do finally
get together, That can be a red flag. Maybe that
friend doesn't have as much autonomy, as much decision making
power about how they spend their time and who they
(22:17):
spend their time.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
With and where they go.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
So those are some red flags to be aware of.
Any type of stalking is a huge red flag. So
if their partner is repeatedly showing up maybe when they
don't want them to, you know, maybe they're showing up
at work, Maybe they're showing up on a friend's night
out and making them uncomfortable.
Speaker 5 (22:38):
That's another red flag. So that kind.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
Of controlling nature where maybe your friend isn't making the
decisions they would want to make, or isn't spending their
time the way they want to spend it.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Those are all ways that.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
An abusive partner starts to gain control, and that's really
what domestic violence is all about, that power and control dynamic.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
And so you know.
Speaker 6 (23:02):
There are unhealthy relationships, but an abusive relationship is really
when that power and control dynamic is off balance, where
one person feels like they can't say no or they
can't make the decisions they want to make without being
in danger in some way, whether it's physical, emotional, there's
all sorts of types of abuse, but having the ability
(23:24):
to communicate on an even keel and have that balance
of power is really If that's not there, that's a
huge issue. And so if you're seeing red flags and
you're concerned for someone in your life, there are definitely
steps you can take to show support, and I think
one of the most impactful things to do is to
(23:46):
be a consistently non judgmental source of support. If your
friend is being abused they're losing their ability to make
decisions for themselves, and so don't pressure them into leaving
or making a certain decision, because then you're almost like
mirroring what they're already experiencing. Instead, you want to really
listen and ask what can I do to help?
Speaker 5 (24:07):
They might not.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Realize they're in an abusive relationship. Abuse happens in a cycle,
and so it can be hard to identify what's going on.
It can be upsetting if you're realizing, Wow, this relationship
isn't what I thought it was. So as a friend,
don't pressure them into something. Just say, hey, you know,
what can I do to help? It seems like maybe
things are a little tough in your relationship.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
How can I help? And be non judgmental.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
We know leaving is a very actually dangerous time in
an abusive relationship, and so it's really important for your
friend to know that you are a safe person, that
you're not going to judge them if they haven't broken
things off yet, that you are you're just there for them,
And safety planning is hugely important. If your friend is
(24:54):
trying to break out of that relationship, or even if
they're not ready to leave yet, they can still create
a place plan to help keep themselves and their children safe.
And so a safety plan is unique to each person,
but it can include things like avoiding rooms.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
With weapons when you're in an argument.
Speaker 6 (25:10):
You know, maybe don't go in the kitchen where they're
sharp knives, talking to your caves about what to do
if you're being attacked, telling them it's not their job
to protect you that you want them to run outside
and get the neighbor. Maybe packing a go bag with
essentials like prescription medication and leaving it with a safe person,
a friend, a neighbor. You know, each person's situation is
(25:31):
unique and different, but having a safety plan can make
such a difference.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
There are counselors on.
Speaker 6 (25:37):
The Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline that are available twenty four
hours a day to help callers create a safety plan,
you know, something specific to each caller. If you're worried
about a friend, I would say safety planning is huge,
and you can also read up about it on our website,
Women Against Abus dot org. That can be a nice
place to kind of get your feet wet and get
(25:57):
familiar with this information.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Yeah, Katie, I think you make such an important point
about not being judgmental because I think that on the outside,
sometimes people might say, Okay, she's in this relationship. We
all see that it's awful. Why doesn't she leave him?
Or maybe she leaves him and she returns. And I
think that that's what's often difficult for people on the
(26:21):
outside to understand what that power dynamic is and how
difficult it is to extricate yourself from that. And so
you know, we can see someone very smart, a professional,
who is in a relationship that we know is bad.
But it's really important, as you point out, for us
to be supportive, not judgmental, and to provide any kind
(26:45):
of resources that are available, certainly through Women Against Abuse.
Now there is a very very inspiring event that's coming up,
and I wonder if you can tell us more about
I pledge absolutely.
Speaker 6 (26:57):
So I pledge as Women Against Abuses PAIN for Domestic
Violence Awareness Month. This is going to actually be our
seventeenth year holding it in the month of October, and
I pledge this about asking people to pledge with us,
to stand with us against relationship violence. So we're trying
to really shine the spotlight on this. We host a
(27:18):
press conference and a resource fair. We want to shine
a spotlight on the issue, have people talk about it,
and then connect our community members with local supports. And
this year our theme is about unity. We know our
society is divided on a range of issues, but when
it comes to intimate partner violence, this is something we
can all stand together to really rise above and only
(27:40):
together can we prevent this and really create the safe
Philadelphia we all deserve. So this year we're going to
be really focusing on that call for unity and asking
the community to stand with us. And that event is
coming up on Tuesday, October first. It'll be at noon
in the courtyard of City Hall.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Great and once again would like more information about Women
against Abuse. If they'd like to know more about the
I Pledge campaign an event, where do they go?
Speaker 6 (28:08):
They can go to our website, which is Women Against
Abuse dot org. It should be the very first story
you see all about Iepledge and you can find out
who we're honoring and who else is involved. And Lorraine,
we're so thankful to you for hosting our event this year.
We're really excited to be working with you.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Well, I'm so excited to be a part of it.
And shout out to former City Councilwoman Maria Quimona Sanchez,
who is the twenty twenty four Social Impact Awardee. This
is for her leadership and addressing some of the city's
most entrenched challenges, including intimate partner violence. Once again, thank
you so much. This is such an important issue. I
(28:46):
think we all know someone. I certainly know someone who
has been the survivor of i'd say the survivor of
intimate partner abuse. And she's now in a positive relationship.
Our girlfriends got together, did an intervw and she's cool now.
But it's difficult and it is something that can impact anybody.
(29:07):
But there are resources, there is support for you. Go
to Women Against Abuse and what is the hotline number.
Speaker 6 (29:15):
One eight six six seven two three three is zero
one four and that's the best place to go. Whether
you're experiencing abuse or maybe you're concerned about someone in
your life. You can call the hotline, you can talk
about the situation, you can get support for safety planning,
and also be linked to available resources, including Women Against
(29:36):
Abuse of services. We have shelter, legal services and support,
so that hotline is a great resource and all calls
are confidential. We have translation services available so yeah. I
can't stress that enough. It's one eight six six seven
two three three zero one four.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Katie Young Wild, who is senior communications specialist for Women
Against Abuse, thank you so.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
Much, Thank you so much, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in Keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app Keywords Philadelphia Community Podcast.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard. I'm
Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to our
community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(30:23):
You've been listening to what's going on, and thank you
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