"Our philosophy is simple: without rest, there is no healing. We open our doors so that people can have a safe space to rest, restoring a basic dignity often lost on the streets.”- Lydia Bransten

In Finding Home, host George Koster speaks with leaders from San Francisco-based organizations committed to supporting unhoused residents. This insightful conversation highlights the unique challenges and solutions surrounding homelessness, especially in a post-pandemic environment.

Featured Guests:  Mary Carl – Executive Director, Miracle Messages, Sammie Rayner – Co-Chief Executive, Community Forward SF, Erica Kisch – CEO, Compass Family Services, Meghan Freebeck – Director, Simply the Basics, Lydia Bransten – Executive Director, The Gubbio Project .

Key Topics Discussed:  

1. Innovative Programs - How these organizations are working on programs for family reunification, safe spaces for vulnerable populations, and essential resources like hygiene products.

2. Post-Pandemic Challenges - The panel discusses increased demand, funding struggles, and legal changes impacting support for the unhoused.

3. Successful Solutions - Efforts like "miracle friends" that connect housed and unhoused individuals, universal basic income (UBI) pilots, and the importance of basic income as a support tool for stability.

Listener Actions:  

- Volunteer in peer-support programs.

- Advocate for policies supporting UBI and housing.

- Support and expand safe spaces and shelters.

Highlights and Takeaways:

- Programs that restore dignity, offer stability, and strengthen community.

- Community involvement is crucial for sustainable solutions.

Connect with us:  

- Watch, Listen & Discover: Visit our Finding Home Part 1 Episode Page  

- Donate to help us continue to make shows like this one:   

- manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Subscribe to our e-newsletter to find out more about each show topic and participating in live shows: 

- YouTube: Watch this episode on our YouTube channel

- Feedback: Share your thoughts and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com

This episode emphasizes how local organizations and community members can work together to address homelessness and create lasting change.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

"It’s really important for arts advocates and tradition bearers, artists, and cultural organizations to participate in the visioning and guiding principle process in your community plan, to get named in the vision statement of the community" - Tracy Hudak

Join Tracy Hudak, Director of Field Engagement for California for the Arts, and Jackie Melendez, Assistant City Manager of the City of Chino, for an insightful discussion in "Casemaking for Collaboration." This episode explores the intersection of arts advocacy, economic development, and urban planning. 

Discover how artists, cultural organizations, and advocates can effectively engage with local governments to ensure that arts are recognized as a vital part of inclusive economic development and community growth. You'll learn practical tools and strategies for making a compelling case for arts and culture as essential contributors to a region’s economic vitality and quality of life.

Watch, Listen and Discover how you can support and shape the future of the creative economy!

- Make a Donation: Support Voices of the Community, fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and enjoy tax deductions for your contributions. 

Stay Connected:

- Participate: manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Join our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event.

- YouTube: Watch this episode on our YouTube channel

- Newsletter: manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Sign up to stay updated on future episodes and events 

- Feedback: Share your thoughts and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

"We’re living through the greatest art heist of all time. Billions of images, data, and content were scraped illegally, impacting creative jobs, and AI is at the forefront of this transformation." - Nicole Hendrix

The creative economy is at a crossroads, grappling with issues of fair pay, technological disruption, and access to resources. The panelists in this insightful discussion offer solutions and strategies for artists and advocates to navigate these challenges and build a more sustainable and equitable future for the creative sector. 

As part of our co-production partnership with California for the Arts 2nd Annual State of the Arts summit in April 2024 we bring you a panel of subject matter experts which features Moderator: Nurit Siegel Smith the Executive Director of the Music Forward Foundation with our Panelists: Nicole Hendrix the Co-Founder, BRIC Foundation & Concept Art Association, Marcus Mitchell Public Art Administrator, for the City of West Hollywood; and Tiara Amar the Advocacy & Fellows, of Whippoorwill Arts; along with Jamie Hand the Director of Strategic Impact and Narrative Change for Creatives Rebuild New York

Watch, Listen and Discover how you can support and shape the future of the creative economy!

- Make a Donation: Support Voices of the Community, fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and enjoy tax deductions for your contributions. 

Stay Connected:

- Participate: Join our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event.

- YouTube: Watch this episode on our YouTube channel

- Newsletter: Sign up to stay updated on future episodes and events 

- Feedback: Share your thoughts and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

“So if you have not tapped into community members that you are serving, that you are working with, then you are missing a large, piece of the solution to your problems”. - Heather Heslep

Gentrification, displacement, the struggle for ownership... these are the challenges faced by many communities today. But what if art could be the key to preserving cultural heritage and building economic resilience? 

The panel discussion features Tamaira “Miss Tee” Sandifer, CEO & Founder of Studio T Arts & Entertainment, Arianna Chavez, Executive Director at Arte Americas, Roshaun Davis, Executive Director of CLTRE and Co-Founder of Unseen Heroes, and Heather Heslup, Director of Public Art Programs at Destination Crenshaw along with Nikko Kimzin, CEO + Lead Consultant at Kimzin Creative. Join us as we explore the challenges faced by marginalized communities in the arts and the importance of place keeping, ownership, and wealth redistribution. 

- Make a Donation: Support Voices of the Community, fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and enjoy tax deductions for your contributions. 

Stay Connected:

- Participate: Join our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event.

- YouTube: Watch this episode on our YouTube channel

- Newsletter: Sign up to stay updated on future episodes and events 

- Feedback: Share your thoughts and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

"At the structural level, we don’t make decisions based on evidence. If we did, we would have universal healthcare and basic income. The arts can be part of this shift” - Tasha Golden

Join Nefesha Yisra’el from California for the Arts as she introduces our second episode, featuring a powerful panel discussion on the intersection of arts and health. This episode is part of our exclusive interview series with California for the Arts and their second annual State of the Arts Summit.

Featured Speakers:

Moderator: Deborah Cullinan, Vice President for the Arts at Stanford University

Panelists:

 - Chris Appleton, Founder and CEO of Art Pharmacy

 - Dr. Tasha Golden, Director of Research at Johns Hopkins' International Arts and Mind Lab

 - Dr. Indre Viskontas, Cognitive Neuroscientist and Opera Stage Director

Episode Highlights:

- Explore the transformative power of art on prescription.

- Discover evidence-based impacts of arts on well-being.

- Learn about innovative programs like Stanford's Art Pharmacy.

- Gain practical insights into integrating arts into healthcare.

Take Action to Support our Arts:

- Watch & Listen Now: Don’t miss this essential conversation for artists, healthcare providers, and advocates.

- Support the Speakers: Learn more about their organizations and programs on our episode landing page [Eric, I will send you this as soon as Kasey brings the page live]

- Make a Donation: Support Voices of the Community, fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and enjoy tax deductions for your contributions. 

Stay Connected:

- Participate: Join our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event.

- YouTube: Watch this episode on our YouTube channel

- Newsletter: Sign up to stay updated on future episodes and events 

- Feedback: Share your thoughts and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

 "Together we can create a world where arts and culture are recognized and invested in as essential to society, embedded in community life, and intersecting with broader policy change to reshape systems towards equity and justice." - Julie Baker

Join us as we kick off our second season, celebrating the vibrant and resilient arts and culture scene that shape our community. This season, we bring you highlights from the second annual California Arts & Culture Summit, organized by our partner California for the Arts, with the theme "Art Work is Real Work."

In our premiere episode, don't miss the inspiring opening ceremony and keynote sessions with Nefesha Yisra'el the Director of Programs from California for the Arts, Leticia Rhi Buckley, the CEO for LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Julie Baker, the CEO for both California for the Arts and California Arts Advocates along with keynote speaker Nataki Garrett the Co-Artistic Director of One Nation / One Project Arts for Every Body. They delve into the critical topics of advocacy, cultural equity, artist support, and the transformative power of the arts in promoting health and empathy.

Tune in and discover the economic significance of the arts and the urgent need for sustained funding. Be inspired by stories of how art addresses societal issues and fosters a more empathetic world.

To find out more information about our guests and their respective organization’s programs, and services, how to volunteer and make a donation please visit our episode landing page with links to resources for the arts and culture sector. And if you have been enjoying the show, please leave us a rating and review on the podcast platform of your choice

We welcome your participation in our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube Channel and pleasemanage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c"> manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Sign Up for our Newsletter to stay up to date on future episodes and to participate in our next live show. We would love to hear from you with feedback and show ideas, so send us an email to george@georgekoster.com

Please consider donating to Voices of the Community - Voices of the Community is fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that allows us to offer you tax deductions for your contributions. Please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

"The interesting thing about a Land Trust is that it's a split title, we'll split the title and the land trust will own the land forever. And then we'll either sell or lease the housing or creative space on top of it to artists" - Meg Shiffler

Welcome to the finale of our series on affordable housing for the creative workforce, brought to you in partnership with Arts for a Better Bay Area and the State of the Arts Summit. This episode is the culmination of our journey, featuring innovative solutions and inspirational figures from the creative world.

Join us as we delve into the heart of the ABBA summit with “Housing for the Artist Workforce: Revisiting Artists’ Housing Solutions.” Discover a pioneering pilot program that empowers artist property owners to leave a lasting legacy for the artistic community through a novel real estate trust model.

Meg Shiffler, the esteemed Director of the Artist Space Trust, graces us once again with her presence, offering profound insights into the Trust’s mission, its vital role in protecting artists’ legacies, and how creatives can actively participate in shaping their futures.

But that’s not all! Our exclusive interviews from the ABBA summit, conducted by our insightful reporters Isa Nakazawa and Eric Estrada, will transport you to the heart of the action. We’ll revisit conversations with influential figures like Kathryn Reasoner, a visionary in the arts, and Chun Yu, a poet and co-founder of the Two Languages One Community project, who infuse the summit with their innovative spirits and groundbreaking work.

Don't miss out on this captivating conclusion to our series – our co-production with Arts for a Better Bay Area through their State of the Arts Summit. a tribute to the power of creativity and collaboration in building sustainable futures for artists.

To discover more about our guests and their impactful work, including programs, services, volunteer opportunities, and donation options, visit Voices Of The Community dot com. Navigate to the Arts and Culture Series page and locate Episode Ten. 

For additional insights on housing, revisit Episode Four of the arts and culture series to hear Meg and Kathryn discuss affordable housing for the creative workforce. You can explore the initiatives of Vital Arts and The Northern California Land Trust in Episode Seventy, from our special series focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on our nonprofit sector. And Don't miss Chun Yu's captivating poetry in Episode Two of our arts and culture series.

Throughout this series, co-produced with Arts for a Better Bay Area, we've immersed ourselves in the challenges and triumphs of our arts and culture sector. From the lingering effects of the pandemic to inspiring stories of resilience, we've seen the struggles and the incredible solutions being forged.

We hope you've gained a deeper understanding of the issues artists and organizations face: rising housing costs, lack of workforce support, and persistent undervaluing of their work. But we've also witnessed the power of creativity in driving economic revitalization, promoting health and well-being, and building stronger communities.

The good news is, YOU can be a part of the solution. Here's how:

• Support Arts Organizations: Attend performances, exhibitions, and events. Spread the word about the incredible work they do.
• Advocate for Artists: Contact your elected officials and let them know that supporting the creative workforce is vital to a thriving community.
• Donate or Volunteer: Offer your time or resources to organizations making a difference in the arts and culture sector.
• Spread the Word: Use your voice on social media to amplify arts events and initiatives.

The State of the Arts Summit sparked powerful dialogues. Let's keep the conversation going and work together to create a vibrant future for arts and culture in our communities. Because when the arts thrive, we all thrive. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we can make a difference.

We welcome your participation in our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube Channel and pleasemanage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c"> manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Sign Up for our Newsletter to stay up to date on future episodes and to participate in our next live show. We would love to hear from you with feedback and show ideas, so send us an email to george@georgekoster.com.

Please consider donating to Voices of the Community - Voices of the Community is fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that allows us to offer you tax deductions for your contributions. Please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

"The resilience that we have to live through booms and busts and pandemics and continue to serve the community, continue to drive foot traffic, continue to create economic opportunities for local people to have jobs and work and express themselves is just incredible. So if you're struggling with a storefront or a vacancy or empty space, just remember to think about the arts” - Julie Phelps

In this episode, we delve into our special series that charts the resurgence of the arts and culture sector from the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic. We're bringing together insights from the Co-Production of Arts for A Better Bay Area State of The Arts Summit, an event that unfolded at the Strand Theatre in San Francisco on June 28th, 2023. The summit cast a spotlight on revitalizing our communities through the lens of the arts. A standout session at the summit tackled a pressing issue: securing affordable housing for our artistic community.

Emerging from the discussions at the ABBA summit on affordable housing and real estate was a captivating dialogue on utilizing the shifts in the market post-pandemic to enable arts and cultural organizations to secure their own venues for performances.

To shed light on this promising avenue, we're joined by Julie Phelps, the Artistic and Executive Director of CounterPulse, and Joshua Simon, a Senior Advisor at the Community Arts Stabilization Trust. They will unpack an inventive real estate strategy that empowered CounterPulse to purchase their performance space—an approach that holds transformative potential for the arts sector across the country. Welcome to Voices of the Community, a platform where every conversation spark innovation, and every voice is valued.

To find out more information about our guests and their respective organization’s programs, and services, how to volunteer and make a donation please visit our episode landing page with links to resources for the arts and culture sector. And if you have been enjoying the show, please leave us a rating and review on the podcast platform of your choice

We welcome your participation in our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube Channel and pleasemanage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c"> manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Sign Up for our Newsletter to stay up to date on future episodes and to participate in our next live show. We would love to hear from you with feedback and show ideas, so send us an email to george@georgekoster.com.

Please consider donating to Voices of the Community - Voices of the Community is fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that allows us to offer you tax deductions for your contributions. Please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

“It's about forcing the city to make sure that they build affordable housing. And there's lots of, programs that we have in the Citywide People's Plan that can make, huge steps towards, building affordable housing” - Dyan Ruiz

This episode is part of our ongoing Special Series on How the Arts and Culture sector is coming back from the covid 19 pandemic. In our co-production of Arts for A Better Bay Area’s [ABBA] State of the Arts Summit on June 28th 2023 one of the breakout sessions was focused on the work in our community to develop affordable housing for our creative workforce.

The summit breakout panel discussion on “Housing for the Artist Workforce: Revisiting Artists’ Housing” is featured in episode four of this series. We received a lot of feedback from ABBA's State of the Arts Summit attendees that they wished the session on affordable housing was longer and they could spend more time diving into the work being done. 

Based on this feedback we have created three follow up episodes focused on three of the topics that were discussed in the arts for a better bay area’s state of the arts summit affordable housing session. This episode is focused on the Race & Equity in all Planning of San Francisco [REP-SF] coalition’s work to create the Citywide People’s Plan for affordable housing in San Francisco and features the voices of ​​the co-founder and reporter of people power media Dyan Ruiz and the President and Resident Chair of Calle 24 Latino Cultural District Erick Arguello.

To find out more information about our guests and their respective organization’s programs, and services, how to volunteer and make a donation please visit our episode landing page with links to resources for the arts and culture sector. And if you have been enjoying the show, please leave us a rating and review on the podcast platform of your choice

We welcome your participation in our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube Channel and please manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Sign Up for our Newsletter to stay up to date on future episodes and to participate in our next live show. We would love to hear from you with feedback and show ideas, so send us an email to george@georgekoster.com.

Please consider donating to Voices of the Community - Voices of the Community is fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that allows us to offer you tax deductions for your contributions. Please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!

"I think the action and the continuity of the coalition from Prop S to Prop E went from 40 organizations to 140 organizations. That was something that was huge” - Vin Seaman

In this seventh episode of our series focusing on the arts and culture sector's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, we bring you highlights from the Co-Production of Arts For A Better Bay Area (ABBA) State of The Arts Summit, held at the Strand Theatre in San Francisco on June 28th, 2023. The summit centered around rebuilding communities through the arts.This episode features a community conversation from the ABBA Summit, discussing the status of Proposition E from 2018, the Arts Impact Endowment, and Grants for the Arts. Our panel includes voices from:- Joe Landini, Founder and Director of Giving at Safe House Arts- Vinay Patel, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center- Denise Pate, Director of Community Investments for the San Francisco Arts Commission

The second part of our discussion features an interview with ABBA Summit attendee, Shrey Purohit an artist and cultural worker at Arts Span; Along with a One on One Interview with Vallie Brown, the Director of the City of San Francisco’s Grants For The Arts, along with our wonderful co-host Isa Nakazawa, the Director of Community Engagement of BAVC Media.

To find out more information about our guests and their respective organization’s programs, and services, how to volunteer and make a donation please visit our episode landing page with links to resources for the arts and culture sector. And if you have been enjoying the show, please leave us a rating and review on the podcast platform of your choice

We welcome your participation in our next virtual and live in-person community dialogue event. You can also watch this episode on our YouTube Channel and please manage.com/subscribe?u=f845c8577f6fa5b07211bf63c&id=4ffc7cec9c">Sign Up for our Newsletter to stay up to date on future episodes and to participate in our next live show. We would love to hear from you with feedback and show ideas, so send us an email to george@georgekoster.com.

Please consider donating to Voices of the Community - Voices of the Community is fiscally sponsored by Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that allows us to offer you tax deductions for your contributions. Please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one.

Delve deeper into Voices of the Community Series on Arts & Culture, Covid-19's impact on nonprofits, small businesses and local government, City of Stockton's rise from the ashes of bankruptcy and our archives: You can explore episodes, speakers, organizations, and resources through each series web page. koster.squarespace.com/voices-of-the-community">Watch and learn from all five series now!