WEBVTT 00:00:14.220 --> 00:00:17.780 and welcome to Listen Up People, a podcast of 00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:20.579 the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social 00:00:20.579 --> 00:00:23.859 Work. I'm Dr. Holly Priebe Sotelo, Associate 00:00:23.859 --> 00:00:26.820 Teaching Professor of Practicum Education and 00:00:26.820 --> 00:00:29.780 your host for the second season of this podcast. 00:00:30.460 --> 00:00:33.359 Today, we're going to cover a timely and important 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:36.219 topic during this especially challenging time 00:00:36.219 --> 00:00:39.359 in our democracy, social work and public policy, 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:42.409 and how deeply they intersect. Social workers 00:00:42.409 --> 00:00:46.429 have the ability to accurately and unapologetically 00:00:46.429 --> 00:00:50.090 inform policy that often bridge the gaps between 00:00:50.090 --> 00:00:53.009 community, community needs, and the government 00:00:53.009 --> 00:00:55.950 action to build a more just society. I'd also 00:00:55.950 --> 00:00:58.609 like to add that I recently received my doctorate 00:00:58.609 --> 00:01:01.689 in public policy planning and development, and 00:01:01.689 --> 00:01:05.230 I also coordinate all the macro based practicum 00:01:05.230 --> 00:01:07.849 internships for our school. So this is a topic 00:01:07.849 --> 00:01:10.709 that's very near and dear to my heart. I'm excited 00:01:10.709 --> 00:01:13.129 to have have two special guests who will expand 00:01:13.129 --> 00:01:15.409 on this topic and it's important during this 00:01:15.409 --> 00:01:17.969 critical time. So I'm glad to get right into 00:01:17.969 --> 00:01:20.290 the introduction so we can get this conversation 00:01:20.290 --> 00:01:24.409 started. I'd like to welcome Sam Mistrano, Associate 00:01:24.409 --> 00:01:27.590 Teaching Professor and colleague at 00:01:27.590 --> 00:01:30.549 USC Social Work. He's an expert in public policy 00:01:30.549 --> 00:01:33.329 and policy practice and holds a Juris Doctorate 00:01:33.329 --> 00:01:38.129 in law. And Dr. Melissa Bird, a USC alumna who 00:01:38.129 --> 00:01:40.730 is currently a candidate for US representative 00:01:40.730 --> 00:01:44.129 in Oregon's fourth congressional district. Congratulations, 00:01:44.189 --> 00:01:46.810 and this is very exciting. So great to have you 00:01:46.810 --> 00:01:50.250 both. Thank you for having me. Thank you so much. 00:01:51.010 --> 00:01:53.409 Fantastic. So I'd like to get started if it's 00:01:53.409 --> 00:01:56.090 OK to ask something a little personal about you 00:01:56.090 --> 00:01:58.890 and how you became interested in this policy 00:01:58.890 --> 00:02:01.689 work, as it gives our listeners a little more 00:02:01.689 --> 00:02:04.030 insight into your backgrounds. So let's start 00:02:04.030 --> 00:02:05.849 with Sam, if that's OK, and then we'll go to 00:02:05.849 --> 00:02:12.099 Melissa. Hi. After I graduated from law school 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:16.439 from the University of Minnesota, my first job 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:19.659 was with the American Civil Liberties Union of 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:23.000 the National Office in DC, where I worked on 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:26.219 a lot of policy, of course. And then I transferred 00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:29.240 over to the ACLU of Southern California to be 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:31.919 a legislative director. And after many, many 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:35.780 years in LA, the School of Social Work I asked 00:02:35.780 --> 00:02:39.240 if I wanted to part -time teach a policy course 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:43.599 and 23 years later I'm a full -time associate 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:47.000 professor here and the thing I want to leave 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:50.719 with you and with our listeners is that the reason 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:54.360 I've stayed so long is that this profession, 00:02:54.539 --> 00:02:56.919 the profession of professional social workers 00:02:57.289 --> 00:03:01.530 is a prime profession that exists to make society 00:03:01.530 --> 00:03:03.650 better, make families better, communities better, 00:03:03.990 --> 00:03:07.289 societies better. And there's no other profession 00:03:07.289 --> 00:03:10.810 I've interacted with that has that kind of mission. 00:03:11.210 --> 00:03:14.229 And so I'm always very excited every semester 00:03:14.229 --> 00:03:17.330 I teach some level of policy classes to interact 00:03:17.330 --> 00:03:21.509 with grad students who are at least open to, 00:03:21.509 --> 00:03:27.319 if not like Melissa, motivated to become elected 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:30.199 and make decisions. Excellent. Thank you, Sam. 00:03:30.340 --> 00:03:32.620 I didn't know that about UNC. Now I'm learning 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:34.719 something new. Thank you, Sam. Melissa, please. 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:38.379 Yeah, so I was getting my master's degree back 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:45.080 in 2001. Dear God. So long ago. When I was getting 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.960 my master's degree, I entered my MSW program 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:49.919 thinking I was going to be a play therapist because 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:51.860 I had been a preschool teacher and I wanted to 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:54.740 work with kids. I took my first policy class 00:03:54.740 --> 00:03:57.580 from a woman named Dr. Emma Gross at the University 00:03:57.580 --> 00:04:01.819 of Utah. I was like, what is this policy? I was 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:04.159 hooked. At the same time, I was doing the very 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:06.520 first research in Utah for my research methods 00:04:06.520 --> 00:04:10.620 class about homeless LGBTQ plus youth. in Utah. 00:04:11.300 --> 00:04:15.840 And I asked Dr. Gross and also my research professor, 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:18.620 Dr. Karen Frost, who both became mentors to me 00:04:18.620 --> 00:04:21.240 eventually, if there were any jobs and policy. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:22.980 And I remember Dr. Gross saying, you're going 00:04:22.980 --> 00:04:27.079 to have to move to DC to do that. And what happened 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:29.699 was that I did that research on homeless youth. 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:33.379 And our law said you can't shelter a youth. for 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:35.980 longer than eight hours without parental consent 00:04:35.980 --> 00:04:38.620 or emancipation. And I'd work long enough in 00:04:38.620 --> 00:04:40.100 child welfare to know that we didn't actually 00:04:40.100 --> 00:04:43.339 have an emancipation law on the books. And so 00:04:43.339 --> 00:04:48.050 this is pre -Google. And so using Bruce Jansen's 00:04:48.050 --> 00:04:51.709 model in one of my policy books, I wrote the 00:04:51.709 --> 00:04:53.709 Emancipation of a Minor Bill on my dining room 00:04:53.709 --> 00:04:56.310 table. I got I called the Child Welfare League 00:04:56.310 --> 00:04:59.009 of America and figured out what states had emancipation 00:04:59.009 --> 00:05:01.769 statutes, went line by line in all those statutes 00:05:01.769 --> 00:05:03.889 and picked the ones I thought would fit for Utah. 00:05:04.290 --> 00:05:07.009 And I knew a legislator and I called her and 00:05:07.009 --> 00:05:09.269 I said, I think I just wrote a bill. Will you 00:05:09.269 --> 00:05:11.329 sponsor it? And she's like, that's not how this 00:05:11.329 --> 00:05:13.750 works. And I said, well, I'm going to get it 00:05:13.750 --> 00:05:16.319 to you anyway. So I printed it and took it to 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.079 her. Maybe I emailed it to her. I don't know 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.920 This is like Yahoo days, right? But anyway, she 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:23.639 called me back and she said You wrote a bill 00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:26.110 And now you got to learn how it becomes a law. 00:05:26.170 --> 00:05:28.769 And so I taught myself how a bill becomes a law 00:05:28.769 --> 00:05:31.290 and passed it into law a couple of years later. 00:05:31.329 --> 00:05:34.069 And that was my foray. I mean, like I was literally 00:05:34.069 --> 00:05:35.949 sitting at my dining room table writing this 00:05:35.949 --> 00:05:39.910 bill. And what happened from that was that I 00:05:39.910 --> 00:05:42.610 developed so many relationships in the Utah legislature 00:05:42.610 --> 00:05:44.730 that eventually I got hired by Planned Parenthood 00:05:44.730 --> 00:05:47.129 to be their chief lobbyist for the federal and 00:05:47.129 --> 00:05:50.189 state level for the state of Utah. And that led 00:05:50.189 --> 00:05:55.579 into me coming to USC to get my PhD and do research 00:05:55.579 --> 00:05:58.240 on how women navigate religious stigma to get 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:00.319 abortion and contraception in rural California. 00:06:01.459 --> 00:06:04.500 My dissertation, of course, was built on this 00:06:04.500 --> 00:06:08.560 framework of macro practice. One of the things 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:11.220 I learned from this whole trajectory, and now, 00:06:11.240 --> 00:06:13.480 of course, I'm running for Congress in the Democratic 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:15.579 primary here in Oregon's fourth congressional 00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:18.019 district. But one of the things that I've learned 00:06:18.019 --> 00:06:22.579 across this trajectory is how accessible policymaking 00:06:22.579 --> 00:06:25.060 is for people. If you have an idea that's going 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:28.660 to change the world, you can take it to your 00:06:28.660 --> 00:06:32.339 elected officials because That's actually democracy 00:06:32.339 --> 00:06:34.959 in action. And it was a great honor to actually 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:37.399 work with Dr. Bruce Janssen while I was at USC. 00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:41.439 The whole thing culminated on itself. And I think 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:44.620 that being able to work with Sam and the work 00:06:44.620 --> 00:06:48.160 that I did with our policy classes at SC, I want 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:52.319 people to know how accessible policy making is. 00:06:52.699 --> 00:06:55.360 that it's for all of us. I could just highlight 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:58.139 that what Melissa was saying. That's one of the 00:06:58.139 --> 00:07:02.079 biggest things in my graduate level policy classes 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:07.220 is to destigmatize and defear. students understanding 00:07:07.220 --> 00:07:10.199 of the word lobbying or running for office or 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.199 making an impact, it's almost a psychological 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:16.720 hurdle rather than a real life hurdle. And once 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:19.000 you, like Melissa was just sharing, and I've 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:22.800 noticed it for decades now, once one has a little 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:25.339 bit of experience practicing their professional 00:07:25.339 --> 00:07:28.639 voice, I'm not saying it becomes addictive like 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:32.379 it did to Melissa, but it becomes a part of your 00:07:32.379 --> 00:07:35.459 longer career that you'd no longer have that 00:07:35.459 --> 00:07:38.860 same hesitancy before your eyes were opened about 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:42.800 how easy it is to be a part of things policy 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:46.360 wise. Wow. I am just, I know this is just audio 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:49.620 only, but I'm just like snapping and so excited 00:07:49.620 --> 00:07:53.259 because this is literally what I hear from many 00:07:53.259 --> 00:07:55.939 of our students who say, you know, I don't know 00:07:55.939 --> 00:07:58.019 anything about macro -social or I don't know 00:07:58.019 --> 00:08:00.579 anything about policy. What do you mean? And 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:03.980 so I love your stories how, and Melissa, how 00:08:03.980 --> 00:08:06.959 you just said that it just kind of stumbled upon 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:09.779 you. You were inspired by, you know, a really 00:08:09.779 --> 00:08:14.040 powerful professor that made you kind of see 00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:16.120 the light, which is where you are today. Yeah, 00:08:16.220 --> 00:08:19.040 Sam, please. I'd like to ask Melissa a question, 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:22.819 actually. It sounds like you came to the social 00:08:22.819 --> 00:08:26.439 work table already interested in bigger picture. 00:08:27.170 --> 00:08:29.829 Issues, but my specific question is do you remember 00:08:29.829 --> 00:08:32.830 how it felt when you were first sort of learning 00:08:32.830 --> 00:08:36.870 clinical? Related festival social work. What's 00:08:36.870 --> 00:08:40.429 it a huge switch for you to transition from clinical 00:08:40.429 --> 00:08:43.409 minded? I know she's like forever ago to more 00:08:43.409 --> 00:08:46.009 of a policy focus Do you remember that sort of 00:08:46.009 --> 00:08:48.750 transition? Well, I think yes and thanks for 00:08:48.750 --> 00:08:50.990 the question I think the switch was all of a 00:08:50.990 --> 00:08:55.080 sudden I realized that with this degree I could 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:58.100 impact so many more people than just doing group 00:08:58.100 --> 00:09:01.220 work or one on one clinical work and I thought. 00:09:01.450 --> 00:09:04.490 My God, if I can write these bills that are going 00:09:04.490 --> 00:09:07.809 to help. Like for years, I got updates about 00:09:07.809 --> 00:09:09.970 how many kids we've gotten emancipated and gotten 00:09:09.970 --> 00:09:12.269 services. And it's got to be in the thousands 00:09:12.269 --> 00:09:15.090 now for sure. But like realizing that through 00:09:15.090 --> 00:09:17.169 all of these pieces of legislation that I've 00:09:17.169 --> 00:09:19.850 passed, I'm not just impacting a small number 00:09:19.850 --> 00:09:22.389 of people, I'm impacting a large number of people. 00:09:22.570 --> 00:09:25.169 And it has been such an honor and a privilege 00:09:25.169 --> 00:09:28.149 to teach social work students that, you know, 00:09:28.149 --> 00:09:30.309 they're coming to me when I was teaching social 00:09:30.309 --> 00:09:33.259 justice. advocacy classes, when I was talking 00:09:33.259 --> 00:09:35.379 to them, they'd be frustrated about their clinical 00:09:35.379 --> 00:09:36.860 work. And I'd be like, well, did you know that's 00:09:36.860 --> 00:09:39.360 actually related to policy? And here's how. And 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:42.019 so all of a sudden, we're creating these. I think 00:09:42.019 --> 00:09:46.240 if we didn't call it macro, it would help destigmatize 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:49.019 it for people because it feels so big when we 00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:52.480 call it that. But when we help social workers 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.600 and also other advocates in the community recognize 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:59.879 that when we ask a community what it needs, instead 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:03.960 of assuming what they need, all of a sudden we're 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.840 able to create policies that are created by the 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:09.799 community in a relational aspect. And so the 00:10:09.799 --> 00:10:12.279 switch wasn't hard because I want to impact as 00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:14.620 many people as possible throughout my lifetime. 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:18.259 And that's what policy gave me. Excellent. Wow, 00:10:18.340 --> 00:10:21.240 which is, you know, so transformative in our 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:24.820 lives, which really leads me to this next question, 00:10:25.159 --> 00:10:27.419 too, that I want to give both an opportunity 00:10:27.419 --> 00:10:30.860 to answer if you want. But I'll start with Sam, 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:33.879 if you can explain what it means. You started 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:36.840 to already talk about it, but what it means by 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:39.639 policy practice and forming policy within the 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:42.259 social work practice. And two, how does this 00:10:42.259 --> 00:10:44.679 translate to your teaching and preparing students 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.269 to take a deeper dive? to affect social change? 00:10:49.009 --> 00:10:53.850 Well, as Melissa just was sharing, clinical social 00:10:53.850 --> 00:10:57.370 workers, their jobs and the structure of their 00:10:57.370 --> 00:11:01.250 work and how they help is all dictated by policy, 00:11:01.769 --> 00:11:04.690 funding, bigger picture issues that she was just 00:11:04.690 --> 00:11:08.519 sharing. And once that connection is made, a 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:11.440 clinical social worker, an LCSW, someone who 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:15.600 focuses on therapy or groups or working with 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.320 school children and elementary schools, etc. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:21.759 One becomes more aware of how, like, the organization 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.580 they work with makes decisions that impact their 00:11:24.580 --> 00:11:27.879 caseload, for example, how bigger funding streams 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:30.659 fund programs and implementation strategies that 00:11:30.659 --> 00:11:33.059 are more effective or not. So it actually is 00:11:33.059 --> 00:11:37.220 more seamless than the words micro, meso, macro, 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.730 indi - So I also want to reinforce what Melissa 00:11:40.730 --> 00:11:43.230 said there, too. I mean, the way we talk about 00:11:43.230 --> 00:11:45.070 these issues sort of makes it a little further 00:11:45.070 --> 00:11:49.149 away. And that's how the foundation policy courses, 00:11:49.450 --> 00:11:52.230 which I lead for our school, are sort of structured, 00:11:52.470 --> 00:11:55.809 is to introduce grad students seeking their masters 00:11:55.809 --> 00:11:59.210 of social work in order to first see the bigger 00:11:59.210 --> 00:12:02.299 picture like that. Second, practice having a 00:12:02.299 --> 00:12:05.379 professional voice on these issues because not 00:12:05.379 --> 00:12:07.980 everybody's a born advocate who's loud and talking 00:12:07.980 --> 00:12:11.179 all the time, so it's a practice. And then everybody 00:12:11.179 --> 00:12:14.379 practices either publicly testifying at a public 00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:17.700 forum or lobbying, and that's a first -year class. 00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:20.700 And that little, to conclude, that little bit 00:12:20.700 --> 00:12:25.759 is enough to open the door that even full -time 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:28.940 LCSW social workers 10 years into their career 00:12:28.940 --> 00:12:33.139 are motivated to spend about 5 % of their career 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:35.059 working on issues they care about like this, 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.340 whether it's volunteering, I don't want to just 00:12:37.340 --> 00:12:39.639 say go to marches or whatever, but having that 00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:41.879 part of their brain more open. So that's how 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.419 I try to frame it and get it across. Fantastic. 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:46.759 Thank you, Sam. Melissa, would you care to add? 00:12:47.659 --> 00:12:50.080 Yeah. I mean, I think that one of the things 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.919 that just is so profound to me about the social 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:57.000 work profession as a whole is how uniquely suited 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:01.720 we are to engage in policy advocacy because of 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:04.179 the work we're doing in communities with people. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:08.440 And I think we also have an innate ability to 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:10.559 approach people from where they're at, not where 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:14.879 we want them to be. And that makes us an extremely 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:17.840 effective advocate. Right. Like when I approach, 00:13:18.340 --> 00:13:20.980 even as I'm approaching my campaign, right, like 00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:24.220 I'm going out and talking to voters and all my 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:26.700 social work skills are coming into play. Right. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.039 I'm listening to people. I'm hearing what they 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:33.080 have to say. I'm thinking creatively of policy 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:36.070 issues that we can use to address this. And so 00:13:36.070 --> 00:13:38.789 the issues that are coming up for voters. And 00:13:38.789 --> 00:13:42.169 I think that social workers are so uniquely suited 00:13:42.169 --> 00:13:46.149 to listening to people and also being really 00:13:46.149 --> 00:13:48.549 creative and thinking about how can we develop 00:13:48.549 --> 00:13:51.610 supports for people. And there has never been 00:13:51.610 --> 00:13:55.450 a more critical time in this country in our lived 00:13:55.450 --> 00:13:59.250 history. I think since World War two for social 00:13:59.250 --> 00:14:02.149 workers to be deeply engaged, not just in protest, 00:14:02.649 --> 00:14:05.860 not just in engaging with our communities in 00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:08.779 whatever ways we're called to do, but to really 00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:12.360 be thinking critically about how the people that 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:15.600 we are interacting with are being deeply affected 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.620 by the decisions made. at a federal level, because 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:21.600 what's happening at the federal level is so impacting 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:25.000 our school boards, our cities, our county, our 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:27.659 states. Like it goes all throughout the system. 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:31.500 And I think that social workers and other advocacy 00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:34.240 folks that work in social services would just 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:37.299 remember that we are so uniquely suited to do 00:14:37.299 --> 00:14:39.960 this work because we are trained to approach 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:42.679 people where they are at. I just want to highlight 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:46.200 that also, Melissa, that's fantastic that a unique 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:48.690 aspect of professional social work is a person 00:14:48.690 --> 00:14:50.909 and environment orientation. And you know what? 00:14:51.309 --> 00:14:53.389 The longer I do this, it's been forever now. 00:14:53.629 --> 00:14:56.879 That's a life skill. That's not just a social 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:00.820 work tool, and all other professions should have 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:04.000 that. We're very used to, and especially as Melissa 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:07.039 was implying, the last many years of our federal 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:09.539 government, we're used to a sort of command and 00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:12.620 control model of governance, at least trying 00:15:12.620 --> 00:15:15.100 to govern like that, apparently, where decision 00:15:15.100 --> 00:15:17.539 makers parachute in with their checklist and 00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:19.980 their commands. And that's the polar opposite 00:15:19.980 --> 00:15:22.259 of the entire basis of the social work profession, 00:15:22.299 --> 00:15:25.289 where we start with the person. And so it's an 00:15:25.289 --> 00:15:27.549 incredibly and powerful tool, both professionally, 00:15:27.649 --> 00:15:30.870 but also in each of our lives. Excellent. And 00:15:30.870 --> 00:15:33.590 I can't stress enough the importance of the listening, 00:15:33.710 --> 00:15:36.730 those skills, the reflective listening, right? 00:15:36.750 --> 00:15:40.090 And knowing what our constituents, what society 00:15:40.090 --> 00:15:43.350 is needing. And so, which leads me to wanting 00:15:43.350 --> 00:15:45.210 to understand, I know, Melissa, you're running 00:15:45.210 --> 00:15:48.730 for office and what are you hearing on the campaign 00:15:48.730 --> 00:15:51.289 trails? What are people asking for or needing 00:15:51.289 --> 00:15:55.899 and what's been your strategy? I think that it's 00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:58.100 changed. I announced I was running on July 1st, 00:15:58.100 --> 00:16:00.419 and so I really started calling voters in August. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:03.899 And what they were worried about in August has 00:16:03.899 --> 00:16:07.519 completely transformed now that we're here in 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:10.620 January. And there is a consistent through line 00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:14.059 about housing, about education, and about health 00:16:14.059 --> 00:16:17.039 care. That's a consistent through line. But it 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:19.960 was... people really worried about reproductive 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:22.860 justice issues, people really concerned about 00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:26.720 the economy and how things were impacting them. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:31.539 a little bit. And then we moved into the issue 00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:34.559 of taking, you know, stopping SNAP benefits. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:38.159 We moved into the government shutdown and all 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:40.240 of a sudden people became really worried about 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:42.740 food access. Right. And how our kids are going 00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:46.639 to be eating at school. And then now people are 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:49.500 100 percent concerned about ice and what's happening 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:53.039 with ice and immigration and the attacks on people's 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:55.700 bodily autonomy in that way. But one of the things 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:59.480 that I am recognizing and this is where I just 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:02.059 think it's so powerful the social work training 00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:06.680 that we have is that Sam, I'm so glad you brought 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:09.359 up this sort of top -down approach to governance. 00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:11.859 And I have this great idea as a congressperson, 00:17:11.859 --> 00:17:13.779 and so I'm going to tell the community what I'm 00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:16.859 going to do. What I am noticing as I'm talking 00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:19.039 to people is I'm going in and saying, well, what 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:21.079 do you need? Because this is a very rural district. 00:17:21.619 --> 00:17:24.259 There's two cities here, Eugene and Corvallis, 00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:27.240 but most of this district is rural. And so I'm 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:29.140 going in and asking people in rural areas, what 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:31.319 do you need? And they're like, nobody has ever 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:33.240 asked us this question. First of all, nobody 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:36.470 has ever come here, but nobody's also asked me 00:17:36.470 --> 00:17:39.349 the question. And so people are really responding 00:17:39.349 --> 00:17:43.150 to this idea of, well, what do you all need on 00:17:43.150 --> 00:17:45.109 the coast? Because what you mean on the coast 00:17:45.109 --> 00:17:47.950 is not what we need in Corvallis or Eugene. And 00:17:47.950 --> 00:17:50.829 so this is what I really urge people to do is 00:17:50.829 --> 00:17:53.930 really start to think about asking your community 00:17:53.930 --> 00:17:57.349 what it needs instead of assuming what people 00:17:57.349 --> 00:18:00.509 need, which is very much how we do grant making 00:18:00.509 --> 00:18:02.809 and policy work from this top down approach. 00:18:03.210 --> 00:18:06.250 We are being called to get back into community 00:18:06.250 --> 00:18:08.869 with each other and be in relationship with each 00:18:08.869 --> 00:18:12.069 other so we can really identify how like this 00:18:12.069 --> 00:18:14.289 is why I think mutual aid is becoming such a 00:18:14.289 --> 00:18:17.309 powerful force because that we're really connecting 00:18:17.309 --> 00:18:18.910 with people on the ground. And one more thing 00:18:18.910 --> 00:18:23.039 I want to add. Is that we need more people in 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:25.700 elected office who actually understand the programs 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:28.460 that they are cutting right now. So my family 00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:30.900 is on Medicaid. We have been on food stamps. 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:33.720 I'm married to a disabled veteran. My kids are 00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:36.160 still in public school. I have a daughter that 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:38.700 saddled with student loan debt. You know, like 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:42.240 we need people in particularly in Congress who 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:45.799 actually understand that the actions that are 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:48.640 being taken at a federal level impact our families 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:52.480 so deeply. And I think that if we could get more 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.940 social workers just engaged in this process. 00:18:56.490 --> 00:18:58.710 First of all, they'd realize how accessible our 00:18:58.710 --> 00:19:01.230 elected officials are because they are accessible. 00:19:01.730 --> 00:19:03.829 Even at the highest level of government, they're 00:19:03.829 --> 00:19:07.029 accessible. And that is a switch that has flipped 00:19:07.029 --> 00:19:10.009 for me since I started my career 25 years ago, 00:19:10.009 --> 00:19:13.190 is that I used to tell people to really keep 00:19:13.190 --> 00:19:15.890 things local. And the federal government's going 00:19:15.890 --> 00:19:18.089 to federal government. And now I'm realizing 00:19:18.089 --> 00:19:21.089 how deeply we need to be involved at all the 00:19:21.089 --> 00:19:23.559 different levels of government. Excellent. Oh 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.440 my gosh, Melissa, you hit on so many different 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:30.059 important points. One obviously is the unintended 00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:33.099 consequences that people are when they vote or 00:19:33.099 --> 00:19:36.099 not vote, all the different policies that get 00:19:36.099 --> 00:19:39.079 impacted and that equals to lives being impacted. 00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:42.140 And I appreciate the re -emphasis about listening 00:19:42.140 --> 00:19:45.019 and how important that is to listen to your constituents 00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:47.400 about what they need and not assume. So, which 00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:49.759 is kind of a social work trait that we always 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.519 say, you know, start where your clients are, 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:54.279 right? I hear so often about, you know, voting, 00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:57.099 you know, oh, why should I vote? It doesn't matter. 00:19:57.359 --> 00:19:59.859 And so trying to reinstill that, that yes, your 00:19:59.859 --> 00:20:02.519 vote does matter. So I know we have so much to 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:05.000 cover here. And I really also want to just kind 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:07.240 of ask right now, it seems kind of obvious, but 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:09.000 I'm just going to put it out there for our listeners. 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:12.200 And I'll start with Sam, if you don't mind. What 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:14.799 do you feel like are the most critical legislative 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:18.059 changes over the past year? And what are the 00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:21.500 potential long term consequences? Very good. 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:26.220 I guess I have a two tier response. Response 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:30.220 number one about sort of the most concerning 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:34.400 aspects of policy right now. The first thing, 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:37.599 and we sort of have been talking about it less 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:42.180 overtly today, is that the tone of the federal 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:46.579 government is this tone that really creates disengagement. 00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:50.480 a trillion miles away. Like how ICE is conducting 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:54.779 itself as a professional force that has, you 00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:57.160 know, an important role but the way that they're 00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:00.579 doing their role is so offensive and the way 00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:03.480 the federal government can really performatively 00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:07.720 doing things really turns people off. I don't 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:09.700 know if it's part of the strategy or what have 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:13.180 you and so I think longer term especially with 00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:16.599 our students or who are already a little bit 00:21:16.569 --> 00:21:18.809 They don't come to school necessarily to get 00:21:18.809 --> 00:21:21.809 more engaged with policy. Like I said, it's got 00:21:21.809 --> 00:21:24.390 a little mental hump to get over. But once you're 00:21:24.390 --> 00:21:26.890 over, like Melissa's demonstrating with her career 00:21:26.890 --> 00:21:29.569 in life, you're in. But like it becomes even 00:21:29.569 --> 00:21:33.190 harder to approach it because of the tone. That's 00:21:33.190 --> 00:21:35.730 part one. And then part two. And again, Melissa 00:21:35.730 --> 00:21:38.710 is really setting the stage for all my answers 00:21:38.710 --> 00:21:45.470 here. The big, beautiful, bogus Bill. does substantial 00:21:45.470 --> 00:21:50.190 harm to America's safety net programs. The SNAP 00:21:50.190 --> 00:21:53.269 budget, which is food stamps, which 42 million 00:21:53.269 --> 00:21:57.869 people in America use. Moving forward, the federal 00:21:57.869 --> 00:22:01.900 budget's cut by a third. and the federal government's 00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:05.240 mandating work requirements to get any kind of 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:07.339 food assistance. And the same thing that's going 00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:10.740 on in Medicaid. Medicaid is a humongous insurance 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:13.519 program. I know Melissa here in Oregon and in 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:17.039 California, 15 million Californians see doctors 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:21.299 via their Medicaid insurance and requiring work 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:24.180 requirements across the country and making it 00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:26.079 harder to access and the wait times are already 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:30.220 really long. Those things are going to further 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:33.119 chip away at our meager safety net program. And 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:35.000 so I think, substantively, those are the things 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:37.220 that I'm highlighting right now is particularly 00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:41.240 bad. Thank you, Sam. Would you care to add? Oh, 00:22:41.319 --> 00:22:44.859 I sure would. Go get them. SNAP is a great example 00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:48.799 because When we think about policy, this isn't 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:51.160 just about those people that rely on the SNAP 00:22:51.160 --> 00:22:54.559 benefit itself. The way we decide and determine 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:57.619 whether or not a school district gets free school 00:22:57.619 --> 00:22:59.740 breakfast and lunch is determined by the number 00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:01.880 of children who are receiving SNAP benefits. 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:05.380 So if you cut SNAP, you also cut free breakfast 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:07.960 and lunch for children in public school. And 00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:11.259 I think that's part of the process. So my social 00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:14.180 worker brain kicks in and I start to thread the 00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:16.960 needle and weave the connections, because that's 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.579 what we're trained to do. And I'm over here going 00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:22.259 in and testifying at the school board meeting 00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:25.640 that that this isn't just about the actual food 00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:28.160 stamp benefit. This is actually about making 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:31.099 sure that children don't have access to food 00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:32.940 during the day, which makes it more difficult 00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:36.000 for them to learn, which makes them more malleable 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:39.160 to the rhetoric that is being spread across the 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:43.859 country. Right. And so so. But that's not overwhelming 00:23:43.859 --> 00:23:47.160 to me. That's actually clarifying. And the other 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:50.539 thing I will say is it is not as if I mean, we 00:23:50.539 --> 00:23:53.660 have Project 2026 now. It's not as if they have 00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:56.859 not laid out the entire playbook for what's going 00:23:56.859 --> 00:24:00.319 to happen. And one of my frustrations has been 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:04.500 that there has been no coordinated response, 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:08.299 particularly from the Democratic Party. To what 00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:11.259 they are laying out in this blueprint that you 00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:13.940 can literally follow and the social worker in 00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:17.460 me is going y 'all like Come up with them. So 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:19.460 they're gonna say this they're gonna do this 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:22.759 How are we gonna fight back against it as a unified 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:25.799 front? and I think that is what is missing and 00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:29.779 I really truly believe that yes, it feels like 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:32.640 we are drinking out of a violent chaotic fire 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:37.440 hose every single day and also Things are cracking 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:40.819 in this democracy. I spoke at a vigil for democracy 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:45.920 the other night and I said, it's okay. For this 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:50.039 democracy in its current form to be showing us 00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:52.759 For the light to be breaking in where it does 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:55.960 not work because any democracy built on slavery 00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:59.500 and genocide is Not a democracy of the people 00:24:59.500 --> 00:25:02.539 by the people for the people if we want a democracy 00:25:02.539 --> 00:25:05.900 for all of the people Then we have to start to 00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:08.700 notice where the cracks are in the democracy 00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:11.500 and allow it to crumble a little bit I'm not 00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:15.019 suggesting it should go away but so that we can 00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:18.660 figure out how to rise up collectively and say, 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:21.700 this is the actual government that we want. We 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:24.920 want those separation of powers. We want to be 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:27.299 engaged with our elected officials. And we want 00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:31.039 a democracy that is actually representative of 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:36.119 everybody. Amen. Melissa, you've got my vote. 00:25:36.180 --> 00:25:39.740 Oh my gosh. I'm with you. This discussion is 00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:42.200 so incredible. I know there's a few other questions 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:44.680 I want to make sure we get to for our listeners, 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:48.019 but I know we have a graduate certificate program 00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:50.180 that I want to make sure that Sam talks a little 00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:53.559 bit about. So Sam, can you just share with us 00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:56.559 about this two graduate certificate courses so 00:25:56.559 --> 00:25:58.640 that our listeners know a little bit more about 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:00.619 this? And then we're going to start to wrap up 00:26:00.619 --> 00:26:02.990 in just a moment. For our listeners who don't 00:26:02.990 --> 00:26:06.089 know, the USC School of Social Work, in addition 00:26:06.089 --> 00:26:09.390 to when you earn, you seek to earn your Masters 00:26:09.390 --> 00:26:13.009 of Social Work, we also offer 12 or 15 different 00:26:13.009 --> 00:26:16.369 like more intense areas of study across all kinds 00:26:16.369 --> 00:26:19.410 of different modalities. And so we have two joint 00:26:19.410 --> 00:26:22.250 certificates between the School of Social Work 00:26:22.250 --> 00:26:25.609 and the Gold School of Law at USC. Then one focuses 00:26:25.609 --> 00:26:30.319 on administration of social agencies. and the 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:34.359 other focuses on more sort of clinical orientation 00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:38.599 to just sort of be clear law students. also take 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:40.859 this and they take social work classes like the 00:26:40.859 --> 00:26:43.240 only ones that they've ever taken in addition 00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:45.759 to our social work students have an ability to 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:48.519 take law classes and it's really very interesting. 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:51.720 I've had in my time here a couple different people 00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:56.400 got joint degrees MSW JD which is very powerful 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:59.299 combination so it's always very exciting when 00:26:59.299 --> 00:27:02.160 I talk with social work students explaining what 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:04.460 they can expect on and they have some they can 00:27:04.460 --> 00:27:07.990 choose the law classes they take. And it's really 00:27:07.990 --> 00:27:10.670 interesting to see a different sort of orientation 00:27:10.670 --> 00:27:14.609 towards society, because to conclude, law has 00:27:14.609 --> 00:27:16.849 a totally different orientation towards society 00:27:16.849 --> 00:27:19.470 than social work does. I know them both, and 00:27:19.470 --> 00:27:22.490 I have to share, I prefer the social work orientation. 00:27:22.549 --> 00:27:25.230 That's why I've been here for so long. But having 00:27:25.230 --> 00:27:28.710 a little bit of a foot inside the legal thinking 00:27:28.710 --> 00:27:32.160 is helpful to your skill set. Excellent. Thank 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:34.779 you, Sam, for sharing. And again, I'm so sorry 00:27:34.779 --> 00:27:37.099 we're running out of time, but this is such a 00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:40.140 rich conversation. So maybe what we can do is 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:43.759 just add if there's anything, and I'll give maybe 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:46.299 Sam first and then Melissa to bring us home, 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:49.019 is if there's anything else that you would like 00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:52.079 to share for our listeners that we didn't ask 00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:55.509 about. social work and informing policy. What 00:27:55.509 --> 00:27:57.490 would you add? Sam, we'll start with you and 00:27:57.490 --> 00:27:59.730 then Melissa, you can bring us home. Well, my 00:27:59.730 --> 00:28:03.470 my ending thing would be make an argument for 00:28:03.470 --> 00:28:08.650 working on issues you care about personally is 00:28:08.650 --> 00:28:12.559 a form of self care. Voting, when you do it regularly, 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:15.240 whether you think your vote makes a difference 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:18.619 or not, it's a form of self -care. You're self 00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:21.799 -caring your position in society as a person 00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:25.839 whose career it is to make things better. And 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:28.339 I would like to conclude in that you do a little 00:28:28.339 --> 00:28:31.460 bit of policy work throughout your career, not 00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:34.119 running for office and making your entire career, 00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:37.549 but partially. portion of your career and it's 00:28:37.549 --> 00:28:39.910 a form of self -care you'll feel better in the 00:28:39.910 --> 00:28:42.789 long term about your role here in America. Excellent, 00:28:42.849 --> 00:28:46.789 thank you Sam. And Melissa? I want to say that 00:28:46.789 --> 00:28:50.069 I think voting is a form of soul care. because 00:28:50.069 --> 00:28:55.710 what we are craving is this connection to the 00:28:55.710 --> 00:28:58.170 self in a way that we think we are making an 00:28:58.170 --> 00:29:02.150 impact in the world. And I have heard from thousands 00:29:02.150 --> 00:29:04.470 of voters who are so frustrated with this two 00:29:04.470 --> 00:29:07.289 party system that they've left the parties. And 00:29:07.289 --> 00:29:10.390 what I want to remind people is that often the 00:29:10.390 --> 00:29:12.829 primaries are closed primaries, which is another 00:29:12.829 --> 00:29:16.230 barrier to engaging in democracy. And so if you 00:29:16.230 --> 00:29:18.869 are looking at candidates who are inspiring you, 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:21.920 if you want to see more progressive candidates 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:25.440 remember to pay attention to your voter registration 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:27.960 because for people to be able to vote for me 00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:30.779 in the May 19th primary here in Oregon they have 00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:33.259 to be a registered Democrat and people are telling 00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:35.059 me they are changing their voter registration 00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:37.500 to vote for me which is which I honor like it 00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:40.460 makes me weep I have cried numerous times with 00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:42.519 people because they have given me that honor 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:45.440 that is sacred voting is sacred and I have voted 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:47.759 in every election since I turned 18 no matter 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:51.349 what the election was. So I just really want 00:29:51.349 --> 00:29:54.569 people to leave this conversation inspired and 00:29:54.569 --> 00:29:56.910 what Sam said is so important, what lights you 00:29:56.910 --> 00:29:59.049 on fire, what makes you feel passionate, that 00:29:59.049 --> 00:30:01.609 thing that gives you the chills when you think 00:30:01.609 --> 00:30:05.390 about it, go and follow it because that is how 00:30:05.390 --> 00:30:08.569 my career has been made for sure. And follow 00:30:08.569 --> 00:30:11.329 the thread like if it totally lights you up. 00:30:11.690 --> 00:30:13.829 There are ways that you can make a difference 00:30:13.829 --> 00:30:17.029 and I am happy to mentor anybody who wants to 00:30:17.029 --> 00:30:20.049 go into I've said this my whole career If you 00:30:20.049 --> 00:30:22.509 want someone to talk to or you have a question, 00:30:22.529 --> 00:30:26.210 I am totally accessible to people And I just 00:30:26.210 --> 00:30:28.930 really want people to be just guided by the thing 00:30:28.930 --> 00:30:30.990 that gives them the chills and makes them feel 00:30:30.990 --> 00:30:33.750 passionate Because that we can't save the whole 00:30:33.750 --> 00:30:36.509 world. We can't make a difference with all of 00:30:36.509 --> 00:30:38.970 the things But the thing that is most immediate 00:30:38.970 --> 00:30:42.380 to you is the thing that you go and do I have 00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:45.779 the chills and I am ready to go out and vote. 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.640 Let's do it, right? Thank you so very much. I 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:51.039 just really am taking away, you know, that public 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:56.119 policy equals soul care. right oh my gosh that 00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:58.059 sounds like a t -shirt we need to put that on 00:30:58.059 --> 00:31:00.279 the t -shirt right but anyway i just want to 00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:03.740 say thank you thank you thank you Sam and Melissa 00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:06.420 for joining us for this incredible discussion 00:31:06.420 --> 00:31:08.960 i do believe at some point we're going to need 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:11.539 to bring you both back as the world turns right? 00:31:11.539 --> 00:31:13.799 If you would like more information about our 00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:16.619 work on public policy please visit our website 00:31:16.619 --> 00:31:21.450 at dworakpeck.usc.edu. If you are interested 00:31:21.450 --> 00:31:24.650 in our graduate certificates in law and advocacy 00:31:24.650 --> 00:31:27.690 or social work administration that Sam teaches, 00:31:28.490 --> 00:31:32.950 please visit dworakpeck.usc.edu/graduatecertificates. 00:31:32.950 --> 00:31:37.059 And you can learn more about Melissa's 00:31:37.059 --> 00:31:40.579 campaign for Congress at melissabirdforcongress.com. 00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:44.400 And if you would like to network with our 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:47.200 guests regarding their work and want to support 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:49.920 our transformative research and programs, please 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:55.900 email us at listenuppeople@usc.edu. 00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:56.279 Thank you.