WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:03.680 It sounds like they are saying, how can we make 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.559 this as hard as possible so we can do away with 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:09.300 SNAP and other food assistance programs without 00:00:09.300 --> 00:00:10.939 actually saying we're going to do away with SNAP 00:00:10.939 --> 00:00:21.079 and other food assistance programs. Welcome everyone. 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:23.440 Welcome back to another episode of the Bold and 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:26.059 the Brave, a parent leader podcast. Thank you 00:00:26.059 --> 00:00:28.059 all for joining us, whether you're watching us 00:00:28.059 --> 00:00:30.300 on YouTube or listening to us in your car, in 00:00:30.300 --> 00:00:33.619 your office. Welcome back after a brief summer 00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:36.060 break. We took a brief but well -deserved break, 00:00:36.140 --> 00:00:39.100 but we're back at it again. We have a great episode 00:00:39.100 --> 00:00:42.060 for you. For those that don't know who I am, 00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:44.460 my name is Carlos Maldonado. I lead the communications 00:00:44.460 --> 00:00:46.439 team here with the National Parent Leadership 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.399 Institute. I'm usually behind the camera recording 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:52.100 the podcast and producing the podcast, but I'm 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:54.539 back again for another episode. And I am joined 00:00:54.539 --> 00:00:57.820 by my friend, my coworker, my compadre, Hobson 00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:00.320 McCain, also with the NPLI team. Hobson, how's 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.700 it going? It's going well, Carlos, and we're 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:04.879 super happy that you're back on the podcast. 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:08.019 We're really excited for today's episode. And 00:01:08.019 --> 00:01:10.700 just for everybody who doesn't know, I am Hobson 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:12.500 McCain. I'm an operations and special initiative 00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:14.959 associate with the National Parent Leadership 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:18.019 Institute. We are really, really excited today 00:01:18.019 --> 00:01:22.079 to have a conversation with... some partners, 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:24.540 some consultants, some parent leaders who are 00:01:24.540 --> 00:01:27.680 doing a lot of great work in the community. We're 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.599 joined by Carolyn Vega from Share Our Strength, 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:34.620 Anthony Bonner from Memphis, and Zee from Hawaii. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.500 Welcome to you all. We are very, very excited 00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:39.819 to have you here. Like I said, we have a great 00:01:39.819 --> 00:01:41.739 conversation, so let's just jump right into it. 00:01:43.979 --> 00:01:46.340 Before we go into our conversation with our guests, 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.120 we just wanted to set the tone for the episode 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:50.560 and just tell folks a little bit of what we're 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.620 going to be talking about today. So today's podcast 00:01:53.620 --> 00:01:55.700 episode, we're going to be talking about SNAP 00:01:55.700 --> 00:01:57.739 and other food assistance programs. You know, 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.519 what's happening in the most recent budget bill 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:03.040 that passed Congress, what's happening in our 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.599 states, and what is needed and what folks can 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:07.879 do at the local level for those that are worried 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:11.680 around this issue. Yeah. So like Hobson said, 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:13.699 we have three guests, three wonderful guests. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:17.680 And so we're going to get started with Carolyn 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:20.139 from Share Our Strength, our wonderful partner 00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:22.680 organization. Carolyn, we're going to ask you 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:25.719 if you can explain a little bit about what SNAP 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:27.439 and these other food assistance programs are 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.780 for our audience. There are actually 16 federal 00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:33.819 food assistance programs. Congress sets the general 00:02:33.819 --> 00:02:36.139 structure for these programs and provides most 00:02:36.139 --> 00:02:38.740 of the funding and then states implement them. 00:02:39.389 --> 00:02:41.870 These programs do things like support meals in 00:02:41.870 --> 00:02:44.250 schools and child care centers. They help food 00:02:44.250 --> 00:02:46.710 banks get food to distribute, or they help pregnant 00:02:46.710 --> 00:02:50.310 women and new parents get formula and food. SNAP, 00:02:50.370 --> 00:02:52.889 or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, 00:02:53.129 --> 00:02:55.629 is our nation's largest food assistance program 00:02:55.629 --> 00:02:59.370 with the broadest eligibility. SNAP offers eligible 00:02:59.370 --> 00:03:02.030 households money to buy food at grocery stores 00:03:02.030 --> 00:03:04.870 and other approved retailers. Usually that money 00:03:04.870 --> 00:03:09.039 comes on a debit -like EBT card. Yeah, thanks, 00:03:09.139 --> 00:03:10.599 Carolyn, so much for sharing that. It sounds 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:12.800 like these assistance programs are really important 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.599 for families and communities around the country. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:18.080 And it makes me wonder just how did each of you 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:20.400 get started in snapping food assistance program 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:22.759 education and advocacy? I wonder if we start 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:26.000 off with Z. I appreciate that. Thank you so much, 00:03:26.020 --> 00:03:29.340 Hobson and Carlos. I'm really grateful to be 00:03:29.340 --> 00:03:31.340 here. Thanks so much for asking me to come share 00:03:31.340 --> 00:03:34.729 my experience. I grew up in. Southern California, 00:03:34.930 --> 00:03:37.110 and that's where I first encountered the SNAP 00:03:37.110 --> 00:03:39.229 program. Back in the day, it was called Food 00:03:39.229 --> 00:03:41.270 Stamps. I since have moved to Hawaii. I've been 00:03:41.270 --> 00:03:44.669 here for 10 years. I remember back being 22, 00:03:44.830 --> 00:03:47.490 23 years old and needing some assistance with 00:03:47.490 --> 00:03:50.629 food and substance use is a part of my past. 00:03:50.770 --> 00:03:52.810 And at that particular time, I was in a treatment 00:03:52.810 --> 00:03:55.189 facility, which is fantastic, helped to save 00:03:55.189 --> 00:03:57.110 my life. And they really introduced me to SNAP. 00:03:57.210 --> 00:03:59.509 Went down to the SNAP office in Southern California 00:03:59.509 --> 00:04:02.550 and walked out with a bunch of stamps. You know, 00:04:02.590 --> 00:04:05.789 it was kind of, traumatic -ish experience, right? 00:04:05.849 --> 00:04:08.009 Because I had no idea what anything looked like. 00:04:08.069 --> 00:04:09.710 And at that point, I was able to feed myself. 00:04:09.889 --> 00:04:14.150 And I knew about Snap from that. It was a couple 00:04:14.150 --> 00:04:17.170 of decades later when I needed it again for my 00:04:17.170 --> 00:04:19.970 family, right? Myself, my child, my child's dad, 00:04:20.209 --> 00:04:23.149 right? We were all living together and things 00:04:23.149 --> 00:04:27.160 got hard. My story, not unique. Right. But definitely 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:29.139 has some pieces. We all have different stories. 00:04:29.180 --> 00:04:32.480 And dad has some disability issues, some diagnoses 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:35.040 and needed some caregiving. And so we were a 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.040 one income household at the time. I also had 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.660 a newborn and we just needed some extra help. 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:43.100 And I knew that SNAP existed. And so living here 00:04:43.100 --> 00:04:45.199 in Hawaii, I was able to reach out. I was able 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.199 to help to take care of the family. The education 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.019 and advocacy piece really came about from realizing 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:54.569 the stigma attached. to SNAP and what that looks 00:04:54.569 --> 00:04:56.550 like, which is really just a poverty thing. Like 00:04:56.550 --> 00:04:58.810 the more I learned about it, the classism and 00:04:58.810 --> 00:05:00.689 what all that looks like. And then it really 00:05:00.689 --> 00:05:03.509 just became, why are we not going out of our 00:05:03.509 --> 00:05:06.509 way to make this easier for people who are hungry, 00:05:06.629 --> 00:05:09.209 right? And that really began my journey at the 00:05:09.209 --> 00:05:11.230 state legislature and then doing some work with 00:05:11.230 --> 00:05:14.189 some national associations and partners around 00:05:14.189 --> 00:05:16.889 sharing lived experience. Because there's always 00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:18.990 a huge stigma around lived experience, right? 00:05:19.290 --> 00:05:21.939 The whole like, oh, we're the children. who step 00:05:21.939 --> 00:05:24.220 in and the grownups say, come tell us your problems. 00:05:24.699 --> 00:05:26.379 And then the grownups close the door and say, 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:28.920 let's fix it. And so really when the opportunity 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:30.860 presented itself a couple of years ago to be 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:33.639 like, no, no, not a child, an adult who deserves 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:36.019 a seat at the table. Let's have the conversation 00:05:36.019 --> 00:05:38.300 from that perspective. That's really what that 00:05:38.300 --> 00:05:40.120 looked like. And I look forward to being able 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:41.779 to share a little bit later, you know, with more 00:05:41.779 --> 00:05:44.800 of the questions. Thanks so much. Yeah, no, I 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:46.540 appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you for sharing 00:05:46.540 --> 00:05:49.620 your story. And I wonder if we can go to Anthony 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:52.720 in terms of just how did you get started in SNAP 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:54.720 and Food Assistance Program education and advocacy? 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:01.199 Yes. I think mine kind of mirrors the same. Grew 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:04.240 up on the system back when it was food stamps. 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:07.160 Then, you know, two of my children's mothers, 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:10.920 they was on food stamps when they had SNAP here 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:15.829 in Tennessee. Just through that, just seeing 00:06:15.829 --> 00:06:19.569 how that was and my income as a barber never 00:06:19.569 --> 00:06:22.290 really allocated for me to be able to get it, 00:06:22.310 --> 00:06:25.629 even though there were plenty of times throughout 00:06:25.629 --> 00:06:28.509 my adult life that I could have used it for myself. 00:06:28.790 --> 00:06:33.110 It wasn't until three years ago when my son, 00:06:33.209 --> 00:06:35.750 my youngest son, he's now 13, where he came to 00:06:35.750 --> 00:06:38.889 move in with me, where I was then myself able 00:06:38.889 --> 00:06:43.560 to qualify for the SNAP benefit program. And 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:46.839 for me, it's been a real help, real boost. And 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:50.779 just with him coming to live with me, I was kind 00:06:50.779 --> 00:06:52.839 of really starting to get into the swing and 00:06:52.839 --> 00:06:56.379 just starting to advocate. First was just going 00:06:56.379 --> 00:06:59.220 through looking for my own resources and then 00:06:59.220 --> 00:07:02.339 just seeing a need, being a full -time single 00:07:02.339 --> 00:07:05.740 father. that the need to really share my story. 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:09.379 And that's what led me into joining PLTI. And 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:12.240 then eventually the National SNAP Parent Council 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.680 with, you know, with Share Our Strengths. And, 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:18.759 you know, that's what led me all the way here 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:22.180 today. Yeah, no, that's great. Thank you for 00:07:22.180 --> 00:07:24.339 sharing your story. Sounds like there was some 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:26.800 shared experience around accessibility issues 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.779 and need being the thing that kind of made you 00:07:29.779 --> 00:07:32.560 aware of the program as a whole. Carolyn, I wonder 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.899 if I can, Throw that question back at you. Sure. 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:38.319 My story is a little bit different. I started 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:40.920 off in college studying nutrition, thinking that 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:43.220 maybe I was going to do research or maybe go 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:45.379 to med school and be a doctor. But I had a great 00:07:45.379 --> 00:07:48.180 professor who challenged me once when I was kind 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:50.120 of telling him what my future plans were to say, 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:52.100 like, I think we all know we should be eating 00:07:52.100 --> 00:07:53.720 broccoli. Like, I don't think we need another 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:56.240 research study to tell us that. But we really 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.259 need to know why more people aren't eating broccoli 00:07:59.259 --> 00:08:01.819 or aren't able to eat broccoli. So I guess that 00:08:01.819 --> 00:08:04.399 was the question that radicalized me and decided, 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:07.519 you know, it into doing more nutrition policy. 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:11.139 And so we started off working in child nutrition 00:08:11.139 --> 00:08:13.959 program administration at the state level and 00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:16.899 then moved over to the nonprofit side and working 00:08:16.899 --> 00:08:19.240 on policy. So again, started more on child nutrition 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:22.319 programs and have grown to learn more about SNAP. 00:08:22.829 --> 00:08:26.370 um i'm always humbled to work with amazing people 00:08:26.370 --> 00:08:29.170 like z and anthony and try never to be one of 00:08:29.170 --> 00:08:32.730 the adults in the room um pushing people out 00:08:32.730 --> 00:08:35.129 and instead learning from your experience which 00:08:35.129 --> 00:08:37.350 is so valuable and what it's really all about 00:08:37.350 --> 00:08:40.990 yeah 100 and i think you know folks like you 00:08:40.990 --> 00:08:42.970 are the reason that some of these changes are 00:08:42.970 --> 00:08:44.470 being made in communities so we're definitely 00:08:44.470 --> 00:08:46.940 appreciative to have you here And we talked a 00:08:46.940 --> 00:08:49.799 lot, you know, we have Z from Hawaii, we have 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:52.019 Anthony from Memphis, and we know that these 00:08:52.019 --> 00:08:54.919 SNAP and food assistance programs are affecting, 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:57.019 assisting people around the country. And so I 00:08:57.019 --> 00:08:59.320 wonder, you know, about the differences in terms 00:08:59.320 --> 00:09:01.379 of like what the work looks like in Memphis, 00:09:01.460 --> 00:09:04.019 what the work looks like in Hawaii. And so, Anthony, 00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:05.539 I think I'm going to throw this back at you, 00:09:05.580 --> 00:09:07.299 but what does the work look like right now in 00:09:07.299 --> 00:09:09.259 Memphis? What are some of the things that you're 00:09:09.259 --> 00:09:11.299 doing right now in Memphis in terms of food advocacy? 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:17.350 So first off, last summer, The summer EBT program 00:09:17.350 --> 00:09:20.529 was stripped from Shelby County. It was stripped 00:09:20.529 --> 00:09:22.750 from Shelby County and Davidson County and about 00:09:22.750 --> 00:09:25.610 two other counties. The governor decided they 00:09:25.610 --> 00:09:29.110 wanted to look at... ways they can save money, 00:09:29.289 --> 00:09:32.870 so they cut back on removing it from certain 00:09:32.870 --> 00:09:35.110 counties. Just so happens they took it from the 00:09:35.110 --> 00:09:37.629 two largest counties in the state of Tennessee, 00:09:37.789 --> 00:09:40.909 which is Shelby County and Davidson County. Shelby 00:09:40.909 --> 00:09:42.889 County is what controls the Memphis metropolitan 00:09:42.889 --> 00:09:46.009 area. Davidson County is what controls the Nashville 00:09:46.009 --> 00:09:49.389 metropolitan area. So just really just that, 00:09:49.509 --> 00:09:51.929 I had to kind of get the word out because it 00:09:51.929 --> 00:09:54.409 wasn't known. That wasn't even known. People 00:09:54.409 --> 00:09:56.370 just kind of found out throughout the summers. 00:09:57.049 --> 00:09:59.529 of what was going on and happening. So just kind 00:09:59.529 --> 00:10:01.649 of really letting people know, educate about 00:10:01.649 --> 00:10:04.289 that. I worked with a couple of other organizations 00:10:04.289 --> 00:10:08.049 that, you know, do food drives throughout the 00:10:08.049 --> 00:10:09.929 summer and throughout the year. So that's just 00:10:09.929 --> 00:10:12.700 one aspect of what. You're kind of dealing with 00:10:12.700 --> 00:10:16.320 the SNAP benefit program. As far as that, it's 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:19.559 a necessity in this city for the most part. Memphis 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:23.559 is the largest Black metropolitan area. I mean, 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:26.200 we are a city in the country. We surpassed Detroit 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:28.559 last year with the highest population of African 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:32.059 Americans within a city's population. And it 00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:35.000 also has one of the highest level of poverty. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:39.840 in the nation so that means a great deal of the 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:44.120 citizens of this city depend on that benefits 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:47.299 just to be able to provide the family um you 00:10:47.299 --> 00:10:51.569 have you're looking at different cultures large 00:10:51.569 --> 00:10:54.269 ethnic cultures like Indian and different African 00:10:54.269 --> 00:10:56.570 cultures that are out here. You know, people 00:10:56.570 --> 00:10:59.269 that are all, you know, very, you know, needing 00:10:59.269 --> 00:11:02.149 it as well, too. So I look at when I look at 00:11:02.149 --> 00:11:04.710 the staff benefit program here in this city, 00:11:04.750 --> 00:11:08.110 I look at it as a real necessary crutch to help 00:11:08.110 --> 00:11:10.909 people not just feed their families, but to be 00:11:10.909 --> 00:11:12.710 able to have a little bit more to where they 00:11:12.710 --> 00:11:15.679 can strive. for what they want to be able to 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:19.220 put themselves in more successful position yeah 00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:23.340 no sorry i mean one it sounds like um you know 00:11:23.340 --> 00:11:26.120 very sorry to hear that the benefits are leaving 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:29.059 in that area or being reduced in that area but 00:11:29.059 --> 00:11:31.240 it sounds like the community is doing its best 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:32.960 to try to come together and provide alternative 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:34.940 means in terms of like those food banks that 00:11:34.940 --> 00:11:37.120 you were talking about and even just getting 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:38.759 the word out and letting folks know that the 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:41.179 change is there so definitely some great work 00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:42.799 coming out of memphis from you anthony i'm very 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:45.980 appreciative of what you're doing and and um 00:11:45.980 --> 00:11:48.220 you know like anthony said memphis is a very 00:11:48.220 --> 00:11:51.440 urban community very metropolized and i know 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:53.320 z you come from a little bit of a different background 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.730 what is the work looking like in Hawaii right 00:11:55.730 --> 00:11:58.950 now? I really appreciate the question. Thanks, 00:11:59.009 --> 00:12:02.070 Hobson. I was listening to you, Anthony, and 00:12:02.070 --> 00:12:03.750 talking about the city and I'm sitting here, 00:12:03.870 --> 00:12:06.590 you know, on my one acre of land in the southernmost 00:12:06.590 --> 00:12:10.389 part of the United States where it's mostly lava 00:12:10.389 --> 00:12:14.110 rock and a 45 minute to an hour drive to the 00:12:14.110 --> 00:12:18.289 nearest real kind supermarket, right? And all 00:12:18.289 --> 00:12:20.269 of those things. And I'm like, wow, the city, 00:12:20.309 --> 00:12:22.450 right? It's been a long time since I've, uh, 00:12:23.049 --> 00:12:25.470 Lived in a city. And so really here in Hawaii, 00:12:25.750 --> 00:12:27.769 I mean, I'm sure most of the listeners know, 00:12:27.929 --> 00:12:31.590 but Hawaii, you have all separate islands, right? 00:12:31.669 --> 00:12:33.909 And so a lot of people hear about Hawaii and 00:12:33.909 --> 00:12:37.250 what they do is they think Oahu, whether they've 00:12:37.250 --> 00:12:40.110 ever heard of Oahu or not. Oahu is Honolulu. 00:12:40.149 --> 00:12:42.429 That's Waikiki. That's where the tourists come, 00:12:42.570 --> 00:12:45.350 right? The vacationing. They have a bunch of 00:12:45.350 --> 00:12:47.929 food and a bunch of highways and a bunch of traffic, 00:12:48.070 --> 00:12:50.769 right? That's not the island that I live on, 00:12:50.809 --> 00:12:52.990 right? I live on Hawaii Island and Hawaii Island 00:12:52.990 --> 00:12:56.230 is the largest geographically. You can geographically 00:12:56.230 --> 00:12:58.350 fit all of the other islands into here and there's 00:12:58.350 --> 00:13:02.450 less than 300 ,000 people. So really what it 00:13:02.450 --> 00:13:05.750 looks like here, the whole island is pretty much 00:13:05.750 --> 00:13:08.490 a rural area, right? You have the two smaller 00:13:08.490 --> 00:13:10.429 cities, right? One on each side of the island, 00:13:10.529 --> 00:13:14.929 but it's different here. I would say in my small 00:13:14.929 --> 00:13:17.190 community, right, with my neighbors and what 00:13:17.190 --> 00:13:20.009 it looks like, we do have the two supermarkets, 00:13:20.090 --> 00:13:22.909 right? But if I'm going in to buy a can of soup, 00:13:23.070 --> 00:13:26.409 the price is at least one and a half times to 00:13:26.409 --> 00:13:29.029 three times higher than it is if I drive for 00:13:29.029 --> 00:13:32.149 45 minutes and that's just to the other supermarket. 00:13:32.629 --> 00:13:36.330 So we live in a food desert, right? That's what 00:13:36.330 --> 00:13:38.909 things look like here. And so when talking about... 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:41.200 what we're doing for snap and what we're doing 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:43.779 for, you know, here in the state of Hawaii, I 00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:46.320 would say it's so different because the needs, 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:49.860 even on varying sides of the Island, right. Are 00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:52.580 so great. You could literally get on an airplane 00:13:52.580 --> 00:13:56.679 in Kona and arrive in Honolulu before I could 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.879 drive from where I live over to Hilo, where my 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.679 kid goes to college. Right. So it's like, things 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:05.500 are so. from the transportation piece, from all 00:14:05.500 --> 00:14:07.220 of it. And so really, I'm giving that kind of 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:09.360 background before I'm answering the question, 00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:11.340 because you really have to understand the rural 00:14:11.340 --> 00:14:13.799 nature of where it is that we live here. And 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:16.340 so there are bills that come up around SNAP all 00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:18.679 the time, right? We're trying to expand the program. 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:23.379 Hawaii actually, awesome, back in February of 00:14:23.379 --> 00:14:27.659 this year, 2025, they expanded the BBC program, 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:30.240 which basically for SNAP means the broad -based. 00:14:31.070 --> 00:14:33.269 The C, I always forget what it stands for. Can 00:14:33.269 --> 00:14:35.230 you help me out there, Carolyn? Fraud -based 00:14:35.230 --> 00:14:38.370 categorical eligibility. Categorical, because 00:14:38.370 --> 00:14:40.450 that's a word we should all know, right? So they 00:14:40.450 --> 00:14:44.210 expanded the BBC program, which really had always 00:14:44.210 --> 00:14:48.750 been, as long as you were 100 % of the federal 00:14:48.750 --> 00:14:52.889 poverty level. The BBC was you could be 200 percent 00:14:52.889 --> 00:14:55.649 in your gross income and 100 percent in your 00:14:55.649 --> 00:14:59.149 net income. Hawaii, February of 2025, they did 00:14:59.149 --> 00:15:01.929 away with the net income testing. So as long 00:15:01.929 --> 00:15:04.629 as your gross income was under 200 percent. And 00:15:04.629 --> 00:15:07.750 I got to tell you, 50 ,000 more individuals in 00:15:07.750 --> 00:15:09.610 the state of Hawaii were able to qualify for 00:15:09.610 --> 00:15:12.970 SNAP as a result. And so we have our state legislators 00:15:12.970 --> 00:15:15.269 that are decent, right, that understand what 00:15:15.269 --> 00:15:17.169 some of these things are and that are trying 00:15:17.169 --> 00:15:21.169 to make the changes around it. as far as in my 00:15:21.169 --> 00:15:23.149 community i would love to tell you that we feel 00:15:23.149 --> 00:15:27.509 the difference but it's still six you know it's 00:15:27.509 --> 00:15:30.389 eleven dollars for a loaf of bread right i mean 00:15:30.389 --> 00:15:32.649 that's what things look like here in hawaii even 00:15:32.649 --> 00:15:36.049 not in the rural area so we're advocating we're 00:15:36.049 --> 00:15:38.590 doing work more food banks are opening up more 00:15:38.590 --> 00:15:41.529 ministry type things from some of you know the 00:15:41.529 --> 00:15:43.789 religious and spiritual organizations and then 00:15:43.789 --> 00:15:45.929 you have non -profits around what we call the 00:15:45.929 --> 00:15:50.919 aina the aina is uh the land it's sacred here, 00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:53.580 right? In Hawaii for the indigenous people, Kanaka 00:15:53.580 --> 00:15:56.679 Maoli, like the aina is, it's incredibly sacred. 00:15:56.779 --> 00:15:59.179 So you have a lot more people. This may not be 00:15:59.179 --> 00:16:01.860 known, right? For SNAP benefits, you can use 00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:04.659 your SNAP benefits to buy seeds for fruit bearing 00:16:04.659 --> 00:16:06.840 and for vegetables. You're allowed to use your 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:09.059 SNAP for that. So there's definitely the nonprofit 00:16:09.059 --> 00:16:10.980 organizations that are teaching people to do 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:12.919 that here. There's a lot of work going on. The 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:16.139 community is fantastic trying to take care of 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:18.509 each other with a lot of these issues. Of course, 00:16:18.529 --> 00:16:20.169 I don't think the community should have to, but 00:16:20.169 --> 00:16:22.129 that's, you know, neither here nor there. So 00:16:22.129 --> 00:16:25.029 thanks. Yeah, no, I appreciate it. And then, 00:16:25.090 --> 00:16:28.129 you know, sometimes when our legislators, our 00:16:28.129 --> 00:16:30.210 policies fall short, the community is all that 00:16:30.210 --> 00:16:32.730 we have to lean on. So it's great to hear that 00:16:32.730 --> 00:16:35.730 both in Hawaii and in Memphis, you know, the 00:16:35.730 --> 00:16:38.110 community is kind of filling some of those gaps. 00:16:38.250 --> 00:16:40.129 Of course, we're always going to advocate for 00:16:40.129 --> 00:16:41.789 the folks who are supposed to fill the gaps. 00:16:41.850 --> 00:16:43.590 I think I'm passing it off to Carlos for this 00:16:43.590 --> 00:16:46.659 next piece and then keep it going. Yeah. Thank 00:16:46.659 --> 00:16:49.399 you, Hobson. Thank you, Anthony and Zee. Zee, 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:51.519 if we could stay with you for a little bit. We 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.500 know through previous work that you have done 00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:57.200 with the MPLI that you have a background and 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:59.220 expertise in things like analyzing and advocating 00:16:59.220 --> 00:17:04.119 for and building inclusion in systems. Being 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:08.359 that SNAP is this thing that is helping a lot 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:10.680 of people, is there anything that you're bringing 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:13.920 in about inclusion as it relates to SNAP and 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:17.529 nutritional benefits? I really appreciate the 00:17:17.529 --> 00:17:19.569 question, Carlos. And I also really like that 00:17:19.569 --> 00:17:21.150 you said out loud for the listeners that you've 00:17:21.150 --> 00:17:23.569 worked with me before, only because it means 00:17:23.569 --> 00:17:25.450 that what I'm about to say won't be surprising. 00:17:26.750 --> 00:17:29.569 Inclusion is a word that I don't hate as opposed 00:17:29.569 --> 00:17:32.089 to some other words that I dislike. But when 00:17:32.089 --> 00:17:35.049 you think about the word inclusion, it almost 00:17:35.049 --> 00:17:37.970 it takes inclusion is something that people in 00:17:37.970 --> 00:17:41.430 power decide that they want to do for those that 00:17:41.430 --> 00:17:44.170 are not in power. Right. I'm a decision maker. 00:17:44.730 --> 00:17:46.990 And so I am choosing to include those who are 00:17:46.990 --> 00:17:49.450 not decision makers to get their input. That 00:17:49.450 --> 00:17:51.410 is what inclusion is about. We typically talk 00:17:51.410 --> 00:17:53.069 about inclusion with regards to the disability 00:17:53.069 --> 00:17:56.089 community, right? Is there access? Is there inclusion 00:17:56.089 --> 00:18:00.549 around? But again, it basically, the premise 00:18:00.549 --> 00:18:02.670 of inclusion is that there's no power present, 00:18:02.750 --> 00:18:05.190 right? You have to wait to be included by those 00:18:05.190 --> 00:18:07.670 who have the power. So I'm saying that out loud 00:18:07.670 --> 00:18:09.410 because that's what I do and I say things out 00:18:09.410 --> 00:18:12.789 loud. There is some inclusion that's going on 00:18:12.789 --> 00:18:14.569 across the country in some of the snap systems 00:18:14.569 --> 00:18:17.410 systemically here in Hawaii. But I'm also going 00:18:17.410 --> 00:18:19.150 to say out loud on the record that I don't want 00:18:19.150 --> 00:18:22.190 inclusion. I want power sharing, right? Like, 00:18:22.250 --> 00:18:24.490 it's like when we talk about equality and equity, 00:18:24.650 --> 00:18:26.750 right? Equality is great, but really I want equity. 00:18:26.809 --> 00:18:28.710 And if we're really talking honesty, I want justice, 00:18:28.890 --> 00:18:33.109 right? So I feel like inclusion is a step to 00:18:33.109 --> 00:18:34.990 power sharing, but what I want is power sharing. 00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:38.819 So, yes, here in the state of, you know, Hawaii, 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:41.579 they are working a little bit on creating some 00:18:41.579 --> 00:18:44.099 councils at some of the nonprofit at the state 00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:46.039 level, bringing people with lived experience 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:49.099 in. It's not as great as I would like it to be. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:51.359 It's not as consistent as I would like it to 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:54.079 be at any level. I'm going to share for just 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:55.740 a quick minute, like, you know, a story that 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:58.859 I had, you know, being a SNAP recipient, I would 00:18:58.859 --> 00:19:01.450 call. the phone line, right? Because you're calling 00:19:01.450 --> 00:19:02.970 and you're trying to get a hold of someone because 00:19:02.970 --> 00:19:05.509 I'm online and it's not working. And so I'm sitting 00:19:05.509 --> 00:19:08.430 on hold and we're talking average time of two 00:19:08.430 --> 00:19:10.490 and a half hours, you know, sitting on hold. 00:19:10.650 --> 00:19:13.309 And one of the things to Hawaii's credit, I promise 00:19:13.309 --> 00:19:14.970 you I'll get to it in about three seconds at 00:19:14.970 --> 00:19:17.849 the end of the story, but you would call and 00:19:17.849 --> 00:19:20.210 every three minutes, and I'm not joking, like 00:19:20.210 --> 00:19:22.029 exaggerating when I say every three minutes, 00:19:22.170 --> 00:19:24.390 but every three minutes, a recording would come 00:19:24.390 --> 00:19:26.930 on that would say, if you'd like to leave a voicemail, 00:19:26.950 --> 00:19:29.289 press one. If you'd like to receive a call back, 00:19:29.369 --> 00:19:31.170 press two. And if you'd like to remain on hold, 00:19:31.250 --> 00:19:34.029 press three. If you did not hit the number three, 00:19:34.089 --> 00:19:36.890 you were disconnected. So every three minutes 00:19:36.890 --> 00:19:39.009 I have to hit the number three. Do you know what 00:19:39.009 --> 00:19:40.809 that means? That means that I can't wash the 00:19:40.809 --> 00:19:43.910 dishes because now my hands are wet and I can't, 00:19:43.910 --> 00:19:46.930 my phone won't identify my finger hitting the 00:19:46.930 --> 00:19:49.869 button three, like the number three, right? This 00:19:49.869 --> 00:19:52.710 is what it looked like. And I reached out to 00:19:52.710 --> 00:19:54.490 the deputy director. I reached out to the director. 00:19:54.549 --> 00:19:56.569 I reached out to the legislator. I testified 00:19:56.569 --> 00:20:00.190 on bills at the state legislature. It took 17 00:20:00.190 --> 00:20:03.829 months. And they changed it to a 15 -minute rotation 00:20:03.829 --> 00:20:07.470 as opposed to three, right? So, yay, right? When 00:20:07.470 --> 00:20:09.430 we talk about the policy changes that we want, 00:20:09.509 --> 00:20:12.150 and SNAP, of course, want more broad -based eligibility, 00:20:12.569 --> 00:20:14.809 want more people to be able to afford food. But 00:20:14.809 --> 00:20:18.529 what we also want is people to be able to retain 00:20:18.529 --> 00:20:21.279 the benefits that they have. To not be so forced. 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:23.940 What happens when you work? In what universe, 00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:26.279 what job can I sit on hold for two and a half 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:28.279 hours, hitting the number three every three minutes 00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:32.200 and work? And we are right now a country that 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:35.619 does not guarantee paid family leave. So everything 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:39.140 intersects with each other. So again, to Hawaii's 00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:41.099 credit, they hear it, they make changes, things 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:43.720 work painfully slowly, which I totally understand. 00:20:44.140 --> 00:20:46.319 But I think when it comes to the inclusion piece 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:48.019 and some of the work that I'm trying to do in 00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:50.309 the systems, both here at the state level and 00:20:50.309 --> 00:20:54.230 at the national level, is really just outlouding 00:20:54.230 --> 00:20:56.329 the stuff that people don't want to say, right? 00:20:56.410 --> 00:20:58.910 For me, that's the inclusion. And every time 00:20:58.910 --> 00:21:00.609 I use the verbiage out loud, there's someone 00:21:00.609 --> 00:21:03.470 who says, oh, you mean elevate. No, no, I do 00:21:03.470 --> 00:21:05.869 not mean elevate. Things that are on the table 00:21:05.869 --> 00:21:09.410 get elevated. Outlouding is about digging out 00:21:09.410 --> 00:21:11.549 the stuff from the moldy foundation of the earth, 00:21:11.730 --> 00:21:14.869 washing it off so that it's palatable to put 00:21:14.869 --> 00:21:17.529 on the table so that other people can then elevate 00:21:17.529 --> 00:21:20.420 it. Right. So when I'm speaking anywhere at the 00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:23.740 national level to electeds, to nonprofits, you 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:25.579 know, again, at the national level or other states, 00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:29.079 I talk about the lived experience piece all the 00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:31.240 time because lived experience is not just lived 00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:33.660 experience with Snap. I have lived experience 00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:36.140 as a disabled person. I have lived experience 00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:39.240 as a caregiver for disabled people. I have lived 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:41.660 experience with poverty, lived experience with 00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:44.420 Snap, lived experience with with being on Quest, 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:47.519 which is our version of. Medicaid. I also have 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.500 lived experience as a therapist, right? Lived 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:51.779 experience as a drug addict and an alcoholic, 00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:54.000 being homeless under a bridge and now turning 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.220 it around and being able to work with others. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.700 So there's such a stigma attached to the lived 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:02.519 experience, the verbiage, when we talk about 00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:04.839 it, that I think that one of the ways that I'm 00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:08.400 trying to breed inclusion for the goal of power 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:10.859 sharing, but trying at the very least for inclusion. 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:13.920 is really just trying to help whoever I'm talking 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.279 to realize that they have lived experience as 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:18.940 well. That it's not a bad word. You can be a 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:21.339 professional and have lived experience. You can 00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:23.019 have initials after your name and have lived 00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:25.440 experience. And I just want everyone to talk 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.279 about their own lived experience whenever given 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:30.720 a mic. Because I think that's how we continue 00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:33.480 to make changes within the systems around inclusion. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:37.680 Because power sharing is the goal. And so that's 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.390 what I do in the Snap world. When I'm invited 00:22:40.390 --> 00:22:42.990 as a professional, I make it a point to talk 00:22:42.990 --> 00:22:45.829 about my disability and my lived experience with 00:22:45.829 --> 00:22:48.470 poverty and SNAP with a microphone everywhere, 00:22:48.789 --> 00:22:52.109 every chance I can. So I hope that that kind 00:22:52.109 --> 00:22:53.970 of answered your question there, Carlos. It did. 00:22:54.029 --> 00:22:57.069 Thank you. And I love everything you just said. 00:22:58.430 --> 00:23:03.990 Power sharing is the goal. If we walk with nothing 00:23:03.990 --> 00:23:07.109 else out of this conversation. That's something 00:23:07.109 --> 00:23:09.450 that I think we can all take with us. Power sharing 00:23:09.450 --> 00:23:13.190 is the goal above inclusion. Inclusion is all 00:23:13.190 --> 00:23:15.829 well and good, right? But power sharing is the 00:23:15.829 --> 00:23:19.170 goal. Anthony, you're coming at this from a different 00:23:19.170 --> 00:23:21.170 background, similar background, but a little 00:23:21.170 --> 00:23:24.670 different in that you are a dad providing for 00:23:24.670 --> 00:23:27.309 your children. Is there anything you want to 00:23:27.309 --> 00:23:29.890 share around that as a dad? How has engaging 00:23:29.890 --> 00:23:34.920 in this been for you as a father? Man, first 00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:38.460 of all, yo, Z, just like, man, what you was just 00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:42.940 saying about inclusion, just, hey, man. Man, 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:47.500 you said a lot there. But, you know, and it's 00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:50.019 motivated me because I'm not just coming at it. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:52.740 I don't come into this work just as a father, 00:23:53.059 --> 00:23:57.720 a single father. But I'm a black man. I'm an 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:02.069 entrepreneur. I just had a situation where I 00:24:02.069 --> 00:24:04.789 needed real assistance. And as an entrepreneur, 00:24:04.890 --> 00:24:07.690 I couldn't get the assistance that people have 00:24:07.690 --> 00:24:10.369 because they like your income is up and down 00:24:10.369 --> 00:24:12.630 and it could be good. Yeah, you may be bad today, 00:24:12.710 --> 00:24:14.710 but tomorrow. And it's like, this is the reason 00:24:14.710 --> 00:24:18.750 why, you know, and then you bring in like a child, 00:24:18.990 --> 00:24:22.690 you know, and I just had, I have, I'm a father 00:24:22.690 --> 00:24:25.809 of one single in my child, but I have. for others 00:24:25.809 --> 00:24:28.269 so that's you know and they don't and they don't 00:24:28.269 --> 00:24:31.609 live with me so it's i'm having to you know help 00:24:31.609 --> 00:24:34.869 provide for multiple households well still trying 00:24:34.869 --> 00:24:37.769 to make sure that my household and you know before 00:24:37.769 --> 00:24:43.069 before my child goes in you know came in to live 00:24:43.069 --> 00:24:45.309 with me it was just me trying to provide for 00:24:45.309 --> 00:24:47.849 my household and that and i think like that's 00:24:47.849 --> 00:24:49.869 the part where i kind of really touch base on 00:24:49.869 --> 00:24:54.039 it's like you know it's i can represent for the 00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:56.380 single person out here that doesn't have kids 00:24:56.380 --> 00:24:58.380 that is out here trying to make a way for themselves 00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:01.980 and you just look at like recent i just got an 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:06.180 email you know this past week my benefits are 00:25:06.180 --> 00:25:09.900 getting you know getting you know up to um forty 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:12.140 dollars from what it is and you know and the 00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:14.839 fact that i have a child i don't have to qualify 00:25:14.839 --> 00:25:18.150 for those i don't qualify for having to abide 00:25:18.150 --> 00:25:20.849 by those work requirements that the reconciliation 00:25:20.849 --> 00:25:23.410 bill just added on. And it just made me think 00:25:23.410 --> 00:25:24.970 about, you know, it's like, yeah, I'm lucky in 00:25:24.970 --> 00:25:27.589 a sense, but like, what if I didn't? So now it's 00:25:27.589 --> 00:25:29.190 like, I'll have to be reporting it. And, you 00:25:29.190 --> 00:25:31.130 know, at this point in age, I've been a barber 00:25:31.130 --> 00:25:34.029 for, I've been in my craft for 16 years. You 00:25:34.029 --> 00:25:36.029 know, I don't always work. I may not work 20, 00:25:36.049 --> 00:25:40.150 30 hours a week, you know, and I just, that sucks. 00:25:40.369 --> 00:25:42.990 That sucks. There's so many people out here that, 00:25:42.990 --> 00:25:46.359 that. that need the assistance and it just seems 00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:49.839 like they just make it make it hard or there's 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:51.900 this stigma that's placed on you that oh you're 00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:53.960 not working hard enough or you're not trying 00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:57.400 hard enough or you know it is you're lazy you 00:25:57.400 --> 00:25:59.380 know you're just using up and it's like they're 00:25:59.380 --> 00:26:03.000 so not true most of people like and it's it's 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:05.920 like it's going back like i love that inclusion 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:09.119 piece it made me think about something that i 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:11.880 said when we was talking when we first was gathering 00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:15.430 for the the SNAP benefit council in D .C. back 00:26:15.430 --> 00:26:19.809 in April. And, you know, we're all coming from 00:26:19.809 --> 00:26:21.470 different states, different backgrounds, different 00:26:21.470 --> 00:26:24.269 cultures. And I just had to say, you know, inclusion 00:26:24.269 --> 00:26:27.809 can be okay, but at times there needs, like, 00:26:27.809 --> 00:26:29.809 you know, I think, you know, you got to be careful 00:26:29.809 --> 00:26:32.349 about trying to create policy because I feel 00:26:32.349 --> 00:26:34.549 like that when you, a policy can never really 00:26:34.549 --> 00:26:38.400 be a one fit all. There needs to be some exclusivity 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:42.599 within that possibility to address certain age 00:26:42.599 --> 00:26:45.359 groups or certain demographics or certain cultural. 00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:48.400 Because the inclusion should be that we're all 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.640 sitting at the table making the decisions together. 00:26:51.640 --> 00:26:53.680 You know, not necessarily like, well, I'm going 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:56.019 to throw this blanket policy out here and I hope 00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:57.720 that you fit up in it because there's more than 00:26:57.720 --> 00:26:59.299 likely there's somebody going to be left out. 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:02.160 But if everybody is sitting at the table to make 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:04.579 a decision, then we all can be successful. And 00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:07.059 that's kind of like what I look to do in my work 00:27:07.059 --> 00:27:09.220 is just making sure that we're all people are 00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:11.559 all sitting at the table and not just, you know, 00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:14.480 a lot of you. So, you know, these type of benefits, 00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:16.720 SNAP benefits, Medicaid benefits, you know, there's 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.819 stigmas around that you only have to you got 00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:21.119 to be a woman or you got to have kids, you know. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:24.940 And there's so many, you know, fathers or men 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:28.160 that don't get assistance or are unable to find 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:30.019 assistance because they feel like they can't 00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:33.220 or these programs just make it heavy stipulations 00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:35.299 to make it harder. And it's like, you know, we 00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:38.500 care. We struggle, you know, at the same time. 00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:41.180 Yes, I'm a man, but that doesn't mean that I 00:27:41.180 --> 00:27:43.299 can't, you know, get assistance. And I think 00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:46.180 like that's just that's where I come in with 00:27:46.180 --> 00:27:48.599 the work is just making sure that people understand 00:27:48.599 --> 00:27:52.380 that it's we. You can't just look at it in one 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:54.339 way. You can't just look at these certain people 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:57.039 that there are so many more. There are so many 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:00.920 more. Like, I'm lucky that I was able to, you 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:03.720 know, my sons came and I was able to qualify 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:06.000 to be able to feed him. But I just think, I just 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:08.359 think about what if, you know, I think about 00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:11.759 all those past years where, like Z said, my lived 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:13.640 experience is not just doing this. I've experienced 00:28:13.640 --> 00:28:15.859 poverty. I've experienced homelessness. I've 00:28:15.859 --> 00:28:17.599 experienced all these things. I've experienced 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:21.359 needing assistance and couldn't get it. You know, 00:28:21.359 --> 00:28:24.480 and getting turned down and getting turned down 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:27.279 and having to. And I've experienced having to 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:30.579 be a be a man in society and just pick up my 00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:33.119 bootstraps and just get it done. Even if I'm 00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:35.539 struggling, I got to struggle silently, you know, 00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:37.420 because nobody's going to really care. You know, 00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:40.069 I think that's why I speak up. And why I say 00:28:40.069 --> 00:28:43.009 the things and I put myself in these councils 00:28:43.009 --> 00:28:45.869 and align myself with these organizations like 00:28:45.869 --> 00:28:49.470 PLTI, just to give more men, more fathers the 00:28:49.470 --> 00:28:51.809 strength to be able to speak up and say things 00:28:51.809 --> 00:28:53.970 and not feel like that you're less than a man, 00:28:54.150 --> 00:28:56.250 that you're not less than. You know, I mean, 00:28:56.309 --> 00:28:58.730 if you're going out doing whatever you need to 00:28:58.730 --> 00:29:00.750 do for your family, then that's, you know, to 00:29:00.750 --> 00:29:02.569 me, you're doing a darn good job. Whether it's 00:29:02.569 --> 00:29:04.809 you going out getting a job or you're going out 00:29:04.809 --> 00:29:06.650 asking and getting the resources that you need, 00:29:06.710 --> 00:29:09.529 you're doing what's necessary. So that's what 00:29:09.529 --> 00:29:14.990 I like to add into and just what I do and things 00:29:14.990 --> 00:29:20.970 of that nature. Yeah, thank you, Anthony. That 00:29:20.970 --> 00:29:23.490 is definitely sorely needed, what you just touched 00:29:23.490 --> 00:29:27.509 on at the end. Bringing more men into the work, 00:29:27.549 --> 00:29:30.029 bringing more fathers into the work. Without 00:29:30.029 --> 00:29:33.660 that stigma that if you're coming in... asking 00:29:33.660 --> 00:29:35.339 for resources, that doesn't make you any less 00:29:35.339 --> 00:29:37.000 of a man. It doesn't make you any less of a father 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:39.420 or less of a caregiver. Like you said, you're 00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:41.119 doing what you need to provide for your family. 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:45.660 And at the end of the day, that's what matters. 00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:47.759 So thank you, Anthony, for what you're doing. 00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:49.480 Thank you, Zee, for what you're doing as well. 00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:54.619 And I wanted to pivot a little bit to the current 00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:57.160 state of affairs in our country and the legislation 00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:59.200 that's being passed, the legislation that's being 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:01.809 proposed. Carolyn, we're going to come back to 00:30:01.809 --> 00:30:05.089 you a little bit because of your work in education 00:30:05.089 --> 00:30:07.470 and your work in advocacy and the expertise you 00:30:07.470 --> 00:30:10.769 have around SNAP. Are there any things that people 00:30:10.769 --> 00:30:12.930 need to know about the big budget bill that just 00:30:12.930 --> 00:30:15.509 recently passed? What do people need to know 00:30:15.509 --> 00:30:18.970 in regards to SNAP and food assistance programs 00:30:18.970 --> 00:30:22.490 from that bill? There's a lot. Unfortunately. 00:30:22.750 --> 00:30:26.190 So there are some more technical changes that 00:30:26.190 --> 00:30:28.450 may start being implemented at any time now, 00:30:28.609 --> 00:30:31.369 and those will mainly affect SNAP eligibility 00:30:31.369 --> 00:30:34.210 and benefit levels. And then the reconciliation 00:30:34.210 --> 00:30:36.630 bill that passed back in July also included some 00:30:36.630 --> 00:30:40.450 really big structural changes to SNAP. Those 00:30:40.450 --> 00:30:42.869 won't go into effect for a year or two, maybe 00:30:42.869 --> 00:30:45.710 longer, depending on your state. But states are 00:30:45.710 --> 00:30:47.410 definitely thinking about those changes already 00:30:47.410 --> 00:30:50.269 and may start planning for them in the coming 00:30:50.269 --> 00:30:52.859 year. And Although, again, those changes mainly 00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:56.180 affect states or counties, I think they are going 00:30:56.180 --> 00:30:59.339 to ultimately affect SNAP participants and all 00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:03.680 the people who need this assistance. So bear 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:05.779 with me because, again, it's a lot, but I think 00:31:05.779 --> 00:31:08.480 it's important for people to understand. So starting 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:11.279 with some of those technical changes, one, the 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:14.660 bill expands who is subject to time limits on 00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:17.819 SNAP participation because of compliance with 00:31:17.819 --> 00:31:21.250 the strictest work requirements. So it used to 00:31:21.250 --> 00:31:25.930 be in Snap that people 18 to 49 years old without 00:31:25.930 --> 00:31:28.690 kids had to prove that they were working at least 00:31:28.690 --> 00:31:32.170 20 hours per week to receive Snap. And if your 00:31:32.170 --> 00:31:34.710 hours dropped below 20 hours a week, or you lost 00:31:34.710 --> 00:31:36.789 your job, or you had trouble documenting your 00:31:36.789 --> 00:31:39.250 hours, think of Anthony showing how many hours 00:31:39.250 --> 00:31:41.769 you're cutting hair, you could only receive Snap 00:31:41.769 --> 00:31:45.579 for up to three months every three years. A few 00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:48.819 years ago, that got changed to adults ages 18 00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:51.799 to 54 being subject to these time limits. But 00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:53.940 in exchange, there were some exemptions for veterans, 00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:56.720 adults experiencing homelessness, and young adults 00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:59.240 recently aged out of the foster care system. 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:02.539 But now after the reconciliation bill passed 00:32:02.539 --> 00:32:05.920 in July, it's going to be adults ages 18 to 64. 00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:09.539 So already up another 10 years subject to these 00:32:09.539 --> 00:32:12.480 time limits. The exemptions have gone away. And 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:14.859 for the first time, time limits will apply to 00:32:14.859 --> 00:32:17.539 adults with dependent kids ages 14 and older. 00:32:17.779 --> 00:32:20.519 So if you are a parent with teens, and again, 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:23.819 you have trouble documenting your hours or your 00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:25.500 hours drop below 20 hours a week, you're going 00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:27.099 to be subject to that three month time limit. 00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:30.359 for yourself not for your kids but again that 00:32:30.359 --> 00:32:33.740 can really affect a whole household benefit that's 00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:36.259 technical change number one number two limited 00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:38.519 how states can ask for waivers from those time 00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:40.799 limits so again that'll affect a lot of people 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:43.960 that maybe they lived in a state or an area without 00:32:43.960 --> 00:32:46.279 enough jobs their state got a waiver from those 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:48.700 time limits now those options are more limited 00:32:48.700 --> 00:32:52.900 the bill also further limited snap eligibility 00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:56.490 for non -citizens important to note just because 00:32:56.490 --> 00:32:59.490 of misinformation out there that immigrants without 00:32:59.490 --> 00:33:02.529 legal status have never been eligible for SNAP. 00:33:02.589 --> 00:33:04.930 And there were several limits on immigrants with 00:33:04.930 --> 00:33:09.430 legal status since 1996. But now eligibility 00:33:09.430 --> 00:33:12.089 is going to be further limited to only green 00:33:12.089 --> 00:33:15.750 card holders, certain Cuban and Haitian immigrants, 00:33:15.990 --> 00:33:19.089 and lawful residents from places like Micronesia 00:33:19.089 --> 00:33:21.269 that are covered by something called the Compacts 00:33:21.269 --> 00:33:25.660 of Free Association. So Again, this rhetoric 00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:29.319 around SNAP is drawing people to immigrate illegally 00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:31.859 to the United States really isn't true. That's 00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:34.519 not how the rules work. But now eligibility is 00:33:34.519 --> 00:33:37.019 being further limited for non -citizens. The 00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:40.119 bill also eliminated an option to include internet 00:33:40.119 --> 00:33:43.700 costs when calculating income deductions, and 00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:46.079 that can affect benefit levels and may in some 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:48.400 instances affect eligibility. Goes back to some 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:50.619 things he was talking about earlier about broad 00:33:50.619 --> 00:33:52.859 days, categorical eligibility and gross income 00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:55.640 versus net income. So again, pretty technical. 00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:57.680 But again, it's just something that's going to. 00:33:57.930 --> 00:34:01.109 limit eligibility and benefit levels alert that 00:34:01.109 --> 00:34:03.230 limited when households can use what's called 00:34:03.230 --> 00:34:06.089 the standard utility allowance based on when 00:34:06.089 --> 00:34:08.349 they receive federal or state energy assistance 00:34:08.349 --> 00:34:10.769 so this is just something that's going to increase 00:34:10.769 --> 00:34:12.630 administrative burden more people would have 00:34:12.630 --> 00:34:15.349 to document their actual utility costs when calculating 00:34:15.349 --> 00:34:18.429 those income deductions and it may serve to also 00:34:18.429 --> 00:34:22.110 limit eligibility and benefits levels The bill 00:34:22.110 --> 00:34:25.710 also restricts future benefit increases that 00:34:25.710 --> 00:34:28.269 would have better kept SNAP in line with the 00:34:28.269 --> 00:34:30.309 latest like nutrition guidance and food availability 00:34:30.309 --> 00:34:34.289 and shopping and food prep habits. Now SNAP is 00:34:34.289 --> 00:34:37.050 going to be back to just being adjusted annually 00:34:37.050 --> 00:34:40.650 for inflation and that is it. No periodic adjustments 00:34:40.650 --> 00:34:43.289 to help SNAP keep up with changes in how people 00:34:43.289 --> 00:34:47.639 shop and eat. So that was a lot. But now going 00:34:47.639 --> 00:34:50.199 on to the big structural changes that I'm really 00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:52.460 most concerned about. Currently, the federal 00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:55.619 government pays for the full cost of SNAP benefits 00:34:55.619 --> 00:34:58.539 and half the cost of administering the program. 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:01.760 And states, or in some cases counties, pay for 00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:03.659 the other half of those administrative costs. 00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:07.579 Starting next year in October of 2026, states 00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:10.880 will have to pay 75 % of the cost of running 00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:13.900 SNAP. That means the staff, the computer systems, 00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:16.760 the EBT cards, those call centers that put you 00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:19.559 on a three minute or 15 minute loop to stay connected. 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:22.480 And then obviously covering those higher administrative 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.460 costs is going to be harder when states are dealing 00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:27.360 with changes that make the program harder to 00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:30.539 administer, like time limits applying to more 00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:34.460 people. And then for most states starting in 00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:37.559 October of 2027, they'll have to pay a portion 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:39.820 of SNAP benefit costs for the first time ever. 00:35:40.099 --> 00:35:42.699 And what they pay for benefit costs is going 00:35:42.699 --> 00:35:45.039 to be based on what's called the payment error 00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:48.639 rate. The payment error rate is all overpayments 00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:51.940 or underpayments made by the state, whether that's 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:54.320 because of misunderstandings or mistakes by households 00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:56.639 or because of administrative errors by state 00:35:56.639 --> 00:36:01.250 or county workers. And so... The law, and I think 00:36:01.250 --> 00:36:03.590 a misguided attempt to lower those administrative 00:36:03.590 --> 00:36:07.309 errors, creates this tiered structure where states 00:36:07.309 --> 00:36:09.789 with the lowest error rates won't have to pay 00:36:09.789 --> 00:36:12.309 a portion of benefit costs, but other states, 00:36:12.389 --> 00:36:14.610 depending on what their rate is, will have to 00:36:14.610 --> 00:36:18.590 pay 5%, 10%, or 15 % of benefit costs. Some states 00:36:18.590 --> 00:36:21.449 may get to delay that benefit cost share by one 00:36:21.449 --> 00:36:23.329 to two years if they have a really high error 00:36:23.329 --> 00:36:26.130 rate, but eventually this will apply to all states. 00:36:26.869 --> 00:36:29.570 And just... For a frame of reference, only nine 00:36:29.570 --> 00:36:33.190 states had an error rate for 2024 that was low 00:36:33.190 --> 00:36:35.570 enough to avoid the benefit cost shift. So this, 00:36:35.630 --> 00:36:38.750 again, is currently likely to apply to many states. 00:36:38.909 --> 00:36:40.730 And again, with all these other technical changes 00:36:40.730 --> 00:36:43.550 that I talked about, states are worried that 00:36:43.550 --> 00:36:45.170 they're going to have higher error rates as they 00:36:45.170 --> 00:36:47.010 figure out how to implement all of these things. 00:36:47.829 --> 00:36:50.909 And so all of this will have a really drastic 00:36:50.909 --> 00:36:55.329 impact on state budgets. Even though states get 00:36:55.329 --> 00:36:58.650 a little bit of lead time for planning for what 00:36:58.650 --> 00:37:00.710 their cost share will be based on their error 00:37:00.710 --> 00:37:04.289 rate, like based on three years prior error rate. 00:37:04.909 --> 00:37:07.469 you know, it still varies year by year. So that's 00:37:07.469 --> 00:37:09.269 really concerning that states will have maybe 00:37:09.269 --> 00:37:11.909 that up and down from year to year and again, 00:37:11.969 --> 00:37:14.070 really massive costs that they're not used to 00:37:14.070 --> 00:37:15.949 covering. And so I think that's really important, 00:37:16.010 --> 00:37:18.349 too, because even if you don't participate in 00:37:18.349 --> 00:37:20.989 SNAP, this will affect you because it will affect 00:37:20.989 --> 00:37:23.710 your state's budget for everything else like 00:37:23.710 --> 00:37:28.849 education and roads. But, you know, it's a little 00:37:28.849 --> 00:37:31.449 early to know exactly how states are going to 00:37:31.449 --> 00:37:33.070 handle this. They're still wrapping their minds 00:37:33.070 --> 00:37:36.190 around. How do they lower their error rate? How 00:37:36.190 --> 00:37:38.690 do they potentially absorb these costs, both 00:37:38.690 --> 00:37:41.210 on SNAP and on other changes from the reconciliation 00:37:41.210 --> 00:37:43.849 bill on Medicaid and other things? I know, it's 00:37:43.849 --> 00:37:49.250 a lot. It is a lot. And at least to me, it sounds 00:37:49.250 --> 00:37:52.269 like they are saying, how can we make this as 00:37:52.269 --> 00:37:55.230 hard as possible so we can do away with SNAP 00:37:55.230 --> 00:37:57.789 and other food assistance programs without actually 00:37:57.789 --> 00:37:59.349 saying we're going to do away with SNAP and other 00:37:59.349 --> 00:38:01.260 food assistance programs? You know, I'm glad 00:38:01.260 --> 00:38:03.659 you mentioned that because when Anthony referenced 00:38:03.659 --> 00:38:06.559 summer EBT being cut in his county in Tennessee, 00:38:06.820 --> 00:38:08.920 summer EBT is a slightly different program from 00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:11.559 SNAP, but operates pretty similarly. It's just 00:38:11.559 --> 00:38:14.380 tailored to families with kids who receive free 00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:17.159 or reduced price meals to receive a SNAP -like 00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:20.360 benefit over the summer. And summer EBT should 00:38:20.360 --> 00:38:23.179 be available across the country like SNAP currently 00:38:23.179 --> 00:38:26.380 is, but states can choose to opt in or not to 00:38:26.380 --> 00:38:28.860 summer EBT, and it's a new program, so not all 00:38:28.860 --> 00:38:31.239 states have yet, or Tennessee started but then 00:38:31.239 --> 00:38:33.840 decided to stop. We're worried that SNAP might 00:38:33.840 --> 00:38:36.460 be like that. If states say, ugh, we can't really 00:38:36.460 --> 00:38:38.780 stomach this uncertainty and these high costs 00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:40.719 potentially, maybe we should just stop doing 00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:44.639 SNAP in our state. And that would be devastating. 00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:48.019 Yeah, I was just about to, I didn't want to interrupt, 00:38:48.219 --> 00:38:49.960 but it makes me think about when you was talking 00:38:49.960 --> 00:38:52.960 about the error rate. So like currently, the 00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:54.940 state of Tennessee is being, with Shelby County 00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:57.920 Health Department being sued because of the fact 00:38:57.920 --> 00:39:00.460 of how they, the way they mishandled, like two 00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:03.760 years ago, maybe even three years ago, three 00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:06.820 summers ago, they decided to switch the system 00:39:06.820 --> 00:39:09.320 electronically. So that was like, and when they 00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:12.079 did that, it just went confused. I mean, people 00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:15.719 were... getting cut off a month after they just 00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:18.880 got approved. I remember I had a similar situation 00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:21.820 with me. Three months in, they cut me off. I 00:39:21.820 --> 00:39:25.119 had to go through an appeal. I was awaiting my 00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:28.000 appeals for a year and a half before I finally, 00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:30.119 like I said, about two years ago. It wasn't until 00:39:30.119 --> 00:39:34.239 this past September, after a year and a half 00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:36.260 wait, where they finally answered my appeal. 00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:39.320 And it wasn't until January the 1st that I had 00:39:39.320 --> 00:39:42.719 actually got approved. for my SNAP benefits. 00:39:43.059 --> 00:39:45.579 And it was like, that was going, that was happening 00:39:45.579 --> 00:39:50.079 across the city of Memphis. People's SNAP benefits 00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:53.000 was getting stolen. Like, literally, like, as 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:55.699 soon as it drops into their car, they say they're 00:39:55.699 --> 00:39:58.340 looking an hour later, they're gone. A state 00:39:58.340 --> 00:40:00.420 like Tennessee, that's already one of the poorest, 00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:01.920 you know, we're one of the poorest states in 00:40:01.920 --> 00:40:05.210 the country. then they with a high error rate 00:40:05.210 --> 00:40:07.409 there's going to be situations where people are 00:40:07.409 --> 00:40:09.869 going to be approved or have to qualify for or 00:40:09.869 --> 00:40:11.869 eligible for it but the state park is not going 00:40:11.869 --> 00:40:13.829 to have the money to even get it so it's like 00:40:13.829 --> 00:40:18.210 what then i so appreciate that anthony because 00:40:18.210 --> 00:40:20.070 that's so what it looks like do you know what 00:40:20.070 --> 00:40:23.010 i mean in so many areas for me one of the things 00:40:23.010 --> 00:40:24.929 that i think it's important for the listeners 00:40:24.929 --> 00:40:26.670 right i super appreciate carolyn what you were 00:40:26.670 --> 00:40:28.769 talking about as far as the numbers even just 00:40:28.769 --> 00:40:31.869 the admin fees going from 50 to 75 i was at a 00:40:31.869 --> 00:40:35.449 conference recently and the head of human services 00:40:35.449 --> 00:40:38.050 there in South Carolina was just giving us some 00:40:38.050 --> 00:40:40.889 numbers, just like for people like me out in 00:40:40.889 --> 00:40:42.489 the audience, right? Sitting there who didn't 00:40:42.489 --> 00:40:44.829 know. And she said, just so you all are aware, 00:40:44.969 --> 00:40:49.349 just going from 50 % to 75 % of the administrative 00:40:49.349 --> 00:40:52.309 fees, I will have to go to our state legislature 00:40:52.309 --> 00:40:57.269 and ask for $32 million more just to cover that 00:40:57.269 --> 00:41:00.289 additional 25%. And South Carolina is not a huge 00:41:00.289 --> 00:41:03.110 state. So I think that just for the listeners, 00:41:03.230 --> 00:41:08.289 and Carolyn, I think a perfect synopsis and a 00:41:08.289 --> 00:41:10.969 summary of what people in my community are afraid 00:41:10.969 --> 00:41:13.190 of. Because some people are only hearing propaganda 00:41:13.190 --> 00:41:15.590 pieces. Some people are only hearing from this 00:41:15.590 --> 00:41:17.469 news source, from that. Some people are only 00:41:17.469 --> 00:41:19.269 hearing from each other. Because when you're 00:41:19.269 --> 00:41:23.309 living, just trying to survive and thrive, but 00:41:23.309 --> 00:41:25.250 listening to the news and reading a bunch of 00:41:25.250 --> 00:41:27.789 articles isn't really a part of that. right? 00:41:27.929 --> 00:41:29.750 It's about like going to birthday parties and 00:41:29.750 --> 00:41:31.210 taking your kids to the park when you're off 00:41:31.210 --> 00:41:33.210 work and not paying attention. And then you hear 00:41:33.210 --> 00:41:35.530 from a neighbor in a supermarket, like, oh, you're 00:41:35.530 --> 00:41:37.289 using the EBT card. That's going to go away in 00:41:37.289 --> 00:41:39.510 six months. And then that's just what you think. 00:41:39.590 --> 00:41:41.309 And then that's what you tell everyone. So I 00:41:41.309 --> 00:41:43.090 think there's a lot of fear and I super appreciate, 00:41:43.289 --> 00:41:44.909 you know, what you just said there, Carolyn. 00:41:45.030 --> 00:41:46.989 But I also think it's important for the listener 00:41:46.989 --> 00:41:49.510 of the podcast to be aware that like going from 00:41:49.510 --> 00:41:53.570 50 % to 75 % of admin costs in a smaller state 00:41:53.570 --> 00:41:57.489 like South Carolina is over $30 million. let 00:41:57.489 --> 00:41:59.329 alone what would have to be paid out in benefits. 00:41:59.469 --> 00:42:01.469 So like, we're not talking small amounts of money 00:42:01.469 --> 00:42:05.929 here. No, and I think too, you know, we have 00:42:05.929 --> 00:42:08.550 a one pager that we've taken to the Hill to show 00:42:08.550 --> 00:42:10.690 members of Congress, you know, this is what the 00:42:10.690 --> 00:42:12.710 higher admin shift would mean. This is what the 00:42:12.710 --> 00:42:14.949 benefit cost shift would mean. And the numbers 00:42:14.949 --> 00:42:17.389 for big states like California or Texas or New 00:42:17.389 --> 00:42:21.460 York are staggering. a billion dollars. But then 00:42:21.460 --> 00:42:23.739 you even have small states like Wyoming where 00:42:23.739 --> 00:42:25.599 it's like, oh, it's just a couple of million. 00:42:25.800 --> 00:42:29.000 But for Wyoming, that's massive. Like they have 00:42:29.000 --> 00:42:30.840 a tiny budget because they don't have a lot of 00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:32.639 people there. So, you know, it's devastating, 00:42:32.820 --> 00:42:39.280 I think, across the board. Well, I mean, this 00:42:39.280 --> 00:42:41.880 has just been a riveting, insightful conversation 00:42:41.880 --> 00:42:46.320 in terms of just like how this impact kind of 00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:49.619 translates. to real life, right? I feel like 00:42:49.619 --> 00:42:51.420 a lot of the times when you hear this conversation, 00:42:51.739 --> 00:42:53.500 like you were talking about, Carolyn, you hear 00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:56.659 a lot of these technical terms or some categorical 00:42:56.659 --> 00:43:00.500 eligibility acronym, and it kind of just starts 00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:02.710 to feel like. i don't really know what any of 00:43:02.710 --> 00:43:04.670 that means but now we're getting into some of 00:43:04.670 --> 00:43:07.610 these like impacts in community and even how 00:43:07.610 --> 00:43:09.269 the states are reacting we're starting to see 00:43:09.269 --> 00:43:11.550 how states are responding in positive ways in 00:43:11.550 --> 00:43:14.650 some instances and then in some negative ways 00:43:14.650 --> 00:43:16.730 and in terms of cutting people because they think 00:43:16.730 --> 00:43:19.070 the cost is going to be too much this is a question 00:43:19.070 --> 00:43:21.510 for all of you what are the best ways for people 00:43:21.510 --> 00:43:24.050 to stay informed about what's happening since 00:43:24.050 --> 00:43:26.570 more will come out in the next few months the 00:43:26.570 --> 00:43:29.130 next few weeks and what can people do at the 00:43:29.130 --> 00:43:32.030 state level for them and their families and their 00:43:32.030 --> 00:43:37.369 communities access to food. I'd like to start 00:43:37.369 --> 00:43:39.409 and just quickly put in a plug for continuing 00:43:39.409 --> 00:43:42.250 to stay engaged at the federal level and telling 00:43:42.250 --> 00:43:45.010 your members of Congress what these kinds of 00:43:45.010 --> 00:43:47.090 changes will mean for you. I've been telling 00:43:47.090 --> 00:43:49.750 people don't bank on everything getting rolled 00:43:49.750 --> 00:43:51.829 back and going back to the way it was before, 00:43:52.050 --> 00:43:54.489 but there's still a chance for that. And I don't 00:43:54.489 --> 00:43:57.739 think you can just. stop and wait for other people 00:43:57.739 --> 00:44:00.639 to do that work for you or to say it's futile 00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:03.300 and not try. So again, Telling your members of 00:44:03.300 --> 00:44:05.000 Congress what these changes would mean for you, 00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:08.219 I think are so important. And also staying in 00:44:08.219 --> 00:44:10.000 touch with state legislators, because now the 00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:11.619 ball's in their court to think, how are they 00:44:11.619 --> 00:44:13.440 going to deal with this uncertainty and these 00:44:13.440 --> 00:44:15.960 potential big cost shifts? To let them know what's 00:44:15.960 --> 00:44:17.980 important to you and that they should do everything 00:44:17.980 --> 00:44:20.559 they can to preserve SNAP access in your state 00:44:20.559 --> 00:44:23.659 and to not make really devastating cuts. But 00:44:23.659 --> 00:44:25.280 acknowledging they are going to have hard choices 00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:27.719 just because of what Congress put in front of 00:44:27.719 --> 00:44:33.110 them. Yeah, I love that. I was intentionally 00:44:33.110 --> 00:44:35.190 specific about the state piece, but I love that 00:44:35.190 --> 00:44:36.710 you brought in the federal because that directly 00:44:36.710 --> 00:44:40.730 impacts that state advocacy. So thank you for 00:44:40.730 --> 00:44:43.130 bringing that to the forefront. Zia and Anthony, 00:44:43.210 --> 00:44:48.909 I wonder what your thoughts are. I was just checking. 00:44:50.679 --> 00:44:53.280 Continue to speak to your local reps, letting 00:44:53.280 --> 00:44:56.239 them know, sharing your story. I think storytelling 00:44:56.239 --> 00:44:58.559 is such a big impact. A lot of times they just 00:44:58.559 --> 00:45:01.139 look at the numbers, but they don't have no faces 00:45:01.139 --> 00:45:03.760 to them. If you're able to go to your state rep, 00:45:03.860 --> 00:45:06.079 go out there, go to the Hill, request meetings, 00:45:06.280 --> 00:45:08.760 sit down and talk to them, tell your story, tell 00:45:08.760 --> 00:45:10.960 them your lived experience, bring as many people 00:45:10.960 --> 00:45:12.940 as you can with you to go and tell them and put 00:45:12.940 --> 00:45:14.699 them in their faces and let them know, let them 00:45:14.699 --> 00:45:16.519 see the faces to the numbers that they just. 00:45:17.000 --> 00:45:19.179 throwing policies at and it's something that 00:45:19.179 --> 00:45:21.099 memphis does and you just do it locally and not 00:45:21.099 --> 00:45:23.119 that you know it's just you know just create 00:45:23.119 --> 00:45:25.019 you know create community gardens i mean you 00:45:25.019 --> 00:45:27.460 know the community has to like in in this time 00:45:27.460 --> 00:45:30.139 we have to kind of really build each other and 00:45:30.139 --> 00:45:33.239 work with each other to you know when it obviously 00:45:33.239 --> 00:45:35.480 seems like the government is not really caring 00:45:35.480 --> 00:45:38.320 the community in a sense so You know what I mean? 00:45:38.360 --> 00:45:41.039 Just get out there, you know, help each other 00:45:41.039 --> 00:45:44.380 and stay informed. As far as fact -checking what 00:45:44.380 --> 00:45:47.659 you see on social media, read the news, pay attention. 00:45:47.840 --> 00:45:49.960 Stay informed and pay attention, you know, but 00:45:49.960 --> 00:45:52.119 most definitely there's a lot that we can do. 00:45:52.179 --> 00:45:55.599 There really is a lot. So do not feel like you 00:45:55.599 --> 00:45:58.179 have no control over it. We are very powerful, 00:45:58.280 --> 00:46:01.250 these people. are supposed to you know they're 00:46:01.250 --> 00:46:03.469 supposed to work they work for us i think we 00:46:03.469 --> 00:46:05.530 have to remember that that we are the contentious 00:46:05.530 --> 00:46:08.329 and they must listen to our contentious so put 00:46:08.329 --> 00:46:10.429 it out there let them hear your voice let them 00:46:10.429 --> 00:46:14.570 be loud be as loud as you can be yeah i love 00:46:14.570 --> 00:46:16.829 everything you said and especially about the 00:46:16.829 --> 00:46:19.349 storytelling piece i recently read a study that 00:46:19.349 --> 00:46:22.190 said like when storytelling is done well the 00:46:22.190 --> 00:46:25.190 same neurons fire in the storyteller as the person 00:46:25.190 --> 00:46:27.190 who's listening and so there's like a chemical 00:46:28.170 --> 00:46:30.969 cohesion that happens when stories are told effectively 00:46:30.969 --> 00:46:34.050 and it can really lead to a level of understanding 00:46:34.050 --> 00:46:37.250 that is needed when doing this kind of work and 00:46:37.250 --> 00:46:42.650 um z last but certainly not least I super appreciate 00:46:42.650 --> 00:46:45.030 it. I love the question, you know, after talking 00:46:45.030 --> 00:46:46.769 about everything and how it feels, you know, 00:46:46.769 --> 00:46:48.869 it can feel a little hopeless, right? This piece 00:46:48.869 --> 00:46:51.730 at the end of like, what can we do? And of course 00:46:51.730 --> 00:46:53.969 I second, right? Reach out, reach out to Congress, 00:46:54.050 --> 00:46:56.550 reach out to your state legislature, reach out 00:46:56.550 --> 00:47:00.050 to your county and your city councils. And also, 00:47:00.130 --> 00:47:03.630 well, first I'm going to say, if your electeds 00:47:03.630 --> 00:47:05.750 are voting the way you want them to vote, right? 00:47:05.829 --> 00:47:07.769 And they're doing the things that you want them 00:47:07.769 --> 00:47:10.230 to be doing. Reaching out to them is still important 00:47:10.230 --> 00:47:12.369 because they need a thank you. Because they're 00:47:12.369 --> 00:47:16.329 in this vortex of crap, right? And so getting 00:47:16.329 --> 00:47:19.130 a thank you is incredibly helpful to remind them. 00:47:19.210 --> 00:47:22.090 So I think all of those pieces are real. But 00:47:22.090 --> 00:47:24.309 I'm also good at, yes, the community gardens 00:47:24.309 --> 00:47:26.030 and the taking care of your families and the 00:47:26.030 --> 00:47:28.849 food banks and the sharing food and all of those 00:47:28.849 --> 00:47:31.090 things within the community. I am also going 00:47:31.090 --> 00:47:33.150 to say something that may not be particularly 00:47:33.150 --> 00:47:38.320 popular, but... I think it's also okay to take 00:47:38.320 --> 00:47:42.119 a step back if you need to for your mental health, 00:47:42.199 --> 00:47:46.300 right? I get a lot of bombardment on social media 00:47:46.300 --> 00:47:48.599 and email from friends. It's just one bill. I 00:47:48.599 --> 00:47:50.320 just need you to testify. Here's the writing. 00:47:50.440 --> 00:47:54.099 Just add your name. Anyone can do that. Do not 00:47:54.099 --> 00:47:58.300 shame people who are trying to survive, right? 00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:01.719 There are a million and a half ways that we can 00:48:01.719 --> 00:48:04.670 fight. against all of these things. And they 00:48:04.670 --> 00:48:08.449 do not all include reading the news every day 00:48:08.449 --> 00:48:10.530 and sticking your face in Congress and being 00:48:10.530 --> 00:48:13.289 miserable and having no energy left to play blocks 00:48:13.289 --> 00:48:15.090 with your three -year -old at night. They do 00:48:15.090 --> 00:48:17.710 not all include that, right? When there is a 00:48:17.710 --> 00:48:20.429 sale at your local supermarket or when there's 00:48:20.429 --> 00:48:22.429 a farmer's market that's doing the double bucks 00:48:22.429 --> 00:48:25.329 for local food, you can also take a picture of 00:48:25.329 --> 00:48:28.010 that and post it on social media in your community 00:48:28.010 --> 00:48:30.610 group and let your neighbors know. And that is 00:48:30.610 --> 00:48:33.639 also... You fighting to ensure that your family 00:48:33.639 --> 00:48:36.760 and your community has food. When I have the 00:48:36.760 --> 00:48:40.219 bandwidth, I am all in at conferences and reading 00:48:40.219 --> 00:48:43.019 the news and all of those things. And when I 00:48:43.019 --> 00:48:47.239 am not all in, it is the most unhelpful thing 00:48:47.239 --> 00:48:50.840 to have other people that I am on the same side 00:48:50.840 --> 00:48:54.480 as trying to guilt me into it, which all that 00:48:54.480 --> 00:48:57.750 does is create shame for me. And so I just want 00:48:57.750 --> 00:49:00.269 to end it by saying, like, absolutely. Community 00:49:00.269 --> 00:49:03.090 gardens, read the news, reach out to your electeds, 00:49:03.170 --> 00:49:05.349 talk about it, post about it, write about it. 00:49:05.670 --> 00:49:09.869 And when you see a sale on popsicles at the grocery 00:49:09.869 --> 00:49:13.510 store, post that on your Instagram as well. Because 00:49:13.510 --> 00:49:17.670 every kid on the planet deserves for their adult 00:49:17.670 --> 00:49:21.190 to say yes to popsicles every now and then. Right? 00:49:21.289 --> 00:49:25.480 Like, that is where I stand on that. There's 00:49:25.480 --> 00:49:27.119 work to be done and it can be done any number 00:49:27.119 --> 00:49:30.820 of ways. Everyone deserves popsicles. So, yeah. 00:49:31.440 --> 00:49:34.679 I love that, Z. One thing that we say sometimes 00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:37.519 in our team meetings is that joy is a form of 00:49:37.519 --> 00:49:39.360 resistance. Community is a form of resistance. 00:49:39.599 --> 00:49:42.500 And so I just love ending it on that note. So 00:49:42.500 --> 00:49:45.579 thank you for that. Yeah, I love that too, Hobson. 00:49:46.079 --> 00:49:49.000 Joy is resistance. And I think we could all use 00:49:49.000 --> 00:49:52.400 that reminder from time to time. And this also 00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:54.179 feels like the right time and the right place 00:49:54.179 --> 00:49:56.800 to close things out. But before we wrap up, though, 00:49:56.880 --> 00:49:59.480 I want to thank our panelists by name. Anthony, 00:49:59.699 --> 00:50:02.860 C, Carolyn, we're so grateful for the time and 00:50:02.860 --> 00:50:04.920 wisdom you shared with us today. Thank you for 00:50:04.920 --> 00:50:07.599 being with us. And just like we talked about 00:50:07.599 --> 00:50:09.420 today, remember that taking action doesn't have 00:50:09.420 --> 00:50:12.099 to look just one way. It could be calling your 00:50:12.099 --> 00:50:14.420 representatives. It could be showing up at the 00:50:14.420 --> 00:50:18.139 statehouse. It could be planting a garden. sharing 00:50:18.139 --> 00:50:20.179 food with your neighbors, or even letting folks 00:50:20.179 --> 00:50:22.539 know about good deals at the local supermarket. 00:50:23.440 --> 00:50:26.980 Every one of those big or small steps helps us 00:50:26.980 --> 00:50:29.000 build stronger communities where our families 00:50:29.000 --> 00:50:32.400 are fed and every kid gets to enjoy a popsicle 00:50:32.400 --> 00:50:34.980 every now and again. So thank you for being with 00:50:34.980 --> 00:50:36.880 us. Please remember to take care of yourselves 00:50:36.880 --> 00:50:39.679 and more importantly, each other. And we'll see 00:50:39.679 --> 00:50:41.940 you next time for another episode of The Bold 00:50:41.940 --> 00:50:44.599 and the Brave, a Parent Leader Podcast. Thank 00:50:44.599 --> 00:50:44.760 you.