The Untold Story: Providing Access to Housing After Incarceration

Summary

Still My Baby: The Untold Story – Providing Access to Housing After Incarceration

Podcast Information:

• Title: Still My Baby
• Host/Author: Lemonada Media & Campaign Zero
• Description: Still My Baby is a poignant limited series that delves into the profound impact of Michael Brown's murder in Ferguson, Missouri, from the perspective of his mother, Lezley McSpadden. The series explores the family's journey through tragedy, public turmoil, and their path to healing and rebuilding their lives.
• Episode: The Untold Story: Providing Access to Housing After Incarceration
• Release Date: October 3, 2023

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Introduction

In the episode titled "The Untold Story: Providing Access to Housing After Incarceration," host Stephanie Whittles Wax engages in a heartfelt conversation with two pivotal figures in the realm of criminal justice reform: Leslie Credle, founder and executive director of Justice for Housing in Boston, and Bernadette Butler, director of the Homecoming Project under Impact Justice in Northern California. The discussion centers on the critical barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals in securing stable housing and the multifaceted approaches taken by these organizations to address this pressing issue.

Barriers to Reentry After Incarceration

Stephanie opens the dialogue by highlighting the unified problem both organizations aim to tackle: the formidable challenges individuals face when reentering society post-incarceration. Leslie Credle elaborates on these barriers, emphasizing housing discrimination as a central obstacle.

Leslie Credle [02:59]: "A criminal record prevents you from gaining meaningful employment, government benefits, health care, and most importantly, housing. But it doesn't prevent you from being the President of the United States, that's for sure."

Leslie underscores the pervasive impact of housing instability, linking it to broader social determinants of health and public safety concerns. She highlights how homelessness exacerbates health crises, increases law enforcement interactions over minor infractions, and imposes significant financial burdens on taxpayers.

Justice for Housing: Leslie Credle’s Mission

Leslie shares her personal journey, revealing that her own experience with incarceration inspired her to establish Justice for Housing. Her organization is dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination and homelessness among justice-involved individuals.

Leslie Credle [06:02]: "I founded Justice for Housing because I saw firsthand the disparities between the privileged and unprivileged during my reentry. We had to create a support system where others were left in transient and unstable living conditions."

Justice for Housing employs a comprehensive strategy encompassing policy change, legal advocacy, and direct services. Leslie highlights their collaboration with the Boston Housing Authority to develop subsidy and Section 8 vouchers, ensuring that participants receive stable housing upon release.

Homecoming Project: Bernadette Butler’s Initiative

Bernadette Butler introduces the Homecoming Project, an initiative under Impact Justice aimed at addressing the housing crisis in the Bay Area, particularly for those reentering society after long-term incarceration.

Bernadette Butler [07:22]: "During our five years of operation, we've achieved a 100% housing placement rate, 95% employment rate, and 0% recidivism among our participants."

The Homecoming Project pairs formerly incarcerated individuals serving long sentences with community "hosts" who provide stable housing and support. This program not only offers housing but also comprehensive wraparound services, including case management and independence planning, to ensure long-term success.

Multi-pronged Approaches: Policy, Advocacy, and Service

Both Leslie and Bernadette advocate for a holistic approach to addressing housing for returning citizens. They emphasize the importance of intertwining policy reform with direct services to create sustainable change.

Leslie Credle [13:09]: "Justice for Housing is unique because we tackle housing discrimination from every angle—policy, advocacy, and service. Our 'Far From Home Report' with Harvard University provides 12 policy recommendations to dismantle discriminatory practices stemming from the 1994 Crime Bill."

Bernadette echoes this sentiment, underscoring the necessity of legislative action alongside community-based support systems.

Bernadette Butler [17:35]: "Our success stems from not only providing housing but also ensuring our participants have access to workforce development and technology training. It's about building a foundation for stability and growth."

Success Stories: Transformative Impact

The conversation highlights several success stories that exemplify the effectiveness of these programs. Leslie recounts the journey of Jose, a single father whose life was transformed through Justice for Housing.

Leslie Credle [23:05]: "Jose was released early from probation and now he lives in a three-bedroom apartment, spends quality time with his sons, and has been hired as a case manager at Justice for Housing. This year, Jose and other participants will become our first homeowners."

Bernadette shares a similar narrative about Joey, a substance abuse counselor who returned from a decade-long incarceration to continue his vital work within the community.

Bernadette Butler [26:32]: "Joey is invaluable to our team. He works directly with our participants, providing guidance and support from someone who has walked the same path. His presence exemplifies the positive change possible when individuals are given the right opportunities."

How to Support: Empowering Change

Stephanie guides listeners on actionable steps to support these initiatives. Both Leslie and Bernadette provide clear avenues for involvement, emphasizing the power of community engagement and policy advocacy.

Leslie Credle [23:05]: "You can support us by donating through our website at justiceforhousing.org, becoming a host for our participants, or advocating for our legislation, S878 and H1362, which aim to provide housing for returning citizens statewide."

Bernadette Butler [26:32]: "Consider becoming a host through Impact Justice or supporting us by changing hiring practices in your organization to be more inclusive of formerly incarcerated individuals. A simple handshake or smile can make a significant difference in someone's life."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a heartfelt appreciation for the groundbreaking work carried out by Justice for Housing and the Homecoming Project. Stephanie commends the guests for their unwavering commitment and transformative impact on countless lives, inspiring listeners to take part in fostering a more inclusive and supportive society.

Stephanie Whittles Wax [31:14]: "Thank you for tuning in to this truly uplifting conversation with our wonderful guests, Leslie Credle and Bernadette Butler. Learn more about Justice for Housing and the Homecoming Project in the show notes."

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Key Takeaways:

• Housing Stability: Essential for successful reentry and reducing recidivism among formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Holistic Approach: Combining policy reform, legal advocacy, and direct services creates a sustainable support system.
• Community Engagement: Hosting programs and inclusive hiring practices are vital in supporting reintegration.
• Success Stories: Personal narratives like those of Jose and Joey highlight the tangible benefits of these programs.
• Actionable Support: Donations, hosting, and advocating for supportive legislation are impactful ways to contribute.

For more information and to support these initiatives, visit Justice for Housing and Impact Justice.

Transcript

[Megan]

Hi, I'm Megan and I've got a new podcast I think you're going to love. It's called Confessions of a Female Founder, a show where I chat with female entrepreneurs and friends about the sleepless nights, the lessons learned, and the laser focus that got them to where they are today. And through it all, I'm building a business of my own and getting all sorts of practical advice along the way.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

That I'm so excited to share with you.

[Megan]

Confessions of a Female Founder is out now. Listen wherever you get your podcast.

[Leslie Credle]

Hi everyone. I'm David Duchovny. Join me on my podcast, Fail Better, where we use failure as a lens to reflect on the past and analyze the current moment. I speak with makers and performers like Rob Lowe, Rosie o' Donnell, and Kenya Barris, as well as thinkers like Kara Swisher and Nate Silver to understand how both personal setbacks and larger forces impact our world. Listen to Fail Better wherever you get your podcasts.

[Megan]

Lemonada.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Hello listeners. This is Stephanie Whittles Wax, one of the co founders of Lemonada Media and the host of the podcast Last Day. We know you come to Lemonada shows to learn about hard things and to also get solutions. And one of those hard things is the realities of incarceration. Incarceration with all its flaws and harm, as well as the solutions that people are finding working in their own communities every day. So I am coming to you today with a very special episode featuring two people who are doing some incredible work focused on housing for justice involved individuals. I'm sitting down with Leslie Credle, who's the founder and executive director of justice for Housing, an organization based in Boston. We we are also joined by Bernadette Butler, director of the Homecoming Project, which is run by the group Impact justice in Northern California. We'd like to thank both of these organizations for making this episode possible. Both groups have made it their mission to improve the outcomes of people post incarceration, specifically by connecting them with stable housing. There's so much to learn from the work they've been doing and we thank them so much for joining us. Let's get into the conversation. So we're here today to talk about a problem that unifies the work of both of your organizations, and that is how hard it is to reenter society after incarceration. Leslie, I am wondering if you might start us off by explaining, for someone who perhaps might not know, the various barriers that exist for people who have been involved in the justice system.

[Leslie Credle]

Sure. First, I want to thank you, Stephanie and the Minata for inviting justice for Housing and myself here today. I founded justice for Housing. It is a grassroots organization that is committed to ending housing discrimination and homelessness for individuals who are impacted by incarceration or justice involved individuals. And the term justice involved means if you've been arrested, you didn't go to prison, but you received a conviction or a probation sentence. What people fail to realize is that everything is connected, right? We have to look at this larger issue impacting a larger ecosystem, right? Housing affects everything from public health to public safety, tax dollars, and most importantly, it has a negative impact on black lives, black communities and black families. And I say that because minorities represent the majority inside prisons and jails, therefore upon reentry, they are the most impacted. Everyone deserves a safe, stable home, right? Housing is a human right. It's not a privilege. A criminal record prevents you from gaining meaningful employment, government benefits, health care, and most importantly, housing. But it doesn't prevent you from being the President of the United States, that's for sure. So I want to give you a few examples, right? Since housing is a social determinant of health, people don't realize if you go into a shelter, you can't bring certain medications like diabetic medications. So hospitals bear the cost. We end up bearing the cost as taxpayers. If you're homeless, police are more likely to more likely to be arrested for transgressions like loitering, urinating in public, sleeping in public hallways, and the cost of the criminal justice system. It costs in Massachusetts $120,000 a year to incarcerate one person. So is irresponsible of us as society to not provide a critical resource like housing. We have paid our dues, we've done our time. Yet when we come home, we're treated as second class citizens.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

So, Leslie, you talked about justice for Housing. Can you tell us how your organization came about to try to solve the problems that you just laid out for us?

[Leslie Credle]

Initially, I was incarcerated myself. Upon reentry, being a homeowner, I noticed the disparities between the privileged and unprivileged. When I was in the halfway house, I was able to go home. I was able to go to school, I was able to get a job. I was able to found this organization where my peers were stuck in the halfway house. They were forced into sober homes, transient. All because housing authorities and landlords were discriminating and creating barriers. No one wanted to house formerly incarcerated individuals leaving incarceration until justice for Housing came along.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

That's an amazing story and it's incredible. What you've built on, you know, you have turned some lemons into lemonade for lots of people. Truly, truly on brand. So, Leslie, you're doing this work in the Boston area. And Bernadette, so, so happy to have you here with us today. Your work with the Homecoming Project is taking place over on the west coast in my state of California. What was the impetus for starting this initiative in that specific location?

[Megan]

Sure. So thank you again for having us. So the Homecoming project started in 2018, but it sits within a bigger organization, Impact Justice. Impact Justice's mission is to advance safety, justice, and opportunity through groundbreaking work that honors and empowers people. We focus in three areas, all of our programs, and we have a number of programs that span across three priority areas. One is preventing people, because we have a problem in this country around mass incarceration. So let me set that context and say that I'm sure this is not something that your listeners don't already know. And so one of the things that Impact justice is focused on is preventing people from going into the system in the first place. So some of our programs are tailored to alternatives to incarceration. The second is for people who are currently incarcerated. How do we improve conditions for those folks? And then the third focus area is for people who have been incarcerated. How do we ensure that. That they land on their feet when they exit these lengthy prison sentences? And so the Homecoming Project came by way of some of our staff members who thought, we have a significant problem in the Bay Area. There's this housing crisis. We know about these very real barriers to reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals. By the way, formerly incarcerated individuals are 10 times more likely to experience homelessness. And so it makes sense that we would then, if we're thinking about the connection between. The very real connection between reentry and homelessness that we would want to do. An innovative program, Impact justice as an organization right here where we were founded in Oakland, in Alameda county in the bay area in 2018. The homecoming project started with five hosts and five participants. So I'll tell you a little bit more about our program to give a little bit more context. But basically what we do is we match people who were sentenced to 10 or more years in prison with community residents who we call hosts and who have a spare room. And these hosts understand the value of community, and they appreciate the stipend that comes with hosting a formerly incarcerated individual. We provide training for the hosts, and we also provide wraparound services for the participants. During their six months with us, the participants are not only receiving case management, but they're also creating an independence plan so that by the time they leave our program at the end of six months, they have housing, they have employment. And by the way, I'm proud to share that in the five years that we've been operating that 100% of our participants have found have been connected to housing. By the time they leave our program, 95% of them to full time employment and 0% of them have recidivated. Our team is actively thinking about what is not currently happening. That could be what's the big problem in the justice reform space? How do we help solve it? What's something that others haven't thought of that research would back? And so to Leslie's point earlier, housing is the basis for everything. She talked about what are called the social determinants of health. And so what we know is that people don't exist in a vacuum. That our neighborhood, that our family, that there are all these factors that really affect, impede or accelerate our ability to excel. And so at the Homecoming project, we wanted to figure out a way where we could give people the stability that they needed to to then be able to secure housing, secure their own long term housing, secure employment. Because it is really hard to do that. As my participants will say, it's hard to do that when you're worried about where you're gonna sleep tomorrow.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Bernadette, we do so much work here on social determinants of health and wraparound services and everything. You're speaking my love language here and it does take a multi pronged approach. Foreign.

[Megan]

Hey, I'm Reshma Sajani, founder of.

[Leslie Credle]

Girls who Code and Moms First. I consider myself a pretty successful adult woman.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

So why is it that in midlife.

[Megan]

As I'm about to turn 50, I feel so stuck? Join me as I try to find the answer on my so called Midlife From Lemonada Media.

[Leslie Credle]

I talk to experts and extraordinary guests.

[Megan]

About divorce, exercise, menopause, sex, drugs and more to understand what we're going through and how to make the most of it. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

I'm Hasan Minhaj and I have been lying to you. I only pretended to be a comedian so I could trick important people into coming on my podcast. Hasan Minhaj doesn't know to ask them the tough questions that real journalists are way too afraid to ask. People like Senator Elizabeth Warren. Is America too dumb for democracy? Outrageous. Parenting expert Dr. Becky how do you.

[Megan]

Skip consequences without raising a psychopath? It's a good question.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Listen to Hasan Minhaj doesn't know from Lemonada Media, wherever you get your podcasts. So, Leslie, I'd love to turn to you since your organization also takes such a multi pronged approach. Can you talk about the importance of that?

[Leslie Credle]

Sure. Justice for Housing is unique in a way that most organizations do one thing, either policy, advocacy or service. Right. When I envisioned the founding of justice for Housing, I knew that housing was such a large issue and a critical resource that we have to tackle it from every angle. Right. So we use policy to change laws and to dismantle systems that are archaic and discriminatory. For example, like the Public Housing Authority, they have the discretion right to deny people based on quarries. Right. Which is criminal offender record information, criminal background checks. Right. We did a listening to it and survey and we wrote a report with Harvard University and we did case studies and we saw the collateral consequences that housing authorities were having on communities of color. Most importantly, they were separating families. Right. Mostly women, but men too. Parents are incarcerated. 65% of them have children in foster care. The Department of Child and Family Services requires them to have stable housing to reunite that child back into the household. And so we dismantled those policies through 12 policy recommendations. We call it our bible, the Far From Home Report, and you can find it on our website. And we use that report to leverage housing authorities to change those arcade policies that stem from the 1994 crime bill. And for those of you who don't know what that is, is when Clinton enacted his war on drugs. The other way that we tackle that issue is we have a legal advocacy wing where we also house people so that when housing authorities deny individuals or landlords evict people because of arrests, our team supports them through a community process. And the last way that we tackle it is through service, which is our stable housing and reintegration program. We call it sharp. We used the Far From Home report to leverage Boston Housing Authority, which was the most punitive housing authority in the state, is the sixth largest in the country. They partnered with us and we created subsidy and Section 8 vouchers. We provide for individuals who are released from one day to three years. And the program has been successful. We have homecoming, we have wraparound services, but we focus on trauma and healing because when you're released from incarceration, you have unmet trauma that people are not even aware about. And so our case managers focus on stabilization. And our goal is to create home ownership. And this year we will have our first homeowners. So again, we've been 100% successful, and we unite in children with their mothers. We have a 0% recidivism rate as well. And no one has left the program, so we're very happy with our success.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Yalls data points are some balm for the soul. I mean, that is just incredible what you have built. It's incredible what amazing stats and data that you have.

[Leslie Credle]

We housed over 150 people since we found it.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Oh, my goodness. It's amazing. I love this sort of. You're two different organizations. You're in two different locations that have two very different needs. But I'd love to know, what are you learning from each other? Do you take cues from other organizations? There must be so many people in this work. Bernadette, if you'd like to start. And then I'd love for Leslie to answer the same.

[Megan]

Leslie and I, both of our programs provide wraparound services. And I'll say that in the Bay Area, in Los Angeles, where we will be for the Homecoming project, what that means is we connect with other providers and connect our participants to services that other providers whose mission it is to deliver upon those particular services. We're not interested in reinventing the wheel. And we also partner, by the way, with the county public defender's office. They're individual social workers and lawyers who are advocating for people to be released early because, as Leslie said, we had a problem, we still do, around mass incarceration. And now we have, on the flip side, this problem around mass reentry. And so there are these folks who I think are silent heroes who are working behind the scenes not only to bring our brothers and sisters home, but to ensure that they are successful upon reentry, that they are connected to workforce opportunities, workforce development opportunities. And so when we talk about these barriers to reentry and we think about what are the services that are being provided for people who are incarcerated and how do we make sure they land on their feet. It is not just workforce development and housing. Some of it is also as basic as technology. And I say basic. That's not so basic. Imagine not knowing what any of these resources are. How to use a phone. Not having a phone is one thing, but also not knowing how to use it once you do have it. So I felt like I needed to call that out, too.

[Leslie Credle]

Yeah. For me, I could tell you we have coalitions throughout the state. Right. And we partner with organizations across the country in these coalitions, and we all get together once a year and learn from each other, usually at a conference, the Free Heart Conference. I have learned that you can provide service, advocacy. But the only way really to break down these systems is through legislation and through policy. And so that's why we have our legislation is an act to provide housing for returning citizens, S878 and it is sponsored by Senator Gomez and Representative Montana in Massachusetts, and that will provide housing for the whole state. Our goal at justice for Housing is to become a national model for the country. We want a sharp program in every state that has a large communities that are impacted by over policing and marginalized by underfunding. So for me, that is what I have learned during this work is to really dismantle the system through policy and legislation.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Hi, I'm Erica Mahoney. You don't know me, but you know a version of my story because by now we've all felt the impact of senseless gun violence.

[Leslie Credle]

I think a stray bullet flew past me because I hear the it was that horrible feeling of dread, something's wrong.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Four years ago, my dad was killed in a mass shooting. My podcast Senseless is about moving forward after the unthinkable Senseless From Lemonada Media, premiering June 17th. I'm Meredith Goldstein, host of the Boston Globe's Love Letters podcast, which features real people from all over the world telling stories about their relationship lives. This season we're talking about how to change for the better.

[Megan]

I just remember thinking like, wow, this.

[Leslie Credle]

Is what a healthy relationship looks and feels like.

[Megan]

The reason why I'm getting emotional is.

[Leslie Credle]

I didn't want to leave you.

[Megan]

I never thought I would be this way again.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Join us at Love Letters wherever you get your podcasts. It is just so incredible to talk to you both and your team and you're on the ground, you are meeting people where they're at. You are doing this incredibly critical work and you've developed systems and approaches that you are seeing be effective, which is a difficult thing to wake up and do every day. I'm sure there are so many setbacks and you have to keep going, but seeing that it's working is incredibly inspirational. And I'm so grateful that you came here today that you are doing this work. I really want to know, most importantly, what other people can do to support you. I know people are going to listen and they want marching orders. Is it getting directly involved with your projects, having conversations with people they know? How can people get involved? And Leslie, if we want to start with you and then, and then go.

[Leslie Credle]

To Bernadette first, I just want to piggyback about how important this work is. One of my first constituents, Jose who is a single dad who was in and out prison his whole life. He could never complete probation, parole. He always violated this last sentence. When Jose was released, he found justice for Housing. But during his incarceration, his kid's mother lost custody of his son Harlem, placed in foster care. And all Jose wanted to do when he got out was get his son Harlem. Of course, Department of Child Services required him to have housing. So when Jose found us, I wasn't even in the position we're in now. It took us a year to house Jose. But today, Jose is housed. He spends time not only with his son Harlem, but with his two other sons. He has a three bedroom apartment. And we just hired Jose as a case manager at justice for Housing. Yes. And Jose was released early off of probation because he's doing so well. And this year, Jose and other shop participants will become justice for Housing's first homeowners. So I say that, right? That's amazing that people's dreams can come into fruition. Last year, we were invited to the White House twice, right? And recently, Jose was invited to speak at the White House instead of me. So, you know, this is, you know, the work that we have done. We build leaders, right? And we pass it down. We pass the torch and we educate them for us. Our social media handles is at justice, the number four housing. Our YouTube, Instagram, we're on all social media platforms. Also, we have a documentary that aired. It's called Breaking Good. And so you can find that on WGBH if you Google it. And you can go to our website, justiceforhousing.org and that's the number four housing, not the word. And we accept donations through PayPal, through our website, through GoFundMe. And lastly, if you're in Massachusetts or your family, you know, somebody in Massachusetts, call your legislators and ask them to support our legislation. It's S878 and H1362 are the bill numbers and act to provide housing for returning citizens. And I want to thank you for inviting me here. It was a blast. And Bernadette, I'm going to get your number.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Same. So much fun. Yeah. Bernadette, how can we support you and your organization?

[Megan]

Leslie, I'm inspired by the work that your organization does. And I'm so glad, Stephanie, that you had us on to talk about our work. Recently we hired our first alum of the Homecoming project to be a case manager as well. And so we've served over 100 participants. And Joey, who said I could use his name, Joey. Joey lives with two hosts and their two kids. And Joey was in San Quentin for over 10 years. And Joey, while he was incarcerated, was an alcohol and substance abuse counselor, a very well respected one. And when he, upon release from incarceration, continued that work as a substance and alcohol abuse counselor. And we were lucky enough to snag him to be on our team. And I share that because when you ask what to do, I'm going to say this. Joey is invaluable to our team. He works directly with our current participants who respect him and who value his advice because he's been through the reentry process and is still on his journey. And he pays taxes and he is a contributing member of our community in so many different ways. And I say that because again, people who care about this work are thinking, of course this is the right thing to do. And then there are people who need to hear that Joey is someone who is not going back to incarceration. He was given an opportunity that matches his potential and wants to continue to do more. And it continues to shine his light pretty brightly. And we are lucky for it, we're better for it. And so what are some things that we can do? I share that to say that there are people who are are hiring managers who can decide that perhaps they change some of the rules of the game. In California, we've made efforts towards ban the box, where now most employers can only ask at the end of a hiring process if someone has a criminal background. I would encourage people who are in a hiring position to ask themselves, is the crime that was committed or is this person's offense 20 years ago still relative to the job that they would be doing now? Or do they have the skills and the potential that would really make them an asset to our organization and could help them re enter our community? Second is to think about our formerly incarcerated people as humans. First, that for our participants. So for example, Joey said to me, the homecoming project did not just find me a home, Bernadette, they found me a family. He just came back from vacation from Honduras with his host and their two kids. And those two kids, let me tell you, they look at Joey as if he was an uncle, a family member. And that relationship is intact, will always be intact. And more than anything, he's appreciated, Joey's appreciated the kindness that the family has shown them. But the family has will also say they have benefited tremendously from being host. I would not be doing my job if I also said consider becoming a host. Our website, impactjustice.org has more information about how you could become a host. We are also, incidentally, working with organizations very closely, starting in January 2024, to bring the Homecoming Project to their communities. And so even if the Homecoming Project is not in your community and you're listening from outside of the Bay Area or Los Angeles, consider that if the opportunity became available, would you be ready to host someone and what would that take? Leslie is right that we need to think about policy in a different way. So that means if you're a voter, you're thinking about who you're voting for, you're listening for those policies. But as individuals, how do we bring back people into community by way of employment, housing? What are the barriers that each of us individually can reduce within our own positions of power and authority to really support these people? And by the way, a handshake, a smile, all of those things also really go a long way for people who are formerly incarcerated and had not been treated like humans for so long.

[Leslie Credle]

You know, when you said that, Bernadette, about hosting someone, I just have to mention Boston Housing Authority and the support that they have given us. In the beginning, we were adversaries. Now they are one of our biggest supporters and we're working to get other housing authorities on board in the state. And so if there are other housing authorities out there listening, we would love to partner with you.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Thank you for tuning in to this truly uplifting conversation with our wonderful guests, Leslie Credle and Bernadette Butler. You can find information about both justice for Housing and the Homecoming Project in the show notes. And again, we thank them so very much for making this episode possible.

[Megan]

Parents, we know the child care crisis is not just another headline. It's a daily struggle playing out in millions of homes across this country.

[Leslie Credle]

I'm Gloria Rivera, and this is no one is Coming to Save Us this season.

[Megan]

We're demanding a child care system that actually works for kids, parents and educators.

[Leslie Credle]

We mean free birth to five. Full day nearby, easy to apply.

[Megan]

No one is coming to Save Us Season 5 from Lemonada Media out now.

[Leslie Credle]

Tired of the same old political shouting matches and talking points?

[Megan]

Looking for thoughtful conversations that go beyond.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

The headlines and help you understand issues that matter. I'm Sarah.

[Megan]

And I'm Beth.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

Together we host Pantsuit Politics, a podcast where we bring grace, nuance and perspective to the news because democracy deserves more than hot takes.

[Megan]

Join us as we approach politics and current events with curiosity, empathy, and a commitment to understanding the bigger picture.

[Leslie Credle]

If you want to stay informed without.

[Stephanie Whittles Wax]

The anxiety, we're the show for you.

[Megan]

New episodes drop on Tuesdays and Fridays. Subscribe to Pantsuit Politics wherever you get your podcast.