SideBar: Optimism In Action - Conversations with Community Leaders Inspiring Positive Change

Community Hospice & Health Services provides end-of-life care with compassion and dignity, and is still evolving to add to the continuum of care that people need by investing in programs that support community members in critical and meaningful ways. Monica Ojcius, Director of Strategic Development, discusses serving more than 2,500 patients and families each year providing hospice and palliative care for adults and pediatrics, and outpatient mental health counseling for adults and children.

Former California Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning reminds us that regardless of your political affiliation, voting provides the opportunity to make sure that your opinions and beliefs are represented at the local, state, and federal levels when decisions about public policy are being made. It is tempting to think that mid-term elections in which there are no major national candidates on the ballot are less important. However, every election provides you with the opportunity to make sure that your voice is heard.

Dr. Chad Harris reminds us that defending health care equity is a fundamental community value that is important to all of us. Dr. Harris serves as CEO of Natividad Medical Center, the safety-net hospital for Monterey County. He also serves on the executive committee of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems that advocates for comprehensive, high quality, equitable health care services for all Californians, regardless of insurance status, immigration status, ability to pay, or other circumstance.
 
 

The Community Foundation for Monterey County works with individuals, families, and businesses to make a positive and lasting impact on our community. The Foundation's mission is to create healthy, safe, vibrant communities throughout Monterey County and beyond. It serves as a design studio for philanthropy, creating a bridge for generous people from all backgrounds and financial levels to join together to address critical community needs.
 

At Rancho Cielo, students learn in a safe, supportive environment that affirms them as individuals and builds self-esteem and belonging. CEO Chris Devers discusses the mission of Rancho Cielo to enrich the lives of young people and empower them to become accountable, competent, productive, and responsible citizens who will earn a sustainable living wage, become financially independent, and help end the cycle of poverty.
 
 

Food Share of Ventura County is a leading example of how a community can successfully join together to address food insecurity and hunger. President/CEO Monica White joins SideBar to explain how Food Share of Ventura County distributes nearly 20 million pounds of food, providing over 16 million meals annually through its hunger programs and 175 pantry and program partners to more than 250,000 hungry friends and neighbors with compassion and respect.
 

We desperately need access to trustworthy, fact-based information about key issues impacting our communities. "SideBar: Optimism in Action" welcomes Tani Cantil-Sakauye, president and CEO of the independent, nonpartisan, Public Policy Institute of California. PPIC has long been recognized as an independent, credible source of information on the most pressing issues facing California. From 2011 to 2022, she served as the 28th Chief Justice of California and led the judiciary as the chair of the Judicial Council—the constitutional policy and rule-making body of the judicial branch—the first person of color and the second woman to do so. 

Mindy Romero is the founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy that is part of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy based in Sacramento, California. Romero is a political sociologist whose research focuses on political behavior and race/ethnicity. The research and reports of the Center seek to explain patterns of voting and political underrepresentation, particularly among youth and communities of color in California and the U.S.

For over 40 years, Louis Clark has led the Government Accountability Project (GAP), an organization dedicated to protecting whistleblowers and ensuring government accountability. During the Trump administration, GAP is overwhelmed with the number of government employees seeking support in disclosing illegal, unethical, and fraudulent conduct. It is also addressing a new form of retaliation against whistleblowers, physical harm, and death threats. Learn more about the organization and its work at https://whistleblower.org.

Vanessa Priya Daniel’s first book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning, centers the work of women of color in social justice movements. Daniel discusses her personal journey from community organizer to the founder and Executive Director of Groundswell, a philanthropy organization committed to intersectional organizing. She shares the three superpowers of successful WOC leaders that we can all adopt: a 360 vision, boldness, and generosity.