Let's Talk

We are excited to welcome National Runaway Safeline's Director of Training, Sebastian Ramos, to the podcast! In this episode, we have conversation reflecting on the missed opportunities to teach and practice mindfulness during our school years. Sebastian shares his thoughts on ways mindfulness can be implemented in an educational setting today, and how talking about self-regulation at a young...

[This episode features some coarse language, and discussions about suicidal ideation.] In a special PRIDE episode of "Let's Talk" we're joined by novelist and comic writer Rex Ogle. Rex recently released Road Home , the final installment of his memoir trilogy that focuses on his experiences with poverty, abuse and homelessness.  Rex is open and honest about his struggles with sui...

In this month's episode we're discussing chosen families with Covenant House New Orleans. We're joined by Rheneisha Robertson, CEO at Covenant House New Orleans, and Damien Rush, youth advocate with experience using Covenant Houses's programs and services. Learn more about Covenant House New Orleans by visiting https://www.covenanthousenola.org . Listen to the "Red Bean Baby&q...

The Let's Talk podcast kicks off its 6th season with an episode in honor of Black History Month, featuring insightful conversations with Amea Smith and Antonio Davis-Robinson. Both Amea and Antonio serve as passionate advocates for youth mental health through their roles on the NRS Youth Advisory Board, and through their career choices. In this episode we discuss the stigma surrounding mental...

Season 5 comes to a close with a conversation about youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system, and how the right opportunities can help them reach potential they don't necessarily see themselves. We are joined by the Margaret Windham, Executive Director at Cafe Momentum in Dallas, for a conversation about the incredible impact they've had in their community, the importanc...

In our penultimate episode for season 5, we are joined by Nancy Mullen and Carolyn Wahlskog from Youth Outlook in Naperville, IL. Nancy and Carolyn share what it's like to be on the receiving end of violent threats while hosting events with the goal of uplifting LGBTQ+ youth, especially those who identify as Transgender. We also talk about the some safety precautions for parents who wish to op...

For this week’s episode of the “Let’s Talk” podcast, we talk with Natalie White, a licensed professional counselor with Sally Kate Winters Family Services (SKW). We discuss SKW’s evolution and growth from an emergency shelter to a transitional living program, basic living program, and child advocacy center. We also dig into mental health stigma and how young people are trying to combat this stigma...

We are excited to welcome Genoris Bridges from the Christopher Youth Center to the podcast! NRS was introduced to Genoris during the 2023 National Safe Place Network Conference in Louisville, KY! During an education session Genoris mentioned how it can sometimes be difficult to address issues related to family dynamics when all of the blame and expectations are being placed on the youth. Today, we...

November is National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPM), an awareness campaign designed to "shine a light" on the issues facing youth who have experienced homeless or may be considering leaving home. In this special double-episode we are joined by Susan Frankel, Chief Executive Officer at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), and Melanie Hill, Board Chair of the NRS Board of Directors. We di...

Ajax is a NRS Youth Advisory Board member who experienced abandonment during his early teen years. In this episode Ajax shares his experience with Child Protective Services, seeking help from school counselors, and what led him to joining the NRS Youth Advisory Board. Ajax also shares how the McKinney-Vento act ultimately changed his trajectory and led to him feeling like his life had turned aroun...

National Runaway Safeline Youth Advisory Board members EJ Velez & Rachel Litchman return to the Let's Talk Podcast to discuss invisible disabilities and navigating the healthcare system as a young person experiencing homelessness. Get involved by registering as an official  2023 National Runaway Prevention Month partner . Follow us on  social media ,  and  consider donating  to support cri...

In this episode of Let's Talk, we hear from Sharday Hamilton, the National Runaway Safeline Youth Fellow and a homeless youth advocate, who was living in her mother's abandoned home when her neighbors reported her to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services after she reached out to them for help. We discuss her courageous personal experience, the barriers to seeking help, an...

For the Season 5 premiere of Let's Talk we have the fortune of talking to Jillian Yearns, an 18-year-old youth homelessness advocated from Georgia. At a very young age, Jillian experienced abuse and was kicked out of her home on multiple occasions, eventually leading her to make the difficult decision to leave home for good. In this episode, Jillian shares what motivated her decision making, h...

Our conversation with 2023 Celebrating the Spirit of Youth Honoree, David Ambroz, continues!  In part two we discuss the importance of focusing on past successes, rather than past failures. We also talk about how the foster care system has evolved over the past several decades, and why the first word that should come to mind of when thinking about homelessness is "education." Click here...

Let's Talk is proud to welcome 2023 Celebrating the Spirit of Youth Honoree David Ambroz! David is a national poverty and child welfare expert/advocate, Emmy nominated, and best-selling author. He was also recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change.  In part one of this conversation, hear David talk about the impact of having honest conversations with young people. David a...

Angela Lee, Director at love is respect, returns to Let's Talk to discuss Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. In this episode, we learn about this year's theme for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month ("Be About It"), online harassment, enthusiastic consent, and unlearning harmful relationships stereotypes perpetuated by Hollywood. To watch love is respect's "Growing Up in the Digital World" web...

#BlueCampaign joins us for the third and final installment of our Human Trafficking series. Karinda L. Washington, Executive Director of Social Impact and Campaigns, talks us through this year's Human Trafficking Prevention Month events, and shares life-saving resources for business, organizations and individuals looking to make a difference in their communities. Blue Campaign is a national public...

For Part 2 of our human trafficking series, we are joined by Tina Bigdeli, Program Manager with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). In our conversation with discuss sex trafficking recruitment on social media, child sexual abuse material, and what happens when you make a report to a resource like the Cyber Tipline. NCMEC is the nation's largest and most influential child pr...

In the season 4 premiere episode we are joined by Ashley Smith Thompson, a Case Response Specialist with Polaris. We discuss the realities of trafficking and the myths preventing progress. Polaris works to reshape the systems that allow for sex and labor trafficking in North America and operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. Learn more on at PolarisProject.org and NationalHumanTraff...

In this season's final episode we are joined by the Executive Director of the National Network 4 Youth (NN4Y), Darla Bardine. NN4Y is strongly devoted to empowering young people with lived experiencing by providing education about local and national politics, and creating opportunities for young people to network with congressional leaders and policy experts. They are also leading the charge in th...

For this very special episode of Let's Talk we are happy to welcome guest host Em deCordova, Prevention and Youth Engagement Coordinator at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). Em is joined by Rachel Litchman and Tony Davis-Robinson, NRS Youth Advisory Board Members,  who share their lived experiences, and discuss ways that youth-facing organizations can collaborate with them to make change. You...

It's week 3 of NRPM and we're joined by Kayla Reno & Hannah Portwood from Midwest Services to talk about their Positive Youth Development Approach! We also talk about their awe-inspiring National Runaway Prevention Month campaign, the ADHD Child's Bill of Rights, and the importance of meeting youth where they are. Click here to learn more about Midwest Youth Services. 

For the second week of NRPM we spoke with Emily Pereira, the Program Manager for the 6th Street Center for Youth and Heart Program at Youth4Change. In this episode we discuss developing unique plans for young people in need and the importance of giving them agency over their own journey. We also got to learn all about their mind-blowing National Runaway Prevention Month campaign and the many ways...

It's officially National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPM) and we're joined by Susan Frankel, CEO of the National Runaway Safeline. In this episode we discuss how NRPM has evolved over the past few years, the endless creativity of our NRPM partners, what to look forward to this November, and, of course, the importance of including the youth voice when talking about youth issues. To learn more about...

In this bonus episode we are joined by Max Neri, an NRS Volunteer! Max shares valuable insight on what effective mental health programming in schools can look like, the importance of youth helping youth, and simple ways young people can make a difference in their own communities. Learn more about National Runaway Safeline's Youth Ambassador program for National Runaway Prevention Month, visit 1800...