Let's Talk Poverty

Welcome to Let’s Talk Poverty, the podcast that helps you understand poverty in Calgary through the lens of Enough for All. It tackles the stigma surrounding poverty, challenging biases and assumptions. From the voices of lived experience to community members to highlighting raw data, we speak with subject matter and policy experts, community leaders and you to explore the root causes of poverty in our city and how we can come together to make changes that matter.

Interventions and Supports for Domestic Violence 07/24/2024

Interventions and Supports for Domestic Violence In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Meaghon Reid connects with Leslie Hill, Executive Director of Discovery House, about the realities of support provided to those affected by domestic violence, the need for trauma-informed care and the importance of policy changes to provide long-term support and prevention. Resources 24-Hour Violence Helpline: If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner violence, please call 403-234-7233. This helpline is available 24/7 with supportive professionals on the other end. Learn more about the incredible work being done at . is a national project highlighting salary disparities in different sectors, including the social sector. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/32244632

Designing Trauma Informed Spaces 06/26/2024

Designing Trauma Informed Spaces In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Lee Stevens connects with Jill Pable, a professor at Florida State University and creator of the non-profit, Design Resources for Homelessness, to discuss trauma informed design principles ofr homelessness. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/31738422

Incarcerating Trauma 05/15/2024

Incarcerating Trauma In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel connects with Dan Jones, a police-officer turned academic to discuss human-centered and trauma-informed practices in the criminal Justice system, the victim-offender overlap, and how evidence-based practice can reduce crime. Resources referenced in this episode: /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/31277082

Fighting Loneliness for Well-Being 03/14/2024

Fighting Loneliness for Well-Being In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Meaghon Reid connects with Dr. Richard Lewanczuk, Edmonton-based endocrinologist and Senior Medical Director of Health System Integration for Alberta Health Services to discuss loneliness and its impacts on health and well-being. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/30344073

Exploring Canada’s Growing Wealth Inequality 02/28/2024

Exploring Canada’s Growing Wealth Inequality In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Lee Stevens connects with David MacDonald, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, to discuss his recent report on CEO pay in Canada, taxation and income inequality. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/30084078

Changing the Conversation on Housing 02/02/2024

Changing the Conversation on Housing In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel connects with Inam Teja, a local advocate and policy expert working to shape the way we think about housing, homelessness and city-building in Calgary. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/29761218

Shifting the Models for Support 11/22/2023

Shifting the Models for Support In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Meaghon Reid sits down with mental health and addictions advocate Karen Gosbee to discuss the realities of domestic violence, the importance of systems working together to create wraparound supports and how we can shift the mental models surrounding mental health and addictions. Links: /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/28729413

Sport for Everyone 10/25/2023

Sport for Everyone In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Meaghon Reid sits down with Catriona Le May Doan, President and CEO of Sport Calgary, to talk about creating a Calgary where sport is accessible to all, breaking down barriers to provide equitable community sports programs and representation in sports. Learn more about Sport Calgary here: https://sportcalgary.ca /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/28357337

Everything We Need Is Here 09/27/2023

Everything We Need Is Here In this episode of Let’s Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Elder Wanda First Rider to talk about Indigenous ways of knowing and being, the importance of ceremony and teachings, and her perspective on poverty and how everything we need is here. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/28134797

Trans Rights and Allyship 06/20/2023

Trans Rights and Allyship In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Meaghon Reid chats with Anna Murphy, a community advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, about trans rights in Alberta, the fragility of human rights and what real allyship looks like. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/27205989

Looking Beneath The Surface of Poverty in YYC 05/10/2023

Looking Beneath The Surface of Poverty in YYC In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Jaclyn chats with Meaghon Reid, Executive Director of Vibrant Communities Calgary about the state of poverty in Calgary, VCC's Beneath the Surface report and what individuals can do in their spheres of influence to affect poverty reduction and build community wellbeing. They also touch on an array of topics from affordable housing to social disorder to why it matters that we collects metrics and data in more meaninfgul ways. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/26776653

Shifting Mindsets – Scarcity to Strength 11/30/2022

Shifting Mindsets – Scarcity to Strength In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Salimah Kassam, leader of Rise Calgary, to explore what it means to move from a scarcity to strength mindset, the concept of designing systems that create slack for people, and what some of the roadblocks are to shifting perspectives on poverty. They also discuss behavioural economics, why collaboration is necessary for solving poverty, and how innovations like mobility coaching are building the capacity for people to create new futures. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/25170288

Shared Prosperity – the Role of Business in Society 10/26/2022

Shared Prosperity – the Role of Business in Society In this episode, Meaghon Reid sits down with Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta, to explore what the role of business is in society, how that role is evolving, links between business and a healthy society, and the concept of shared prosperity. They also discuss financial and social prosperity, perspectives on how businesses may intervene, influence or shift policy, and insights into why we need to have the ability to generate income and wealth, while also investing in and sustaining social relationships in order to create a sense of belonging, a sense of well-being, a sense of community, and a sense of place. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/24770100

Social Innovation, Mapping Systems & Building Trust 09/21/2022

Social Innovation, Mapping Systems & Building Trust In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with James Stauch, executive director of the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University, to explore social innovation and social purpose, and how systems mapping is a wayfinding tool that helps deepen one’s understanding of a problem. They also discuss a variety of other topics including different social enterprise models, the impact of homogeneous groups designing systems, the skills needed to solve complex challenges, and how truly transformative and sustainable change requires many people, many institutions, lots of trusting relationships, and a deep commitment over time. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/24436860

Mental Health and Connection First Strategies 08/31/2022

Mental Health and Connection First Strategies In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Jessica Cope Williams, Co-CEO of Kindred Connections Society to explore how an organization’s name can act as a barrier to those trying to access services and what it means to be a connection first organization. They also discuss mental health, poverty and early parenthood, and how investments in collaborative work across organizations shape better pathways to accessing services more easily. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/24208362

Literacy & the Dandelion Strategy 06/22/2022

Literacy & the Dandelion Strategy In this episode, Meaghon Reid sits down with the CEO of Calgary Reads, Steacy Pinney, to discuss how Calgary Reads is spreading early literacy across Calgary through the Dandelion strategy, and the importance of literacy and prevention in the early years. They also explore how relationships are the catalyst for progress and change, how literacy is a community responsibility, along with some insights on how we can be bold enough to create space for challenging the status quo and brave enough to admit when it’s time to let go. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/23491178

Systemic Change – Indigenous People and the Legal System 06/01/2022

Systemic Change – Indigenous People and the Legal System In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Sarah Sinclair, a Lawyer who leads the Indigenous justice program, Sahwoo mohkaak tsi ma taas (Blackfoot for “Before Being Judged”) at Calgary Legal Guidance. They discuss creating equal access to justice for Indigenous people, how Indigenous Law brings healing, and the need for systemic change in the legal system. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/23289257

Myth-busting Basic Income 04/27/2022

Myth-busting Basic Income In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel is joined by policy and research specialist Lee Stevens to explore basic income. What a basic income could mean for Canadians and how it could have a positive impact on our social support systems. Insights into why basic income is a bold approach and why it’s important now. Providing evidence that debunks some of the misconceptions about basic income and how we have existing benefits in Canada that act as working models for a basic income. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/22925039

Child Care, Women, and the Economy 04/06/2022

Child Care, Women, and the Economy In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel and co-host Lee Stevens dig into the topics of child care, women, and the economy with Andrea Cox from YW Calgary and Nevena Ivanovic with the Women’s Centre of Calgary. Together they discuss why child care is an economic imperative, share insights into the care economy, and examine why advancements in child care also require investments in the child care workforce /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/22694321

Dignity, Food and Policy 02/23/2022

Dignity, Food and Policy In this episode, Meaghon Reid sits down with the CEO of The Alex, Joy Bowen-Eyre, to discuss what it means to provide dignified services, and how food is a convenor and community builder. They also explore how progress comes from investing energy into policy and advocacy and why it’s important to abandon the status quo. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/22163828

Allyship 02/09/2022

Allyship In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel is joined by Community Facilitation and Engagement Specialist Hagir Sail to explore allyship. Discussing how Enough for All principles like shared leadership, reducing racism and discrimination and dignity for all relate to allyship. Providing ideas about what active allyship looks like, and how it may require people to sit in discomfort and choose not to avoid the work out of fear of making mistakes. They also examine how individuals and organizations can use their privilege to leverage. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/22056515

Newcomers and Enough for All 01/26/2022

Newcomers and Enough for All In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel is joined by Celestina Akinkunmi with the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA) to discuss how providing resources and supports makes a difference in how newcomers navigate and adjust to life in Canada. They examine the importance of removing language barriers from the equation and how meaningful partnerships help CIWA respond to the unique and individual needs of immigrant women and girls, and their families. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/21882242

No Battle of Alberta when it comes to Poverty Reduction 12/08/2021

No Battle of Alberta when it comes to Poverty Reduction In this episode, Vibrant Communities Calgary and EndPovertyEdmonton’s Executive Directors share perspectives on poverty reduction and the future of Alberta. Discussing innovation and public will, the concept of servicing poverty, the role of policy in poverty reduction, and how municipalities are leading the way. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/21400118

Building Assets Brings Opportunity 11/17/2021

Building Assets Brings Opportunity In this episode, VCC’s Meaghon Reid sits down with Momentum’s Jeff Loomis to talk about financial empowerment, innovations like the QUBER savings app, skills training, reconciliation, and why investing in the local economy and adopting social procurement policies are valuable practices. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/21106292

Voices of Lived Experience 10/20/2021

Voices of Lived Experience In this episode, Jaclyn Silbernagel catches up with Sue Gwynn from Poverty Talks! to chat about the importance of engaging with the voices of lived experience. Hear about why Poverty Talks! challenges perceptions around poverty, how models and systems keep people in poverty, and why poverty is a trap. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/20858444

My Neighbour’s Strength is My Strength 10/06/2021

My Neighbour’s Strength is My Strength VCC’s Executive Director Meaghon Reid sits down with Mayor Naheed Nenshi. Mayor Nenshi is one of the original champions of the Enough for All strategy and emphasizes how ‘my neighbour’s strength is my strength.’ Listen to them discuss priorities for Calgary and poverty reduction, insights from over a decade of serving as Calgary’s mayor, advice for navigating the multi-jurisdictional landscape, the importance of policy, programs and people, and their optimism for the future. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/20704991

Building Strong Partnerships 09/22/2021

Building Strong Partnerships VCC's Executive Director Meaghon Reid sits down with Karen Young, president and CEO of the United Way of Calgary and Area, to discuss how community partnerships deliver dividends in the poverty reduction space. The United Way is a leader in developing key partnerships that drive results. Get to know what the United Way has learned from initiatives like Community Hubs, how businesses are evolving around social purpose, and how they’re taking community action on youth mental health. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/20534723

Why Literacy Matters 09/08/2021

Why Literacy Matters Literary specialist Berniece Gowan discusses how improving literacy levels can shift the needle on poverty reduction. With 1 in 5 Albertans experiencing challenges in literacy, numeracy or use of basic digital technology, these individuals can face stigma, employment challenges and increased levels of poverty. Organizations like Calgary Learns are tackling this issue head on with their focus on how to make community-based learning more accessible. /episode/index/show/letstalkpoverty/id/20087144

Let's Talk Poverty

TOPICS