In this one, Cody and co-host Aurora Ford talk to Heidi Huppert. Aurora is a former journalist and currently works at Covenant House Alaska; Heidi is the Chief Program Officer at Covenant House. Heidi’s perspective on homelessness in Alaska is unique because, in her younger years, she spent time on the streets of Anchorage. Her mom had a violent and abusive boyfriend and Heidi didn’t feel safe at home. So, one night after an especially brutal domestic situation, she found herself wandering around Spenard, trying to figure out what she was gonna do. She was about 12 years old and she had school in the morning. Because it was open and because it was familiar, she ended up just hanging out at McDonald’s.
She says that, for a long time, she didn’t tell her story. It was just too hard to relive those memories, and the violence and the pain that came with them. But right now, she’s at a point in her life where she sees how much power and strength there is in telling her story. How it can potentially help a young person understand that they might be in the middle of the worst moment or moments of their life, but it won’t last forever. Things can get better.
Heidi says that the issues of homelessness and human trafficking — another issue that she deals with a lot at work — are ones that we have to care about because they involve young people and they are the future of Alaska. They will one day hold the political, economic and social power. So, if we want our state to be healthy, we have to care about what is happening to our young people.
EP 129 A leap of faith with Geoff and Marcy Larson of Alaskan Brewing
EP 128 Self-realization, reclamation and embracing their Eyak heritage with Brother Buffalo
EP 127 Alaska cold cases, a family tragedy and the book that helped him process it all with Glen Klinkhart
EP 126 Boarderline, snowboarding and the importance of listening to your gut with Tim Weisser
Ep 125 Overcoming trauma and perfecting an artistic process with Ed Washington
EP 124 King of the Hill Part 5: Bonded by punk rock with Rick DeVoe
EP 123 Creating new positive stereotypes with Martin Sensmeier
Chatter Marks EP 55 Traditional Chilkat weaving with Lily Hope
EP 122 Hockey, journalism and being the last editor of the Anchorage Press with O’Hara Shipe
EP 121 A fear of money and the pursuit of success with Nick Carpenter
Chatter Marks EP 53 A liver transplant and directing a horror movie starring an Inuit cast with Nyla Innuksuk
EP 120 Musical storytelling with Michele McLaughlin
Chatter Marks EP 52 If you take care of nature, it’ll take care of you with Mossy Kilcher
Chatter Marks EP 51 The Alaska punk scene with Josh Medsker
Chatter Marks EP 50 Indigenizing public spaces with Crystal Worl
EP 119 Starbound with Sammy Luebke
EP 118 Pointing it with Ashely Call
Chatter Marks EP 049 On roots, family and heritage with Priscilla Hensley
Chatter Marks EP 48 Exploring and documenting the Filipino diaspora with Melissa Chimera
EP 117 Struggling toward improvement and other life lessons with Pete Iversen
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