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 079 with Sharon Liska
EP 078 with Mike Ward
2019 Throwback: EP 043 with Julie Decker
EP 077 with Deb Yarian
2019 Throwback: lost anchorage EP 001 with Aaron Roberts
Special Conversation: Teacher Tim Davis on High School During COVID-19
EP 076 with Duke Russell
Special Conversation: COVID-19 Update for 7/16/20 with Dr. Andy Elsberg
EP 075 with Alexis Sallee
EP 074 with Fairbanks Ladies of Wrestling
EP 073 with Alaska Redd
Special Conversation: Jasmin Smith on Hosting the "Icantbreathe Social Distance Rally"
EP 072 Black Lives Matter
Special Conversation: Cliff Groh on the Fiscal and Economic Challenges Alaska Faces
EP 071 with Kerry Tasker
Special Conversation: Cody and Carrie in Quarantine
EP 070 Long Live Larson
Special Conversation: Cliff Groh on the Alaska Economy During COVID-19
EP 069 with Zach Carothers
Special Conversation: COVID-19 Update with Dr. Andy Elsberg
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