Tell Me

"You go to work and there are settings in which for all the people you meet, today is the day they will never forget."

These are the words of the brilliant mind, Dr. Perri Klass,  addressing the need to never forget the human element of the medical profession.  A professor of Journalism and Pediatrics at New York University and Co-Director of NYU Florence, she is a mentor to many who leads with a wise and compassionate heart.

This walk is an intriguing and fascinating personal reflection of how her passion for science, medicine and writing led her on the path of becoming a sought-out, highly respected pediatrician, journalist, healthcare advocate, and author.

She is also National Medical Director for Reach Out and Read, a national program that continues to help millions of children by promoting early literacy through pediatric clinics, through the administering of advice about reading aloud to and with children, and through the distribution of children’s books provided at routine well-child visits.   

 Through her work with Reach Out and Read, Dr. Klass has been able to integrate her commitment to the health care of young children with her love of the written word, inspired by her mother at a very young age.

"When I think about children growing up in homes without books, I have the same visceral reaction as I have when I think of children in homes without milk or food or heat: it cannot be, it must not be.  It stunts them and deprives them before they've had a fair chance."
 
Her new book, A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future, an account of how victories over infant and child mortality have changed the world, was published in October by Norton. The New York Times  said, “A Good Time to Be Born is an ambitious, elegant meditation on what the doctor-writer Perri Klass describes as one of our greatest human achievements: a reduction in child mortality... she takes the most complex human patterns of all — history, medicine, politics, art — and knits them into something unique and beautiful.” 

According to Klass, "The book is about how clever we are, we humans, the things that we figure out.  The ways that we actually make progress.  It's about science, but it's also about public health, it's about parent activism, it's about people solving problems. This pandemic has been a reminder of the power of the microbial world that we are living in, that we are a part of.  But it should also be a reminder of what humans beings can do in terms of cleverness, in terms of cooperation, and in terms of understanding that we are all in this together."

She writes the weekly column, “The Checkup,” for the New York Times Science Section and is the co-author, with Dr. Eileen Costello, of Quirky Kids:  Understanding and Supporting Your Child With Developmental Differences which has just been published in a fully revised new edition by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Klass attended Harvard Medical School and completed her residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital, Boston. 

To learn more about Dr. Klass and her work, visit her website at https://www.perriklass.com/

For more about the Reach Out and Read Program, visit https://www.reachoutandread.org/

If you enjoy this podcast, please don't forget to share and support the show!  We appreciate you and thank you for walking with us!

See you on the path!

I am a huge supporter of the arts and wanted to use this platform as an opportunity to give exposure to young artists.  I’m so happy to have with us today an up-and-coming vocalist, Anna Yannessa, a Vocal Performance major at the University of Missouri. 

 As we walk together, she takes us back to the days as a young girl, when her dream to become an elite soccer player and play at a professional level for the National Team seemed all she desired. 

A concussion while on the varsity high school soccer team put in motion the twists and turns of her creative journey which led her to follow her passions for art, journalism, and finally, music. 

We talk about how important creativity is, especially for young children, and how allowing our children to have a say and take ownership in activities when young will help them to develop, find their purpose, and ultimately, their voice.

Anna provided the vocals for the musical intro to Season 1, and she lends her creative talent once again in Season 2.  You'll love this episode and music..wow, what a vibe!!! 

She plans on continuing her vocal studies at the graduate level and can be reached on

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/anna.yannessa (Anna Yannessa)

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/atthe_copacabana (@atthe_copacabana)

Welcome to Season #2!

We just hit 2000 downloads!  Wahoo!  We are in 35 countries, almost 800 cities, and are in four out of five continents (except Africa, so we want to hear from you!)

Thank you so much for your support...we couldn't have done it without you!
In fact, this season, we are giving our listeners a chance to support our show.

Click on the SUPPORT THIS SHOW link 
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=Q8MFJJ34TPC6E or click on the heart icon at the top of this page!

It will help us continue investing in our programming so we can continue bringing you stories of real people using their Power of One ability to change lives for the better.

If you love our podcast and have been inspired by our stories  or would like to be a guest, we'd love to hear from you!  E-mail us at [email protected].

Thanks to Anna Yannessa and Liam Graham, who continue to provide our musical tracks (check out our new intro...Anna's vibe is incredible!)  She will be a guest this season and you can reach Anna at [email protected].

OUR GUEST

My goal for this season is to focus on the Power of One and the importance of imagination and creativity in our lives, no matter our age.

In this episode, we walk with Ruth Weisberg, a true Renaissance woman.  In addition to being an art model, a roving storyteller, and a keynote speaker, Ruth's approach to life is pretty simple.  She says, "My philosophy is to show up, look up and speak up.  When YOU are PRESENT, and you watch where you walk, that's where you meet the greatest people and the greatest teachers and have the most profound experiences."

She would love to hear from you and can be reached at [email protected].  Note: Ruth cannot receive any e-mails from a Gmail account. 

See you on the path!

In these unsettling times, it's nice to know you have a friend to go to who understands the importance of not only helping others identify and share their own feelings, but the freedom that comes from asking for support when needed.  On our very special walk, Dr. Maurice Elias shares how this applies not only to the field of education but our every day lives and overall mental health.

Whether you are a teacher, counselor, para-professional, parent or caregiver, this episode will  provide powerful insights as to the significance of mindful moments, strength breaks and self-care.  If you are a school interested in learning more about SEL programming, a teacher or administrator seeking SEL certification, orsimply ramping up your school's current SEL curriculum, you don't want to miss this episode.

Professor Maurice J. Elias lectures nationally and internationally to educators and parents about students’ emotional intelligence, school success, social-emotional and character development, and youth purpose.  He is a professor in the Psychology Department at Rutgers University, director of the Rutgers Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab, and co-director of the Academy for Social-Emotional Learning in Schools, which offers certificate programs in direct instruction and school leadership relating to SEL and character development for educators and student support professionals in school and out-of-school settings.

An author of many successful literary works including two highly acclaimed books for young children, he is also a pioneer and  Founding Member of the Leadership Team of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (www.CASEL.org) and currently directs the Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab (www.rci.rutgers.edu/~melias/).

You can reach Dr. Elias via e-mail at [email protected].

What a wonderful way to wrap up Season 1.  See you on the path!

Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  Visit their website at https://www.hig.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.

Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice performance at the graduate level.  She can be reached on Instagram @annyannessa19, on Twitter at @annayannessa and on FB at Anna Yannessa.

For more information about my heart our mission at Empower Kids LLC visit me on social media:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.ozalisgraham and https://www.facebook.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Twitter https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Linked In  https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/empowerkidsllc

Everyone needs an Erin Lawler Patterson in their lives.

Back for a second time by popular demand, the Goodness Chick, as she is known world-wide, shares moments from her latest book Conversations For Good: Listening and Learning from Our Neighbors Around the World.

It has been said this book is “Eat Pray Love” meets “Chicken Soup For The Soul!”

One of her reviews said it beautifully:
"In these COVID-19 days of isolation and quarantine, it is refreshing to read a book like this.  In the summer of 2019, the author, her husband and their three-year-old son set out on an around the world odyssey to learn about other countries, diverse peoples and themselves.  The book is a casual mix of all three....Lawler Patterson advocates reasonable risk-taking, a sense of wonder, kindness to all, compassion for those less fortunate, and a re-examination of the values by which we lead our lives each day.  In these polarized times, hearing these messages offers comfort as well as challenge."  Warren

Stemming from a conversation during morning coffee one day at their then home in Medford Lakes, NJ, her and her husband made the decision to leave their secure professions, throw caution to the wind and give it up to God.  It was then they began the year-long process of planning one of the most memorable trips they would ever embark upon.  On a shoestring budget and packs on their backs, they bought a one-way ticket not sure when they'd be returning.   Conversations For Good  tells the stories of the lives of the many people they touched and who touched them through their volunteer service in local assistance programs.

An accomplished author and public speaker, she is truly one of a kind and I am so proud and honored to call her my friend.  I highly recommend you check out her books, podcasts, blog and products, which can all be found on her website at https://goodnesschick.com. 


Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  Visit their website at https://www.hig.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.

Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice performance at the graduate level.  She can be reached on Instagram @annyannessa19, on Twitter at @annayannessa and on FB at Anna Yannessa.

For more information about my heart our mission at Empower Kids LLC visit me on social media:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.ozalisgraham and https://www.facebook.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Twitter https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Linked In  https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/empowerkidsllc

Ready to be inspired???
Judy Newman believes, as I do, that we all have that power of one ability to create moments that can change lives for the better.   What struck me about this interview with the President of Scholastic Book Clubs is her passion for teachers, children  community and books.  She has made it her life-long mission to ensure they all remain connected through a variety of formats including distribution through Scholastic Book Clubs, her involvement and role as Board Member for the nationally acclaimed Reach Out And Read Program,in addition to facilitating and developing partnerships through grassroots community initiatives.

A big believer in community, she walks the talk.  Known as the "book lady" she has gifted books instead of candy every Halloween to thousands of children and families over the last 20 years.

Walk with us as Judy shares her journey and love of books which began as a young girl growing up in Newton, Massachussets.  It was here her appreciation for books began as her parents modelled the importance of reading always making sure her and her siblings had access to books and the freedom to choose what they read.   As a result she is steadfast in her belief that allowing children the freedom to choose what books they read is the most liberating and empowering gift we can give them..

She talks about her grandmother as being that power of one person who had a significant impact on her  life.  "My grandmother took me as I was..she just believed in me for who I was and I think that's what I've tried to do with my own children."

We talk about her belief that ALL TEACHERS ARE ROCKSTARS.  On more than one occasion during the interview she takes the time to emphasize her respect for teachers and belief that "teachers do the most important work on the planet."  She shares that if she wasn't in her current role with Scholastic, she would have wanted to teach.

Finally we get a sneak peak at her new book The New Dog In Town recently published by Scholastic on November 10th under the pen name of Pepper Springfield.   The book is the fifth in her highly successful Bobs andTweets series.

She encourages anyone who shares her passions to reach out to her at  http://www.judynewmanatscholastic.com.  You may also e-mail her at [email protected].

See you on the path!

Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  Visit their website at https://www.hig.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.

Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice performance at the graduate level.  She can be reached on Instagram @annyannessa19, on Twitter at @annayannessa and on FB at Anna Yannessa.

For more information about my heart our mission at Empower Kids LLC visit me on social media:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.ozalisgraham and https://www.facebook.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Twitter https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Linked In  https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/empowerkidsllc

I dedicate this episode to the late great Sir Ken Robinson, an educator whose 2006 TED Talk on encouraging creativity in students was viewed more times than any other TED Talk in history.  The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything  was one of his many best-selling books.   According to Robinson, "The Element is where natural talents meet personal passions. To be in your Element, it's not enough to be doing something you're good at... To be in your Element you have to love it: if you do, you'll never 'work' again."


I can think of no better real-life example of this than through the passion and work of my recent guest Danielle Vuke, Event Coordinator of World Orphans.  Danielle says, "I think the most fascinating thing about a person is their story. I love the fact that God is continuously writing our stories through adventure, pain, discovery, relationships, and awareness."

Walk with us as she takes us on  her powerful journey from being bullied as a young child; leaning into her faith to push through it;  the guidance and support she received from her dad encouraging her to always "keep her heart soft for the Lord"; the empathy and forgiveness she developed as a result  and the resilience she gained from staying true to her faith and pushing through to the other side.   

While seemingly having it all in a fast -paced professional career, Danielle knew something was still missing.   Learn how two chance encounter opportunities with World Orphans brought her to the beautiful crossroad in life where her talents of photojournalism met up with her passion and love for children.   It was there at the crossroad she was able to find her life's true purpose through partnering with World Orphans.
 
And she's never looked back.

For information on World Orphans visit https://www.worldorphans.org
For the Storymakers Conference follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/elston-family-church/story-maker-conference-world-orphans/2798073490516495
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/story.maker.conference
Danielle can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

See you on the path!

Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  Visit their website at https://www.hig.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.

Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice performance at the graduate level.  She can be reached on Instagram @annyannessa19, on Twitter at @annayannessa and on FB at Anna Yannessa.

For more information about my heart and mission visit me on social media:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.ozalisgraham and https://www.facebook.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Twitter https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Linked In  https://twitter.com/EmpowerKidsLLC

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/empowerkidsllc

Over the last 30 years, as owner of Tumbling Dice Entertainment with my love and husband, Kevin, I have met the most amazing women.  These women have faced many of life's challenges head-on, from abuse, to illness, to the loss of a loved one.  Through their faith, determination and pure grit, they have set out with intention to make a difference, through the formation of foundations and or taking on leadership roles in institutions they care deeply about.  They have all inspired me to be a better person and this series is my tribute to them.

That being said, I have always wanted to celebrate these women and now I have the forum to do so.  These spin-off episodes of the podcast series Tell Me will be entitled "From Our Decks To Yours" and will highlight each of their stories and journeys, including the many Power of One people and moments that have shaped them into the role models, mentors and leaders they are today. 

I was delighted to have the privilege of interviewing Tracey Heisler, Executive Director of CASA SHAW, for our very first kickoff episode. CASA SHAW provides quality court-based advocacy for abused and neglected children.  Children are referred to their program from a variety of sources including the juvenile court judges, attorneys, caseworkers, service providers, teachers and family members.

Tracey knows first-hand from her own personal experience what children and their families experience from the failures and successes within the foster care system. She became involved with CASA as a volunteer in 1999 and fell in love with its child advocacy mission. Over the years, she has been boots on the ground in the organization, working her way up to her current position as Executive Director.  For more information about the program, please visit their website at https://casashaw.org and you can also e-mail Tracey at [email protected].

Walk with us as she shares her passion for children and CASA along with her very personal story of resilience, compassion and love.

See you on the path!

Note: This episode does touch on the subjects of child and sexual abuse.

Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  For over 60 years, Hardenbergh has been raising the bar and setting the standard for what a good insurance enterprise is all about.  Hands-on customer service, knowledgable reps, amazing turnaround response time.  And they keep up with the ever-changing demands and changes in their industry.  Want a company that will take care of all of your business and family insurance needs?  Trust Hardenbergh.  Visit their website at https://www.hig.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.

Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice performance at the graduate level.  She can be reached on Instagram @annyannessa19, on Twitter at @annayannessa and on FB at Anna Yannessa.

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Published: Aug. 07, 2020 @ 4PM Edit

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Can we actually talk to God?  And if so,does He answer back?  Cass Forkin says absolutely, unequivocally, undeniably...YES YES YES! 

Back by popular demand, Cass joins us once again on the path to talk about the language of God, a language she has become quite good at identifying and recognizing over the years.

There are signs and answers to our most important questions around us every day...if we just ask and are open to receiving the gifts.  From the appearance of such symbols as animals, flowers, coins and even insects at significant moments, we cover it all and share some of our very personal stories of this playing out in our lives.

For more information about Cass's spiritual journey, and to share your spiritual journey, you can reach out to her directly by e-mailing her at [email protected].  She would love to hear from you.

For more information about Twilight Wish, a non-profit organization that grants wishes for seniors, visit their website at https://twilightwish.org/

And  last but not least, for more information about our children's books and products and what we are doing to support literacy, especially for underprivileged children, visit our website at https://www.lgrahamauthor.com/

See you on the path!


Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  For over 60 years, Hardenbergh has been raising the bar and setting the standard for what a good insurance enterprise is all about.  Hands-on customer service, knowledgable reps, amazing turnaround response time.  And they keep up with the ever-changing demands and changes in their industry.  Want a company that will take care of all of your business and family insurance needs?  Trust Hardenbergh.  Visit their website at www.HIG.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.


Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice performance at the graduate level.  She can be reached on Instagram @annyannessa19, on Twitter at @annayannessa and on FB at Anna Yannessa.

As Founder of Empower Kids, LLC,  https://empowerkidsllc.com/ one of my main goals is to support the literacy effort and get books into the hands of children, especially those who, for several reasons, might not have access to them.  This program touches my heart in a big way and I hope you'll be as inspired as I was to help in any way you can.

Walk with me on this fascinating interview with two top pediatricians in the Children's Hospital network, Dr. Trude Haecker and Dr. Danielle Erkoboni.  These two amazing professionals have not only the desire, but possess the intellect, compassion and heart to change the world for children, and their caregivers, one book at a time.  Dr. Haecker and Dr. Erkoboni set out with intention every moment of their day to help parents connect with their children, even babies as young as 6 months old, through modelling themselves how to read together.

Dr. Trude Haecker has been the Medical Director of Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia since the Affiliate’s establishment in October 2002. A general pediatrician well versed in the developmental issues of young children, Dr. Haecker first brought Reach Out and Read to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in 1996. 

Under her leadership, CHOP’s Reach Out and Read program has given out more than 1.4 million brand-new and gently-used books at well and sick visits through 20 of CHOP’s Primary Care practices. Dr. Haecker is also Medical Director of Global Patient Services at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In 2020, Dr. Haecker was elected as the President of the Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Dr. Erkoboni is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, faculty member of the PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a general pediatrician at CHOP Primary Care, Norristown. Dr. Erkoboni leads efforts to promote early literacy and learning through parent-child interaction in an increasingly digital age. She currently serves as the Principal Investigator within the Literacy Lab and the Associate Medical Director of Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia.

For more about RORG, follow their link at https://www.reachoutandreadphilly.org/ and to learn more about doctors and pediatricians walking the talk with readtogether, follow them on their Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnVUO98q8nk8RgmJl7XaeDQ

Finally, you can also follow them on social media at Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rorgp/
on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rorgp/
and on Twitter https://twitter.com/ROR_GP


Thank you to our Sponsor, Hardenbergh Insurance Group.  For over 60 years, Hardenbergh has been raising the bar and setting the standard for what a good insurance enterprise is all about.  Hands-on customer service, knowledgable reps, amazing turnaround response time.  And they keep up with the ever-changing demands and changes in their industry.  Want a company that will take care of all of your business and family insurance needs?  Trust Hardenbergh.  Visit their website at www.HIG.net or reach out to them in the Delaware Valley at 856.489.9100.  They also operate in 42 states across the country.


Finally, as Founder of Empower Kids, LLC, I love showcasing young talent.  I want to thank and recognize our musicians that take care of the musical Podcast Intro and Exit music.  Liam Graham is the guitarist, and Anna Yannessa, is a junior vocal major at the University of Missouri who plans on continuing studying voice per