Season 1 Finale

In this season finale, hosts Hannah and Nayeli reflect on their podcast journey, discussing impactful episodes that tackled significant social issues such as homelessness, peacebuilding, and human trafficking. They share powerful lessons learned, memorable quotes from guests, and announce exciting plans for season two.

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💛 Hannah & Nayeli

Transcript

Hi, welcome friends to Ordinary People with Hannah and Nayeli. I'm Hannah. And I'm Nayeli Yeah, Nayeli, I cannot believe that we started this podcast a little over a year ago in our local library. And since then, we've had listeners from eight countries, the United States, Mexico, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Canada, the UK, and 41 different cities. That's beyond anything we imagined when we started. this. We are so grateful for all our listeners, all our supporters, all the posts, the messages you send us. We are very grateful for all of you. When we started we were like how are we going to even get any guests on this podcast that nobody's even ever heard. of, but we ended up with three amazing guests and we tackled some really big emotional topics and some lighter ones too. That's right we have seven episodes and we also launched our after show in Spanish. The name of the show is Sobremesa and we really want to be super thankful to our two co-hosts that we have is Yadira and Valerie. They are doing an amazing job co-hosting the Sobremesa We laugh a lot. We drink a lot of coffee. I'm always with a cafecito thing. We cry sometimes but we share our stories in Spanish so I hope you join us there too. Yep. So let's look back at our episodes this season. We started off with our first episode was on homelessness and housing as a human right. Yes, that's why in this episode it was so important to learn that there is an approach to that is working and that is housing first. Housing first is not housing only it just means that we have to bring back dignity, human dignity to the people that are on housing right now and the primary thing to bring the dignity back is offering them a stable home situation. You know, one thing that really stood out to me, Nayeli, was that just having a primary residence address, you know, homeless people that don't have that primary residence address if they lose their documents like their driver's license or birth certificate or social security card. They struggle to be able to apply for a job or apply for assistance or you know just the focus on helping people get their documents back was really shocking to me and something that I took for granted. I think that episode opened our eyes to a new approach that is working around the world and it has to be like set an example for other organizations, other states, other countries to follow that because it worked right? Yeah. And then our next episode was on Hurricane relief. Natural disasters seem like they're coming more frequently. They're coming very strong and it's impacting a lot of communities all over the world. And so we were in the middle of a natural disaster. A hurricane that hit North Carolina, Tennessee and Southwest Virginia at the time. And we said, "Okay, we've got to throw together this emergency episode while this is going on in this research to find out that the best way to help is to contact and follow what local organization and local authorities are giving us as a guideline. Sometimes we feel the urge to help, but in that urge we might not be thinking clearly what is the best way to help and instead of helping we might be creating a blockage for the the first responders or for the emergency services that need to arrive there. So that makes us a very good point. We have to think very clearly before we rush into help. Yeah, yeah. That was great information. And then came our peacebuilding episode. Yes, I think that episode was so impactful and so game changer for us. I think for both of us it was very hard research, but it was very meaningful at the end. Yeah, exactly. Violence against children, especially, is something that really bothers me deeply. And I think it does for a lot of people, whether that's war or gun violence or domestic violence. When we think about children all over the world that are impacted by violent conflict, it's really, really deeply affects all of us and it can be really difficult to watch these things on the news or happening in local communities or abroad and feel helpless. Like who's doing something about it and and and what can we do about it? And so this episode was really, really impactful for both of Yes, also make me reflect on when there is a conflict. We have to learn about both sides of the conflict because sometimes unintentionally we can, if we support just one side unintentionally we can. can be supporting just the extremists, just the radicalists. And we learned that in our PeaceCon Conference that we will talk a little bit more about it later, but it was, conversation is key in peacebuilding. And that was something that I would carry on for life, I think. Yeah, and we, I, we had never even heard of the word Peacebuilding before this episode. So just being able to put a name to a movement that is trying to end violent conflict was, you know, the start of something really powerful for both of us, I think. Definitely, definitely it changed the course of all our research in all other subjects. Yeah, and then came our episode on mindful spending which was just in time for the holidays and that episode actually changed how I shop. I really am more mindful. Now when I'm making purchases, where I feel like I was in the mode previously of just like making decisions quickly, shopping for convenience, and I sort of you know just forgot that I can be more mindful in the purchases that I'm making and so that that episode really did change the way that I shop since then. Yeah but I remember that this the research of this episode was very tricky not because there's a lot of information, because all these companies all these organizations have a lot of marketing a lot of propaganda or what is their values and what are they trying to achieve in their community. But sometimes things change so fast. So we found out that companies that were supporting one cause or one value immediately they will shift like with no noticing. And so that opened our eyes that we have to keep a research updated. So we can blindly support a company or support a brand forever. And things change. And we have to keep holding these companies accountable for what they say. That's very important. And then we kicked off the new year with our episode on setting socially responsible goals. And I love that episode because I am such a goal oriented person. but I never thought about incorporating like volunteer goals or socially impactful goals in that process. I've incorporated you know financial goals and mental health goals and other things but never socially responsible goals. So that one really got me thinking and definitely shifted my goals list for this year. Yes, for me was like a good reminder that we have to to align those goals to our core values. So that way it's not like you feel you're doing something extra. You are working through for your for what you believe in. But you're also helping others and helping your community and that's very important and that that episode gave me so good ideas for my vision board that is now packed. And then we ended our season with a really impactful episode on human trafficking with Ali from our local Safe Harbor Shelter. You know, that episode really opened my eyes because I had all these images of what human trafficking was NOT from TV, from social media, from movies. I knew that's not what human trafficking looked like in reality, but I didn't really understand what human trafficking really was, and Ali broke it down and made it really simple to understand. And I feel so much more empowered now with that information that she shared with us. Yes. And I think the key on this subject is awareness. I feel after that episode, for both of us, we were keeping our eyes more open, like we were looking everywhere. When I started noticing on airports, all the signs about awareness. about human trafficking and the hotline for human trafficking. So it was like, it was an eye-opening episode. That education is very important. And you actually had the idea in the episode to put the hotline in your phone as like a contact? Yes, it was. And also, I think this episode opened our eyes about how much resources these organizations that are working with victims need because the recovery of the victim in our mind at least in my mind before it was a matter of days or weeks yeah I thought it was more about police intervention that actually victim recovery they need to get new IDs, they need to get some they need education, driver license, a car, a job it's a lot, therapy, it's a lot resources that they need. Yeah, like those monthly donations we've talked about in our episodes before, just like put it on autopay every month when you decide to contribute to an organization that you're really passionate about. But in addition to the episodes we did last year, we also attended two conferences. The first one was PeaceCon, which was our Peacebuilding Conference in DC and the second one was the Points of Light Conference in New Orleans. Yes and PeaceCon was because we had been doing all this research both of us in our house in the dark room with our laptops or something watching videos, watching documentaries, reading to testimonies from victims of violence and it was such an empowering opportunity to be in PeaceCon. again, I mean, these talented people all over the world are creating tools are creating knowledge are creating everything to try to solve conflicts in the best way possible and to really create peace. And also we were very impactful that all the volunteers, they are working actively with governments, with the associations with countries with international platforms to create peace and to really solve conflict. So that was, I think, a great experience. And we hope to do a lot more with that because as we've mentioned several times, it was so impactful to both of us. And we feel like it's a field where there's not enough awareness about what peacebuilding is. There's not enough foundations working on it. I mean, it just needs more funding, more awareness, more education, more people to get involved. So I know we're definitely going to commit to do more with it. But all the people that we met were so incredible all the way from like foundations funding these efforts down to teachers on the ground in conflict zones that are just trying to teach their children in the midst of a civil war. But then Hannah went to an amazing conference also in New Orleans. Yeah, that was really fun to network with so many different people who work in nonprofits from all different types of organizations. So PeaceCon was very focused on the peacebuilding field, but the Points of Light Conference was really focused on volunteerism and supporting nonprofit organizations in all different types of areas in getting volunteer power and that was just incredible to network with all those amazing people. And yeah, we came back with, I passed out business cards that Nayeli made the whole time I had a stack and I was like stalking people with our business cards so we could get some wonderful guests for you guys to meet in our next season. So I'm really excited about that. So I think when we look at all the season we can can assure that we find some commonalities between these subjects. You know, they are human issues subjects, but we also, like, you know, when we were researching for our human trafficking episode, it brought us back so many memories of the homeless episode. Yeah. Yeah. Because they were like, they are confronting some of the same challenges, but also some solutions were shared between them. So this created a common ground around I think human issues and human. How can we really make a change of them? Yeah. And our guests gave us some memorable lines that I think we will never forget. Yeah. And Hannah did a great job collecting all of them. Yeah. So, Hannah could you share some of them with us? I love you. And some of these came from our guests and some of them came from just our research. So a couple of our memorable lines, one that I love, which helps me, you know, center myself and understand that we are making a difference, no matter where you are and what you're contributing to, Change happens at the local level. Definitely it does. Yeah I love that one. Yes. The next one is - Nothing about us without us. That's very important. Inclusion not just in the because many times we have seen people asking what the issue to the people who is going through those issues but they don't involve them in the solution right? Yeah yeah that was very common in human trafficking episode and in the homeless episode as well. And I think it is in a lot of other fields. It's like if you're going to design a program for homeless people, make sure you're including them in that program. Don't just assume you know what they need and how to help them. So, Nothing about us without us - and that's very connected to the next one. Yeah, exactly. What's the next one? Yeah, People support what they help to create. Yes, that's right. Like if you are part of the solution, you are going to be very involved. So if you involve the communities, you involve the people who is beneficiary of this help, they will feel more involved. They will feel they’re willing to work and we have seen like so many cases, of people who has been homeless and then actually with time become part of the solution, they become involved in it because they have lived it, they know it, how it is to live it. Right and that's what we heard often too is you just made me think of that is lived experience. Yes. They have that lived experience that is difficult for someone who hasn't lived it to really understand on a deep level what the needs are because if you haven't lived it, you really are just kind of guessing at what, you know, what they go through sometimes. And so that lived experience is really important. And, you know, we even, that even came up when we were researching youth and involvement. But like, even if you're designing a program for youth, get the kids involved too. If it's homeless youth or, you know, which in our homeless episode, there are a lot of homeless youth. No matter the age level or what their status is, get them involved in developing those programs. Definitely, that works. And the next one might be one of my favorites because it's so marketable. Yeah, like somebody needs to do a marketing campaign. Yeah, exactly. It needs to be in billboards everywhere. Yeah, yeah. So the next one is Got conflict, stop, think, and build peace. - Yes. Yes, and that applies to everything. Yeah, we were thinking of how come it can be used in schools, it can be used at home with your family, it can be used on governments, it can be used everywhere. It's a universal thing, it is a stop, think, and build peace. Yes, yes, exactly. And that credit for that one completely goes to the Alliance for Peacebuilding and the Executive Director Liz was a guest on our episode. And so go to their website, check it out, support them, see what they're doing. It's really amazing. But that also goes for all of our guests. We'll put links in our socials, but I just mentioned that related to that Got conflict? stop, think, build peace. That's the credit goes to AFP for that. - Definitely. - The next one is, I think my favorite one is, Peace is possible. - Yes. I think we never thought, after watching all these documentaries, after watching all these movies, that was so, we thought, this is, something that's unsolvable. What are we talking about? How are we approaching this like we have even doubts about talking about it like we are going to a subject that is has no solution and after their research with it after meeting all these amazing people We came out to this phrase and I was amazing because it's true. Yeah, peace is possible I think it's just as I mentioned in our episodes You know, I would love it if the peace movement from the 70s came back the tie-dye shirts the peace signs that like I feel like you know how All of the trends from the 80s and 90s have come back like it's time. It's time for the peace movement to come back. Definitely. And I think this is a great way to close our season one. And so what's next, you know? Season two! Season two! It's coming! And of course we will include some serious topic because they matter. And we love to do that research even when sometimes we have such a hard time and mentally struggle to go through them. But also we are going to sprinkle it with some light hearted episodes. - Yeah. - to balance because balance is important, right? - Yes, it is. And we're gonna add in some video like we've done today, but we're always gonna be on audio. Our primary is the podcast, but we're gonna sprinkle in some video and put that on our YouTube channel with maybe some bloopers for you guys to see if you wanna see our faces. If you don't want to see our faces, really we are not offended at all. You can listen in your podcast, the platform, wherever you want to hear it. We are everywhere. We are in iHeart We are in Spotify. We are on Apple podcast. You can still hear it to us. You don't have to see us. We promise. You are not missing much, so don't worry about it. Before we go, we do want to ask for your help. So we've created a quick listener survey that we would love for you to fill out. Just a few questions about what you loved, what you want more of, how we can make season two even better for you. The link will be in our show notes and everywhere that we can think to put it, so we'll put it in our Instagram bio and we'll put it in our Spotify show notes, our Apple podcast show notes. If you would just take two minutes out of your time, please to fill out that survey. Because we want to hear from you and we want to keep providing you with information on the things that you care about as always. We understand that you're busy, just like we're busy, and we want to take these big, overwhelming issues and break them down in a very simple way and say hey here's what you can do to help. We'll make it easy for you. We'll do the research and just follow us for more information. So, would love for you to just take two minutes of your time and fill out that listener survey for us. Yes and as you know we take these issues very seriously that we also have a lot of fun. Yeah, we've got a recording. So we always have fun together, right? Yeah, we do. And I can't wait to see what we're going to do next. Yeah, so we've we've had tears, we've had challenges, but we do a lot of laughing and you know, we're always thinking about how we can make this more of a community and make it more enjoyable because at the end of the day These are difficult subjects, but I think when you do it with a friend when you find someone fabulous like Nayeli It just makes it a lot easier you're building a community and you can do it together. I think it's much better than doing it alone. Definitely. So we might leave a little bit of blarps out there so you can laugh with us. Yeah, because we definitely have so many of those. We have some bloopers for sure. So thank you so much for coming us within this journey. We really appreciate it and we can’t wait to see all of them in season two. Stay tuned. Thank you everybody. Hi friends, welcome to Ordinary People with Hannah and Nayeli. I'm Hannah. And now, yeah, we made it to the Season Finale Hi, welcome friends to... Okay, I guess. Hi, welcome friends to ordinary people with Hannah and Nayeli and Hannah and Nayeli. We are so excited to be here in our season finale! Woo! Ha! Ta-da! Yeah! Okay. Welcome and thank you for joining us. We're your co-hosts. I'm Hannah and I'm Nayeli. This is the first podcast in our series called Ordinary People. Season 1. (laughing) You cannot make this up. You cannot make this up. (laughing) [Music]

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