Top Of Mind With Julie Rose

Once a child is placed in foster care, they’re reuniting with their parent or guardian less than half of the time. But many child welfare agencies say reuniting families is a top priority. Is it possible to have a system that both protects children and prioritizes families? Guests: Aby, a Mother who reunited with her child Dalton Shump, Permanency Case Worker, KVC Molly Tierney, Managing Director, North American Public Sector at Accenture, Former Director of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services Lynn Price, Founder, Camp to Belong

The US Supreme Court has repeatedly held that some amount of race-based discrimination is okay in college admissions, if the goal is to create a more diverse campus. But, no one wants to be rejected because of something they can’t control – like their race, or their parents’ income. In this episode, we’ll explore the effects of affirmative action and consider other ways schools might create diversity if the Supreme Court bans race-based admissions decisions. Guests: Zachariah Chou, author of USA Today op-ed "My race may have played a factor in my college rejections, but I support affirmative action" Wenyuan Wu, Executive Director of Californians for Equal Rights Foundation Monica O'Neal, psychologist in Boston and faculty at Harvard Medical School Rick Sander, economist and law professor at UCLA Audrey Dow, Senior Vice President of The Campaign for College Opportunity

One out of every 95 people on Earth has fled their home because of conflict or persecution. What is the experience of leaving – when you’d rather stay – and resettling in a place where everything is foreign? In this episode, people who came to America as refugees share their stories of heartbreak, healing, and new friendships. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Guests: Warda Mohamed Abdullahi, Somalian refugee, author of "Warda: My Journey from the Horn of Africa to a College Education" Luma Mufleh, founder of Fugees Family, author of "Learning America: One Woman's Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children" Liz Jevtic-Somlai, Associate Director at Their Story is Our Story Aden Batar, Services Director at Catholic Community Services of Utah

18 years. That’s how long Anthony Graves spent in prison for a crime he never committed. Unfortunately, his story is not uncommon in this country. Can we stop wrongful convictions, or are they just the price we pay to keep communities safe? In this episode, we look at how such big mistakes are made in the American justice system and efforts to prevent wrongful convictions. Guests: Anthony Graves, exoneree, author “Infinite Hope: How Wrongful Conviction, Solitary Confinement, and 12 Years on Death Row Failed to Kill My Soul.” David Rudolf- author, “American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System” Emily Galvin-Almanza, co-founder of Partners for Justice Walter McNeil, sheriff of Leon County, Florida

Before we were a weekly podcast, Top of Mind was a daily radio show. We were on the air – live - for two hours every weekday. And we did that for seven years. This means there’s a ton of great material in our archive. So, today we’re giving you a taste of that archive. First, we take a deep dive into the history of organ transplant surgery – and its darker side. You’ll hear how the TV world of Star Trek has influenced real science. We’ll be back with a new episode of the podcast on Monday, May 23rd.

Division is nothing new in America, but something about this moment feels different. Why are we so angry, fearful, and ever more deeply entrenched in our safe little bubbles of like-minded people? More importantly, how do we get out? In this episode, the root causes of toxic polarization in America today, practical advice on bridging our differences, and the story of one man trying to change the narrative one difficult conversation at a time. Guests: Dylan Marron, author, “Conversations with People Who Hate Me.” Amy Chua, Yale Law School professor, author, “Political Tribes,” and “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.” Peter Coleman, social psychologist, Columbia University, author, “The Way Out: How to Overcome Toxic Polarization.”

The way we think about mental illness from a Western medicine perspective doesn’t fit everyone. More and more people are taking antidepressants, but rates of depression aren’t declining. Meanwhile, some unconventional methods, like indigenous practices and psychedelics, are helping people cope with symptoms. In today’s episode, we show the power of thinking differently about mental illness. Guests: Sam, mental health patient Terrie Moffitt, clinical psychologist, professor, Duke University Joseph Gone, cultural clinical psychologist, professor, Harvard University Reid Robison, chief medical officer, Novamind

Long Description – Millions of Americans move each year in search of a better house, neighborhood, job, or quality of life. Is leaving the only way to live some place better? What would it take for an imperfect place to become your perfect match? Today we crisscross the country and check in with Top of Mind listeners about what makes a city great. Guests: Majora Carter – Author of “Reclaiming your Community” Jim and Deb Fallows – Co-authors of “Our Town: A Journey into the Heart of America” Melody Warnick – Author of “This Is Where You Belong” and “If You Could Live Anywhere” Lynn Kreutz, Hayley Trotter, Reed Wolfley, Erika Layland, Jenny Van Stone, Kim Parati – Top of Mind Listeners

Whether we work in an office, a construction site, or even a radio station, we've all complained about being overworked. Americans spend more time working than people in other wealthy nations. Why do we feel the need to work so much? In this episode, we take a deep dive into American work culture and how working less could actually be good for employers and employees.

Living with autism can be difficult, and in the past, the prevailing attitude was to find ways to fix or cure autism. But that idea is changing. “For too long, we have been forced to navigate a world where all the road signs are written in another language,” writes author and journalist Eric Garcia. Garcia is autistic. In this episode, we talk with current autism advocates who argue that the way to make life better for autistic people is not to force them to fit into the world but to help the world fit them. Guests: Emily Grodin and Valerie Gilpeer, co-authors of “I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust.” Eric Garcia, journalist, author of ‘We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation.” Monique Botha, community psychologist, and researcher at the University of Stirling Sarah and Larry Nannery, co-authors of “What to Say Next: Successful Communication in Work, Life and Love with Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

People who experience poverty are constantly riding a rollercoaster of highs and lows as they struggle to better their situation. In desperation, they’re asking, “Is there any way out?” While a growing number of people agree that ending poverty is achievable, there’s plenty of debate on the specifics. Advocates leading the fight against poverty are finding that the answer will start with a change in perspective. We’re learning that poverty isn’t an individual’s problem—It’s a community problem. Guests: Alicia, Circles Participant Chris Robinson, Circles Participant Robert Rector, Senior Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation Dr. H. Luke Schaefer, Professor, University of Michigan, Co-author of “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America." LaMont Hampton, Program Coordinator, Circles Davis County Paul Born, Founder, Tamarack Institute

Citizenship is a prerequisite for voting in most of the world. But New York City plans on allowing non-citizens to vote in city elections. How does being given or denied the right to vote affect somebody’s sense of belonging in a community? In this episode, we look at the history of voting rights and restrictions in America and see how voting by non-citizens plays out in places where it is allowed. Guests: Woojung Diana Park, Immigrant Justice Organizer, Minkwon Center in New York City Chaewon Jessica Park, Immigrant Justice Organizer, Minkwon Center in New York City Howard Husock, Senior Fellow of Domestic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute Ron Hayduk, Professor of Political Science, San Francisco State University Kate Stewart, Mayor of Takoma Park, Maryland

Maia Szalavitz was introduced to the concept of harm reduction while using illegal drugs in her 20s. A friendly woman advised her to clean the needles with bleach. She claims that kind gesture saved her life even though it was a few years before she kicked the drug habit. Harm reduction has evolved in the last 40 years. New York City just opened the first government-sanctioned supervised injection sites in the country. Can you accept somebody as they are without enabling their harmful behavior to continue? Are they mutually exclusive? Guests: Maia Szalavitz - author of Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction Dr. Leslie Suen - addiction medicine specialist, UCSF Darwin Fisher – Program Manager, Insite Keith Humphreys - addiction researcher, professor, Stanford University School of Medicine David Murray - co-director for the Center for Substance Abuse Policy Research, Hudson Institute Brendan Cox - Director of Policing Strategies, LEAD National Support Bureau

If you stood a thin person next to someone who is, well, not so thin, and were asked to pick who you thought was healthier, you’re more than likely going to choose the skinny person, right? We’ve been programmed to think that body weight is the best indicator of a person’s health and fitness. But this mindset isn’t always true. The disconnect between body weight and health is more common than you think, and we may be making ourselves more unhealthy by not believing it. Mirna Valerio, ultramarathoner, founder of Fat Girl Running Kathryn Hively, Founder of Just BE Parenting Glenn Gaesser, Professor of Exercise Physiology, Arizona State University Corinne Hannan, Psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University

When we think of race, we might naturally think of one's skin color. But someone who is black can have white skin. So what is race? Two researchers say we are getting it all wrong and that biological race is a myth. But they say socially-defined race and racism are alive and continue to this day. Guests: Natalie Devora, Author of "Black Girl White Skin: A Life In Stories" Dr. Joseph L. Graves Jr, Professor of biological sciences at North Carolina A&T State University, co-author of “Racism, Not Race: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions” Dr. Alan Goodman, Professor of biological anthropology at Hampshire College, co-author of “Racism, Not Race” Terry and Michele Wright, Co-Founders, National Organization of African Americans with Cystic Fibrosis Lauren Michele, Black blogger with Cystic Fibrosis

Jasmine Reed has lived with a chronic illness since she was 15. After years of seeing doctors and trying different treatments, she doesn’t feel much better. Reed wishes others would believe she is in pain even though she doesn’t look sick. Chronic pain doesn’t necessarily come from a specific external cause, so it’s hard to treat and hard to prove to others. But that doesn’t mean it’s not real. In this episode, we talk to chronic pain experts about treatments and chronic pain’s connection to the opioid epidemic. We also talk to neuroscientists about pain patterns in the brain and how we can help to heal ourselves. Guests: Jasmine Reed, person with a chronic illness. Daniel Clauw, Director, Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, University of Michigan. Tor Wager, Professor of Neuroscience, Dartmouth College.

Hundreds of parents volunteered their children as participants in the COVID-19 vaccine trials. To some of us, that seems like a crazy risk. But to those parents, it didn’t feel risky at all. The way that we think about risk is complex. It changes based on the situation, and it’s more arbitrary than we might want to admit. In this episode, we examine how people gauge risk, whether it’s in an everyday parenting situation or a death-defying rock climb, and we look at ways to bring more rationality into our risk-taking. Jamie Davis Smith - Parent, attorney, and disability advocate Seema Lakdawala - Parent and virologist at the University of Michigan Lenore Skenazy - Author and founder of the non-profit Let Grow Jane Joseph - Neuroscientist at the Medical University of South Carolina Alex Honnold - Professional rock climber Paul Slovic - Professor of psychology at the University of Oregon

Bobby Love’s story is amazing. Love escaped prison, raised a family, and lived trouble-free for over 40 years. But he probably wouldn’t have been able to do that so well, if he hadn't completely changed his identity after the escape. He had no parole requirements to trip him up, no criminal record shaping where he could live or work. In this episode, we consider how the US justice system makes it difficult for people convicted of crimes to rebuild their lives after prison. And we'll explore some solutions. Guests: Bobby and Cheryl Love – Co-Authors of “The Redemption of Bobby Love.” Nathan Sterling – Formerly incarcerated individual Karl Daniels – Formerly incarcerated individual Reuben Jonathan Miller – Professor, University of Chicago. Author of “Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration.” Sue Mason – Executive Director, What’s Next Washington Krista Gulbransen – Executive Director, Berkeley Property Owners Association Penny Jennings – Vice-President of Strategic Programs,

A podcast for people who are turned-off by the depressing, divisive nature of the news, but still want to engage with important issues in our communities. Hosted by radio journalist Julie Rose, Top of Mind tackles one tough topic each week in a way that will challenge you, help you feel more empathy and empower you to become a better citizen, a kinder neighbor and a more effective advocate. Top of Mind with Julie Rose is a production of BYUradio.