Shows
ReputationLook in the MirrorIn the final episode, Ethan explores how regular everyday people can make a difference in the homelessness crisis through direct action and mutual aid. He chats with Lizzy Calhoun, a film editor and mutual aid worker whose involvement started during the pandemic when she joined Food Not Bombs, an organization that provides free vegetarian or vegan food to those in need without restrictions.Lizzy's involvement with mutual aid began with volunteering to serve food on Skid Row during the pandemic. She describes her initial feelings of anxiety and being a fish out of water the first time...
2023-05-3130 min
ReputationA Conversation with L.A. Mayor Karen BassEthan sits down with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to reflect on how her experiences inform her approach to tackling the homelessness crisis. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the complexities behind homelessness and dispelling common misconceptions. The episode highlights the need for policy evaluation and a constructive disruption of the system to better address the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness. During this conversation, Mayor Bass and Ethan also delve into the power of empathy, the importance of community-based solutions to make a lasting difference, and fears of failure. This conversation was taped April 12, 2023. Here are s...
2023-05-2327 min
ReputationMirror of Tragedy: The Life & Death of Joshua Ray WilliamsWe delve into the tragic life and untimely death of Joshua Ray Williams, a man plagued by a troubled past and homelessness, who overdosed inside a Jack in the Box fast-food restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. Through a thought-provoking chat with David Mayes, Joshua's former guardian, and visits to the location where he passed away, host Ethan Ward explores and reflects on the profound impact of losing someone while unhoused.The episode begins with Ethan's recollection of how he first discovered Joshua's story while researching a February 2021 article about unhoused individuals in L.A. Ethan's article became...
2023-05-1634 min
ReputationWho Speaks for the Unhoused Dead?This episode focuses on the intersection of homelessness and the professionals whose lives intersect with it. The statistics are staggering - over 450,000 people experienced homelessness in the US last year, and there are estimates that between 17,000 and 40,000 of them die each year. Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old unhoused man who tragically lost his life on a New York City subway train on May 1, was one of them after being choked to death by another passenger. You'll hear from Dr. Jan Gorniak, DO, MHSA, a board-certified forensic pathologist in Nevada and Lauren Silver, a medical death investigator in Colorado. They tell...
2023-05-1637 min
ReputationTransgender Rights in the Homelessness Shelter SystemWe’re back with an episode that dives into the intersection of homelessness and the lives of transgender people. From navigating transphobia and misgendering to being turned away from shelters, the unique experiences of transgender people experiencing homelessness are often overlooked. With over 1,400 trans or gender non-binary people identified in the 2022 LA Count of Unhoused people, homelessness has a profound impact on this population, especially since many of them feel unsafe in shelters. Emily Garcia and Yahni Rose, both transgender women who were unhoused at an early age, share their experiences with Ethan in navigating the homelessness infrastructure. They al...
2023-05-0932 min
ReputationReflecting on Foster Youth at Risk of HomelessnessIn this episode of Reputation, host Ethan Ward explores the unique experience of foster youth at risk of homelessness. He shares his personal experience of being kicked out of his parents' house at 18, wandering from place to place, and how his reporting on homelessness led to his interest in the topic. Ethan talks to Joel, a former foster youth who fought hard to avoid becoming a statistic, and Gail Winston, a manager of the supportive housing division at LA's Department of Children and Family Services. They discuss the challenges that foster youth face, including finding housing and support after...
2023-05-0214 min
ReputationLisa Looks Within: A Journey from Homelessness to HopeIn this episode of "Reputation," we discuss the intersection of reputation and homelessness with guest Lisa Chilton, who experienced homelessness by couch surfing for five years after losing her mother, grandmother, uncle, and cousin and draining her savings. Lisa spent time between many homes or at bus stops, dragging carry-on luggage everywhere she went and discussing how losing her home also meant losing her sanctuary and the toll that it took on her emotionally, mentally, and physically. In a conversation taped at her apartment in Hollywood, she talks about how being homeless caused her to constantly adapt to new...
2023-04-2526 min
ReputationMike Bonin Reflects on What's NextIn this episode, host Ethan Ward interviews former L.A. City Councilmember Mike Bonin and host of the podcast "What’s Next, Los Angeles?" to see how he's been doing since leaving his job as a councilmember. Mike shares his views on the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles and the government's response to it, while emphasizing the need for policymakers to involve people with recent lived experiences of homelessness in the decision-making process. Mike shares his struggles with addiction, dealing with trolls, and how those experiences have shaped him as a person and public servant. We end the di...
2023-04-1837 min
ReputationThrough the Looking GlassAward-winning journalist Ethan Ward starts the series by looking in the mirror and reflecting on his experience of homelessness and the societal stigma surrounding it. Ethan recounts sleeping in his car and how the anxiety of being seen as unhoused affected him and how he felt ashamed to be unhoused due to the messages from society. He invites listeners along as he revisits the places he spent time at while living in his car and reflects on his experiences. He also speaks with Saba Mwine, managing director of the Homelessness Policy Research Institute at the University of Southern California...
2023-04-1831 min
ReputationIntroducing: Reputation, from HEATDRAWN MediaQuestions? Comments? Email us at reputation@heatdrawn.com or find us on Twitter @ReputationPod and @iamethanward using the hashtag #ReputationPodcast For advertising, sponsor, or partner opportunities please email us at business@heatdrawn.comReputation is executive produced, edited, and fact-checked by Ethan Ward. Sound design and engineering by Jaeha Joshua Chang. Original theme music by James Ingram of Mega Dream Productions. Podcast art and creative direction by Kelly Bernard.© 2023 HEATDRAWN LLC
2023-04-0803 min