Episodes

  • #121 - A Conversation with Joessie Mathews: Restoring Hope Through Second Chances

    #121 - A Conversation with Joessie Mathews: Restoring Hope Through Second Chances
    Apr 19 2026
    April is Second Chances Month, and if you’ve ever felt like your past was holding you back, this conversation is for you.

    On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we’re talking to Joessie Mathews, a woman who turned her own life experience into a movement, helped pass the Clean Slate NY Bill, and is now inspiring others to rise, rebuild, and reclaim their future.
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    28 mins
  • #120 - Growing Together: Autism & Neurodiversity with Sheree Sibilly Simmons

    #120 - Growing Together: Autism & Neurodiversity with Sheree Sibilly Simmons
    Apr 12 2026
    Every day, people are misunderstood simply because they experience the world differently. Here on Legal Aid Radio, we’re shining a light on neurodiversity and on how a little understanding can go a long way. As more people hear terms like autism and neurodivergent, there’s still a gap between awareness and true understanding. What does it really mean? And how can we, as a community, respond with empathy instead of assumptions?

    On this episode, we’re joined by a powerful voice in this space, parent advocate Sheree Sibilly Simmons, who is working directly with children and families to help bridge that gap, connect people to resources, and remind us all that when we take the time to understand one another, we create stronger, more supportive communities for everyone.
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    29 mins
  • #119 - Green Jackets: A Veteran-Centered Approach to Justice Pt. 2

    #119 - Green Jackets: A Veteran-Centered Approach to Justice Pt. 2
    Apr 6 2026
    What if the people best equipped to help struggling veterans… are veterans themselves?

    On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we take you inside the Green Jackets: a group of mentors, many of them Vietnam veterans, who stand beside fellow veterans in court, helping them rebuild their lives one step at a time.

    Joined again by Navy veteran Frank D’Aversa and retired Commander Grace Mehl, we explore how this unique program works and why its mission continues long after military service ends.
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    24 mins
  • #118 - Green Jackets: A Veteran-Centered Approach to Justice

    #118 - Green Jackets: A Veteran-Centered Approach to Justice
    Mar 29 2026
    What happens when the men and women who served their country come home and don’t receive the welcome they expected?

    On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we explore how Vietnam veterans turned that experience into action: building a nationwide movement of support, and helping create a new kind of justice system designed specifically for those who served.

    We’ll hear from Vietnam-era Navy veteran and Green Jackets founder Frank D’Aversa, along with retired Navy Commander Grace Mehl, as they share the history behind Vietnam Veterans of America and the roots of Veterans Treatment Court.
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    25 mins
  • #117 - Healing the Body While Doing the Work with Dr. Mike Sredniawski

    #117 - Healing the Body While Doing the Work with Dr. Mike Sredniawski
    Mar 22 2026
    In this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we sit down with chiropractor Dr. Mike Sredniawski to explore the often-overlooked physical toll of working in and experiencing the criminal justice system. From chronic stress and burnout among advocates to untreated pain in individuals returning home from incarceration, we discuss how these experiences live in the body, and what can be done to heal. This conversation is all about shifting the focus toward self-care, recovery, and sustainable wellness for those doing the work and those rebuilding their lives.
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    30 mins
  • #116 - Laurie Farber and the Future of Sustainability

    #116 - Laurie Farber and the Future of Sustainability
    Mar 8 2026
    She’s a teacher, environmental steward, and community visionary who believes the path to a sustainable future begins with education, nature, and empowering the next generation. This Women’s History Month, as we celebrate women Leading the Change, we spotlight Laurie Farber, founder of Starflower Experiences, whose work is inspiring communities across Long Island to protect the planet and shape a healthier future for us all.
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    29 mins
  • #115 - From Supervision to Serving: Chris Hynes' Second Chance in Action

    #115 - From Supervision to Serving: Chris Hynes' Second Chance in Action
    Mar 1 2026
    What happens when a knee injury ends your career… but launches your purpose?

    In this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we’re catching up with fan-favorite Chris Hynes, and trust me, this update is powerful.

    Since we last spoke, Chris has become a Certified Peer Recovery Advocate and a Certified Peer Specialist and now works with others on supervised release to rebuild their lives.

    He didn’t just survive the system. He studied it. He observed it. And now he’s working inside it. From construction worker to criminal justice change-maker, this is what transformation truly looks like.

    You do NOT want to miss this conversation.
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    29 mins
  • #114 - Belief Beyond Barriers: A Conversation with William Clyde, Jr.

    #114 - Belief Beyond Barriers: A Conversation with William Clyde, Jr.
    Feb 22 2026
    What does it take to change the trajectory of a young person’s life?

    For nearly 50 years, one man has stood in the gap for students who didn’t meet traditional college standards, helping them not only enter higher education but also graduate. In this episode of Legal Aid Radio, host Debra Sterling Walters speaks with her former mentor, William Clyde, Jr., for a full-circle conversation about access, advocacy, and why sustainable solutions for our youth require more than dreams; they require opportunity.

    This is one you don’t want to miss.
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    28 mins