#217 iChange Justice Podcast - The Seeds of Sovereignty: A Lifetime of Indigenous Advocacy with Beth Brownfield
In this special Happy New Year broadcast, host Joy Gilfilen welcomes her longtime mentor and community icon, Beth Brownfield. As we step into 2026 and our fifth season, this episode serves as a masterclass in how one person’s "seeds of justice" can ripple across a nation to change laws, denominations, and heart-centered community policies.
The Seed of a 12-Year-Old: Beth shares the origin of her activism—a seed planted at age 12 after reading a heartbreaking paragraph of contaminated smallpox blankets sent by the U.S. Army, especially Plains groups, to control the Indian problem. Years later she takes her heartbreaking first response through her journey from the Pine Ridge Reservation to the Pacific Northwest, sharing the heroic stories of Sue Ann Big Crow, who transformed racial tensions through a Lakota shawl dance on a basketball court, and the losing fight of Alex White Plume to grow hemp under the protection of native sovereignty.
The Principles of HONOR: Beth details her work with HONOR (Honor Our Neighbors, Origins, and Rights), an organization that worked, at the invitation of Tribes and Nations to: Honor government to government relationships and tribal sovereignty; Affirm Indian treaties; Honor and protect the Earth; Conduct Ourselves in a manner which is respectful of all people; Promote intercultural understanding and awareness. She explains how these principles were practiced in collaborative work to save Whatcom County from the proposed coal terminal, and why the first official acknowledgment of the "first inhabitants of these lands and waters" was an essential first step to restorative justice.
The Doctrine of Discovery: One of Beth’s most significant legacies is her work inspired by the work of Lummi, Jewel James and Shawnee, Lenape, Steve Newcomb to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery. Beth recounts her campaign to move the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to pass a national resolution repudiating this archaic legal framework used to dominate the Original Nations and Peoples, their lands, and resources.
Beth describes her methodology as being a "Johnny Appleseed" for justice—planting seeds and letting them take root through the work of community action. She leaves us with a powerful call to action for 2026: "If everyone plants “seeds” as they pass through the world, and picks up the garbage in front of them, we could change the world."
Ready for a soul-stirring Christmas? Discover iChange Justice! Whatcom County's own Joy Gilfilen and visionary artist Shawn Gallaway present a musical gift of restoration for the Salish Sea and beyond. Find iChange Justice right here every Thursday at noon.
This Christmas Day, the iChange Justice podcast is unwrapping something truly special. Host Joy Gilfilen is joined by visionary artist Shawn Gallaway to present a curated selection of his most recent music—songs born from a lifetime of storytelling and a deep commitment to human restoration.
Blending Soul with TechnologyShawn shares how his newest creations use Authentic Intelligence to reach the heart. These are "songs of transformation" designed to help us navigate the Choice Point between love and fear.
Episode Highlights:
The Debut of New Sounds: Experience Shawn’s most recent compositions, including the powerful evolution of "Joy Riders."
Bridging Generations: Shawn reflects on his journey as a performer and grandfather using modern tools to spread ancient truths.
A Vision for 2026: How music serves as a frequency to heal, transmute fear, and prepare us for the collective changes ahead.
This episode is a tribute to the Restorative Community Coalition and a warm holiday season to every listener seeking justice, peace, and joy in the Salish Sea and beyond.
The Christmas Special: A Sonic Gift to the Community
This episode is a tribute to the Restorative Community Coalition and a warm holiday season to every listener seeking justice, peace, and a bit of joy in the coming year.
iChange Justice co-hosts Joy Gilfilen and Karen Ball present the powerful conclusion to their two-part series with Elder Eveimai Lotori, focusing on "Beyond Your Impossible Awakening Your Wisdom Healing." This episode features deep reflection and dialogue with guest Mel Hoover, frequent contributor and and supporter of the work with Eveimai.
The discussion centers on Eveimai’s five-step self-learning and healing process, which is a rich integration of ancient teachings from Toltec, Mexica, Cherokee, Lakota, Dakota, and Cheyenne traditions. This process, which Eveimai uses for her own transformation through journaling, is structured around key stages: self-reflection (mirroring), heart-centered will, shedding limiting patterns, wisdom activation, and achieving harmonic balance through ceremonial dance.
Joy sets the context for the conversation by placing it at the critical transition from the end of 2025 into 2026. She emphasizes that this period is far from normal, citing profound shifts in global political and economic power, the spread of misinformation, and the rapidly accelerating influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and augmented intelligence.
Karen builds on this by translating Eveimai’s wisdom into actionable steps, inviting listeners to engage in deep listening and brave conversations. She uses the concept of the four directions to examine the self, questioning personal "blinders" and repetitive patterns of dualism and competition. Karen stresses the need to pivot away from systems of extraction, consumption, and control toward collaboration and co-creation aligned with the laws of nature.
Mel Hoover provides a foundational analysis, affirming that culture has programmed people into "either/or" thinking—a deviation from nature. He introduces the critical idea that personal change must begin with the "I" to build an honest "we." Mel then offers a profound, experience-based definition of the "tipping point," drawing on his civil rights work. He explains that when neighborhoods or schools reached 15% to 20% integration, white residents with financial means often "panicked and moved." This phenomenon, he argues, exposed how money and classism allowed people to mask the deeper discomfort of "anti-blackness" and systemic advantage, proving that the societal struggle encompasses not just racism, but all "isms" (including rankism and classism) built on a foundational "lie" that normalizes division.
The episode concludes with a powerful invitation to embrace the coming holy day season (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa) with "mosaic eyes." Joy and Mel encourage listeners to practice true listening, forgive human imperfections, apologize sincerely for unintended harm, and work toward becoming "beloveds together"—connected to the wholeness and health of nature. The conversation ends by calling for a "holiday season of learning" that celebrates the possibility of personal and collective change.
To learn how you can participate, volunteer, research, or donate to support local living economies and partner with the iChange Justice podcast, please visit www.therestorativecommunity.org.
Find details about upcoming events on the calendar there.
This first installment introduces Eveimai's groundbreaking plan for The Beyond Your Impossible Legacy Foundation. Co-hosts Joy Gilfilen and Karen Ball guide listeners through the vision for this new entity—a 508 C1A Private Membership Association—designed for global community service, advocacy, and spiritual inclusivity.
At the heart of the foundation are the proposed Nurturing Development Centers. Eveimai describes these centers as tailored, two-year immersive journeys for individuals and families in locales worldwide, from Colorado to Palestine. The mission is to help participants discover their soul and creative potential, supported by healers, craftspeople, and experts. Core focus areas include emotional healing, creativity activation, and developing conscious enterprise roadmaps for a future where traditional jobs are obsolete and "creators and co-creators" lead the way.
Eveimai envisions these centers as residential properties where participants can live and engage in a holistic experience. They will feature essential elements like food gardens, orchards, vineyards, and labyrinth gardens for meditation. They will also host ceremony spaces—such as sweat lodges and teepees—welcoming traditions from all cultures, alongside farm animals to engage children and families. Furthermore, the property design incorporates Airbnb-ready tree houses or housing units to support financial sustainability through retreats and rentals.
This episode is a compelling call to shift our collective focus from systems of restriction to systems of creation. As Eveimai beautifully states, the goal is to weave our visions together, recognizing that "we all are a piece of the whole." Karen and Joy affirm the timeliness of this vision, noting that current global challenges demand this level of unified, multi-cultural action to bridge economic gaps and restore natural balance.
Tune in to witness the genesis of a vision for a thriving future, and be sure to return next week for Part Two, where Eveimai describes her holistic healing process, Beyond Your Possible Awakening Your Wisdom Healing.
To learn how you can participate, volunteer, research, or donate to support local living economies and partner with the iChange Justice podcast connecty with us.
Host Joy Gilfilen and co-host Karen Ball launch a new conversational series with Elder and civil rights leader Mel Hoover (Mel-Rose Ministries). This episode begins the podcast's move into its Fifth Era as a converging network.
Mel, born in 1944 into an "apartheid nation," contrasts his inherited unconditional love with the Constitution's "lie in terms of the actions" and reveals his Native American heritage. The hosts compare their three distinct generational stories (Apartheid, Vietnam, and the Red Scare) to explore the Survival/Thrival Paradox: How do we build a restorative culture when facing the deep societal fear and "undeniable fissures" exposed by the COVID-19 lockdown?
Mel's wisdom for the future is a mandate for courage: cultivate the core belief to be your "authentic self no matter what." This internal decision is the key to creating a "beloved, inclusive future."
Join hosts Joy Gilfilen (Restorative Community Coalition) and criminal justice educator Karen Ball for a powerful installment as they explore the foundational principles driving the iChange Justice movement.
This episode draws on five years of work and the wisdom of global, national, and local thought leaders. We dive into our core philosophy: "When we invest in punishment, we perpetuate harm; when we invest in people, we cultivate safety."
In this episode, you'll hear the essential impact of insights from:
Mel Hoover (Mel-Rose Ministries): On the ethical grounding of restorative practice.
Marc Santos (NobleGoldman Network): Pathways to systemic change through regenerative economics.
Kurt Krueger (Peacemakers Circles): Methods for conflict resolution and peace education.
James White (ESATTA Cooperative): The power of community support and self-advocacy.
Irene Morgan: The vision steering the Restorative Community Coalition.
We connect the dots between activism, education, and policy to show the concrete actions needed to build a more humane future. Don't miss this crucial conversation about choosing people over punishment!
Find iChange Justice every Thursday at noon.
Host Joy Gilfilen welcomes Larry Ballesteros—a Native American leader and symbol of deep resilience (tribal name: Bear from the Earth).
Larry reveals his journey from incarceration to innovation, detailing how he co-created the grassroots Transitioning Offenders Program (TOP) after realizing the system was designed to fail those being released (leaving prison with only a $40 check).
Larry and fellow inmates built a comprehensive, data-driven reentry network right from inside the walls. When audited by state officials, their inmate-run program demonstrated a stunning 92% success rate (7.8% recidivism)—a record unmatched by formal programs at the time.
In this powerful conversation, Larry discusses what it truly takes to transform lives behind bars, the power of self-mastery (requiring participants to read Jonathan Livingston Seagull), and how programs like TOP offer a blueprint for the future of restorative justice.
Airing Everywhere on November 20th.
From the healing ceremonies at Wounded Knee to her work with the Grandmothers Society, Grandmother Ejna Jean Fleury shares a living teaching on consciousness, remembrance, and the return of the Divine Feminine.
Host Joy Gilfilen welcomes Grandmother Ejna Jean Fleury — Miniconjou, Oglala, Hunkpapa, and Ihanktonwan of the Great Sioux Nation; First Peace Ambassador of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe; and founder of the Crow Creek Kunsi / Unci Grandmothers Society, Divine Mothers Love, Sacred Earth Council, and Healing Hearts at Wounded Knee.
Recorded just before she opened an international women’s congress, this spontaneous conversation became a teaching on healing, consciousness, and the sacred feminine. Grandmother Ejna recounts her journey from the ceremonies at Wounded Knee — where she has led healing gatherings for decades — to her global outreach connecting the Divine Mother traditions found in cultures around the world.
She speaks of the quantum reality of love as a field of life itself — a living energy that unites all beings beyond the boundaries of culture, language, or form. Through story, memory, and ceremony, she calls us to return to that field, to remember our relationship with Mother Earth, and to live as conscious caretakers of creation.
This episode is both personal and universal — a remembrance of who we truly are and a call to embody peace in every choice we make.
Healing Hearts at Wounded Knee
#209 – iChange Justice Podcast – From Chaos to Coherence: Dr. Christine Habercorn on Community, Economics & the Future of Justice
Host- Joy Gilfilen and Karen Ball welcome Dr. Christine Habercorn, an elder stateswoman of civic leadership and long-time consultant with the Restorative CommUunity Coalition. With more than 50 years of political and community experience, Dr. Habercorn brings a rare perspective shaped by decades of business, activism, teaching, and global travel.
Beginning her work in the 1970s alongside Robert F. Kennedy and Jerry Brown, Christine became deeply engaged in civic reform, economic development, and community action across multiple states and countries. Her lifelong commitment to healthy social progress and her understanding of global systems provide a powerful context for this wide-ranging conversation about change, leadership, and the human spirit.
Together, Joy and Karen explore with Christine discuss how the past 15 years have transformed the way we think about justice, economics, and community connection. From activism to technology, and from trauma to trust, Dr. Habercorn helps illuminate how coherence emerges from chaos when people focus on community return to service and compassion.
Building on her earlier appearance in Episode #113, “The Business of Justice,” she connects economics, governance, and technology to the deeper human need for meaning, resilience, and hope.
Building on her earlier appearance in Episode #113, “The Business of Justice,” she connects economics, governance, and technology to the human need for coherence and hope.
Joy Gilfilen speaks about the evolution of the iChange Justice Podcast — how a lifetime of unexpected experiences shaped her understanding of law, leadership, and community transformation.
For nearly five years, Joy has hosted the iChange Justice Podcast as a thought-leadership platform exploring how restorative justice, regenerative economics, and community empowerment intersect to build a more humane society. What began as a local conversation about jail reform and reentry in Whatcom County has grown into a wide-ranging inquiry into how justice, governance, and the economy intertwine across generations and cultures.
From her early life on a ranch in Eastern Washington to working inside the legislature, law enforcement, and business development, Joy shares how firsthand experiences revealed the patterns that shape modern systems. Whether in government, science, or economics, she found that systems rewarding control and extraction often undermine the life they depend on.
Those insights led to her work documenting jail trauma and advocating for prevention-based justice. Through over 200 episodes, the iChange Justice Podcast has become a public forum for transformation — amplifying voices from inmates, sheriffs, elders, educators, reformers, and innovators alike.
As Joy explains, “The future of public safety isn’t about control — it’s about prevention, education, and rebuilding civic resilience.” The podcast invites listeners to rediscover authentic intelligence — the human capacity for empathy, ethics, and courage that no algorithm can replicate.
Each episode offers a piece of that larger mosaic — from Paul Levy’s Wetiko Mindset (Episode 165) to Patricia Anne Davis’ Indigenous wisdom (Episode 124), Don Kirchner’s justice reform (Episode 118), and Marc Santos on regenerative economics (Episode 78). Together they form an archive of social courage and civic learning.
In this solo reflection, Joy connects the dots — from ranch life to policy, from justice to regeneration — to ask a question at the heart of it all:
How does it work? And how can we make it work better for everyone?
206-iChange Justice Podcast – Ripples of Healing:
How Service Transforms Communities with James White
Hosted by Joy Gilfilen with co-host Karen Ball
What does it mean to live a life centered on service — not as a title, a role, or a retirement project, but as a daily practice that transforms the world around us? In this powerful new conversation, host Joy Gilfilen and co-host Karen Ball sit down with James White, founder of the ESATTA Cooperative, to explore how grassroots service and cooperative action can heal individuals, strengthen relationships, and create ripples of transformation throughout entire communities. ESATTA STANDS FOR EMPOWERING SELF-ADVOCATES............."
James shares his deeply personal journey into purpose-driven work and how the ESATTA Cooperative has become a model for collaborative learning and restorative practice. Through workshops, educational programs, and community-based projects,
ESATTA fosters environments where people come together to share knowledge, build trust, and take collective action for the common good.
This episode builds on themes explored through previous iChange Justice episodes such as Episode #31: "Rehumanizing Our Systems”, Episode #43: James White’s earlier conversation on cooperative work. Also, pivotal discussions like “Increasing Community Resilience” (Episode #81), “Restoring Human Dignity” (Episode #88), and “Expanding Our Collective Capacity” (Episode #89). Each of these conversations has highlighted the urgent need for new approaches to justice, community building, and social well-being.
This episode #206 continues that thread — showing how service, compassion, and cooperation can shift us from isolation and disconnection to meaningful connection and shared healing.
Far from being a lofty ideal, service is a way of life — one that changes how we solve problems, how we relate to one another, and how we design the future. It is the foundation for grassroots movements that honor humanity, human dignity and help build emotionally resilient communities from the ground up.
Learn more about James White’s work and upcoming workshops at ESATTACooperative.com
Host Joy Gilfilen welcomes back Ilona Krohn, an economist whose research traces the hidden emotional and structural roots of our economic and social systems. Together they explore how the global obsession with profit and control has shaped local taxation, governance, and public safety — and how these deeply embedded behaviors are driving cycles of trauma, competition, and inequality in our communities.
Ilona reveals how economic systems built on scarcity thinking have conditioned generations to believe there is never enough — not enough time, money, resources, or worth — and how that fear fuels everything from political division to personal burnout. She connects the dots between profit-driven decision-making and the erosion of community wellbeing, showing how “more concrete and steel” doesn’t stop crime; it privatizes it.
This episode dives deep into the psychology of economics, the unconscious trauma that underlies modern systems, and the need for a collective shift toward conscious, compassionate leadership. Joy and Ilona challenge listeners to question the assumptions that equate profit with success — and to imagine what healthy, regenerative, community-based business models could look like if we re-centered human value over financial value.
“Technology has outpaced our consciousness. Now it’s time to evolve emotionally — to reconnect our economics with empathy.”
It’s a thought-provoking continuation of Ilona’s earlier appearances (#32 and #37), expanding the conversation from survival to awareness, and from scarcity to shared responsibility. Together, they outline a path toward an economy that serves life — not the other way around.
In this inspiring episode, hosts Joy Gilfilen and Karen Ball welcome educator and peace advocate Kurt Krueger to discuss the transformative work of Peacemaker Circles. From stress-relief practices to global collaboration, Kurt shares how cultivating inner calm can ripple outward into families, communities, and societies.
Listeners will learn simple tools for reducing stress and building resilience, hear stories of peace initiatives in refugee camps and communities worldwide, and discover the Peacemaker’s Challenge—a project empowering youth to create change at home and in schools.
This is more than a conversation; it’s a call to action. Join us as we explore how inner peace, compassion, and systemic change can create a more just and joyful world.
Was it 25 or 30 years ago when Whatcom County and counties across the U.S. still had a strong network of prevention and recovery programs?
Back then, a small army of outreach workers, counselors, and interventionists worked daily to keep people out of jail and on the path to healing. There were treatment centers, youth programs, crisis shelters, and community services that not only supported individuals but created an entire culture of care.
That infrastructure is gone. The jobs in the helping culture have been replaced by our current after arrest culture compared to the small army of helpers that existed in the 70s, 80s, and into the mid 90s it began to change. The centers closed, and the safety nets disappeared. What remains is a justice system designed around punishment. Today, when someone stumbles whether from addiction, poverty, or a bad decisionthey face stacked charges, impossible bail, and lifelong consequences. Instead of treatment, they get trauma. Instead of recovery, they get a record.
We’ve witnessed the results: generations of families torn apart, homelessness exploding, and taxpayers funding more jails instead of more solutions. The loss is not just in dollars, but in human potential.
That’s why the iChange Justice Podcast, hosted by Joy Gilfilen, keeps asking the hard questions: “What is justice, anyway?” She is joined often by Irene Morgan, founder of the Restorative Community Coalition, who has spent decades advocating for community-based solutions, and by one of our producers, Ava Sakowski, who helps bring these stories to life. Together, they shine a light on what has been lost and what can be rebuilt.
We know justice can mean something different—restoration, healing, and giving people the tools to grow. The proof is there. With just $1,500, one pilot program helped a woman pay rent, repair her car, and get back on her feet. That small investment changed her trajectory completely.
The truth is, communities thrive when we invest in people, not prisons. What we need is not more punishment, but a revival of prevention, treatment, and human-centered care.
In this inspiring conversation, host Joy Gilfilen and co-host Karen Ball turns the spotlight toward the people behind the scenes of the iChange Justice Podcast to ask: Why do we podcast, how does it work, and what makes it impactful?
Guests Jeannie Gilbert (Owner of Koys-LPFM), Ava Sakowski (Co-producer, iChange Justice Podcast), and Irene Morgan (Founder, Restorative Community Coalition) take listeners behind the curtain into the art and craft of podcasting as a tool for connection, education, and activism. From microphones and editing to distribution and promotion, this episode is a hands-on guide for community builders and changemakers who want to amplify their voices.
The team shares candid lessons:
How podcasting became a lifeline during COVID when in-person conversations stopped.
Why audio quality and post-production matter for credibility.
The difference between streaming platforms and podcast platforms—and why it matters for outreach.
The essential teamwork required: hosts, editors, distributors, and promoters.
How podcasts can evolve from local roots into national and even international spaces for justice.
Why planning “story arcs” across multiple episodes keeps audiences engaged and deepens impact.
Elder activist Irene Morgan adds heartfelt reflections on what it feels like to be a guest navigating new technology, reminding us that podcasting isn’t just about technical skill—it’s about accessibility and human connection.
The conversation ends with a call to action: podcasting isn’t just media—it’s activism in action. It’s a platform for sharing truth, exposing injustice, and creating a sense of connection that moves people to act.
Listen now to learn how grassroots voices become global change.
The "iChange Justice" podcast is joined by a very special guest and longtime supporter of its mission, Mel Hoover. As an advisor, Hoover provides his unique perspective, helping to navigate the significant transitions and complex issues facing Whatcom County.
The conversation with Mel begins with a personal journey, as he shares how he and his wife, both ministers and change agents, came to settle in the Pacific Northwest to be closer to their family. Mel, originally from the East Coast, reflects on his first visit to the area in the 1980s and the striking contrast between its sleepy, small-town facade and the deep, complex realities that were not immediately visible. He brings to light the area's history as a "sundown town," a fact that was unknown to even many longtime residents, including the host. This powerful revelation sets the stage for a discussion on how historical realities, often hidden, continue to shape the present.
Mel's own life story is a mosaic of different cultures, religions, and races. He shares his incredible journey of being born in a segregated Columbus, Ohio, in 1944, into a family with Cherokee, Seminole, French, and Irish heritage. This early experience in a multicultural family, living in an "apartheid nation," gave him a unique perspective on the true nature of America—a perspective he was forced to reconcile with the idealized stories he was told. He recounts how his family, though highly educated, still faced discrimination, and how he learned to see the world not as a single narrative, but as a complex and multiplex reality.
As the year moves into 2025, the conversation shifts to the urgent issues at the forefront of Whatcom County, from water adjudication and border complexities to global challenges and the "whiteout of truth" caused by misinformation. Mel explains that to tackle these issues, one must first build authentic relationships and find common ground. He argues that the culture has diminished the value of truth, and that it is necessary to return to smaller, trusted circles to find a way back to honest conversation and shared purpose. Mel's wisdom reminds listeners that even with all the complexities faced, the possibility of what could be is worth fighting for.
Joy Gilfilen concludes the conversation by highlighting the very real and present threats people face, including the increase in natural disasters like tornadoes, firestorms, and floods, and how these events impact the food supply. However, she pivots from the negative to a message of hope and action. The episode is a call to come together and find solutions. Gilfilen emphasizes the importance of saving the waters, reminding everyone that because all are made of water, they are also saving themselves. This final thought serves as a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and shared responsibility to protect the planet and each other.
In a special milestone episode, Joy Gilfilen hosts a powerful conversation on restorative justice with Irene Morgan, founder of the Restorative Community Coalition. This episode, delves into how the justice system has shifted from a successful, community-based approach to a punitive, punishment-focused model. Morgan, who has decades of experience in this field, shares her journey and the lessons she has learned along the way.
The discussion begins with Irene's early experience in the 1990s on a Community Accountability Board (CAB) in Whatcom County. This diversion program for first and second-time teen offenders had a remarkable 98% success rate, allowing young people to avoid a juvenile record by making restitution and completing community service. Despite its success, the program was quietly dismantled, and local officials later claimed that restorative justice wasn't possible, particularly for felony cases.
Irene's personal story illustrates the human cost of the current system. She recounts the tragic death of her grandson in a car accident and the two years of emotional trauma and uncertainty her family endured. The justice system, in this case, provided no information about the driver responsible. When they finally met him, they discovered he was a grieving man filled with remorse and contemplating suicide. By engaging with him directly, the family was able to find healing, illustrating that forgiveness and understanding can be more powerful than a prison sentence.
The podcast emphasizes that a punishment-focused system feeds a "mass industrial complex" and a social caste system, disproportionately affecting the poor. Morgan and Gilfilen argue that the first 72 hours after an arrest are crucial for providing help, not punishment, and that a lack of continuous services from the justice system makes it nearly impossible for people to get back on their feet.
The episode concludes with a vision for a better way forward. Morgan proposes the creation of a "Restore a Life Center"—a place that would provide housing, employment, education, and trauma healing to those who have been through the system. This model focuses on repairing harm and helping people become productive members of society, a stark contrast to the current system's emphasis on incarceration.
Beyond Punishment: Restorative Justice and the Path to Community Healing
Ready for a deep dive into justice? It's our 199th episode, and Whatcom County's own Joy Gilfilen is joined by Irene Morgan, the founder of the Restorative Community Coalition. Together, they're taking a hard look at the justice system as we know it, and they're not holding back.
Irene shares her incredible journey, starting with her childhood and her early observations of how the "welfare system" impacted people. She later saw those same patterns repeat in the court and justice system, leading her to a stark conclusion: the system isn't broken. It's working exactly as it was designed to—to generate massive amounts of money and capture people within its grasp.
This powerful conversation unpacks the hidden truths of probable cause, the tragedy of high bail that forces people to plead guilty to crimes they didn't commit, and the devastating cycle of debt and trauma that families endure. Irene reveals that this system (traded on the New York Stock Exchange) doesn't prioritize victims but instead enriches itself. Joy and Irene discuss the true cost of incarceration, from soaring legal fees and fines to the loss of jobs, housing, and even family connections.
But this episode isn't just about identifying problems; it's about pioneering solutions. Irene explains the profound healing power of restorative justice, a process that brings together victims and perpetrators to find a path to restitution, healing, and even forgiveness. They also talk about a range of other solutions, including the coalition's work in court navigation, case management, and the vision for the Restore Life Center, a project that could help people before they ever enter the jail system.
The conversation touches on the inspiring progress of the tiny home community in Whatcom County, a grassroots effort that is helping people escape homelessness and rebuild their lives. As Irene says, we don't have to keep doing things the same way. We can choose a healthier, more humane path that focuses on healing rather than punishment. This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to understand the real justice system and what we can do to change it for the better.
In a compelling conversation, Joy Gilfilen welcomes Atul Deshmane, a dedicated public servant and Whatcom County resident, to the iChange Justice podcast. Deshmane, with his extensive background in clean energy and technology, offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing our communities. He begins by drawing a crucial distinction between a politician and a public servant, arguing that the latter's true purpose is to serve the public interest, not personal gain.
The discussion pivots to the concept of "intention over innovation," with Deshmane explaining that while he once believed technology alone could make the world better, he now understands that it is human intention that gives innovation purpose. This mindset is vital for addressing complex issues, from the use of artificial intelligence to how we manage our natural resources.
The episode hones in on three key issues for Whatcom County in 2025: water, energy, and digital civics. Deshmane highlights the existential threat to the Nooksack River, sharing a study that shows a high probability of it running dry within 50 years. He advocates for a proactive, collaborative approach to water management that includes regenerative agriculture, increased soil carbon, and innovative storage solutions like dams built for river protection, not just energy production. The conversation also explores the need for new energy sources like geothermal power and the importance of digital civics to empower citizens.
This episode is a powerful call to action, urging listeners to move beyond negative distractions and focus on collaborative, intention-driven solutions to build a more resilient and just future.