Stop & Talk

Norma Chávez-Peterson is a longtime organizer and civil rights leader who serves as Executive Director of the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, one of the region’s leading voices on civil liberties and immigrant rights. Born in Michoacán, Mexico, and raised in San Diego, she brings lived experience and deep community roots to her work in the border region, where local realities often reflect broader national debates about democracy, belonging, and power. This Episode: What does courageous community leadership look like when civil liberties, immigrant rights, and democracy itself are under strain? In this episode, Norma and Grant examine how immigration enforcement is unfolding in this moment. Norma argues that today’s tensions did not come out of nowhere, but grew from decades of failure to build a fair and humane immigration system. Together, they explore how federal overreach shows up locally, from high-profile enforcement actions to the quieter fear shaping daily life for families across the region. Norma also points to how communities are responding: neighbors looking out for one another, churches and schools finding ways to keep families safe, and everyday people stepping up to protect their communities. She reminds us that attacks on immigrants do not stop with immigrants alone, and that fear cannot be what guides us. Instead, she calls on all of us to focus on where we can make a difference, stay connected to one another, and act with courage and solidarity. Key Moments: [1:30] How the ACLU’s local affiliate model stays rooted in community needs [7:27] Why today’s immigration enforcement crisis has decades-deep roots [17:06] What increased ICE activity looks like in San Diego County [33:19] Why people and organizations need to focus where they can make a real difference [43:14] What courageous leadership looks like in this moment Resources Mentioned in This Episode: ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties – Defending and advancing civil rights and civil liberties in the border region Know Your Rights Red Cards – Practical tools to help immigrants assert their rights during encounters with immigration enforcement San Diego Organizing Project – Faith- and community-based organizing around justice and civic participation Standing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) – Organizing and training people, including white allies, to take action for racial justice CHIRLA – Immigrant rights organization providing advocacy, organizing, and legal services Take Action: Know Your Rights – Learn what protections people have during encounters with immigration enforcement. Support Neighbors – Check in on people in your community and help connect them to trusted resources. Focus Where You Can Help – Choose one issue or action you can stay committed to rather than trying to do everything. Document and Bear Witness – Support efforts to observe, record, and report abuses when safe and appropriate. Lead with Courage, Not Fear – Whether you are an individual or an institution, act from your values and use the tools you have. 

Jay Buys is the founder and CEO of Visceral, a B Corp-certified creative agency that builds brands and websites exclusively for social change organizations. Working with nonprofits, foundations, and other mission-driven partners, Jay has helped shape a business model that puts people, profit, and planet in conversation rather than opposition. In San Diego and beyond, he is part of a growing movement challenging the idea that business success has to come at the expense of workers, communities, or values.  This Episode: What would it take to reimagine business as a force for shared good? Jay and Grant dig into the growing movement to build companies that measure success by more than profit alone. Their conversation explores Certified B Corporations (B Corps), social enterprise, and the wider push for business models that invest in workers, communities, and the future. Jay sees business as a vital community asset—one that can actively contribute to shared prosperity and well-being.  In his view, profit itself is not the problem; greed is. What matters most is how a business uses its resources and whether its values are reflected in wages, benefits, accountability, and community impact. They examine the difference between authentic commitment and “purpose washing,” and what it means to run a company that tries to live its values, even when there are tradeoffs. The conversation also looks to the future. Grant and Jay discuss why younger workers are asking different questions about work, what San Diego could become as a hub for business for good, and how emerging technologies like AI are raising fresh ethical challenges.  Key Moments: [2:44] What B Corp certification actually means and why Visceral chose that path [8:21] “Profit’s not the thing that we’re mad at — it’s greed.” [13:55] Why “being a good business is good for business” [15:41] What younger workers are demanding from employers and why that matters [28:54] Why Jay believes San Diego could become a leader in business for good Key Terms: Certified B Corporation/B Corp – A certified business that meets standards for social and environmental impact, accountability, and transparency.  Purpose-Driven Business – A company that aims to make money while also advancing social or environmental good. Social Enterprise – A revenue-generating business built to address a social issue. Purpose Washing – When a company talks about values or impact without the practices to support those claims. Public Benefit Corporation – A legal business structure that allows a company to pursue public good alongside profit; different from B Corp certification. Mentioned in This Episode: Business for Good San Diego – Local nonprofit advancing policies and practices that support a more inclusive, community-centered economy  B Local San Diego – Regional B Corp community helping businesses connect and grow B Corp Certification – Framework and certification process for businesses committed to people, planet, and profit Cause San Diego – Local network supporting socially conscious business leadership Take Action: Support Businesses That Walk the Talk – Look for companies whose practices reflect the values they promote. Spend in Line with Your Values – When possible, choose local, ethical, and community-minded businesses.  Ask What Success Should Mean – Consider how businesses might measure success through people and impact, not just profit. Encourage Better Workplaces – Champion cultures that offer fair pay, real support, and a sense of shared purpose. Stay Curious About New Models – Explore the growing movement around B Corps, social enterprise, co-ops, and employee ownership. Credits: This is a production of the Prebys FoundationHosted by Grant OliphantCo-Hosted by Crystal PageProduced by Adam Greenfield, Tess Karesky, Edgar Ontiveros Medina, and Crystal PageEngineered by Adam GreenfieldProduction Coordination by Tess KareskyVideo Production by Edgar Ontiveros MedinaThe Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod​cast​.comSpecial thanks to the Prebys Foundation TeamIf you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share and subscribe.

Laura Castañeda is a veteran journalist, educator, and community voice who has spent decades helping San Diego understand itself. Known for her work in television and print, including at the San Diego Union-Tribune, she has been a mentor to generations of reporters and a champion for more inclusive, community-centered journalism. As a leader in the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Laura brings a binational perspective to the role media plays in shaping public understanding, especially in a region where borders, cultures, and stories intersect every day. This Episode: What does responsible journalism look like in a region as complex  as San Diego and the U.S.-Mexico border? In this candid conversation, Laura and Grant explore how journalism has shifted from well-resourced newsrooms to a faster, thinner, and more fragmented media landscape. Laura reflects on what’s been lost and what’s at stake when communities aren’t fully represented or heard. They also dig into community trust: how it’s built through real relationships, how quickly it can erode, and why it remains essential to meaningful reporting. Looking ahead, they explore how younger audiences consume news and the growing risks of misinformation. They call out the importance of journalism that captures the full human story, especially around immigration and life in a border region. As Laura says, journalism isn’t dead; it’s changing. For her, the path forward is to meet people where they are and stay grounded in journalism’s core role of holding power accountable and reflecting the full complexity of communities. Key Moments: [3:26] How the journalism landscape has shifted from full crews to one-person newsrooms [10:15] The responsibility of covering the border with nuance, not just crisis [15:44] Why newsrooms should reflect the populations where they report[32:06] How journalists can build trust by showing up in communities [34:26] What happens to the community when strong local journalism disappears[41:47] What journalism gets wrong about immigration and the missing human stories Resources Mentioned in This Episode: National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) – Supporting and advancing Hispanic students, professionals and educators in the field of journalismDocumenters Program – Training community members to document public meetings and strengthen local accountability Indian Voices – Community publication amplifying Native perspectives in San Diego Take Action: Support Local Journalism – Subscribe to outlets that reflect and serve your community. Engage Directly – Attend community meetings or follow reporting that impacts your neighborhood.  Seek Full Stories – Look beyond headlines to understand the people and context behind the news. Build Trust – Talk with others about what you’re reading and where it comes from. Stay Curious – Ask questions, verify sources, and value facts in a rapidly changing media landscape. Credits: This is a production of the Prebys FoundationHosted by Grant OliphantCo-Hosted by Crystal PageProduced by Adam Greenfield, Tess Karesky, Edgar Ontiveros Medina, and Crystal PageEngineered by Adam GreenfieldProduction Coordination by Tess KareskyVideo Production by Edgar Ontiveros MedinaThe Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod​cast​.comSpecial thanks to the Prebys Foundation TeamIf you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share and subscribe.

Gil Alvarado is the Chief Financial and Investment Officer (CFIO) of the Prebys Foundation, where he helps steward a $1.2 billion portfolio with an eye toward both strong returns and strong community benefit. A national thought partner in mission-aligned investing, Gil brings an entrepreneurial mindset to philanthropy—designing funds, partnerships, and investment strategies that help fuel innovation, expand opportunity, and strengthen San Diego’s long-term resilience. This Episode: How can a foundation use the full breadth of its resources to support a thriving region?   Grant and Gil unpack how the foundation’s investment strategy works in tandem with its grantmaking to advance health, creativity, and economic opportunity in San Diego. Gil explains how the $50 million Prebys Venture Fund backs early-stage life science and tech companies; why investments in affordable housing, small-business lending, and civic revitalization expand what’s possible for the region; and how patient capital (long-term investment) lets a foundation take the long view on challenges like climate resilience and the blue economy. This episode offers an accessible look at how financial strategy, mission, and community well-being intersect. Key Moments [0:57] What impact investing means at Prebys [3:44] Inside the Prebys Venture Fund and its early investments [7:30] Using capital to expand affordable housing and small-business access [24:16] Why integrating impact into investing is still rare—and what’s changing [42:20] Why even a “small” portfolio can catalyze big change Resources  Prebys Impact Investing - Using all of our financial resources to advance an inclusive and equitable future for San Diego Prebys Ventures Impact Fund – Investing in life sciences and health innovation in San Diego Prebys Ventures First Investments – 5 startups advancing medical research and patient care Stop & Talk: Preeti Bhattacharji – Listen to our 2024 episode with Preeti Bhattacharji, Head of Sustainable Investing at J.P. Morgan Chase Private Bank, who talks about impact investing and social impact. Take Action  Tips for organizations looking to expand their impact through investments: Leverage Full Portfolios – Consider how endowment investments, not just grant dollars, can advance mission and strengthen local ecosystems. Commit for the Long Term – Use patient, flexible capital to support solutions that require multi-year development. Grow Local Innovation – Back entrepreneurs, researchers, and community builders who are shaping the region’s future. Build Strategic Partnerships – Collaborate with public, private, and community partners to amplify impact and unlock larger opportunities. Credits: This is a production of the Prebys Foundation Hosted by Grant Oliphant Co-Hosted by Crystal Page Co-produced by Crystal Page and Adam Greenfield Engineered by Adam Greenfield Production Coordination by Tess Karesky Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina The Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove. Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod cast .org  Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team  If you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share, subscribe 

Walking Shield has spent nearly four decades improving quality of life for Native communities across the United States—bridging sovereign tribal nations with philanthropy, federal agencies, and the U.S. military.  Alongside the Walking Shield team, Executive Director, Dr. John Castillo, and Senior Fellow, Mariano Diaz help tribes build the capacity needed to secure federal funding, strengthen infrastructure, and advance true self-determination. Their work blends grassroots trust-building with systems-level strategy, supporting tribes on projects ranging from road repairs and water access to energy development, environmental co-management, and leadership planning. This Episode: What does true collaboration with tribal nations require? Dr. John Castillo and Mariano Diaz highlight the deep assets that guide Native communities, including long-standing governance traditions, cultural and environmental knowledge, and a strong commitment to collective well-being. They share how Walking Shield helps tribes use these strengths to access federal resources, plan for long-term development, and steward land and water. They also discuss the systemic barriers tribes still face, such as underinvestment and complex federal requirements, and how capacity-building can make a meaningful difference. Together with Grant, they explore San Diego’s uniquely rich tribal landscape, the growing promise of co-management of natural resources, and why trust, relationship-building, and listening first are essential for any partnership with Indian Country. At its heart, the conversation offers a long view of resilience and strategy, reminding us that when Native leadership is honored and communities have the tools to act on their priorities, progress becomes both possible and lasting. Key Moments: [9:40] San Diego has the most tribes per capita and what that means for the region  [14:02] The capacity gap: why many tribes can’t access federal funds designed for them  [16:34] Everybody benefits: how the National Guard helped rebuild dangerous reservation roads  [34:10] Co-management, water rights, and environmental stewardship  [51:15] What partnership looks like when it works  Resources Mentioned: Walking Shield – Improving quality of life for Native communities since 1986 Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association – Regional tribal leadership and coordination Prebys Foundation’s BRIDGE Initiative – Supporting organizations that expand community capacity Take Action: Read and Learn More— Explore the history and present realities of San Diego’s tribal nations. Build Relationships — If you work in philanthropy, government, or community development, ask how you can learn directly from tribal leaders. Support Sovereignty — Advocate for funding systems that recognize tribal governments’ authority and needs. Visit and Listen — When invited, spend time on tribal lands to understand local priorities firsthand. Keep the Long View — Remember that partnership, persistence, and shared purpose can outlast political cycles. Credits:This is a production of the Prebys FoundationHosted by Grant OliphantCo-Hosted by Crystal PageCo-produced by Crystal Page and Adam GreenfieldEngineered by Adam GreenfieldProduction Coordination by Tess KareskyVideo Production by Edgar Ontiveros MedinaThe Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod​cast​.orgSpecial thanks to the Prebys Foundation TeamIf you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share, subscribe