Can We Talk? 360 Podcast Eugene Pettis, Esq.

I kickstart my latest podcast by discussing the historical significance of the saying “Rome is burning,” which is used in situations where people focus on the trivial and take no productive action during a crisis. I believe that one just needs to turn on the news to see that this theory is more relatable than ever. We are being distracted when there are real problems we need to address - some examples include the failures of our educational institutions, the ineffectiveness of our healthcare systems, the lack of affordable housing, etc. I encourage everyone to ignore these fabricated cultural wars politicians are trying to get us to obsess over and redirect our energies to educating ourselves and resolving the real crises that are impacting us.

We welcome Delvin Rogers, Behavioral Technician Specialist and Executive Director of C.A.L.M. 24/7, as our guest of today's Can We Talk? 360° podcast episode. Our conversation focuses on his work with students in the local schools and young adults in the juvenile detention system, and how he found a need in the community to create his organization C.A.L.M. 24/7. This groundbreaking organization teaches young people how to develop better communication skills, coping skills and conflict resolution skills as they navigate through this complicated thing called life!

I continue to focus on my Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm Healthcare Disparity Initiative’s mission to educate the minority community on healthcare issues. What individuals can do to take ownership of their own healthcare journey and learning how to navigate being a better healthcare consumer. Today’s podcast focuses on one healthcare disparity issue in particular, minority maternal mortality rates. The statistics are startling, Black women are 2x more likely to become victims of maternal mortality than white women. But it is not only the mother’s responsibility to maintain her and her baby’s health and avoid becoming a victim, the government and the healthcare industry also needs to aid and take ownership of these issues.  I encourage my listeners to consider sending this podcast episode to any of your loved ones, young and prospective mothers and families to be, who may find this discussion of the problem and some of the solutions helpful.

Today’s guest is Victor Williams, President of the Anti-Human Trafficking organization Quest2Freedom. Victor has made it his mission to inform the public on how truly insidious the issue of human trafficking and exploitation is today. It is the fastest growing criminal industry, with more that 50 million victims worldwide and counting. Victor reviews the three-tiered approach his group focuses on to combat this problem, which consists of education, awareness and advocacy. He reminds us that traffickers target their victims by preying on their insecurities and vulnerabilities and that we can only begin to fight by advocating for systemic and cultural changes to protect our children and our future.

Welcome back to our second Can We Talk? 360° Motivational Moment for 2024! Today I speak of the miracle when someone briefly enters your life but changes it for the better forever. I recall those instances where my life was changed due to these “angels” and also how I have unknowingly influenced others’ lives in the positive by just the shortest of interactions. We all should always remember that our actions and reactions towards others matter. Be kind to each other. Give of yourself. You never know how much it could impact those around you.

Our first Can We Talk? 360° podcast interview of 2024 features Jerry Girley, Founder and Managing Partner of The Girley Law Firm, and his daughter, Brooke Girley, Professor at the Delaware Law School and Of Counsel at The Girley Law Firm. Jerry and Brooke talk to me in this episode about the origins of civil rights and civil rights law, examples of transformative civil rights battles, and the ongoing efforts to redefine civil rights in the United States. We discuss their own personal legal battles, after a Florida judge recommended 30-day suspensions based on their vocal criticisms following the overturning of a $2.7 million jury ruling in one of Jerry's cases. Finally, we review how some legal experts have now raised concerns that these proposed suspensions may have more long-lasting and far-reaching negative impacts on the free speech rights of lawyers in Florida.