Youth Empowerment Radio

Next Gen Convos

This podcast was created by young people as a project of Youth MOVE Colorado, a youth-led organization. This is meant to serve as a fun, educational, and community-building resource for youth with lived experience. We will be having organic conversations about everything from making friends to advocating for change, and interviewing other changemakers along the way!

  1. Sep 20

    Season 3, Episode 16 - (Part 2) Colorado’s Graduated Income Tax (Amendment 87) & More Withith Joshua Mantell

    Colorado’s Graduated Income Tax (Amendment 87) and the Rise of Earned Wage Access Lending Host Carmen continues her Youth Empowerment Radio conversation with Joshua Mantell of the Bell Policy Center about Colorado’s high cost of living and wealth inequality, focusing on Amendment 87, a proposed graduated income tax on the November ballot. Mantell explains Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights and constitutionally mandated flat income tax, arguing the broader tax code is regressive and leaves the state underfunded in K–12 education, healthcare, and childcare. The proposal would cut taxes for incomes under $500,000 (about 97% of residents), raise marginal rates above that threshold, and generate about $2 billion dedicated to those services. They also discuss earned wage access “paycheck early” products that обход Colorado’s 36% APR payday-loan cap, including app-based versions with fees and tips; Mantell notes Attorney General Weiser sued Earnin. Mantell cites civic engagement and sharing information locally as sources of hope and action. 00:00 Welcome Back and Preview 01:07 Graduated Income Tax Explained 02:26 Why Colorado Taxes Feel Unfair 04:49 Funding Schools Health and Childcare 06:17 How Amendment 87 Works 12:44 Flat Tax Myths Debunked 17:40 Earned Wage Access Loans 21:31 Fintech Loopholes and Regulation 28:16 Finding Hope and Taking Action 32:17 Stay Connected and Book Picks 35:14 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

  2. Sep 15

    Season 3, Episode 15 - (Part 1)Why Colorado’s Cost of Living Feels Unaffordable: Housing, Wages, and Economic Mobility w/ Joshua Mantell

    Why Colorado’s Cost of Living Feels Unaffordable: Housing, Wages, and Economic Mobility The host interviews Joshua Mantell, Director of Government Affairs at the Bell Policy Center, about economic mobility and Colorado’s rising cost of living. Mantell explains Bell is a nonprofit, nonpartisan statewide research and advocacy organization focused on improving economic mobility for all Coloradans through policy work at the Capitol and ballot guidance, using public data and community partner input to craft actionable solutions. He describes Bell’s focus areas including housing, childcare and care work, consumer protection and lending access, and the challenges of Colorado’s fast-aging population within a constrained budget. On cost of living, he says housing is the main driver, citing inadequate housing supply, rising interest rates, and corporate/private equity ownership contributing to poor-quality rentals. He also highlights widening income inequality, stagnating wages for lower earners, and underinvestment in public systems, leaving people paying more out of pocket despite median income figures that don’t reflect local realities. 00:00 Why Money Feels Tight 03:16 Meet Bell Policy Center 04:39 Defining Economic Mobility 06:36 Key Policy Focus Areas 09:37 How Their Research Works 13:35 When Data Conflicts 18:14 Rural vs Urban Reality 21:00 Colorado Cost of Living 23:26 Housing Supply and Rates 27:24 Inequality and Wealth Building 31:42 Underinvestment and What Next

  3. Aug 26

    Season 3, YAW Special - Youth Awareness Week: Social Impacts of Psychosis, Screening, and Reducing Stigma

    Youth Empowerment Radio: Social Impacts of Psychosis, Screening, and Reducing Stigma In a Youth Awareness Week episode of Youth Empowerment Radio, host Katie (a summer associate with Youth MOVE Colorado) interviews Dr. Schiffman of UC Irvine’s PREVENT Lab about the social impacts of psychosis, stigma, and early intervention. They discuss Youth MOVE Colorado’s mission and Colorado’s mental health challenges, highlight Mental Health America and its screening tools (including the PQ-B, Prodromal Questionnaire Brief) for assessing experiences on the psychosis continuum, and note that distress and impairment help distinguish symptoms from common experiences. Dr. Schiffman mentions Colorado’s INVEST program at CU Anschutz led by Michelle West, which provides coaching for students with mental health concerns. They emphasize how stigma can lead to secrecy, withdrawal, shame, and reduced help-seeking, and suggest addressing myths, using respectful language, asking rather than assuming, and fostering curiosity. The conversation closes by stressing social connection, hope, and resources such as school counseling centers and 988. 00:00 Welcome And Introductions 01:00 Katie And Dr Schiffman Reconnect 02:50 Youth MOVE Colorado Context 04:51 Mental Health America Screening Tools 06:28 PQ B And Psychosis Continuum 08:05 Colorado Programs And Invest 09:36 When To Seek Help Online Symptoms 13:24 Neurodiversity And Stigma Cycle 18:42 World Is Mad Lyric Reflection 20:04 Artistic Expression And Meaning 20:49 Music and Vulnerability 21:19 Stigma Blocks Care 22:16 Psychosis and Extra Stigma 23:56 Shame Isolation and Growth 25:47 Self Compassion and Grace 27:54 Myths Language and Education 31:08 Ask Dont Assume 32:41 Curiosity Over Anger 34:43 Connection and Hope 38:03 Youre Not Alone Resources 39:52 Closing Thanks and Goodbye

  4. Aug 18

    Season 3, YAW Special - Youth Awareness Week: Day 2 -Leadership, Advocacy, and Getting Started with Norah Armstrong & Lydia Lee

    Youth Awareness Week: Leadership, Advocacy, and Getting Started with Nora Armstrong & Lydia Lee Youth MOVE Vista associate Tomas Alazar records a conversation for Youth Awareness Week’s Leadership and Advocacy Day with CU political science students Nora Armstrong and Lydia Lee about advocacy, leadership, and how youth can get involved. Norah describes work with the National Foundation for Women Legislators and Phil Weiser’s Colorado governor campaign, and discusses leadership through elections, voting, and policy; she cites the 2022 Roe v. Wade overturning as a turning point and emphasizes that politics affects daily life and that youth should educate themselves, engage locally, and learn to disagree better. Lydia discusses activism related to immigration enforcement, starting a CU political education and action club, and work to get a graduated income tax measure on the ballot to fund public schools; she frames leadership as learning from others, notes politics can feel inaccessible and overwhelming, and encourages small steps, community conversations, and finding supportive networks. Both express hope about growing people power and community-centered change. 00:00 Welcome and Context 00:54 Meet Nora and Lydia 02:10 Defining Leadership Styles 04:45 What Sparked Advocacy 07:41 Why Youth Disengage 12:39 Pitch to Get Involved 16:53 Small Steps to Start 22:55 Looking Ahead and Hope 26:57 Final Thoughts and Wrap Up

  5. Aug 16

    Season 3, YAW Special - Jesse Sena on the Origins and Vision of Colorado Youth Awareness Week

    Jesse Sena on the Origins and Vision of Colorado Youth Awareness Week Tomas of Youth Empowerment Radio interviews Jesse Sena—CEO, licensed counselor, writer, CSU Pueblo psychology professor, and founder of Youth Awareness Week—about his background and the creation of Youth Awareness Week. Sena shares being a first-generation college student who struggled academically, became a single parent while earning a psychology degree, and later completed a master’s in marriage, family, and child therapy with doctoral studies in marriage and family psychology. He explains his philosophy of giving youth a “taste of success” through exposure to opportunities like college visits and mentoring, and describes Pueblo’s poverty, generational challenges, and the importance of collaborative community networks. Youth Awareness Week was designed to highlight youth voice and connect families to local resources through events and open houses. Sena discusses expanding from Pueblo to Colorado, tailoring the week to each community, challenges like personal agendas, and plans to pursue National Youth Awareness Week, while emphasizing passion, empathy, and responsibility in human service work. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:59 Jesse’s Journey to Psychology 05:42 A Taste of Success Philosophy 07:36 Why Pueblo Needed Awareness 10:12 How Youth Awareness Week Began 14:19 Mentoring High Risk Youth 18:13 Collaboration Makes It Work 21:13 Taking It Statewide 23:26 Protecting the Core Mission 24:39 Challenges and Critics 27:24 Vision for National Expansion 30:27 Passion Driven Service Mindset 34:30 Favorite Moments and Community Joy 36:00 Event Timing and Closing Thanks 37:58 Final Message Celebrate the Work

  6. Jul 29

    Episode 14 - (Part 2) Cybersecurity, Agency & Online Consent

    What Happens When You Delete Something Online? Secure Messaging, Data Breaches & Password Safety | Youth Empowerment Radio Host Carmen continues her conversation with cybersecurity expert MJ on Youth Empowerment Radio, covering what really happens when you delete content online, differences between non-secure communication (SMS/HTTP), encrypted-in-transit tools (HTTPS/email), and end-to-end encrypted “lockbox” platforms like Signal, Telegram, and Proton. They discuss consent and data practices in systems of care (foster care, juvenile justice, public benefits), highlighting frameworks like Responsible Data and consensual tech, and questions young people can ask providers about necessity, retention, and deletion of sensitive information. MJ explains why email is risky for sensitive documents, suggests safer sharing methods and limiting unnecessary personal data, and walks through data breaches using haveibeenpwned.com. He emphasizes unique passwords, password managers, multi-factor authentication, credit monitoring, and replacing compromised cards, then closes with reflections on the internet’s potential, mesh networks, and Pride Month book recommendations. 00:00 Welcome Back Intro 01:01 Encryption Explained 04:09 Consent In Care Systems 08:20 Questions To Ask Providers 10:11 Avoid Email For Sensitive Data 14:26 Data Breach Alerts 15:17 Have I Been Pwned Demo 17:21 Checking Breach Results 18:24 What Breaches Reveal 19:52 Why Stolen Data Matters 22:45 Password Managers Explained 23:29 Two Factor Authentication 25:02 What To Do After Breach 26:23 Top Three Online Tips 28:16 Mesh Networks Autonomy 29:43 How To Stay In Touch 30:10 Three Pride Reads 32:24 Final Thanks And Wrap

  7. Jul 22

    Episode 13 - (Part 1) Cybersecurity, Agency & Online Consent

    Cybersecurity, Agency & Online Consent (Part 1) | Youth Empowerment Radio S3E13 Host Carmen welcomes MJ, a cybersecurity expert and owner of Tiny Gigantic, to Youth Empowerment Radio (Season 3, Episode 13, Part 1) for a conversation about digital security, agency, and consent online. MJ shares their background—Korean adoptee, queer, early tech interests, photojournalism, and community organizing—and explains how their work supports activists by helping them communicate with appropriate privacy and confidentiality. They describe cybersecurity as an ongoing behavior and process centered on aligning tools with movement values, protecting relationships with differing risk levels, ensuring reliability and incident response, and building user agency around who we communicate with and what data trails exist. They discuss how “free” platforms monetize users via targeted advertising and profiling, how engagement-driven algorithms can amplify polarization and radicalization pathways, and raise concerns about AI tools retaining prompts even after users delete conversations, while noting Proton’s Lumo as a privacy-forward alternative. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:07 Why Cybersecurity Matters 02:05 MJ Background and Tiny Gigantic 04:32 From Photojournalism to Security 06:55 Defining Cybersecurity for Movements 12:58 Agency and Online Consent 14:55 Terms of Service and Being the Product 17:48 How Targeted Ads Really Work 22:23 Algorithms Rage and Polarization 29:01 AI Privacy and Deleting Data 33:24 AI Risks and Closing Thoughts

  8. Jul 8

    Season 3, Episode 12 - (Part 2) Marijuana, Anxiety, and How to Talk to Youth About Addiction (with Amber Hollingsworth)

    Marijuana, Anxiety, and How to Talk to Youth About Addiction (with Amber Hollingsworth) Host Carmen continues her conversation with addictions counselor Amber Hollingsworth on Youth Empowerment Radio, focusing on teen marijuana use and practical ways to support young people. Amber explains that marijuana can be physically and psychologically addictive and is hard to identify because its negative impacts develop slowly, often increasing anxiety and depression while users believe it helps. She argues vaping may worsen use behavior by removing barriers and enabling frequent, hidden consumption. On support, Amber advises avoiding direct confrontation that triggers defensiveness and power struggles; instead, “pull information out” by asking questions, helping youth define their own “lines in the sand,” and connecting choices to their values. She recommends teaching early symptoms of addiction rather than scare tactics, urges adults to build credibility by acknowledging perceived benefits, and shares books she likes: 10X Is Easier Than 2X, Scaling/Scaling Up, and 10X. Amber directs listeners to her YouTube channel, Put the Shovel Down. 00:00 Welcome Back 00:45 Marijuana Normalization 02:48 Slow Burn Effects 03:38 Ocean Current Analogy 05:48 Physical Dependence Signs 06:14 Vapes Versus Joints 08:15 Supporting Youth Recovery 10:16 Pull Truth Out 12:32 Let Them Define Lines 16:19 Early Addiction Symptoms 18:04 Build Trust Credit 20:57 Book Recommendations 23:29 Where To Find Amber 24:06 Final Thanks

See All (73)

About

This podcast was created by young people as a project of Youth MOVE Colorado, a youth-led organization. This is meant to serve as a fun, educational, and community-building resource for youth with lived experience. We will be having organic conversations about everything from making friends to advocating for change, and interviewing other changemakers along the way!

Information

  • Creator
    Next Gen Convos
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Youth Empowerment Radio
  • Show Website
    Youth Empowerment Radio