006: Ensuring Equitable Recovery— How to Support Diverse Communities with Alicia Johnson and Dave Reid

How to Disaster

“If you're a local leader, you're knee-deep in it, moving at the speed that the community wants you to move, in the direction that they're willing to go. That's the basis of a successful recovery.” —Alicia Johnson

“We have to learn and be able to educate our communities around … the why behind what rebuild looks like.” —Dave Reid

Episode Description:

Disasters can exacerbate pre-existing disparities, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals, people of color, and those with limited access to resources. Therefore, in order to ensure equity, recovery efforts should champion equal access to relief, resources, and support. By doing so, communities can rebuild in a fair and sustainable manner. After all, a society is only as strong as its most vulnerable members.

In this episode, Jennifer interviews Alicia Johnson, the CEO of Two Lynchpin Road, and Dave Reis, the Director of the Office of Recovery and Resiliency for the County of Santa Cruz. Alicia and Dave have worked together on various projects related to emergency planning and community organizations in Santa Cruz County. Their shared experience fired their passion for issues of equity and serving diverse communities in disaster recovery.

Listen in as Alicia and Dave talk about the challenges of ensuring an equitable recovery, the difficulties of navigating FEMA assistance and the denial process, the importance of long-term recovery groups and disaster case management, post-disaster housing options, workforce development, as well as lessons that can be applied to the recovery efforts in Maui from recent flooding.

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuTefxZgWUJkDVoZGZQpxgQ

Highlights:

05:49 Disaster Management and Equity

08:29 Wildfire Impacts on Varying Socioeconomic Statuses

17:53 Rebuilding Trust After Disasters

24:56 Finding Contractors Who Match The Community

33:09 The Importance of Metabolizing Trauma

44:39 Post-Disaster Housing Solutions

57:36 Disaster Response and Community Involvement