Julie Jeppson is the Executive Director of Stepping Stone Emergency Housing located just north of Minneapolis, MN.  She leads a diverse team of caring individuals who work with the residents of the shelter as they strive toward self-sufficiency.  One of the amazing things that sets Stepping Stone apart from other shelters is that it's not just an overnight shelter.  Stepping Stone is a place where people experiencing homelessness can live and set up residence as they strive toward self-sufficiency- in fact, that's the mission!

Some may not know that I am also the Development Officer at Stepping Stone Emergency Housing and I help create awareness and raise funds so we can better serve our residents, the community and the world at large.  I started this new adventure back in February of this year and I can tell you it's been transformative.  Apart from this podcast, working for this non-profit has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Recently we've experienced a tragic situation here in Minneapolis, brought on by the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.  The subsequent protests and riots have given way to new conversations concerning race, what it's like to be a person of color in this country and how we can all do better when it comes to race relations.

I don't have all the answers and I haven't talked with anyone yet, who does.  What I am learning is that conversations can start moving people. Kind, caring and loving conversations have the power to influence change.  We won't always agree, but we can definitely always try to understand the viewpoints, thoughts and beliefs of others.  We can come to an understanding that our views of the world are different based on our own lived experiences and with this insight can act more compassionately toward our fellow human beings.

The conversation in this podcast came about on the heels of a Staff Meeting, which Julie held, to have a conversation on race.  The staff and residents of Stepping Stone are unique and diversified.  They come from different areas, different religions, different races and ethnicities. Different circumstances in their lives.  Julie simply wanted to give everyone a chance to talk about this topic in a safe and loving environment.

We got together just after the meeting and talked about its impact on us and the other staff members.  It's this type of courageous conversation that I believe is going to help be a part of the change we need to see in the world.

Julie and I don't have all the answers and we present things from our own unique perspectives.  You may not agree with everything we say, and that's ok.  I'd love to continue the conversation with you and the perfect place to do that is in the #LITA Facebook Group, an online community of people who want to create a more loving world for everyone. 

Please leave a review for this podcast.  Let me know what you like and what you don't like so we can make this podcast even better and build a wonderful community around love. 

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If you have a guest recommendation or would like to be a guest yourself, fill out the contact form on the #LITA website.

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