Change Agents The Podcast

A Moment of Pause: Navigating Misinformation in Immigrant Communities

In this episode, Emma Yaaka, a Ugandan refugee and community advocate, shares how misinformation spreads through refugee and migrant networks and the real consequences it can have. From WhatsApp groups to TikTok and YouTube, fear can travel fast, shaping decisions about health, safety, and even relocation. Emma works with his community to pause, verify, and navigate information in an environment where trust is fragile, and stakes are high. Experts Dr. Zach McDowell of UIC and Dr. Michael Spikes of NU-Medill explain why distinguishing misinformation from disinformation matters — and why trusted connections can make all the difference. Hosted by Grace Asiegbu, this episode explores how digital information, fear, and community intersect in the lives of refugees.Produced by Grace Asiegbu @epitome_of_grace for Reparations Media NFP | In collaboration with Emma Yaaka and U.S. Refugee Integration Organization

Finding Safety, Building Home

This episode follows Emma Yaaka, a Ugandan refugee who arrived in the U.S. in 2017 and built a life centered on advocacy and community care. He shares his journey fleeing violence as a queer man, surviving displacement in Kenya, and starting over in the U.S. with almost nothing. Emma arrived in the States during turbulent times, as protections for immigrants were beginning to erode and Chicago’s migrant communities faced heightened ICE activity under Trump’s second term. Through his work with Heartland Human Services and the U.S. Refugee Integration Organization, we see how community networks step in where systems fall short. Hosted by Grace Asiegbu, this episode is a story about survival, belonging, and the ways people grow forward together, even when the ground keeps shifting.Donate to Reparations Media & Change Agents Production Lab Follow us online: Reparationsmedia.org changeagentsthepodcast.com changeagents@reparationsmedia.org

The Foundation of Freedom: Maria Garza on Housing, Healing & Change

After over a decade behind bars, Maria Garza returned to a world with little support and even less stability. Facing housing insecurity and emotional strain, she saw firsthand the failures of a system that promised rehabilitation but delivered barriers. Determined to break the cycle, she co-founded Challenge II Change, a reentry organization that centers stable housing and mental health as the foundation for real second chances.Unlock the tools you need to take action!Check out our Illinois Transitional Housing Guide for insights and strategies to make a difference. Produced by Cary Robbins, with Noble Thompson and Noah Tomko-Jones  for Reparations Media NFP | In collaboration with Maria Garza and Challenge II Change @challengeiichange Donate to Reparations Media & Change Agents Production Lab Follow us online: Reparationsmedia.org changeagentsthepodcast.com changeagents@reparationsmedia.org

Harry Peña: From Prison to Purpose

When a rash decision changed the course of his life, Harry Peña spent decades behind bars. But prison didn't break him — it revealed his purpose. Determined to turn his painful past into a force for good, Harry founded the Life Impacters Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to disrupting the incarceration and recidivism cycle that traps so many formerly incarcerated people. 

Wendell Robinson: Life Sentence to Reentry Reform

Sentenced to life in prison at just 19 years old, Wendell Robinson drew his own map to freedom. Now, through his work at Restore Justice, Robinson uses his experience and knowledge to help other formerly incarcerated people navigate the reentry system and find their place in society.Unlock the tools you need to take action!Check out the Illinois Criminal Justice Reform Legislation Guide for insights and strategies to make a difference. Produced by Skylah Martinez, Bing Wang, and Eliza Westhusing for Reparations Media NFP | In collaboration with Wendell Robinson and Restore Justice Foundation Donate to Reparations Media & Change Agents Production Lab Reparationsmedia.org changeagentsthepodcast.com changeagents@reparationsmedia.org