🎙️ Finding a Way Podcast Ep 10 - Diana Garcia Beardsley on Building Family Centered Communities

What this episode covers

🎙️ Finding a Way Podcast Ep 10 - Diana Garcia Beardsley on Building Family Centered Communities🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with changemakers shaping a better future!What does it look like to shape policy from the ground up—with care, compassion, and community at the center? In this episode, host Gem sits down with Diana Garcia Beardsley, a lifelong advocate for children, families, and equity, to explore how meaningful change begins when policy is driven by lived experience.Now serving as Senior Policy Administrator at First 5 Alameda County, Diana brings over a decade of experience across public health, philanthropy, education, and early childhood systems. Her work is rooted in justice and her path reflects a deep commitment to those often left out of the conversation.We dive into what it takes to shift systems thoughtfully and sustainably: listening to communities, centering equity, and creating policies that are both visionary and actionable. From addressing childcare access and educator pay to scaling community-led solutions, Diana shares powerful insights on what it really means to advocate for and alongside families.This episode is a reminder that change doesn’t start in a boardroom; it starts with people who care enough to do the hard work of transformation, together.✨ Tune in to hear how Diana is helping build a future where every child and caregiver can thrive; and why smart, compassionate policy might just be our most radical tool for change.🔔 Subscribe for more stories of leaders, learners, and doers who are finding a way forward, one bold step at a time.#FindingAWayPodcast #DianaGarciaBeardsley #PolicyForPeople #EarlyChildhoodEquity #First5AlamedaCounty #SystemsChange #SocialImpact #CommunityPower #ChildcareAdvocacy #LatinasInLeadership #FindingAWayMedia #podcastforpositivechange 🔗LINKS🔗 :Connnect with Diana https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianagarcia0/First 5 - https://www.first5alameda.org/The awesome free library resource - https://www.hoopladigital.com/ (I told ya'll I was gonna remember! )CHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro00:30 - Career Path and Purpose04:10 - Necessary Changes for Improvement11:40 - Personal Journey and Growth14:40 - Overcoming Challenges in Your Journey18:07 - Understanding Measure C19:40 - Community Listening Sessions Overview27:17 - Vision for a Brighter Future30:24 - Activating Neighborhoods for Change40:45 - Dreams for this Lifetime 42:50 - Importance of First 5 Programs47:40 - If Diana Garcia was President of the World49:50 - Common Frustrations and Concerns54:00 - Actionable Steps for Change56:20 - Staying Grounded in Life57:50 - Role of Public Libraries59:20 - Importance of Intergenerational Community Spaces1:05:25 - Final Thoughts: a Message for the Audience

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