Making Hope Contagious with Carolina Franco

In this episode of The New Civic Path podcast, host Leah Verier-Dunn sits down with facilitator Carolina Franco to explore the power of book circles in building trust, fostering empathy, and sparking action in our communities. Carolina shares inspiring stories from her experience leading circles, from participants finding hope in difficult times to small actions that created ripple effects of change.These conversations show us that while we may come from different backgrounds and speak different languages, we share common aspirations, a desire for respect, dignity, and belonging. Timestamps 01:15 - About CreArte Latino & Carolina Franco02:25 -  Becoming A New Civic Path Book Circle Facilitator 4:34 - Hosting Book Circles at CreArte & Manatee Literacy Council05:32 - Weaving New Civic Path Concepts Into Strengthening Community 07:58 - Examples of Book Circle Discussion Questions & Conversations08:42 - A Safe Space to Release, Response, Reflect 11:20 - Common Themes Emerging From Conversations 13:36 - Why Restoring Hope Matters16:28 - Learning From Good & Bad Examples18:50 - Welcoming Participants & Voices From All Walks Of Life 21:20 - Creating A Safe Space for All Voices24:32 - You Have a Role in Strengthening Our Community Links to Learn More CreArte Latino Culture Center Connect Beyond The BlogFB: Carolina FrancoIG: caritolfrancoX: CarolinaLFrancoCreArte Latino Culture Center Website CreArte on Instagram: creartelatinoCreArte on Facebook: CreArte Latino Cultural CenterWant to hear more? Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or visit us Beyond The Blog!Join The Journey