Start with a face you know at the farmers market, a teenager in an open doorway, a neighbor at a stoplight. That’s where community begins—where people feel seen, not sorted. We sat down with our longtime friend and local force, Cathie Day—grandmother, educator, school board member, nonprofit founder, and reserve police officer—to explore how empathy turns into action and why small, consistent gestures change the arc of a town.

Cathie shares how teaching is more than a job; it’s a relationship engine. She talks candidly about alternative education, credit-deficient students, and the way safety and trust unlock learning. We go back to the early days of our recovery community organization that became Peers Rising, tracing the wins and the unfinished work. The big gap she names is one you can feel in every district: youth treatment access and a real reentry plan. Without a public, school-connected recovery path, teens return to the same triggers. Kathy outlines what needs to exist—visible supports, social scaffolding, and language that swaps blame for belonging.

Her law enforcement training brings nuance to public safety. Through realistic scenarios, she practices responding with context, not assumptions, showing how shared humanity makes for smarter, safer choices. Along the way we talk grandparenting as a stabilizing force, the power of reading to build empathy, and how visible community hubs—like teen centers and recovery spaces—signal that help is here and people matter. For anyone overwhelmed or doubting themselves, Kathy offers a crisp plan: prioritize by values, slow down, and take the next indicated step. Ask for help; keep asking. Someone will answer.

If this conversation sparks something in you, subscribe, share it with a friend who cares about youth, recovery, and real community, and leave a review to help others find it. Then tell us: what’s one thing you’ll do in your twenty square feet this week?

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