Let's Talk Poverty

Hosted by Vibrant Communities Calgary

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Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Let's Talk Poverty, the podcast that helps you understand poverty in Calgary through the lens of Enough for All. It tackles the stigma surrounding poverty, challenging biases and assumptions. From the voices of lived experience to community members to highlighting raw data, we speak with subject matter and policy experts, community leaders and you to explore the root causes of poverty in our city and how we can come together to make changes that matter.

Listen to episodes

43 recent

June 2, 2026Episode 4128 min

Building a Strong, Accessible Calgary

What makes housing truly accessible? Where do people turn when they can't find it? In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Krista Davidson Flint takes Michelle James on a tour of Inclusio by AccessibleHousing. Inclusio is a fully accessible, supportive living home for adults with limited mobility who require some assistance with activities of daily living but also value autonomy and independence. Krista talks about the need for more accessible housing options, addresses misconceptions, and shares what makes housing truly accessible.

January 21, 2026Episode 4025 min

Alberta's Gig Economy Gap

Michelle James sits down with Dr. Andrew McGee, associate professor at the University of Alberta and Courtney Mo, Director of Community Impact at Momentum, to discuss the findings of new research on Alberta's Gig Economy. Led by the Calgary Social Policy Collaborative, this new report exposes the pressures facing Alberta's gig workers and the policy tools that could better support them.

November 26, 2025Episode 3938 min

Embracing Complexity for Social Change

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Jean Boulton, complexity scientist, author of The Dao of Complexity and Embracing Complexity, and thought leader on systems change. Together, they explore what it means to rethink how the world works, seeing systems as dynamic and relational. They talk about embracing uncertainty, using narrative and shared sense-making to co-create the future, and shifting from quick fixes to deeper systems change in addressing the root causes of challenges like poverty.

October 29, 2025Episode 3813 min

Everyone has a Story

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with members of the Enough for All Lived Experience Network — a group of individuals who have personally experienced poverty in different ways. Together they discuss the need for a compassionate society, the lasting impacts of intergenerational experiences, and how listening to people's lived experiences can change how we see poverty and one another. Their diverse voices and perspectives deepen our understanding of poverty. At Vibrant Communities Calgary, centring these voices is essential to advancing the work of poverty reduction. These stories and insights are lived expertise, informing how we address the systems that keep poverty in place.

September 24, 2025Episode 3740 min

Band-aids to Breakthroughs

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with Vinod Rajasekaran, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Future of Good, to explore systems change and what it takes to unlock lasting impact. An award-winning innovator, Vinod leads Canada's leading digital publication dedicated to making sense of the social-impact world through stories, news, analysis, and commentary. Together, they explore how we move beyond band-aid solutions toward systems breakthroughs—how shifting systems, not just symptoms, can reduce poverty. They look at where the biggest opportunities lie for systems change in the future, and the role of possibility and reimagination.

August 27, 2025Episode 3853 min

Legal Help, Lasting Change

Jaclyn Silbernagel sits down with four executive directors of legal guidance organizations across Alberta to discuss access to justice, the need to provide free or low-cost legal advice and representation, and why we need to influence broader systemic change. Many thanks to our guests, Executive Director of Calgary Legal Guidance Lisa Stebbins, Executive Director of Edmonton Community Legal Centre Debbie Klein, Executive Director of Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic Kathy Parsons, and Executive Director of Lethbridge Legal Guidance Society Carrie Larson.

June 25, 202541 min

Aging with Dignity

In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel connects with Larry Mathieson, President and CEO of Unison at Kerby Centre to talk about the myths and misconceptions around older adults and poverty, how local non-profits are supporting Calgary's older adult community, and where the gaps exist in supports.

May 28, 2025Episode 3449 min

Purpose-Built Indigenous Spaces

In this episode of Let's Talk Poverty, Jaclyn Silbernagel connects with Buddie Dixon and Shawna Morning Bull, the co-chairs of the Indigenous Gathering Place. They discuss the need for a purpose-built and culturally rich gathering space dedicated to ceremony and the sharing of Indigenous knowledge.

April 7, 2025Episode 3349 min

Policy Solutions for Health and Well-being

For World Health Day, we sat down with Dr. David Campbell and Dr. Amity Quinn, co-directors of the Health Policy Trails Unit at the University of Calgary to ask them questions like: how do we improve health outcomes for Calgarians living in poverty? How can small interventions, like financial incentives, impact patient and physician behavior? Why is it important for academic researchers and community organizations to work collaboratively?

March 10, 202510 min

Indigenous Perspectives On Building Enough for All

In December 2024, VCC hosted 25 Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members for a pipe ceremony to honour their work, strengthen connections, and discuss Indigenous perspectives on building a future where there is enough for all. Aligning with Indigenous teachings of oral storytelling traditions, this reflection captures the conversations, wisdom, and experiences shared during the gathering. Rather than a conventional summary, this blog follows the flow of dialogue and storytelling, allowing the voices of those present to guide the narrative. The audio recording by Elder Wanda First Rider offers an opportunity to hear these reflections in their intended form; spoken, shared, and lived.