About Our Guest: Raul ‘Neto’ Longoria is a candidate for the Texas State Board of Education, District 5. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and he has dedicated his career to Austin ISD as a bilingual special education teacher and parent support specialist.

Raul is also a social justice warrior, public servant, and from Eagle Pass, Texas, he brings a powerful perspective on what happens when policy meets people and how communities can fight to preserve opportunity, belonging, and hope for their children.

About the Episode

The Austin community is navigating a tough moment, school closures that affect not just students and teachers, but entire neighborhoods and the sense of belonging that schools create. In this episode, we’ll explore the human side of these decisions: what they mean for the children, the families, and the educators who call these schools home. It’s not just about loss, it’s about what loss gives back: courage, clarity, and the permission to live fully again.

About the Episode

“The War Story” is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the courage to rebuild after job loss. We’ll explore how to move through uncertainty, position yourself for new opportunities, and rediscover your purpose when life takes an unexpected turn.

Valerie Braxton-Williams, MBA, PMP is Business Strategy Engineer. She is a collaborative problem solver that enjoys serving as a liaison between the Company and the Customer. She is process focused and has supported start-up operations, go to-market campaigns, product rebranding initiatives, and regulatory compliance programs.

Valerie engages cross-functional teams to achieve prioritized enterprise goals. She believes that decision making should make technical sense, exhibit positive business viability, andhave broad and diverse mass-market appeal.

This episode explores how loss becomes the unexpected catalyst for transformation. Through Vivian’s story of losing her husband and discovering strength through vulnerability, we’ll dive into how humans process grief, rebuild trust with themselves (and others), and learn to speak about what hurts instead of hiding it.

It’s not just about loss, it’s about what loss gives back: courage, clarity, and the permission to live fully again.

Vivian Cobb is an award-winning speaker, author, and conversation advocate who helps people find the courage to talk about what truly matters, especially when it’s uncomfortable. After the sudden loss of her husband and the financial crisis that followed, Vivian transformed her pain into purpose, helping others avoid the unspoken costs of silence around money and emotion. A TEDx speaker, storyteller,and upcoming author of Unspoken Costs: How to Have Relationship-Saving Money Conversations, she inspires audiences worldwide to move from grief to growth through the power of honesty and human connection.

To contact Vivian for about the book are my contact form on my website, Havethoseconversations.com, or my email, vivian@viviancobbspeaking.com.