Joy Gilfilen speaks about the evolution of the iChange Justice Podcast — how a lifetime of unexpected experiences shaped her understanding of law, leadership, and community transformation.

For nearly five years, Joy has hosted the iChange Justice Podcast as a thought-leadership platform exploring how restorative justice, regenerative economics, and community empowerment intersect to build a more humane society. What began as a local conversation about jail reform and reentry in Whatcom County has grown into a wide-ranging inquiry into how justice, governance, and the economy intertwine across generations and cultures.

From her early life on a ranch in Eastern Washington to working inside the legislature, law enforcement, and business development, Joy shares how firsthand experiences revealed the patterns that shape modern systems. Whether in government, science, or economics, she found that systems rewarding control and extraction often undermine the life they depend on.

Those insights led to her work documenting jail trauma and advocating for prevention-based justice. Through over 200 episodes, the iChange Justice Podcast has become a public forum for transformation — amplifying voices from inmates, sheriffs, elders, educators, reformers, and innovators alike.

As Joy explains, “The future of public safety isn’t about control — it’s about prevention, education, and rebuilding civic resilience.” The podcast invites listeners to rediscover authentic intelligence — the human capacity for empathy, ethics, and courage that no algorithm can replicate.

Each episode offers a piece of that larger mosaic — from Paul Levy’s Wetiko Mindset (Episode 165) to Patricia Anne Davis’ Indigenous wisdom (Episode 124), Don Kirchner’s justice reform (Episode 118), and Marc Santos on regenerative economics (Episode 78). Together they form an archive of social courage and civic learning.

In this solo reflection, Joy connects the dots — from ranch life to policy, from justice to regeneration — to ask a question at the heart of it all:

How does it work? And how can we make it work better for everyone?

206-iChange Justice Podcast – Ripples of Healing:

How Service Transforms Communities with James White

Hosted by Joy Gilfilen with co-host Karen Ball

What does it mean to live a life centered on service — not as a title, a role, or a retirement project, but as a daily practice that transforms the world around us? In this powerful new conversation, host Joy Gilfilen and co-host Karen Ball sit down with James White, founder of the ESATTA Cooperative, to explore how grassroots service and cooperative action can heal individuals, strengthen relationships, and create ripples of transformation throughout entire communities. ESATTA STANDS FOR EMPOWERING SELF-ADVOCATES............."

James shares his deeply personal journey into purpose-driven work and how the ESATTA Cooperative has become a model for collaborative learning and restorative practice. Through workshops, educational programs, and community-based projects,

ESATTA fosters environments where people come together to share knowledge, build trust, and take collective action for the common good.

This episode builds on themes explored through previous iChange Justice episodes such as Episode #31: "Rehumanizing Our Systems”, Episode #43: James White’s earlier conversation on cooperative work. Also, pivotal discussions like “Increasing Community Resilience” (Episode #81), “Restoring Human Dignity” (Episode #88), and “Expanding Our Collective Capacity” (Episode #89). Each of these conversations has highlighted the urgent need for new approaches to justice, community building, and social well-being.

This episode #206 continues that thread — showing how service, compassion, and cooperation can shift us from isolation and disconnection to meaningful connection and shared healing.

Far from being a lofty ideal, service is a way of life — one that changes how we solve problems, how we relate to one another, and how we design the future. It is the foundation for grassroots movements that honor humanity, human dignity and help build emotionally resilient communities from the ground up.

Learn more about James White’s work and upcoming workshops at ESATTACooperative.com

Host Joy Gilfilen welcomes back Ilona Krohn, an economist whose research traces the hidden emotional and structural roots of our economic and social systems. Together they explore how the global obsession with profit and control has shaped local taxation, governance, and public safety — and how these deeply embedded behaviors are driving cycles of trauma, competition, and inequality in our communities.

Ilona reveals how economic systems built on scarcity thinking have conditioned generations to believe there is never enough — not enough time, money, resources, or worth — and how that fear fuels everything from political division to personal burnout. She connects the dots between profit-driven decision-making and the erosion of community wellbeing, showing how “more concrete and steel” doesn’t stop crime; it privatizes it.

This episode dives deep into the psychology of economics, the unconscious trauma that underlies modern systems, and the need for a collective shift toward conscious, compassionate leadership. Joy and Ilona challenge listeners to question the assumptions that equate profit with success — and to imagine what healthy, regenerative, community-based business models could look like if we re-centered human value over financial value.

“Technology has outpaced our consciousness. Now it’s time to evolve emotionally — to reconnect our economics with empathy.”

It’s a thought-provoking continuation of Ilona’s earlier appearances (#32 and #37), expanding the conversation from survival to awareness, and from scarcity to shared responsibility. Together, they outline a path toward an economy that serves life — not the other way around.

In this inspiring episode, hosts Joy Gilfilen and Karen Ball welcome educator and peace advocate Kurt Krueger to discuss the transformative work of Peacemaker Circles. From stress-relief practices to global collaboration, Kurt shares how cultivating inner calm can ripple outward into families, communities, and societies.

Listeners will learn simple tools for reducing stress and building resilience, hear stories of peace initiatives in refugee camps and communities worldwide, and discover the Peacemaker’s Challenge—a project empowering youth to create change at home and in schools.

This is more than a conversation; it’s a call to action. Join us as we explore how inner peace, compassion, and systemic change can create a more just and joyful world.

In this inspiring conversation, host Joy Gilfilen and co-host Karen Ball turns the spotlight toward the people behind the scenes of the iChange Justice Podcast to ask: Why do we podcast, how does it work, and what makes it impactful?

Guests Jeannie Gilbert (Owner of Koys-LPFM), Ava Sakowski (Co-producer, iChange Justice Podcast), and Irene Morgan (Founder, Restorative Community Coalition) take listeners behind the curtain into the art and craft of podcasting as a tool for connection, education, and activism. From microphones and editing to distribution and promotion, this episode is a hands-on guide for community builders and changemakers who want to amplify their voices.

The team shares candid lessons:

How podcasting became a lifeline during COVID when in-person conversations stopped.

Why audio quality and post-production matter for credibility.

The difference between streaming platforms and podcast platforms—and why it matters for outreach.

The essential teamwork required: hosts, editors, distributors, and promoters.

How podcasts can evolve from local roots into national and even international spaces for justice.

Why planning “story arcs” across multiple episodes keeps audiences engaged and deepens impact.

Elder activist Irene Morgan adds heartfelt reflections on what it feels like to be a guest navigating new technology, reminding us that podcasting isn’t just about technical skill—it’s about accessibility and human connection.

The conversation ends with a call to action: podcasting isn’t just media—it’s activism in action. It’s a platform for sharing truth, exposing injustice, and creating a sense of connection that moves people to act.

Listen now to learn how grassroots voices become global change.

Was it 25 or 30 years ago when Whatcom County and counties across the U.S. still had a strong network of prevention and recovery programs?

Back then, a small army of outreach workers, counselors, and interventionists worked daily to keep people out of jail and on the path to healing. There were treatment centers, youth programs, crisis shelters, and community services that not only supported individuals but created an entire culture of care.

That infrastructure is gone. The jobs in the helping culture have been replaced by our current after arrest culture compared to the small army of helpers that existed in the 70s, 80s, and into the mid 90s it began to change. The centers closed, and the safety nets disappeared. What remains is a justice system designed around punishment. Today, when someone stumbles whether from addiction, poverty, or a bad decisionthey face stacked charges, impossible bail, and lifelong consequences. Instead of treatment, they get trauma. Instead of recovery, they get a record.

We’ve witnessed the results: generations of families torn apart, homelessness exploding, and taxpayers funding more jails instead of more solutions. The loss is not just in dollars, but in human potential.

That’s why the iChange Justice Podcast, hosted by Joy Gilfilen, keeps asking the hard questions: “What is justice, anyway?” She is joined often by Irene Morgan, founder of the Restorative Community Coalition, who has spent decades advocating for community-based solutions, and by one of our producers, Ava Sakowski, who helps bring these stories to life. Together, they shine a light on what has been lost and what can be rebuilt.

We know justice can mean something different—restoration, healing, and giving people the tools to grow. The proof is there. With just $1,500, one pilot program helped a woman pay rent, repair her car, and get back on her feet. That small investment changed her trajectory completely.

The truth is, communities thrive when we invest in people, not prisons. What we need is not more punishment, but a revival of prevention, treatment, and human-centered care.

The "iChange Justice" podcast is joined by a very special guest and longtime supporter of its mission, Mel Hoover. As an advisor, Hoover provides his unique perspective, helping to navigate the significant transitions and complex issues facing Whatcom County.

The conversation with Mel begins with a personal journey, as he shares how he and his wife, both ministers and change agents, came to settle in the Pacific Northwest to be closer to their family. Mel, originally from the East Coast, reflects on his first visit to the area in the 1980s and the striking contrast between its sleepy, small-town facade and the deep, complex realities that were not immediately visible. He brings to light the area's history as a "sundown town," a fact that was unknown to even many longtime residents, including the host. This powerful revelation sets the stage for a discussion on how historical realities, often hidden, continue to shape the present.

Mel's own life story is a mosaic of different cultures, religions, and races. He shares his incredible journey of being born in a segregated Columbus, Ohio, in 1944, into a family with Cherokee, Seminole, French, and Irish heritage. This early experience in a multicultural family, living in an "apartheid nation," gave him a unique perspective on the true nature of America—a perspective he was forced to reconcile with the idealized stories he was told. He recounts how his family, though highly educated, still faced discrimination, and how he learned to see the world not as a single narrative, but as a complex and multiplex reality.

As the year moves into 2025, the conversation shifts to the urgent issues at the forefront of Whatcom County, from water adjudication and border complexities to global challenges and the "whiteout of truth" caused by misinformation. Mel explains that to tackle these issues, one must first build authentic relationships and find common ground. He argues that the culture has diminished the value of truth, and that it is necessary to return to smaller, trusted circles to find a way back to honest conversation and shared purpose. Mel's wisdom reminds listeners that even with all the complexities faced, the possibility of what could be is worth fighting for.

Joy Gilfilen concludes the conversation by highlighting the very real and present threats people face, including the increase in natural disasters like tornadoes, firestorms, and floods, and how these events impact the food supply. However, she pivots from the negative to a message of hope and action. The episode is a call to come together and find solutions. Gilfilen emphasizes the importance of saving the waters, reminding everyone that because all are made of water, they are also saving themselves. This final thought serves as a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and shared responsibility to protect the planet and each other.