Best Lacy Wright Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 30 Making Hospitals Sensory-Friendly 35:54

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13h ago35:54

35:54

70% of autistic individuals have at least one mental health condition, but here's the kicker—the very hospitals meant to help them might be making everything worse. Picture this: you're already in crisis, then you're hit with buzzing fluorescent lights, scratchy bedsheets, and the smell of industrial cleaning solutions. For autistic teens, it's a r…

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Ep. 29 A Sleep Intervention with Dreamy Outcomes 36:30

7d ago36:30

36:30

95% of kids with neurodevelopmental disorders struggle with sleep—but there's an OT intervention that gives families an extra hour of sleep per night! In this episode, we discuss an occupational therapy study from Argentina that used telehealth and coaching to transform bedtime battles. This isn't the typical "try melatonin" approach—it's a compreh…

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Ep. 28 Responsive Feeding (and how OTPs are using this approach) 35:01

13d ago35:01

35:01

Many of our families know that sinking feeling when mealtime becomes a battlefield—tears, tantrums, and the stress of watching a child refuse meal after meal. But what is the best way to help? This week, we dive into a brand-new scoping review on responsive feeding for pediatric feeding disorders—an approach that's finally putting words to what man…

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Ep. 27 Group vs. Individual OT for Autistic Toddlers 34:03

20d ago34:03

34:03

Drowning in long therapy wait lists? Researchers found that group DIR Floortime (4 kids, 2 therapists) produced the same outcomes as individual occupational therapy sessions for autistic toddlers—AND slashed wait times from 108 to 52 days! We break down what worked, the challenges (parent participation was tricky), and what the therapists thought a…

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Ep. 26 Have Impostor Syndrome? (Here’s what to do) 31:54

27d ago31:54

31:54

Ever feel like you are in over your head? You're not alone—new research shows 84% of occupational therapy practitioners and students secretly battle impostor syndrome. From OT students to seasoned therapists, despite being well qualified, we're all wondering if we actually know what we're doing! In this episode, we break down the study that puts nu…

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Ep. 25 Hand Strengthening for Handwriting 24:37

1M ago24:37

24:37

Michele presents research that offers a completely different perspective on OT handwriting intervention. While previous episodes emphasized task-specific training (doing writing to improve writing), this study suggests that students receiving specialized resistance exercises—putty, rubber bands, clips—significantly outperformed control groups on ha…

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Summer of Play Series: Play Personalities 28:14

1M ago28:14

28:14

Ep 24 - In our final Summer of Play episode, we're uncovering the rich history and complex science that makes play genuinely unique in pediatric OT practice. Journey from Piaget and Vygotsky's foundational theories to Mary Reilly's revolutionary work for occupational therapy. We'll break down the National Institute of Play's eight distinct categori…

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Summer of Play Series: Interventions for Play 31:24

2M ago31:24

31:24

Ep 23 - Ready to turn your occupational therapy sessions into playgrounds of learning? In this episode of our Summer of Play Series, we explore using play as both the vehicle AND the destination in pediatric OT. We'll discuss 5 manualized occupational therapy interventions that facilitate play for kids (and OTPs!) and 6 other evidence-based strateg…

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Summer of Play Series: Assessing Play 28:40

2M ago28:40

28:40

Ep 22 - Think you know how to assess play? We break down the surprising gap between how important play is for EVERY PART of child development and how this occupation is often overlooked in OT/OTA education programs and practice. You'll discover the 4-part definition of play, the top 3 play assessments every pediatric occupational therapy practition…

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Summer of Play Series: 10 Fun Summer Therapy Ideas 27:56

2M ago27:56

27:56

Ep 21 - Summer just got a whole lot more fun! 🌞 Michele and Lacy kick off their Summer of Play series with 10 fun, evidence-based therapy activities. From DIY food trucks and table tennis for executive function to water balloons for social play to messy mud & shaving cream toy washes, these aren't just fun activities—they're strategic summertime in…

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Ep. 20 Green Light Interventions for CP: Do What Works (with special guest Iona Novak) 48:22

2M ago48:22

48:22

Stop guessing and start knowing which occupational therapy interventions actually work. World-renowned OT researcher Professor Iona Novak discusses her revolutionary Traffic Light System that rates occupational therapy interventions with simple green, yellow, and red color coding. Learn why starting with client goals (not assessments) delivers fast…

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Ep. 19 Pictures vs. Videos: Choosing the Right Visual Support for ADL Goals 36:03

3M ago36:03

36:03

You've heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, but what about a thousand prompts? When it comes to helping autistic kids master daily living skills like brushing teeth, washing hands, and tying shoes, the visual support debate is real: static pictures or dynamic videos? Occupational therapists Michele and Lacy discuss research that puts the…

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Ep. 18 Aquatic Therapy: Using the Pool for More Than Swim Lessons 38:00

3M ago38:00

38:00

When you think of therapy in the swimming pool, swim lessons probably come to mind. However, occupational therapy practitioners use water for so many life skills! This week, Michele dives into research from Spain that reveals how aquatic therapy can be beneficial for autistic children in OT settings. The results? Better school performance, improved…

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Ep. 17 Time Management Treatment Ideas for ADHD 38:13

3M ago38:13

38:13

Ready for an ADHD intervention that tackles the root problem of time management? This Swedish research hands occupational therapy practitioners a comprehensive protocol that includes both remediation and compensation strategies for time processing difficulties. We unpack the three core components of time processing ability and explore a manualized …

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Ep. 16 From Student Projects to Group Therapy: How to Build Better Teams 45:17

3M ago45:17

45:17

As occupational therapy practitioners, we spend our careers working in teams—yet most of us learned to hate group work in OT/OTA school. Sound familiar? We're breaking down brand-new research from the Journal of OT Education that studied how to build better teams to avoid group disasters. Whether you're an OT/OTA student dreading your next group pr…

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Ep. 15 Accept, Adapt & Advocate: Autistic Adults Share Insights for OTPs 36:28

4M ago36:28

36:28

Ever wonder what your pediatric OT clients will say about you when they grow up? In this episode, Lacy & Michele explore qualitative research where autistic adults share what they wish their childhood occupational therapists had known. Their insights challenge us to embrace neurodiversity by accepting (rather than “fixing”) autism, adapting environ…

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Ep. 14 Role of OT and Co-Occupation in the NICU (and why it matters!) 43:19

4M ago43:19

43:19

Step into the NICU where beeping monitors meet tiny fighters and discover how sensory connections are changing the game for premature infants. We unpack the SENSE program that's putting occupational therapists at the forefront of preemie care, revealing why those first touches, sounds, and movements matter more than you think. Join Lacy and Michele…

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Ep. 13 The Ultimate Evidence Guide: What 52 Pediatric OT Interventions & 90 Years of Research Reveal 39:47

4M ago39:47

39:47

Tired of Googling for interventions that actually work? We dive into the mother of all systematic reviews covering 129 studies and 52 occupational therapy interventions across nine decades of pediatric OT research. Discover which interventions landed in the green zone (do these!), which fell into the red (avoid!), and why parent collaboration and o…

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Ep. 12 Shooting for Better Sleep: How Playing Basketball Improves Sleep & Executive Function 38:24

4M ago38:24

38:24

Could better sleep for autistic children be as simple as shooting some hoops? In this episode, occupational therapists, Michele Alaniz and Lacy Wright, dive into fascinating research showing how a structured basketball intervention significantly improves sleep quality and executive function in children with autism. Learn how this intervention incre…

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Ep. 11 Handwriting & OT: Guiding Principles for Today and the Future (with AI) 40:36

4M ago40:36

40:36

Up to 10% of children have difficulty with handwriting, yet only 12% of teachers feel adequately trained to teach it. This week, we break down the six evidence-based principles (plus one essential bonus) that should guide all handwriting instruction and occupational therapy intervention. We examine why focusing on the occupation of writing outperfo…

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Ep. 10 Tubes & Tables: Supporting Mealtime with Medically Fragile Kids (special guest episode) 54:16

5M ago54:16

54:16

What happens when a child isn't able eat? In this milestone 10th episode, Michele and Lacy explore the complex world of pediatric occupational therapy and feeding with medically fragile children and our guest, Yovana Harris, BA, COTA/L. She shares both "Nailed It" and "Failed It" experiences, explains her “just give them the food” feeding philosoph…

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Ep. 9 VR and Pediatric Brain Injury (3 Takeaways to Apply Across OT Settings) 38:53

5M ago38:53

38:53

Ever wonder how virtual reality could change your pediatric occupational therapy practice? Michele and Lacy dive into a randomized control trial where VR helped kids with brain injuries make progress in just four weeks of OT intervention! Hear about 3 game-changing elements occupational therapists can implement: instant feedback, kids actually want…

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Ep. 8 Ayres SI in Brazil: 3 Tools to Boost Your OT Practice 36:59

5M ago36:59

36:59

Did you know that up to 16% of children have sensory processing challenges that impact their daily lives? In this evidence-packed episode, pediatric occupational therapists Michele and Lacy break down a groundbreaking randomized control trial from Brazil on Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) that every peds OT needs to know about. Discover three pract…

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Ep. 7 Parent-Powered Potty Training: The 4-Step Coaching Model in Telehealth 34:50

5M ago34:50

34:50

Forget everything you thought you knew about toilet training—this evidence-based pediatric occupational therapy approach is changing the game. In this episode, we dive into a hybrid telehealth intervention that transformed toilet training success rates through occupation-based coaching strategies that every peds OT should know. Learn the 4-step fra…

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Ep. 6 The Surprising #1 Reason OT Students Fail Fieldwork (And How You Can Help) 36:54

6M ago36:54

36:54

Struggling OT Fieldwork students? The shocking truth is that occupational therapy knowledge isn't what makes or breaks fieldwork success—it's professional behaviors! Join pediatric occupational therapists, Michele and Lacy, as they unpack evidence-based strategies for fieldwork in this must-listen episode. From communication skills to time manageme…

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Ep. 5 Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3: Top School-Based OT Interventions That Work 30:41

6M ago30:41

30:41

Overwhelmed by your school-based OT caseload? Join Drs. Michele Alaniz and Lacy Wright as they discuss three decades of research into actionable, tiered interventions that deliver measurable results. Learn why the most successful school-based OTs are shifting from traditional pull-out services to classroom-embedded support, dramatically reducing wa…

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Ep. 4 Beyond the Messy Desk: Assessing Executive Function in Adolescents 31:55

6M ago31:55

31:55

Think a messy backpack or desk is just carelessness? We don’t think so. This episode cracks open the complex world of executive function in school, showing therapists how the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity assessment can unlock insights into how adolescents may be struggling to think, plan, organize, and navigate their world. Plus - Lacy and Mic…

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Ep. 3 Scoring Success: Quality Sports Participation for Kids with Autism 35:13

6M ago35:13

35:13

How can we make sports truly meaningful for children with autism? In this episode, pediatric OTs Dr. Michele Alaniz and Dr. Lacy Wright break down a comprehensive framework for quality participation in sports. Explore research-backed strategies for creating the perfect balance of challenge, autonomy, and social connection in sports programs. The ho…

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Ep. 2 Play that Works: Engaging & Effective OT Motor Interventions for Kids with CP 29:28

7M ago29:28

29:28

What if you could help children with cerebral palsy make significant motor gains with half the therapy hours while keeping both parents and kids engaged? Pediatric occupational therapists Dr. Michele Alaniz and Dr. Lacy Wright dive into the OT research comparing constraint-induced movement therapy and bimanual intensive training, revealing which ap…

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Ep. 1 Play With Purpose: An OT Motor Skill Intervention for Autism 18:50

7M ago18:50

18:50

Did you know that over 80% of children with autism are at risk for motor impairment (Bhat, 2022)? Today, we're diving into new research that's changing how we approach motor development in autism. You'll learn five evidence-based steps you can implement immediately in your practice, including a surprising twist on video modeling that goes beyond ju…

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Welcome to Ideas at Play! 1:02

7M ago1:02

1:02

Welcome to Ideas at Play, your go to podcast for practical and engaging insights into pediatric occupational therapy. We're your hosts, Michele Alaniz, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, and Lacy Wright OTD, OTR/L, BCP - two OTs with a passion for breaking down research and helping you apply it to your practice in meaningful ways. Every episode will take you through…

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Episode 68: Civic Advocacy and Politics with Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright of Ballot Breakers, State Rep. Padma Kuppa of MI, State Rep. Patty Kim of PA 1:29:43

5y ago1:29:43

1:29:43

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright of Ballot Breakers, Representative Padma Kuppa of Michigan, and Representative Patty Kim of Pennsylvania to discuss civic advocacy and American politics. We start off the episode learning about the women’s relationship with politics, a field they all originally viewed as dirty business and were r…

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Episode 67: Overcoming Barriers while Pursuing a Career in Academia as an Asian American with the SEAAster Scholars 1:07:51

5y ago1:07:51

1:07:51

Jessica Nguyen sits down with a few members of the Southeast Asian American (SEAA) SEAAster Scholars Collective–Jacqueline Mac, Linda Pheng, Vanessa S. Na, Varaxy Yi–to hear more about their experiences as POC/SEAA in academia, the meaning of homemaking, and the origin story and mission of their collective. After running into each other at various …

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Episode 66: Learning about Life Coaching, Holistic Healing, Spirituality, and Self-Improvement with Seo Kelleher 53:19

5y ago53:19

53:19

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Seo Kelleher, the author of the newly released book “Don’t be a Bitch, be an Alpha,” to talk about her journey as an intuitive life and business coach and shamanic healer. With 20 years of marketing experience and an MBA under her belt, Seo used to define herself as a high performing career woman who focused on getting…

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Episode 65: Starting Passion Projects and Dealing with Burnout with Tiffany Huang of Spill Stories 48:45

5y ago48:45

48:45

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Tiffany Huang, the founder of Spill Stories, to talk about how she is able to foster personal growth passion projects. Stifled by the fast-paced Hong Kong lifestyle, Tiffany wanted to build a platform that allows for people (particularly womxn of color) to be unrestrained in the way that they speak and share their stor…

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Episode 64: Documenting Southeast Asian Narratives and Trending Community Issues with Project Yellow Dress 43:55

5y ago43:55

43:55

Julie McConnell sits down with Julia Ha and Tammy Tran from Project Yellow Dress (PYD) to talk about how underrepresented communities are gaining visibility through self-expressed artistic mediums. We start the podcast getting to know the two PYD founders who talk about their family history (fun fact: they are second cousins). Their family experien…

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Episode 63: Healing your Relationship with Your Parents with Ivy Kwong 45:41

5y ago45:41

45:41

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Ivy Kwong to talk about navigating the healing process individuals may have to go through with their family, particularly their parents. After talking about her own personal experience, Ivy shares tactics to help people heal and foster healthier relationships with their parents. Ivy touches upon how growing up as a chi…

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Episode 62: Discussing the Importance of Political Participation within Asian-American Households with Helena Berbano 48:30

5y ago48:30

48:30

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Helena Berbano to delve into how and why Asian-Americans are so politically disengaged. Given Helena’s active involvement in campaigning for Asian-American women candidates, she speaks about the power of political engagement and how the lack of such action negatively impacts the larger community. We start the podcast w…

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Episode 61.5: Loveboat, Taipei with Abigail Hing Wen (+Giveaway!) 21:30

5y ago21:30

21:30

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Abigail Hing Wen, the author of Asian-American young adult novel “Loveboat, Taipei,” to learn about her journey in becoming a published author. Working in artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley, Abigail had no idea she would ever become a writer. Although she grew up reading books all the time, the idea for a book n…

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Episode 61: An Introduction to the Intersection of Identity and Product Design for the Asian-American Consumers with COVRY 22:49

5y ago22:49

22:49

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Florence Shin and Athina Wang from COVRY Eyewear to talk about how they celebrate and set a new standard for diversity in the eyewear industry. These long-time friends who ended up going to schools on opposite coasts, found themselves working in the same city after college. With offices that were a block away from each…

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Episode 60: A Casual Chat on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Living with CeCe Horbat 16:12

5y ago16:12

16:12

Julie McConnell sits down with Cece Horbat to discuss all things environmentalism. As someone who has been interested in the environment after watching NBC commercials about recycling, Cece is now majoring in environmental justice at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. Responding to the article “Five Ways to Make…

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Episode 59: On Intergenerational Trauma with SEARAC 44:28

5y ago44:28

44:28

Julie Connell sits down with Nkauj Iab Yang from Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) to deliver an engaging and educational episode centered around trauma–from how it's defined to the long-term consequences that unfold when trauma goes unaddressed. This episode covers a wide variety of trauma with trauma being defined as emotionally and …

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Episode 58: Quitting Your 9-to-5 job to Pursue a Creative/Entrepreneurial Path with Wonton in a Million and Simply Gilded 40:54

5y ago40:54

40:54

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Cynthia Koo and Irene Kwong to talk about their experiences as Asian-American women business owners in the stationery industry. In this interview, we explore how they turned their passion into a career while dealing with obstacles from external pressures. Cynthia and Irene briefly introduce Wonton In A Million and Simp…

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Episode 57: Last Words - Season 4 Finale 5:36

6+ y ago5:36

5:36

This is it. We made it. Season 4 finale. As many of you know, Project Voice has been running for a little over 2 years since November 2016. When I first started the podcast, I only expected myself to produce 15 episodes at the most. It was started by me and a bunch of my friends who I invited to share their experiences on the show. Most of us didn’…

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Episode 56: Collaborations through Love Intersections 48:44

6+ y ago48:44

48:44

About a year ago, Minnie Ng and I invited Jen Sungshine to share with us not only her history and experience in activism and video production under Love Intersections but her insights about collaborating with other multitalented QTPOC artists as well. From our interview with Jen, we will learn about why collaborations may be the most effective and …

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Episode 55: Healing as a Survivor 1:09:16

6+ y ago1:09:16

1:09:16

Content warning: sexual assault Years before the online #MeToo movement that took place in October 2017, Yee Xiong filed a civil suit case against her attacker. Determined to bring justice to her case, she bravely held her ground despite the bribery and threats that occurred during the conviction. It was only a few months later that Yee reached out…

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Episode 54: An Earnest Fight Against Anti-Blackness 28:35

6+ y ago28:35

28:35

Brought to you by our co-host, Afsana Oreen: Anti-Blackness within the South Asian diasporic community is often not discussed. That’s why I was excited to learn how Nina Bhattacharya – a writer, educator, and cultural organizer – combats anti-blackness. I invite you to modify her strategies, with some additional guidance from the Aerogram’s article…

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Episode 53: SEARAC: Affirmative Action and Data Disaggregation 33:59

6+ y ago33:59

33:59

Recently, a man by the name Edward Blum and the Students for Fair Admissions have teamed up to sue Harvard for discriminating against its Asian American applicants with its affirmative action policy. Affirmative action has been one of the hottest debates for a while within our community and I thought that it would be really helpful to have Quyen Di…

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Episode 52: NAPAWF: Reclaiming Our Bodies and Minds through Political Advocacy and #BodyLove 32:56

7y ago32:56

32:56

It is no surprise to us how often Asian women are bombarded by harmful messages from society and media. Tired of being told how we should navigate the world, Sung Yeon Choimorrow and I will be opening up the conversation on body issues by first discussing and dispelling stereotypes fostered by microaggressions, internalized racism, fatphobia, racis…

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Episode 51: Bharat Babies: The Power of Storytelling 37:31

7y ago37:31

37:31

So, I was ecstatic to know that Bharat Babies was going to be a sponsor for Project Voice and I really wanted to give the platform to its founder, Sailaja, because what she’s doing for our community is really inspiring. When I was looking for sponsors for Project Voice, one of the items on my criteria was to partner with a business who reflected ou…