Afira Arrastia-DeVries is the President and CEO of the Monarch School Project, the only K–12 public institution in the U.S. solely dedicated to educating unhoused students. A 2025 Prebys Leadership Awardee, Afira brings a powerful combination of heart, strategy, and passion to her work. As a sociologist, advocate, and leader, she’s reshaping education around support, community, and the radical act of seeing children not for their struggles, but for their gifts.

This Episode:
What happens when you stop trying to “fix” kids and start believing in them?

In this meaningful conversation, Afira shares how Monarch School is redefining what education can look like for unhoused students. Through a strengths-based approach, the school offers not just academics but community, care, and dignity for students and their families. We explore the profound impact of trauma-informed teaching, why children thrive when given space to define themselves, and how systems must change to meet the moment.

Afira and Grant also go deep on leadership, advocacy, and why silence is no longer an option in the face of policies that harm the most vulnerable. This is a conversation about courage, truth-telling, and the belief that every child is worthy of joy, safety, and possibility.

Key Moments:
[5:45] How Afira’s childhood shaped her leadership
[16:29] Why a separate school for unhoused youth isn’t segregation, but safety
[24:14] What a strengths-based approach looks like in practice
[39:01] Why Afira believes advocacy is the job and what fuels her to speak out
[47:00] How students are affected by fear and family separation policies

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Monarch School – A unique public-private partnership in San Diego serving unhoused students
• Opinion: Unhoused youth deserve help and compassion, not cruelty - Afira’s op-ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune
• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act – Federal legislation affecting educational access for homeless youth
• Prebys Leadership Awards – Honoring bold and visionary local leaders

Take Action:

• Honor Kids' Strengths – Ask a child what they’re proud of. Let them lead.
• Learn About Strength-Based Care – Shift from “What’s wrong?” to “What’s strong?”
• Support Monarch School – Donate, volunteer, or share their work with others.
• Speak Up – Challenge policies rooted in blame and scarcity. Lead with love.
• Be That One Adult – Stability starts with someone showing up. You can be that person.

Credits:

This is a production of the Prebys Foundation
Hosted by Grant Oliphant
Co-Hosted by Crystal Page
Co-produced by Crystal Page and Adam Greenfield
Engineered by Adam Greenfield
Production Coordination by Tess Karesky
Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina

The Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.
Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod​cast​.org

Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team

If you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share, subscribe

Peter Ellsworth is a longtime San Diegan, civic leader, and founding force in modern philanthropy. From his early days in law and healthcare to his visionary role at the helm of the Legler Benbough Foundation, Peter has lived a life steeped in service, humility, and quiet transformation. A member of the Prebys Foundation Board, he remains a guiding voice for how philanthropy can—and must—listen first.

This Episode:
What happens when a foundation listens before it leads?

Grant and Peter explore the evolution of philanthropy in San Diego and how Peter helped pioneer a relationship-driven, trust-based approach to giving. They discuss the opportunities of working in hyperlocal neighborhoods, the importance of humility in leadership, and why building genuine partnerships with community leaders creates lasting impact. From Southeast San Diego to Balboa Park, Peter’s story is a reminder that the best ideas come from the ground up.

Along the way, Peter shares personal reflections, including his father’s lasting advice: It’s not about you.

Key Moments:
[11:22] Peter's start in Philanthropy and why he did things differently
[13:31] The four words that shaped Peter’s leadership: “It’s not about me”
[23:24]The radical idea of trust-based philanthropy
[30:35] The teen center that designed by what teens actually wanted
[5:50] What San Diego needs to realize its boldest ideas

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Legler Benbough Foundation – A now-spent-down foundation that helped reshape civic life in San Diego through trust-based, community-rooted philanthropy
• Outdoor Outreach – Empowering young people through outdoor experiences and leadership development
• Forever Balboa Park – Supporting the preservation and enhancement of Balboa Park

Take Action:

• Practice Trust-Based Philanthropy – Start by building authentic relationships, not just reviewing proposals
• Listen to Community First – Let the people closest to the work guide the solutions
• Rethink Power in Philanthropy – As Peter reminds us, “Every good idea we came up with...came from somebody I had a relationship with"
• Support Local Leadership – Invest in the people and organizations already making a difference

Credits:
This is a production of the Prebys Foundation
Hosted by Grant Oliphant
Co-Hosted by Crystal Page
Co-produced by Crystal Page and Adam Greenfield
Engineered by Adam Greenfield
Production Coordination by Tess Karesky
Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina

The Stop & Talk theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.
Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPodcast.org

Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team

Mark Cafferty is the President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC), where he leads with a mix of realism, resolve, and heart. In this conversation, he shares his experiences of how his values—shaped family, mentorship, and a belief in equity— continue to guide his leadership today. Under Mark’s direction, EDC has taken a bold stance: inclusive growth isn’t just good policy, it’s a business imperative for San Diego’s future.

This Episode:

What does it take to build an economy that works for everyone?

Mark and Grant dive deep into San Diego’s unique economic landscape, from its binational strengths to the increasing threats facing its innovation and research sectors. They explore how the EDC’s goals aim to create more skilled workers, quality jobs, and thriving households, especially for communities historically left behind. They also talk about the importance of values-driven leadership in a time of uncertainty. As diversity, equity and inclusion comes under fire nationally, Mark shares why staying the course is both a moral and economic necessity.

Through it all, Mark reminds us San Diego’s competitive advantage is in its people.

Note: Jennie Brooks is mentioned as the EDC Chair, which was accurate at the time of recording. The current EDC Chair is Tom Seidler.

Key Moments:

• [11:50] Who’s at the table at EDC and why that matters
• [21:35] The three 2030 goals: skilled workers, quality jobs, thriving households
• [29:32] Why diversity and equity are valuable to the economy
• [37:48] Why San Diego’s binational identity is a key strength
• [41:45] Resisting the “fire drills” and staying focused on long-term impact

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) – An economic development organization that mobilizes business, government, and civic leaders around an inclusive economic development strategy

Take Action:

• Learn More About EDC’s 2030 Goals – Explore how these targets aim to create a more just and prosperous regional economy.
• Support Small Businesses – Shop local, advocate for fair policies, and help strengthen San Diego’s economic backbone.
• Speak Up for Inclusion – Be a voice for equity in your workplace or community. As Mark says, “If you’re not for equity, what are you for?”
• Champion Regional Collaboration – We all have a role to play—business, government, philanthropy, and community alike.

Credits:

This is a production of the Prebys Foundation
Hosted by Grant Oliphant
Co-Hosted by Crystal Page
Co-produced by Crystal Page and Adam Greenfield
Engineered by Adam Greenfield
Production Coordination by Tess Karesky
Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina

The Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.
Download episodes at your favorite podcatcher or visit us at StopAndTalkPod​cast​.org

Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team

If you like this show, and we hope you do, the best way to support this show is to share, subscribe