Legal Aid Radio

#122 - Holding On to Love: Theresa Grady on Loss, Healing, & Justice

On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, Theresa Grady shares the story of her husband, Morris Edward Grady, her first love and lifelong partner, whose life was cut short while incarcerated. Through heartbreak, she continues to rise as a voice for justice, fighting for dignity and fair treatment for aging people behind bars. It’s a powerful reminder that behind every sentence is a human being… and behind every loss is a family still learning how to heal.

#121 - A Conversation with Joessie Mathews: Restoring Hope Through Second Chances

April is Second Chances Month, and if you’ve ever felt like your past was holding you back, this conversation is for you. On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we’re talking to Joessie Mathews, a woman who turned her own life experience into a movement, helped pass the Clean Slate NY Bill, and is now inspiring others to rise, rebuild, and reclaim their future.

#120 - Growing Together: Autism & Neurodiversity with Sheree Sibilly Simmons

Every day, people are misunderstood simply because they experience the world differently. Here on Legal Aid Radio, we’re shining a light on neurodiversity and on how a little understanding can go a long way. As more people hear terms like autism and neurodivergent, there’s still a gap between awareness and true understanding. What does it really mean? And how can we, as a community, respond with empathy instead of assumptions?  On this episode, we’re joined by a powerful voice in this space, parent advocate Sheree Sibilly Simmons, who is working directly with children and families to help bridge that gap, connect people to resources, and remind us all that when we take the time to understand one another, we create stronger, more supportive communities for everyone.

#119 - Green Jackets: A Veteran-Centered Approach to Justice Pt. 2

What if the people best equipped to help struggling veterans… are veterans themselves? On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we take you inside the Green Jackets: a group of mentors, many of them Vietnam veterans, who stand beside fellow veterans in court, helping them rebuild their lives one step at a time. Joined again by Navy veteran Frank D’Aversa and retired Commander Grace Mehl, we explore how this unique program works and why its mission continues long after military service ends.

#118 - Green Jackets: A Veteran-Centered Approach to Justice

What happens when the men and women who served their country come home and don’t receive the welcome they expected? On this episode of Legal Aid Radio, we explore how Vietnam veterans turned that experience into action: building a nationwide movement of support, and helping create a new kind of justice system designed specifically for those who served.  We’ll hear from Vietnam-era Navy veteran and Green Jackets founder Frank D’Aversa, along with retired Navy Commander Grace Mehl, as they share the history behind Vietnam Veterans of America and the roots of Veterans Treatment Court.