The Government Fix

The Government Fix for Education

Education policy works best when the people most affected by it are a voice at the table. In this episode of The Government Fix, Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria sits down with Dr. David Johns to explore what it really takes to build an education system that serves all children. Drawing on his experience as a former classroom teacher, congressional staffer, and leader of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, Dr. Johns explains why proximity matters in policymaking—and how decisions made far from students’ lived realities often fail them.  Now Executive Director of the National Black Justice Collective and host of the Teach the Babies podcast, Dr. Johns continues to challenge systems that silence young people—especially Black students, LGBTQIA+ youth, and those from marginalized communities. ABOUT THE GUEST: David Johns is the executive director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC), a civil rights organization advancing the empowerment of Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, including those living with HIV/AIDS. He previously served as the first executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans under President Barack Obama. Johns has held senior education policy roles in the U.S. Senate and the Congressional Black Caucus.  LEARN MORE ABOUT: * National Black Justice Collective: https://nbjc.org [https://nbjc.org/] * Teach the Babies Podcast: https://teachthebabies.org [https://teachthebabies.org] ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: https://www.codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfixcodeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix [http://codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix] Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts  [https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts] Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-education/ The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org [http://codeforamerica.org].

The Government Fix for Transportation

Transportation isn’t just about roads or traffic—it’s about access to jobs, housing, and opportunity. In this episode of The Government Fix, Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria sits down with former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to explore how transportation systems shape daily life—and why fixing them requires long-term thinking and bipartisan leadership. Drawing on his experience as the US Transportation Secretary under President Obama and as the former mayor of Charlotte, Foxx explains how aging infrastructure, uneven funding, and political gridlock have left many communities behind. He breaks down why transit systems are harder to fund than highways, how the FAST Act unlocked long-term investment, and why uncertainty across administrations makes it difficult to plan projects that take decades to complete. ABOUT THE GUEST: Anthony Foxx is the Emma Bloomberg Professor of Public Leadership and Director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. He served as US Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017, where he helped pass the FAST Act and modernize transportation policy. Foxx is also a former mayor of Charlotte and former Chief Policy Officer at Lyft. LEARN MORE ABOUT: * Anthony Foxx at Harvard Kennedy School: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/anthony-foxx [https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/anthony-foxx] * FAST Act overview (U.S. DOT): https://www.transportation.gov/mission/legislation/fast-act [https://www.transportation.gov/mission/legislation/fast-act] ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: https://www.codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfixcodeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix [http://codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix] Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts  [https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts] Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-transportation/ [https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-transportation/] The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org [http://codeforamerica.org].

The Government Fix for Finances

Personal finance often feels abstract, intimidating, or out of reach—especially for communities historically excluded from wealth-building systems. In this episode of The Government Fix, Amanda Renteria sits down with Texas State Representative Linda García to talk about why money conversations leave so many people behind—and how to change that. García shares her journey from her immigrant roots, which left her with a scarcity mindset, to her obsession with Wall Street. She explains why tools like the stock market don’t feel tangible to everyday people and what it actually takes to make investing accessible.  Now, García connects personal finance to public service—showing how financial confidence, dignity, and access can reshape not just individual futures, but entire communities. ABOUT THE GUEST: Representative Linda García is a financial educator, author, and Texas State Representative for District 107. After 17 years in television and film shaping programming for Hispanic audiences at companies including Azteca, Netflix, and Lionsgate, she founded In Luz We Trust to help communities of color build financial confidence and heal generational “money wounds.” She is the author of Wealth Warrior and host of the Investies podcast. Through partnerships with organizations like Wells Fargo and People’s Self-Help Housing, she brings financial literacy directly to underserved communities. LEARN MORE ABOUT: * Wealth Warrior (book): https://www.inluzwetrust.com/wealthwarriorbook [https://www.inluzwetrust.com/wealthwarriorbook] * Investies Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/investiespodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/investiespodcast/] ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone. Explore all episodes and learn more: codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts [https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts] Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-finances/ [https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-finances/] The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org [http://codeforamerica.org].

The Government Fix for Disaster Response

Disaster response is about far more than what happens when a hurricane makes landfall or wildfires spread. In this episode of The Government Fix, Amanda Renteria speaks with disaster researcher and emergency management expert Dr. Samantha Montano about what it really takes to prepare for disasters.  Drawing from her experience in post-Katrina New Orleans and her book Disasterology, Montano explains why disasters disproportionately impact marginalized communities, how government systems often fail during recovery, and why “returning to normal” isn’t enough. Together, they explore what governments can do now to build resilient systems, invest before disaster strikes, and ensure communities aren’t left behind when the crisis fades from the headlines. ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Samantha Montano is an emergency management expert whose career began in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. She has worked on disaster recovery and response for nonprofits, earned her Ph.D. in Emergency Management, and authored Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis. Samantha is an associate professor at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and co-founder of Disaster Researchers for Justice and the Center for Climate Adaptation Research. Her work spans research, policy evaluation, and public engagement, and she is frequently featured in national outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. LEARN MORE ABOUT: * Dr. Samantha Montano: https://www.samanthamontano.com [https://www.samanthamontano.com] * Disasterology (book): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704030/disasterology-by-samantha-montano/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/704030/disasterology-by-samantha-montano/] * FEMA & Emergency Management: https://www.fema.gov [https://www.fema.gov/] ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: https://www.codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfixcodeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix [http://codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix] Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts  [https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts]   Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-disaster-response/ [https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-disaster-response/] The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org [http://codeforamerica.org].

The Government Fix for Food

Hunger in America is solvable—and this episode features the leaders proving that. Amanda Renteria talks with chefs Amanda and Isaac Toups, who transformed their New Orleans restaurant into a powerful community food operation during COVID, ultimately providing over 175,000 meals. They discuss the tie between transportation access and food access and what families actually need to thrive.  Then, Billy Shore of Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry explains the creation and expansion of Summer EBT, one of the most significant federal anti-hunger programs in decades. Together, these stories reveal how communities and government can fix food insecurity for good. ABOUT THE GUEST: Husband-and-wife duo Isaac and Amanda Toups co-founded Toups Family Meal, the New Orleans nonprofit born during the pandemic that has since delivered over 175,000 meals to families in need. Their grassroots effort pairs Isaac’s James Beard–nominated culinary work with Amanda’s leadership in community support. They’re joined by Billy Shore, founder of Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry, a national anti-hunger leader who has raised $1 billion to fight food insecurity across the country. LEARN MORE: * https://toupsfamilymeal.com/ [https://toupsfamilymeal.com/] * https://shareourstrength.org/ [https://shareourstrength.org/] ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT FIX: The Government Fix is a podcast by Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit for over 15 years. Hosted by CEO Amanda Renteria, we explore what it looks like when government works well for everyone.  Explore all episodes and learn more: https://www.codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfixcodeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix [http://codeforamerica.org/thegovernmentfix] Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts  [https://www.youtube.com/@codeforamerica/podcasts]   Transcript available here: https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-food [https://codeforamerica.org/podcast/the-government-fix-for-food]   The Government Fix is a podcast from Code for America, the country’s leading civic tech nonprofit. Learn more about our work at codeforamerica.org [http://codeforamerica.org].