Melissa McDonald on Cascadia, Working Class Greeley & Rebuilding Trust

Weld Said | Rethinking Homelessness in Greeley with Davey Autobee

In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with David, a lifelong Greeley community member and the founder of Last Light, a new nonprofit focused on supporting unhoused neighbors and people living close to homelessness. This conversation is about homelessness, but it is also about the way people see each other. David talks about what inspired him to start Last Light, including the example of his uncle, who helped unhoused people when David was growing up, and the community spaces he experienced through music where everyone was welcome. Mary and David talk about how easy it is for people to judge unhoused neighbors without understanding how close so many people are to losing housing themselves. They also talk about the many forms homelessness can take: the person sleeping outside, the worker living in their car, the person fleeing domestic violence, the person struggling with mental health, addiction, or simply not having the documents, transportation, shower, bathroom, food, or support they need to get back on their feet. David’s message is simple: communities need to rethink how they help people. Instead of asking whether someone “deserves” help, what if the question became: what would actually help? A ride to an appointment. A shower. A clean pair of socks. Access to food. A phone number. An email address. A community garden. A benefit show. A safe place to sleep. Someone willing to sit down, listen, and say: you still belong here. They also talk about how community care cannot only happen during the holidays. Families need food, diapers, formula, tampons, toilet paper, transportation, support, and connection all year long. Kids need meals in the summer, not just during the school year. People need help before they fall all the way through the cracks. Last Light is still new, and David is inviting the community to help build it. Anyone with an idea, a resource, a connection, a donation, a space, food, supplies, or even just a few minutes to make a phone call may have a way to help. David and Last Light can be reached at: lastlightoutreach@gmail.com [lastlightoutreach@gmail.com] Resources for families and kids food programs: Weld Food Bank Child Feeding Programs:https://weldfoodbank.org/child-feeding-programs/ [https://weldfoodbank.org/child-feeding-programs/] High Plains Library District Kids Eat Free calendar:https://highplains.libcal.com/calendar/hpld?t=d&q=kids%20eat%20free&cid=8181&cal=8181&inc=0 [https://highplains.libcal.com/calendar/hpld?t=d&q=kids%20eat%20free&cid=8181&cal=8181&inc=0] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com [https://greeleyfreepress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Weld Said | You Can Choose the Sheriff, But Only If He Gets on the Ballot

In this episode of Weld Said, Mary talks with Fabian Rodriguez, an independent candidate for Weld County Sheriff in 2026. The sheriff’s race is one of those local elections that can be easy to overlook until you stop and think about how much the sheriff’s office actually touches. The jail. Public safety. Immigration fears. Technology and surveillance. Mental health. Discretion in policing. The relationship between law enforcement and the people it serves. In this conversation, Rodriguez talks about his background in law enforcement, why he decided to run, and why he believes the sheriff’s office should be more connected to the community. Mary and Fabian discuss what experience should mean in a race like this, how law enforcement can build trust with immigrant communities, what role technology like Flock cameras should play, and how officers can use discretion when working with people who are already living paycheck to paycheck. They also talk about mental health support for officers, the importance of transparency, and why Rodriguez believes the sheriff’s office should be rooted in public safety and community - not partisan politics. At the center of the episode is a simple question: What kind of sheriff’s office does Weld County need, and how do voters get a real choice in deciding that? Listen to the full conversation on Weld Said Episode 16. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com [https://greeleyfreepress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Petition for a Choice: Stacey Graham Wants Weld County Voters to Have an Option for Commissioner

Most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about county commissioner races — but those decisions shape a lot of what happens in our daily lives. In this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Stacey Graham, an independent candidate hopeful for Weld County Commissioner At-Large. Stacey is working to collect enough petition signatures to get her name on the ballot, giving Weld County voters another option in a race that is often quiet, and more often than not, uncontested. The conversation covers Stacey’s background in law firms, policing, investigations, and her current work with District 6 students. Mary and Stacey also talk about smart growth, data centers, water, transparency, public involvement, working-class representation, and why local government should do a better job listening before big decisions are made. This episode is not just about one candidate. It’s about what happens when someone steps forward to run, what it takes to get on the ballot, and why voters deserve a real choice. If you’d like to learn more about Stacey Graham or help her petition onto the ballot, visit: grahamforweld.com [http://grahamforweld.com] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com [https://greeleyfreepress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Keep the B******s Honest

In advance of the Colorado Democratic and Republican primaries, we are inviting candidates to talk more about who they are and what they believe in. We welcome any candidates who reach out to speak with us. We don’t focus on policy issues, because you can find those elsewhere. We hope you find these conversations insightful into the people behind the issues.This episode of Weld Said was a little different from the start. When the podcast studio was not available at the last minute, Mary had to pivot. Since the conversation had to happen over Zoom anyway, she decided to try something new: her first video podcast! And somehow, that fit the conversation perfectly. Mary sits down with David Seligman, a workers’ rights, civil rights and consumer protection attorney running for Colorado Attorney General, for a conversation that feels less like a campaign interview and more like two people talking honestly about work, grief, dignity and what it means to fight for people. They talk about his father, his grandfather, the people he has represented, the meaning of working class, the cost of unchecked corporate power, and why the law should feel like something regular people can use, not something that only belongs to lawyers and the powerful. It is also a conversation about Colorado, about water, housing, metro districts, data centers, medical debt, public spaces, and what happens when people feel like decisions are being made about their lives without them. This one is thoughtful, grounded and surprisingly personal. Watch or listen to Mary’s first video episode of Weld Said with David Seligman.To learn more about David Seligman or contact his campaign, visit seligmanforag.com [https://www.seligmanforag.com]. David is a democratic candidate and will face several others in the primary elections on Tuesday, June 30th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com [https://greeleyfreepress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Who Does Justice Protect?

In advance of the Colorado Democratic and Republican primaries, we are inviting candidates to talk more about who they are and what they believe in. We welcome any candidates who reach out to speak with us. We don’t focus on policy issues, because you can find those elsewhere. We hope you find these conversations insightful into the people behind the issues. On this episode of Weld Said, Mary sits down with Michael Dougherty, Boulder County District Attorney and candidate for Colorado Attorney General, for a conversation about justice, public service, power, and the people most affected by the systems meant to protect us. Mary approaches the conversation from a place she often returns to on Weld Said: the lives of working people, vulnerable people, and people who do not always have power when institutions make decisions about them. Victims deserve safety, protection, and accountability. But what happens when the person caught in the system is also poor, young, undocumented, working class, or someone who made a mistake and still deserves a chance to repair the harm and move forward? In this conversation, Mary and Michael talk about the difference between justice and punishment, whether mercy and accountability can coexist, and how public officials can rebuild trust when communities feel ignored or betrayed. They also discuss immigrant protections, consumer scams, water rights, environmental justice, workers’ rights, gun violence, and what it means for the Attorney General to serve as the lawyer for the people of Colorado. This is a conversation about the law, but it is also about broken systems, public trust, and the kind of Colorado we want to build for people who have been harmed, people who need protection, and people who deserve not to be defined forever by their worst day. To learn more about Michael Dougherty or contact his campaign, visit michaelforag.com [http://michaelforag.com.]. [http://michaelforag.com.] Michael is a democratic candidate and will face several others in the primary elections on Tuesday, June 30th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greeleyfreepress.substack.com [https://greeleyfreepress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]