Maine Ties

Do you know who Frances Perkins is? If the answer is no, you're not alone. She was the first woman elected to a presidential cabinet and under Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as the Secretary of Labor for 12 years. She is responsible for crafting legislation for FDR's New Deal and creating the federal social safety net as we know it today.Perkins spent summers on the family homestead in Damariscotta. The Frances Perkins Center has purchased the home, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is preserving it to shine a light on her legacy. The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

For teens without homes, a bed can mean a new beginning.Preble Street, a nonprofit organization in Portland that provides services to people experiencing homelessness, has seen a rise in teen homelessness. Leah McDonald, senior director of social work, talks about the causes of teen homelessness and the organization's supports for youth.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

Maine ranks near the top for highest food insecurity rates in the country.  Dixie Shaw from Catholic Charities of Maine in Aroostook County and Katie Brown from Youthfull Maine talk about food insecurity in their regions and how they fight it.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

In 2017, Mike Masudi arrived to the U.S. by himself at age 19. Since then, he's earned his GED, an associate degree in information technology, and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity.In this episode, Mike shares how he got where he is today. Anja Hanson, academic advisor at Portland Adult Education, describes the obstacles adult learners face and the determination they have to succeed.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.This episode's guest is Kelly Brown, associate director of Next Step Domestic Violence Project in Ellsworth and Machias.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

COVID-19 shuttered Maine's theaters for more than 18 months. But communities rallied to support the performing arts even as they were deemed inessential services. Dana Packard of the Saco River Theatre in Buxton and Keri Lupien of The Waldo in Waldoboro share how their theaters coped with the pandemic and how the arts in Maine are stronger than ever.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

The only active Shaker community in the world sits humbly 20 miles north of Portland, Maine, home to two practicing Shakers.There, an effort to restore the last Shaker herb house in the country will create opportunities for the outside community to connect with Shaker history and culture.Brother Arnold Haad and Shaker Museum and Library Director Michael Graham discuss Shaker history and its future.Simple Gifts is performed by Palaver Strings.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

Thoughts of Maine might conjure up lush landscapes, but 96 percent of Maine's low-income and non-white residents live in a nature-deprived area.Nan Cumming, executive director of Portland Parks Conservancy, and Tom Farrell, director of parks and recreation for the Town of Brunswick, discuss what they are doing to bridge the nature gap and provide accessible green space for their communities. The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

Pride Month in June  is an opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the progress made since the Stonewall Riots beginning on June 28, 1969,  in New York City. But there is still work to be done for Maine's transgender community. Quinn Gormley, executive director of Maine Transgender Network, discusses the issues transgender people in Maine face and the additional challenges for older transgender people and those living in rural communities.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.

For 40 years, Downeast Salmon Federation has worked to bring the Atlantic salmon fishery back to Maine's rivers.Executive Director Dwayne Shaw and founding board member Joe Robbins talk about technological and regulatory advancements and how the organization has worked to support the fishery over the past four decades.The "Maine Ties" theme is "Blue Heron" by 317 Main.