We’re excited to release the second episode of Carolina Changemakers, the North Carolina Justice Center’s new podcast!

Carolina Changemakers features interviews with North Carolinians working to make our state a more just and equitable place. Our guests are community leaders, advocates, and organizers working on housing, healthcare, criminal justice reform, education, workers’ rights, immigration, and more. Join us as we dive into these stories and get to know the people behind the issues.

Episode 2: Fr. Javier Almendárez-Bautista

In this episode, we sat down with Fr. Javier Almendárez-Bautista to talk about ONE Wake, a non-partisan, multi-ethnic, multi-issue group of religious congregations, associations, and other non-profits in Wake County.

ONE Wake focuses on affordable housing—a pressing issue that grows more urgent as Wake County’s population increases and the cost of living spikes drastically. Join us as we discuss how ONE Wake got started, how Fr. Almendárez-Bautista got involved in this work, why affordable housing is so necessary for our communities to thrive, what can be done to address the housing crisis, and more. 

Note: This episode was recorded in June 2024 before the assassination attempt against former President Trump. Although electoral issues are discussed broadly in this episode, the conversation does not address the discourse around political violence and the upcoming election.