Compassion isn’t just a "soft-skill to meeting people right where they are—it’s the foundation that makes real change possible.In this episode, we’re joined by Maya Jaquez, a community health worker in Central Oregon with THRIVE Central OR, whose work beautifully illustrates the power of combining skilled communication with genuine human connection. Maya shares how compassion shows up in her day-to-day practice and why meeting people with empathy, respect, and curiosity is essential to effective motivational interviewing.Together, we explore how compassionate presence builds trust, strengthens engagement, and supports individuals in navigating complex health and life challenges. Whether you’re a community health worker, clinician, or anyone engaged in helping conversations, this episode offers practical insight and inspiration for bringing both heart and skill into your work.In This Episode, We Discuss:-Why compassion is central to effective motivational interviewing-How skilled communication and empathy work together to build trust-What it looks like to truly meet people where they are-Real-world reflections from community health work in Central Oregon-Practical ways to lead conversations with dignity and respectAbout Our GuestMaya Jaquez is a community health worker with THRIVE Central OR, supporting individuals and families across Central Oregon. Her work centers on compassionate care, skillful communication, and empowering people to make changes that align with their values and lived experiences.

Music:

"Blue Sky Mind" - Trevor Hall On Apple

"We Breathe The Same Air" - Jay Pinto On Apple

“Jesus didn’t just talk about peace—he organized a movement of nonviolence.” (Fr John Dear)

In this episode, we welcome Father John Dear, renowned peace activist, author, and longtime advocate of Gospel nonviolence. Together we explore what Jesus actually taught about peace, compassion, and resistance—and how those teachings have been transformed over time. Fr. John connects the radical nonviolence of Jesus to the work of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and contemporary movements for justice. The conversation highlights the essential role of youth, the centrality of grief as a doorway to compassion, and the urgent need for communities committed to nonviolence as a way of life.

This episode invites listeners to reimagine Christianity as a movement of active, courageous love—one capable of abolishing war, dismantling poverty, and healing our world.

• Jesus’ original teachings were rooted in radical nonviolence, enemy-love, and universal compassion.

• Over centuries, cultural and political forces shifted Christianity away from this foundation.

• Recovering Jesus’ nonviolence is essential for the future of faith and the planet.

• Nonviolence is not passive—it’s courageous truth-telling, creative resistance, and protection of life.

• Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. modeled how Jesus’ teachings transform societies.

• Young people bring moral clarity, energy, and boldness.

• Fr. John emphasizes equipping youth with the vision and tools of nonviolence to shape a more hopeful future.

• How we read scripture determines how we understand Jesus.

• A nonviolent lens reveals a consistent message of love, justice, and mercy.

• Peace work cannot be done alone—friendship, solidarity, and shared practice sustain the movement.

• Communities of nonviolence generate hope even in bleak times.

• Personal and collective grief can deepen our empathy and commitment to justice.

• Rather than shutting down, grief can move us toward courageous action.

• Fr. John challenges us to imagine—and work toward—a world where war is unthinkable and poverty is unnecessary.

• This vision mirrors Jesus’ call to build the “Beloved Community.”
  Key Themes & Takeaways

  1. The Nonviolent Jesus

  2. Nonviolence as Active Love

  3. Youth as Catalysts for Change

  4. The Power of Perspective

  5. Hope Through Community

  6. Grief as a Pathway to Compassion

  7. Abolishing War & Poverty

Notable Quotes From Fr. John Dear

• “Nonviolence is not a tactic. It’s a way of life.”

• “Jesus didn’t just talk about peace—he organized a movement of nonviolence.”

• “Grief is not a weakness. It’s how our hearts learn to love more boldly.”

• “If we believe war is inevitable, we will never imagine peace. But Jesus invites us to imagine everything made new.”
  

  Music Provided By:

  ⁠Trevor Hall "Blue Sky Mind" ⁠

  ⁠Jay Pinto "We Breathe The Same Air" ⁠

  
  

  
  

In this episode of the One Breath Podcast, host Greg Mead sits down with Antonio Becerra, SriPonya Collective’s Director of Men’s Recovery and the visionary lead behind our new re-entry initiative, Brothers in Progress.

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Antonio brings deep lived experience to this work. Having spent years entangled in gang life, drug trafficking, and ultimately serving a term in federal prison, he understands firsthand the cycles of harm, survival, and disconnection that so many men face. His story is one of grit, transformation, and the healing power of community.

• Antonio’s early life and the forces that drew him into gangs and hustling
  

• His experience in federal prison and what catalyzed his desire for change
  

• The unexpected turning points that began his recovery journey
  

• The emotional and spiritual work of rebuilding identity after incarceration
  

• Why re-entry support is essential to breaking cycles of trauma and recidivism
  

• How Brothers in Progress was born and what makes SriPonya’s approach unique
  

• The role of compassion, mentorship, and belonging in sustained recovery
  

• Antonio’s work today supporting people returning from prison and those living with addiction
  

SriPonya’s new re-entry program, Brothers in Progress, centers dignity, relationship, and healing. It offers mentorship, recovery support, community integration, and pathways to meaningful opportunity for men returning home from incarceration. Antonio shares how the program is shaped by the wisdom of lived experience and the belief that every person is capable of profound change.

This episode shines a light on the realities of re-entry, the impact of trauma on men’s lives, and the redemptive power of showing up for one another. Antonio’s story is a reminder that transformation is possible—and that healing happens in community, one breath at a time.

A HUGE Thank You To

Trevor Hall : Intro Music “Blue Sky Mind”

Jay Pinto : Outro Music “We Breathe The Same Air”