Greater Augusta's Interfaith Coalition

09/02/2026

THE NEW EPISODE OF LOCAL MATTERS IS OUT NOW!
“When Doctors Get It Wrong”

This week’s guest is Ellen Lubensky, Esq., an attorney and mental health reform advocate working at the intersection of law, patient rights, and psychiatric care accountability.

You can watch and listen to the full episode on YouTube and SoundCloud.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/chEOW2sfQQk

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/localmatterspodcast/when-doctors-get-it-wrong-1/s-msFvNCnERHT?si=3c4c622b616b415d972bb80a430616cd&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Ellen Lubensky, Esq., is an attorney and mental health reform advocate working at the intersection of law, patient rights, and psychiatric care accountability. With over 20 years of legal experience, including work in Social Security Disability and medical malpractice, she brings a legal perspective to issues surrounding informed consent, patient rights, and transparency in psychiatric care. Through education, advocacy, and public engagement, Lubensky works to increase awareness of informed consent, psychiatric medication withdrawal, misdiagnosis, and the need for greater support for individuals navigating mental health treatment.

In this episode of Local Matters, Janice Allen Jackson sits down with Ellen Lubinsky to discuss her experiences with psychiatric treatment and her push for greater informed consent and patient choice.

They explore psychiatric medications and withdrawal, the cost and accessibility of therapy, the 988 system, psychiatric hospitalization, medical malpractice, Social Security disability, insurance, and the role of policy in mental healthcare.

Ellen also discusses the Mental Health Choice Project, an organization she founded to raise awareness about informed consent and choices in mental health treatment.

Website: https://ellenlubensky.com/

Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/ellen_lubensky/
https://www.facebook.com/ellen.lubensky/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenlubensky/
https://www.tiktok.com/

To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at
www.Janiceallenjackson.com
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia
Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia
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09/01/2026

Meet Ellen Lubensky, Esq! Ellen Lubensky, Esq., is an attorney and mental health reform advocate working at the intersection of law, patient rights, and psychiatric care accountability.
With over 20 years of legal experience, including work in Social Security Disability and medical malpractice, she brings a legal perspective to issues surrounding informed consent, patient rights, and transparency in psychiatric care.
Through education, advocacy, and public engagement, Lubensky works to increase awareness of informed consent, psychiatric medication withdrawal, misdiagnosis, and the need for greater support for individuals navigating mental health treatment.

Tune in this Wednesday for our new episode featuring Ellen Lubensky, Esq.

To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at
www.Janiceallenjackson.com

09/01/2026

08/26/2026

This week’s guest is Dr. Sean Gallagher, Professor of History at the University of South Carolina Columbia. He will present “Banditti of Slaves”: Patriot Slave Confiscation and Black Maroons in Revolutionary Georgia as part of the Lucy Craft Laney Museum’s America 250 series.

📅 Saturday, September 12, 2026
⏰ 5:00 PM
📍 Lucy Craft Laney Museum Conference Center
1116 Phillips Street, Augusta, GA 30901

This event is free and open to the public!

08/26/2026

THE NEW EPISODE OF LOCAL MATTERS IS OUT NOW!
“When Enslaved People Became Currency During the Revolution”

This week’s guest is Dr. Sean Gallagher, Assistant Professor of History at the University of South Carolina and a historian whose research focuses on slavery, labor, and the American Revolution.

You can watch and listen to the full episode on YouTube and SoundCloud. Pick your link below and tune in!

YouTube:https://youtu.be/0-PBsZGj3fY

SoundCloud:https://soundcloud.com/localmatterspodcast/when-enslaved-people-became/s-1u90sime3f1?si=6ae356fa546a4f42ac7577c6a0802d34&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

In this episode, Dr. Gallagher explores the role of enslaved people during the Revolutionary War, the fight for freedom, slave confiscation, forced labor, and how enslaved people were ultimately used as currency. He also discusses Black Loyalists, maroon communities, skilled labor, and the choices made during the Revolution that continue to shape how we understand America's history.

Dr. Sean Gallagher is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. He is a historian whose research focuses on slavery, labor, and the American Revolution, with particular attention to the experiences and contributions of enslaved people during the founding of the United States.
His research examines the ways Patriots and state governments depended on enslaved labor during the Revolutionary War, including shipbuilding, piloting, blacksmithing, carpentry, road construction, fortification work, hospital labor, and other skilled and unskilled trades. His work also explores the experiences of Black Loyalists who sought freedom by joining the British, as well as the confiscation and trafficking of enslaved people by Patriot forces.
A major focus of his research is marronage, the formation of communities of enslaved people who escaped bo***ge and sought refuge in difficult terrain. His work examines maroon communities along the Savannah River during and after the Revolutionary War and their connections to the broader history of Black freedom and resistance.
Dr. Gallagher earned his Ph.D. in American History from the University of California, Davis. His research began with an interest in early American labor history before leading him to investigate the central role enslaved people played in the labor systems that supported the Revolutionary War.
He is currently completing his book manuscript, Slavery’s Revolution, which is forthcoming from Penn Press. His research has also appeared in academic journals and other publications, including work on different aspects of the Black experience during the American Revolution.

To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at
www.Janiceallenjackson.com
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia
Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia
youtube.com/
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twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC
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08/19/2026

08/19/2026

THE NEW EPISODE OF LOCAL MATTERS IS OUT NOW!

“Data Centers, Public Trust & the Future of Local Government ”
Watch the full episode now and join the conversation!
This week’s guest is Mark Bowers, Senior Account Executive with GoVocal and a GovTech and community engagement professional focused on helping governments create better ways for residents to participate, share their perspectives, and have their voices heard.

You can watch and listen to the full episode on YouTube and SoundCloud. Pick your link below and tune in!

YouTube:https://youtu.be/uXhBy5kRoT4

SoundCloud:https://soundcloud.com/localmatterspodcast/data-centers-public-trust-the/s-G9YbKK8w21S?si=288979d0f5a34ea695c2399770feb7f9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

In this episode, Mark discusses public trust, government transparency, community engagement, and the growing debate surrounding data centers. They explore how local governments can create stronger two-way communication and make sure residents feel heard in the decisions that affect their communities.

To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at
www.Janiceallenjackson.com
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia
Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia
youtube.com/
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twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC
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08/12/2026

08/12/2026

The new episode of Local Matters is out now: "Only My Face Was Smiling" | Breaking the Cycle of Secrecy with Denise Benz.

In this powerful conversation, Denise Benz shares the story behind her memoir and opens up about growing up in a home that looked perfect on the outside while hiding abuse and secrecy behind closed doors. We discuss the courage it takes to speak your truth, why silence keeps so many people trapped, and how faith and resilience can lead to healing and freedom.

Click the link to watch now -
YouTube – https://youtu.be/t98rvb4muyY

SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/localmatterspodcast/only-my-face-was-smiling/s-MqgWdHMe4xm?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1&si=056F6E7DCA704C158FC324714B337842&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Denise Benz is an author, speaker, and brand strategist with more than 17 years of experience helping influential leaders, speakers, and entrepreneurs amplify their message and impact. After years of working behind the scenes with globally recognized names, Denise is now using her own voice to inspire healing through her memoir, Only My Face Was Smiling: Faith Carried Me, Secrecy Almost Broke Me.
To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at

www.Janiceallenjackson.com
Follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia
Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia
youtube.com/
Twitter:
twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC
Local Matters Podcast:
Soundcloud:

Spotify:

Apple Podcasts: