I Grabbed the Branch29 Loka 2025

Episode 5: From Barely Getting By to Building a Movement: Paige Swanstein’s Fight for Student Needs

In this powerful episode of I Grabbed the Branch, host Heather Owens sits down with Paige Swanstein — co-founder of the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) — to explore how one student’s struggle to survive became a national movement for change.

Paige opens up about working three jobs in college, skipping meals, and facing the impossible choice between rent and education. Those experiences became the roots of her advocacy: helping students meet their most essential needs so they can focus on learning, not just surviving.

Together, Heather and Paige talk about resilience, leadership, and the moment Paige realized that sharing her story could create systemic change. Listeners will hear how the SBNC grew from a student-led initiative into a nationwide network influencing policy, empowering campuses, and giving students a voice in shaping their futures.

This conversation is a reminder that change often starts with one brave voice — and that even when you’re barely getting by, you can still build something extraordinary.

🎙️ I Grabbed the Branch — real stories of resilience, purpose, and the people who turned pain into power.

Learn more about SBNC at https://www.studentbasicneeds.com/

Follow Paige and her journey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigeswanstein/

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Feeling Seen & the Future of Ellicott City

Episode Summary: Feeling Seen & the Future of Ellicott CityIn this episode of I Grabbed the Branch, I share a deeply personal reflection on what it means to feel seen—as a survivor of the 2016 Ellicot...

30 Huhti 7min

Prelude to Season 2 - The Year of Refinement

After time away, this prelude episode of I Grabbed the Branch marks a return shaped by challenge, change, and reflection. As 2026 unfolds with unexpected transitions, including job loss, this episode ...

24 Huhti 1min

Bonus Episode: Where I’m Going in 2026 — A Short Reflection on Refinement

In this bonus episode, Heather shares a forward-looking reflection on the year ahead — not through resolutions, but through refinement.Grounded in the lessons of the last decade, she speaks honestly a...

25 Marras 20254min

Episode 9: Heather and the Healing Journey - 9 Years Later

Nine years after the flood that changed everything, Heather Owens reflects on how healing has unfolded—not in a straight line, but in waves. In this deeply personal episode, she opens up about losing ...

19 Marras 20255min

Episode 8: From Battlefield to Ballads: Mike’s Journey of Service, Struggle, and Song

In this powerful episode of I Grabbed the Branch, Mike opens up about his extraordinary path from the front lines of military service to the soulful world of music. Through stories of courage, healing...

12 Marras 202526min

Episode 7: Masterpiece Moments - Zahra's Journey from Pakistan to Purpose

🌿 “Healing is not linear — it’s a slow unfolding of grace.”At just 13 years old, Zahra left everything she knew behind — her home, her culture, her sense of belonging — to start over in a new country...

5 Marras 202525min

Episode 6: (Bonus Episode)- In the Midst of Grief

In this special bonus episode, Heather Owens opens up about the recent loss of her granddad — her rock and constant source of strength. It’s the first time Heather appears on camera to share what grie...

27 Loka 20255min