The Charlotte Ledger Podcast25 Okt 2025

How Charlotte’s legal advocates are weathering a funding storm, with Larissa Mañón Mervin

When federal funding cuts and grant freezes hit local nonprofits, many in Charlotte’s safety-net community were forced to make painful choices. One of them, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, has spent decades standing up for the region’s most vulnerable residents — and now finds itself navigating a financial and moral test of its own.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, The Ledger’s Lindsey Banks talks with Larissa Mañón Mervin, the organization’s new CEO and its first permanent woman and Latina leader. Mervin explains the toll of federal disruptions, the community partnerships keeping services alive, and why access to civil legal aid remains essential for thousands of Mecklenburg County residents.

We hope you enjoy the conversation with Larissa Mañón Mervin. For more information on the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, please visit CharlotteLegalAdvocacy.org.

Today’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc. Looking for child care? Our team provides guidance every step of the way! Search online at www.FindChildCareNC.org or call 1-888-600-1685 for live assistance and free, customized referrals.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks. For more information on The Charlotte Ledger or to subscribe to our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thecharlotteledger.com/subscribe

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