Jul 31, 2026 · 35 min · 9 segments
Kristine Frost grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, in the years when General Motors was pulling out and the families left behind built their own support systems out of mac and cheese, popsicles, and each…
Kristine FrostGuest
Jacqueline V. TwillieHostIn our last conversation, you and I discussed your grandmother and how she was a pillar, an example.
Can you tell us the story of your grandmother and the impact on your life?

So my grandmother, Vienna Erickson, she spent probably the last half of her life in the city of Pontiac.

She was a nurse, and when nursing was no longer an option for her, she became a manager of a government-subsidized community where I spent a lot of my youth time.

And she was someone who I knew her in the years where her health was very much declining.

But she had suffered a lot of heart attacks and strokes, but it didn't matter.

She made sure that she showed up to work to help community members, refugees, immigrants, people who didn't have money work.

And so you can imagine this woman who's, who's, who's really in ill health and all she wanted to do was help people.

And that made an impact seeing that day in and day out closest family member I've ever had.
That influence shaped your philanthropy growing up in a community with different cultures, shaped your philanthropy.
In our last conversation, you and I discussed your grandmother and how she was a pillar, an example.
Can you tell us the story of your grandmother and the impact on your life?

So my grandmother, Vienna Erickson, she spent probably the last half of her life in the city of Pontiac.

She was a nurse, and when nursing was no longer an option for her, she became a manager of a government-subsidized community where I spent a lot of my youth time.

And she was someone who I knew her in the years where her health was very much declining.

But she had suffered a lot of heart attacks and strokes, but it didn't matter.

She made sure that she showed up to work to help community members, refugees, immigrants, people who didn't have money work.

And so you can imagine this woman who's, who's, who's really in ill health and all she wanted to do was help people.

And that made an impact seeing that day in and day out closest family member I've ever had.
That influence shaped your philanthropy growing up in a community with different cultures, shaped your philanthropy.
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