How To Not Lose Your Sh!t

Red Wine & Blue
  • 4.7 (889)
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Want to know how you can make a difference without losing your sh!t? Join Katie Paris and LaFonda Cousin, two moms with very different backgrounds who together run Red Wine & Blue – an organization of over half a million diverse suburban women working together to defeat extremism. Katie, the org’s founder, has worked in political organizing for most of her career. LaFonda, the Chief People Officer, is a wellness expert on a mission to reimagine self-care.  Each week, LaFonda and Katie talk to experts and everyday women who are getting involved, building community, and feeling better in the process.

  1. 14h ago

    Katie Gave A TED Talk! (with Kelly Stoetzel)

    On June 13th in Philadelphia, Red Wine & Blue founder Katie Paris did something she'd never done before: give a TED talk. Three months later, her speech on breaking the old D.C. rules about politics is finally available for everyone to watch! Today on the podcast, Katie was joined by her TED coach, Kelly Stoetzel, along with Stacy Kunkel, our Deputy Program Director in PA who was on the ground at TED Democracy. They chatted about imposter syndrome, what it was like being around so many people who are passionate about democracy, and how we can mentally prepare ourselves for the hard work of the midterms. You can watch Katie's TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/katie_paris_campaigns_spend_millions_to_influence_voters_this_works_better Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Katie Gave A TED Talk! (with Kelly Stoetzel)

  2. Sep 9

    How To Protect Voting Rights (with Stacey Abrams)

    Are you worried about voting rights going into this year's midterm elections? We are too. But just being worried doesn't fix the problem. In fact, if we let it make us lose our sh!t, that worry can keep us from taking real action to protect our rights. Luckily, Stacey Abrams is *the* expert on all things voting. She joined us a few weeks ago for a virtual event where she helped us understand how extremists are trying to take away our right to vote and what we can do to stop it. She shared that there are three important questions to ask: Can you register and stay on the rolls? Can you cast a ballot? And does that ballot get counted? Each of these three questions comes with its own challenges and solutions, but -- crucially -- they help us take action. As Stacey said, "we see villains coming together, and we think the villains have won. But we have power too. And when you believe that we have the ability to be the heroes in our own stories, to be the hero for someone else, then we are not as daunted by the villains." Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    How To Protect Voting Rights (with Stacey Abrams)

  3. Sep 2

    Take the Risk! (with Karen West)

    Today we're getting back to our local organizing roots with Karen West, the leader of a Red Wine & Blue Network group in Pennsylvania. She recently held a talent show and raised $2000 for a local charity that helps immigrants and refugees -- which for an organization of their size, means more than their year's operating budget! It would be inspiring enough to see Karen organize a creative event to benefit immigrants in her community, but there's another layer: she was going through a really difficult time in her personal life as her husband was in hospice. Karen cared so much about this fundraiser, it took her sister and an RWB organizer to convince her to postpone the event. And when her group finally held the talent show, of course, it was a rousing success. Let's keep making sure to take care of ourselves and the other "givers" in our lives! We CAN do this work without burning out. On this episode, we also shared good local news about voting rights in Ohio, a judge siding with students over their schools being renamed after Confederate generals, and bipartisan victories over Flock surveillance cameras. To reach us directly, email us at comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media: Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Take the Risk! (with Karen West)

  4. Aug 26

    Putting The "Ick"... Back Into Politics? (with Bennett Rea)

    Red Wine & Blue is all about taking the "ick" out of politics. We believe that the best way to improve this country is to build community and listen to our neighbors rather than out-of-touch politicians or influencers who just want to make us mad. Our guest this week, Bennett Rea (aka Cookin' With Congress), is doing something a little different. We couldn't stop laughing about how he's putting the "ick" *back* into politics. But not in the way you think! He's not platforming billionaires or feeding the outrage machine. Instead, he's cooking. On Cookin' With Congress, Bennett makes historical recipes from presidents, first ladies, and Congresspeople. And many of these recipes are inarguably... icky. We're talking mayo and jello salad, possum, and more liquor than you can imagine. His goal is to show how these powerful figures, from Andrew Jackson to RFK Jr., are really just people at the end of the day. Weird people with strange tastes, maybe, but people all the same. They're not untouchable. And actually, maybe a lot of them shouldn't have had that much power in the first place. Katie and LaFonda had such a fun chat with Bennett. But it wasn't all laughs -- we also discovered how a show that isn't technically partisan can actually be very political. We also started a new segment this week with the Good News You Might've Missed! Americans across the country have been winning against MAGA in school board races, cancelled Flock contracts, and so many places that aren't making headlines. Positive political news, laughter, and community are all helping us not lose our sh!t. To reach us directly, email us at comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media: Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Putting The "Ick"... Back Into Politics? (with Bennett Rea)

  5. Aug 19

    Women Can Figure This Out (with Sara Wiles)

    This week, we were lucky enough to sit down with Sara Wiles: a mom, entrepreneur, political activist, and content creator. Whether it's reaching millions of people on Instagram or door-knocking for a local candidate, Sara is using her time and energy for good. In an age where "influencers" are often (rightfully) dismissed as shallow or opportunistic, Sara is doing the real work and making a serious difference. She shared how the personal messages she receives give her the hope to keep going, how she approaches political disagreements with a MAGA family member, and how she spurs her followers into taking tangible political action. More than anything, we came away from this conversation in awe of the power of women. Our country is in a tight spot right now, but we know women can figure this out -- women like Sara, her team, her local candidates, and the generations who have fought for our freedom. ---- Red Wine & Blue is a sisterhood of diverse communities working to change the world together. We help you make meaningful connections, organize in your community, and become more effective than you ever imagined. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!  Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Women Can Figure This Out (with Sara Wiles)

  6. Aug 12

    You're Never Alone (with Carrie Dix)

    We're continuing the theme of women in the South fighting for democracy this week, and Red Wine & Blue Network leader Carrie Dix is such an inspiration. She lives in Georgia, surrounded by Republican voters, but she's connecting hundreds of other women with political actions that matter... and, just as importantly, with one another. It's hard feeling isolated with no one who shares your values, but as we discuss in this episode, you're never alone. If you feel like a blue dot in a sea of red, we guarantee that there are other people in your community who feel the same as you. For Carrie, it's even more important to have that fellowship because her own husband is a three-time Trump voter. We so admire Carrie's grit and determination to lead this Network group despite all of the forces she's up against. We're also joined this week by Sarah Goodman, our RWB Network South organizer, filling in for LaFonda Cousin. Sarah recently went on an organizing road trip through Georgia where she met dozens of organizers like Carrie. We've got a little over 80 days until the midterms now, and it's local groups like Carrie's that are going to carry us over the finish line. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!  Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    You're Never Alone (with Carrie Dix)

  7. Aug 5

    We're Not Abandoning The South (with Amanda's Mild Takes)

    Amanda Nelson has become a political powerhouse without really meaning to. After Trump's second inauguration, she started posting online as Amanda's Mild Takes, sharing stories from history alongside Trump's failures and losses. Now, she has almost 2 million fans. What was so striking, however, was just how many of her perspectives were shared by Red Wine & Blue! Amanda emphasized the importance of local politics and relational organizing -- aka talking to our friends and family about politics. She was truly singing from our songbook. Amanda's relational organizing is playing out in her Y'all Vote initiative, where she's recruiting small content creators in the South to share information about voting with their audiences. Whether it's a small-town bakery posting resources about registration or someone talking to their neighbor in person about the importance of voting, it all comes down to those real authentic connections. We're not abandoning our neighbors, whether it's women in the South, other red states, the suburbs, religious groups, or anyone else. We're not throwing our hands up or calling any community a lost cause. We're all Americans, we share so many values, and it's only by working together that we can create a better nation. For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!  Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    We're Not Abandoning The South (with Amanda's Mild Takes)

  8. Jul 29

    Rest is Productive (with "Anti-Career Coach" Danielle Roberts)

    While presenting at TED Democracy last month, Katie Paris met a fellow presenter named Danielle Roberts. Danielle calls herself an "anti-career coach" and is all about dealing with burnout, finding a better balance, and how to follow our passion. Katie had such great conversations with her at TED that we knew we needed to bring Danielle to the pod to share those conversations with our community. And Danielle didn't disappoint! She gave some valuable advice about how we can feel more fulfilled in our work and tools to re-evaluate whether we should be doing another kind of work entirely! And her advice isn't limited to traditional jobs with a 40-hour workweek -- it can apply to parenting, volunteering, relationships, or anything else in our life that we care about deeply but can burn us out. Danielle was an amazing balance point between our resident workaholic Katie and our self-care advocate LaFonda. Whether you work full-time, you're retired, your activism is your work, your family is your work, or anything in between, there's something for everyone to learn from Danielle's wisdom. For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!  Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Rest is Productive (with "Anti-Career Coach" Danielle Roberts)
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About

Want to know how you can make a difference without losing your sh!t? Join Katie Paris and LaFonda Cousin, two moms with very different backgrounds who together run Red Wine & Blue – an organization of over half a million diverse suburban women working together to defeat extremism. Katie, the org’s founder, has worked in political organizing for most of her career. LaFonda, the Chief People Officer, is a wellness expert on a mission to reimagine self-care.  Each week, LaFonda and Katie talk to experts and everyday women who are getting involved, building community, and feeling better in the process.

Information

  • Creator
    Red Wine & Blue
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    299
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 How To Not Lose Your Sh!t
  • Show Website
    How To Not Lose Your Sh!t

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