How To Not Lose Your Sh!t

Red Wine & Blue
  • 4.7 (889)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. Neighbors vs. Data Centers (with Cathy Becker and Annette Singh)

    2D AGO

    Neighbors vs. Data Centers (with Cathy Becker and Annette Singh)

    This week on the pod, we talked to two women in Ohio who have been fighting back against an Amazon data center in their neighborhood. Cathy has been doing environmental advocacy for many years, and young mom Annette has only recently gotten involved, but they both agreed that it was only through the help of one another -- and their entire community -- that they've been able to make a difference. But let's back up, shall we? We've heard terms like "AI" and "data centers" thrown around a lot lately, but so many of us don't know exactly what a data center even is, let alone why it would be harmful to our neighborhood! Cathy and Annette did a great job of explaining what they are, how swiftly they can be built (often without neighbors even being informed), and why we should be concerned. And as always, we heard that our relationships with one another aren't just the key to effective action. They're also the key to not losing our sh!t. If you're worried about a data center being built in your area, or you just want to know more, don't miss this episode! And don't forget to contact your Senators to stop the SAVE Act! We can help you here. 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

    35 min
  2. Join The Mr. Rogers Resistance (with Amanda Litman)

    MAR 4

    Join The Mr. Rogers Resistance (with Amanda Litman)

    Last year, Amanda Litman and her husband hosted a dinner party every Saturday. She was skeptical going into it, as an introvert and the mom of two young kids, but after a just a few weeks she realized it was one of the best decisions she’s ever made. Not only that, she says it was the most political thing she did in 2025. To really appreciate that statement, you have to understand that Amanda has devoted her professional life to politics. She’s the leader and co-founder of Run For Something, an organization that helps young and diverse people run for office, and the author of When We’re in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership. She is a Political Person with two capital P’s. And yet — and yet! — Amanda still says that her 52 dinner parties were more powerful than all of that. Sharing conversations with our neighbors and building community are the most political actions we can take. We’ve already seen it play out in places like Minneapolis, where neighbors have been supporting each other through the violent ICE occupation. This has been a chaotic and painful year, but folks have been getting through it by extending a hand to their community and asking, “How can I help?” Okay, so connecting with our neighbors and being kind to each other is political. That makes sense. But… 52 dinner parties? How did she manage it? Did she really cook every week? Did she get help with childcare? Did she agonize over who to invite and the seating plan? In the end, Amanda answered all of these questions (and more) so convincingly that Katie and LaFonda committed to hosting their own dinner party this month! Check out this week’s episode of How To Not Lose Your Sh!t to learn how you too can join the Mr. Rogers Resistance. 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

    38 min
  3. Get Off The Doomsday Express (with Holli Holliday)

    FEB 25

    Get Off The Doomsday Express (with Holli Holliday)

    In 2024, Win With Black Women held a Zoom call with 44,000 women that raised 1.5 million dollars for Kamala Harris in just 3 hours. You might remember a number of similar Zoom calls around that time, from White Women Answer The Call to White Dudes For Harris, but Win With Black Women was the original. They were the blueprint. That 2024 call wasn’t a one-time thing, either — every Sunday night, Win With Black Women hosts a call where women can learn from each other and be in community. And that spirit of collectivism, community and joy shines in every word we heard from Holli Holliday on the pod this week. Holli is the co-convener of Win With Black Women as well as the president of Sisters Lead, Sisters Vote. She shared some great news with us about how Black women candidates are winning elections across the country — and not just in majority Black districts. They’re winning everywhere. Holli’s full of joy and hope, but it’s not in a bland Pollyanna sort of way. She says that despite the national narratives of doom and hopelessness, she’s been seeing more and more everyday acts of kindness. When we share our stories and our resources with each other, we’re all lifted up in the process. Here's to getting off the Doomsday Express! 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

    37 min
  4. Courage and Love (with Minnesota moms)

    FEB 18

    Courage and Love (with Minnesota moms)

    This week, we were joined on the podcast by two moms in suburban Minneapolis. Their upbringings were very different: Stef is a white woman from a small town in southern Minnesota and Nina grew up in Somalia, where her father was a political prisoner. But this year, these two friends are standing side by side to protect their community against ICE. Their friendship was so sweet (each insisting that the other is the true inspiration) but it’s also strategic: strong connections between neighbors and friends is how Minnesota has stood up against this year’s ICE invasion. Stef and Nina confirmed all of the amazing stories we’ve been hearing. In -25 degree weather, Minnesotans are out protesting. They’re collecting diapers and groceries for families who are too scared to leave their homes. They’re even riding on school busses to make sure that kids get to school safe. Nina says it’s what her adoptive state is all about. “In this community, we pray together. We share resources with one another. We take care of each other. Everybody is trying to help and stand up for their next door neighbor. Words cannot say how I how I feel about that, and that makes me wanna do more. We are all in this together and feeling this fear, but it turned out to be a strength and inspiration. It’s amazing. I feel abundance every night when I go to bed.” This is coming from a woman whose family escaped a violent dictator, only to experience that fear again now in America. Nina’s positivity and love for her neighbors radiated from her throughout the interview and reminded us that this is the America we’re fighting to save. If you’re worried about ICE coming to your town, build those friendships now. Organize a neighborhood potluck. Set up a community Signal chat. If you have those relationships and infrastructure in place, you’ll be in a much stronger position to get through hard or even dangerous times. Don't miss this week's chat with Stef and Nina! And if you want to learn more or RSVP for our event next Tuesday about Black maternal mortality, you can do so here. 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

    27 min
  5. Carry Your Torch (with Kate Barr and Jill Barkley Roy)

    FEB 11

    Carry Your Torch (with Kate Barr and Jill Barkley Roy)

    We all know elections are important, from president to city council and school board. But have you ever heard anyone talk about running for office as self-care? We hadn’t either — until today! This week on the pod, we were joined by two inspirational women: Jill Barkley Roy and Kate Barr. Jill is the Director of Emerge Action Fund, an organization that trains women to run for office. And Kate has been fighting against gerrymandering in North Carolina for years and now, she’s actually running for office as a Republican as a genius way to beat those unfair maps. Not only did both Jill and Kate share what they’ve been doing to help women (including themselves) run for office, but they both said that the work they do is what helps them not lose their shit on a daily basis.  Jill even said that after training 25 women to run for office at a recent Emerge bootcamp, she was so excited that she couldn’t sleep. That sounds a lot better than lying awake because of nightmares about ICE! Kate, meanwhile, shared this wisdom that she first heard from a Tibetan monk about not spreading ourselves too thin. We should find our torch — the issue we care about most — and carry it in the direction we feel is right and true for as we're able. It's what she and Jill have both been doing for years. 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

    44 min

  6. FEB 4

    Unite For Springfield: ICE Out of Our Communities

    Last night, Red Wine & Blue held an emergency community meeting to support Springfield, Ohio against an impending ICE surge.  A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from ending protections for Haitians in Springield, but the fight is far from over. The Department of Homeland Security says they are taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. 15,000 Haitians in Springfield could lose their status in a matter of weeks and ICE could surge. We stood up for Springfield, Ohio, when JD Vance and Donald Trump lied about Haitians who live and work there during the 2024 campaign, and we're doing it again now. In this virtual event, we heard from local residents and legal experts, raised funds for local groups providing direct support to Haitian families in Springfield, and thousands took action, no matter where they're from. 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

    59 min
  7. At The Breaking Point (with Malynda Hale)

    JAN 28

    At The Breaking Point (with Malynda Hale)

    Americans are at a breaking point. But that breaking point looks wildly different depending on who you ask. For many of us who have been protesting and organizing against the Trump Administration since 2016, we’re at an emotional breaking point. How much suffering, how many innocent lives have to be lost, before this country turns back toward democracy? For some who supported Trump (or at least didn’t care one way or the other), it’s a moral breaking point. Confronted with clear video evidence in Alex Pretti and Renee Good’s murders, seeds of doubt are growing in former MAGA faithfuls. Women in particular, regardless of political party, do not support ICE’s brutality. And some lifelong activists, especially Black women, are at a breaking point too. After years of not being listened to, it’s hard to graciously welcome the “Johnny-come-lately”s whose minds were only changed when a white man was murdered. That frustration is so understandable. But we can’t afford to turn people away — no matter how early or late they’ve joined the fight. That’s not to say that there shouldn’t be accountability! But as our pod guest Malynda Hale said to a woman who had posted on Threads that she was leaving MAGA, “Welcome, good for you, let’s get to work cause you have a lot to help fix.” This week’s conversation between Malynda and LaFonda explores that tension between accountability and welcoming people to the cause. Malynda is also the Executive Director of The New Evangelicals, an organization that’s redefining what it means to be an evangelical Christian in America. Her chat with LaFonda goes deep on so many of these topics and more — we hope it helps you not lose your shit! Speaking of redefining Christianity, we're holding a virtual event about Christian Nationalism on Thursday, January 29 at 7:30pm ET. You can learn more and RSVP here. 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

    41 min
  8. Stand Together (with Heather Cox Richardson)

    JAN 21

    Stand Together (with Heather Cox Richardson)

    On the one-year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, we are exhausted and anxious. That’s why we’re turning to our favorite historian Heather Cox Richardson to help us reflect on the year and how we can and must continue to stand strong together.  This conversation is not just about naming what’s gone wrong; it is also about recognizing what’s beginning to shift. Heather shared why the tide may be turning as cracks form in the MAGA movement and more people are rejecting extremism in favor of humanity. Let’s start the new year talking about how we will continue to bring positive change and the power we have when we stand together.  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

    52 min
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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
    271
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 How To Not Lose Your Sh!t
  • Show Website
    How To Not Lose Your Sh!t

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