The Suburban Women Problem Red Wine and Blue

This week, we’re celebrating libraries! Not only do librarians help kids (and adults) find the books they need, libraries are a vital “third space” in our communities. They provide resources and information, they promote inclusivity, and they’re a place where we can spend time with one another. Our hosts are joined by Carrie Wardzinski, a librarian and mom in Pennsylvania, who shares why she was drawn to the profession and what we can do to support our local libraries.

After that, Jasmine gets the chance to sit down with amazing best-selling author Jodi Picoult. Many of Jodi’s books are facing bans around the country, so she and Jasmine chat about why book bans are so dangerous and what’s really behind them. Jodi also shares where she gets the ideas for her novels and why she thinks fiction is such a valuable way to tackle big issues like abortion, school shootings, and trans rights.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to powerful stories, family hikes, and new experiences in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

Speaking of banned books, next month’s Banned Book Club is all about Jonathan Evison’s book Lawn Boy - one of the most commonly banned books in the country. We’d love for you to join us on June 7th at 7:30pm Eastern for this free virtual event. You can learn more and register to attend here: https://go.redwine.blue/v9n.
For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!
Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA
Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA
Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA
YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

This week, we did something we’ve never done before: we recorded a live episode in front of our listeners! It was so fun to celebrate our 100th episode with Heather Cox Richardson, some special Troublemakers, women from Red Wine & Blue, and most importantly… all of you!

Our lovely hosts - Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein - shared some reflections about imposter syndrome, all the conversations we’ve had in the past two years, and of course the Republican Party’s “suburban women problem.” Then we chatted with everyone’s favorite historian, Heather Cox Richardson, about the origins of Mother’s Day, the connections between reproductive rights and democracy, and the history of women shaping politics and the world.

After that we were joined by Julie Womack, Chief Organizing Officer for Red Wine & Blue, along with her college-aged daughter Sydney! Julie and Sydney share a love of politics and their community, and they talked about what initially inspired them to get involved. Julie also shared more about Red Wine & Blue’s new initiative The Freedom To Parent 21st Century Kids. Because right now, a small but vocal minority of parents are claiming to speak for everyone and it’s time for mainstream parents to call BS. You can learn more about Freedom To Parent, including all of the fun and informative events we’re planning, by going to go.redwine.blue/SWPF2P.

And finally, before we wrapped up our event, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raised a glass to Mother’s Day, all the women who inspire them, and all the Troublemakers out there in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.” And this week, Heather joined us with a toast of her own: to finishing her brand-new book!

We now have some exciting Suburban Women Problem merchandise to share with you as well! There are stickers, t-shirts, and even “Toast to Joy” champagne flutes to rep your love for the pod. You can check it out here: go.redwine.blue/SWPmerch.

Thanks again for joining us for 100 episodes! We can't wait for 100 more!
For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!
Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA
Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA
Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA
YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

We’re not gonna sugarcoat it - this week, we’re mad. We’re mad that every episode, there’s a new mass shooting to discuss, like some horrible version of Groundhog Day. We’re mad that politicians, even Democratic ones, don’t seem to be taking any action to fix it. We’re mad that a few extremist parents have been controlling the narrative and taking away books, lessons, and conversations from mainstream moms… like the ones who host this podcast! So Red Wine & Blue is calling BS and launching a new initiative called “The Freedom to Parent 21st Century Kids.”

We’re joined by our very own Katie Paris, the founder of Red Wine & Blue, to tell us more about this Freedom to Parent program. It’s going to involve fun events, opportunities to talk to other moms and ask questions, a Banned Bookmobile, and so much more. We can’t wait for politicians to address these issues around “parents’ rights”; as usual, it’s up to moms themselves to advocate for their kids. As Katie says, the real world isn’t gonna stop being real; it’s just a matter of whether our kids are ready to thrive in it.

After that, Jasmine chats with Chasten Buttigieg, our second-ever guest on the podcast! Chasten and Jasmine catch up about how they’ve been for the past two years, how much Chasten loves being a parent, and the new version of his memoir that he just released for young adult readers called “I Have Something To Tell You.” There are lots of ways to support LGBTQ kids in your community, like starting your own PFLAG chapter or just buying them a copy of Chasten’s book! You can pre-order his book or buy a ticket for his in-person book tour at ChastenWrites.com.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to the end of the semester, the future mayor of Akron Shammas Malik, and of course to women getting together to make change in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

This was the last regular episode before our 100th episode live event! If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you only have a few more days. The event will be happening on Monday May 15th and you can find tickets here. We also have a brand-new “I’m Part of The Suburban Women Problem” t-shirt for purchase! You can rep your love for the pod here. Thanks so much for joining us and we can’t wait to celebrate 100 episodes with you.
For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!
Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA
Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA
Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA
YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

“America is a melting pot” gets said a lot. But that implies that we’re all melting down our differences and becoming the same thing. Instead, we might think of America as a salad: many different cultures, all existing together in the same bowl. Our diversity is our strength, and that’s what we’re celebrating today.

Our Troublemaker of the day is Erika Marquardt, a high school student in Ohio who helped plan her school’s diversity event called “Many Cultures, One Bison.” Erika shares why it was important to her to celebrate diversity, what the response was like from the adults in her community, and why it’s important to start these discussions at home. Just like adults taking DEI trainings at their workplaces, the work doesn’t begin and end on one day; it’s a mindset and a lifetime of learning.

After that, Rachel sits down with Liz Sohyeon Kleinrock, an anti-racism and anti-bias educator. She and Rachel chat about some misconceptions about DEI trainings, what it really means to be an ally, and how her own personal experiences and identities have shaped her work. They also talk about AAPI Heritage Month and celebrate some amazing Asian-American women in history. To learn more about Liz’s work, you can visit her website at teachandtransform.org.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to community events, Sherrod Brown, and The Renew Democracy Initiative in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

It’s hard to believe, but we’ve recorded almost 100 episodes of The Suburban Women Problem. So to celebrate, we’re hosting a live virtual event with our very first guest, rockstar historian Heather Cox Richardson! The event will be happening on Monday May 15th and you can purchase tickets here.
For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!
Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA
Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA
Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA
YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

We all want to do our part to change the world, and little changes add up. But sometimes we get inspired to pivot and make a big change… and that’s what today’s episode is all about!

After a dive into the news (seriously, how is there so much breaking news every week?), Amanda, Jasmine, and Rachel are joined by Jill Jonassen. Jill creates videos and hosts Twitter Lives for Red Wine & Blue, but she didn’t always work in politics. After Trump’s election, she went on a journey that started with getting more involved with school boards and brought her to the work she does today. You can read Jill’s Op-Ed here and learn more about her Live conversations here.

And after that, Amanda sits down for a chat with Adeline Koh. While on sabbatical from her job as a race and gender studies professor, Adeline started a beauty company called Sabbatical Beauty. Like Jill, she was nervous to quit her job and start something new, but she knew she wanted to dedicate her work to the causes she believes in. Sabbatical Beauty has supported many progressive causes and now they’re partnering with Red Wine & Blue on their “Beauty Is Political” line.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to unexpected but necessary conversations, husbands, Hawaii, and moms supporting moms in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

It’s hard to believe, but we’ve recorded almost 100 episodes of The Suburban Women Problem. So to celebrate, we’re hosting a live virtual event with our very first guest, rockstar historian Heather Cox Richardson! The event will be happening on Monday May 15th and you can purchase pre-sale tickets here.
For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!
Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA
Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA
Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA
YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

April is Earth Month, which makes this the perfect time to talk about the environment and climate change. Justice and democracy are so important, and we can’t stop talking about them, but at the end of the day, we all need a planet to live on if we want that justice and democracy to thrive. So this week, Rachel and Jasmine are joined by guest host Malynda Hale to discuss the news, climate change, and why talking to our friends – and our elected representatives – about our values is so important.

We’re joined by Felice Stadler, the Vice President of Government Affairs with the Audubon Society. Felice shares why she’s made a career out of working for climate justice, the overlaps between bird conservation and environmentalism, and why suburban women are the perfect people to get loud about Mother Earth.

And after that, Jasmine has an amazing chat with Nivi Achanta, the founder of The Soapbox Project, a newsletter and media platform that helps busy people take action on climate change. It can be hard to know where to start on an issue as big as climate change, but Nivi’s newsletter breaks it into bite-sized pieces that anyone can do. She and Jasmine also talk about the really important concept of the Values/Perception Gap. Basically, most of us walk through life thinking that we’re the only one who cares about the climate, social justice, or our communities. But research shows that actually, most people do care! So don’t be afraid to start a conversation about the climate… chances are, you have more in common with others than you think.

Finally, Rachel, Malynda and Jasmine raise a glass to finished projects, New Orleans and meeting other elected officials, and finding connections beyond politics in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

It’s hard to believe, but we're almost at 100 episodes of The Suburban Women Problem! So to celebrate, we’re hosting a live virtual event with our very first guest, rockstar historian Heather Cox Richardson. The event will be happening on Monday May 15th and you can purchase pre-sale tickets here.
For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!
Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA
Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA
Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA
YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA