How To Not Lose Your Sh!t

The midterm elections are only 14 weeks away and there has been a lot going on in election news - primaries all over the country, campaigning, organizing, media narratives that may or may not be true… it’s hard to keep track of it all.So this week we’re doing a “road to the midterms” episode of the pod. Amanda Weinstein and Rachel Vindman are joined by guest hosts Jess McIntosh and Julie Collins. Jess is a political strategist and Julie is the National Organizer for Red Wine and Blue, so they are a wealth of knowledge to help us all understand what is going on with the midterms… and what is at stake.And before our delightful guest hosts leave, everyone raises a glass to park rangers, family time, and incredible young activist Olivia Julianna in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Polls consistently show that “the economy” is voters’ top issue. But what do people actually mean when they say they’re worried about the economy? What IS the current state of the economy? How is it going to influence the midterms? And how does it affect suburban moms?This week, our resident economist Amanda Weinstein breaks it all down for us and makes it easy to understand. She’s joined by Jasmine Clark and guest host Beverly Batte, and together they talk through how the economy affects our everyday lives and how it’s inextricably linked to other issues like Roe v Wade, climate change, and extremism. Amanda answers some listener questions from our Facebook group SWEEP and gives some easy replies to Republican one-liners about the economy. (Spoiler: Biden does not in fact control gas prices!)Finally, Amanda, Jasmine and Bev raise a glass to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and to remembering the joy of teaching and parenting in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”The midterm elections are now only 15 weeks away! If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

If we really boil down the work we’re doing, the forces that we’re fighting against, and reduce them to one thing… it would be extremism. Whether we’re talking about January 6, mass shootings, or the fall of Roe, it all comes down to right-wing extremism. So that’s what we’re talking about today.The hosts are joined by Samantha Kutner, also known as The Proud Boys Whisperer. Samantha studies violent extremism and the gender dynamics of radicalization. She explains how extremism in the US has changed over time, the role of misogyny in these movements, and what parents can look out for to ensure their own kids aren’t being groomed online by right-wing extremists. You can find more of Samantha’s research about the Proud Boys online at the Khalifa Ihler Institute or by following her on Twitter @ashkenaz89.Then Rachel shares her interview with Kyle Spencer, the author of “Raising Them Right: The Untold Story of America's Ultraconservative Youth Movement and Its Plot for Power.” Kyle and Rachel chat about the origins of the ultra-conservative movement in this country, how the far right cares more about power than winning hearts and minds, and why right-wing extremists have been so successful in recruiting young people. “Raising Them Right” will be in bookstores on October 18.Finally, Amanda, Jasmine and Rachel raise a glass to audio books, vacations, and the importance of mental health resources during difficult times in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”The midterm elections are now only 16 weeks away! If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

It’s the 4th of July and, like a lot of Americans, we have some complicated and nuanced views on patriotism. So today, we’re releasing a special bonus episode of the podcast where we discuss what patriotism means to us. Tune in to hear Rachel Vindman, Amanda Weinstein, and Jasmine Clark discuss their thoughts and feelings about Independence Day, America, and how patriotism means working to make the United States a more perfect union… for everyone.If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here! Talking to the people in your network is the most impactful way to influence voters, and Red Wine & Blue is committed to providing everything you need to tap into this super power: training, tools, community, and support. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Lately, the news has been pretty bleak: losing our reproductive rights, seeing just how close we came to losing our democracy on January 6… there haven’t been a lot of reasons for hope. But this episode we’re changing that, because we're talking to four incredible young LGBTQ activists. As our panel moderator Jess McIntosh says, advocacy is a relay race - and these young people are already running with the baton. And if teenagers can put together marches or speak at school board meetings, how much more could we all be doing?But before we get to our youth panel, hosts Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein discuss how they’re feeling about the Roe news a few days later. They chat about how the Republican Party seems to be backpedaling because they’re realizing that overturning Roe is widely unpopular. But they aren’t going to stop trying to take away our rights, from abortion to gay marriage, so we need to keep having these conversations and organizing.Finally, our hosts raise a glass to their kids, to a little alone time, and to being in the right place at the right time in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”You can visit go.redwine.blue/roepod to get more information about how to stand up for reproductive rights. There, you can find answers to frequently asked questions and learn more about how to get involved. The court has spoken and we want to know how many suburban women are willing to join us to fight extremism.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Today, we lost rights. Tomorrow, we do whatever it takes to get them back. You can’t lose hope - that is what they want. We know that right now it seems bleak, but you CAN NOT give in to despair. We are in this together. And together, we are going to fight the extremism in this country that led to this moment.There will be a lot of opportunities for action over the next few days, but remember there is nothing more effective than talking to a friend about what is happening. It’s time for us to dig deep and tap into our networks and make sure all our friends know exactly what’s at stake. We’ll give you everything you need to get started. Sign up here. And if you need help explaining what is going on, this will help: https://go.redwine.blue/roepod. For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

This week on the pod, we’re commemorating Juneteenth. After catching up on news, Amanda Weinstein, Jasmine Clark, and Rachel Vindman talk about what Juneteenth is, why we celebrate it, and what conversations and events they've been a part of in their communities this week. With the right-wing outrage over Critical Race Theory and teaching accurate history in classrooms, it’s more important than ever to remember our past… the good, the bad, and the ugly.The hosts are then joined by Meredith Lawson-Rowe, a suburban mom in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. After winning her race for city council, Meredith has been organizing Juneteenth celebrations in her town. Then Jasmine interviews Jo Banner, who founded a nonprofit along with her twin sister called The Descendants Project. Their organization is dedicated to uplifting and protecting the descendants of enslaved people in Louisiana river parishes. Jo and Jasmine discuss Juneteenth, plantations, the legacy of slavery and how Black lives are still being disregarded in the present day.Finally, Amanda, Jasmine and Rachel raise a glass to community events, living in the moment, and a really meaningful interaction with a constituent in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here! Talking to the people in your network is the most impactful way to influence voters, and Red Wine & Blue is committed to providing everything you need to tap into this super power: training, tools, community, and support. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Today, Rachel Vindman’s husband Alex joins us to discuss the January 6 hearings. Rachel and Alex, along with Jasmine Clark and Amanda Weinstein, chat about what’s been happening at the hearings and why they’re so important. Alex answers some listener questions from our Facebook group SWEEP and at the end of the episode, Alex even gives his own Toast to Joy.If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here! Talking to the people in your network is the most impactful way to influence voters, and Red Wine & Blue is committed to providing everything you need to tap into this super power: training, tools, community, and support. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

On this episode of the pod, Amanda Weinstein, Jasmine Clark, and Rachel Vindman talk about how the fall of Roe v Wade could have some unexpected consequences for women seeking fertility treatments. They're joined by Autumn Lucy, a woman in Michigan who took a part-time job at Starbucks just because their insurance covers IVF treatments. Autumn discusses her fertility journey, just how expensive IVF is, and why it was so important to share her story with the world. Like the hosts, Autumn also has serious concerns about what the fall of Roe v Wade might mean for women who are pursuing fertility treatments.After that, Amanda sits down with Dr. Lucky Sekhon, an OB-GYN and fertility specialist. On Instagram and on her blog The Lucky Egg, she empowers women with evidenced-based information about their fertility. Dr. Lucky talks about why she’s passionate about helping women with their fertility and how she sees abortion and fertility care as equally important facets of helping women choose when and how to have a family. She also dishes about some of misconceptions and weird fertility advice she's heard.And finally, Amanda, Jasmine and Rachel raise a glass to Alex’s birthday, new puppies, and seeing each other in person last weekend in this episode's “Toast to Joy.”If you’re ready to join the Great Troublemaker Turnout, please sign up here! Talking to the people in your network is the most impactful way to influence voters, and Red Wine & Blue is committed to providing everything you need to tap into this super power: training, tools, community, and support. Suburban women are taking a stand - join us!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

On this episode of the pod, Amanda Weinstein, Jasmine Clark, and Rachel Vindman talk about sex, baby... comprehensive sex education, that is! Sex ed overlaps with every other issue we’ve been discussing this year: book bans, abortion rights, trans kids, accusations of “grooming,” even gun violence. It's clear that right-wing politicians care more about maintaining power than they do about the lives and well-being of kids.The hosts exchange stories of what they learned in sex ed and talk about why comprehensive sex ed (especially teaching consent) is so important. In fact, Jasmine has pushed for a bill in the Georgia legislature that would require consent to be taught during sex ed. (To no one’s surprise, the GA Republicans refused to even discuss the issue.)Then we’re joined by Christine and Shannon Curley, a mother/daughter duo who host a podcast called Sex Ed Debunked. Shannon and Christine discuss the shortcomings of American sex ed programs and why it’s important to include respect, consent, body autonomy, gender identity and sexual orientation - at age appropriate levels. Shannon also chats about what it’s like to host a podcast about sex with her mom! If you want to check out Sex Ed Debunked, you can find it on all major podcast platforms.After that, Rachel sits down with Jess McIntosh. Jess is a communications consultant, the co-host of Signal Boost with Zerlina Maxwell, and has been working with Advocates for Youth to stand up for abortion access, LGBTQ rights, and honest sex ed. Jess and Rachel discuss why the radical right has been using sex ed to scare suburban moms, what it means to be non-binary, the weirdest thing about being a commenter on CNN, and so much more.Finally, Amanda, Jasmine and Rachel raise a glass to military veterans and the start of summer in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”Our National Troublemaker Training with Senator Mallory McMorrow is coming up on Monday, June 6. If you’d like to join Mallory and other badass suburban moms, you can register for this event at https://go.redwine.blue/GetTrained. For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.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: @RedWineBlueUSAFacebook: @RedWineBlueUSAYouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA