Pantsuit Nation Podcast

The Pantsuit Nation Podcast is taking a break! This week, Cortney and Libby reminisce about their favorite moments on the Pantsuit Nation Podcast so far, and give you some encouragement to create your own calls to action while we are gone. We give the Golden Pantsuit to a woman whose work makes the two of us very happy, and have a general fangirl moment about her. Thank you for listening! Please continue to share with your friends!

We made it! Midterms have come and gone, and Arisha Hatch from Color of Change joins Cortney to talk through some of the most critical races and ballot measures decided on Tuesday. We encourage you to find your self care, and then find the next place you plan to devote your energy, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a well deserving candidate. Subscribe and share today!

It's midterm election day! Get out there and vote! And on the way to your polling place, listen to Cortney talk to Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts 7th district Democratic Nominee for Congress. Ayanna tells us about her historic campaign, her decision to run for national office, and the young woman whose campaign inspires her. Subscribe and share today!

Today Cortney talks with Cecile Richards, former President of Planned Parenthood. We hear from Cecile about the issues that transcend geography, and what women are saying across the country about why they are so invested in the midterms. We give you a voting reminder, and award the Golden Pantsuit to a woman celebrating black women writers - and publishing a book of her own. Subscribe and share today!

This week Cortney talks to Christine Hallquist who is looking to become Vermont's next governor, and make history in the process. We also hear from Catherine Vaughan from Flippable about some amazing women running for state legislature, and she gives us tips on how you can get involved. We share more voter registration deadlines, and a bright spot for Cortney gets the Golden Pantsuit. Subscribe and share today!

This week Cortney talks to two women creating change during this critical election season. Carolyn DeWitt, President and Executive Director of Rock the Vote, shares how her organization has evolved its methods of reaching youth voters since its founding in the '90s. Deb Haaland, the Democratic Congressional Candidate for New Mexico's 1st District, talks about the needs of New Mexicans and reflects on her history making campaign to become the first Native American women to serve in congress. There are voter registration deadline reminders and the Golden Pantsuit goes to a Pantsuit Nation member putting her frustrations into song. Subscribe and share today!

Today Cortney kicks off our pre-election series of interviews with some of the incredible women running for office this year. First up is a conversation with Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, a candidate for Congress in Arizona's 8th Congressional District. We discuss the critical issues she is hearing about from the people in her district, and learn about who in her life convinced her to step up and run. Our call to action focuses on voting, and we give the Golden Pantsuit to a chef facing down an unimaginable fate with incredible bravery. Subscribe and share today!

Libby and Cortney reunite! Then Cortney talks with two people on the forefront of holding the administration accountable for its actions: Charisma Troiano and Adam Grogg of the law firm Democracy Forward. We discuss taking the administration to court, and the variety of ways that people speaking up generates hope and makes a difference for our democracy. We ask you to keep the pressure on your Senators about the Supreme Court and make sure you are registered to vote! And the Golden Pantsuit goes to one smart physicist. Listen and subscribe today!

This week, Libby talks with attorney, former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, and former policy advisor to Secretary Clinton, Sara Solow, about the Kavanaugh hearings and how the intersection of the Me Too movement and recent changes in the way Supreme Court nominees are vetted have contributed to a process that feels very far removed from what we have seen in the past. The call to action encourages listeners to contact their senators about the upcoming vote on Kavanaugh's appointment, and the Golden Pantsuit goes to a woman sharing her story to empower others. Listen and subscribe!

This week, Libby talks with María Teresa Kumar, founder and Executive Director of Voto Latino, a pioneering civic media organization that seeks to transform America by recognizing Latinos’ innate leadership. Our call to action once again focuses on the increasingly terrifying prospect of Brett Kanavaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, and the Golden Pantsuit goes to a woman dedicated to training 1 million women and girls to code by 2030. Listen and subscribe today!

This week Cortney welcomes back Sister District founder Rita Bosworth to discuss this critical moment before midterm elections. Rita shares why volunteering is so important in these final weeks and offers some tips on how to get started. We encourage you to keep up the fight for the Supreme Court, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a woman who seized her moment. Subscribe and share today!

This week, Libby and Cortney share Pantsuit Nation's ongoing and upcoming projects, as well as review a number of calls to action to jumpstart your activism as the fall begins. We give the Golden Pantsuit to a woman making history in Massachusetts. Subscribe and share today!

This week Cortney talks with Amber Goodwin, Founding Director of Community Justice Reform Coalition, about their work to reduce gun violence and reform criminal justice in communities across the country. We ask you to keep up the pressure to postpone the Kavanaugh hearings and give the Golden Pantsuit to a NASA legend who turned 100 this week! Subscribe and share today!

This week Libby and Cortney talk to Jenn Brown, Executive Director of Civic Nation. She tells us about the projects under the Civic Nation banner, and how she came to lead this organization after years in political organizing. We ask you to keep the pressure on your Senators about Kavanaugh's nomination, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a gymnastics star standing up for herself and her fellow survivors. Subscribe and share today!

This week we talk with Clinton campaign Head of Communications and author of "Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World," Jennifer Palmieri. Jennifer tells us about moving through the stages of grief and anger after the 2016 election into hope for the future, and how women are freeing themselves from the rules and restrictions established by men to effect real and permanent change in our country. We discuss more historic primary wins in Vermont, Minnesota, and Connecticut, ask our listeners to show up for congressional recess town halls, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a Mother of the Movement who has taken an inspiring next step in her career. Listen and subscribe today!

This week, Color of Change's Managing Director of Campaigns, Arisha Hatch, joins us to talk about the organization's PAC, Voting While Black, and their focus on key elections throughout the country that have the potential to measurably improve the lives of black people. We celebrate Wesley Bell's victory in St. Louis County this week, award the golden pantsuit to Beyoncé in celebration of her groundbreaking Vogue cover, and call on our listeners to take action to combat the hate that will be on display in Washington, DC this weekend. Subscribe and share!

This week, Cortney welcomes back writer and intersectional feminist Rachel Cargle to discuss her most recent experience with toxic white feminism on Instagram. Our call to action is about voting and blocking Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the Golden Pantsuit goes to one of our favorite actresses bringing a legendary story to the small screen. Subscribe and share today!

This week we talk with Kate Schatz, author of Rad American Women and Rad Girls Can, about writing-as-activism, inspiring young women and girls by sharing the stories of other young activists, and finding solidarity in collective civic action. We are still fighting against the Kavanaugh nomination, and we give the Golden Pantsuit to a verifiable genius. Subscribe and share!

This week we talk to Spread The Vote founder Kat Calvin about how her organization is working to get IDs to some of the 21 million eligible US voters who currently lack them. We learn about all the ways not having an ID can negatively affect a person's life, and the hands-on work it takes to get a person back to full participation in democracy. We encourage continued work against the recent Supreme Court nominee, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a woman making sure her shero great-grandmother finally gets the recognition she deserves. Subscribe and share today!

Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, joins us this week to discuss being a "freedom dreamer," her current work to improve the lives of black people, and the things keeping her hopeful. We talk about what we can do to #SaveSCOTUS, and give the Golden Pantsuit to the new mayor of San Francisco. Subscribe, listen, and share today!

This week we share an interview we conducted a couple of weeks ago with Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for America Progress. We discuss her experience across different administrations, and hear about times when she was the only woman - and woman of color - in the room. We share information about how talking to your senators about the upcoming supreme court nomination, and give the Golden Pantsuit to the justice department of an entire city! Subscribe and share today!

This week we talk with Leah Greenberg, Co-Executive Director of Indivisible, about the founding of her organization, her experience advising hundreds of thousands of new activists, and the ties that bind this administration's policies to intolerance. We remind you to take action this weekend to end family separation and detention, and celebrate a bright spot out of New York's 14th Congressional District with the Golden Pantsuit. Subscribe and share today!

This week we air an interview we recorded last week (in person!) with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand - and WHEW is she exciting to talk to! We hear about her rise in politics and the issues she is working on to improve lives for all Americans. Our call to action and Golden Pantsuit both focus on the fight to end family separation at the border. Subscribe and share today!

This week we are thrilled to be joined by Stephanie Schriock, the President of EMILY's List. We hear about her background, learn about EMILY, and get advice for women looking to jump in to politics for the first time. We encourage you to ask your states to defend the ACA, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a valedictorian. Subscribe and share today!

This week we are honored to be joined by Aicha Cherif and Esther de Rothschild from The Love Vote, two women using storytelling and the power of love to impact voter turnout. We highlight the need for comprehensive protections for LGBTQIA+ people, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a brave eighth grader. Subscribe and share today!

This week Cortney talks to Dr. Jalil Johnson, the CEO of Show Me Your Stethoscope, a 650K member Facebook group for nurses across the country. Jalil shares what SMYS does to support the nursing community, and we talk about what can get done when a motivated and compassionate group of people put their minds to it. Our call to action centers on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, and the Golden Pantsuit is actually a Golden Catsuit. Listen and Subscribe today!

Journalist Sarah Kendzior joins Cortney and guest host Jessika Davidson to talk about her book, The View from Flyover Country, all things threatening to democracy, and the tactics we can use to combat those threats. We ask you to help us protect women's health care access, and give the Golden Pantsuit to a fashion designer who made a splash at the Royal Wedding. Subscribe, listen and share today!

This week, Libby speaks with Jennifer Dulski, Head of Groups and Community at Facebook and the author of Purposeful: Are You a Manager or a Movement Starter?, which comes out next week. Jennifer talks about her mission to give everyone the tools they need to create powerful social change in the world, and how small actions can lead to big shifts. Our call to action focuses on the inhumane treatment of children and families at our borders, and the Golden Pantsuit goes to a young woman fighting to end child marriage (which, yes, is still a thing in the US). Listen and subscribe today!

This week we talk with Founder and CEO of Vote.org, Debra Cleaver, about the various civic engagement side hustles that lead her to her current role, and the most important thing you can do to increase voter turnout this year. Our call to action seeks to support incarcerated moms this Mother's Day, and the Golden Pantsuit goes to a top chef. Subscribe and share today!

This week we talk with activist, writer, and feminist leader Eesha Pandit, the co-founder and managing partner at The Center for Advancing Innovative Policy. She talks about the interlocking issues that affect frontline communities, and how her organization connects those narratives to policy change. Our call to action this week focuses on the #RefugeeCaravan and the need for progress on their request for asylum, and the Golden Pantsuit goes to a comedian who speaks truth to power. Listen and subscribe!

Cortney's back, and we talk to successful serial entrepreneur Cheryl Contee about her work as a digital activist and her advice for people just starting out. We focus our calls to action on the Secretary of State confirmation, and getting ready to take to the streets, and give the Golden Pantsuit to an entire Girl Scout Troop. Subscribe, Share, and Listen today!

This week, Libby speaks with Nanine McCool, a Louisianan who stood up to Tony Robbins when he tried to discredit the power of the #MeToo movement. Our calls to action focus on protecting the integrity of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and keeping pressure on lawmakers to pass common sense gun reform. And the Golden Pantsuit goes to the winner of the Boston Marathon! Listen and subscribe today.

This week we air a conversation between Cortney and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey - a woman we have long admired and hoped would be able to join us on the show. We learn firsthand what Attorneys General do for their constituents, and how AG Healey transitioned from a career as a basketball player in Europe (yup!) to the law. The Golden Pantsuit goes two women standing up for what is right, and we encourage everyone to contact their senators about an upcoming cabinet appointment. Subscribe and share today!

We are joined this week by urban planning Nina Idemudia to talk activism, policy making, and access to power. She tells us about her path to a career in urban planning (and what urban planners do!), and how she is making LA a better city from the inside-out. We also celebrate the mind-blowing clutch shots of Arike Ogunbawale in the NCAA tournament, and remind you to call your reps about the census and gun violence. Subscribe and share today!

This week we are joined by Lizzie Ulmer, Communications Director for the Democratic Attorneys General Association. She schools us in all the ways AGs affect our democracy, and tells us about how her work in gun safety led her to a career supporting Democratic AGs. We shout out a young teen using data to end mass shootings in the Golden Pantsuit, and tackle the citizenship question on the census for the call to action. Listen, subscribe, and share today!

This week we talked to J. Bob Alotta: filmmaker, media activist, and Executive Director of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. She tells us about Astraea's incredible work across the globe, and reminds us of the importance of making ourselves uncomfortable if we want to meaningfully dismantle segregation and oppression. We gear up for the March for Our Lives this weekend and give the Golden Pantsuit to the new Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue. Subscribe and listen today!

This week we talk to Elena Hung, Founder and CEO of Little Lobbyists, about how the election turned her in to an activist (we can relate). We talk about how storytelling connects her work as an activist on behalf of medically complex kids with her day job as an immigration lawyer, and how community is an essential building block for advocacy. Our Calls to Action stay on the healthcare and storytelling theme, and we award the Golden Pantsuit to a woman leading her organization to come to terms with its racist history. Listen and share today!

This week we talk to writer, storyteller, and mover and shaker Julie Kohler about the history of white women’s voting behavior, and whether we have reason to hope it might change this year and in elections to come. We welcome the return of the Golden Snowsuit and remind listeners to follow the lead of young activists around the country to demand gun reform. Listen and subscribe!

This week we talk to Leanne Pittsford, founder and CEO of Lesbians who Tech, and all around top notch badass. She tells us about the origins of her company, and how her work at Lesbians Who Tech has lead her to bringing even more members of marginalized communities in to tech jobs. We use the Golden Pantsuit to honor a young leader from Florida, and remind you that the DACA fight is ongoing.

This week, Cortney talks to Sabrina and Eunice Moyle, sisters and co-founders of Hello!Lucky, a design studio based in San Francisco, about their work bringing creativity and activism together for young woman. Their posters, cards, pins, and upcoming book, Be the Change: The Future is in Your Hands, aim to do exactly that. We have another round of Olympic Gold-en Pantsuits, and talk about actions to take around gun safety and DACA. Listen and share!

This week, we talk with Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force vet, former intelligence officer under President Obama, and now a primary candidate for Congress in Texas's 23rd District. We talk about how Texas is a microcosm for the United States at a crucial moment in our history, and how her career has prepared her to take on this next challenge. We give the Golden Pantsuits to some women who are no strangers to (Olympic) gold, and talk about protecting Dreamers and the integrity of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Listen and subscribe!

This week Cortney talks with Nadya Okamoto, a sophomore at Harvard who has started two organizations, run for city council, been honored by Teen Vogue, and hung out with Hillary Clinton. We discuss the parts of her personal story that lead her to a life in service of others, and talk about her upcoming book. The Golden Pantsuit goes to an amazing young chef who can definitely cook better than you can. Listen and subscribe today!

This week Cortney talks with Jessica Morales Rocketto, Political Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, about her career as an organizer, the historical roots of secret Facebook groups, and her connection to Pantsuit Nation. We give the Golden Pantsuit to Kesha for her powerful Grammy performance, and send you calls to action around gun safety and immigration. Listen and Subscribe!

This week we talk with Heather McGhee, President of Demos, a public policy organization working for an America where we all have an equal say in our democracy and an equal chance in our economy. She talks about the strategic importance of mainstreaming big, bold ideas that can shift power back to the people, and gives us some hope for what she sees as a watershed moment for grassroots organizing and activism. For our call to action, we focus on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and give the Golden Pantsuit to two women breaking barriers in the entertainment industry. Listen and subscribe!

This week, we talk with 16-year-old Sydney Ireland, who has been fighting for almost her entire life for the right to be a full-fledged Boy Scout after being an "unofficial" member earning "unofficial" recognition for years. Last year, the Boy Scouts finally announced their policy change, allowing girls to join the organization, but the change won't take effect by the time Sydney would be a candidate for Eagle Scout, something she's worked toward since she was a very young girl. We also talk/vent about Aziz Ansari, award the Golden Pantsuit to a fashion icon and leader for young women, and have our very last (!!) Cat Call. Listen and subscribe.

This week we are joined by Sandra Fluke, who gained nation attention when she testified before members of Congress regarding comprehensive insurance coverage for birth control and took on Rush Limbaugh and other conservative commentators. We learn what she is doing now, and how that connects to that moment in 2012. We also call up this week's Golden Pantsuit winner, Cincinnati City Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard, to talk about that iconic folding chair. Subscribe and listen today!

This week we talk with writer and feminist Rachel Cargle about how the often unacknowledged and unseen stress that black women face in our country can have devastating consequences, and about the ripple effect that online conversations can have in changing social structures in offline spaces. We have our first Cat Call of 2018, and award the Golden Pantsuit to Cardi B. Listen and subscribe!

We will be back with new full episodes in January 2018! In the meantime, catch up on the Pantsuit Nation Podcast by checking out all 22 shows from 2017. Subscribe and share!

This week, Libby speaks with Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, an organization that supports the more than 2 million women, many of whom are immigrant women and women of color, who care for our nation's homes and families. We talk about the link between narrative action and political action, and look forward to the tipping point of women taking back power in 2018. The Golden Pantsuit goes to Wendy Carrillo, another woman with determination and grit, and Cat's Call to Action is an urgent appeal to call our Members of Congress to demand a clean #DreamActNow. Listen and subscribe!

Today we talk with Christie George, Director of New Media Ventures, a seed fund and national network of angel investors supporting media and tech startups that disrupt politics and catalyze progressive change (and supporter of Pantsuit Nation!). We discuss the need for testing out progressive tools and ideas, and the necessity of storytelling from the point of view of marginalized communities. We also give the Golden Pantsuit to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for not taking any BS from the President. P.S. Don't forget to do what you can to protect Net Neutrality!

Writer and comedian John Hodgman joins us to mansplain mansplaining (as only mansplainers can) and how great it is to be a white man in Trump’s America. The Golden Pantsuit goes to a group of young changemakers, and we tackle some big calls to action as the year starts to come to a close. Listen and subscribe!