Parenting and Politics

In this episode Diana talks to Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida, about everyone should be paying attention to what is happening in Florida, how the tide is turning and she remains hopeful abotu the future. Nadie discusses how Equality Florida is fighting anti-LGBTQ policies in Florida (and how they're winning).  In this candid conversation, Nadine also shares the incredible organizing that is happening on the ground, in what she calls "Frontline Florida," and how parents from all over the country can support actions and efforts on the ground. Listen to find out what organizing tactics have worked in Florida, why they issued a travel advisory to Florida, how Equality Florida is combatting book bans and fighting to #bringbooksback, and how parents are raise their voices against anti-LGBTQ policies in Florida. Nadine also has some GREAT ideas about how you can support Florida (even far afar!) Make sure to follow Equality Florida on Instagram @equalityfl If you like this episode, check out Diana's great conversations with:  The Youth Vote and Disinformation in the Latinx Community with Maria Teresa Kumar, Executive Director of Voto Latino  Why Centering our Youth's Wellbeing is a Win for Our Society with Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, Executive Director of the Children's Defense Fund  Why Mom Power is More Important than Ever with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeinwer, Executive Director of MomsRising Don't forget to check out our SHOP that is now LIVE!  Until next time, don't forget hope is our superpower.     

In this episode, Diana chats with Victoria Nichols, the project director of Free the Pill to discuss the Opill, which is the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill which will be available online and on store shelves soon. The Free the Pill coalition is a group of more than 200 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations, research and advocacy groups, youth activists, health care providers, prominent medical and health professional associations, and others who share a commitment to ensuring more equitable access to safe, effective, and affordable birth control to people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities in the United States.  In this conversation Diana and Victoria discuss: how the availability of the Opill would decrease barriers to birth control access The cost of the Opill and what "over the counter" means for insurance coverage What does the science say about the effectiveness of over the counter birth control pills How did the FDA come to their decision to make Opill available?  What is next for the Free The Pill coalition AND MORE! You can follow Free the Pill on Instagram: @free_the_pill If you liked this episode, check out:  Ep. 54: Latinas Access to Reproductive Care with Lupe Rodriguez Ep. 18: Black Women and the Reproductive Justice Movement with Monica Simpson  Ep. 2: ReproRights and Reproductive Justice with Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas    Share this podcast episode with your friends, and leave a review, it hleps the podcast grow!  DID YOU HEAR THE GREAT NEWS? WE HAVE A SHOP!! GET YOUR ORDERS IN DURING MARCH FOR FREE SHIPPING IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH! 

 In this episode, Diana talks to Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, the Executive Director of the Children's Defense Fund, an organization which focuses on advocating for the whole child. CDF envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.  In this heartwarming and powerful conversation, Diana and Dr. Wilson discuss why poverty is a public policy choice -- and why centering our youth's wellbeing is a MUST and a win for our society. Diana and Dr. Wilson discuss: CDF's work across 30 states CDF's annual report, the "State of America's Children"  How CDF centers joy into their work  Why childhood poverty is a policy choice and how we can hold our leaders accountable CDF's policy agenda for the coming six years  How Christianity and religion has been used as a reason to marginalize and exclude Why It's important to expose young people to those who are different than them   What parents can do to build a "beloved community" and combat hate  AND MORE!  If you liked this episode, make sure to check out: Ep. 59: Why Prioritizing Children's Rights Benefits Us All with Adam Benforado Ep. 51: Why We Should Build a Parent Nation with Dr. Dana Suskind Ep. 35: Reimagining Schools Without Police with Beatriz Beckford   If you liked this epiosde, please leave a review, follow us on Instagram and tell your friends about the podcast! Got ideas for guests? Share them with us at info@parentingandpoliticspodcast.com 

What happens when your infant child has medical needs you need to tend to, but there is no paid family medical leave in place? You get pushed out of the workforce, an that is exactly what happened to Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and Co-founder of MomsRising. It was this event, which Kristin appropriately calls an unforeseen "health crisis" that pushed Kristin out of the workforce. She found herself unemployed, taking care of an infant and going down a rabbit hole where she went looking for answers (and stats!) about what moms were facing in the United States... surely she wasn't the only one going through this... That stressful and life-changing event that led to her co-creating and leading MomsRising, a movement of more than a million people working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination, and build a nation where everyone can thrive.  In this episode, Diana has a candid conversation with Kristin about how heer personal experiences led her to join other moms to be advocates for change. Today, Kristin and the entire MomsRising team work hard to ensure that moms' voices and experiences are taken into account when policymakers (at the state and federal level -- yes even the White House!) listen to moms when they're crafting policies. In this powerful conversation they also discuss: Why moms' voices and stories matter What's at stake in the 2024 elections Why we should be vigilant and fight disinformation Why "parental rights" movements like M4L are not winning MomsRising's efforts to mobilize moms all over the country  .... AND MORE!  You can follow (and join) MomsRising -- (they've got members in all 50 states!) by going to MomsRising.org/join   If you liked this episode make sure to check out:  Ep. 19 The Power of Black Moms with Monifa Bandele (MomsRising.org)  Ep. 35: Reimagining Schools without Police with Beatriz Beckford  Ep. 42: Representation, Storytelling and Motherhood with S. Nadia Hussain Ep. 46: Why the Time to #SolveChildCare is NOW with Nina Perez   Make sure to share this episode with your powerful mom friends and subscribe, leave a review and follow @parentingandpolitics on Instagram!  Until next time, don't forget hope is our superpower. 

What would happen if we put children first in our country? What would happen if we empowered children at all ages and centered the law to protect our youngest citizens? In this episode Diana talks to Adam Benforado, a children's rights expert, an award winning author and law professor at Drexel University, about how prioritizing children's rights would benefit us all. In his critically acclaimed new book, A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All, Adam criticizes America's failure to invest in, protect, and empower its youngest citizens and presents a bold plan for reorienting society to put children first. Through historical context, personal stories and compelling arguments, Adam makes an important case as to why prioritizing our kids will help everyone  in society. Diana and Adam discuss: The 1989 Convention on the Rights of Child (and why the USA hasn't ratified it yet)  What "parents' rights" mean in the context of children's rights then and today what happens when the law doesn't center children in making decisions  The paradox between expecting kids to grow up quickly  Why young activists and teenagers should be allowed to vote  AND MORE!  Adam's book A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All,  is divided into the following sections where he makes the case for the following rights in a child's life: First years: the right to attachment  Early childhood: the right to investment Late childhood the right to community  Early adolescence the right to be a kid Late adolescent the right to be heard  On the cusp of adulthood: the right ot start fresh    Thank you everyone for tuning in for this episode of Parenting and Politics. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, recommend the podcast to your friends and follow us on IG: @parentingandpolitics.You can also email your comments and ideas for guests at info@parentingandpoliticspodcast.com  If you liked this episode make sure to check out Ep. 57: The Youth Vote and Disinformation in the Latinx Community with Maria Teresa Kumar 

In this episode, Diana talks to Mark Greene, an expert on healthy masculinity and author of The Little #MeToo Book for Men, and founder of a community called “Remaking Manhood” on Instagram.  They discuss what man box culture means, how it affects our boys, and what we can do as parents to ensure that our boys are not adhering to the precepts of man box culture that can hurt their ability to be full human beings with a wide range of emotions. Mark also highlights powerful  statistics from Equimundo that show how man box culture affects men in the USA, Mexico and the UK. Mark shares fascinating insight on how man box culture hurts boys and men, and how man box culture affects the politics of today (think MAGA and men feeling like they are losing) He also discusses why it's important to be in relationship with our boys and gives examples of how building those solid relationships can support our boys as they get older.  Mark is the co-author with Dr. Saliha Bava of The Relational Book for Parenting, and in our conversation he provides a few examples of games to play with our kids to help have conversatoins and talk about our feelings, and help them express their emotions in a safe and engaging way.  Make sure to follow Mark on Instagram @remakingmanhood ' If you liked this conversation, be sure to check out our conversation about social emotional learning with Tim Shriver.  Don't forget to leave a review, share this episode with your friend and follow us on Instagram, @parentingandpolitics

Why are Latinx voters being targeted with disinformation? What does young Latinx Voting Power in 2024 look like? In this episode Diana talks to Maria Teresa Kumar, the Executive Director of Voto Latino, about the possibilities that young Latino voters bring as so many turn 18 before the 2024 election. They also discuss why and how bad actors are targeting the Latinx community by spreading disinformation to wreak havoc in USA elections, and what we can do as a community to ensure disinformation doesn't spread, especially to older adults targeted with direct messaging by nefarious groups such as M4L.  Listen to find out why Maria Teresa excited about the coming electoral cycle and what makes the young Latino community those that can turn the tide and make a real difference in 2024.  Make sure to follow Voto Latino on Instagram @votolatino  If you like this episode, make sure you to listen to  Why Abortion Bans Affect Latinas the Most with Lupe Rodriguez - Parenting and Politics Latinx Political Power, Coalition Building and Voting with Elisa Batista - Parenting and Politics Got ideas for guests? Email info@parentingandpoliticspodcast.com Help us grow! Make sure to subscribe, share with your friends and leave a review, and like us on social media.  Until next time, don't forget hope is our superpower.   

In this conversation, Diana talks to Lupe Rodriguez, the Executive Director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, about why Latinas are the group most impacted by abortion bans around the country and what the Latina Institute is doing to fight for abortion rights, particularly in the states where latinas are the most affected: Arizona, Texas and Florida.  In this episode, Diana and Lupe also touch on:  the intersectionality of reproductive justice work what on-the-ground organizing for abortion rights looks like in the Latinx community how reproductive rights and abortion care will impact the 2024 election  How to combat myths surrounding abortion in the Latinx community what is keeping Lupe hopeful during these times  If you like this episode, make sure to check out:  Ep. 55: What We Can Learn from the Abortion Rights Fight in Latin America with Paula Ávila Guillen Ep. 53: Abortion Rights Victory in Kansas with Kansas Abortion Fund Make sure to follow Latina Institute on Instagram!  **If you liked this episode, please leave a review and share the podcast with your friends!   

At a time when the USA has struck down Roe v. Wade and there are attacks on women's reproductive freedoms, the opposite has been happening in Latin America. In this episode, Diana talks to Paula Avila Guillén, the Executive Director of the Women's Equality Center about the Abortion Rights Fight in Latin America and La Marea Verde-- the Green Wave-- that has arrived in the USA.  They discuss the abortion rights movement in Latin America and how it went from being a small movement to something much. bigger that people marched into the streets-- and to the courts -- and how they're winning and guaranteeing that women have bodily autonomy -- in some of the most traditionally Catholic countries in the world. The work abortion rights activists are doing in Latin America is great and Paula gives great insight on what we can learn from what they've accomplished.  You can follow Paula on social media: @pauavilg Listen to this podcast episode, share it with your friends and don't forget to leave a review!  If you like this episode, check out: Ep. 54: Latinas' Access to Reproductive Care with Lupe Rodriguez Ep. 53: The Abortion Rights Victory in Kansas with Kansas Abortion Fund  Ep. 50: God, Abortions and Kids with Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft   

“The decision to become a parent is one of the most life decision that anybody can make.” In this episode Diana has a candid conversation with Lupe Rodriguez, Executive Director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice about Latinas' and the Latinx community's access to reproductive care:  -what that looked like before the overturning of Roe v. Wade -the specific barriers to access that Latinx communities face to access abortion care (hint hint Border Patrol has something to do with it) -how we can shift cultural narratives -Marianismo and Catholicism and how they play a role -birth control and abortion stats -La Marea Verde why THIS is the moment to step up, speak out, get involved and do something.  “Aquí se respira lucha…Here we breathe resistance.”  Make sure to check out the Latina's Institute's great work and follow The Latina Institute  on Instagram and if you can, support their work! 

Earlier this week, the people of Kansas went out to the polls and had their voice heard… coming out in record numbers to say they want abortion rights protected in the state constitution.  In this episode, Diana chats with Josh Siebenaler, organizer with the Kansas Abortion Fund.  They discuss what organizing for abortion rights looks like in traditionally red-state like Kansas, what other states are having abortion rights in ballot measures this coming year, and why abortion rights is one of the top issues of the midterms.  Josh has excellent advice for those looking to get invovled in abortion rights activism, and shares with us a list of local Kansas-based businesses that support the Kansas Abortion Fund.  Make sure to listen and share this timely and passionate conversation filled with great insights on how you can advocate for abortion rights.  Make sure to follow @kansasabortionfund on Instagram.  If you liked this episode, check out: Ep. 48 "What Happens When you Deny Women Abortions" with Dr. Diana Foster . Ep. 50: God Abortions and Kids with Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft  Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, recommend the podcast to your friends and follow us on IG: @parentingandpolitics You can also  ideas for guests at info@parentingandpoliticspodcast.com 

In this episode, recorded a day after the Uvalde mass shooting where elementary school children and teachers were murdered, Diana talks to Sarah Montoya, a joyful motherhood coach and mom in San Francisco.  They discuss why parenting IS political, how politics affects every part of our children's lives and why we must be engaged and pay attention to what elected leaders are doing-or not doing. They join to process the awful reality that our children have become casualties in a world where elected leaders answer to the NRA and not to their constituents. They are angry and to make a plea to parents to get involved, to hold elected leaders accountable-- to vote out the ones that don't support and protect families.  You can follow Sarah on Instagram @sarahromontoya  If you like this episode, make sure to check out Ep. 50: God, Abortions and Kids with Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft.  Make sure to leave a review and share the podcast with your friends- and follow on Instagram, @parentingandpolitics

In this episode, Diana talks to Dr. Dana Suskind, the author of Parent Nation, Unlocking Evey Child's Potential, Fulfilling Society's Promise Dr. Suskind is a pediatric neurosurgeon who decided to use her experience working with children and families and brain research to write a book about what families need and how a society can help families thrive through policy. They discuss: What is happening in a baby's brain in the early years?  What is the Return on investment of investing in children in the early years? How do we get the lawmakers to use the science to inform policy? Why Parents and Caregivers should join together as a voting bloc AND MORE!  Make sure to follow Parent Nation on Instagram @buildaparentnation and Dr. Suskind on Twitter @drdanasuskind and Instagram @drdanasuskind

We are kicking off Season 2 with Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft from Raising Imagination and we're chatting about abortion rights, how we can talk to our kids about what is happening-- and where does God and faith fit into all this, as parents who are committed to raising empathetic, respectful citizens of the world.  Amanda shares what her Christian faith teaches her about abortion and how we can talk to our kids about difficult topics.  She invites us to TAKE action by: 1. Participate in rallies #BansoffourBodies (happening tomorrow May 14th and  2. Donate to independent clinics.    3. Educate yourself on abortion pills.    REMEMBER! As of this recording, abortions are still legal!    You can follow Amanda at @RaisingImagination on Instagram.    Don't forget to share this episode with your friends and check out our other conversations with Amanda: Women, Religion and Politics  and  Merry and Political: Baby Jesus, Consumerism and Gifts. 

As we're getting close to the second anniversary of the pandemic, we wanted to talk about how parents and children are feeling-- what's normal? What isn't? How should parents be coping with (what feels like) incessant changes to every day life.  Diana talks to Lina Acosta Sandaal, a parenting and child development expert, about what is considered normal for the times we are living in, and what to look out for in ourselves and in our kids. We also discuss when we should seek professional help.  ***Please seek professional help if you have thoughts about harming yourself. You can contact the Suicide Prevention LifeLine: 1-800-273-TALK You can follow Lina on Instagram: @stopparentingalone and @parentingexpert

What happens when a woman is denied an abortion? That's exactly what Dr. Foster set out to find out in the groundbreaking Turnaway Study.  which followed two sets of women for five years: one who had access to a wanted abortion, and a group who was denied.  In this very timely discussion on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Dr. Foster shares her findings about what the physical, financial, emotional impacts of women how are denied abortions are and what real implications denying abortions can have to families across the country. 

In this episode Diana talks to Julie Kashen, Director of Economic Justice at the Century Foundation, about the family friendly policies that parents need and why these policies shouldn't be looked at separately, but why we need them together.  We discuss why this is a historic moment to finally get the family friendly Policies families in the USA need now: paid leave, the child tax credit, affordable child care and universal pre-k past the finish line and signed into law.  Listen to find out what's happening in Congress and why we must make all these investments now. You can follow Julie on Twitter: @juliekashen  and The Century Foundation: @tcfdotorg  

In this episode, Diana is talking to Nina Perez, the National Director of Early Childhood at MomsRising.org about why this is the moment to make a comprehensive, high-quality child care and pre-k system for families a reality.  Nina is an expert in child care advocacy and in this episode she discusses how we *almost* got to universal child care under the Nixon administration, what the current legislation looks like, why it is important that parents share their stories, and what parents can do to push elected officials to support policies that benefit children and families.  Listen to find out why child care is a public good, and what YOU can do! Find out why investing in child care makes sense for our families, communities and our society-- and why the time to make child care a reality is now.  Find out what parents can do to help #SolveChildcare NOW! Make sure to follow @MomsRising on Instagram     

In this episode Diana talks to Katie Hamm, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development, at the Office of Early Childhood Development in the Biden Administration.  Diana and Katie discuss: - The Child Tax Credit and making it permanent - How the AFP will help families with a 0-5 childcare plan - a federally funded universal 3K and UPK. - "How are we going to pay for all this?" AND MORE! For more information on the American Families Plan visit whitehouse.gov/americanfamiliesplan     

”Education funding should be non-negotiable... We are already not getting what we deserve-- how can we possibly cut any more? It’s such an injustice."  In this episode, Diana talks to Evie Hantzopoulos, a mom, educator and community leader who is running for NYC Council in District 22, in Queens, NYC.  They discuss all things public school education: reimagining schools to serve the whole child getting police out of schools school budgets restorative justice practices community schools what can City Council do to improve schools (and what can't it do? Why does NYS owe NYC billions of $$$ for education  AND MORE!  Listen to this episode to find out why local politics is important, why parents need to harness their political power and learn more about Evie's 20+ years of experience as an educator and community leader... proof of why we need more moms in office. 

When people asked Liuba Grechen Shirley what she needed to run for office, she replied "child care." They told her they couldn't help with that, but luckily for us, Liuba ran anyway, even though she had a 1 year old and a 3 year old. In this episode, Diana and Liuba discuss what it's like to run for office while raising two toddlers, why child care is a racial equity issue, canceling student loan debt and what that could mean for our country's economic growth.  They also discuss how Vote Mama is helping more moms run for office (and win!)  Listen and get inspired to help elect more moms to office, or run for office yourself! 

In this episode, Diana talks to S. Nadia Hussain, a fierce activist, mother and Senior Campaign Director at MomsRising. In a candid conversation a day after Kamala Harris became our nation's VP, Diana and Nadia, who is Bangladeshi-American, talk about why representation matters and what this historic win means for children (both white and of color). Nadia shares why she decided to run for school board with an infant at home, why parents must raise their voices and why storytelling "saves lives and changes the world." Nadia lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children. You can follow her at @vivalanadia .

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Who needs 24-hour childcare?  When we think of child care, we think many things, but usually we think of a standard child care situation for parents who work 9-5 jobs... but who takes care of the children of the people who work around the clock? People like Deloris and Patrick Hogan, who have been childcare providers since 1985, operating a 24 hour daycare out of their home. In this episode, Diana talks to Loira Limbal, the filmmaker behind the documentary titled "Through the Night" which tells the story of Dee's Tots, a 24 hour home based daycare. Dee's Tots is owned by Deloris and Patrick, affectionately known as Nunu and Pop Pop, who also join Diana in this episode.  We talk about: the cost of child care  essential workers and who is taking care of their children  what legislators need to do to help working families  the importance of a male figure who is a caregiver  why workers need a living wage, and access to health care  what child care providers need in order to be able to provide good care what the government should be doing to help working families who needs to be at the table in discussing child care  men as caregivers  breaking stereotypes of who can be a nurturing caregiver.  AND MORE!   

In this episode Jenna Arnold is BACK to debrief with Diana on the 2020 election results. They talk about President Elect Biden, Vice President-Elect Harris, and discuss all the issues the results of this election have shed light on... how many people voted for Trump, why Trump is a cult leader,  what is Trump going to do after this, why we need a baseline of beliefs and the work is only starting, and much more! 

It's 5 days until Election Day 2020 and in this episode we are talking to Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft about women, religion and politics!  We talk about the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the pro-choice versus pro life movement, white women and patriarchy and we ask... would Jesus vote for Trump?  Listen, share and don't forget to VOTE on or before November 3rd! This is literally the most important election of our lifetimes!   

14 days left in this presidential election season! People are voting NOW! Are you pumped? In this episode, Diana talks to Democratic National Committee Directors, Xochitl Hinojosa, Communications Director, and Muthoni Wambu Kraal, Political and Organizing Director, about why we must vote Democratic up and down the ballot -- for our children and for our future generations. In this episode we discuss: Why this is the most important election of our lifetime What parents (and everyone else!) can do to support efforts to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Why down ballot elections are SO important for families (and everyone!) What is at stake in this election Why we can't afford four more years of this failed administration's disastrous policies for our children and families. 

Latinx moms for Climate Change is what we're discussing in this episode with Natalie Carney, the Campaign Director of Vote Like a Madre, a movement that was created to mobilize Latinx moms to vote for candidates who believe that climate change is real, and that will support policies that will help save our environment. Climate change is one of the top concerns for Latinos at the polls. Latinos have been "rinsing, reducing, reusing, recycling" before it was cool. Listen to learn why we must #VOTELIKEAMADRE, and why we must pinky promise with our kids to promise to vote for climate change.     

You may have heard of the "school to prison" pipeline and calls to "defund the police" ... but what does this mean? How are our children and communities affected by the presence of police in schools? How are our children's mental, emotional and physical health affected when regular behavior is criminalized in the places that are supposed to educate and nurture them? In this episode, Diana speaks to Beatriz Beckford, the National Director of Youth and Education Justice at MomsRising. In this important and necessary conversation, Beatriz breaks down what the school to prison pipeline is, how Black and Brown communities are being affected by the presence of police in schools, and more importantly, she breaks down why it makes sense- not only morally, but empirically- to invest in what actually works - instead of increasing budgets for police presence in schools, we should be investing our tax dollars in social emotional learning, nurses and counselors. Listen and be part of the movement that is working to reimagine schools without police!    

In this episode, Diana and other mom activists (and an activist daughter!) share their thoughts on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and legacy. Diana is joined by Sara Berliner, Elisa Batista, Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft share the impact RBG's work has had on their lives, and the lessons we can learn from her. Finally, we hear from Micaela, a nine year old activist shows us the future is bright!   Listen to their thoughts and why we must honor RBG by working to save our democracy.  May Her Memory Be a Blessing. May Her Memory Be a Revolution. 

Why are white women voting against their self-interests? In this episode Diana talks to Jenna Arnold, the author of Raising Our Hands, How white women can stop avoiding hard conversations, start accepting responsibility and find our place on the new front lines about the white women vote, progressive white women, white motherhood, the drug that Fox is giving its viewers, and what is at stake in the 2020 election. (spoiler alert: our democracy). Jenna traveled all over the United States to talk to white women from all different backgrounds: across political spectrums, across socio-economic backgrounds, in rural, suburban, and urban settings, of all religious backgrounds and ages. You can follow Jenna on Instagram at @itsjenna Don't forget to review and share the podcast with your friends, and follow us on Instagram: @parentingandpolitics 

In this episode, Diana checks in and shares what has been happening in her family's life during the pandemic.  She also discusses what parenting during this time has been like, losing child care and how that affected her family and the overwhelming feelings of parenting during this global pandemic.  In this very real and raw conversation, she gets real about the 2020 Election and what's at stake for our families and our country. 

What would make you leave everything you have ever known behind, and pack the most minimal things in a backpack, grab two of your children, and decide to make a dangerous trip in extreme conditions, across a border, to a country where you didn’t know the language, or the culture and where you didn’t have anyone?  In this episode Diana talks to Rosy Pablo Cruz and Julie Schwietert Collazo, authors of The Book of Rosy: A Mother's Story of Separation at the Border. The book tells the story of Rosy, who arrived in the United States a few days after the zero tolerance immigration policy went into effect in 2018. Once she arrived, she was separated from her children for over 80 days.  It also tells the story of how one mom channeled her anger at this inhumane policy to make a difference: At first, Julie thought she would raise money to help one mom, and to date, the organization she co-founded along with her husband and an army of volunteers has raised over $1 million and has post bond for 120 families. The Book of Rosy does a beautiful job of humanizing Rosy's story, which shows you a glimpse of the factors that force parents to flee incredibly dangerous conditions to make it to the United States.  It's a must read especially in these troubling times when families are still being detained and separated.  Listen to this conversation to learn how these family separation brought two women from different worlds together in a story full of despair, hope and faith. 

How is parenting Black children different than parenting non-Black children? In this episode two moms, Quiana Agbai, founder of Harlem Love Birds, and Vanessa Bell, founder of De Su Mama, share what parenting looks like for them in raising Black children in today's world.  Quiana and Vanessa share their fears, but more importantly, how they build their children up to love themselves, to experience joy and how they work to disrupt the narratives and stereotypes of Black families.

How can we leverage parent power to create real political change? How can parents hold their elected officials accountable?  Has COVID19 brought in a once-in-a-lifetime moment where we have the opportunity to create real change, à la post WWII New Deal and make things like paid sick time, universal health care, affordable childcare and paid leave realities in the USA?  In this episode Diana talks to Justin Ruben, cofounder and co-director of Parents Together, a multi-racial, cross-class national parents’ organization focused on improving parents’ daily lives and winning policies that help families and kids.  Diana and Justin speak candidly about the opportunities and challenges we face as we live through a global pandemic. They share their struggles during COVID19 and what this pandemic has brought to the forefront and the power that parents have to affect real change. 

What does parenting look like when you're trapped inside your home with your kids 24/7? Diana and Diana Gasperoni discuss what is "normal" in this new normal, how to check in with our kids, how to communicate with our partners during self quarantine, and when it's time to seek professional help, They discuss how to talk to boomer parents about COVID-19, screen time and more! Follow BeWell Psychotherapy on Instagram and don't forget to share this episodee with your friends! 

Childcare as a common good. It may sound extreme to some, but... is it really? We have K-12 free, public school education... why should childcare and early education 0-5 be different? In his book, Crawling Behind, America's Childcare Crisis and How to Fix It, education policy expert Elliot Haspel presents this and other arguments and ideas on how we can improve childcare in the United States. In this conversation Diana and Elliot discuss why childcare should be seen as common good, why parents need to talk about their experiences and hardships finding accessible and affordable childcare, and more!  You can follow Elliot on Twitter at @EHaspel 

After a much needed break, Diana is back and ready to talk about what parents can do to make a difference in 2020! To do so, Diana has a convo with social entrepreneur, activist and founder of Vote Like a Mother Sara Berliner.  Sara and Diana discuss what issues and actions they are focusing on in 2020, a pivotal year with the elections coming in November. They also discuss why it is necessary to sometimes step away from the 24/7 media cycle, how we keep hope alive when things seem hopeless. They also discuss what parents can do, with whatever resources they have at their disposal.  Sara also gives Parenting and Podcast listeners a discount code for some VLAM gear! 

How we can parent during the holidays and how do we make the holiday season less about stuff and consumerism and more about helping and welcoming others?  In this episode, Diana talks to Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, reverend at Middle Collegiate Church and founder of Raising Imagination.  We discuss why the Biblical Christmas story is revolutionary & how parents have a role to reclaim that, as well as how we can fight consumerism during the holidays and teach our children important values. Don't forget to follow the podcast on Instagram: @parentingandpolitics Share the podcast with your friends and rate and review so more people can find us! 

All women make less than white men and for Latina women, it's only 54 cents to a man's dollar. November 20th marks Latina Equal Pay Day, marking the almost entire YEAR it takes for a Latina to make what a white man makes in 12 months. In this episode Diana and her guest Jackie Lynn Garcia talk about the gender pay gap. What is it? Why does it exist? And how can women be better advocates for themselves? Jackie provides insights on the gender pay gap, tips on salary negotiation, how to ask for workplace flexibility and how the pay gap affects our ability to generate wealth for our families and communities.  ABOUT OUR GUEST  Jackie Lynn Garcia is the founder of a social media platform called “Elevate Your Pay” - dedicated to helping women of color get the pay they deserve.  Don't forget to review the podcast, share it with your friends (they all need to know these great tips!) and follow us on Instagram! 

The Census is mandated in Article 1 of the Constitution, to happen every 10 years so that every person in the United States is counted. In this episode Diana speaks to New York State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas about the importance of the 2020 Census and what is at stake when we undercount people in our communities.  Find out what programs are at risk (spoiler alert: SCHOOLS! TRANPORTATION! CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION!) if we don't properly count all of the people who live in our communities and what you can do to help your neighbors be counted.  You can find out more about the Census at 2020census.gov  Don't forget to follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and recommend the podcast to your friends!  And, if you have a minute, and LOVE the show, please leave a review!      

In this episode Diana talks to Elisa Batista, a mom, writer, community organizer and activist based out of Berkeley. They discuss Latinx power, why coalition-building is important and why we must demystify voting.  Elisa is currently working on a book with Presente.org Executive Director Matt Nelson tentatively titled "¡Presente! Latinx Power Remaking Democracy." Presente.org, is the nation's largest digital Latinx organization with more than 500,000 member-volunteers advancing social justice through technology, media and culture. This power mom also discusses how Latinx families and today's youth are at the forefront of combatting climate change, and why communities must work together to get things done.  Make sure to follow Elisa on Twitter @ElisaBatista and check out presente.org's work.  Don't forget to follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and recommend the podcast to your friends!  And, if you have a minute, and LOVE the show, please leave a review!      

Have you ever wondered what the term "decolonize parenting" means? How is colonization still affecting us as parents, generations later? What is colonizer mentality? That's all that we're talking about in this fascinating episode! During this conversation Diana and Rocío discuss how our parenting is affected by the ancestral traumas we carry in our DNA, and how the way we were parented affects the way we parent our children. She discusses ways that we can break the cycles of trauma, and why she believes in homeschooling and gentle parenting as ways for us to raise children that are liberated from these traumas. Dr. Rocío Rosales-Meza, a Mexicana/Xicana psychologist who helps women of color reclaim their intuition and seeks to help women of color and people of color “confront oppression, & tap into intuition so they can feel whole, well, & free.”  Make sure to follow Dr. Rosales-Meza on Instagram and make sure you follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram! Don't forget to leave a review and tell your friends to subscribe to the podcast!  

1 in 4 women go back to work less than 2 weeks after giving birth.  The United States was one of the few nations in the world that doesn’t give its workers paid leave. Will a federal paid leave law ever become a reality? That is Katie Bethell's mission, as the Executive Director and Founder of Paid Leave US. In this episode Diana and Katie discuss the benefits of paid leave and how we can change the narrative and make paid leave a reality for all workers in the United States by 2022.  They also discuss why paid leave is important not only for parents who welcome a child, but also for family members to take care of their aging and sick family members, as well as having paid leave to recuperate from illness.  Paid Leave US believe paid leave should be accessible to all workers, including low income workers, and gig economy workers.  Listen to find out what you can do to fight to make paid leave a reality on a federal level!  Make sure to sign up for updates at paidleave.us!  Check out the episode notes and follow us on Twitter! Don't forget to follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and recommend the podcast to your friends!       

"Black women have always been the architects of social movements in this country." In this episode Diana talks to Monifa Bandele, a mom, community leader, activist and Senior Vice President of Healthy Kids & Maternal Justice Programs at MomsRising.  They discuss Monifa's path to her activist work, the power of black moms and the maternal justice and school-to-prison pipeline work she heads over at MomsRising.  Make sure to follow Monifa on Twitter and MomsRising (@momsrising) on all social media.  Don't forget to share the podcast with your friends and leave a review so more people can find us!  You can follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and Twitter.       

In this episode, Diana talks to Monica Simpson, the Executive Director of the Sister Song, the Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective based in Atlanta, Georgia.  They discuss the difference between reproductive justice and reproductive rights, and why that nuance is important, a perfect conversation since we just celebrated the 25 years since its creation, the struggles and the wins of the reprojustice movement and why Sister Song is suing the Governor of Georgia.  They also discuss activist work, how to support Black women, and why it's important to bring movements to the people.  Listen to this conversation and don't forget to follow Sister Song on Instagram!     

In this episode Diana talks to Carolina Rubio MacWright, a mom, immigrant rights lawyer, activist and artist who is at the front lines of the crisis at the border.  Diana and Carolina discuss activist fatigue, and how we can keep our cups full and recharge when it seems that things are nonstop and we have a hard time processing everything that is happening.  Carolina has great tips on how we as activists and parents can take care of ourselves.  Make sure to follow Carolina on Instagram, @carustol.  Don't forget to follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and tell your friends to check it out! 

In this episode Diana shares why she's been MIA, and her thoughts on what's happening in the country. She talks about family separation, and the shootings in El Paso and Dayton. Diana has a special message for the Hispanic/Latino/Latinx community and encourages everyone who is on the sidelines to get involved and use their voice to speak out against what is happening.  Diana is the creator of Parenting and Politics Podcast. She is a nonprofit consultant, a mom, blogger and activist. Diana's alma maters are Fordham University, University of Kent in Brussels and NYU Wagner School of Public Service. You can check her out on instagram and Twitter.  Make sure to follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and Twitter. Don't forget to tell your friends to check out the podcast and leave a review!   

On May 15th Alabama's legislature passed the most restrictive abortion bans in the United States. The law, titled was signed by Alabama's Governor, Gov. Kay Ivey, shortly thereafter. The law, titled, Alabama Human Life Protection Act, is set to go into effect in six months. In this episode, you will hear from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Reproductive Freedom Project and Dr. Yashica L. Robinson, one of the few providers in Alabama, who runs the Alabama Women’s Center, discuss Alabama's abortion ban and other abortion bans in other states, what this means for women in her state and nationwide, and what these bans mean in challenging Roe v. Wade. Support the ACLU who is challenging states in court. You can also support the Yellowhammer Fund in Alabama.   You can follow Parenting and Politics on Instagram and Twitter. Don't forget to tell your friends to check out the podcast! If you love it, leave us a review and you can email us with ideas for guests and topics! info@parentingandpoliticspodcast.com **Don't forget hope is our superpower.

One day Julie Schwietert Collazo heard a report on WNYC about a mother who needed money to post bond and be reunited with her family. That was her aha moment, and the rest is history. Today, Julie and her husband, whom together co-founded Immigrant Families Together, have helped post bond for over 75 people and have raised over $1 million dollars to help asylum seekers. The organization has been overflowing with support across the 50 states; donations can range from the hundreds of thousands of dollars, to children and seniors donating $3 -$5. In this interview Diana and Julie discuss the heartbreaking hurdles and  hardships that asylum seeking parents face when they arrive. Posting bond is just step one out of detention, they are then alone in a world where they literally have nothing, and no support system. That's where Immigrant Families Together has stepped in, to offer not only bond and reunification but also to support them at a time when they are expected to not be a burden on society, but yet are not allowed to work. You can learn more about Immigrant Families Together here. Don't forget to tell your friends to check out the podcast! If you love it, leave us a review and you can email us with ideas for guests and topics! info@parentingandpoliticspodcast.com **Don't forget hope is our superpower.

Why is child care so expensive? How can parents advocate for access to child care that is high quality and affordable for families? What is the Child Care for Working Families Act and how can we make it a reality? This is what Diana and her guest Patricia Cole, the senior director of federal policy  at Zero to Three,  discuss in this episode of Parenting and Politics.  If you've ever had questions about child care, this episode has many answers! Check it out and share it with your friends! Check out the great work of Zero to Three, what you can do to help move the needle on these important issues and about Strolling Thunder, when babies storm Capitol Hill!