Unearthed

Becca's back in charge this week and she's telling us all about Sioux legend Faith Spotted Eagle. Born in 1948, Faith Spotted Eagle was the first Native American to receive an electoral vote for President of the United States. She is most well known for her work protesting against both the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines. Outside of her full-time work as a hell-raiser, Faith Spotted Eagle has worked as a PTSD counselor for veterans, founded the Brave Heart Society, and taught as a Dakota language instructor. Join us this week to hear about her incredible work and our accompanying opinions about it, where we get into everything from gun control to police brutality.

We can always count on Sinead to tell us a good story. This week, she's telling us everything she knows about the controversial 20th century Irish novelist, Kate O'Brien, who is best known for her works Mary Lavelle and The Land of Spices. No stranger to a bit of scandal, Kate O'Brien's books often ended up on the banned book list due to their underlying feminist and queer themes. A lesbian herself, Kate O'Brien was extraordinarily critical of Ireland's conservatism and absurd censorship laws. Tune in this week to hear more, and learn why you should always read banned books.

It's Aoife's turn to tell a life-story this week and she chose an all-star pick. Born in 1961 in West Germany, Theresia Degener has been leading the fight for disability rights for quite some time. Currently a Professor of Law, she has served as the Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Theresia is largely interested in the intersection of feminism and disability. Lucky for us, Aoife recently got the chance to interview her.

Becca's taking the reins this week and telling us all about the iconic Gladys Bentley. Born in the early 20th century, Gladys was one of the most successful black entertainers of the time. Commonly erased from the historical record firstly for being black and queer and later for the controversy surrounding the end of her life, we could think of no better story to tell than Gladys'. Sit back, relax, and enjoy as we tell the life-story of this fantastic human.

Meet your wonderful hosts Sinead, Becca, and Aoife from the National University of Ireland, Galway. We'll tell you a bit about ourselves and our six-part podcast series, Unearthed, where we share the life-stories of women often forgotten in the historical record.