How To Not Lose Your Sh!t – Details, episodes & analysis

Here at Red Wine & Blue, we talk a lot about “troublemakers” and “making good trouble” (inspired in part by the late great John Lewis). Our network TroubleNation is made up of hundreds of local grassroots groups across the country — women like Kristi, a mom and former teacher in California who’s been standing up for the public schools in her area.

Troublemakers band together with other badass women in their communities who share their values. They make things better for their kids, friends, and neighbors. On the other hand, “chaos causers,” as Kristi calls them in this week’s podcast episode, come in from the outside to disrupt communities. Groups like Moms for Liberty and the Proud Boys aren’t listening to local communities and they certainly aren’t making good trouble. They’re just causing chaos.

This week we talked to Kristi about how she and a group of other moms started getting together to drink wine and talk about how to stand up for their local schools. You can learn more in this video about how they found the courage to stand up to literal armed extremists in their schools. Kristi also started an organization called Our Schools USA dedicated to empowering parents and students to protect quality public education.

The last week has been filled with bad news on the national level. Trump is the ultimate chaos causer and it can be hard to stay positive in the face of his many (many many) harmful policies. But there are a lot of women like Kristi out there making good trouble and standing up to the chaos causers. When they go low, we go local.

Let's thank Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde for standing up to Donald Trump and calling for mercy — especially immigrants and LGBTQ+ children. You can add your name to our petition here.

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

On Inauguration Eve, Red Wine & Blue held a live virtual event with our favorite historian, Heather Cox Richardson. Heather helped us put things into perspective and reminded us that small groups of people can change history.

Over 22,000 people attended the Zoom call, 24,000 watched it on YouTube, and almost 120,000 streamed it on Heather's Facebook page. This is a moment where we can fall apart or all come together to make change - and it's clear which option this community is choosing. 

If you missed Sunday night's event, we wanted to share it with everyone right here on The Suburban Women Problem.

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

We're having a hard time today. You probably are too. But we wanted to get together and talk about it, give some reasons for hope, and just be present with each other. We were joined by political strategist Jess McIntosh, one of our favorite guests, to help us put things in perspective... and start figuring out where we go from here.

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: @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 comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

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 comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Today, we're talking about hunger and school lunch. Right wing extremists want to distract us, but what’s more damaging to a kid’s health and education... the gender of one of their friends, or going hungry?  Free school lunches are so important to make sure that students are fed, healthy, and ready to learn. Feeding kids shouldn't be a partisan issue - in fact, as Jasmine says, it should be a no-brainer.

So this week, we are so excited to chat with Marc Jacobson and Ellie Agar from Hunger Free Colorado. They helped write Proposition FF to provide every student in Colorado a free school lunch. Marc and Ellie share how that ballot measure came about, how prevalent the issue of hunger really is, and how we can talk to our friends and neighbors about the issue.

And after that, Amanda sits down with Admiral Rachel Levine, the Assistant Secretary for Health with the Department of Health and Human Services. She also happens to be our nation’s first openly transgender four-star officer and the first to be confirmed to an appointment by the Senate. Amanda and Admiral Levine talk about the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, the difference between food insecurity and nutrition insecurity, and how her identity as a transgender woman isn’t her weakness - it’s her superpower.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to museums, making connections and building community, and the people of Wisconsin in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

We invite you to join us for a virtual Troublemaker Training on Thursday April 13th to hear more about the work that school boards do, and again on Thursday April 20th to learn how you can speak out a school board meeting like a pro. You can learn more and RSVP here.

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Today Jo Carducci is filling in for Rachel Vindman. In this episode, Jo, Jasmine, and Amanda chat about how right-wing extremists are trying to distract us and exhaust us. Whether it’s refusing to focus on anything but the trans identity of the recent school shooter in Nashville, or pretending that a children’s book about Rosa Parks is “pushing Critical Race Theory on kids,” we can’t let our focus waver from the things that really matter: standing up for equity in our schools and communities.

This week, we hear from Revida Rahman, a mom in Tennessee who co-founded OneWillCo, an organization that supports students of color. Revida shares some of the troubling racial incidents that led her and her friend Jen to found their organization, why book bans are so dangerous, and what white parents can do to stand up for racial equity in their school systems.

And after that, Jasmine gets the chance to talk to Angie Thomas, the award-winning author of books like “The Hate U Give” and “Concrete Rose.” Angie chats about writing a novel about Black Lives Matter from the perspective of a teenage girl, and how she wanted to approach writing the book not just from anger, but also from love. We’re very excited about her new book for middle-grade readers, “Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy.” It’s so important not for young girls of color and for everyone to see some Black Girl Magic.

Finally, Amanda, Jo and Jasmine raise a glass to awards, historic downtowns, and supportive co-workers in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

If you want to hear more from authors of banned books, you can check out our Banned Book Club events on Instagram Live. And if you aren’t able to join us live, you can always watch the interviews later on our YouTube channel. We also carry those banned books in our online bookshop, because one of the best ways you can support authors is to buy their books!

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Last week, a House Judiciary Committee held a hearing called “Free Speech: The Biden Administration’s Chilling of Parents’ Fundamental Rights,” with conservative speakers from Moms for Liberty and Parents Defending Education. But where were the moms who support diversity? And what about the students themselves? Where were their voices? With yet another tragic school shooting this week, we have to ask ourselves… when will we listen to kids and value their lives more than we value guns?

This week, we hear from Claire Mengel, a young activist from Cincinnati who organized against the cancellation of Diversity Day in their high school. Claire shares why their school board canceled the event in the first place and why they felt it was so important to stand up for diversity. And even more importantly, Claire shares why it’s so crucial to listen to students about their own lived experiences and what adults can do to help.

Then Rachel sits down with Porsche Joseph, an activist, educator, and co-author of the book Better Than We Found It: Conversations To Help Save the World. The book is aimed at young adults, but anyone can get so much out of its explorations of topics like gun violence, immigration, and health care. Rachel and Porsche chat about supporting young people, what it was like to write a book with her husband, and what Elizabeth Warren is like in real life!

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to birthdays and passing bills in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

The Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 4th could decide the future of abortion rights in Wisconsin, as well as redistricting and voting rights, which could have a huge impact on the 2024 election. So if you or anyone you know lives in Wisconsin, please be sure to vote before April 4th! And if you want to learn more about the election and what it means, you can check out our social media live events with Politics Girl and some amazing moms from Motherhood For Good on YouTube.

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

We’ve been talking a lot lately about all the dangerous bills and bans that extremists have been pushing. And like we always say, one of the best ways we can fight these things is by having honest conversations. Our friends or family or neighbors might be on the fence about some of these issues, and by talking to them, we just might change some hearts and minds.

We’re joined by Crystal Lett, a mom in Ohio who’s gone on an amazing journey from growing up in an ultra-conservative religious community to a career in progressive politics. Crystal and the hosts chat about what that journey was like, what prompted her to change her mind, and strategies for talking to the people in our lives about politics. It’s all about compassion, listening, and realizing that we have more in common than what divides us.

Then Rachel sits down with Roberta Blevins, a mom who became an anti-MLM advocate after joining – and then getting out of – LuLaRoe. Roberta shares the vulnerabilities that led her to join a multi-level marketing company in the first place and how a supportive community helped her escape. She also discusses how we can change the minds of people in our lives; like Crystal, Roberta says that listening with compassion is the best way to meet people where they are.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to brand-new bikes and kids excelling in their sports and recitals in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

On Thursday March 30th, Red Wine and Blue is hosting a virtual event with a guest who knows all about the power of changing your mind. Dr. Ellen Gaddy is the granddaughter of the late Republican Senator Jesse Helms and she’ll share her journey of freeing herself from a family legacy that doesn't reflect her values. You can learn more and sign up for this exciting event here.

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

This year alone, over 400 bills have been introduced to block transgender people from receiving basic healthcare, education, and the right to publicly exist. These bills not only harm individual trans people, they’re also an attack on our freedom and our democracy. Just like with reproductive rights, it all comes down to extremist politicians inserting themselves into a conversation that should be between a person and their doctor. Or between a kid and their parents!

We’re joined by Elliott Kozuch, who shares their thoughts as the Senior Communications Strategist for NARAL Pro-Choice America and a person who’s trans and non-binary. Elliott talks about what the fight for trans rights and reproductive rights have in common, and what we can do to band together and stand up against extremism.

Then Jasmine sits down with Danica Roem, a Virginia state delegate, a journalist, and the first openly trans person to be elected as a state representative. Jasmine and Danica chat about authenticity, trans rights, and what people get wrong about the suburbs.

Finally, Amanda, Rachel and Jasmine raise a glass to high school theater, 100 Women Strong Ohio, and Junior’s Cheesecake in this episode’s “Toast to Joy.”

If you want to stay in the loop about the pending ban on the abortion pill, we encourage you to join us in our Emergency Trouble Huddle on Monday, March 20th. We’ll be joined by Skye Perryman, the President and CEO of Democracy Forward, and Dr. Colleen McNicholas, a board-certified OB-GYN and the Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Missouri. You can learn more and sign up here.

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: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA