News and Happenings

This throwback episode is brought to you with support from The Marguerite Casey Foundation.
V sits down with Atlanta-based artist, celebrated community organizer, and Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative Executive Director Toni-Michelle Williams. When she isn’t protesting injustices or going toe-to-toe with police and city council, Toni-Michelle is finding ways to make Atlanta more joyful for Black and trans folks. From documenting the city’s public safety failures to partnering with the Citizen app, V learns how Toni-Michelle is supporting her community’s needs and helping cultivate their sense of belonging.

When most people think of home economics, they imagine women baking muffins and caring for practice babies. But in this throwback episode, we’re learning that the field was much more than just “stitching and stirring.” It was an empowering way for women to gain respect and recognition. Journalist and author Danielle Dreilinger joins V for a look back at the history of home economics and how it shaped American culture. We’ll hear about the personal lives of home economics women who decided to either stay at home or join the workforce. Plus, what role HBCUs and science universities like MIT played in creating this field, and how unsung economists of color helped push the movement forward.

In this best-of episode, V opens up about something very personal that has shaped the last seven years of their life. Through this tragedy, V found comfort and support in Lemonada’s mission to help “make life suck less” and decided to leave their dream job to pursue a higher purpose. At a time when V didn’t have all the answers, they leaned on one of the most stabilizing forces in their life to help make sense of a loss. In this powerful and insightful conversation, V meets with Lemonada co-founder and Last Day host Stephanie Wittels Wachs to talk about substance use disorder, harm reduction, and grief. We’ll hear about the healthy ways of managing an addiction and the resources available to help you or your loved one get through those tough times. 

There are countless barriers facing immigrant communities when it comes to finding success and economic security in the US. Today we hear from two women who are working tirelessly to level the playing field by reimagining capitalism. Lemonada’s Hoja Lopez chats with Ruby Bolaria Shifrin, head of community at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and Claudia Arroyo, executive director of the non-profit Prospera. They discuss the value of supporting latinx entrepreneurs and putting female-owned businesses at the forefront of their local economies.

“Don’t have sex. You will get pregnant — and die.” This line was delivered by a fictional high school coach in the movie Mean Girls, but it alludes to a real problem within the education system: that the vast majority of U.S. states don’t teach medically accurate or inclusive sex education. Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, an OBGYN and author, is trying to change that. Instead of scaring or shaming people, she’s meeting them where they are and setting the record straight, starting with the vulva. In this throwback episode, V invites Dr. Jen to answer all the necessary questions about periods, STIs, pubic hair, and vaginal emergencies. Plus, she gives a look at the lengths she’s had to go to educate, like planting books in libraries where talk of contraception and abortion is restricted.

This week, we revisit V’s birthday episode! As a gift to their listeners, V invited one of their favorite comedians, Adam Conover, on the show to talk about his Netflix special, “The G Word.” Adam went from ruining everything from weddings to airlines, to investigating the U.S. government. He’ll talk about getting access to some of the most guarded government buildings and taking viewers behind the scenes to build trust. We’ll hear about how the country regulates food and why we’re not subsidizing more fruits and vegetables. Plus, how the government has complete control over the money supply and why PPP loans benefited the wealthy instead of the small businesses they were intended for.

Coming out as a person seeking therapy to your partner, parents, or friends can be difficult, and sometimes even dangerous. Sometimes the people who are supposed to love us most are the first to hold us back, or we feel guilty for “leaving them behind” as we grow through various seasons of our lives. You’re not alone in your journey — in fact, millions follow clinical counselor Shani Tran for her candid takes on therapy, and this week she chats with V about who can benefit most from therapy and how newbies can get started. From questions you might not know to ask in an appointment to when to go no contact with harmful people, this throwback episode offers tips that will leave you more prepared than ever.

Currently, the dominant framing of climate in our media and policy ecosystems centers stories, experiences, and thus solutions that serve privileged communities. The Hip Hop Caucus is working to help rewrite this narrative and center the climate movement in a justice framework. V asks Hip Hop Caucus’ Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer Liz Havstad why we need to stop thinking of the climate crisis as just an environmental issue, how to spot greenwashing on social media, and how you can get involved in the movement.

Minnesota doesn’t want cops to use excessive force on students at school. Is that really so much to ask? There’s a new biography of Elon Musk out, so let’s highlight all the amazing books to read instead. And V is joined by 1990s TV icon Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie Tanner on “Full House.” They catch up on what she’s been up to since then, from working in drug recovery to performing on “Dancing with the Stars,” and ask ‘were the 90s better or were we just more naive?’

CNN wants to disrupt your favorite HBO show with breaking news alerts, and people are pissed about it. A rise in homeschooling may have ties to Christian Nationalism and dangerous ripple effects for public schools. And V chats with James Beard Award-winning chef Karen Akunowicz about being a restaurateur during the pandemic, some of her favorite recipes from her latest cookbook, and the humbling experience of having her toddler reject her cooking.