A Fresh Story

We chatted with Meecham Whitson Meriweather, a culture writer, screenwriter, and soon-to-be author whose work has been featured in outlets like Vulture, New York Magazine, Men’s Health, and more. Meecham shares his journey from studying architecture to becoming a prominent voice in pop culture, diving into topics like the evolving nature of modern dating, the impact of celebrity relationships on public perception, and the importance of representation in media. He also discusses how his early writing experiences helped shape his career and the importance of storytelling in influencing society.

Meecham reflects on the cultural shifts in how we view celebrities, noting that society often owes apologies to women who have been unfairly treated in the spotlight. He emphasizes the need for diverse stories in media, while also acknowledging the growing portrayal of anti-heroes and how this influences our perception of character in film and television. The conversation also touches on the impact of influential media from childhood, the art of self-care, and how culinary experiences can be part of that practice.

Meecham shares his thoughts on upcoming projects and how they represent fresh starts and new opportunities. He offers insights into embracing individuality, encouraging listeners to be okay with "cringe" moments, and highlights the importance of both representation and self-care in navigating today’s pop culture landscape.

Meecham Whitson Meriweather is a culture writer, screenwriter and forthcoming author whose work has appeared in Vulture, New York Mag, Men’s Health, InStyle and more—you’ve no doubt seen his tweets if you don’t have him blocked—and he currently writes the pop culture newsletter Now That I Mention It on Substack.

You can follow Meech on Twitter: https://x.com/MediumSizeMeech

Read his Substack here: https://meechammeriweather.substack.com/

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Whether you're an ambitious entrepreneur, a dedicated student, a heads down writer or simply striving to achieve your professional goals, the Fresh Starts Collective is here for you. We believe that surrounding yourself with a supportive community can be the key to unlocking your full potential. The Fresh Starts Collective offers daily community gathering - whether it’s VirtualCo-Working and Body Doubling, Open Office Hours or Accountability Hour - community support and growth, networking opportunities and access to marketing, design and writing professionals to bounce ideas off of, pick the brains of or crowd source some ideas. The Fresh Starts Collective is $35/month.

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*this is not legal advice, but we wanted to share some general information

Early voting is a great choice for a number of reasons - given the extended nature of early voting the lines are usually shorter and voting becomes an easy, fast activity that fits into your schedule. Additionally, if you can vote on an alternate day (early) it relieves the polls on day of voting, meaning people who can only vote on election day will be met with shorter lines and poll workers will have a less stressful, rushed day - leading to improved poll worker performance. Early voting is also shown to increase voter turn out, as populations who might not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day are given the opportunity to participate in person voting at dates and times they are available.

Further, early voting allows campaign funds to be allocated to more necessary resources. Once you are marked as having voted, campaigns are more likely to remove you from door knocking and phone lists— this also allows the volunteers to focus on those voters who might benefit more from the outreach.

Check out your early voting options HERE: https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/early-in-person-voting

More information here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-want-to-vote-early

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Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

What if I make a mistake on my ballot?

*this is not legal advice, but we wanted to share some general information

In person voting with a paper ballot: If you make a mistake on your ballot you can and should totally ask for a new ballot! Do NOT try to cross out or cover up the mistake, just pop over to the poll worker and let them know you made a mistake and need a new ballot.

In person voting on an electronic voting booth: You do not need to vote quickly, take a breath and make sure your selections are what you meant to chose. If for some reason the machine is not able to select what you’d like or acting funny — pop out and find a poll worker!

Absentee or mail in ballots: If you were sent a PDF to print out of your ballot, rip up the mistake (in tiny pieces!) and print it off again. If you were sent a paper ballot in the mail, call your local election board ASAP.

Most importantly, we want to encourage you to vote intentionally and without rushing — there is no reason to rush through this process, take a breath and take a moment to make sure you’re filling out your ballot correctly.

More information here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-make-a-mistake-on-my-ballot

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Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

Kids can totally come vote with you and come into the booth with you until they are 18! Some states DO have some restrictions around how many children you can bring into the booth with you, so contact your local board of elections if you need to bring more than 1 child in the voting booth with you. Talk to your child about who you are voting for and why you vote. Voting is an exceptionally important part of our democratic system, talk about this in an age appropriate way with you little voter! And if you get a sticker for voting at your polling location, let them wear it!

Learn more here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-have-my-kid-with-me-while-voting

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Practice run, baby! If you’re a nervous parker or get anxious about going to new locations, do a practice run! You might be limited on time on election day, so go take a quiet Saturday and go scope out the site. Polling locations are often public spaces like schools, community centers or fire houses— look up your polling site, grab a coffee and check it out. Map a few parking spots, clock the entrances, even time how long it will take you to get there - from your home, work, your kids school or day care. I promise, it will make you feel better.

Learn more here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifim-anxious-about-finding-my-polling-location

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Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

What if I don’t know if I need identification to vote?

Voter ID laws vary [wildly] state to state. Luckily the government has made this handy table with ID laws for each state. Some states need no ID, some states require any government issued ID and some you can even use a utility bill. If you DO need your ID make sure it is current and not expired. Make sure you know where your ID is and it’s ready to accompany you to the polls.

Learn more here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-dont-know-if-i-need-id-to-vote

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

What if I want to wear my candidate’s name to vote? Bit of bad news for you on that one — you can’t appear to be endorsing a candidate or campaigning at the polls. The distance from the polling location to where one is allowed to campaign and/or endorse vary state to state so it’s better to ditch your candidate’s name and rock some red, white and/or blue or wear a shirt that simply promotes voting — which is totally allowed. For specifics check out this chart from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Learn more here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-want-to-wear-a-shirt-with-who-i-am-going-to-vote-for-to-vote

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

What if the polls close while I am in line waiting to vote?

*this is not legal advice, but we wanted to share some general information

If the polls close while you’re in line to vote don’t leave. Don’t step out of line. If you are already in line when the polls close, stay in line until you get the chance to cast your ballot. You have the right to vote. Just hang in line until your time comes.

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

What if you didn’t send your absentee ballot in? Well, we have answers!

This is one of those “depends” answers — you might be able to vote in person even if you received a ballot in the mail, every state has different rules so check your location out! If you can’t find the information you’re looking for call your local election board.

Learn more here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifi-didnt-send-my-absentee-ballot-in

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear

What if there are confusing voting rules I need to know? A lot of states have introduced laws around polling locations and they can be confusing - we don’t want anything to disenfranchise you. Your vote is your own, we want you to use it. So make sure to brush up on the laws in your voting locale!

Learn more here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/blog/what-ifthere-is-some-confusing-rule-i-dont-know-about

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn More About Vote Without Fear

It's no secret our right to vote is the foundation of our American democracy, but sometimes the process can feel overwhelming or unsafe. That’s where Vote Without Fear comes in. Whether you're voting for the first time or the tenth, this platform has everything you need to feel confident and informed—from where to vote, how to vote safely, and what to expect at the polls. Voting is your voice, and with *Vote Without Fear*, you can use it without hesitation. Visit votewithoutfear.com today and take the first step toward secure, empowered voting. Remember, it’s your vote, and you deserve to vote without fear.

Vote Without Fear

Are you ready to vote?

Are you ready to use your vote? Whether it’s your first time or you’ve done it before, *Vote Without Fear* is here to help you feel prepared and safe every step of the way. From understanding how to vote securely, to knowing where your nearest polling location is, this platform has all the information you need. Don't let uncertainty hold you back—your voice matters. Head to votewithoutfear.com and make sure you're ready to vote with confidence and peace of mind. Remember, it’s your vote and you deserve to Vote Without Fear. That’s VoteWithoutFear.com

Vote Without Fear