On the episode of Badass we are talking to Kel McBride about how her own brush with death set her on her path, and how for Kel, resilience came in the form of taking what she had learned from a difficult experience, and sharing it with others. We will also be talking about death. Fun topic, right? Well, you might be surprised, Kel is known as the Lively Death Lady.

On this episode of Badass we explore what it is to be with others in their pain, while we dance with our own, and the healing that can be born of that alchemy. Heather Maritano, a gifted therapist, educator, and activist, describes her path to thriving in adulthood after a childhood that held some very difficult moments. This is a sweet, intimate interview, with moments of delight and joy, as well as sorrow. I hope you enjoy it. Please like, follow, and share on your socials, and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Black and brown women experience significantly higher rates of violence than do white women, and while all violence against women is important to acknowledge and take action on, many black and brown women have had the experience of being dismissed, having their pain go unrecognized, or being blithely told that they are strong, and can handle it. On this episode of Badass, we are sharing with you an essay that lays bare the pain and the consequences of such violence, and we are exploring how this violence has threaded its way through generations, and how we can better respond. Please share this episode, like, and follow us on FB, Instagram, and Tik Tok.

Today on Badass we are pulling out of the shadows just one of the 2,755 people who died of a drug overdose in Indiana in 2021. We are giving him a name, we are sharing his story, and the story of those who were left behind. His name is Joshua Cole, people who knew him called him Josh, and when he died in February of 2021, he left behind 3 young children, and a wife who was 7 months pregnant, her name is Lindsey Maxwell. We hope you will listen, so that you better understand what so many families are coping with in the wake of the opioid epidemic. 

You may have heard the world renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, talk about the intricacies of the brain, but you haven't heard her talk about her brother's schizophrenia. Today on Badass we have an intimate conversation with Dr. Taylor about growing up with a schizophrenic brother, the impact on her family, and the direction it sent her, and her father in. We shine a light on the dysfunction of the mental health system, and the experience of caring for someone in the face of these obstacles. The Taylors are a remarkable family. True Badasses for the way they have advocated and educated on behalf of those with mental illness. Please share, like, subscribe, and comment on our instagram or FB pages, @badass_tales_of_resilience.

On this episode of Badass we are talking with Mary Sexson about her upcoming book of poetry, Her Addiction, An Empty Place at the Table. The poems contained within it provide an unflinchingly honest look at addiction, the impact it has on families, and the endless orbit between fear, despair, and hope that parents find themselves in when their child struggles with chaotic drug and alcohol use.

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Badass is back!!! Check out our season preview for info on all the cool, smart people we are featuring this season. Our season 2 line-up includes a world renown neuroscientist, poets and writers who will move you to tears, scholars who will teach you about the badassery of black and brown women throughout history, medical professionals who were in the trenches at the height of the pandemic, and so much more! The really fun part is that I get to break it all down with my bestie, Clare Wildhack-Nolan, an equity educator, mom, and all around great human. I am so excited about season 2. It is intensely amazing!!!