In this bonus episode of The Carpenter's Daughters, hosts Alexis Confer and Ify Ike sit down with Iranian-American advocate and media literacy champion Maryam Mehrtash — recorded on Persian New Year, March 20, 2026 — for a conversation that stayed with them long after the mics went off.

Maryam shares her family's story: parents who fled Iran after the 1979 revolution, a mother who got off at the wrong train station with two-year-old Maryam in her arms, and a grandmother named Giti — Kurdish singer, actress, activist, and political prisoner at Evin Prison, tortured four years for the crime of her voice. She reflects on how that lineage shaped her belief that art is resistance.

She also reframes how the world sees Iran: a population with a 99% literacy rate where women make up 60% of post-secondary graduates and 70% of STEM — and where education has become less a path to opportunity than a ticket out. And she pushes back hard on the question "why don't Iranians fight for themselves?" They have. They are. The resistance isn't new.

The conversation connects Iran's struggle to the fights for equity, dignity, and human rights everywhere — asking what it means when faith gets weaponized by governments, and when seeing each other's full humanity becomes the most radical act available to us.

In the Season 1 finale of The Carpenter’s Daughter, hosts Alexis Confer and Ify Ike reflect on feeling personally okay but existentially overwhelmed by current events, then spotlight “salt of the earth” leadership and community care. Alexis shouts out the Mosaic Collective and women Olympic athletes using their platforms for equity, while Ify highlights Nneka’s “Black Women Rising” network responding to mass job losses affecting Black women and explains why Black women have been concentrated in public-sector work. The conversation defends protest and the First Amendment, critiques attacks on press and civic freedoms, and flips the table on calls to abandon “identity politics,” arguing politics is already shaped by whiteness and that centering Black women’s outcomes benefits everyone. They discuss Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Senate primary featuring Crockett and a Christian opponent, turnout and vote milestones, and criticize cookie-cutter Democratic strategies, urging local, relational organizing, mutual aid, rest, and new leaders to step forward.

00:00 Show Introduction

00:27 Checking In Today

02:25 Shoutouts Mosaic Collective

03:48 Olympics And Athlete Activism

07:15 Patriotism And Protest

10:14 First Amendment Basics

12:18 Speaking Up Is Risky

15:46 Black Women Rising Jobs Crisis

16:54 Why Public Sector Matters

24:26 Community Organizing Hope

27:54 Flip The Table Identity Politics

28:48 Jasmine Crockett Shoutout

31:19 Faith Versus Nationalism

32:13 Texas Senate Showdown

34:26 Identity Politics Backlash

37:58 Calling Out Double Standards

39:35 No Cookie Cutter Strategy

44:53 Organizing That Works

49:33 Lazy Narratives And Lessons

54:51 Pick Up Your Cross

56:52 Leaders Rise Locally

01:00:09 Rest Mutual Aid Closing

01:00:41 Gratitude And Sign Off

Hosts Alexis Confer and Ify Ike welcome Milly Tamarez—The Carpenter’s Daughter’s director and a Brooklyn-based comedian, producer, writer, and co-creator of Flex and the Diverse as F**k Comedy Festival, to discuss how community and in-person connection counter modern alienation. Milly shares how she and Alexis met at a creative retreat, then they unpack what “networking” really means as organic, integrity-based relationships. The conversation moves into dating culture, red pill/incel online ecosystems, and how the internet has become a dangerous “third space” that monetizes rage, especially for young boys. Milly reflects on making comedy from vulnerability without spreading hopelessness, the realities of beauty politics and patriarchy, and how Buddhist principles around integrity, resilience, and not being swayed by praise or blame inform her path. She closes by urging people to meet in person and “go touch grass.”00:00 Show Introduction00:27 Meet Milly02:56 Retreat Pool Story04:21 Rethinking Networking07:48 Dating Paradox08:35 Loneliness And Alienation10:27 Red Pill Explained13:20 Third Spaces Online18:37 Incel Culture And Adolescent23:47 Patriarchy And Modern Love28:12 Comedy In Heavy Times31:11 Culture Shifts Forward32:37 Global Cool Shift33:16 Comedy From Lived Truth34:57 Humiliation Into Punchlines38:48 Beauty Politics Reality Check46:31 Touch Grass Offline Life50:09 Flipping Tables In Comedy52:02 Karma Privilege And Grit57:27 Mentors And Staying Steady01:02:36 Community Connection Closing01:05:47 Final Sign Off

The discussion reflects on how the pain and plight of marginalized communities, including Jewish identity through religion and culture, can be politically used to other, divide, or dismiss other groups while also harming those within the community. The speakers explore overlaps between culture and “whiteness,” and describe a need to relearn how to hold antisemitism as an oppression that people should unite against. They note that as an ’80s kid, antisemitism was often taught within civil rights struggles emphasizing coalition-building among oppressed groups, but argue much of that history is now being erased—sometimes through anti-Blackness and sometimes through antisemitism. They emphasize the current struggle to redefine common struggle and language, especially amid evolving understandings shaped by the conflict in Gaza and broader geopolitical and U.S. human rights debates, raising questions about “who are we” and “who is the we.”

On The Carpenter’s Daughter, hosts Ify Ike and Alexis Confer welcome Din Tolbert, founder of Dean Between the Lines, to discuss names, purpose, and the power of words. Din shares the meaning of his middle name and reflects on how parenting his daughters grounds him, including how to balance discipline with protecting a child’s voice and confidence. The conversation explores “salt of the earth,” highlighting community leaders and organizations expanding cultural fluency and anti-racist education, and Din explains why he aims to be “table salt” that draws people in. He argues that all activism is story and that better stories can create a better world, connecting language to faith, culture, and hip hop. They address concerns about education policy, Title IX, and church responses, ending with a reminder of abundance, community, and intentional language.

00:00 Show Introduction

00:28 Meet Din Tolbert

01:49 Name Meaning Origins

03:07 What Brings Light

06:54 Raising Strong Daughters

13:19 Salt of the Earth

21:12 Words Create Worlds

27:26 Bad Stories Bad Reality

30:57 Politics Vision And Policy

35:00 Brooklyn Roots and Libraries

35:54 Why School Lost Its Joy

36:36 Policy Failures and Policing

38:20 Title IX and Slippery Slopes

40:25 Where Is the Church

43:15 Faith Versus Institution

45:47 Disruption Without a Playbook

57:49 Curiosity and the Long Game

59:17 Parenting as Strategy

01:09:49 Abundance and Final Blessing

Hosts Alexis Confer and Ify Ike open the episode by checking in on their “light” and noting Lunar New Year as a softer reset point. They then discuss why they started The Carpenter’s Daughter and focus on the role of artists and creatives in times of turmoil—art as healing, community-building, and resistance. Ify reflects on theater’s power to surface grief and hard truths, citing the play Marjorie Prime and the tradition of socially disruptive musical theater (Cabaret, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, Hamilton). Alexis connects art to the historic policing of Black expression and frames public performance—especially embodied movement—as inherently political for marginalized people, referencing reactions to a recent Super Bowl performance by Bad Bunny (including critique, representation, and controversy). They unpack hypocrisy in public backlash and investigations into “lewd” dancing, contrast it with mainstream objectification in sports and pop culture, and discuss how corporate funding and capitalism shape which art gets elevated. The conversation broadens to access and economics for artists (including NYC income stats), the gatekeeping of Broadway, and community-based alternatives like park performances and multilingual theater. In the “Flipping the Tables” segment, they tie current cultural battles to historical repression of artists (Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Red Scare parallels), discuss government and institutional attempts to control culture (including the Kennedy Center), and point to creative protest responses to ICE raids. Alexis quotes Toni Cade Bambara on revolution, emphasizes disruption over comfort, and challenges listeners to tell radical stories and use whatever “stage” they have to make the status quo uncomfortable. They close by encouraging artists and audiences to keep creating, stay intentional, and continue building community through art.

CHAPTERS 

00:00 Welcome to The Carpenter’s Daughter (show intro & hosts)

00:31 Checking In: “How’s Your Light?” + Lunar New Year reflections

01:56 Why Talk About Art Now? Artists as Healers & Resisters

03:48 Theater as Disruption: Marjorie Prime, grief, and what performance unlocks

06:26 Art as Resistance for Black & Brown Bodies (and the right to express)

13:06 Representation on the Biggest Stage: Bad Bunny & the power of being seen

14:06 From Romeo + Juliet to Building a Theater Company (process, community, story)

25:38 Flipping the Tables: Hypocrisy, capitalism, and who gets to make art

30:01 NYC’s Art Economy: From Artist Havens to Broadway Gatekeepers

32:23 Policing Black & Brown Expression: The Super Bowl Investigation

35:31 Double Standards & the Lady Gaga Shield: Who Gets Investigated?

37:17 Art as Unregulatable Resistance: Red Scare Echoes & ‘The Crucible’

39:19 Culture Wars in Real Time: Trump, the Kennedy Center & Creative Protest

42:50 What ‘Resistance’ Really Demands: Privilege, Fatigue, and Who Can Protest

46:52 Make the Revolution Irresistible: Revolutionary Selves, Not Just Opinions

48:39 Disrupt Your Own ‘Halftime Show’: Creating Without Comfort

54:01 Closing Reflections: Dreaming in Public, Making Life Matter, and Sign-Off

Hosts Ify Ike and Alexis Confer introduce The Carpenter’s Daughter, a weekly show about politics, culture, policy, and faith, and welcome guest Laura Kavanugh, the first female FDNY commissioner and former leader of the nation’s largest fire department. They discuss Laura’s career background, including her role overseeing 17,000 employees and a $2.3B budget through crises like pandemics, natural disasters, terrorist threats, and line-of-duty deaths, as well as her work modernizing the FDNY through technology, transparency, and investments in first responders. In the opening “light” segment, Laura shares that music—especially returning to concerts after leaving city service—keeps her grounded and connected to in-person community, and she and the hosts talk about concerts as a kind of communal, almost spiritual experience. Laura also reveals she took singing lessons to overcome fear of public speaking and strengthen her voice, describing how the practice became a personal refuge during intense public service. The conversation moves into the challenges of being a “first,” including how standards and qualifications get questioned when women reach the top, how women can be made to feel unusual, and how women leaders must manage feedback without letting it crush them. Laura reflects on family influences, generational endurance, compartmentalization, and the importance of having a trusted “tribe” before entering high-profile leadership. In the “flipping the table” discussion, Laura describes what she learned about male culture in a traditionally male institution, the loneliness women experience in such roles, and the need to build community among women in male-dominated spaces, noting men’s tendency to unify around power. The hosts and Laura discuss institutional culture versus individual bad actors, leadership accountability in culture change, and how organizations often hire “firsts” during crisis expecting transformation while attributing disruption to identity. In closing, Laura talks about legacy, feeling qualified for the FDNY role, concerns about how being outspoken may affect future women leaders, her optimism and faith grounded in community, and her belief that women should trust their gut as a learned survival skill and leadership strength. The episode ends with light conversation about recent concerts and an invitation to continue the discussion in a future part two.

00:00 Welcome to The Carpenter’s Daughter (show intro & hosts)

00:30 Meet the Guest: Laura Kavanaugh’s Journey to FDNY Commissioner

02:58 “How’s Your Light?” Music, Concerts & Community in a Post-City-Service Life

08:41 The Secret That Helped: Singing Lessons, Public Speaking & Creative Survival

11:44 Salt of the Earth: Mentors, Upbringing & What Shaped Laura’s Leadership

15:20 Being “The First”: Standards, Scrutiny, DEI Debates & Surviving the Spotlight

22:44 Culture Change & Staying Human: Found Family, Burnout, and Knowing When to Leave

32:18 Flipping the Table: Manosphere, Male Culture & Why Women in Male Spaces Feel Alone

41:29 Pressure to Conform: Masculinity, Margins & “Trigger-Ready” Training

43:05 Doing the Job Well vs. Culture Wars: Centering Mothers & Community Reality

45:14 Sustain or Push? The “First” Leader Double Bind in Organizational Change

47:40 Cruelty, Kindness & The Morning Show Monologue: What Were We Hired to Do?

49:57 DEI as a Setup: Token Leadership, No Hose in the Burning Building

52:33 It’s the Structure, Not the Villain: The Hydra of Organizational Culture

55:25 Accountability Matters Too: Power, Leadership Buy-In & Box-Checking DEI

59:01 Legacy & Qualification: Being Cast as ‘Not One of Us’ and the Cost of Speaking Up

01:03:57 Faith, Community & Pop-Star ‘Church’: Where Hope and Inspiration Come From

01:10:28 Trust Your Gut: Women’s Intuition, Calling, and Knowing When to Leave

01:15:32 Closing Notes, Matriarchal Wisdom & Concert Talk Outro

In this episode of The Carpenter's Daughter, hosts Alexis Confer and Ify Ike sit down with Sasha Hutchings, a stage and television actress known for her work on Broadway and appearances in shows like 'Hamilton' and 'Damascus.' Sasha shares insights on the vital role of art in activism, the complexities of navigating different layers of identity on stage, and the importance of community. Tune in for a heartfelt discussion on how to create impactful work despite limited resources, finding light in challenging times, and the incredible support from teachers and mentors. Join the conversation and discover the magic of creativity and resilience.

00:00 Welcome to The Carpenter's Daughter00:36 Reviving the 80s Fashion01:16 Introducing Sasha Hutchings01:56 Sasha's Career Highlights03:24 Manatees and Pilates04:43 The Role of Community and Creativity11:09 Influential Teachers and Support Systems19:37 Navigating Identity in the Arts29:27 The Artist's Duty in Troubling Times31:50 The Beast is Coming32:19 Fear and Confusion in Modern Times34:43 The Titanic Metaphor36:32 Gun Violence and Societal Issues40:56 The Show 'Damascus'46:36 Art and Community Resilience01:00:09 The Importance of Process Over Promise01:02:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this thought-provoking episode of Carpenter's Daughter, Ify Ike and Alexis Confer dive deep into the complexities of Christian nationalism, community accountability, and the intersection of faith and activism. Join them as they discuss the importance of love, the challenges within white Christianity, and the critical need for honest conversations within our communities. From personal anecdotes to addressing systemic issues, this episode promises a candid look at the current social crisis and a call for radical love and justice. Tune in for a powerful conversation that questions the status quo and explores what it truly means to follow the teachings of Jesus today.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:05 Discussing Nicknames and Greetings

00:41 Shakespeare and Mental Health

01:37 Current Issues and Media Influence

04:32 Christian Nationalism and Personal Faith

05:30 Growing Up in the Church

08:44 Questioning Religious Teachings

15:53 The Impact of White Christian Nationalism

24:42 Accountability and Social Justice

31:50 The Radical Practices of Jesus

32:42 The Crisis of Radical Ideologies

33:18 Economic Inequality and Social Injustice

34:07 Systemic Oppression and Liberation

35:09 The Role of Community and Social Spaces

36:08 The Power of Listening and Empathy

38:32 The Impact of Historical Narratives

41:15 The Importance of Accountability

43:28 The Intersection of Class and Race

44:43 The Need for Confrontation and Change

46:49 The Role of Faith and Love in Activism

55:25 The Urgency of Addressing Domestic Terrorism

01:05:21 The Power of Community and Conversation

Welcome to The Carpenter's Daughter, hosted by Ify Ike and Alexis Confer! In this episode, we dive into the intricate intersections of politics, culture, and faith with special guest Amit Bagga. Amit shares his journey from his family's harrowing past as refugees to his distinguished career in public service and campaign strategy. We delve into the success of the 2020 Census amidst the challenges of COVID-19, explore the historical and current dynamics of South Asian communities in New York, and discuss the impact of faith and service on personal and professional lives. Tune in for a rich conversation about resilience, identity, and the power of community.

00:00 Introduction to The Carpenter's Daughter

00:33 Special Guest: Amit Bagga

00:52 Amit's Background and Career

02:33 Personal Stories and Motivations

04:06 The Immigrant Experience

05:59 South Asian Community and Politics

14:29 Queer South Asian Activism

19:11 Challenges and Resilience

25:00 Intersectionality and Identity

33:20 Advice for Young Activists

34:44 Soapbox Moment: Social Media and Personal Reflections

35:39 The Impact of Digital Interactions on Personal Connections

38:59 Generational Differences and the Pressure of Online Presence

42:18 Navigating Identity and Community in a Digital Age

48:38 Political and Social Realities: A Deep Dive

54:08 The Importance of the Census and Community Representation

01:03:12 Faith, Service, and Personal Reflections

01:08:31 Closing Thoughts and Reflections