DC Podcats

In this episode, we talk with the weekly feminist podcast, HAGS. The hosts - Riley, Nicole, and Alex - talk with us about how to do a podcast, why Dove Soap is evil, the tenants of feminism, what it’s like to be the contrary bitch in the family, Riley’s badass mom, and #plentyofAlex.

ABOUT RILEY, NICOLE, and ALEX:

RILEY - Riley Rose Critchlow is an actor, writer and producer. She grew up on Peaks Island, Maine, moving to LA to attend USC’s School of Dramatic Arts where she received a BFA in Acting. Riley has performed internationally at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and to sold out crowds at SF Sketchfest with her comedy duo, Mary-Kate and Ashtray. TV & film credits include Timeless, S.W.A.T., American Horror Story, Rizzoli & Isles, Southland, Video Game High School, Rocketjump: The Show, Marcia Clark’s Guilt By Association, and Don Coscarelli’s John Dies at the End. She currently stars alongside Sungwon Cho in Crunchyroll's live action series, Anime Crimes Division, produces content for Funny or Die, and hosts weekly episodes of HAGS Podcast. Follow her on Twitter @rileyrosecritch and on Instagram @rileyaceofspies.

NICOLE - Nicole is an actress, writer, producer, and vocalist.  A native of Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, Nicole received her degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film. She is known for viral videos like freddiew's "Flower Warfare" which has garnered over 12M views. In addition to playing the role of Moriarty on the critically acclaimed webseries Video Game High School,  Nicole writes and performs sketch comedy for her YouTube channel. Her parody Lady Gaga music video has been viewed over 12K times. In 2015, Nicole founded Verdant Pine Productions, a production company focused on female driven content where she has since produced several award-winning short films. Nicole is looking forward to producing her first feature early next year. She hosts weekly episodes on her podcast HAGS, a feminist comedy dream. She spends most of her time eating tangerine popsicles while reading aloud to her cats, Milo and Winnie, and her husband, director, W. Alex Reeves.

ALEX - Alex is an award-winning director, producer, and sound designer based in Los Angeles. Born in New York City and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Alex moved to Los Angeles in 2006 where he began a career as a television editor working on such modern classics as Supernanny, The Real Housewives of New York, and BBQ Pitmasters. In 2011, Alex opened Point of Blue Studios, a production company based in North Hollywood where he has since produced and directed multiple award-winning documentaries, short films, music videos, and commercials. He was the resident recording engineer for RocketJump Studios’ podcast network from 2013-2015, and his sound design work can be heard on Comedy Central, Hulu, and Disney XD. Alex is the other half of Hollywood power couple “Nicolex” and lives with his wife (Nicole Wyland) and two cats (Milo and Winnie) in West Hollywood. Follow him on Instagram @wa_reeves and Twitter @walexreeves

A LITTLE ABOUT HAGS:

HAGS is a weekly feminist podcast dedicated to deconstructing and demystifying the way society values women. Co-hosts Riley Rose Critchlow and Nicole Wyland are frequently joined by notable guests such as Gates McFadden, Troian Bellisario, Gina Susanna and Ione Butler. Each episode begins with a profile of a notable woman from throughout history before diving into freeform discussion inspired by an adjective that might be used to describe a woman (Beautiful, Polite, Feisty, etc.) citing historical evidence, pop culture, current events, personal anecdotes, and the voice of producer, Alex Reeves, for the male perspective. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn about rats. Tune in weekly on iTunes, Stitcher, at www.hagspodcast.com.

CONTACT HAGS:

Facebook: facebook.com/hagspodcast

Instagram:  @hagspodcast

Twitter:  @hagspodcast

Website: www.hagspodcast.com

***** PODCATS LEVELS OF ACTION*****

ONE CLICK WONDER - Give HAGS 5 stars and write a review on iTunes!

TUB THUMPER - Go see and support feminist content/movies/art! Go often!

SUPER SOLDIER - Figure out what you do well and use it to your advantage to advance the conversation. Graphic Artist? Podcaster? Make space for women! And recommend your female friends for things

KEEP THE CHANGE - Donate to HAGS OR donate to organizations that help women. Support female business owners, writers, filmmakers, artists. Buy their stuff.

In this episode, we talk with Riley Brann about his work with Knock Every Door on the National Nurses United for All’s national Campaign for Medicare for all. We get into voter apathy, a little bit into being a delegate for Bernie, and touch on the beauty of Southern Utah.

ABOUT RILEY BRANN:

Riley Brann, is a former Bernie Organizer, Delegate to the 2016 DNC for Senator Sanders. He worked in Ohio during the national election as a Regional Field Director, then came home to work in local politics, campaign manager for county commissioner, SEIU Union Organizing. Now he works with the National Nurses United for all on their National Campaign for Medicare for All, as well as for the CNA's California Plan for Medicare for All. He is also the co-chair of Portland DSA's M4A Program. Riley went to school in CA (UCSB) Class of 2016 - that is where he worked for Bernie, and then became a delegate, went to Philly, then moved to OH. Then ultimately back to OR.

A LITTLE ABOUT KED and THE NATIONAL NURSES UNITED FOR ALL:

Nurses have been at the helm of this fight for Medicare for All for decades and there is good reason why. Nurses bear witnesses to the dire consequences on their patients every day. They see patients rationing their prescriptions or putting off important medical procedures because of cost. They see patients dealing with the devastating burden of choosing between their rent or groceries and their healthcare. Nurses are committed to this fight because they know firsthand that Medicare for All will bring many of their patients enormous relief. For some of their patients, the passage of Medicare for All will be the difference between life and death.

CONTACT RILEY ABOUT KED/MEDICARE FOR ALL CAMPAIGN:

Click here to go to their helpful guide!

[email protected]

***** PODCATS LEVELS OF ACTION*****

ONE CLICK WONDER - Join the text banking team! OR Look up your representative and say you support Medicare for All.

TUB THUMPER - Go out and host!

SUPER SOLDIER - Riley has tasks for you! Be a repeat host

KEEP THE CHANGE - Donate to a campaign/candidate that supports medicare for all

***** RESOURCES MENTIONED*****

National Nurses United Campaign for Medicare for All Meets DC PodCats

Response Cycle

In this episode, we talk with Serina Holmstrom about her newest project, ecoThrive. We also get into the issues surrounding homelessness in Seattle, ways to stay zen, and the importance of Whiskey.

ABOUT SERINA HOLMSTROM:

Serina Holmstrom spent five years as a counselor for at-risk youth and families before pursuing residential interior design. Serina brings her passion for social justice, background in direct service and aesthetic gifts to create community-designed spaces that balance beauty and function by serving as a cofounding board member of the new nonprofit, EcoThrive Housing. Her work in building Resilient Villages began with homeless art outreach and making meals for the transitional tiny housing villages newly implemented by the City of Seattle. Along with many others, she is working on meal distribution to homeless encampments and unhoused neighbors.

She supports Rainier Beach High School as a mentor to the Housing and Gentrification student group and Washington Building Leaders of Change (WA-BLOC), a program providing year-round culturally infused learning, leadership and social action for scholars K-12 in South Seattle.

In addition to endlessly drawing dream treehouses, Serina is working on a television series adaptation of the female spy novel, The Oracle Glass, about an underground network of women revolutionaries in 17th century Paris. This is her second year judging for the Social Justice Film Festival.

A LITTLE ABOUT ECO THRIVE:

A resilient housing project in Seattle, Washington hoping to provide affordable, permanent, atheistically pleasing, housing for homeless or transitional persons that is also self - sustaining.

CONTACT ECO THRIVE:

ecothrivehousing.com

***** PODCATS LEVELS OF ACTION*****

ONE CLICK WONDER - Support economic opportunity for hardworking vendors by purchasing and reading your local street newspaper. In Seattle, it’s Real Change News, in Austin, The Challenger, Street Sheet in San Francisco, The Big Issue is based in the UK but distributed internationally.

TUB THUMPER - Attend a workshop or event led by the anti-racist organizing group, People’s Institute.  http://www.pisab.org

SUPER SOLDIER - Volunteer at your local food bank. Just type in “Food bank” + your zip code into your search engine

KEEP THE CHANGE - ”We sacrificed our land to make the City of Seattle a beautiful reality. We are still waiting for our justice” - Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe.  Real Rent Duwamish is a program to provide reoccurring monthly donation to the tribe as a way of serving long-awaited justice. Donate to your local tribe.

OR

Children’s Defense Freedom Schools puts on programs almost everywhere in the United States. Either seek out your local chapter or donate online.

***** OTHER RESOURCES MENTIONED*****

If you want to see what Serina’s art collective is up to you can go to lovewinslove.com

Read Lindy West’s Article in the New York Times