Firestarters with Shannon Watts

"If we don't tell the truth, we're doing a disservice to everyone. Racism hurts white people. Sexism hurts men. Homophobia hurts straight people. When you dehumanize the 'other,' you're actually dehumanizing yourself."

Today on the Firestarters podcast, I’m talking with Sarah Jones, a Tony Award-winning visionary and solo performer. Sarah is an actor, comedian, writer, producer, and activist, who seeks to impact more than just the entertainment industry with her own unique experiences as a Black woman with multicultural roots.

In this conversation we talk about how her life growing up affected her future careers, how she developed her characters and what they mean to her life and her work, how she supports those who are underserved, and what she’s going to conquer next. Sarah Jones is a firestarter.

“If we could get all these different female leaders who care about these different issues—whether it's repro rights or gun violence or care—focused on our common humanity and common lived experience as women, I feel like we could move policy forward in a way that's never been moved.”

Today on the Firestarters podcast, I’m talking with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, an award-winning filmmaker, and an influential thought leader on gender equality, and the mother of four children with California Governor Gavin Newsom. 

In our conversation, we talk about the ways being a leader was an expectation in her family growing up, how a sisterhood of women has supported her throughout her life, and how powerful women can be when they come together for a common cause.

Thank you to everyone who joined us live yesterday for a conversation between myself and Jessica Yellin of News Not Noise. We talked about what happened in the election, the importance of women running for office, how Republicans are changing the election playbook, whether there was cheating, and how we can move forward from here. Watch the replay and be sure to download the Substack app so you don’t miss the next one!

My upcoming book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is now available for preorder! This book is my guide to figuring out what lights you up and will show you how to live on fire every day. Click here to preorder and get locked into some incredible bonuses.

Your person will love you exactly as you are, the age you are, where you live, how tall you are, what you do, what you don't do. And it's true every single time. You have to be authentic. You really have to show who you are because that's the only way someone can find you.

In this episode of the Firestarters Podcast, I spoke with Amy Nobile, a dating coach who focuses on a holistic-view of human to human connection. I first interviewed Amy for a Fireside Chat q&a on dating in midlife and I knew I wanted to hear more from her.

In this conversation we delve deeper into finding love no matter your age. From clients in their 20s, to clients in their 80s, Amy believes that it’s never too late to find love - especially once you shift your energy. We also talk about the obligation of staying in a marriage, divorce, and Amy even turns the tables to ask me questions about how my childhood affected my second marriage. I know you’re going to take a lot away from this conversation.

"Sustainable change requires small, regular, concerted efforts by a lot of people doing the next right thing. All of us working together to change something has far more effect than five of us trying to do everything.”

Sharon McMahon is perhaps better known as America’s Government Teacher. Previously a government, history, and law teacher, she now shares her knowledge through Instagram, where she puts the latest headlines into context for her million-plus followers.

She’s also the host of the award-winning podcast Here’s Where it Gets Interesting, writes the newsletter The Preamble, and she’s the author of the upcoming book The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, From the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement, releasing on September 24th.

Sharon is a lifelong teacher who, rather than telling you what to think, gives you the context around an issue that helps you understand it and think more critically. She wants you to be able to make educated choices for yourself.

"I say all of my work comes from pain. I think it's really important to figure out the things that hurt and then work towards making it hurt less for the next person." - Gisele Fetterman

Gisele Fetterman is a Brazilian born activist, philanthropist, and non profit executive. When her husband, John Fetterman, was a mayor and then lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania, she was the first lady of Braddock and the second lady of the Commonwealth. Her husband is now a U. S. senator.

Gisele has helped found several nonprofit organizations that focus on the needs of lower income families. She's also an advocate for diversity and inclusion, pushing Congress to take a more humane and compassionate approach to immigration. Gisele is kind and courageous, she is empathetic and effective, and she is passionate and persuasive.

In this conversation we talk about Gisele’s childhood journey from Rio de Janeiro to America, what brings her joy, her experience of becoming a firefighter at age 40, and her commitment to helping others through her work.

“I want to see Republican women for gun reform and I want these women to start calling themselves Republicans and trying to exert more influence within their party. I want to see those Republican women step into their political power, for God's sakes, do the work. Your tears will never, ever change the current Republican Party, is really my message.”

Emily Amick is a lawyer, journalist, and political analyst who served as counsel to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. She has taken the knowledge she acquired while working in policy to help women navigate teh political process and show us all how we can take action as citizens. Her new book, Democracy in Retrograde, reframes civic engagement as a source of joy, a form of self care, and an important way to combat hopelessness and cynicism.

Join us for a conversation all about finding your inner political power, advocating for yourself, and building a community of others who are both willing to believe in you and help you. Emily believes the key to curing our loneliness epidemic is through civic engagement.

“The philosophical framework of Buddhism saved me. I was studying Asian philosophy and there was the Buddha saying 'you're suffering in life', and for me, that became, 'you're not so different'. You belong actually.”

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, a world renowned teacher, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her books include Real Happiness and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. She has inspired generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon’s popular podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed six million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond.

Join us for a conversation on connecting with who we truly are, how we can live more authentic lives, and how we can find joy, even in the difficult times.

In this conversation you’ll find:

* how the experience of living with five different families changed her

* studying Buddhism and meditation in a life changing trip to India

* uncovering the fire inside to begin teaching

* the conflicting messages of happiness

* what self compassion can bring to our lives

* how to find aliveness and inner strength

“I tell people you don't have to say, ‘I'm just a drop in the bucket.’ Well, take care of your drop. Your drop affects so many other people and whenever you speak or are in contact with people, you're shaping and changing every day.”

Sandra is a prolific poet, author, and artist, perhaps best known for her book The House on Mango Street, originally published in 1984, which has gone on to sell over six million copies and is required reading in schools across the world. Recently, Sandra published her first book of poetry in 28 years called Woman Without Shame, a brilliant collection of songs, elegies, and declarations.

She has received a number of awards and honors including the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, two National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships in poetry and prose. Sandra has also founded the Macondo Foundation, an association of socially engaged writers, and the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation, a grant-giving institution that served Texas writers for fifteen years.

Join us for a conversation about the ways in which we all have a gift to give, how invested teachers can really change a life, taking darkness and transforming it into a path out, and being courageous enough to taking the next step.

In this conversation you’ll find:

* Being the only girl with six brothers

* Her struggles in school to stay engaged and reign in her imagination

* Growing up sensitive, and later realizing it was a gift

* Writing in secret out of shame

* The power dynamics and damage of an affair with a married professor

* A 20 year “overnight” journey to success

* Learning more from disasters than accolades

* Having exactly what we need to make change

* Not wasting our time in life

"Take seriously the fact that there's something in the world that you need to do and then do it now. Don’t wait — we don't know how long we have."

 Rabbi Sharon Brous is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR, a leading edge Jewish community based in Los Angeles, and the author of the national bestseller, The Amen Effect, Ancient Wisdom to Heal Our Hearts and Mend Our Broken World. She's been named to the list of the most influential rabbis in America, and was recognized by the Forward and Jerusalem Post as among the most influential Jews alive today.

Rabbi Brous’ work has been featured in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and her 2016 TED Talk, Reclaiming Religion, has been viewed by over 1. 5 million people. Her commitment to building bridges across divides, her anecdotes about how we can all find meaning in our lives, and her belief in our common humanity are inspiring and thought provoking.

Join us for a conversation about how to join or build a community, how to stay centered in your humanity while the world’s turbulence roils around you, and why you should never delay fulfilling your desires.

In this conversation you’ll find:

* Her own spiritual journey,

* How she’s building a community of those who have been disaffected by religious institutions,

* Her take on the ways social media is keeping us apart,

* How her book landed at the perfect moment for the state of the world,

* The ways in which we’re all struggling with loneliness and isolation,

* How the loss of a friend gave her much needed clarity

* What she hopes she’ll leave as her legacy