Inflection Point with Lauren Schiller

An awkward conversation with her white mother about “good white people” inspired Ijeoma Oluo to take on the unenviable task of writing one of the most user-friendly books on race of our time: “So You Want To Talk About Race.” In plain language, Ijeoma has confronted deeply uncomfortable questions surrounding racial injustice from the school-to-prison pipeline to the Black Lives Matter movement to white feminism and intersectionality.

In our conversation, Ijeoma helps me to understand the insidious nature of white supremacy in our world. She also wakes me up to the fact that solidarity between all women cannot happen until white cis women hold themselves accountable to the ways they have benefitted from systems of oppression. Most importantly, Ijeoma offers practical, everyday actions that you can do today to help dismantle the system of racism.

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Conversations with women rising up and making history—and how you can too.

It’s time for some tough conversations about what women are up against right now and what to do about it.

So how can everyday women and men rise up and make true equality happen?

On Inflection Point I’m joined by experts and policy makers; authors and activists who are pounding on doors and breaking them down...And calling it out when something’s not right.

These are the tough conversations women are having, but everyone needs to hear.

On Inflection Point you’ll hear honest, powerful stories that will help you see the world with a little more promise.

And you’ll come away with ideas you can apply to your own life.

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There are girls all around the globe addressing tough issues that no young person should have to deal with--but must, by the luck of where and when they were born. Things like child marriage, sex trafficking, limited access to education, and poverty. Over 100 of these girls who have decided to do something about the problems in their community are featured in a new book called "Wonder Girls: Changing Our World." It was written by photojournalist Paola Gianturco and her 11 year old granddaughter, Alex Sangster who interviewed and photographed girl activists from fifteen girl-led nonprofit groups across the world...Girls who have managed to take their outrage and turn it into action.

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Why should biology decide when--or how--you'll have a baby? And what do advances in medical science mean for the feminist movement? As journalist Rachael Lehmann-Haupt investigated new reproductive technologies, she was faced with her own, personal 'ticking biological clock.' She tells us how she came to her own decision about having a child, and shares the pros and cons of having a baby on your own. Her book is “In Her Own Sweet Time”.

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What can women refugees teach us about how to rise up? Christina Psarra, head of mission for Doctors Without Borders, a humanitarian aid organization, bears witness to their sacrifice and resourcefulness, giving everything she has to help them. Along the way, she's discovered that refugees are not victims--they are survivors and it's her job to help them survive.

If there was ever a time when we need to consistently keep our souls replenished for the fight against injustice, it would be now. Hear how Women’s March artistic director, Paola Mendoza and strategic advisor and national organizer Sarah Sophie Flicker use the power of art and culture in activism, and what they learned in documenting The Women’s March for the newly released book, "Together We Rise." As national organizers for The Women’s March and leaders of The Resistance Revival Chorus, these artist activists see their purpose as connecting fellow members of The Resistance to the moments of joy and transcendence that come with being a part of history in the making.

As more and more women graduate from college and even surpass their male peers in levels of education, men are finding other means for achieving career success. Nancy Niemi, Director of Faculty Teaching Initiatives at Yale questions the conventional wisdom that college is a path to gender equality. Women now need more degrees than ever just to compete because in spite of all this education, institutional sexism is still prevalent. Her book is called, “Degrees of Difference.”

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When Bonny Simi was 14 years old, she made a list of life goals--to be a pilot, go to college, be a TV broadcaster, be an Olympic athlete and to build a log cabin. Today, she's achieved 4 of the 5 of them and she founded JetBlue Ventures to massively improve the travel experience. She may be the 'most interesting woman in the world.' And I wanted to know how she did it.

Inflection Point is brought to you by FreshBooks—spend less time dealing with invoices and expenses, and more time changing the world. Get your first 30 days free with no obligation at freshbooks.com/inflection and enter “Inflection Point” in the how did you hear about us section.

Tired of the patriarchy? This will perk you up! Become an Inflection Point monthly Patron (er, Matron!) today! Thank you!

From her childhood as a self-confessed gaming nerd to her career as an engineering-inspired artist (or is it art-inspired engineer?), Suz Somersall has made a life of her own design. She's now the founder of KiraKira, a learning program that makes girls feel confident and excited about creating new products using 3D printing, design-thinking and STEAM concepts.

We’ll hear how while living as on a remote Japanese island with her husband fighting halfway across the world, Suz redefined her role from military wife to entrepreneur.

This week on "Inflection Point," Suz shares how, despite a career full of pivots, one's life can ultimately lead in the same direction all along.

Inflection Point is brought to you by FreshBooks—spend less time dealing with invoices and expenses, and more time changing the world. Get your first 30 days free with no obligation at freshbooks.com/inflection and enter “Inflection Point” in the how did you hear about us section.

Tired of the patriarchy? This will perk you up! Become an Inflection Point monthly Patron (er, Matron!) today! Thank you!

Cristi Hegranes wanted to be a foreign correspondent since the time she was six years old. Within days of achieving her dream job, after all the traditional training, she realized she was the wrong person for the job. The right person? The women who actually live in the countries usually covered by outsiders. So she decided to train women journalists and give them a platform to tell the stories of their own communities. As she says, "To change the story, you have to change the storyteller."

Inflection Point is brought to you by FreshBooks—spend less time dealing with invoices and expenses, and more time changing the world. Get your first 30 days free with no obligation at freshbooks.com/inflection and enter “Inflection Point” in the how did you hear about us section.

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