Hi! New here? Welcome to the Uplifters! I'm Aransas Savas. I've spent the last 20 years at the intersection of behavior change research and coaching. On The Uplifters Podcast, we share diverse stories of women who have found something beautiful on the other side of the hard stuff. Despite self-doubt and fear (and honestly, who doesn't have those?), they've done big, brave things anyway, and show us how we can too!

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This Week’s Featured Uplifter: Kate Milligan

Kate Milligan's story begins with frustration—the kind that sits heavy in your chest when you know something needs to change, but don’t see the change happening. After seven years in Washington D.C.'s political machine, Kate found herself pitching inspiring stories about women who weren't waiting for broken systems to fix themselves—women who were becoming the solution. Story after story got rejected. So she packed up a U-Haul and drove home to Detroit.

In reading about Detroit's motto, "There is always hope and it will rise from the ashes", Kate found her North Star. "That's what women are," she realized. "Women are the most resilient. They're so powerful that they can transform this world." That moment of recognition sparked 1 Girl Revolution, a multimedia platform amplifying the stories of everyday women changing the world.

Her Courage Practice: Lifting Others Up

Through her background in PR and media, Kate has made it her mission to identify women with important stories, ask the right questions to help them see their own significance, and create safe spaces for their voices to emerge.

She gives women permission to see themselves as worthy of attention, as leaders worth following, as revolutionaries in their own right.

In the process of uplifting others, Kate discovered her own voice. What began as a way to showcase other women's courage became the foundation for her own transformation from shy, bullied kid to Emmy-nominated documentary producer and movement builder.

Listen to This If You:

• Aren’t quite sure what your big purpose is
• Feel like your voice doesn't matter in a noisy world
• Are tired of waiting for broken systems to change themselves
• Want to turn your own pain into purpose for others
• Are ready to stop playing small and start building something meaningful

References & Resources:

• 1 Girl Revolution Podcast: 260+ episodes of women's stories (available on all podcast platforms and YouTube)
• Emmy-nominated documentaries: "The Girl Inside" and "In Tandem" (watch on YouTube)
• Main website: www.1girlrevolution.com
• Nonprofit platform: www.onegirlrevolution.org

Lift Her Up:

• Subscribe to the One Girl Revolution podcast (available on all platforms and YouTube)
• Follow on social media:
• Instagram: @1girlrevo
• Facebook: facebook.com/1girlrevo
• Twitter: @1girlrevo
• YouTube: 1GirlRevolution
• Support through donations at www.onegirlrevolution.org to help tell more stories
• Shop their female empowerment merchandise to rep the movement
• Share the stories that resonate with you—every share amplifies another woman's voice

If You Liked This Story, Check Out These Stories:

• Terry Grahl (Episode 114): The woman who nominated Kate and founded Enchanted Makeovers, transforming shelters for domestic violence survivors
• Kerry Brodie (Episode 79): Founder of Emma’s Torch who left DC to create a systemic solution for the needs of asylees and immigrants
• Rachel Lipson (Episode 4): Music educator who built a global teaching network from her studio apartment

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and nomination from Terry Grahl

03:00 - Kate's DC frustration and the decision to move home

08:30 - Finding her calling in Detroit's motto

15:45 - Starting One Girl Revolution with 10 episodes

22:15 - The power of giving others permission to be seen

28:40 - Building courage capital through community

35:20 - Emmy nomination and documentary work

42:10 - Self-care and taking care of uplifters

48:35 - Next brave steps and fundraising goals

52:00 - Kate's nomination for the next guest

About The Uplifters Podcast:

Every week, host Aransas Savas celebrates remarkable women who are doing big, brave things and changing their corner of the world. Through conversations about "courage capital" - the renewable resource we build through brave choices - The Uplifters proves that ordinary women can do extraordinary things.

Subscribe & Share:

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and share with the uplifters in your life! Your support helps us reach more women who need to hear these stories.

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#OneGirlRevolution #CourageCapital #WomenEmpowerment #TheUplifters #Storytelling #Detroit #DocumentaryFilmmaker #PodcastLife #WomenSupportingWomen #BeBrave #EmmyNominated #Inspiration #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #MediaRepresentation