Live A Conscious Life

A mulit-passionate and highly creative person, Emelda, joins me to talk about a space that she created for Black women and girls whose voices have been left out of the narrative of police brutality. This space is called Black Womyn Rising and it includes Black LGBTQIA+ folx and lifts up voices and stories of trans women who have experienced police brutality as well. Emelda knows that "when we women come together, we not only transform our own selves and our own psyches, but of those around us too." She facilitates Sister Soul Talks, which is a space for healing that addresses the issues that Black women and girls experience in society. Emelda points out that "even in progressive spaces, the truths and experiences of Black women and girls are excluded." We must understand that no one is free if Black women are not free. We talk more about this freedom, and I ask her what freedom means to her personally. 

"How can we re-imagine possibilities, a new world, while we are also actively resisting?"

In this episode, we also talk about love and community. Emelda shares what transformative love and community mean to her. 

"If we can get away from the capitalist model of love and really truly see people's hearts and want to connect deeply with their souls, how much different would our homes, communities and our culture be?" 

Our conversation was DEEP and beautiful, and I know it will set you on a higher frequency like it did for me. Take a listen for your pleasure.

I loved talking with this powerful feminist about radical feminist selfcare. Jill is a health coach and nutritional practitioner with an intersectional feminist lens on health and care. One of the myths we tackle in this episode is the one about how being thin equals healthy and fat equals unhealthy. Jill is a big advocate for body positivity and educates about fat shaming and helps us get free from the everyday ways that we participate in fat shaming that we might not even be conscious of.  She believes, "There's no need to worry about someone else's weight or assume that their weight has anything to do with their health." In so many ways, society teaches us not to feel good about or in our bodies, and bringing attention to this is a big part of feminist selfcare. 

Jill hosts Selfcare for Activists workshops in Seattle and stresses the importance of selfcare while also being active. And she talks about how everyone's activism looks different, and that that's okay. We all have different strengths and gifts, and that's where our activism lies. 

Also, Jill is in a pop punk band called Young Go Hards, and we discuss sexism in the punk scene and how she participates in activism and feminism with her band. Along these lines, we talk about our "problematic favs" and how this is related to our feminist selfcare. 

Annnnnd Jill gives tarot card readings as part of her Feminist Selfcare coaching practice. Read no more and give this episode a listen as part of your feminist selfcare!

I'm here with the beautiful and wise Mentor, Shadow Diver and Spiritual Guide to women, L'Erin Alta. In this podcast, L'Erin shares her incredibly powerful story of how her soul work with women began when she was in college and started an all women's open mic group called Sister Fire. Through facilitating this group, she learned how to be a sacred space holder. She also shares some dark challenges she's faced with death at a young age that has prepared her for the work she does today as well. She considers death her master teacher and impermanence her lesson.

Our conversation is centered on spirituality, feminism and social justice, and how they all connect. L'Erin points out how women's truth has been silenced under patriarchy and how we can, in turn, silence ourselves. I ask L'Erin what love looks like to her, what is the power of prayer, how we can feel our joy when it feels like we "shouldn't", and what brings her joy. L'Erin has some powerful insights on how important love, prayer, and joy are in relation to oppression. We talk about accepting ourselves, what healing is and coming back to your wholeness.

Are you new to Real Feminist Stories Podcast? If so, then start with this episode! For those who have been listening for a while or are already familiar with a lot of the terms in relation to intersectional feminism and oppression, then this episode may not be for you, but please use it as a resource to give to other people! In this episode, I define some of the common terms that are used in my podcast episodes like patriarchy, intersectionality, White supremacy, privilege, ableism, cisgender, transgender, non-binary, pansexual, queer, sex positive, polyamory, etc.

Calling all educators! My podcast is a resource to educate folks on feminism, intersectionality, and oppression through the powerful medium of storytelling. I give you permission, and encourage, you to use my episodes as homework assignments, in your classrooms, for your audience and clients, and anyone you want to educate about these topics. Send them this episode to start with! 

If you aren't an educator but know educators, please tell them about Real Feminist Stories Podcast and this episode as the place to begin to listen!  

Want to support Real Feminist Stories Podcast on patreon? Even $1/month helps a lot! Thank you for supporting my labor of love to bring you more powerful stories and important topics. Go to patreon.com/realfeministstories.com

*Intro & Outro music by Eva Roberts

Today's episode is the last one of the abortion series. Some themes of this episode include growing up in a strict Catholic environment, leaving the Catholic church because of sexism, paying it forward to kind nurses at Planned Parenthood, working at an abortion and family planning clinic, being a part of the Latinx community, shame but no regrets, and how the avoidance of pregnancy often falls on the woman. I want to thank all of the women who shared their abortion stories with me. Thank you for trusting me and my audience with your story, and helping to break the stigma and taboo of abortion. I honor you <3

Today continues my abortion series involving folks who are sharing their abortion stories on Real Feminist Stories in the interest of reducing the stigma against abortion. These stories stem from a pro-choice, feminist standpoint, and are full of complexities. I am honored to be able to provide a space and platform for these stories. Thank you to these beautiful souls for trusting me with their stories. 

To support Real Feminist Stories Podcast, go to patreon.com/realfeministstories.com. Thank you, everyone!

Intro/outro music by *Eva Roberts

Other music by Lee Rosevere

Today continues my abortion series involving folks who are sharing their abortion stories on Real Feminist Stories in the interest of reducing the stigma against abortion. These stories stem from a pro-choice, feminist standpoint, and are full of complexities. I am honored to be able to provide a space and platform for these stories. Thank you to these beautiful souls for trusting me with their stories. 

To support Real Feminist Stories Podcast, go to patreon.com/realfeministstories.com. Thank you, everyone!

Intro/outro music by *Eva Roberts

Other music by Lee Rosevere

Today begins my abortion series involving folks who are sharing their abortion stories on Real Feminist Stories in the interest of reducing the stigma against abortion. These stories stem from a pro-choice, feminist standpoint, and are full of complexities. I am honored to be able to provide a space and platform for these stories. Thank you to these beautiful souls for trusting me with their stories.

Intro & outro music by Eva Roberts. Other music by Lee Rosevere.

Want to become a Patron supporter of Real Feminist Stories Podcast? Head to patreon.com/realfeministstories.

Today begins my abortion series involving folks who are sharing their abortion stories on Real Feminist Stories in the interest of reducing the stigma against abortion. These stories stem from a pro-choice, feminist standpoint, and are full of complexities. I am honored to be able to provide a space and platform for these stories. Thank you to these beautiful souls for trusting me with their stories.

Intro & outro music by Eva Roberts. Other music by Lee Rosevere.

Want to become a Patron supporter of Real Feminist Stories Podcast? Head to patreon.com/realfeministstories.

In this week's episode, I'm speaking with the wonderful, Lola Davina, and her new book, "Thriving In Sex Work: Heartfelt Advice For Staying Sane In The Sex Industry." We have a very candid, raw, real conversation about the various complexities within and of sex work from a sex worker positive standpoint. Lola takes a "harm-reduction" attitude of sex work, and is interested in how we can make sex work harm-free, oppression free, and as safe as possible. Lola identifies as a feminist, and we, also, talk about how sex work and feminism intersect, and examine why society puts a lot of meaning onto sex and the shame that it places on sex workers. We talk about how emotional labor is central to sex work, and how sex workers can manage their own emotions, which will support them in thriving. Lastly, Lola shares how she wrote in a journal, when she was ten years old, that she wanted to be a prostitute (she's not the first person I know who has shared a similar story). Take a listen to learn more and gain new insights and perspectives from what Lola has to share!   

*Intro & Outro music by Eva Roberts

Want to give some $$$ to Real Feminist Stories Podcast? Go to patreon.com/realfeministstories.com. Thank you to all of my patrons for your support. I appreciate you!