Momarchy

What does it take to hold onto hope and humanity during the darkest of times? In this deeply moving episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Liz Hirsh Naftali, whose family was forever changed on October 7th when her great-niece Abigail, just three years old, was taken hostage after witnessing her parents' murder.

We dive into how Liz spent 51 days fighting to bring Abigail home, and now continues to advocate for all hostages still in captivity. We also discuss the practical ways any parent can apply her approach to having better conversations across differences and finding hope during overwhelming times.

Liz Hirsh Naftali is the creator of the Capital Coffee Connection podcast, a commercial real estate entrepreneur, and author of "Saving Abigail." She's worked with leaders across the political spectrum, from progressive Democrats to conservative Republicans, proving that our shared humanity is stronger than our political differences.

We Discuss:

00:03 - Rapid fire questions: from New York walks to Broadway pump-up music

06:17 - What "home" means in motherhood and why that matters now

10:36 - The crisis in the Middle East: a brief but essential context

16:27 - Living through a family's nightmare: when Abigail was taken

21:16 - How motherhood becomes a superpower during crisis

28:52 - Building unlikely alliances: working with politicians you disagree with

33:12 - Why we have to move beyond "choosing sides"

37:44 - Teaching resilience: how Abigail is thriving in first grade

42:30 - The role of women and mothers in times of crisis

48:12 - Finding what connects us instead of what divides us

51:38 - Practical advice: how to have better conversations with people you disagree with

54:43 - What keeps you showing up when everything feels hopeless

55:43 - The power of local action and everyday kindness

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Find more from Liz Hirsh Naftali:

Website: https://www.lizhirshnaftali.com/about-liz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when federal policy changes land squarely on the doorstep of local government? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Julie Duran-Mullica, Adams County Commissioner and mom of three, to break down the recent Medicaid changes that are about to impact millions of families across the country.

We explore what these policy shifts actually mean in plain English, why your county commissioner might be more important than you think, and how extreme politics at every level is making it harder to have basic conversations about healthcare. Julie also explains why reaching out to your local officials really does make a difference.

Julie Duran-Mullica has spent years in public health and local leadership as an Adams County Commissioner. She's a fierce advocate for affordable housing, childcare, and community safety who believes in the power of regional partnerships and storytelling to drive policy change.

We Discuss:

00:59 - Rapid fire questions: from bookworm kid to Taylor Swift campaign songs

07:38 - What a county commissioner actually does (and why it matters)

11:35 - Breaking down the Medicaid changes in mom-speak

14:30 - New work requirements and what they mean for families

16:47 - How these changes affect pregnant women and new moms

18:40 - What families should do right now to prepare

20:35 - How extreme politics led us to cutting healthcare for millions

23:22 - Your first step to getting politically involved (hint: it starts with coffee)

28:46 - Success stories of community members creating real change

33:11 - Ask a Millennial Mom: Hair rules, screen time balance, and TikTok parenting hacks

45:13 - Finding positivity and ways to help in your own community

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Find more from Julie Duran Mullica:

Website: https://www.juliemullica.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like you're living in an alternate reality where up is down and facts are opinions? Welcome to the wonderful world of political gaslighting, where truth goes to die and confusion reigns supreme.

In this episode of Momarchy, we break down the psychological manipulation tactics that have become standard operating procedure in American politics. From outright denial of documented events to flooding the airwaves with conflicting information until we're too exhausted to search for truth, we're calling out the strategies designed to make you doubt your own judgment.

We also discuss why this is especially dangerous for parents making critical decisions about vaccines, education, and safety, how social media amplifies the gaslighting machine, and why both parties (yes, both) use these tactics to avoid accountability.

Plus, we debut our new segment "I Love My Husband But" because sometimes therapy comes in the form of complaining about coffee thermoses.

We Discuss:

03:46 - The basic definition of gaslighting and why toddlers are natural experts

07:58 - How "fake news" became the ultimate deflection tool

12:02 - Rewriting history in real time: from hurricane maps drawn in Sharpie to museum exhibits being erased

18:01 - The emotional manipulation of mom influencers spreading vaccine misinformation

27:19 - How the 2020 election denial continues to gaslight voters (even though Trump won in 2024)

32:16 - The propaganda machine: from White House Instagram to news outlets twisting the same story

35:04 - Why we stopped watching MSNBC and the problem with echo chambers

40:28 - Protecting yourself and your kids: media literacy, fact-checking, and trusting your gut

47:23 - How to spot manipulation in everything from political ads to beauty product influencers

48:34 - I Love My Husband But: Andrew Huberman's revolutionary "non-sleep deep rest" (aka meditation) and the curse of the impossible coffee thermos.

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week feels impossible. In just one day, Charlie Kirk is assassinated on a Utah campus and Evergreen High School in Colorado becomes the latest site of another school shooting, minutes from where we live. We're angry, exhausted, and heartbroken, but as moms we can't look away.

Gun violence is now the number one killer of kids in America, yet threats against elected officials, school board members, journalists, and parents like us are treated as background noise. In this bonus episode, we sit with the grief and rage of raising children under lockdown drills, and we talk openly about the hypocrisy of leaders who value guns over kids.

We also share the small but powerful ways moms can fight back. Heavy doesn't mean hopeless. Our kids don't have time for us to wait, and together we can hold our grief and take action at the same time.

What's Discussed:

(00:01) When the Headlines Hit Home: Processing a Week of Tragedy

(07:42) Threats, Fear, and the New Normal of Political Violence (12:33) From Campaign Offices to Our Living Rooms: Violence Gets Personal

(21:53) Lockdown Drills for Preschoolers: The Reality of Raising Kids Now

(29:59) Why Common-Sense Gun Laws Keep Stalling in America

(33:57) Sandy Hook, Columbine, Evergreen: How Much More Can We Take?

(41:55) Five Ways Moms Can Push Back Against Gun Violence

(47:42) Heavy Doesn't Mean Hopeless: Building Courage and Community

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to break your "give a shit meter" in your thirties? In this episode of Momarchy, we talk with Kat De Shields-Moon, a gaming industry veteran who went from getting fired by her own mom at 14 to navigating the boys' club of video games for over a decade.

We dive into how the gaming world mirrors politics in all the worst ways, why having kids in a "good old boys club" felt impossible until she found the right workplace culture, and how the Robb Elementary shooting changed everything about how she views politics as a mom.

Kat De Shields-Moon has spent 14 years in the gaming industry, starting as a games journalist and working across corporate marketing. She's a mom of two who's passionate about creating positive spaces in male-dominated industries and believes in judging people by their humanity rather than their political labels.

We Discuss:

01:44 - Getting fired by her oncologist mom at 14

08:34 - Why her "give-a-shit meter" broke in her thirties

16:27 - How Robb Elementary changed her political perspective

18:55 - Living in a "volumocracy" where loudest voices win

24:47 - Breaking up with friends over political differences

28:55 - Finding balance by unplugging from news cycles

47:45 - Ask a Millennial Mom: Rules they ignore

53:37 - Admitting you don't like your kids sometimes

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Find more from Kat De Shields Moon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekdsm/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever been told a job is "family-friendly" only to discover that means absolutely nothing when your kid gets sick on the day of your big presentation?

In this episode of Momarchy, we break down the harsh reality of what "flexible" work actually looks like for moms. From mandatory happy hours that conflict with bedtime routines to the unspoken expectation that you'll work nights and weekends to prove your "commitment," we're calling out the systems that set working mothers up to fail.

We also discuss the impossible juggle of being the "default parent", why taking six weeks of maternity leave felt like career suicide, and how the lack of real family leave policies in America forces impossible choices on working parents.

We even dive into our current comfort watches (Team Conrad forever) and the DGAF mom moments that keep us sane in this beautiful chaos.

We Discuss:

02:04 - Shout-outs to our amazing listeners and that one troll who told us to shut up and eat Taco Bell (honestly, sounds like a perfect day)

07:10 - Why we're grateful for Team Moxie Media and hitting #39 in political podcasts

08:22 - Colorado's special session and how Trump's "big beautiful bill" is screwing over families

16:46 - The Summer I Turned Pretty hot takes: Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah debate

24:11 - Sick kid chaos and the reality of "flexible" work when you're the default parent

27:19 - Why COVID changed everything about remote work (but not really)

32:16 - Sarah's story: Six weeks maternity leave during a governor's race

35:04 - Why women have to be the ones to change workplace culture

40:28 - The motherhood penalty vs. the fatherhood bonus

44:02 - America's embarrassingly bad family leave policies compared to literally everywhere else

47:23 - Why "just have grandparents help" isn't a real childcare solution

48:34 - DGAF Mom Moments: Pants-free grocery store runs and full Buzz Lightyear costume school days

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to cast a crucial vote with a four-week-old baby in your arms? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with U.S. Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who made national headlines when she flew across the country with her newborn to vote against a Republican budget bill.

We discuss the reality of being one of only 14 women to give birth while serving in Congress, why antiquated rules still prevent new parents from doing their jobs, and what it's like to prove yourself professionally while being a new mother. Plus, Brittany gets real about how motherhood has changed her perspective on what's at stake for America's families.

Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen represents Colorado's 7th Congressional District and previously served 10 years in the Colorado state legislature. She's become a fierce advocate for expanding opportunities for families and children while fighting to modernize Congressional rules for new parents.

We Discuss:

02:19 - Rapid fire: Coffee vs. wine and guilty pleasure naps

08:58 - Flying with a four-week-old to cast a crucial vote

14:37 - The bipartisan fight to modernize Congress for working parents

18:56 - Being visibly pregnant in the halls of power

22:45 - Her advice for moms choosing between ambition and motherhood

25:10 - Pardon My Politics: What scares her most about raising kids in America right now

31:02 - Finding hope when half the country voted for "a supervillain"

36:14 - What's wrong with the Democratic Party and why we're losing women

40:23 - Decaf Mom: Screen time reality checks and travel sacrifices

46:32 - What her pre-baby self would be shocked about now

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Find more from U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen:

Website: https://pettersen.house.gov/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reppettersen

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever feel like you're drowning in an endless to-do list that lives permanently in your brain? Welcome to the mental load—that invisible, exhausting cognitive labor that somehow always falls on moms, even when we have supportive partners.

In this episode of Momarchy, we bring you the real, unfiltered truth about what it's like to manage a household, raise kids, and work while carrying the weight of remembering everything from cat medication flavors to daycare waitlists that stretch over a year. We discuss how our entire system—from lack of paid leave to impossible childcare costs—is rigged against working mothers.

We're also unpacking the impossible standards we face: the far left saying having kids isn't feminist enough, the trad wife movement that's actually just influencer marketing in floral dresses, and the reality that most of us are stuck somewhere in the exhausted middle, just trying to survive each day.

We Discuss:

03:58 - The mental load: That never-ending to-do list in your head

06:15 - Sarah's current mental load (spoiler: it's a lot)

09:37 - Tanya's car gets stolen (thanks, Trump tariffs)

13:08 - Nanny negotiations and daycare waitlist hell

15:09 - Why women become the "default parent"

19:21 - Mom guilt when work and parenting collide

25:55 - Systems that weren't built for moms (shocking, we know)

32:23 - Why motherhood is politicized but never prioritized

36:30 - Pardon My Politics: Is America actually anti-mom?

44:53 - DGAF Mom Version: Survival mode parenting and laundry piles

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually take to stay informed as a busy parent without losing your mind? In this episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Gigi Sukin, an editor who's spent years behind the scenes watching how media and politics have pushed each other to dangerous extremes.

We're getting real about media bias, why childcare decisions are secretly political battlegrounds, and the brutal reality of trying to be a "good" working mom when your priorities shift overnight. We also dive into the one study that will change how you consume news forever.

Gigi Sukin is an editor in the press industry who has witnessed massive shifts in journalism over the past decade. She's a University of Denver alum, St. Louis native, and mom to an 18-month-old who gives the best hugs. She believes in curiosity, tolerance, and the importance of a diverse news diet.

We Discuss:

03:17 - Why exercise is non-negotiable for mom sanity (and Peloton dance parties)

07:02 - Pardon My Politics: The phrases that make us want to scream

17:24 - What people get completely wrong about media bias

21:29 - The one study that proves we're all more biased than we think

24:01 - How to stay informed without doom scrolling your life away

28:17 - What it's really like being a woman in a male-dominated newsroom

33:50 - The moment motherhood changes how you're perceived at work

40:14 - What would change if men had to work as new moms for one year

42:31 - The mantra every working mom needs to hear

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Find more from Gigi Sukin:

Email:[email protected]

X: https://x.com/GSukin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when two political strategist moms rank the most absurd political moments of the year? Pure chaos—and some surprisingly serious revelations about what's really happening.

In this episode of Momarchy, we are sharing our top three most ridiculous political moments from 2025. From Trump tweeting casual foreign policy to pregnancy surveillance bills that sound like dystopian fiction but are actually law, we're breaking down the headlines that made us question reality.

We also launch our new segment "Ask a Millennial Mom," where we rapid-fire through questions about gentle parenting (it's complicated), mom wine culture, chunky dad sneakers, and the dangerous rise of anti-vaccine mom influencers in the MAHA movement.

This episode perfectly captures why we started this podcast: sometimes you have to laugh at the chaos to stay sane, but you can't let the comedy distract you from the policies that actually matter to working families.

We Discuss:

00:46 - Why politics delivers such absurd moments right now

02:46 - When Republicans and Democrats both create walking comedy shows

04:22 - Eric Adams corruption charges mysteriously dropped

07:24 -Taylor Swift endorsement hysteria and PSYOP theories

09:51 -Trump tweeting "Vladimir, stop" at Putin

13:07 - Pregnancy surveillance bills in Missouri, Texas, and Idaho

17:19 - Secretary of Defense accidentally texting war strategy to journalist

20:27 - Joe Biden dropping out and the chaotic 100 days that followed

27:10 - What political absurdity says about our current climate

30:31 - Ask a Millennial Mom: Are we really into gentle parenting?

32:43 - Is mom wine culture problematic or just normal?

34:19 - Millennial mom trends we refuse to adopt

38:53 - Most absurd mom influencer advice

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @momarchypodcast

Email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.