Could you imagine that a bakery job at 15 would shape the way someone leads a nation?

In this episode, we sit down with Secretary Deb Haaland, former Secretary of the Interior and now candidate for governor of New Mexico.

Deb shares how her early lessons in hard work and humility shaped her belief that leadership begins with empathy and discipline, not power. We talk about how running became her way to think and heal, why "Be Fierce" isn't just a campaign slogan, and how motherhood has grounded her leadership in compassion and courage.

We also discuss the connection between public service and personal values, and what it really takes to build a future where families and the planet can thrive together.

Deb Haaland is the 54th Secretary of the Interior, a proud member of Laguna Pueblo, and she is now running for governor of New Mexico. She's dedicated to protecting public lands, empowering communities, and ensuring future generations inherit a world worth caring for.

We Discuss:

• (00:01): Politics, Parenting, and Pop Culture

• (15:24): Politics with Purpose: Meet Secretary Deb Haaland

• (17:00): From Bakery to Ballots

• (20:21): How Running Became Her Form of Meditation

• (22:56): When Women Win, Everyone Benefits

• (26:56): What "Be Fierce" Really Means

• (30:44): Why Empathy Is Her Strongest Leadership Tool

• (36:33): How We Protect the Land We Love (and Why It Matters)

• (44:37): The Power of Kitchen Table Politics

• (52:30): How to Teach the Next Generation to Care for the Planet

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 Secretary Deb Haaland:

Instagram: @secdebhaaland

X: @SecDebHaaland

Facebook: @SecretaryDebHaaland

Ever feel like politics makes as little sense as parenting a toddler? Same.

In this episode, we're launching our first-ever Momarchy Fantasy Draft: Make It Make Sense Edition, where we each pick the wildest political stories of the week and attempt the impossible: explaining them like rational adults. (Spoiler: we fail, but it's fun.)

Between Trump's latest antics, the East Wing demolition, and the never-ending government shutdown, we're breaking it all down with plenty of laughter and side stories about food poisoning, hand-foot-mouth disease, and why Target is basically church for moms.

Because when democracy feels like a toddler on Halloween candy, sometimes all you can do is pour a ginger ale (or wine) and laugh through the madness.

We Discuss:

(00:01) Food poisoning, packing chaos, and recording from home

(03:51) Sick kids, vaccine shortages, and the annual preschool panic

(08:12) The first-ever Momarchy Draft: making political nonsense make sense (kind of)

(12:25) Target runs, scheduling fun, and why "self-care" looks different for moms

(18:03) The myth of balance and the art of stop pretending we can do it all

(24:51) He's not babysitting, he's parenting

(33:02) The AI poop video, the yelling leak and more: the week's wildest headlines

(51:30) Sweaty gym clothes, diaper bags, and the ultimate Momarchy Challenge

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]

What happens when you launch your campaign for Congress the same week you find out you're pregnant? In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Vedernikova Khanna (a first-time candidate, communications strategist, and soon-to-be mom), to talk about what it really looks like to chase big political dreams while growing a human.

Lisa shares how her mother's journey from Soviet Russia shaped her understanding of the American dream, why lived experience matters in policymaking, and what she's learned about resilience on the campaign trail. We talk about pregnancy, power, and the policies that actually support families: from paid leave to childcare to maternal healthcare in rural communities.

We also discuss what it means to redefine "family values" in today's political climate, why resting is a luxury most moms can't afford, and the importance of electing more mothers to Congress.

Lisa Vedernikova Khanna is running for Congress in Virginia and previously worked with the New York Times and the Democratic National Committee. She's passionate about building a government that truly reflects and supports working families.

We Discuss:

(00:01) Love Is Blind, Denver edition: why love is definitely not blind in Colorado

(07:34) 100,000 downloads: from texting our moms for listens to thousands tuning in every week

(10:35) How Momarchy started

(17:15) Recording from our kitchens, hiding from toddlers, and still trying to sound confident

(20:05) Keeping hope alive when politics feels like a dumpster fire

(23:29) Cold DMs, lucky yeses, and the moment people actually started reaching out

(25:24) Why Momarchy isn't our full-time job (yet)… and yes, we are paying to do this

(30:04) Campaigning and morning sickness: when "leading and lactating" become the same conversation

(31:50) Meet Lisa Vedernikova-Khanna: running for Congress while pregnant, and redefining what power looks like

(34:51) The policies she's fighting for and why lived experience belongs in Congress

(44:24) The "how will you do both?" question, the myth of pro-family politics, and the reality of doing it anyway

(55:15) Her message to moms everywhere

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 Lisa Vedernikova-Khanna:

Website: www.lvk.vote

Instagram: @lisaforvirginia

Ever wonder why Halloween and election season overlap every single year? Spoiler alert: it's not a coincidence, and both involve way too much door-knocking and people losing their minds.

In this spooky special episode of Momarchy, we're diving into the intersection of Halloween, motherhood, and the original cancel culture: the Salem Witch Trials. Because nothing says "happy Halloween" quite like realizing that being accused of witchcraft in 1692 was basically what happens now when you have an opinion on the internet.

We're talking about the pressure to create Pinterest-perfect Halloween memories, how political campaigns have ruined this holiday for anyone who's ever worked on a race, and why the Salem Witch Trials were just mass gaslighting with deadly consequences. Plus, Love is Blind drama, king-size candy bars, and why being called a witch really just meant you were a woman who refused to stay quiet.

We Discuss:

00:24 - Election Day reminder: November 4th is one week away

01:43 - Love is Blind finale predictions and the Nick/Annie breakup we all saw coming

02:07 - Joe and Madison's cringy Mexico pool party moment that made us all uncomfortable

04:12 - Halloween as a mom: First-timer nerves vs. fourth Halloween wisdom

08:24 - Family themed costumes: Worth the effort or just added pressure?

17:36 - That time Tanya threw up from exhaustion (not drinking) on Halloween 2016 in Colorado Springs

22:01 - Does social media make Halloween worse? The crafty mom pressure is real (or is it?)

27:24 - The Salem Witch Trials deep dive begins: The OG gaslighting campaign

34:02 - How the Salem Witch Trials mirror Democratic Party infighting today

36:09 - The opposite of hate is indifference: When fear keeps people silent

37:21 - It only takes ONE person in power to start a witch hunt (literally)

38:34 - JD Vance, toxic churches, and "boys will be boys" responses to racism

45:52 - Being a witch just means being too powerful for your time

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]

What does it take to rebuild a political party that's lost its way? In this raw and unfiltered episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Amanda Litman, whose organization Run for Something has recruited thousands of young people to run for local office.

We dive into the backlash Amanda faced after posting about vaccinating her daughter, what the Make America Healthy Again movement is really about, and why the Democratic Party's resistance to generational change is costing us elections. We also discuss "responsible authenticity" and why being yourself in politics doesn't mean saying everything you think.

Amanda Litman is the founder and president of Run for Something, author of "When We're in Charge," and a proud mom of two who lives in Brooklyn. She's a former Hillary Clinton campaign staffer who decided the best way to fight back after 2016 was to recruit the next generation of leaders.

We Discuss:

02:32 - Taylor Swift's new album: Our favorite songs and guilty pleasures

06:28 - Pardon My Politics: The unfiltered segment begins

06:41 - The vaccine post that went viral: Death threats, CPS reports, and millions of views

10:16 - Breaking down the Make America Healthy Again movement and its dangers

14:17 - Why young moms are particularly vulnerable to health misinformation

18:35 - The power of economic boycotts and why they brought Kimmel back

19:10 - Responsible authenticity in leadership: Being your best self, not your real self

21:34 - Why American politics refuses to pass the torch to younger leaders

27:13 - Navigating anti-Semitism and safety concerns within the Democratic Party

38:10 - How to run for office when you feel disillusioned with your own party

39:17 - Resources for moms who want to run: Free trainings, asynchronous learning, and support

44:20 - DGAF Mom Version: The one thing Amanda doesn't give a fuck about

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 Amanda Litman:

Website: https://www.amandalitman.com/

Instagram: @amandalitm

Ever feel like your Instagram feed is personally attacking your wallet with "must-have" mom products while your toddler is perfectly content playing with a cardboard box? Welcome to the wonderful world of parenting product hype, where marketing genius meets mom guilt and your bank account cries in the corner.

In this episode of Momarchy, we're breaking down the viral trends that promise to revolutionize your mom life (spoiler: most won't). From $600 air styling tools to collectible creatures that look like they crawled out of a nightmare, we're calling BS on what's worth your precious time, energy, and money.

Plus, we share the unfiltered truth about mom friendships, postpartum bodies, and why we're all just winging it while covered in someone else's bodily fluids.

We Discuss:

04:09 - Lululemon belt bags: The millennial mom fanny pack we're not ashamed to love

09:05 - The Hatch sound machine WiFi nightmare (just give us white noise!)

10:43 - Peloton: From pandemic purchase to actual lifesaver for garage workouts

12:56 - HelloFresh vs. Little Spoon: When meal kits save your sanity

16:03 - WTF are Labubu figures and why are they haunting our Instagram feeds?

17:36 - Toddler towers: The "beep beep" that changed everything

21:38 - Rapid fire confessions: From snot-wiping to accidental f-bombs

30:16 - Why "sleeping in" until 8am is now considered a luxury vacation

35:10 - "Vacations" that require spreadsheets and still end in tears

37:20 - Mom friendships: When you know their kid's poop schedule but not their last name

42:26 - Holiday magic (and why Halloween witches might traumatize your baby)

45:28 - The postpartum body plot twist that hit like a freight train

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]

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

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/

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]

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]