In fascist Italy, resistance took surprising forms. Maura Hametz shares the story of one woman who stood up to the regime–by refusing to change her name. And: Numbers of Black women legislators have increased dramatically in the last decade. Jatia Wrighten argues that the success and drive of these leaders is rooted deep in history.

Later in the show: Joan of Arc wasn’t the only medieval woman to lead an army. Steven Isaac brings us the queens and empresses whose military strategy drove European politics.