In this episode of She, The People, Mindy and Shahida welcome their longtime friend and fellow Peace Corps volunteer Jen, self-proclaimed “Queen of Weird,” to talk about the magic of leaning into your goofy side and the urgency of fighting for women’s rights. They start with hilarious stories from their Peace Corps days in Morocco—sleeping-bag worm dances, swim caps in the Uffizi, dead-hand hugs, and why being proudly weird forges the deepest friendships.

From there, the conversation shifts into how their all-women Peace Corps cohort “trauma bonded” through hardship, grew up together abroad, and managed to stay fiercely connected more than 20 years later. Jen then shares her journey from Capitol Hill to global reproductive health and advocacy work in London, explaining why foreign aid, soft power, and reproductive justice matter for women and girls worldwide.

It’s an episode about weirdness as a superpower, Peace Corps sisterhood as lifelong fuel, and why now is the time to hug longer, get louder, and fight harder for women everywhere.

In this post–election “Blue Wave” episode of She the People, Mindy, Shahida, and guest Erica dive deep into what Democratic Socialism really means—and why it’s not the scary buzzword corporate America wants you to think it is. The trio break down how countries like Norway, Denmark, and Sweden balance capitalism with social responsibility, proving that free markets and universal healthcare can coexist.

They trace the roots of U.S. social programs back to FDR’s New Deal, unpack why billionaires fight regulation, and call out how unchecked capitalism has gutted healthcare, education, and workers’ rights. From Vermont beer boycotts and Bernie Sanders’ hometown politics to war budgets, SNAP cuts, and the billionaires cashing in on suffering, the hosts ask a simple question: Who is the economy really working for?

It’s a fiery, funny, and fiercely hopeful conversation about power, people, and what happens when we actually invest in one another instead of billionaires.

In this episode of She the People, Mindy and Shahida sit down with their longtime friend Erica, a hospital-based physical therapist and former Peace Corps volunteer, to talk about what unions actually mean for healthcare workers and patients. From post–Peace Corps broke years to organizing a new union at her hospital, Erica breaks down at-will employment, staffing, burnout, and why unions are “little microcosms of democracy” on the hospital floor. It’s part friendship hang, part labor history, and part brutally honest look at what happens when profit, care, and worker power collide.

She the People is back with our friend Asta—grant manager and former school-nutrition leader—to break down SNAP, WIC, school meals, and why benefit cuts and delays hit kids, elders, and working families first. We dig into the Farm Bill, food deserts vs. “healthy food” myths, and what happens when policy meets the checkout line. Plus: what you can do this week (from food banks to GOTV) to keep neighbors fed and democracy alive.

We connect the dots between the dismantling of USAID and why soft power keeps Americans safer, unpack how faith gets weaponized (and why “Jesus was woke” tracks with the actual gospel), and dig into the 3.5% rule—why mass turnout still moves policy. Featuring a frontline account from inside the gutting, protest stories from big cities to small towns, and practical ways to organize beyond echo chambers.

Mindy and Shahida gush over pro cycling—from pelotons and “chapeau” culture to women’s racing—and how the sport’s grit, teamwork, and scenery became a calming obsession. They pivot to creativity (Mindy’s mosaics), aging with intention, science vs. spirituality, and dreaming up a shared-life compound with animals. The episode closes with a clear-eyed look at rising authoritarianism in the U.S. and a rallying call to get informed, get organized, and show up.

Mindy and Shahida bust vaccine myths, show how public health touches everything from clean water to SNAP, and call out the risks of dismantling data, agencies, and equity work. They connect rising authoritarianism, surveillance, and media consolidation to real harms—and ground it all in bedside care and Peace Corps perspective. Expect a clear MMR-autism debunk, what’s actually in vaccines, and practical ways to talk with hesitant patients. Bottom line: public health is people, policy, and the common good—stay strong, stay grounded, keep fighting.

Mindy and Shahida dive into the chaos—dissecting Project2025, authoritarian power grabs, National Guard deployments, state-levelresistance, and media manipulation. From grassroots wins in Illinois to theHeritage Foundation's far-right agenda, they call out hypocrisy, break downdisinformation, and talk about how everyday people can fight back.

Mindy and Shahida dive into the chaos—dissecting Project 2025, authoritarian power grabs, National Guard deployments, state-level resistance, and media manipulation. From grassroots wins in Illinois to the Heritage Foundation's far-right agenda, they call out hypocrisy, break down disinformation, and talk about how everyday people can fight back.

From reunion stories in Bend to immigration and internet overload, we reflect on what it means to stay informed without burning out. We talk emotional support tabs, misinformation, and why local action still matters—plus public health, peach season, and the price of ignoring propaganda. A wide-ranging conversation about digital clutter, civic engagement, and how to stay grounded when everything feels like too much.