The MOTHER Podcast with Katie Hintz-Zambrano

Sophia Roe is a James Beard Award-winning chef, writer, producer, Emmy-nominated TV host, and the founder of Apartment Miso — a culinary studio based in Brooklyn.

After a traumatic childhood in Florida — spent in and out of the foster care system and riddled with food insecurity — Sophia was always fascinated with the world of cooking. At 19, she started working at a local restaurant — eventually making her way up through the industry and landing at the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York and as a private chef.

All the while, she never forgot her roots. As a TV host for Vice and others, Sophia became known for looking at cuisine through the lens of food justice — covering topics of hunger, equity, supply chain, and sustainability — alongside beauty, history, and innovation. 

This work made her the first Black woman to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the Culinary Category in 2021 (and again in 2024). 

Recently, the food world star has entered her most cherished era — as the mother of a baby girl, Mizu Lee.  

To mark this beautiful new period, we sat down with Sophia to talk about what ambition looks like for her today and how motherhood has transformed her into the person she’s always wanted to be.

Follow Sophia at @sophia_roe and iamsophiaroe.com

Today’s episode is brought to you by Blue Apron and Babyletto.

Visit blueapron.com and use code MOTHER for 35% off your first 3 orders — plus free shipping!

Shop www.babyletto.com/MOTHERMAG and take $50 off when you spend $500+. 
This limited time offer expires 7/15/2026. One use per customer.

Shop favorites including the Kiwi, Rizo, Lido Wave Convertible Bunk Bed, Nessa Nesting Table, and All-Stage Cribs

Please follow, rate, and leave The MOTHER Podcast a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Sophia’s inspiring story, check out these resources:

Campers Show (Podcast)

Cherry Bombe (Podcast)

Forbes (YouTube)
Food52 (Site) 

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Anna Wallack is the founder of Misha & Puff — a cult-followed knitwear brand for children and women, known for its inventive color combinations and vintage-inspired styles.

An artist and knitter from an early age, Anna was inspired to start Misha & Puff while on maternity leave with her first child, Nadav, and getting compliments on her son’s hand-knitted ensembles.   

The company’s reputation grew fast — both across the U.S. and Asia. Today, 15 years later, Misha & Puff has a global footprint, offices in the U.S. and Peru (where many of the garments are made), and dozens of employees. 

In today’s conversation, Anna talks about growing up in Massachusetts with encouraging hippie parents, the biggest business and life lessons she’s learned with Misha & Puff, the triumphs and challenges of raising tweens and teens, and the importance of seeing your children for exactly who they are.

Follow Anna at @anna_mishaandpuff and @misha_and_puff.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Blue Apron and Ritual.

Visit blueapron.com and use code MOTHER for 35% off your first 3 orders — plus free shipping!

Head to ritual.com/mothermag and enjoy 25% off your order.

You can also shop Ritual at select Costcos in a unique-to-Costco 2-pack for a 2-month supply at Ritual’s best value anywhere.

Please follow, rate, and leave The MOTHER Podcast a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Anna’s inspiring story, check out these resources:

MOTHER (Article)
Misha & Puff (Site)
Mother Essentials (Article)
Collage Creative (Podcast)
Mama Owl (Article)

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Trinity Mouzon Wofford is the co-founder of superfood wellness brand Golde.

Raised by a pioneering family with deep roots in Upstate New York, Trinity has gone on to blaze her own trail—becoming the youngest Black woman to launch her brand at Sephora at just 25-years-old.

After the pandemic and 2020’s “racial reckoning” pushed Golde to new heights—becoming a favorite of media, celebrities, investors, and turning Trinity into an entrepreneur poster girl—it also created a tremendous amount of pressure, and even depression. 

Then came a surprise pregnancy and Trinity’s entry into motherhood—offering a vitality and fresh perspective on life and business.  

In today’s conversation, Trinity discusses raising two daughters under three, finding a more sustainable way to run her business and life, co-sleeping and eating as a family, and her new cookbook, Eating at Home: The Nourishing Practice of Everyday Cooking. 

Follow Trinity at @trinitymouzon and @golde.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Ritual.

Head to ritual.com/mothermag and enjoy 25% off your order.

You can also shop Ritual at select Costcos in a unique-to-Costco 2-pack for a 2-month supply at Ritual’s best value anywhere.

Please follow, rate, and leave The MOTHER Podcast a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Trinity’s inspiring story, check out these resources:

MOTHER (Article)
Eating At Home (Book)

Live Purely (Podcast)

The Rainbo Podcast (Podcast)
NYMag (Article)

Into The Gloss (Article)
The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Mac Barnett is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 60 kid-lit titles that are beloved by moms, dads, and kids alike. This includes the Shapes Trilogy (illustrated by his good friend and frequent collaborator Jon Klassen), Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn, The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse, The First Cat in Space—and many, many more. 

Raised in Northern California by a single mother who encouraged a love of reading, Mac’s books have sold over 5 million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than 30 languages. He’s currently serving a two-year role as the U.S. National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and is using the opportunity to ask adults across the world to think critically about children’s literature as an art form.

As the very first father on The MOTHER Podcast, Mac talks about his journey to parenthood, his synchronistic path to becoming a writer, his new book for adults—Make Believe—which explores the magic of children’s books, and the enduring question of what it means to be a man.

Follow Mac at @macbarnett and subscribe to his Substack Looking at Picture Books

Today’s episode is brought to you exclusively by Crate&kids.

Head to crateandkids.com and enjoy 10% off your order when you sign up for emails.

Please follow, rate, and leave The MOTHER Podcast a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Mac’s inspiring story, check out these resources:

MOTHER (Article)

Library of Congress (YouTube)

Creative Pep Talk (Podcast)
TED Talk (YouTube)
92NY (YouTube)
PBS Books (YouTube)

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Tonya Mosley is a prolific, award-winning journalist and current co-host of NPR’s Fresh Air (alongside the iconic Terry Gross).  

Born in Detroit and raised by an incredible single mother, Tonya knew she wanted to be a journalist since she was a child. She’s gone on to work for various news outlets and has interviewed everyone from Kamala Harris and Nikki Giovanni to Pedro Pascal, RuPaul, and hundreds of others.

She’s also the founder of TMI Productions and the host of the Truth Be Told and She Has A Name podcasts, both which explore personal topics, including the loss of her sister and Tonya’s experience unlocking trauma with psychedelic mushrooms.

In today’s conversation, the mom of two discusses her incredible career, how motherhood has inspired her to soar to new heights, the grief of sending her oldest child off to college, and the vital importance of journalism in today’s turbulent world.

Follow Tonya at @tonyatalks and @nprfreshair

Today’s episode is brought to you exclusively by Crate&kids.

Head to crateandkids.com and enjoy 10% off your order when you sign up for emails.

Please follow, rate, and leave The MOTHER Podcast a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Tonya’s inspiring story, check out these resources:

Fresh Air (Podcast)

Truth Be Told (Podcast)
She Has A Name (Podcast)

National Press Foundation (YouTube)

Stanford (YouTube)

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Today’s guests are model, author, and activist Cameron Russell and prolific photographer Mei Tao. 

Raised in China and the U.S., Mei Tao took her early interest in fashion and spun it into a thriving photography career, shooting for the likes of Apple, J.Crew, and Warby Parker, and photographing luminaries from Michelle Obama to Jane Goodall.   

Born and raised in Cambridge, Cameron’s mega-successful modeling career includes gigs for Calvin Klein, Prada, and Ralph Lauren—alongside a degree from Columbia. 

With activism interwoven into everything she does, Cameron recently published her powerful memoir, How to Make Herself Agreeable to Everyone—which recounts her experience in the fashion industry and her own complex mother-daughter relationship.

Moms to three young children and a college grad (respectively)—the two long-time friends recently came together for an inspiring joint project and traveling art exhibit called The Art of Care, which asks us to recognize the often overlooked creativity and skill that goes into care-giving. 

In this far-ranging conversation, we discuss all of the above—and then some.

Follow Cameron at @cameronrussell and Mei at @taomeitao

Today’s episode is brought to you by three brands we love—Babyletto, The RealReal, and Hello!Lucky. See a list of their exclusive offerings for our listeners, below.

~Check out Babyletto.com/MOTHERMAG and score $50 off your purchase of $500+ 

~Visit TheRealReal.com for $25 off your first order

~Head over to HelloLucky.com/MOTHER and use code MOTHER10 for 10% off.

Please follow, rate, and leave us a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Cameron & Mei’s inspiring careers + life stories, check out these links:

MOTHER (Article)

What If We Get It Right? (Podcast)

Carolina Bucci (Article)

The Art of Care (Website)

The Cut (Article)

How To Make Herself Agreeable To Everyone (Book)

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Vashtie Kola is a true multihyphenate — a DJ, director, designer, and creative visionary whose influence spans music, fashion, and culture. Over her two-decade career, she’s directed music videos for Solange, Kendrick Lamar, and Justin Bieber; collaborated with numerous brands; and made history as the first woman to design her own Nike Air Jordan sneaker.

In today’s conversation, Vashtie opens up about addressing generational trauma, balancing her creative passions with raising two young daughters, her new dance party for families (A Parently Kidding), and how motherhood has not taken away from her identity but instead expanded it in every direction.

Follow Vashtie at @vashtie

Today’s episode is brought to you by three brands we love—Babyletto, The RealReal, and Nuna. See a list of their exclusive offerings for our listeners, below.

~Check out Babyletto.com/MOTHERMAG and score $50 off your purchase of $500+ 

~Visit TheRealReal.com for $25 off your first order

~Head over to NunaBaby.com to shop the brand-new Wardrobe by Nuna collection

Please follow, rate, and leave us a review!

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

For more on Vashtie’s inspiring career + life story, check out these great interviews:

Business of Hype (YouTube)

Premium Pete (YouTube)

Complex (YouTube)

MOTHER (website)

The New York Times (website)

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Join MOTHER’s founder and Editor-in-Chief, Katie Hintz-Zambrano, as we go deep with a dynamic mix of guests to deliver honest stories exploring one’s upbringing, motherhood journey, career path, creative habits, activism, legacy, and personal tales of parenting children of all ages (from 0 to 20+). 

You’ll hear from an incredible roster of inspiring women sharing heartfelt stories that you absolutely have to hear for yourself. 

Find The MOTHER Podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform. 

Follow, rate, and leave us a review, and get to know us at www.mothermag.com and @mothermag on Instagram.

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza  

Today’s guest is comedian, podcaster, and writer Youngmi Mayer.

Youngmi is one of the very first people we profiled on MOTHER 10 years ago, back when she—and her ex-husband Danny Bowien—were food world darlings thanks to their restaurant, Mission Chinese Food.

It wasn’t until several years after becoming a mother that Youngmi finally vocalized the goal she’d had since she was a kid—and was too embarrassed to say out loud—she wanted to be a stand-up comedian. 

She chronicles this experience—as well as the rise and fall of Mission Chinese—in her brand-new memoir, I’m Laughing Because I’m Crying.

The bulk of the book covers her personal history of being raised in Korea by a Korean mother and American father, as well as the powerful stories of the many ancestors that came before her. 

As the title suggests, the book is at times funny and deeply emotional, as it touches on issues of colonialism, abuse, love, death, motherhood, and generational trauma.

In today’s conversation, we talk to Youngmi about what she’s happily inherited from her own parents, her big breaks in comedy, raising a tween son in a world steeped in misogyny, and her ultimate goal of being relatable.  

You can follow Youngmi at @ymmayer on Instagram.

Today’s episode is brought to you by three mom-owned brands we love—Tubby Todd, Minted, and Ritual. See a list of their exclusive offerings for our listeners, below.

~Check out Minted.com and use code MOTHER24 for 20% off holiday cards and 15% off gifts through December 31, 2024.

~Visit Ritual.com/mothermag for 25% off your first month of Ritual.

~Head over to TubbyTodd.com and use code MOTHERMAG15 for 15% off your next order.

Please follow, rate, and leave us a review!

For more on Youngmi’s story, check out these great interviews:
New York Times (article)
Add To Cart (podcast)
Hairy Butthole (podcast)
Feeling Asian (podcast)

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.  

Today’s guest is Ingrid Silva, the Harlem-based ballerina who was born in Rio de Janeiro, and began dancing at 8-years-old, after a neighbor fatefully told her mother about a nearby dance class.

Noted for her natural talent from the very start, Ingrid ended up dancing for the next 10 years before moving to New York at 18 after being awarded a scholarship to the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s summer program. 

Despite not knowing any English when she arrived, and wrestling her own doubts and criticism, Ingrid has gone on to receive countless accolades in the dance world. This includes having her hand-painted pointe shoes exhibited at the Smithsonian.  She’s also helped create a series of community-building organizations, including podHER and Blacks in Ballet.

Through motherhood, Ingrid has found newfound strength and fame—she’s gone on to create a new community—Dancers & Motherhood—alongside 3 fellow dancers, and appeared on the cover of Vogue Brasil in all of her pregnant glory—which is when we first discovered her nearly four years ago.

In today’s conversation, we talk to Ingrid about her incredible career journey, her mother’s undying belief in her, how she found pride in her Blackness after moving to the U.S., and her ultimate goal of changing the dance world—for the better.

Be sure to follow Ingrid at @ingridsilva

Today’s episode is brought to you by three mom-owned brands we love—Tubby Todd, Minted, and Ritual. See a list of their exclusive offerings for our listeners, below.

~Check out Minted.com and use code MOTHER24 for 20% off holiday cards and 15% off gifts and more through December 31, 2024.
~Visit Ritual.com/mothermag for 25% off your first month of Ritual.
~Head over to TubbyTodd.com and use code MOTHERMAG15 for 15% off your next order.

Please follow, rate, and leave us a review!

For more on Ingrid’s inspiring career + life story, check out these great interviews:
OWN (YouTube)
Postpartum Production (podcast)
We and the Color (YouTube)
Nike (YouTube)
Brene Brown (website)

For more stories about motherhood and so much more, visit mothermag.com and follow @mothermag on Instagram.

The MOTHER Podcast is produced by Em Roberts and Ali Alquiza.