In this episode, Sharon shares the story of how West Virginia broke away from the state of Virginia with author and speaker Annie F. Downs. Unhappy with their representation in state legislature, the Appalachian communities in the Northwestern part of Virginia took advantage of Virginia’s secession during the Civil War to apply for their own statehood. Sharon and Annie talk about what makes West Virginia unique in its geography, culture, and history and why it has been sued multiple times by more than one of its neighboring states.

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During this episode, you’ll join Sharon as she sits down with two members of the US Congress: Representatives Dean Phillips and Brian Fitzpatrick. Phillips is a Democrat from Minnesota and Fitzpatrick is a Republican from Pennsylvania. Together, they have used their time in congress to work across the aisle, serving on the Problem Solvers Caucus and promoting bipartisan collaboration. Listening to understand, especially when holding a government office, isn’t just a nicety, it can be a matter of national security and the cornerstone to preserving the nation’s democracy.

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In this episode, Sharon’s sister Caroyln joins her to hear a bit about the history of flight and the Boeing family. While German immigrant Wilhelm Boeing made his fortune in natural resources like timber and iron ore, his son, William, is best known for–you guessed it–taking the fledgling field of aviation to new heights. Learn about what prompted William to build his first seaplane, how both World Wars impacted the growth of the Boeing Airplane Company, and why Boeing eventually retired from the biz. Additionally, Sharon shares a small history of flight attendants–their original job descriptions and duties might surprise you!

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In this episode, Sharon chats with Julie Bogart, creator of the award-winning Brave Writer program. Sharon and Julie talk about the benefits of leaving behind our information safety nets–the communities that only reinforce our own opinions–to explore information in new and open ways. Julie emphasizes that the best way to understand and care about each other is to be open to, and become fascinated with, different viewpoints. Being a critical thinker, and raising critical thinkers, does not mean we need to dismiss new technology all-together, but rather, find our “technological optimism.” If we’re going to be critical thinkers, we need to get in the habit of asking questions to understand instead of listening to argue.

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In this solo state episode, Sharon returns us to a tumultuous time in US history: Reconstruction. After the Civil War, rebuilding the country was a messy task, but Black Americans knew that creating educational opportunities for their children was highly important. What started in rural Virginia as the success of one teacher–Virginia Randolph–who put love, care, and oftentimes her own salary into her one-room school, grew into an unstoppable educational evolution for Black students. Learn about Randolph’s philosophies, the creation of the Jeanes Foundation, and the teachers who continuously pushed themselves to do the next needed thing for their students and their communities.

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To kick off the week, Sharon sits down to chat with comedian and fellow Midwesterner, Charlie Berens. Charlie talks about how he doubled down on his Midwestern character after realizing just how different he sounded to people when he traveled outside of the Midwest. He channels his dad and his grandfather in his comedy, turning on that gruff but unfailingly polite Wisconsinite personality. Sharon and Charlie compare their Midwestern upbringings, laughing together about what it really means to say, “I’m fine” in the Midwest, how catchin’ fish is like going grocery shopping on the lake, and the rivalry–and striking similarities–between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

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In this episode, Chrissy Lawler of The Peaceful Sleeper, joins Sharon to hear the story of Matthew Lyon, one of Vermont’s most eclectic historical figures. Lyon, a “redemptioner” from Dublin, made a name for himself as a fierce Democratic-Republican when he got into not one–but two–scuffles with a congress member of the opposing party… during an active House session. His story gets more bizarre from there, as he became the only person to be elected to Congress while in jail. Follow along as Sharon tells his larger-than-life tale of public service during some of the U.S.’s earliest years as a new nation.

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In this episode, Sharon talks with Dr. Paul Zeitz, author of Waging Optimism, about how to identify our complacency and make a move toward impacting the world around us. Together, the pair discusses how optimism leads to courage, and how courage leads to action. Oftentimes, making change requires experimentation; Plan A doesn’t always work out, so it’s good to have more than one Plan B in place. While it can be easy to feel discouraged that our actions don’t lead to revolutionary change, we can bolster our optimism by remembering that every action ripples outward and carries an impact. Two foundational ways to be a catalyst for change? Always be ready to act and continue to learn new things about how the system works so you can generate ideas on how to improve it.

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In this solo state episode, Sharon takes us back to the 1970s to follow the rise of two of the most iconic names in showbiz… Donny and Marie Osmond. Follow along as we learn about the siblings’ long history in entertainment, from five year old Donny’s first appearance on the Andy Williams Show to Marie’s number one country hit at the tender age of thirteen. The brother and sister pair have spent their entire lives in the public eye, but have risen to the challenges of the business with talent and dedication. Think you know all the Donny and Marie trivia there is to know? Sharon shares some little-known facts about the stars!

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In this episode, Sharon sits down to speak with Michael Tubbs, who was the youngest mayor to serve in an American city at age 26. Tubbs served as the mayor of his hometown of Stockton, CA. On a fast-track from Stanford University to the White House, Tubbs decided instead to return home, walking from door-to-door to campaign for a seat on city council and, ultimately, mayor. Sharon and Michael talk about what learning outside the box looks like, and how local politics is an ideal vehicle for change. Change can often happen faster at the local level, but making strides at the requires an across the aisle collaboration and willingness to innovate. Above all, one must be dedicated to serving the people with the ultimate goal of seeing your neighbors thrive.

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