Ashley had jury duty, and she’s taking you behind the scenes — from being summoned and selected to reaching a guilty verdict — she shares it all!

Previous USS episode we mentioned: From Summons to Verdict: The Jury Duty Experience

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 137, we are joined by Bryan Hambley, who is running for Ohio Secretary of State. Tune in to learn more about him and what he would do if elected to help Ohio have free and fair elections!

Bryan grew up on a small family farm in a tight-knit community where he saw the impact of people coming together. When he was a child, the state tried to shut down his town’s small public school. The town of 800 people got into their trucks, drove to the state capitol, and made their voices heard to save the school, the heart of their community. His parents taught him this was democracy at its best: a community rallying to do together what no one could do alone.

Ever since, Bryan has committed his life to fighting for what’s right. He has organized communities around key issues:

* Fighting against pharmaceutical companies using their money to buy influence in hospitals.

* Bringing critical health care to underserved communities.

* Standing up for the right to vote and be heard.

As a cancer doctor who cares for leukemia patients, Bryan has helped hundreds of patients and families as part of a team of dedicated nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and physicians. In that time, he’s seen how outrageous healthcare costs are bankrupting families, health insurance denials are delaying urgent chemotherapy, and rural hospitals and nursing homes are closing and leaving communities without quality care. And yet, Ohio’s government has been silent on these and other vital issues. A rigged and unresponsive legislature prioritizes politicians over citizens. Bryan is running because caring for his patients and his community cannot end at the hospital door.

The people of Ohio deserve better. When Ohio’s Secretary of State used misleading ballot language in 2024 to confuse voters and maintain unfair districts, Bryan organized medical professionals across the state to fight back. He took his two young children door to door to talk with neighbors about how gerrymandering leads to an unresponsive and ineffective government. These conversations confirmed that Ohioans all want the same thing: a state government that works for the people.

His wife, best friend, and partner, Jana, is a trauma surgeon, and together they have two wonderful children– ages 5 and 7. They are teaching their children the same commitment to democracy and to fighting for what is right that Bryan learned from his parents.

Bryan is running for Secretary of State because he has seen how his patients and our communities suffer from a broken and gerrymandered democracy. He is passionate about making our democracy work. But, he cannot do this without you; Ohio needs a community of people working together to care for Ohio, and strengthen our state.

Resources:

* Hambley for Ohio Website

* Facebook

* Instagram

* TikTok

* X/Twitter

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 136, we chat with Sophie Christianson, an undergraduate student at the University of Richmond where she is the President of College Democrats. We talk about how democrats can win back Gen Z and how we lost them in the first place.

Sophie is majoring in Business with a strong interest in public policy. She has experience working on political campaigns and in nonprofit spaces, where she has contributed to voter outreach, community organizing, and policy research.

Most recently, Sophie just finished working as the finance intern for Lisa Vedernikova Khanna, a candidate running to flip a red seat in the first Congressional District of Virginia. She currently works as the creative director and campaign marketer for Jonas Eppert's house of delegates campaign. She is part of UpNext and is one of their Podcasts hosts. She is passionate about making government more accessible and responsive to young people and underserved communities.

On campus, she is the President of College Democrats as well as Women in Business and is on the Hillel Student Counsel. She is involved in student leadership and academic initiatives that promote dialogue across political differences. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in political consulting or in political media.

Resources:

* Sophie’s LinkedIn

* Sophie’s Instagram

* Articles featuring Sophie:

* College Democrats host UR’s first Democrat gala

* Afraid, uncertain and fired up: How UR students are feeling at the start of the Trump presidency

* DPVA Chair, House and Senate Democrats, and Local High Schooler Held Press Call on Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears Speaking at NRA Event after Mass Shootings

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 135, we are joined by the face behind our favorite daily newsletter - David DeWitt! We start everyday by reading his newsletter, The Eye-Opener from Ohio Capital Journal, and we are thrilled he took some time to talk to us about the importance of state and local news.

David is the Ohio Capital Journal Editor-in-Chief and a Opinion Columnist. He has been covering government, politics, and policy in Ohio since 2007, including education, health care, crime and the courts, poverty, state and local government, business, labor, energy, the environment, and social issues. He has worked for the National Journal, The New York Observer, and The Athens NEWS. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and is a board member of the E.W. Scripps Society of Alumni and Friends.

Resources:

* Sign up for The Eye-Opener Newsletter

* Ohio Gerrymandering: A brief and Awful History of the Very Recent Past by David DeWitt

* Find a Nonprofit Newsroom (Powered by Institute for Nonprofit News)

* Social Media Accounts:

* Ohio Capital Journal on Bluesky

* Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook

* David DeWitt on X/Twitter

* David DeWitt on Bluesky

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 134, we chat with our new friend, Nan Whaley! She talks to us about the current state of reproductive rights in Ohio and beyond. This conversation gave us just the boost we needed to keep fighting this fight!

Nan is a seasoned public servant with more than two decades of experience in local government. Since 2024, Ms. Whaley has served as the President and C.E.O. of Planned Parenthood Southwestern Ohio. She leads a team of 130 professionals in reproductive healthcare serving 23 counties. She is tenacious in the mission of expanding abortion access in a safe haven area that is surrounded by states with no access to abortion services.

Ms. Whaley served as the Mayor of Dayton, Ohio from 2014 to 2022, where she led the city through several major challenges, including the devastating tornadoes of 2019, a senseless mass shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to her tenure as Mayor, Ms. Whaley served on the Dayton City Commission where she was the youngest woman to hold that post. Ms. Whaley is a strong advocate of Midwestern economic development. She has worked to address issues of racial inequality and poverty in Dayton. She has also been a vocal advocate for gun safety and has worked to pass legislation at the local, state and national level to reduce gun violence. In 2022, she was the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio; making Ohio history as the first woman from any major political party to be nominated.

In addition to her work in government, Ms. Whaley is actively involved in her community and has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations. She holds a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Dayton and a master's degree in Public Administration from Wright State University. She lives in her beloved Five Oaks neighborhood in Dayton with her husband Sam, their dog Louis and cat Paris.

Resources:

* Planned Parenthood - Southwest Ohio Region

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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Episode 133 features our incredible conversation with Dr. Amy Acton, who's running as the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio. She left us feeling so hopeful about the future of our home state - and we think you’ll feel the same after listening!

Dr. Amy Acton grew up in Youngstown, Ohio under difficult circumstances. But that made Amy tough – and now, Amy is running for governor to fight for every Ohio family that’s struggling today.

After putting herself through medical school, Amy did a residency at Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University where she trained in pediatrics and preventive medicine and created the first ever residency rotation in child advocacy.

Amy began her career as the Director of Project L.O.V.E where she managed public private partnerships between Columbus area hospitals and key community stakeholders to keep our children healthy. Amy then joined the faculty at Ohio State University where she became an award winning professor of maternal and child health and global public health.

In 2019 Governor DeWine asked Amy to serve in his administration as the Director of the Ohio Department of Public Health. Working closely with Governor DeWine, Amy’s widely acclaimed leadership and inspiring guidance were experienced in daily news conferences as COVID exploded in the spring of 2020, earning her a Profile in COVID Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2021. In 2022 she was named Woman of the Year for Ohio by USA Today for her efforts.

Following her service in the DeWine administration, Amy returned to the Columbus Foundation and helped found the Center for Human Kindness. She worked with CEO’s, Mayor’s, and community advocates to launch Rapid 5, a nonprofit to promote the region’s health and economic wellness. Amy also partnered with WKYC on a new multi-platform series on Health, Hope & Healing–where she spoke to Ohioans about the challenges they face and the innovative solutions they’re using to move themselves forward.

Now, Amy’s running for Governor because she refuses to look away from Ohioans who are struggling.

Amy lives in Bexley, Ohio with her husband, Eric, who has coached and taught in Bexley City Schools since 1987. Together they have six kids and enjoy traveling, exploring nature, and spending time with their good friends and growing family.

Resources:

* Acton for Governor Website

* Donate to Dr. Acton’s Campaign

* Connect with Dr. Acton’s on Social Media:

* Instagram

* Bluesky

* Facebook

* X/Twitter

Connect with USS:

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 132, lifelong human rights advocate and Iranian Resistance supporter Zahra Amanpour gives us a TL;DR on Iran’s fight for democracy—and shares a lesser-known path forward for the country’s future.

Born during the 1979 Iranian Revolution in Tehran, Zahra’s life has been defined by the struggle for freedom. Her father, a prominent advocate with the MEK/PMOI was killed in 1988, a summer marked by the mass killing of 30,000 political prisoners after the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Raised by her mother within the Iranian Resistance community, Zahra grew up surrounded by the courage, clarity, and conviction of those who refused to be silenced.

She draws deep inspiration from the many women who have led the movement for a free, secular, and democratic Iran. As a Board Member of the Women’s Freedom Forum, Zahra works to amplify the voices of women fighting for their rights under repressive regimes and to shine a global light on their stories of resistance.

Zahra continues to advocate for justice through every facet of her life. In the United States, she channels this commitment into economic empowerment, working to build a more equitable economy for underserved communities. Over the past two decades, she has helped thousands of individuals reclaim their economic agency and future.

Though many may see Zahra as living a typical American life—raising a family, building a business, and staying engaged in her community—her life is a powerful form of resistance. She currently resides in the New York area with her husband and two children and finds joy in music, nature, and discovering new corners of the world.

Her greatest hope and ambition remains the same: to see the end of Iran’s tyrannical regime and the rise of a free and democratic Iran, led by its people and grounded in justice, equality, and peace.

Resources:

* NCRI Women's Committee Website

* NCRI Women’s Committee on X

* Zahra Amanpour on LinkedIn

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 131, our special guest, Alycia Asai, gives us a history lesson on the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era.

Alycia is an independent historian whose research interests center around women, labor, and the evolution of the social safety net in the United States. She is the researcher, producer, and host of the podcast, Civics & Coffee where she explores the stories of America’s past in the time it takes to enjoy your morning coffee.

Alycia’s Book Recommendations on the Gilded Age & Progressive Era:

* Standing at Armageddon by Nell Irvin Painter

* Recasting the Vote by Cathleen Cahill

* The Bosses Union by Vilja Hulden

* How the South Won the Civil War by Heather Cox Richardson

* The Second Coming of the KKK by Linda Gordon

* Rebirth of a Nation by Jackson Lears

Resources:

* Civics & Coffee Website

* Civics & Coffee Substack

* Civics & Coffee Instagram

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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In episode 130, we’re joined by our new friend, Anna Musky-Goldwyn, who talks with us about the power of Millennial and Gen Z leaders and voters.

Anna is a writer for film and television whose passion for politics led her to co-found Political Playlist, a platform that focuses on what the youngest members of Congress (under 45-years-old), across the political spectrum are doing and saying. She co-hosts the podcast Political Playlist Happy Hour, on which she and her fellow hosts discuss the news from these young politicians and bring them on for interviews to better understand who the next generation of political leaders in America are.

Resources:

* Political Playlist Happy Hour

* IG

* TikTok

* Website

Connect with USS:

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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We’re back from our summer break with a behind the scenes episode! Ever wonder what goes on behind the mic here at United SHE Stands? This episode is for you!

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This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:

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