United SHE Stands

In episode 186, Rep. Anita Somani joins us to break down looming changes to Ohio’s Medicaid program, her push for a state reinsurance program, and what voters need to know about SJR10 before heading to the polls this November. We also dig into the House Democratic Caucus’s affordability agenda called “An Ohio You Can Afford”. Dr. Anita Somani is currently serving her second term as State Represent...

In episode 185, we sit down with Judge Myron Duhart to break down what an appellate court actually does and why those down-ballot judicial races deserve more than a passing glance. Judge Duhart is a native of Toledo, Ohio. He is the proud father of three and has been married to wife Nicole for 29 years. Myron grew up in the central city. He graduated from St. Francis De Sales High School and after...

In episode 184, we sit down with Jesse Baker, a progressive challenger who ran a scrappy, grassroots campaign for Ohio State Senate with no establishment support and nearly pulled off an upset - earning 44% of the vote and over 12,000 Ohioans behind him. Jesse is an Ohio native from Findlay and a graduate of The Ohio State University, now living in Columbus’s Hilltop neighborhood with his wife Emi...

In episode 183, we sit down with Sarah Jakle of DemocraShe to explore how brain science is unlocking a new generation of bold, civically engaged women leaders. Sarah Jakle is the Founder and Executive Director of DemocraShe, a nonpartisan national nonprofit empowering underserved high school girls to become future leaders, voters, and elected officials. Her approach uniquely integrates brain scien...

In episode 182, we talk with Andrew Grossman of Battleground Alliance about why Democrats can’t afford to wait for a wave election and how a $50 million, labor-backed organizing operation across 37 Republican-held House districts is building the infrastructure to win back the House majority in 2026. Andrew is a nationally recognized campaign innovator and leader specializing in strategy, campaign...

In episode 181, we sit down with our first three-peat guest and our friend, Priya Bathija, to talk about her new podcast that every woman needs to listen to - The Women’s Health Playbook ! Priya is a sought-after speaker and expert on women’s health, with more than 20 years of experience working with hospitals, tech start-ups, and public health organizations to make healthcare better for patients...

In episode 180, we talk with Tad Stoermer about his book A Resistance History of the United States - the buried stories, the patriot mythology used to contain dissent, and the principles history offers us for meeting the moment we're living through right now. Tad Stoermer is a public historian who trained at the University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard, with a particular focus on Colonia...

In episode 179, we talk with Kim McCarthy about building power from the inside, including her campaign for the 70th Ohio House district, the Ohio Progressive Caucus, and what progressive politics actually looks like in Ohio. Kim became politically engaged through the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011, later advocating on issues like corporate accountability and GMO labeling before turning her fo...

Surprise! Bonus episode! In episode 178, we're joined by Traci Thomas of The Stacks podcast to debrief Caro Claire Burke's debut novel Yesteryear - yes, the book you’ve been seeing all over social media. Traci is the creator and host of the critically acclaimed literary podcast, The Stacks. She is a passionate champion of books and a deeply curious interviewer. Traci is a monthly contributor on NP...

In episode 177, we sit down with Liz Schmidt, the Executive Committee Co-Chair of Ohio Equal Rights, to talk about the campaign to amend Ohio's constitution and make it the strongest equal rights framework in the nation. Ohio's constitution offers no equal rights protections for residents. There are no protections from government discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, o...

In episode 176, we are finally talking about DATA CENTERS. Ohio is in the middle of a data center boom. Google, Amazon, Meta, and dozens of other tech giants are building massive facilities across the state — particularly in Central Ohio — drawn by cheap land, fiber infrastructure, and generous tax breaks from our Statehouse. While these companies are selling the story of jobs and economic growth,...

In episode 175, we break down the Ohio Primary on May 5th, walking you through statewide races, the Senate special election, Ohio Supreme Court races, congressional districts across the state, and more. Resources: * Our Ohio Primary Voter Guide (via Sway) * Ohio - Find out what’s on your ballot! * Find Your District * Columbus Safety Collective - Issue 5 (VOTE YES) * Voting in Primaries: What Are...

In episode 174, we sit down with Tom Herner, Democratic candidate for Ohio House District 37, to talk about what it takes to flip a seat, fight public corruption, and actually represent the people who sent you to Columbus. Tom Herner is a lifelong Ohioan, Centerville High School graduate, and Wright State University alumnus running for State Representative in District 37. Raised by union parents a...

In episode 173, we talk with Amanda Litman, the cofounder and president of Run for Something, which recruits and supports young, diverse leaders running for local office. We talk about what it really takes to rebuild Democratic power from the ground up and why the path forward might look different than you’d expect. Since 2017, Run for Something has launched the careers of thousands of millennials...

In episode 172, congressional candidate Carl Setzer tells us how he went from insider to outsider. He was raised inside the ultra-conservative movement and is now running as a Democrat in Ohio’s 14th District with a very different vision for what public service should look like. Carl Setzer, born in Ohio, experienced firsthand the consequences when powerful individuals in Ohio politics face no acc...

In episode 171, we sit down with Zach Rossfeld, candidate for Ohio House District 7. As a practicing physician and former Ohio Medicaid official, Zach has seen firsthand what broken policy costs real people and he's done waiting for someone else to fix it. We talk healthcare, public schools, reproductive rights, and what gives him hope. Zach is a dad and a doctor who’s running for quality, funded...

In episode 170, we’re joined by our new friend Haley Pepper! We dig into the nuance of whether influencers have a responsibility to speak up, how beauty culture and the male gaze are being reexamined, and what it really means to ‘protect your peace’ when the world is on fire. Haley is a women’s health activist, birth and postpartum doula, NFL wife, and mom of two. She hosts Detoxed , which is an e...

In episode 169, we announce the launch of Ohio Creators for Progress , a digital organizing network bringing together creators from across the state to win elections online. We also break down some of the worst bills moving through the Ohio Statehouse right now and share how you can take action. Resources: * OhioBills. WTF * TAKE ACTION: Ohio Statehouse 2025-2026 * Ohio House Bill 1 * Ohio Senate...

In episode 168, we chat with Jerrad Christian, Democrat running for Ohio's 12th Congressional District on a no-corporate-money, people-first platform. We get into healthcare, foreign policy, the economy, and what hope looks like when the stakes feel impossibly high. Jerrad Christian grew up in rural Ohio in a working-poor family where government programs and community weren’t abstract policy debat...

In episode 167, we sit down with Sean Connolly to talk about what it looks like to run for Congress as a labor Democrat in a true primary. We dig into his bold vision for investing in eastern Ohio, from high-speed rail to strengthening unions, lowering costs, and rebuilding the middle class, and what sets him apart from the rest of the field. Sean Connolly was born and raised in Ohio and built his...

In episode 166, we sit down with Ashley Craig of Patriotic Millionaires to unpack how extreme wealth inequality took hold in the United States and what it will actually take to fix it. Ashley breaks down why “tax the rich, pay the people, and spread the power” isn’t just a slogan - it’s a roadmap. Ashley Craig is a former finance and audit professional who has spent her career working primarily fo...

In episode 165, we sit down with Rose Lounsbury to talk about why she’s running again for the Ohio House and what’s at stake for public schools, voting rights, and working families. We dig into vouchers, gerrymandering, healthcare costs, and what it will take to build an Ohio that truly works for everyday families. Rose Lounsbury is running for State Representative in Ohio’s House District 36, whi...

In this month’s bonus episode, we talk with Minneapolis resident Emma about what it’s been like to live in the city during Operation Metro Surge, where two community members were murdered in the streets by federal agents. She shares what she’s seeing on the ground and how neighbors are showing up for one another in powerful, hopeful ways during an incredibly frightening time. DISCLAIMER: This was...

In episode 163, we break down the Ohio GOP’s newly introduced “Cooperation Package,” a set of four bills designed to expand cooperation with federal immigration enforcement (ICE) across the state. We walk through what each bill would do, why they matter, and the real impacts they could have on Ohio communities. Plus, we share specific, immediate action steps listeners can take to make their voices...

In episode 162, we’re joined by Amanda Nelson of Amanda’s Mild Takes to talk about how power actually operates in the United States. We dig into the fears around the 2026 elections, the history behind modern immigration enforcement, and what real pro-democracy change could look like if Democrats retake Congress. Amanda Nelson is an amateur historian and political content creator behind Amanda’s Mi...