United SHE Stands

In episode 152, we sit down with Adrianne Marsh, longtime strategist, campaign leader, to dig into the evolution of voter behavior and the future of Democratic strategy. From digital ethnography to narrative research, she explains what campaigns keep getting wrong and how Democrats can more effectively connect, communicate, and win. Adrianne Marsh is a veteran Democratic operative and CEO of Altum...

In episode 150, we dig into the blueprint for turning red turf blue with movement-builders Jennifer Austin and Sarah Schulz. The duo from the Beyond Resistance Podcast explains the steps, strategies, and first actions that help local organizers build lasting power. Jennifer Austin and Sarah Schulz are the not-yet-famous-but-fiercely-effective duo behind the Beyond Resistance Podcast, where they di...

In episode 149, we are joined by our friend Jess Britvich, who helps us unpack how beauty, wellness, and “trad” content can become gateways to extremist ideologies. Jess breaks down how internet culture and algorithms subtly draw women into the alt-right pipeline and how we can pull each other back out. Jessica Britvich is a former social worker turned content creator whose content addresses the i...

In episode 148, we talk with our friend Dr. Cara Jacob about why she’s stepping up to run for the Ohio State Senate. From property taxes to public schools and healthcare, she shares what’s driving her campaign and how she hopes to create a fairer future for all Ohio families. Cara was raised in a small town with a close-knit family who taught her the values of hard work, integrity, and caring for...

In episode 147, we sit down with sixth-generation farmer and U.S. Senate candidate Hallie Shoffner, who’s stepping out of the fields and into the fight for Arkansas. Hallie shares why she’s taking on Tom Cotton and how she plans to stand up for the farmers, families, and working people who’ve been pushed to the back of the line. Hallie knows what it means to have to fight like hell for everything...

In episode 145, we sit down with human rights advocate Benjamin Goldhagen, who has spent the last two years documenting the war in Ukraine and confronting Russian disinformation. His work offers a rare, unfiltered look at what’s really happening on the ground and why the world must not look away. Benjamin Goldhagen is a committed human rights advocate and expert on Ukraine, deeply immersed in the...

Ohio is in the middle of a high-stakes redistricting battle that will shape political power through 2032 and gerrymandering is once again threatening fair representation. In episode 144, we’re joined by members of the Equal Districts Coalition to break down what’s happening, why it matters, and how Ohioans can demand fair maps. Meet the Panelists: Grace Metz is a second-year Computer and Informati...

In episode 143, we sit down with Monica Hopkins, executive director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia, to unpack what happened when Donald Trump deployed the National Guard into D.C. and what that moment revealed about the city’s lack of power. Monica explains how D.C.’s unique status without statehood leaves its residents without full representation, vulnerable to federal overreach, and str...

In episode 142, we are joined by Sam Grube, who is running for the Ohio Statehouse in District 18. Sam Grube grew up in Shaker Heights and has deep roots in the neighborhoods that make up Ohio House District 18, from Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights to East Cleveland, Orange and Warrensville Heights. As a product of public schools and a lifelong Northeast Ohioan, Sam knows firsthand what our f...

In episode 141, Caroline Stout shares her journey from growing up in a conservative household and working at Turning Point USA to breaking away from right-wing ideology. She opens up about the challenges of deconstructing her beliefs and embracing a progressive worldview. Caroline is a lawyer, progressive political activist, and former conservative who has seen the inside of the movement and chose...

In episode 140, Aliza Lifshitz, founder of the Youth Advisory Project, a nonpartisan initiative embedding youth voice into government institutions, joins us to talk about creating lasting pathways for young leaders in government. Aliza is a national leader in youth civic engagement. With a background in public policy and youth organizing, she has led advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, co-authored n...

In episode 139, we chat with Melanie Falls, a member of the National Board of Directors for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), about the amazing work the organization has done and continues to do. Melanie has been involved in advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community for over thirty-five years. She has worked on the lecture circuit throughout NE Ohio educating about the LGBTQ+ community. She has presented a...

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 Connect with USS: * Substack * Instagram * TikTok This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner . Learn more about him and his services here: * Website * Instagram This is a...

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 t...

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 h...

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, an...

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 S...

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...

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 mar...

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...

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-...

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! Connect with USS: * Substack * Instagram * TikTok This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner . Learn more about him and his services here: * Website * Instagram This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or g...

Missed this gem of an episode the first couple of times we dropped it? You’re in luck! Here’s one of our favorite episodes EVER, featuring THE Sharon McMahon, AKA @SharonSaysSo on Instagram. After years of serving as a high school government and law teacher, Sharon McMahon took her passion for education to Instagram, where more than a million people (who affectionately call themselves “Governerds”...

You think we’d go digging through the vault and NOT re-release this episode?! Think again and thank us later ;) For this episode, we’re joined by April Ajoy, the author of Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding a True Faith. We chat with her about her book and her journey of breaking free from Christian Nationalism. We also talk about the threat it poses to our country and...

Y’all loved this episode so much the first time, we just KNEW you’d want to hear it again! This episode dives into the intersections of nutrition, public health, and misinformation with Dr. Jessica Knurick. The conversation addresses the complexities of the Make America Healthy Again movement, the dangers of the misinformation, the harm in oversimplifying complex issues, and the influence of socia...