The TMI Project Story Hour

Raine, Kat, and Tina join the critically-acclaimed podcast CRAMPED for a conversation about how young people are experiencing period pain — and why schools so often fail to take it seriously. In this episode of CRAMPED , “Are the Young Crampers OK? Period Pain Education in High School,” host Kate Helen Downey spotlights Period Power Stories , TMI Project’s collaboration with the Kingston High Scho...

On September 17, 2025, TMI Project celebrated the launch of The TMI Project Story Hour’s new special video podcast collection, Period Power Stories! The late-night talk show–style celebration was hosted by musician and queer icon Bitch and taped for the special live episode presentation. This episode was produced in partnership with HUDSY and Kingston High School’s Period Power! Club. It was writt...

Period Power! Club members Kat and Divine talk sex education, chocolate cravings, and how advocating for period poverty awareness in high school helped set the course for advocacy in all areas of life. Xyajah shares her TMI Project monologue, where she speaks about getting her first period at just nine years old, feeling unprepared and unable to speak about it with her family. This episode was pro...

What do guys know about periods? Period Power! Club resident bro RhemYi shares his TMI Project monologue recounting a menstrual mishap he made as a “young buck”, and speaks with Makayla, David, and Mr. Burch about what they have learned about supporting the menstruators in their lives, and what more they still have to learn. This episode was produced in partnership with HUDSY and Kingston High Sch...

The Period Power activists are joined by social work students and a practicing midwife, who share their own Period Power Stories, plus advice on how to advocate for yourself in a medical setting. Social work student and Period Power! Club intern Rebecca shares her TMI Project monologue, where she recounts her harrowing experiences with severe period pain and heavy flow, which led to a medical emer...

Period Power! Club members Siobhan and Makayla talk periods, education, and shame, plus a visit from a special guest - Siobhan’s dad and Kingston High School teacher Mr. Burch! Siobhan shares her TMI Project monologue on getting her first period, and how her family’s openness and education around menstruation conflicted with the social stigma she internalized about menstruation. This episode was p...

Period Power! Club president Makayla Leon interviews Senator Michelle Hinchey, who introduced a successful bill to require menstrual products to be offered for free in public colleges in New York State and university restrooms. Period Power! Club advisor Tina Dierna shares her TMI Project monologue on how she came to be known as “Tina the Tampon Lady." This episode was produced in partnership with...

Period Power activists interview mentor Dara Lurie, one of the TMI Project Workshop Leaders who helped them craft their Period Power Stories. Dara shares advice that she received as a young activist in Berlin, directly from Audre Lorde herself.  Makayla shares her Period Power story, a letter to her body recounting her journey of self-love and acceptance while she grapples with societal expectatio...

Did you know that an estimated 11,000 tampons are used over the course of the average menstruators' lifetime? Period Power! Club members discuss some options for more environmentally friendly menstrual products. The club watches Domonique’s 2023 TMI Project monologue about her first time using a tampon, and Domonique reflects on how telling her true story on stage has impacted her one year later....

Introducing Period Power Stories , a video podcast collaboration between true storytelling organization TMI Project, and Kingston High School’s Period Power! Club. Period Power Stories was produced in partnership with HUDSY and Kingston High School’s Period Power! Club. It was written and produced by Hayley Downs, Blake Pfeil, and Raine Grayson. It was directed by Raine Grayson. All episodes are s...

Raine introduces listeners to Period Power Stories, TMI Project’s collaboration with the brave students of Kingston High School’s Period Power! Club. Period Power Stories uses true storytelling to raise awareness of menstrual stigma, period poverty, and the urgent need for comprehensive education.  Period Power! Club is a chapter of PERIOD.ORG. This episode was produced in partnership with HUDSY a...

When Sam finds himself at St. Christopher's – an in-patient addiction treatment facility – for the second time, he discovers an unexpected solace when he becomes a church choir director. Tune in to learn how, when his community learns of a tragic loss,  Sam (and the Grateful Dead) helps them find harmony within the chaos. If you think you have a problem and want help, call the Substance Abuse and...

The youngest of four boys in a family that abides by a “stifle-your-feelings” approach to life, Jonathan learns how to process his chaotic life through his dreams. Listen in to find out how, at 9 years-old, he’s awoken from a recurring nightmare to find it’s become a reality.  If you think you have a problem and want help, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association’s National Helpline...

As a result of historical and generational trauma,  Tyana’s elders are not comfortable expressing anxiety and depression. She feels she’s being trained to smile through trauma. Listen to hear how Tyana discovers she has a superpower; a world where she is made of magic.  If you think you have a problem and want help, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association’s National Helpline at  1-8...

In her own recovery from alcoholism, Patty sifts through resentments toward her father, known to most as Wild Bill , after navigating a lifetime of family chaos and grief, all sparked by his drinking and wild ways. Listen to hear how Patty came to see herself in her father, and find the compassion to forgive him, and ultimately herself.  If you think you have a problem and want help, call the Subs...

Morris has learned how to navigate a life filled with challenges by finding solace in keeping busy with all the things he enjoys, from watercolor painting to working out mathematical equations. However, when TMI Project offered a storytelling workshop in collaboration with the Mental Health Association of Ulster County (MHA), he was hesitant to join. When he decided to overcome his fear of public...

For years, Eva resisted the idea of medication while simultaneously self-medicating her ever-present depression. However, when running, herbal supplements, binge drinking, and all the other tactics that she’s tried still leave her unable to stop crying, she finally takes the plunge. Tune in to hear how Eva comes to accept and find the right treatment for her clinical depression which opens up a wh...

Discover the transformative power of true storytelling on Season 7 of The TMI Project Story Hour : Vicarious Resilience. In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month, each episode features real people, real voices, and real stories surrounding experiences with mental illness and mental health - all written during a TMI Project workshop. These unsung heroes craft true stories that intentionally...

In this special episode of The TMI Project Story Hour, Jay Jackson, known to many as RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Laganja Estranja, reveals a more intimate side of her true self. Tune in to hear how her drag career inspired a profound shift in embracing her femininity-- and how full self-acceptance helped her not only live authentically but become a fierce advocate for the trans community. The epi...

With support from Maureen Paul, executive director Eva Tenuto offers gratitude for your support this year. This episode was produced in partnership with Radio Kingston.  It was written, edited, and produced by Eva Tenuto, Blake Pfeil, and Raine Grayson. Featured: Eva Tenuto (she/her), Host Maureen Paul (she/her), Storyteller Tahyira Cordner-Arias (she/her), Storyteller Katie Willingham (she/they),...

After a waiting room experience that forces her to leave the doctor’s office before receiving the services she needed, Katie is slow to trust doctors. A small gesture from a kind, affirming doctor helps not only restore Katie’s faith in healthcare, but strengthen her faith in humanity. Featured: Katie Willingham (she/her), Storyteller  Raine Grayson (he/him), Host Writing Prompt: Write a true stor...

In a candid conversation with her partner, Tahyira grapples with the realities of an unplanned pregnancy, reflecting on the racial disparities and societal expectations that shape her decisions. While Tahyira has to face many challenges alone, her abortion experience becomes a profound turning point in which she gains confidence, claims independence, and for the first time, feels like a grown woma...

TMI Project Executive Director Eva Tenuto’s “message in a bottle” about The TMI Project Story Hour’s big win at the International Women’s Podcast Awards in London. Learn More About IWPA:  https://everybody-media.com/awards/ RSVP to Stories for Choice: Period Power https://tmiproject.salsalabs.org/SFCPeriodPower2023/index.html Support Stories for Choice Today! https://tmiproject.salsalabs.org/Annua...

Stephen Cardile learns to let his freak flag fly at The Saint, a vibrant gay club in 1980s' New York City. There, he reconnects with his childhood friend, Jimmy. In honor of World AIDS day on December 1st, Stephen reveals his personal journey during the AIDS crisis and pays tribute to his dear friend.  Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of HIV/AIDS, death and dying, drug use, and de...

Eva talks to Katie, Tina, and Raine to explore the ultimate TMI topic: menstruation. Get a sneak peek into TMI Project’s partnership with the brave students of Kingston High School’s Period Power! Club as they prepare for their upcoming performance and emphasize the challenges faced by those who menstruate, the impact of period poverty, and the urgent need for comprehensive education. Join us on D...