United SHE Stands

In episode 202, Casey and Amanda Weinstein lay out what’s at stake in November and why Ohio voters shouldn’t outsource their vote. Public service is a family tradition for Casey and Amanda Weinstein. Casey’s grandfather, father, brother, and brother-in-law have all served in the armed forces, and so have Casey and Amanda themselves, who have called Hudson, Ohio, home while raising their three chil...

In episode 201, we sit down with three Southwest Ohio candidates for the Ohio House, Laalitya Acharya (HD-56) , Caleb Price (HD-30) , and Jordan Haire (HD-47) , to talk about why they're running and what they want to change in Columbus. Laalitya Acharya is a biomedical engineer and candidate for State House District 56 (Mason, Lebanon & Deerfield Twp). She graduated at the top of her class from Ma...

It's our 200th episode!!!! We're celebrating with a look back at everything we've done in 2026, some rapid-fire confessions from 200 episodes of this show, and what's coming next as we gear up for the midterms and look ahead to 2027. We’re bringing together digital creators from across the state to build a powerful digital organizing network called Ohio Creators for Progress . Support and donate t...

In episode 199, we sit down with Daquan Neal , whose race for Ohio House District 39 is one of eight seats that could help break the Republican supermajority. We get into his affordability-first platform, his social media strategy, and what winning would mean for the district. Daquan Neal is running for Ohio House District 39, which includes the North Dayton area, like Huber Heights, and parts of...

In episode 198, Democratic candidate for Ohio Attorney General John Kulewicz joins us to explain what the AG actually does and make his case for why he should be the state’s next one. John Kulewicz grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He learned the values of hard work and independent judgment from his parents and grandparents, who came from Martins Ferry and Cincinnati, and saw firsthand the importance of...

In episode 197, we sit down with two candidates fighting for rural Ohio’s future: Katie Koehler Wagner , running for Ohio House District 80, and Colton Stidam , running for House District 76. Both are pushing back on a statehouse they say has left working families and small communities behind. Katie Koehler Wagner is running for Ohio House District 80, which includes Troy, Piqua, and goes all the...

In episode 196, we sit down with sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild to explore the pride, shame, and empathy at the heart of her book, Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right . We talk about her seven years in Appalachia and what that experience reveals about America’s political divide ahead of a pivotal midterm election. Hochschild is the author of many groundbreaking books, includ...

In episode 195, we sit down with Judge Marilyn Zayas to unpack a race that’s important but often overlooked: the Ohio Supreme Court. She breaks down what’s really at stake on the state’s highest court, and why she’s stepping up to run for it. Judge Marilyn Zayas is a highly respected Ohio judge. For nearly ten years she has served at Ohio’s Court of Appeals, a court that is directly below the Supr...

In episode 194, we sit down with Scott Charland and Laura Sirot, two Democrats challenging red Ohio Senate districts, to talk about the issues driving their campaigns and what success looks like to them. Scott Charland is running for Ohio Senate District 19 which includes Delaware, Coshocton, Holmes, and Knox Counties. Scott received his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and his mast...

In episode 193, we sit down with a school counselor, union president, and superintendent to talk about vouchers, testing, and what’s really going on in Ohio’s public schools right now. Don’t worry! We also talk about how you can help - VOTE IN NOVEMBER! Thank you to Allie Childress, Jeff Talbert, and Paul Palomba for joining us. Allie Childress is a School Counselor at Canton City Schools . She gr...

In episode 192, we sit down with Kristina Knickerbocker - the incredible candidate for Ohio's 10th Congressional District. We talk about why she's stepping away from patient care to run for office and why incumbent Mike Turner's record has left this district ready for someone new. Kristina is running for Ohio’s 10th Congressional District, representing the Dayton area, including Montgomery County,...

In episode 191, we sit down with three candidates running for Ohio Statehouse seats in the Akron-Canton area - Noah Spinner (HD-31), Krista Allison (HD-49), and Nick Morris (HD-48) . We talk about what’s driving them to run and where they stand on the issues shaping Northeast Ohio. Noah Spinner is running for Ohio House District 31, which includes a large part of Cuyahoga Falls, Barberton, Norton,...

In episode 190, we talk with Ethan Nichols, founder of the PAC Future Without Fear , about flipping Ohio Statehouse races and rewriting the narrative on gun violence. Ethan has built his career around advancing progressive causes in Ohio. He was propelled into activism after the 2018 Parkland, Florida shooting, when he founded Students for Gun Legislation, a student-led organizing and advocacy non...

Episode 189 is a bonus episode! 🎉 We are joined by Representative Beryl Brown Piccolantonio to dig into a term that gets thrown around constantly in political discourse: “establishment Democrat.” We asked our audience what they think it means (thanks to those who submitted their thoughts via Instagram!), then brought that feedback straight to a sitting state rep to see how it lands. Representativ...

In episode 188, we talk with Seth Walsh, Cincinnati City Councilmember and Democratic nominee for Ohio Treasurer, about what the office actually does and why his campaign for transparency and accountability matters. Seth is a recognized community development leader who has prioritized keeping Cincinnati growing, vibrant, and safe. As Treasurer of State, Seth will ensure the state’s investments, pe...

In episode 187, we sit down with two incredible women running for the Ohio Statehouse in Central Ohio - Shelby Kimball (House District 60) and Whittney Wood (House District 73). Shelby Kimball is a Marine Corps & Army National Guard member veteran, mom of four, and community advocate. She is running for Ohio House District 60 which includes Powell, Orange and Liberty township, and portions of Dubl...

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...