

How To Not Lose Your Sh!t
Red Wine & Blue
Want to know how you can make a difference without losing your sh!t?Join Katie Paris and LaFonda Cousin, two moms with very different backgrounds who together run Red Wine & Blue – an organization of over half a million diverse suburban women working together to defeat extremism. Katie, the org’s founder, has worked in political organizing for most of her career. LaFonda, the Chief People Officer, is a wellness expert on a mission to reimagine self-care. Each week, LaFonda and Katie talk to experts and everyday women who are getting involved, building community, and feeling better in the process.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 20, 2022 • 46min
Canna-Curious: Are Weed Moms The New Wine Moms? (with Danielle Simone Brand and Leona Thomas)
Today we’re talking about something that might be a little controversial… cannabis! It’s being legalized in more and more states, but there are still so many questions and misconceptions out there. So we’re chatting with two moms today who can tell us a little more about cannabis and how it fits in with their health, their daily lives, and their parenthood.First, Jasmine, Amanda and Rachel are joined by Leona Thomas, a mom in Oregon who owns a dispensary. Leona discusses what it’s like to be a woman of color in the marijuana industry, why she wanted to open her business in a historically Black neighborhood, and how she uses cannabis in her own life. After that, Jasmine sits down with Danielle Simone Brand, the author of Weed Mom: The Canna-Curious Woman's Guide to Healthier Relaxation, Happier Parenting, & Chilling TF Out. Danielle explains what’s wrong with the “Reefer Madness” stereotypes about marijuana use, how cannabis helps her be a better parent, and good ways for moms who might be “canna-curious” to dip their toes in the water. Danielle and Jasmine also discuss the very important issue of racism in the creation and enforcement of cannabis laws.Finally, Rachel, Amanda and Jasmine raise a glass to Spring Break, to Amanda’s amazing mother-in-law, and to Jasmine teaching her son how to drive (and surviving the process!) in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”If you want to join the conversation, head over to theswppod.com! You can share your thoughts with us, find out how to join our Facebook group SWEEP, and more.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Apr 13, 2022 • 49min
Yes In My Back Yard! (with Dr. Jenny Schuetz and Erinn Grube)
Today, we’re talking about all things housing policy. What makes a neighborhood a good place to raise a family? How can we say “Yes In My Back Yard” instead of “Not In My Back Yard”? But first, hosts Amanda Weinstein, Jasmine Clark and Rachel Vindman talk about the news. Jasmine just got out of session in the Georgia Legislature and her Republican colleagues passed some really bad bills. And new abortion bills and “Don’t Say Gay” bills are sweeping the nation. But in some much-needed good news, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the Supreme Court! Erinn Grube, the Village Council President in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, joins the pod to talk about how they were able to put up some new housing developments while still keeping the cute and historical character of their town. Erinn discusses the importance of walkability and what her kids have learned about local government by watching her work.After that, Amanda gets to chat with economist and housing expert Dr. Jenny Schuetz about her new book, Fixer Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housing System. They discuss what suburban women should know about housing policy, how it affects our daily lives, how a history of racism has affected housing in America, and how affordable housing is good for everyone.Finally, Rachel, Amanda and Jasmine raise a glass to big milestones for their kids, to a little alone time for themselves, and to people who say “Yes In My Back Yard!” in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”If you want to check out Red Wine and Blue’s “Parent Playbook,” you can find it here. It’s a fun guide full of helpful advice for moms who want to organize in their communities.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Apr 6, 2022 • 51min
When You Know Better, You Do Better (with Dr. Traci Baxley and Kelly Krout)
On today’s episode, Rachel Vindman, Amanda Weinstein, and special guest host Malynda Hale talk about social justice parenting. They discuss how you first have to acknowledge your own inherent biases and your discomfort before you can have meaningful conversations with your kids about social justice. We hear more about Malynda’s inspiring tweet thread about interracial marriage in response to Senator Mike Braun’s comments at Judge Jackson’s hearings, and everyone expresses their disbelief and outrage over right wing hypocrisy regarding Ginni Thomas.Then Kelly Krout joins us to talk about parenting, fostering kids, politics, and more. Kelly has become a sensation on TikTok for her relatable videos about running for office in Arkansas. She’s also written children's books about the foster care system, proving once again just how important it is for kids to have books that reflect their lived experiences. Kelly is funny, energetic, wise, and an all-around delight.After that, Rachel sits down with Dr. Traci Baxley to talk about her book, Social Justice Parenting: How To Raise Compassionate, Empathetic, Justice-Minded Kids in an Unjust World. Dr. Baxley and Rachel chat about what exactly social justice parenting is, why sheltering our kids is the wrong approach, and how the only way to really get social justice parenting wrong is to never even start. Finally, Rachel, Amanda and Malynda raise a glass to family, to finding time for an at-home date night, and to meeting Dr. Fauci in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”If you’re tired of extremists banning books, you should check out Red Wine and Blue’s virtual Read-In on Thursday April 7. The event will be hosted by Stella Parton (that’s right, Dolly Parton's sister!) and feature some amazing authors of banned books, including past pod guests Lesléa Newman and Brad Meltzer. More info and registration can be found here.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Mar 30, 2022 • 48min
So Many Fires, So Few Buckets (with Connie Schultz and Taylor Lyons)
On today’s episode, Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein talk about how overwhelming everything has been feeling lately. There are so many fires to put out and we can only carry so many buckets. They talk about the absurd GOP antics at Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings, Biden’s remarks about Ukraine, and how we can redirect the national conversation while still whacking all of those right-wing “whack-a-moles.”Then TN mom Taylor Lyons joins the pod to talk about her work with Chattanooga Moms for Social Justice. Taylor's organization has organized a banned book fair, provided books for libraries in underserved communities, held a workshop for parents of trans kids, and had difficult but important conversations with their neighbors. Taylor is basically an all-around super mom-- and her adorable baby even makes her presence known!After that, Jasmine sits down with one of our favorite humans on the planet, Connie Schultz. They talk about how to stay hopeful and engaged, how to lean into love, how to put down our buckets once in a while, what advice she'd give her younger self, and who she’d cast as her husband in the movie version of their life.Finally, our hosts raise a glass to family and to Spring Break in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Mar 23, 2022 • 47min
Cory Booker Visits the Suburbs (with Senator Cory Booker and Julie Womack)
We have such an amazing guest on the pod this week… Senator Cory Booker! Ever since Trump “warned” suburban women that Cory Booker would be coming to our neighborhoods if Biden got elected, we’ve been excitedly waiting for him to visit. And this week, he dropped by The Suburban Women Problem!But before we get to Senator Booker, hosts Jasmine Clark, Amanda Weinstein, and guest host Katie Paris talk about the inspiring women of Ukraine, schools, and an article Amanda co-wrote where she discovered that job growth is actually more tied to great schools and parks than it is to tax cuts for businesses. (Yet again, policymakers should be listening to moms!)Then the hosts are joined by Red Wine & Blue’s organizing director Julie Womack. Julie drops by to tell everyone about the brand-new Parent Playbook, a fun guide full of helpful advice for moms who want to organize in their communities. Julie also talks about some of the amazing women she’s met through her work with Red Wine & Blue and how she considers an “activist” to be anyone who cares about their community.And then it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for… our interview with Cory Booker! Amanda and Katie sit down with the Senator to discuss Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, hope, book bans, comfort TV, and his grandma. And of course he destroys a few right-wing talking points while he’s at it. Finally, the hosts raise a glass to best friends, proud Sports Mom moments, and to inspiring women in the military in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.If you haven't taken our listener survey yet, there's still time! You can find the survey here. Thanks - we’re so excited to hear from you!For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Mar 16, 2022 • 50min
Spring Break? What Spring Break? (A Roundtable Talk with Teachers)
A lot of schools might be on spring break this week, but with public education at the center of so many right-wing attacks, there's no break for teachers. So in this episode, we’re putting America’s teachers front and center!This week, Red Wine and Blue hosted a roundtable discussion with four public school teachers to hear about what they’ve been going through… in their own words. Book bans? Critical Race Theory? Covid? Angry parents at school board meetings? Teacher shortages? We talk about all of it and more.But before we get to our panel of teachers, hosts Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein dig into what they’ve been seeing in the news. Rachel gives an update on Ukraine, Amanda talks about rising gas prices, and everyone gets furious over the dangerous abortion bills in Missouri and Texas. (As Jasmine says, “if you’ve never had a period, you should not be writing bills about pregnancy. Period.”)Finally, our hosts raise a glass to rest and recovery, seeing family (and discovering that all three hosts are big sisters!), and of course to amazing teachers in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”If you enjoy The Suburban Women Problem, you might like White Picket Fence - a podcast from Wonder Media.For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Mar 9, 2022 • 52min
Fighting Mad (with Brad Meltzer and Jen Cousins)
This is an emotional one, y’all. Hosts Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein dig into their anger over Ukraine, right-wing fear-mongering and disruptive tactics, gun bills, name-calling, and Marjorie Taylor Greene. The midterm elections this year could not be more important!Then our hosts are joined by Jen Cousins, a mom in Florida who has been doing such good work for her community, her family, and her state. She’s been standing up against the absurd and dangerous Don’t Say Gay bill on behalf of her nonbinary child– and if that wasn’t enough, she also co-founded the Florida Freedom To Read Project to push back against book bans. This mama is fighting a lot of really hard battles and we’re so proud and grateful for her amazing work.After that, Rachel is joined by her friend Brad Meltzer, a best-selling author of fiction, nonfiction, comic books, and children’s books. His series of biographies for young readers, Ordinary People Change The World, includes books about Rosa Parks and MLK (which, surprise surprise, have recently made it on banned book lists). Brad and Rachel discuss racism, education, standing up for books, secret government warehouses… and what it's like to meet a president.Finally, our hosts raise a glass to volunteers, getting in their daily steps, and once again to the brave people of Ukraine in this week’s “Toast to Joy.” Slava Ukraini.We’re currently running a survey for you, our listeners, to give us feedback about the show! You can find the survey here. Thanks - we’re so excited to hear from you!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Mar 2, 2022 • 49min
Pantsuit Politics Visits The 'Burbs
Today, we’re celebrating the start of Women’s History Month with a special crossover episode with the podcast Pantsuit Politics! Rachel Vindman chatted with Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland about Ukraine, changing your political party, and what they’ve all learned from hosting a podcast with other women. You can hear Pantsuit’s version of their conversation here.But before her convo with Sarah and Beth, Rachel talks with her co-hosts Jasmine Clark and Amanda Weinstein about how right-wingers like Tucker Carlson could possibly support an authoritarian like Vladimir Putin, and what this war means for suburban moms like themselves. They also discuss Biden’s groundbreaking Supreme Court nominee, Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and whether it’s possible to have real conversations with people if they’re just parroting right-wing talking points. What we do know for sure is that none of this– authoritarianism, “Don’t Say Gay,” book bans– is going away any time soon.And after Rachel’s convo with Pantsuit Politics, our hosts raise a glass to good health, managing expectations, and the brave people of Ukraine in this week’s “Toast to Joy.” Slava Ukraini.We’re currently running a survey for you, our listeners, to give us feedback about the show! You can find the survey here. Thanks - we’re so excited to hear from you!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Feb 23, 2022 • 46min
Busting Book Bans Before Breakfast (with Deb Paris and Katie Paris)
On today’s episode, Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein are joined by not one but TWO amazing Paris women: Katie Paris, the founder of Red Wine & Blue, and her mother-in-law Debby Paris, a child psychologist. Katie tells the hosts about the amazing response to Book Ban Busters, how much coverage it’s been getting in the media, and (most importantly!) how it’s been translating into real organizing action.After that, they’re joined by her incredible MIL Deb, who explains why “sheltering” our kids from American history is the exact opposite thing we should be doing if we want to instill good values and healthy coping mechanisms. Any conversation with Deb feels like a bona fide therapy session, and this chat was no exception. Our hosts came into today’s episode really feeling the frustrations of the current political climate, but after some uplifting news from Katie and some sage wisdom from Deb, they left feeling ready to tackle the problems of the world once again. We hope you feel the same.Finally, our hosts raise a glass to keeping our heads above water, getting away for a quick trip, and Amanda’s son’s birthday in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”We’re currently running a survey for you, our listeners, to give us feedback about the show! You can find the survey here. Thanks - we’re so excited to hear from you!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

Feb 16, 2022 • 51min
Why Can’t We Have Nice Things? (with Heather McGhee and Rep. Casey Weinstein)
On today’s episode, Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein talk about redlining and why, in Heather McGhee’s words, we “can’t have nice things.” Amanda also clarifies what’s been going on lately with inflation and Rachel gives her thoughts on the developing situation in Ukraine. And of course we couldn’t go a whole episode without talking about the “ice house prostitution” hubbub that went down in Amanda’s town of Hudson, Ohio.Then Casey Weinstein joins the podcast – he’s the Democratic Rep in Ohio’s 37th District and also happens to be Amanda’s hubby. Casey and Amanda chat about the partisan protestors at their house, what it means in terms of the national dialogue, and how Casey has been pushing back against gerrymandering in Ohio. After that, Heather McGhee joins the podcast! Heather holds the distinction of being the only guest so far who’s appeared on the podcast twice, and this time Jasmine is the lucky one to sit down and chat with her. They talk about “drained pool politics,” redlining, and the myriad other ways that families of color have been left out of the American dream.Finally, our hosts raise a glass to laughter, the SuperBowl halftime show, and exciting new adventures in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”We’re currently running a survey for YOU, our listeners! You can take the survey here. Thanks - we’re so excited to hear from you!For a transcript of this episode, please email theswppod@redwine.blue.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA


