Breaking Down Patriarchy

Amy is joined by guest Matthew Nelson to begin their discussion of LGBTQ+ History. This is Part One of Four and features powerful personal stories from both Amy and Matthew. Topics include Proposition VIII, Obergefell v Hodges, and the experience of spiritual rape.Matthew Nelson currently serves as the Dean of the Sophomore class and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the History Department at Menlo School in Atherton, CA. He hopes to offer a seminar to Menlo students on queer theory and gender studies in the near future. Prior to these glorious years at Menlo, he was the chair of the Theology Department at the Woodside Priory School leading students in explorations of the history of religion, philosophy, and Benedictine Catholic spirituality. Matthew received his M.Div. from Harvard University and is striving to finish his studies in Stanford’s Master of Liberal Arts program. Matthew and his loving husband call their industrial loft in Oakland home.

Amy is joined by guest Kasey Cruz to discuss The Gender Knot by Allan G Johnson. Topics include overcoming the association of leadership and maleness, the invisibility of privilege, and some practical tips for unraveling gender knots. Kasey Cruz was born and raised in sunshine state, California. In the year of 2020, she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology and a minor in Adapted Physical Education. She currently works as a personal trainer, an F45 coach, and a strength & conditioning coach for aspiring young athletes. Besides working out, she loves to spend her time connecting with her Guamanian (Chamorro) heritage by learning the Chamorro language and cooking dishes with her grandma. Her favorite is freshly made lumpia and shrimp kådu (nothing tastes more like home then Grandma’s cooking)! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her puppy Mila and finding new plant shops in the Bay Area to add her indoor plant collection. A quote she lives by, “Let us fill our hearts with our own compassion- toward ourselves and towards all living beings.”

Amy is joined by guests Elena Gonzalez & Abby Madrigal to discuss the Declaration of the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Topics include sobering data, the escalating cycle of violence in Native communities, personal stories of abuse, and how our justice system needs to do better. Elena Gonzalez was born in Mexico, the youngest of 7 children. She immigrated to the US as a teenager and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her children and her dogs. She loves to go to the beach and go on long hikes.Abby Madrigal is a high school senior who plans to study law next year at college. She enjous playing lacrosse and running track. She loves to advocate for justice, and plans to make that happen as a lawyer.

Amy is joined by guest Sherrie Crawford to discuss The Sacred Hoop by Paula Gunn Allen. Topics include trusting our inner wisdom, questioning the European records of Indigenous culture, and the challenge of overcoming labels when they’re foisted on us. Sherrie Crawford was born in Utah, the fifth of six children, and grew up in Arizona. She graduated from BYU-Idaho with a degree in Social Work, and completed a Master’s degree in Social Work from Boise State University. She is an elementary school counselor, and lives in Idaho with her husband and four children. Sherrie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, nature, adventures, learning, and any time spent in any body of water.

Amy is joined by guest Maxine Hanks to discuss WomanSpirit Rising edited by Carol Christ and Judith Plaskow. Topics include why women need their own theology, the importance of symbols, acknowledging historical sexism, and how we can build new rituals.Maxine Hanks is a historian and theologian who lectures and writes on Women’s Studies, History, and Religious Studies, particularly Mormon and Christian traditions and liturgy. Her bachelor’s degree was in Gender Studies and her master’s degree was in History, with additional graduate work in Theology and Religion.

Amy is joined by guest Maxine Hanks to discuss Gender Trouble by Judith Butler. Topics include complicating the distinctions between sex and gender, sex as a social construct, intersex and transgender issues, and the importance of controlling our own identity. Maxine Hanks is a historian and theologian who lectures and writes on Women’s Studies, History, and Religious Studies, particularly Mormon and Christian traditions and liturgy. Her bachelor’s degree was in Gender Studies and her master’s degree was in History, with additional graduate work in Theology and Religion.

Amy is joined by guest Vanessa Loder to discuss The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf. Topics include internalized patriarchy, how patriarchy profits off the beauty industry, beauty qualifications in the professional world, and how beauty standards can leave us exhausted. Vanessa Loder is an inspirational keynote speaker and sought-after expert on women’s leadership, mindfulness, stress management and sustainable success. Vanessa’s work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, the Huffington Post and Glamour magazine, among others. Her TEDx talk “How To Lean In Without Burning Out” has over 150,000 views, over 18,000 people have taken Vanessa’s paid online courses and her guided meditations have been streamed over 787,000 times globally. After spending close to a decade working in finance on Wall Street and Silicon Valley, Vanessa felt that she had climbed to the top of the wrong ladder. Her personal transformation and soul awakening, subsequent research and work have led to thousands of brilliant, overwhelmed women finding their way back to soul. Vanessa received her MBA from Stanford University and her BA from Columbia University where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude. Loder is a certified Executive Coach, trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, past life regression and Vipassana meditation with Jack Kornfield. Vanessa currently lives in Lafayette, CA with her husband and two children, who remind her to take “mommy time-outs” when she’s about to lose her marbles. Visit her at www.vanessaloder.com.

Amy is joined by guest Suzette Duncan to discuss Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde. Topics include the daily toll of hatred, modeling action instead of guilt, Black hair, and code switching.Suzette Duncan is a proud first generation American, born to parents from the Caribbean nation of Guyana. She has spent most of her adult life working in education and has been lucky enough to work in both Japan and the United States, and to teach students ranging in age from 5 to 80. Her working life is now paused because of disabling chronic illnesses, but she is fortunate to be able to continue to learn and to create, two of her favorite parts of working in education. Suzette is currently learning a lot about music theory, philosophy, history, economics, and baseball, and is making a lot of music, as well as doing a bit of writing. She is also a butch lesbian, and a wife and mother, to the most amazing early childhood education expert, and 18 year old Shakespeare nerd, respectively.

Amy is joined by guests Manuela Zoninsein & Ashley Jackson to discuss ain’t i a woman by bell hooks. Topics include sexual repression, the reclamation of Black beauty standards, having difficult conversations, and the importance of making our feminism intersectional.Manuela Zoninsein is a Brazilian-American passionate about accelerating the transition to a sustainable and circular economy as an entrepreneur, investor, and educator. She believes that solving for the climate crisis means identifying root causes, not just reducing emissions. Existing oppressive structures, beginning with colonialism, must be deconstructed to ensure a world where all can prosper and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Currently, Manuela is the CEO and Founder of Kadeya, a closed-loop water vending service (think Citi Bike, for water bottles). As an angel investor, Manuela has invested in over 30 women-led companies focused on sustainability. Her interests span materials science, circularity, hardware, software, energy, and consumer.Ashley Jackson is a neurobiologist currently residing in New York City. She is also a wife, a mom, expert foodie, and Star Trek enthusiast. Ashley hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Amy is joined by guest Brianna Jovahn to discuss Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis. Topics include the legacy of racialized violence in the United States, the significance of natural hair, having integrity in our beliefs, and the challenges Black women face in the workforce.Brianna Jovahn was born August 7th, 1992 in Cedar Hill, Texas. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas and her master’s from Grand Canyon University. Brianna is the Founder of the What’s Good Productions platform. Podcasting is not only her full-time job, but for her is something that fulfills her as she serves others in her journey. In the beginning, the goal was to learn more about Dallas’ business owners and creatives, but later it became a celebration as she connected with them. She is on a mission to build genuine and authentic connections through storytelling, and the podcast allows her to do just that.