Hi! This is the first episode of Our City - a podcast to digest the issues that impact trans and queer residents of D.C. Today, I'm asking the question: Why is D.C. Home Rule, and the fight for D.C. statehood so impactful for the trans community in D.C.? To answer this question, I got to talk with three exceptional folks - Vida Rangel, an out and proud trans woman who works as the Director of Operations for the Mayor's office of Talent and Appointments; Christine Miller, who has a trans son, and is currently navigating challenges posed to him by policy shifts for name changes in DCPS; and Olive Davis, a D.C. resident of 20 years who works in the restaurant industry, and has had the chance to live as her most authentic self for the past two years. Come along as we talk about why D.C. is in a unique position in the fight for trans rights, the impacts that threats to Home Rule have had on trans Washingtonians, and how Olive Davis has worked to find peace within herself.

Many athletes face pressure when it comes to body standards for their sport. Stereotypes of having to look a certain way for their sport, can cause athletes to face challenges such as disordered eating habits. When it comes to athletics, making sure to fuel properly is one of the main components in maximizing performance. Male athletes face these issues in their sports, and can develop consequences due to underfueling or overfueling. These struggles can be overpowering in the mind of an athlete. In some cases, lower income communities might not have the access to resources that young athletes need if they are struggling. Kelsey Lloyd, a registered dietitian talks about the importance of fueling as an athlete, and the barriers that lower income communities face in obtaining access to resources. Jordan Butler, a student-athlete mental health expert, talks about the stigmas behind why athletes might not feel comfortable asking for help. Max Snellenburg, a student-athlete, explains his own thought processes behind fueling. The stigmas, stereotypes, equity issues, and personal stories shared by guests help to start a conversation about the struggles that student-athletes face with body image issues, and the accessibility issues when it comes to obtaining resources in lower income communities.

Are your period cramps normal or normalized? In this episode of Health Class 101, host Jennifer Igbonoba explores the physical and emotional toll uterine fibroids take on women. In Hidden Epidemic: Uterine Fibroids, we spoke with DMV-based women’s health doctors to learn the truth about fibroids, including its higher presence in women of color and the challenges in finding a root cause for the disease. Tune in to also hear from leaders of fibroid advocacy organizations about the resources available in the D.C. area.

On this episode of THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY SOUNDS LIKE! Brianna Kimmel gets to know her new neighbors: the National Guard. Joined by Dr. Fran Buntman and Alicia Wallace, Brianna explores the motivations – both those stated and those left unsaid – behind President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard, what makes this deployment peculiar and how the DMV has reacted to soldiers on their streets. We, as D.C. residents, have a responsibility to inform ourselves and broadcast the most effective methods in safeguarding our nation’s foundational, yet flawed, principle of democracy. Whether or not you are prepared, our nation inches increasingly closer to totalitarianism by the day, and you are on the frontlines.

In this episode of District Voices, I examine President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of D.C. and the changed encampment clearing protocols that have displaced unhoused residents across the city. I’m joined by outreach workers Ami Angell of the H3 Project and Andrew Wassenich of Miriam’s Kitchen, as well as Street Sense editor-in-chief Annemarie Cuccia to discuss how Trump’s orders are impacting unhoused people and reshaping homelessness policy in the District. Together, we break down why his approach isn’t working and highlight data showing that unsheltered homelessness has not decreased

In this first episode of Salmoncain Speaks, we focused on social justice through the lens of community activism. I spoke with Kelsye Adams, one of the co-founders of FREE DC, who spoke about the flexibility of activism and how everyone can get involved using their own talents.  We then turned to Sofia Bari and Victor Rivera, co-founders of Beyond the Ballot (a Gen-Z-led advocacy organization), who are filling a student-led gap in how we turn legislation into real differences for the community. Finally, we spoke to Kurin Raina, a student at George Washington University who is advocating for change through multiple avenues on his campus.

In this episode of IncarcerNation, host Laurin Still investigates the systemic forces driving mass incarceration in the United States, focusing specifically on the overlooked experiences of women of color. Featuring sociologist and founder of the Philadelphia Project for Women & Girls Dr. Jill A. McCorkel, criminology graduate Gabby Hunt, and student volunteer Riley Leadem, the discussions in this podcast highlight how racial bias, poverty, and gender discrimination intersect to trap women into cycles of arrest and incarceration due to inadequate support and resources. Our conversation also examines the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline on lifelong struggles with the justice system for women of color and the urgent need for advocacy and action to generate meaningful change in a system rooted in inequality.

In this episode of Chat with the Catholics, we deal with the topic of abortion, specifically Catholics’ view on being pro-life. In a very progressive and liberal city like DC, it is difficult to hold ground in opposing beliefs on topics like abortion. You will hear from two college students, junior Sinead Fhoiréis and recent graduate Matt Allen, who shared their faith and voice to evangelize the Catholic pro-life message. Both students gave insight into what the Bible had to say about abortion and their personal experiences, where they spoke up about the truth of the Catholic pro-life movement, especially during the annual March for Life located here in DC.