Mama Bear Dares

Just days after the shocking insurrection and riot at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Representative Houlahan spoke with Tesi about the unbelievable events of January 6, 2021. The two women acknowledge the work that needs to be done to heal our country, as well as the trajectory of Chrissy’s life that led her to run for office in Pennsylvania. Learn more on The Perfectors website. (The Perfectors Podcast was formerly the Mama Bear Dares Podcast.)

We believe the world needs people who are determined to see love, compassion and justice win. We interview the perfectors doing just that. Welcome to the pod! (This podcast was formerly the Mama Bear Dares Podcast.)

On Episode 300(!) of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi sit down and reflect on all things 2020. They promise no wisdom or advice, but rather engage in a discussion of highs, lows, and meandering middles. The laugh and cry (literally) and do what we all need to do when the moment offers itself: Sit down to discuss this big, brutiful life with a friend. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 299 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie talk through the run-off election in Georgia happening on January 5th. They discuss its importance and take a deep dive into the (bad) behavior exhibited by leadership and conspiracy theorists that has been highlighted in the run up to this special election. The lament the damaging language, the threats being made, and the lack of recourse on display. Finally, they talk through the ways that we can help to safeguard our society from normalizing such antics. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 298 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie sit down with Katie Fitzgerald from Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that provides food and services to people all across the country. As VP and COO of the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Katie explains the elevated need that so many Americans are facing due to COVID-19 and how her hunger relief organization is working towards a food-secure future for ALL. She provides incredible insight into the issue of food security and hunger in our country and what we can do to help. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode of 297 of the Mama Bear Dares podcast, Leslie and Tesi sit down with Cori Pembleton, the founder of The Flag is For All of Us. Cori, a woman with no history of activism but with huge talent and a critical perspective, felt that the American flag had been co-opted by people who in her view did not represent the America she loves. She believes this shift (whether subconscious or conscious) matters to our democracy and thus began a movement to educate and inspire. Listeners will be fascinated by her journey and will perhaps even feel encouraged to think about their own relationship with flag and all it symbolizes. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 296 of the Mama Bear Dares website, Tesi and Leslie sit down with professional ultra-runner, sports nutritionist, and climate activist Dr. Stephanie Howe. The women discuss the idea that when you live your life outdoors like Stephanie does, you witness the effects of climate change firsthand. It’s this observation that has led Dr. Howe to engage with climate change advocacy, in particular with the brands she partners with as well as the organization Protect Our Winters. Listeners will appreciate her knowledge, experiences, and how she creates a sense of urgency in the climate change conversation. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 295 of the Mama Bear Dares podcast, Leslie and Tesi discuss the ins and outs of Thanksgiving 2020 and the importance of representation. For the latter, they lean on what they learn in their conversation with the brilliant NY Times bestselling illustrator Holly Hatam. Holly talks about the importance of diversity in children’s books and her dedication to leaving no off the page. With a focus on gratitude, the women encourage listeners to acknowledge and celebrate the unique experience and history of all people. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 294 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie revisit their conversation with Lauren Ornelas, the founder of the Food Empowerment Project, an organization that seeks to create a more just and sustainable world by recognizing the power of one’s food choices. The women discuss farm worker rights, veganism, chocolate slavery, the lack of access to healthy foods, and how we can all make more informed choices that can ultimately prevent injustice against animals, people, and the environment. Now, more than ever, is a great time to learn about the importance of—and treatment of—farm and factory workers in America and Lauren is a phenomenal resource and impressive activist. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.  

On Episode 293 of the Mama Bear Dare Podcast, Tesi and Leslie sit down with Renee Jain, the founder of child-psychology start-up GoZen! and co-author of SUPERPOWERED: Transform Anxiety into Courage, Confidence, and Resilience. As a recognized pioneer in the fields of technology and social and emotional learning, Renee and the sister-co-hosts discuss the emotional health of ALL of us (kids and adults alike) living through the year 2020. In this generous interview, Renee offers insight, skills, and HOPE for not just recognizing and managing our emotions, but using them for good. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares Podcast website.

On Episode 292 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie talk about the November 3rd election one last time. They discuss the emotional toll of the last four years of living in the US under the Trump administration, take another look at voter suppression and the nuts and bolts of an election in pandemic times, and try to answer the inevitable: Where do we go from here? It’s a shorter, lighter Mama Bear podcast than typical … because no one has the energy for heavy things right now. Listen, laugh, and cross all the fingers and toes. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 291 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie sit down with Alexis Adarolo and Zelnnetta Clark to talk about how their desire to help the Black community amidst Covid-19 went from a viral GoFundMe that raised over $200,000(!) to a nonprofit, Rebuild the Block, that works to redistribute wealth and knowledge to the Black community. The women share their passion, their knowledge, and their journey of giving grants and wide support to minority-owned businesses. Visit the Mama Bear Dares website for complete Show Notes.

On Episode 290 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, in light of the fast-approaching election, Tesi and Leslie re-visit their talk about voting rights and voter suppression. Deeply rooted in research and in honor of the passion, work, and incredible life of Congressman John Lewis, the women recall the history of suffrage and voter suppression in the United States and the ways in which we can advocate so that ALL people can exercise this constitutional right. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 289 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie re-visit a conversation they had with Shaniqua McClendon, Political Director for Crooked Media and brilliant Mama Bear. Shaniqua shares her experience as an intern in the Obama administration and as former staff for Senator Kay Hagan and Representative Alma Adams. Not only does she take listeners behind the scenes on Capitol Hill, but she talks about HOPE spurred on by the 2018 midterms and the difference between power for the sake of power versus power for the sake of progress. Finally, the women celebrate Shaniqua’s incredible work on Vote Save America and the road to the White House that will take us through November. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 288 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi sits down with legal activist Carey Degenaro, the litigation lead at the Colorado Covid-19 Eviction Defense Project, an important non-profit that responds to urgent questions about housing, homelessness, and community recovery during the COVID-19 health pandemic. Tesi and Carey talk about who has been impacted by this crisis, how people like Carey can help those that need guidance navigating this increasingly challenging situation, and the potential impact of an emerging housing crisis prompted by the pandemic. Click here for complete Show Notes.

On Episode 287 of the Mama Bear Dares podcast, Leslie sits down with at-home expert Myquillyn Smith to talk about how we can be happier at home during a time in our life that the world requires us to be there more. The women discuss tips and tricks for making your home work for you, as well as the philosophy of physical space and hospitality. Ultimately, this episode is about beauty and the importance of working to find it in every aspect of life. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 286, Leslie and Tesi talk about the ongoing and widespread manipulation of Facebook and it’s role in proliferating real-life violence and real-life implications on elections across the globe. The research is alarming and the power and consequences that result from the influence of Facebook is undeniable. The women sift through research and land with great concern on a necessary conversation about how we might respond to the online behemoth’s impact on our lives and our democracy. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 285 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi have the privilege of sitting down with Rosemary Ketchum, a former community organizer in Wheeling, West Virginia, and now, the state’s first out transgender elected official. Rosemary talks about her election, the importance of voting (she won her seat by 15 votes!), and busting down doors to get a seat at the table. She’s also the associate director of the city’s local drop-in center for the National Alliance for Mental Illness. A fierce advocate for the marginalized, Rosemary’s story is wonderful, her wisdom is never-ending, and the conversation is full of energy and passion. For completete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website. 

On Episode 284 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi spend their time together talking about a massive subject: the school-to-prison pipeline. (Note: This episode was previously released in March 2020.) They use their mama bear impulse to try to understand why students of color, students with learning disabilities, or students with histories of poverty, abuse, or neglect are often isolated, punished, and “pushed out.” Much like their episode entitled “The Privilege Pipeline,” the women share stories of their own experience as parents in the public schools and sift through the research regarding the systems in place. The episode is informative as well as thought-provoking. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.

On Episode 283 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Leslie and Tesi talk to Leah Plunkett, a digital privacy expert, mom, advocate, author, and faculty associate at the Youth & Media team at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. The women discuss Leah’s book (Sharenting: Why We Should THINK Before We Talk About Our Kids Online) and how we can keep kids safe in a world that’s digital in nature. The conversation ranges from digital baby monitors to social media to your kids’ school lunch account to virtual learning, and explores how laws in the United States have led to an “over-sharenting” problem that ultimately undermines our children—and, ultimately, how adults can make choices that restore the privacy and freedom that our kids deserve. For complete Show Notes, visit the Mama Bear Dares website.