Grief is always in the room—and in this raw and powerful conversation, Becky and Taina explore the emotional weight of loss, anger, and what it means to truly feel your feelings. They unpack their personal experiences with recent death, the stigma around female rage, and why American culture is so broken when it comes to grief. From pet loss to patriarchal mindsets, they dive deep into the intersections of anger and grief, why somatic expression matters, and how caretaking roles often obscure our own needs. This episode is a tender reminder that grief and joy, anger and love, can—and do—coexist.

Discussed in this episode

• Why grief is always present—even when we don’t acknowledge it
• How female anger is suppressed (and why that’s dangerous)
• The myth of the angry Black woman
• Why anger and grief are somatic experiences, not just mental
• How American culture fails at grief
• The emotional labor of caretaking and parenting during loss
• Ways we gaslight ourselves through loss
• Visualization and embodiment practices for emotional release

Resources mentioned

• "Uses of Anger" by Audre Lorde
• The Emotions Wheel
• Bernadette Pleasant, The Emotional Institute
• "Patriarchy Stress Disorder" by Dr. Valerie Rein

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What if making art wasn’t about monetizing, optimizing, or gaining followers—but about freedom? In this episode, artist and writer Krishna Kayastha joins Becky and Taina to talk about reclaiming creativity from capitalism. From journaling to fanfic, motherhood to self-trust, Krishna shares her journey of redefining what it means to be an artist in a world that demands constant output and productivity.

They explore how hustle culture and girlboss messaging warped her creativity, why she stopped making art for money, and what it looks like to reclaim joy as a daily practice. She offers insights into how her habit tracking system, morning pages, and refusal to commodify everything have helped her stay rooted in her creative process—and why rest, fun, and fanfiction are deeply radical acts. This episode is a must-listen for anyone struggling with burnout, self-doubt, or wondering if it’s okay to just make art for art’s sake.

Krishna’s website | Ink Blots and Fragments on Spotify | Krishna's Substack

Discussed in this episode:

• Creative liberation beyond capitalism
• Using fanfiction as resistance and joy
• The emotional toll of monetizing your passion
• Habit tracking for personal data and self-trust
• The Artist’s Way and morning pages
• Finding boundaries between public and private art
• Self-permission to create without perfection
• Rest as resistance and lunch as liberation
• Krishna’s podcast Ink Blots and Fragments
• Her Habit Tracker journal

Resource mentioned:

• "The Artist’s Way" by Julia Cameron

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If you’ve ever wondered how a Harry Potter course can be a masterclass in teaching white supremacy, systemic oppression, and feminist critique—you’re gonna love this episode. We’re joined by Professor Julian Womble, who uses the Wizarding World to help his students explore the messy intersections of identity, power, and representation. We dig into fanfiction as reclamation, Hermione’s white savior complex, Lavender Brown’s erasure, and how to love problematic art without ignoring its dangers. Come for the Draco redemption arc, stay for the discussion on teaching critical consciousness through pop culture.

Prof. Julian Wamble (Womble), he/him, is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University, where he teaches a popular class called Harry Potter & the Politics of Social Identity. He’s also the host of Critical Magic Theory podcast.

Tiktok: @profw | Instagram: @prof.jw

Discussed in this episode:

• Teaching white supremacy using Harry Potter
• Hermione’s white saviorism and gendered politics
• Fanfiction as a tool for social change
• The erasure and racism around Lavender Brown
• The problem with redemption arcs only for male characters
• Draco Malfoy as a projection for reform
• Why separating art from artist is dangerous
• Creating guides for conscientious readers
• How fanfiction rewrites justice and inclusivity

Fanfic etiquette:

• Fanfic is free; never buy or sell to protect the space and observe copyright and IP laws
• Observe the authors rules regarding sharing and personal binding
• We don’t rate or review fanfic; it’s a gift. If you don’t like a particular one simply DNF (do not finish) and move on
• Always, always leave a kudos or comment to show appreciation for the authors effort
• Don’t be an asshole.

Resources mentioned:

• “James” by Percival Everett
• Let the Dark In by SenLinYu
• The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy by speechwriter
• Manacled by SenLinYu is no longer available
• Bloody, Slutty, and Pathetic by WhatMurdah
• Save Me Again by wolfstarlover20 (all queer fic Taina read during Pride month)

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You ever feel like the world is on fire and you're holding the matches and a bucket of water? Yeah, us too. In this raw and candid convo, Becky and Taina unpack their experiences around the No Kings protest, the complicated dynamics of white allyship, what it means to show up (and what it doesn’t), and the impossible standards placed on parents, especially moms. From the emotional labor of unlearning white supremacy to the tension between safety and activism, this episode dives deep into the mess of trying to do liberation right—and how there’s no one right way. This one’s for anyone caught between burnout, rage, and hope.

📝 Discussed in this episode

• Why Becky took her son to his first protest (and why he was terrified)
• The emotional toll of being "the good citizen" in a broken system
• Why showing up looks different for white folks vs. people of color
• The white guilt and self-righteousness loop we all have to confront
• The truth about public schools and their real purpose
• Taina’s take on “anti-mothering” and emotional labor
• Generational shifts in parenting and emotional intelligence
• Why curiosity can be an antidote to judgment
• The bullshit of performative allyship (and why praise-kinks are real)
• There’s no gold star for liberation—but we want one anyway

🔗 Resources mentioned

• Deepa Iyer’s Social Change Ecosystem Map
• Trash Tuesday Podcast

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SPECIAL RELEASE: Becky & Taina on Becky's other podcast, Assigned Reading (if you like this conversation, check out this new podcast here)

Becky Mollenkamp and Taina Brown dive deep into Sylvia Rivera’s 2001 speech, "Bitch on Wheels." They unpack Rivera’s righteous rage, explore the erasure of trans voices in LGBTQ history, and reflect on the importance of solidarity and intersectionality in the fight for liberation. This raw speech from a legendary activist is just as urgent today.

✍️ “Bitch on Wheels” by Sylvia Rivera

Discussed in this episode

- Sylvia Rivera’s legacy and speech context
- Stonewall riots from a trans perspective
- Marsha P. Johnson and Rivera’s activism
- Respectability politics and performative feminism
- White saviorism, allyship, and call-in vs. call-out
- Suicide and mental health in the trans community
- The role of anger in activism
- Collective care and intersectionality

Resources mentioned
- The Trevor Project
- Lee Brewster history
- Messy Liberation podcast

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This episode dives deep into Becky and Taina’s wildly different takes on romance novels, smut, and fanfic—plus what makes storytelling feel intimate or just pornographic. We cover the books we’re reading this summer, why Becky knocks stars off for explicit content, and what Audre Lorde has to say about feeling embodied. It’s messy, it’s honest, and it might make you laugh (or blush). Whether you love fanfic, hate sex scenes, or feel somewhere in between, this conversation unpacks it all with a feminist lens and zero shame.

Discussed in this episode

• Becky's summer reading binge: 15+ books a month

• Why explicit sex scenes turn Becky off

• Taina’s love for fanfic (especially emotionally mature Draco Malfoy)

• How Audre Lorde defines pornography vs. the erotic

• Navigating parenting and productivity during summer

• How generational differences show up in language and preferences

Resources mentioned

• “Slow Dance” by Rainbow Rowell

• “First-Time Caller” by B.K. Borison

• “Careless People” by Sarah Wynn-Williams

• “I'm Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy

• Remain Nameless fanfic

• We Read Smut podcast

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Is it possible for a horror movie to teach you history? In this episode, Becky and Taina dive deep into the viral new film “Sinners,” unpacking its cultural, political, and emotional power. From Ryan Coogler’s revolutionary copyright deal to the legacy of Jim Crow and Chinese immigration in the South, they explore how this southern gothic, vampiric allegory reveals the truth about American racism, resilience, and black joy. With plenty of irreverence and a little lipstick talk to start, this episode is one for your brain *and* your heart.

Discussed in this episode:

• The movie “Sinners” and its allegorical brilliance
• Ryan Coogler’s unheard-of copyright ownership deal
• The Mississippi Free Press review of Sinners
• How horror can offer historical and cultural education
• Depictions of Black life, trauma, and joy on film
• The Chinese Immigration Act and racial context in the South
• America’s myth-making and white savior complex
• Trump’s military parade and the “No Kings” rallies
• The reality of what’s happening in Palestine
• Taina’s former life as an evangelical Republican

Resources mentioned:

• Mississippi Free Press: https://www.mississippifreepress.org
• No Kings Rallies: https://www.nokings.org

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You don’t expect to leave a conversation about death and capitalism feeling inspired—but here we are. This episode dives headfirst into the intersections of death work, money trauma, collective care, and class consciousness. Stella Gold (they/them), founder of My Gold Standard, joins Becky and Taina to talk about their journey from hospice and death doula work to anti-capitalist money coaching—and how rebirth, grief, and radical redistribution play into all of it. Whether you’ve sworn off capitalism or are just starting to untangle your money mindset from the girlboss playbook, this convo will meet you where you’re at. Get ready for real talk about financial legacy, wealth redistribution, and why slow divestment can be a revolutionary act.

Stella Gold (they/them) is a genderqueer Rebirth + Wealth Coach for changemakers and comes from a lineage of activists. They are the founder of My Gold Standard, a believer in wealth activism, pro liberation from all oppressive systems, and collective care. Website | Instagram

Discussed in this episode

• What death work teaches us about money and community
• How grief impacts financial decision-making
• Why class consciousness must be part of any money conversation
• The myth of ‘pure’ divestment and the messiness of resisting capitalism
• Spirituality, religious trauma, and their role in financial healing
• What slow divestment looks like in real life (ex: leaving Amazon, ethical investing)

Resources mentioned

• "The Sum of Us" by Heather McGhee
• Carbon Collective
• Going With Grace
• Real You Leadership

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