The Conversationalist Podcast
This podcast is brought to you by The Anti-Nihilist Foundation, a nonprofit media outlet. Hosted by founder Anna Lind-Guzik, it features candid conversations with people working on the front lines of important issues. The show also includes audio adaptations of stories from the foundation's site, read by the authors themselves. With a focus on feminist stories and global perspectives, it aims to provide independent, corporate-free journalism and storytelling as resistance.
Episodes
"The Strange Hopefulness of Growing a Human While the World Burns" (w/ Anna Lind-Guzik)
For our season finale, our founder and podcast host Anna Lind-Guzik reads "The Strange Hopefulness of Growing a Human While the World Burns", an essay reflecting on her experience as a first-time expectant mother, and the surprising surge of hopefulness she experienced while pregnant with her daughter. You can read Anna's original essay—a part of our Hope Week series—on the site here: https://conv
Food as a Form of Care (w/ Alicia Kennedy and Bettina Makalintal)
Conversationalist Contributing Editor Kovie Biakolo sits down with food writers Alicia Kennedy ("On Eating: The Making and Unmaking of My Appetites") and Bettina Makalintal (Senior Reporter at Eater.com) for a conversation on the ways we express care through food.
Brought to you by The Anti-Nihilist Foundation, a 501(c)3 and publisher of The Conversationalist. Host and Founder: Anna Lind-Guz
"Who Throws a Shoe, Honestly?" (w/ Gina Mei)
Conversationalist Executive Editor Gina Mei reads "Who Throws a Shoe, Honestly?", an op-ed from our Soapbox column on why throwing shoes as a form of protest is due to make a comeback. You can read Gina's original story on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2025/06/27/soapbox-shoe-throwing-shoeing-muntadhar-al-zaidi-george-w-bush-iraq-united-states-war-crimes-international-criminal-court
An Ode to Our Aunties (w/ Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez and Lisa Sibbett)
Conversationalist Contributing Editor Kovie Biakolo speaks with educator and writer Lisa Sibbett (The Auntie Bulletin on Substack) and activist, speaker, and author Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez ("Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us") about all things aunties, including who they are, how they show up, and why they're so important to our lives.
Brought to you by The Anti
"Emergency Contact" (w/ Ana María Betancourt Ovalle)
Writer Ana María Betancourt Ovalle reads her essay "Emergency Contact", exploring why friendships between immigrants often develop differently than friendships at home. You can read Ana María's original story on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2025/08/01/immigrant-friendships-migrant-friends-relationships-home-emergency-contacts-shared-language-culture-latin-america-immigration-person
Breaking the Cycle of Generational Violence (w/ Indrani Goradia)
Author, speaker, activist, and founder of RAFT (Resilience for Advocates through Foundational Training) Indrani Goradia joins Anna Lind-Guzik for a conversation about healing from generational trauma and breaking the cycle of abuse. You can learn more about how Indrani and RAFT are fostering human-centered, anti-violent workspaces within the gender-based violence advocacy ecosystem at raftcares.or
"Meet the Anti-Fracking Nanas" (w/ Katie Dancey-Downs)
Journalist and longtime Conversationalist contributor Katie Dancey-Downs reads "Meet the Anti-Fracking Nanas", her longform reported piece on why older women around the world are dedicating their golden years to leaving a better world behind. You can read Katie's original story on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2023/11/17/anti-fracking-nanas-nannas-older-women-protesting-activism/
Br
Everything You Need to Know About Perimenopause (w/ Dr. Sophia Yen)
Dr. Sophia Yen (co-founder of Pandia Health) returns to the podcast for an informative conversation about all things perimenopause and menopause, including the symptoms no one talks about, the frustrating lack of menopause education in medical schools, and everything else you need to know to advocate for yourself and your care.
This episode is sponsored by Pandia Health, the only women-founded an
"Motherhood on the Frontlines" (w/ Sara Cincurova)
Journalist Sara Cincurova reads her article "Motherhood on the Frontlines", sharing stories of the single mothers raising Ukraine's most vulnerable children amidst the ongoing war with Russia. You can read Sara's original story on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2025/06/12/single-mothers-ukraine-russia-war-conflict-frontlines-violence-motherhood-widows-vulnerable-children/
Brought to
How Global Nonprofits Are Fighting Systemic Gender Inequality (w/ Judith Dembetembe and Chandy Eng)
We're kicking off a new season of The Conversationalist Podcast! In this episode, founder Anna Lind-Guzik sits down with Chandy Eng of Gender and Development for Cambodia and Judith Dembetembe of The Girls' Legacy in Zimbabwe for a hopeful conversation about how global nonprofits are combatting gender inequality around the world. You can learn more about The Girls' Legacy here (https://www.girlsle
Coming Soon: Season 3!
The Conversationalist Podcast is coming back March 24!
This season will feature inspiring, original interviews on everything from perimenopause to chosen family to fighting fascism, as well as some of our favorite articles from the Conversationalist archives, read by the writers themselves: stories about anti-fracking nanas, immigrant friendships, and more. While our founder Anna Lind-Guzik is on
"Why Do So Many Men Destroy What They Can't Control?" (w/ Anna Lind-Guzik)
Our host and founder Anna Lind-Guzik reads her essay, "Why Do So Many Men Destroy What They Can't Control?", mapping the direct connection between domestic and authoritarian violence, and why we will never be able to have equality so long as violence at home is ignored. You can read her original essay on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2023/02/10/domestic-abuse-family-annihilation-gen
The State of Reproductive Healthcare (w/ Dr. Sophia Yen, Carey Jones, and Nikki Muller)
In the second installment of our two-part series on reproductive rights, Anna sits down with Dr. Sophia Yen (co-founder of Pandia Health), Carey Jones (writer, editor, and fundraiser), and Nikki Muller (writer and multi-disciplinary performer) for a panel discussion on reproductive healthcare, covering everything from contraception to abortion rights to promising research on morning sickness. This
"The Healing Power of the Friendship Retreat" (w/ Alanna Bennett)
Author and screenwriter Alanna Bennett reads her Conversationalist essay "The Healing Power of the Friendship Retreat", making the case for why a group trip might just be the cure for the ache of long distance friendships. You can read her original story on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2022/08/31/the-healing-power-of-the-friendship-retreat-culture/
Brought to you by The Anti-Nihili
"We Need to Talk About Our Miscarriages" (w/ Nikki Muller)
In the first installment of our two-part series on reproductive rights, writer, performer, and storyteller Nikki Muller discusses the importance of destigmatizing miscarriage, and reads her Conversationalist essay, "We Need to Talk About Our Miscarriages". You can read her original essay on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2025/05/20/miscarriages-pregnancy-reproductive-rights-bodies-pe
"The 'Monsters' Behind the Wall" (w/ Dalia Hatuqa)
Palestinian multimedia journalist Dalia Hatuqa reads "The 'Monsters' Behind the Wall", an essay by writer Lailah Radhiya reflecting on her experience growing up in the West Bank, and the significance of the "separation barrier" erected in the early 2000s. You can read Lailah's original essay on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2024/12/13/monsters-wall-israel-occupied-west-bank-palestin
Living Life on a Five Year Plan (w/ Babs Daitch)
What does life look like when you're living on a five year plan? This week, Anna chats with Babs Daitch, the octogenarian "lesbian Forrest Gump", about why she never stays anywhere for too long—and the life lessons she's learned along the way. If you want to learn more about Babs, check out THANKS, BABS, co-directed and co-produced by Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow. https://franklyspeakingfilms.
"If Clothes Make the Man" (w/ Vanessa Hsia)
Writer and Conversationalist contributor Vanessa Hsia reads her essay, "If Clothes Make the Man", about how her grandmother dressed her grandfather throughout their marriage, and how this seemingly small act of domestic labor functioned as both a point of pride and an expression of love. You can read Vanessa's original essay on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2024/06/12/clothing-naina
Finding and Telling Hopeful Climate Stories (w/ Aliya Bashir)
Journalist and Conversationalist contributor Aliya Bashir discusses her anti-nihilistic approach to climate reporting, and the importance of finding hopeful narratives when things are feeling bleak.
Brought to you by The Anti-Nihilist Foundation, a 501(c)3 and publisher of The Conversationalist. Host and Founder: Anna Lind-GuzikExecutive Editor: Gina MeiExecutive Director: Erin Zimmer Strenio
"Is Anyone, Anywhere Having a Good Time?" (w/ Kovie Biakolo)
Writer, journalist, CUNY professor, and Conversationalist Contributing Editor Kovie Biakolo reads her piece, "Is Anyone, Anywhere Having a Good Time?"—and shares more about how the story came to be. You can read Kovie's original story on the site here: https://conversationalist.org/2025/02/03/is-anyone-anywhere-having-a-good-time/
Brought to you by The Anti-Nihilist Foundation, a 501(c)3 and publi
Fighting Back Against Kleptocracy (w/ Leila Nazgül Seiitbek and Tom Mayne)
In this episode, Anna speaks with Leila Nazgül Seiitbek, a lawyer from Kyrgyzstan who's currently living in exile, and Tom Mayne, a research fellow at the University of Exeter, about the growing threat of global kleptocracy and their ongoing work to combat it. You can learn more about their work at freedomforeurasia.org, follow Leila on LinkedIn here, and read the report Tom mentioned in the episo
Coming Soon: Season 2!
We're back! After a long hiatus, season 2 of The Conversationalist Podcast (formerly known as Unbreaking Media) is coming back October 14. This season, we're also doing something new: half our episodes will feature some of our favorite articles from the archives, read by the writers themselves. The other half of the season will feature original interviews with folks working on the front lines of t
Stay tuned for Season 2 of Unbreaking Media!
Thank you to everyone who's listened to the Unbreaking Media podcast so far! We are beginning a fall break and will return with a new season of fascinating conversations soon! In the meantime, read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversationalist at the newly-revamped conversationalist.org!Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversat
Ep. 27 - A Skeptic's Intro to Meditation (w/Bridget Bailey)
Anna talks with her friend Bridget Bailey, a teacher and student of Tibetan Buddhism, about how 'wellness' is conceptualized in modern society, about what is useful and problematic about how that term is applied, and about Bridget's own path to studying meditation through her Buddhist practice.Learn more about the Open Heart Project at their website at openheartproject.com.You can also learn more
Ep. 26 - 'Calendar Girl' and What It Tells Us About American Fashion (w/Natalie Nudell)
Anna talks with Natalie Nudell, fashion historian and the co-principal investigator of the Ruth Finley Collection, about Natalie's recently-released documentary 'Calendar Girl.' In the documentary, and in today's episode, Natalie shows how Ruth Finley, through her publication the 'Fashion Calendar,' helped establish New York City as the hub of global fashion in the 20th century. Anna and Natalie a
Ep. 25 - The Conversationalist Relaunches! (w/ Nick Slater)
The Conversationalist, and Unbreaking Media, have relaunched with a brand-new logo + a renewed commitment to publishing globally-minded, feminist reporting that expands the horizons of what's possible, from the personal to the political. Today, Anna and Conversationalist Director of Content Nick Slater (@nislatr) reintroduce the new Conversationalist site and podcast, and play a few games along th
Ep. 24 - On the Ground in Ukraine Today (w/Romeo Kokriatski)
In today's episode, Ukraine-based journalist, managing editor of the New Voice of Ukraine, and co-host of the Ukraine Without Hype podcast, Romeo Kokriatski (@RomeoKokriatski), joins Anna to discuss everyday life in Ukraine while Russia's invasion continues, and how Ukrainians are fighting back and resisting.Listen to the Ukraine Without Hype podcast on Apple Podcasts or follow the podcast on Twit
Ep. 23 - How Latin American Feminists Are Tackling Machismo (w/Deborah Alaña Davis)
In today's episode, Anna speaks with Deborah Alaña Davis, a Venezuelan-Argentinian activist with the Every Woman Treaty and a member of the treaty's 1000 Voices Fellowship Program, about the triumphs and challenges of feminism in Latin America.Learn more about the Every Woman Treaty at everywoman.org.For more information about the Every Woman Treaty's 1000 Voices Fellowship Program, working to sup
Ep. 22 - Daniel Syrkin Talks 'Tehran,' the Art …Film, and Life in the Middle East(w/Daniel Syrkin)
Anna talks with friend Daniel Syrkin, director of the International Emmy-winning espionage drama 'Tehran,' about his life from the former Soviet Union to Israel, and his career in film and television.Seasons 1 and 2 of 'Tehran' are available for streaming on Apple TV+.Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversationalist at conversationalist.org, and follow the Conv
Ep. 21 - Can the Generational War be Ended (w/ Christopher Hyland)
Anna talks with her neighbor Christopher Hyland, founder of Christopher Hyland Textiles and deputy national political director of Bill Clinton's 1992 Presidential campaign, about his role in securing a peace in Northern Ireland, his opinions on the Russia-Ukraine war, and his views on the political challenges facing younger generations today.Find out more about Christopher Hyland Inc. at http://ww
Ep. 20 - A Disabled Woman's Quest to End Gender Violence in Cameroon (w/ Lilian Dibo)
In today's episode, Anna talks with Cameroonian author, model, and activist Lilian Dibo (@DiboLilian), CEO and founder of the Lilian Dibo Foundation and first runner-up of Miss Wheelchair Cameroon, to discuss her participation in the Every Woman Treaty's efforts to end gendered violence and harassment against women and girls with disabilities, both in the physical world and online.You can learn mo
Ep. 19: Does Pacifism Actually Work? (w/ Tal Matalon)
Anna and Durham, NC-based educator Tal Matalon (@tetaime) chat about Tal's childhood in Haifa, Israel and her experience as a conscientious objector to Israeli military service, about the power and limitations of pacifism, and about the experience of Jewishness inside and outside of Jewish-majority states.Learn more about the organizations Tal mentioned in the podcast:Mesarvot linktr.ee/Mesarvotht
Ep. 18: Let's Talk About Addiction (and Holistic Health)
In today's episode, Anna reconnects with her old friend, and current physician at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Dr. Mo Sarhan, to discuss addiction, recovery, and a holistic approach to healthcare. Along the way, Dr. Sarhan shares the story of his path to becoming a doctor, and how his own personal experience has shaped his attitude towards wellness and holistic health.Read more transform
Ep. 17: 5 Things You Should Know About American Fashion History (w/ Dr. Jonathan Michael Square)
In today's episode, Dr. Jonathan Michael Square (@stylesquared), fashion historian, Assistant Professor of Black Visual Culture at the Parsons School of Design, and Fellow at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, tells the surprising stories behind five designers, objects, and brands in the history of American fashion.Follow Dr. Square's project, Fashioning the Self in Slavery a
Episode 16: Furrowing the Brows of Culture (w/ Nikki Müller)
In today's episode, Anna sits down with the multitalented Nikki Muller (@nikkimuller) - actor, writer, playwright, YouTuber, Managing Editor of New Thinking (LINK) and Conversationalist contributor - to discuss highbrow culture, lowbrow culture, and everything in between. What makes a work of art highbrow or lowbrow, and is there benefit to consuming cultural works across these ‘brows?’Read Nikki'
Episode 15: A Friendly Chat About Ableism (and How to End It)
Anna talks with her old friend Dr. Ana Sekulić (@dr_anasekulic) about history, ableism, and what able-bodied people should know about living with disability.Read Dr. Sekulić's essay "Problems of Place: On Finding Self in Scholarship" here: https://envhistnow.com/2021/09/08/problems-of-place-on-finding-self-in-scholarship/Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversat
Episode 14: The Healing Power of Sandwiches (w/ Sebastian Barry)
Anna talks with LA-based hospitality professional Sebastian Barry about the PBJ All Day project, a mutual aid organization distributing free food to members of the Lincoln Heights community in Los Angeles.Find out more about PBJ All Day bv visiting their Instagram @pbjalldayla, or send an email to Sebastian at pbjalldayla@gmail.com. You can also donate to PBJ All Day's fundraiser on Gofundme here.
Episode 13: We're Here! We're Queer! We Need Better Mental Health Services! (w/ Mikey Whited)
Anna talks with psychiatric nurse practicioner Mikey Whited to talk about their experiences as both a provider and consumer of mental health services, as well as the present state of mental health care for queer and housing-insecure people across America.Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversationalist at conversationalist.org, and follow the Conversationalist
Episode 12: What It's Like to Be a Teacher Today (w/ Jim Lawhon)
Anna reunites with one of her former teachers, Jim Lawhon, to discuss his career in education, compare their shared experiences of teaching, and address the challenges facing teachers today.Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversationalist at conversationalist.org, and follow the Conversationalist on Twitter @Convo_ist or Instagram @convo_ist. You can also find
Episode 11: The 'Every Woman Treaty' and an End to Gender Violence (w/ Judge Najla Ayoubi)
Anna talks with Judge Najla Ayoubi, Chief of Coalition & Global Programs for the Every Woman Coalition, about the ongoing crisis of gender violence and the urgency of protecting womens' rights on a global scale. They discuss the Every Woman Coalition's call for an international treaty ending violence against women and girls, as well as the feminization of global poverty.Find out more about the Ev
Episode 10: The Truth About Kids' Mental Health (w/Lishaun Francis)
Anna talks with Lishaun Francis (@lfrancis0), the director of behavioral health at Children Now, about the importance of raising awareness of children's mental health and emotional well-being, and how to create environments where children can thrive and be themselves.Find out more about Children Now at https://www.childrennow.orgRead more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the C
Episode 9: Abortion Is a Human Right, and a Litmu…Test for Democrats and Feminists (w/Raina Lipsitz)
In response to last week's leak of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, Anna and Conversationalist contributor Raina Lipsitz (@RainaLips) survey the future of abortion in America, discuss whether being pro-choice should be a litmus test for Democrats and feminists, and reply to common arguments that downplay the severity of the Court's decision.Editor's note: Dr. Barnett Slepian,
Episode 8: Community Building and the Power of Babies (with Jillian Johnson)
Anna and Durham, NC City Council member Jillian Johnson (@JillianDURM) talk all about community - why it matters, why people seek it out, and how it empowers people personally and politically.Find out more about Jillian's work at jillianjohnson.net.Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversationalist at conversationalist.org, and follow the Conversationalist on Twi
Episode 7: The East-West Binary is Nonsense (with Dr. Mina Khalil)
Anna and Dr. Mina Khalil, a legal and social historian of the modern Middle East, discuss the arbitrary distinction between 'East' and 'West' in political theory, as well as the revolutions in Egypt since the Arab Spring and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.Read more transformative and solutions-oriented journalism from the Conversationalist at conversationalist.org, and follow the Conversation
Episode 6: What We're Watching on TV and Why It Matters, or Doesn't (with Dr. Amy Schiller)
In today's episode, Anna and Dartmouth political theorist Dr. Amy Schiller (@AmytheSchill) talk all about TV - what they're watching and hate-watching lately, how the types of shows on TV and their own viewing tastes have evolved over time, which of their current or former favorite shows are problematic, and what role TV plays in broader culture. Is television the opiate of the masses? And if it i
Episode 5: Historical Trauma and the Roots of the Russia-Ukraine War (with Chrissy Stroop)
Anna talks with Conversationalist contributor and PhD in Modern Russian History, Chrissy Stroop (@c_stroop), about the historical context of the Russia-Ukraine war and the links between personal trauma and political trauma.Read Chrissy's articles for the Conversationalist here: https://conversationalist.org/writer/chrissy-stroop/Chrissy is the co-editor, together with Lauren O'Neal, of a collectio
Episode 4: In Praise of Pleasure (with Cara Sheffler)
Anna is joined by journalist and Conversationalist contributor Cara Marsh Sheffler (@carasheffler) to discuss pleasure and its importance to daily life, to list guilty pleasures, and to speculate on how our relationships to pleasure might change in a healthier future society.Read Cara's writing for the Conversationalist here.Cara's book-length collaborations with the artist Johannah Herr can be pu
Episode 3: All About Authoritarianism (with Natalia Antonova)
Anna sits down with journalist and online security expert Natalia Antonova (@NataliaAntonova) to discuss authoritarianism in the US and abroad, and debate whether the US is in danger of becoming - or already is - an authoritarian state.Find Natalia's writing for the Conversationalist here. More of Natalia's writing can be found on her Substack here.Read more transformative and solutions-oriented j
Episode 2: Our Kind of Feminism (with Dr. M. Shadee Malaklou)
Anna sits down with Dr. M. Shadee Malaklou (@fanoniankilljoy), Assistant Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Berea College and Director of the bell hooks center, for a conversation about feminist history, the necessity of intersectional understandings of feminism, and their own time as undergraduates at Duke University during the Duke Lacrosse Case.Read Dr. Malaklou's Conversationalist piec
Episode 1: Welcome to Unbreaking Media (with Brenna Erford)
Welcome to Unbreaking Media, a podcast by the Conversationalist! In these weekly episodes, Conversationalist founder Anna Lind-Guzik and guests will discuss the news, politics, and culture from the internationally-minded, feminist perspective that you can see across the Conversationalist’s published articles.In our first episode, Anna (@alindguzik) and Conversationalist Chief of Staff Brenna Erfor
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