The Women’s Lounge

This Halloween week, the real chills aren’t from haunted houses - they’re from a government shutdown that’s left families without paychecks and communities without care. In a moment when our healthcare system feels more broken than ever, The Women’s Lounge asks a vital question: what does it mean to heal beyond the systems that fail us? Our guest Dr. Dawn Bounds reminds us that resilience doesn’t come from the top - it comes from the community. Through the CYFER Lab, or Centering Youth and Families in Empowerment and Resilience, Dr. Bounds is reimagining what healing looks like when we center young people, caregivers, and the neighborhoods that hold them together.

Together, Emiliana and Dr. Bounds explore how mentorship, creativity, and health practices are transforming what care can be - not just in clinics, but in classrooms, kitchens, and community spaces.

You can listen now wherever you get your podcast. New episodes drop every Friday.

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CYFER Lab Socials 

linktr.ee/ucicyferlab

In a year when voting rights face unprecedented challenges, The Women’s Lounge asks a vital question: who is protecting our democracy? We welcome Carla Fuentes from the League of Women Voters for a timely and urgent conversation about the fight to defend the ballot. From the powerful “No Kings” protest to the chilling rise in ICE raids, this episode connects the dots between protest, policy, and participation—reminding us that the right to vote is the foundation of every other freedom we hold dear.

Together, Emiliana and Carla explore how the League’s century-long, nonpartisan mission to educate and empower voters remains a lifeline in today’s polarized political climate. They discuss what it takes to engage new voters, combat misinformation, and build the next generation of women leaders ready to take the reins of democracy. The message is clear: change doesn’t just happen just in the streets - it happens at the ballot box too. 

You can listen now wherever you get your podcast. New episodes drop every Friday.

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@the.womenslounge

This week on The Women’s Lounge, we sound the alarm: our voting rights are under attack. The Supreme Court has become more conservative than it’s been in decades, chipping away at everything from reproductive freedom to worker protections. And now, the right to vote — the foundation of every other right — is on the line.

Women — especially women of color — have always been the force that turns the tide. We’ve fought too hard to lose ground now.

As the nation hits Day 14 of a government shutdown, we connect the dots between policy and reality — how lost paychecks, closed shelters, and political gridlock hit women the hardest. But we also spotlight what’s possible. In California, Proposition 50 could expand democracy and return power to the people who’ve been written out for too long.

This episode is a rallying cry to rise up, organize, and take action like everything depends on it — because it does. When they warn you, believe them. And then, fight back.

You can listen now wherever you get your podcast. New episodes drop every Friday.

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@the.womenslounge

When progress stalls, who steps up to lead? Our guest this week on The Women’s Lounge, we are joined by John Erickson, advocate and candidate for the California State Senate, who shares how local politics can reignite hope. From education and housing to healthcare and representation, John shows that real leadership starts in our own neighborhoods — with empathy, action, and the courage to listen.

That same fight for fairness continues in Women’s Rights Watch, where we spotlight Latina Equal Pay Day — a reminder that Latinas must work nearly two years to earn what white men make in one. The wage gap isn’t just about pay; it’s about power, progress, and whose stories get heard. We explore how education access, immigration reform, and pay equity can help close the gap and build a future that works for everyone.

You can listen now on the free app wherever you get your podcast. New episodes drop every Friday.

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@the.womenslounge

Follow John on Instagram:

@johnericksonweho

The U.S. government may be shut down, but women don’t stop — and neither do our stories. As we kick off a new month on The Women’s Lounge, we're looking beyond the headlines to explore what resilience really looks like when the systems around us fail us. How do women keep moving forward in the face of uncertainty? And what can we learn from the ways they adapt, persist, and lead through it?

We’re joined this week by Keren Taylor, founder of WriteGirl, who shows how even something as simple as writing can be a powerful act of resistance. Together, we’ll explore how mentorship and storytelling help young women turn challenge into courage — and why women’s voices remain one of the most powerful forces against erasure.

Cancel culture was once about justice, but now it’s become a weapon to silence us. In this episode, we call it what it is: Cancel Culture 2.0. We shine a light on the cruelty of ICE raids, the erasure of immigrant women’s stories, and the painful irony of it all happening during Hispanic Heritage Month. This is about more than politics—it’s about dignity, survival, and refusing to be erased. Join us as we raise our voices, demand visibility, and remind the world: we are loud, we are defiant, and women are watching.

Reproductive health clinics are closing their doors, political violence is on the rise, and critical stories are being buried in today’s news cycle. The cost of looking away is mounting, and the silence surrounding these issues only makes them worse. What happens when we refuse to confront the realities others ignore?

On this episode of The Women’s Lounge, we take on these urgent questions with honesty and clarity—reminding ourselves that silence is never an option.

In this week’s episode, we are joined by Thomas Lopez from Multiracial Americans of Southern California to discuss the evolving nature of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Together, we explore the importance of uplifting our multiracial identities, the importance of belonging, and the need for advocacy in the current socio-political climate. Tune in and join us as we reclaim the narrative surrounding DEI.