The Defenders
Lemonada Media
The 2024 election is just around the corner, and the stakes are high for reproductive justice. From abortion ballot measures in Arizona and Florida, to flipping state legislatures, we’ll explore the future of reproductive freedom and what it means for our democracy. In Season Two of The Defenders, host Gloria Riviera talks to activists, organizers, and experts to equip you with everything you need to defend abortion rights at the polls.
This series is supported by Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Levi Strauss Foundation. Coming 9/12.
Listen Now: Being Trans
We’re dropping something special in your feed this week- we’re reexploring BEING Trans. BEING Trans was the first series of its type when it premiered in 2022- it’s reality TV for your ears. No scripts, no interviews, just real life as it happens. The show follows four trans people as they go about their lives in Los Angeles. You’ll be there for the highs and the lows, the messy, complicated, beautiful moments that make us who we are. Trans people don’t often get to tell their own stories, in th
Introducing: When It Clicked
What’s it like to spend years in a state penitentiary and then make it big in Hollywood? What makes a death row warden become a leading voice in prison reform? How does a conservative Christian in the deep South decide we can’t incarcerate our way out of a drug crisis? For all of these people, they had a moment when their thinking about justice and safety changed. In this series, host Ana Zamora – founder of The Just Trust – sits down with business leaders, advocates, actors, artists, and unexpe
We Want to Hear From You!
We hope you have been enjoying the incredible guests and stories from this season of The Defenders. Now, we want to hear from you. We’re conducting a survey with three simple questions: Did you learn something, has your opinion changed, and do you feel empowered to put these new ideas into action? You can complete this simple, three question survey at bit.ly/defenderssurvey We appreciate you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Defending Democracy Boldy and Defiantly
Across the country, reproductive freedom is popular – 63 percent of Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. So why don’t our laws reflect the will of the people? As the Executive Director of Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), Kimberly Inez McGuire breaks down how opponents of abortion access have targeted voting rights and democracy to advance their agenda – and how we can all fight back at the polls and beyond. Learn more about the work happening at URGE to pro
Why State Supreme Courts Matter
State Supreme Courts are crucial to abortion rights, yet most people have no idea what these courts do. Or that in many states we actually vote for these judges. Thirty-three states will have supreme court seats on the ballot this November. Alicia Bannon of State Court Report tells us why these courts matter to abortion rights and how to be better informed going to the ballot box. We’ll also zoom in on Texas, where the Find Out PAC is trying to unseat three Republican justices on the Texas Supre
The Power of Down Ballot Voting
Since the Dobbs decision, activists, organizers, and leaders are turning to state legislatures to protect and expand reproductive rights. This November, 44 states will hold legislative elections, and these races are often won or lost by tiny margins. Two champions of state power, Gaby Goldstein from Sister District and Jennifer Driver from the State Innovation Exchange, share what’s in store for state races across the country this November, and which ones we need to keep an eye on when it comes
Reversing Florida’s 6-week Abortion Ban
In May 2024, a six-week abortion ban went into effect in Florida, dramatically limiting access for women across the South. While Floridians are living with this new reality, they’re also gearing up to change it. Gloria talks with Lauren Brenzel, campaign director for Floridians Protecting Freedom / Yes on 4, who is fighting for the November ballot measure that would protect abortion access in the state constitution and reverse the 6-week ban. Learn more about Florida’s Amendment 4 ballot initiat
What’s At Stake in Arizona
We start Season 2 of The Defenders in Arizona, where abortion rights have been in turmoil since the overturn of Roe. Now, a citizen-led effort is trying to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution through a ballot measure. November’s election may not only change the fate of abortion in this crucial swing state; it could also flip the state legislature and impact control of the U.S. Senate and the fate of the White House. Learn more about Arizona’s abortion ballot measure at arizonafora
The Defenders Season 2 (Teaser)
The Defenders is back. This season, all roads lead to Nov. 5, because abortion is on the ballot this Election Day and the stakes are higher than ever. Host Gloria Riviera interviews organizers, activists, and experts from Arizona to Florida to Texas – the people on the front lines of this fight. From building state power to voting for judges, we’ll arm you with everything you need to know to stand up for reproductive freedom this election. Coming September 12. This series is supported by Charle
Listen Now: The Pink House with Sam Smith
We’re excited to drop in your feed today to tell you about a new Lemonada Media series called The Pink House with Sam Smith. Hosted by five-time Grammy winner Sam Smith, The Pink House is about the people and places that make us who we are. One of those places was Sam’s childhood home in the English village of Great Chishill, literally called The Pink House. It was a space of total warmth and love where Sam felt safe enough to find their voice. Each week, join Sam in conversation with icons and
Listen Now: Pack One Bag featuring Stanley Tucci
We are dropping in your feed today to share a new series that we know you will enjoy. Pack One Bag is epic true story of an Italian family, split apart by love, fascism and war. Through shocking discoveries - and Stanley Tucci’s artistry - an enthralling personal history comes to life.
When documentarian David Modigliani was a kid, his grandfather, Franco, won the Nobel Prize. But, David’s always been more fascinated by the love story that made it possible -- his grandparents' romance on the ru
Listen Now: Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
We’re dropping in your feed to let you know that Julia Louis-Dreyfus has returned for Season 2 of her award-winning podcast, Wiser Than Me™! Each week, she has funny, touching, personal conversations with iconic older women who are brimming with the kind of unapologetic attitude and wisdom that only comes with age. Julia sits at the feet of some extraordinary teachers this season (discover who in this trailer), and of course her 90-year-old mom, Judy. Tune in to laugh, cry and get wise. All Hail
Listen Now: Last Day
We are dropping in your feed today to share another Lemonada Media series with you. Last Day is a show about the moments that change us, fundamentally and forever. Each week, host Stephanie Wittels Wachs (Lemonada’s co-founder and award-winning queen of darkness and light) sits down with a new guest to explore happy/sad stories of survival, resilience, and transformation.
There are few modern photos more iconic than the image of Christine Blasey Ford with her hand raised in the U.S. Senate ch
Listen Now: Archetypes with Meghan
Introducing Archetypes, a refreshing and dynamic podcast where Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, dives into the labels that try to hold women back. During these intimate and candid conversations with guests from around the world, we discover how these archetypes impact our everyday lives in ways big and small. With experts and historians, Meghan also uncovers how we got here in the first place – unearthing the origin of words such as ‘diva’, ‘slut’, ‘the B word’, ‘hysterical’, and many more, and as
Listen Now: When We Win
Today, we are dropping in your feed to introduce you to When We Win, a new podcast from Lemonada Media that asks, is the impossible possible? What will it take to create a truly engaged democracy that represents all of us? Each week, Maya Rupert talks to some of the most incredible women of color in office today who ran against insurmountable odds and won, from the all-women city council in St. Paul, Minnesota, to the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress. So stop asking yourself if we can w
Bonus: The Online Abortion Resource Squad
When it comes to abortion, finding answers in a world of misinformation and changing laws can be hard. Especially when the places to turn to for care are diminishing. On this bonus episode, Gloria talks to Ariella Messing, the founder of the Online Abortion Resource Squad, or OARS. They moderate the r/abortion subreddit, a group on Reddit that is dedicated to answering questions about abortion. Not only are they helping people find care – they are ensuring that every question is answered with th
Anyone Can Be A Defender
In the final episode of our series, we’re hitting the streets of Manhattan to join up with Nix Rao, a young activist dedicated to expanding reproductive health access in New York. Fueled by their motto, “legality does not equal access,” we’ll follow Nix as they lead the charge to bring abortion pills to college campuses. To learn more about all the organizations featured in The Defenders, visit: https://lemonadamedia.com/the-defenders-resource-page/ Share your thoughts on The Defenders! To help
The 84 Year Old Defender
Today, we’re bringing you part one of our series finale. Dr. Warren Hern is one of the few remaining physicians performing abortions later in pregnancy. After decades in this fight - and serious threats to his safety - nothing is stopping him from this important work. Learn more about the Boulder Abortion Clinic: https://www.drhern.com/ To learn more about all the organizations featured in The Defenders, visit: https://lemonadamedia.com/the-defenders-resource-page/ Share your thoughts on The De
Everyone Loves Someone Who's Had an Abortion
While the majority of the country supports abortion, much of the mainstream media has a long way to go to represent abortion accurately and ethically. This week, Sam talks to journalist Jessica Valenti and abortion activist Renee Bracey Sherman about how we can “arm the choir” with in-depth and more impactful storytelling. Plus, tips on how you can talk about abortion with your own family over the holidays. Subscribe to Abortion, Every Day: https://jessica.substack.com/ Learn more about We Tes
BONUS: Kate Cox Denied an Abortion in Texas
When Kate Cox received a devastating diagnosis in the 20th week of a much-wanted pregnancy, she turned to her doctor for help. Instead of receiving the care she needed, she was met with cruelty at the hands of the Texas courts. In this mini episode, we chat with Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick about what this story means for the rest of the country.
Resources:Dahlia’s recent article about Kate Cox: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/12/kate-cox-nonviable-pregnancy-judicial-control-abortion-texas.h
Gossip Saves Lives
We travel to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, where abortion bans intersect with immigration policy. And our team crosses the border into Mexico to buy something you can’t get in Texas: abortion pills. Learn more about Frontera Fund at https://fronterafundrgv.org/. To learn more about all the organizations featured in The Defenders, visit: https://lemonadamedia.com/the-defenders-resource-page/ Share your thoughts on The Defenders! To help us keep creating great content, please take our short li
Grief But Not Regret
How do you make a complicated reproductive choice when you’re racing against the clock? We follow two women in Georgia as they figure out how to end their pregnancies in a state with a 6-week ban. And then we talk to Sister Song’s Monica Simpson about how the Reproductive Justice movement is expansive enough to hold space for people with conflicted feelings about their abortions. Learn more about SisterSong at https://www.sistersong.net/. Learn more about Northwest Abortion Access Fund at https
My Jesus Flipped Tables
Reproductive rights and religion may not feel like they go hand in hand. But in Atlanta, Black faith leaders are challenging that by talking about abortion…in church. Learn more about Faith in Public Life at https://www.faithinpubliclife.org/ Learn more about Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice at https://rcrc.org/ Follow Tiffanie Mackey at https://www.tiffanielanelle.com/ To learn more about all the organizations featured in this series, visit: https://lemonadamedia.com/the-defenders-re
Abortion is a Winning Issue
There’s a trend happening across America. In blue AND red states, people are voting to protect abortion rights, with Ohio just the latest example. It turns out abortion is winning elections. This week, Sam sits down with author and writer Rebecca Traister to dissect why a record number of voters are showing up in droves to protect reproductive freedom. Follow Rebecca Traister: https://rebeccatraister.com/ Learn more about All Above All: https://allaboveall.org/ Learn more about the EACH Act: ht
Joy is Resistance
What does gender affirming care have to do with abortion? It’s all about bodily autonomy. And the forces that brought down Roe are going after Trans rights next. We stay in Tennessee this week as we break down the anti-trans, anti-abortion playbook and meet a group of young people who are navigating their state’s attacks on LGBTQ rights. Learn more about OUTMemphis at https://www.outmemphis.org/. Gloria Riviera and Samantha Bee are our hosts. Muna Danish is our supervising producer. Lisa Phu is
They Haven’t Seen The Last of Us
What does it mean to be an abortion activist in a state where abortion is completely banned? We travel to Tennessee alongside two activists who are risking everything to expand access to care. Learn more about Abortion Care Tennessee at https://www.abortioncaretn.org/about-us. Follow Tia Freeman on Instagram @slipp3rywhenwet and their work with Beyond Roe Collective @beyondroecollective. Gloria Riviera and Samantha Bee are our hosts. Muna Danish is our supervising producer. Lisa Phu is our pro
800 Miles to Freedom
Episode 1: Back in 2022, shortly after the fall of Roe, Brittany felt trapped. She was pregnant and stuck in an abusive relationship, totally cut off from her support system. She didn’t see a way out - until she happened to hear a radio story about the Midwest Access Coalition, an abortion fund helping people travel across state lines. We follow Brittany’s harrowing journey as she travels hundreds of miles, with the help of a group of volunteer pilots from Elevated Access. Looking for resources
The Defenders (Official Trailer)
Since the fall of Roe, people are asking, what do we do now? "The Defenders," from Lemonada Media, will take a closer look at the fight for reproductive rights and gender equity happening across the country. Co-hosts Samantha Bee and Gloria Riviera share the stories of a growing network of helpers who are fighting back and doubling down on reproductive freedom. Coming November 8. This series is supported by Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, The William and Flora Hewlett Founda