Recently, Lizzo fans went to listen to her new song "Grrrls" and within seconds they were hearing her use a slur that has historically - and is still currently - used against folks with cerebral palsy and other conditions that cause uncontrollable sudden movement.

The reactions were mighty and many fell back into the defensive and called for the de-platforming of Lizzo. Meanwhile, others -  mostly Black, Indigenous, People of Color, took a new route, and called this comrade in for education and an opportunity to make amends. 

In this episode I break down these two reactions, and analyze when and why it is necessary to employ call - in practices instead of call out, when address harm caused by someone.

Learn More
 
Learn more on Loretta Ross
Watch Loretta Ross' lectures on Call In Culture
Follow Imani Barbarin (crutches_and_spice)
View Sara's Video on Everyday Slurs

Influencing isn't all about the digital and this week we are talking with Luc Abbott who is the founder of Bloom Local Guide which connects the digital business space and our local region small businesses in one place - all based on shared values! 

I talk with Luc, who changed his name after this was episode recorded, about the inspiration behind the Bloom Local Guide and how he is connecting digital and hyper local for community building .

Enjoy this conversation and we hope it can inspire you to look local for community in the unexpected places, and if you are so compelled - please reach out, we'd both be happy to connect with you!

Visit the Spring/Summer Bloom Local Guide
Read The Featured Article about Crip Consulting & Bet on Black (My Family!) 
Follow Luc Abbott and the Bloom Guide on IG 

In the wake of the leaked Supreme Court decision that signals the likely overturning of Federal Protections from Roe v. Wade, there has been a lot of - understandable- reactions.

But being reactionary and quick to act without the necessary preparations leads to a lot of trouble - and fast.

This episode is going to take on the responses I've witnessed over the last week to the leaked draft opinion and use the White Supremacy Culture document  by Tema Okun and the late Kenneth Jones to help me break down how these responses by particularly cis- white- women  are still rooted in WSC. 

Then I'll use the solutions provided to help us then begin to imagine new ways to respond and fix the mistakes we have collectively made through our community organizing efforts in the past.

Community Orgs  & Abortion Funds to Support
Sister Song
Indigenous Women Rising
Chicago Abortion Fund
Lilith Fund

Visit the National Network of Abortion Funds to find more places to support! 

In this week's episode I catch up with a former colleague, Alexa Heinrich, who has gone off and been making waves for folks in the Digital Marketing, pushing folks to consider how accessibility is built into their social media.

We discuss her forthcoming book and the free complimentary website, Accessible Social - which provides robust education for all social media users to make their content more inclusive for all. We also got into what good access in media can manifest as - doing a case study of a recent Jeep Ad.   

But it's not an Influencing the Influencers episode without us digging a bit more into the complexities of digital media.
Alexa helps continue the conversation I had with Isa in episode 12 "Digital Gardening", helping us consider HOW we go about the algorithms that force us into self censorship when also considering  access and inclusion.

This conversation is so rich and "felt like two friends catching up" - which is what Alexa shared with me when we finished recording. I couldn't agree more!

Listen into this convo and follow Alexa on Twitter (she's staying regardless of Musk)!   

Other Creators Mentioned To Follow:
@merylkevans

Just like the seasons, we all go through cycles. However, for us it is less of a direct timeline with predictability -  and more like a series of cycles going at different speeds, for different areas of our complex lives.

It's no wonder that we can start to feel "stuck in the middle" of our growth, and that is exactly where I am right now. 

Let's chat about these cycles, briefly touch in on Human Design,  and  explore how we can become comfortable in the uncomfortable.

Check out the Buzzfeed Article Mentioned 

From Mommy Blogger to Certified Intimacy Coach and Queer Sex Educator to now CEO of a Menstrual Cup Line - Madeline Gregg has done a lot over the last five years to help increase access and understanding of sexual education; focusing on LGBTQ and Trans communities specifically.

Then she made the viral TikTok video that launched this next phase of her career, jokingly referring to a menstrual cup as a "vampire shot glass". 

Now, Vampire Shot Glass ™ is Madeline's newest band and is gearing up to take on the Period Industry by storm. Focused on creating radical inclusivity for "people who period".
With Trans identified models, gender neutral instructions, and even the humorous approach to packaging in a coffin shaped box, she plans to refocus the conversation around periods to be finally one for everyone who menstruates.

Join me as I talk with Madeline as she launches her Kickstarter for the cup where she shares with me how this venture came to life, her hopes for the future of the sex industry within her new role as CEO if Vampire Shot Glass, and what "radical inclusivity" means to her.

Support the Vampire Shot Glass Kickstarter 
Visit the Vampire Shot Glass Website
Follow Madeline on TikTok and Instagram

Folks Mentioned to Follow:
@mommacusses

The design choices of a building may not mean much to the common passerby - but for this week's guest Isabella Segalovich aka @interstellar_isabellar  even the most subtle of architecture and ornament can speak volumes about the historical and political ideologies behind those who brought the space to life.

This content is what her page is centered on, aiming to help everyone to recognize the ways  ornament and design contribute to culture for many communities and how the dismantling of these traditional styles has been inherently tied to white supremacy and facism.

Isa has been doing incredible work for the last year and has amassed over 150,000 subscribers on TikTok.  Listen to learn how her platform has grown and how she has personally made Ben Shapiro angry. (What a win!)

This convo goes deep - we discuss accountability and call-in vs call-out culture, briefly visit the 'womblands', take a look at ornament from a historical and interpersonal perspective,  and get into self-censorship on platforms that make it hard to fully engage in conversations around tough topics - like fascism and Nazis.

In this episode we mention the following creators who are 100% worth supporting:
@ellaequeue
@ sunnydaejones
@navajorocks
@diamond_dog74
@mesterspets
@thanpersand

In the last year, my TikTok went from less than 5000 followers to over 22k, but that number isn't necessarily the best gauge for understanding my community (or anyones for that matter).

In this episode I dig into the truth behind my follower count, what it means to be the human behind a larger account, and what folks should consider if they want to dive into the world of content creation if your follower count isn't everything we've hyped it up to be.

Plus, I'll share a few takeaways from the 'Womblands', you won't hear these thoughts from me anywhere else - because that's a HOT mess I don't want to touch elsewhere.

As always, check out my TikTok if you want to join the other 22k weirdos who find me engaging. (JK Love you) AND I officially hit 500 followers on IG  so that's a nice rounded number - don't mess it up.