Shit We Don't Talk About

Welcome to Episode 79 of Shit We Don't Talk About. My guest is Corbin Knight-Dixon, a sexuality educator, learning coach, and advocate. In this episode, we dive into the topic of Far Right Fairy Tales, the manufactured culture war on education, and many other things including trans rights, critical race theory, sex education, and more

More about our guest:

Hey, welcome to Episode 78 of Shit We Don't Talk About. My guest is Cindy Fossouo, CEO & Founder of Information Systems Builder a branding and marketing company for Tech Startups. In this episode, Cindy shares her journey of navigating the dating world as a young female CEO.

More about our guest:

Cindy Fossouo is the CEO of Information Systems Builder based in San Francisco. They help tech startups with their branding and marketing. She is also a deal partner at a venture capital which consist of her giving more than 100k of funding for startups. She earned her Bachelor and Masters at the private university Saint Mary’s College of California.  Not only is she the CEO at Information Systems Builder but before she previously founded multiple startups.

Ending the year right proper with a rousing super-long (that's what she said) episode featuring one of my favorites, Drew Linsalata of The Anxious Truth. 

The List of Grievances is extensive & topics include:

Guest Rebecca Bee Bromberg fills us in on what exactly IS Somatic Healing, why its a great complement and/or alternative to plant medicine, and details the 5 somatic modalities. 

More about our Guest:

Rebecca Bromberg is a body-mind healing coach and recovering perfectionist. She helps professionals and entrepreneurs transform from running on fumes in survival mode to thriving with calm confidence. She is the founder of Finishing School, a thriving community of high-performing professionals learning to heal and rewire their unconscious minds so they can thrive on purpose. She is also the founder of Sole Clarity, where she has provided mindfulness-integrated programs for community nonprofits and community-minded for-profits. Rebecca is trained in Mindfulness-Based Somatic Healing and has had a steady mindfulness practice for over 20 years.

www.rebeccabeecoaching

Getting organized may seem like it's talked about a lot but that usually involves a lot of quick fixes & shame-based patterns. Tune in as Mia talks with Professional Organizer, JoAnn Krall - we dive into it! So take some notes because we definitely did.

More about our Guest:

What a privilege to sit down with my friend Antonio (Tony) Harvey and discuss his experience of being a Black man in the news media machine for 30 years which is eye-opening & informative. Tony also shares stories of growing up in Illinois (we went to Champaign Central High School together - Class of '83 - Go Mighty Maroons!), tales of the Great Migration in his family history, and his own journey of discovery uncovering hidden (and not so hidden) racist practices and historical events around the US.

In this episode, Mia is joined by her two good friends Ashley & Layla to discuss their experiences in the dating world including dating apps and.. You guessed it ,,, dick pics! We had a lot to say so put your headphones in (because, as always, this podcast is not for delicate ears) and listen up!

About The Guests:

Ashley DePaulis is an embodied success expert whose unique brilliance is in understanding the mind-body-spirit relationship and brining that into the workplace to improve business.

Hey, welcome to episode 68 of shit we don't talk about powered by helix interactive. The episode guest is Dave Glaser and the topic is Modern dating & Relationship Tips. We’ll talk about Modern dating through the lens of attachment theory, enneagrams and masculine/feminine energy dynamics. That is a mouthful which means I need to also whisper “that’s what she said”

Guest Bio:

Dave Glaser is a personal trainer and relationship coach teaching members to connect with their bodies and intuition through weekly challenge groups.  Each week, members receive personalized challenges that will help them get out of their heads and into their bodies so they can begin to make better decisions for themselves in life, love, and relationships.

Links:

 Today’s topic is ayahuasca & other healing plant medicine modalities and I have two guests! Humberto Alcala(who is a shaman by the way) and Ruger Hebert - they have an ayahuasca retreat center called Finca el Pendulo in Jalisco Mexico. Tune in as we discuss all the amazing benefits and we do a deep dive into the background of ayahuasca as well as the experience itself.

Humberto Alcala, is best described as a modern-day medicine man. Ten years ago, after several personal experiences with ayahuasca, the medicine led him away from his successful contracting business in California towards becoming a highly respected facilitator – and Shaman – of mental exploration and emotional healing through sacred medicines.  The culmination of this path resulted in training with an experienced traditional Shipibo Shaman, while living amongst the indigenous tribes deep in the Peruvian jungle near Pucallpa Peru. Humberto’s background combined with traditional shamanic training provides an effective bridge between the western psychology alongside the native South American medicines.

Ruger Hebert is the creator and director of Mexisoul Retreats.  His connection to plant medicine is a deeply personal one. In May of 2021, while living in Las Vegas, he crossed paths with Humberto in one of his ayahuasca ceremonies. For many years prior he struggled with depression and a general dissatisfaction with life.  The experience was transformative, life-changing, and culminated in a journey where he created and now directs ayahuasca retreats at a center called Finca el Pendulo in Jalisco Mexico.

Their mission is to help our guests heal, find their purpose, and connect with their higher selves.

Debbie Adams of People Can Training joins Mia this week to talk about their experiences as women in fields traditionally dominated by men.  Debbie is a forced entrepreneur, renaissance woman, and dark horse.  She's got things to say about being a non-traditional woman.  Don't worry, this isn't a male-bashing session, so grab a beverage and listen in.

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Rachel Geftakys McCumber joins Mia to talk about her experience growing up in a religious cult. This is part two of a two-part series. Trigger warnings abound in this episode which includes a discussion of spousal abuse, child abuse, and religion.

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Rachel Geftakys McCumber joins Mia to talk about her experience growing up in a religious cult. This is part one of a two-part series. Trigger warnings abound in this episode which includes a discussion of spousal abuse, child abuse, and religion. 

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Today’s topic is Kambo, a south American frog secretion healing ritual - or as Mia likes to call it, the unsexiest, most difficult thing she's ever done in my life. So far at least. Mia's guest is Ayla Luna Rae who dropped by to fill us in on its history and its amazing benefits. Trust me, this is something that this crazy world and everyone in it can benefit from right now.

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We've all heard about OCD but do you really know what it is? Hint: It's more than just counting repetitively or engaging in excessive handwashing. On episode 63 of Shit We Don't Talk About therapist and OCD/anxiety specialist Jenna Overbaugh is back to talk about the reality of OCD and some of the confusion when it comes to OCD and generalized anxiety disorder.

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We've all heard of emotional intelligence, but have you heard of toxic emotional intelligence? It's like toxic positivity. Except in this case, it's emotional intelligence getting warped, twisted, and misapplied. Drew Linsalata is back for episode 62 of Shit We Don't Talk About so grab a beverage and listen to Drew and Mia get into this.

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Billy Price of Billy Footwear joins Mia on episode 61 of Shit We Don’t Talk About. Billy is here to talk about the difference between universal, adaptive, and inclusive design. There IS a difference, and by way of spoiler alerts ... you WANT universal design!

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Mindy Scheier - founder of Runway of Dreams - joins Mia on episode 60 of Shit We Don’t Talk About.  Mindy and Mia chat about the need to make the fashion and design industry more inclusive and in tune with the need for adaptive clothing design.

Getting dressed independently can be a major challenge for people with disabilities. Mindy is on a mission to address this challenge and to make the fashion industry stand up, take notice, and take action in this arena.  So far, Mindy is off to a rousing start!

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Brijana Prooker is a freelance journalist and the emotional support human for her dog. She joins Mia on this episode of Shit We Don't Talk About to talk about disabilities that we might not see, but are still real and impactful.

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Stewart Tucker Lundy is a quadriplegic, activist, feminist, and general man about town. He joins Mia in episode 58 of Shit We Don’t Talk About to give us an inside look at the life of a wheelchair boss.

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On episode 57 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by financial planner Josh Caucutt. Josh is here to share tips and tricks on … well … how to get your shit together!

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On episode 56 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia has a chat with Sarah Kerr of Sacred Deathcare. Sarah is here to talk about a new and different way to support dying and grieving people. The Centre for Sacred Deathcare was founded to help people meet death–and life–in ways that are more healing, more holy, and more whole.  Sarah's work is dedicated to the health and well-being of our collective past, present, and future.

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On episode 55 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by executive coach and fundraising consultant Malory Erickson. Mia and Mallory dish on the hidden pitfalls of fundraising and money movement that … wait for it … we don’t talk about! 

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In episode 54 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined again by Drew Linsalata to talk about the idea that the Universe has your back, that you can manifest the life you want, and that there is automatic abundance if you just open yourself up to it.  Well really, we're talking about how those messages quickly veer into toxic and harmful places when you don't acknowledge the mental health, social, and economic reality of a world outside your own experience.

So ... spoiler alert ... if you can't stand the idea of EVERYONE getting the abundance they desire, then your belief that the Universe has your back is a giant steaming pile of horse dung and you may want to re-think that position or at least be quiet about it.

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In episode 53 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by Elizabeth Meyer Karansky. Elizabeth is a thanatologist, a funeral director, and the Chief Strategy Officer of Farewelling. Elizabeth is on a mission to change the way we talk about death and dying AND the way we celebrate life when it comes to its inevitable close.

Farewelling - a radical approach to funeral planning - was born out of Elizabeth’s own experience with the passing of her father. Being entirely dissatisfied with the way funerals are handled in the US, she took her experience, finished school, and went to work in the funeral industry - ready to turn it on its ear.

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In episode 52 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by funeral educator Lauren Carroll and death doula Erin Merelli, AKA The Death Wives.  The Death Wives is a female-founded collective working to widen the narrative around death and dying. Lauren and Erin teach others about the history and practices of death work and seek to honor sacred traditions, remove stigmas around death, empower collective grieving, and create a safe space for community, connection, and support.

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On this episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, the birth and death series continues with Kristi Dixon-Pride. Kristi is a birth doula that’s also training as a death doula. Mia and Kristi cover all the topics when it comes to the beginning - and end - of life.

Kristi’s journey as a birth doula started with a traumatic birth experience in a military hospital in Okinawa. The experience was horrible, leading her to think that “there has to be a better way”. It looked nothing like the birth stories she was seeing idealized on romanticized on TV!

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On this episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia chats with holistic birth doula Lauryn Clark. Is there a better topic than the process of bringing new life into the world?

Mia and Lauryn talk about the differences between doulas and birth keepers, the role of a doula in the postpartum stage, the origins of birth work, and how the medicalizing of the birthing process has created a race-based care gap.

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On episode 49 of Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia flies solo with random musings about shame.

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In this episode of Shit We Don’t Talk about, Mia chats with Rahaleh Nassri host of the Violent Femme podcast. What’s the Violent Femme podcast? Glad you asked!

Talking about what women need is awesome, but talking about that in the context of women always being victims is not healthy or productive. Rahaleh started Violent Femme to tell the stories of women that history largely ignores. These are women that embody the flawed hero archetype normally reserved for men. Through their action, these powerful women redeemed themselves and moved beyond their flaws. These are stories worth telling.

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On this episode of Sh!t We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined by frequent guest (and her podcast producer) Drew Linsalata. Mia and Drew talk about boundaries and how sometimes it's hard to set them, but even harder to keep them! 

Join us as we chat about COVID-19 boundaries in the context of the recent resurgence, personal boundaries and how to hold the line on them, and the relationship between boundaries and vulnerability.  It's a great conversation!

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In this episode of Sh!t We Don't Talk About, Mia talks about incarceration with guest Amber Crowder, creator of the Been Down Project.  Amber is courageously and transparently sharing her experience with federal incarceration and subsequent re-entry into society. Amber's story is an eye-opening look at the process of Federal investigation, prosecution, incarceration, and the real-life impact of that process. 

Spoiler alert: The mental image you have about criminals and prison inmates is a stereotype that often bears no resemblance to reality!

Amber's Been Down Project is on a mission to educate, dismantle stigma, and help women as they work to re-enter society after incarceration.

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On this episode of Sh!t We Don't Talk About, Mia welcomes guest Julie Flygare of Project Sleep to talk about narcolepsy and cataplexy, two conditions we definitely do NOT talk about enough!  Narcolepsy is more than just randomly falling asleep.  Narcolepsy is a life-impacting neurological disorder that rarely gets described accurately and does not get the attention it requires.

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On this episode of Sh!t We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined by three-time Amazon bestselling author Drew Linsalata to discuss why teaching the fear center in your brain - that pesky lizard brain - to slow down is a good idea.  Slowing down, even when stress and anxiety are demanding that you speed up, can go a long way toward achieving a calmer, less frantic life.  Drew's latest book, Seven Percent Slower - A Simple Trick For Moving Past Anxiety And Stress, is available now at sevenpercentslower.com.

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On the 41st episode of Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia flies solo once again to recount her recent cancer scare and to remind you of all the stuff you should be doing to stay on top of your health, but probably aren't.  You don't want to hear this stuff, but it's important, so pull up a chair and get comfy. 

Wait.  Colorectal health.  Now THAT is shit we don't talk about! ;-)

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On the 40th episode of Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined by ... Mia Voss!  Tune in for a bit of a classic Mia rant about standing up online and how to go beyond copy and paste to include real action items that spark change and encourage productive discussion.

On the 39th episode of Shit We Don't Talk About, Drew Linsalata is back for another Shit We Don't KNOW About.  This time the discussion focuses on the current Andrew Cuomo situation and continued systemic sexism and harassment.

NOTE: The Governor resigned less than 24 hours after this episode was recorded.  So we have that going for us.  Which is good.

On the 38th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia has a chat with entrepreneur and podcaster Jillian Leslie.  Jillian is here to talk about living with Multiple Sclerosis and the special challenges that creates in the time of a global pandemic that feels like it just won't go away.

On the 37th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia has a chat with OCD sufferer, author, and advocate Chrissie Hodges. Chrissie has lived the “Pure-O” experience and still is. She’s a wealth of knowledge and experience, so give this one a listen!

On the latest episode of Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined again by Drew Linsalata, host of The Anxious Truth podcast (and full disclosure - producer of Shit We Don't Talk About). Mia and Drew discuss post-pandemic re-entry issues and anxieties as the world emerges from the long COVID shutdown.  Lot's to go over in this one, so tune in!

In this episode of Sh!t We Don't Talk About, educator, trainer, and advocate Corbin Knight-Dixon returns to talk about how men are great!  Well, Corbin talks about how men CAN be great, by getting rid of toxic masculinity.  Corbin has been active for over 15 years in the fields of sexuality education, public health, sexual violence prevention, and healing justice.  It's a great conversation about a sometimes difficult and divisive topic.

On the latest episode of  Sh!t We Don’t Talk About we talk about “sex baby”!  Who doesn't love a good Salt n' Pepa lyric right? And what better guest to chat with than master coach, sex therapist, and licensed therapist Leslie Gustafson.  Leslie discusses sex and intimacy, and how to take charge of your experience. This episode is for all, no matter how you present, and we'll be serving up some great insider tips!

In this episode of Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined by Heather Fink to dish on some serious issues in the cosmetics and beauty industry.  Heather has been in the business since the late 1980s, so she knows a thing or two about a thing or two when it comes to this industry!

Elizabeth Anne Hamilton lived most of her life thinking that she was completely broken. An Autism diagnosis at the age of 41 turned out the be the missing piece in Elizabeth's mental health and well-being puzzle.

Ian Adair has struggled with learning disabilities his whole life. His trials and tribulations led him to write “Stronger Than Stigma.  A Call to Action: Stories of Grief, Loss and Inspiration!”.  On episode 31 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia speaks to Ian about the impact of mental illness, addiction, and suicide.

In this episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia chats with V.R. Maddox about her experience raising a neurodivergent child and building community. Vee shares not only her experiences, but the lessons she's learned along the way, and she does it with a no-nonsense and even borderline hilarious approach.  This one is a good listen!

On episode 29 of Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined once again by Drew Linsalata for a good old-fashioned Shit We Don't KNOW About rant session!  Mia and Drew dish and opine on the questionable and often incongruous behavior of many social media influencers and thought leaders. Who are YOU following? Maybe it's time to start questioning them!

On episode 28 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia chats with therapist Jenna Overbaugh about pregnancy, postpartum OCD, and mental health in general when it comes to pregnancy and being a new mom.

In episode 27 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by Jennifer Beck to discuss her journey as a first-time mom. As many of you out there know, social media makes it look so easy sometimes, right? Parenthood can definitely be a joy but, dang, there are a lot of things that can happen for new moms along the way. This is a must-listen for anyone starting a family or just thinking about it!

In this episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia has a few things to say, so she’s gonna say them!

The highlights:

On episode 25 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia dives into the topic of disability and disabilities with empathic design expert Sheila Schneider.

Mia and Sheila discuss:

Let's do another episode of Shit We Don't KNOW About!  Join Mia and Drew as they dish, reach random and largely unjustified conclusions, tell jokes, and express opinions about the topics of the day.  In this episode:

On the 23rd episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, we welcome Sagan Morrow to discuss ethical non-monogamy and polyamory and break the mystery and myths wide open. She is a romantic comedy novelist and productivity strategist, hobbyist burlesque dancer, and she identifies as polyamorous.

The idea that there's only one person that we can be romantically in love with is outdated.

What ethical non monogamy does is step away from our traditional understanding of what romantic relationships need to be and flip it on its head. We can step outside of what society tells us we need to do, escaping the conformity of traditional relationship styles and the expected relationship structures within society and make our own rules about our relationships.

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast:

Sagan started from her safe space, which is writing. Its how she wound up writing her polyamorous passion series that explores polyamory and ethical non monogamy through the lens of romantic comedy. Its given readers a chance to see a different type of love triangle, to see romance happening in all kinds of different ways. And it’s helped others start to ask what freedom looks like in their own relationships.

When asked what some of the questions people can ask themselves when exploring polyamory and ethical non-monogamy, Sagan says “really just sit down and think about what do I want from my life? All other things aside, if I could have everything I want, what would that look like? And really just looking at absolutely everything if I could have everything I possibly wanted? What would it be? Not looking at what's realistic at all, just thinking about what do I actually want?” That's a good place to start.

We think so too.

In episode  21 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by Rick Finbow.  Rick is a Denver-based psychic medium, animal communicator, and magical life coach. Mia and Rick dive into the world of trusting your gut, psychic powers, finding the right psychic, tarot card, and more.

Takeaways - What Can A Reader Do For You?

On Episode 20 of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia is joined by finance systems coach Nicole Barham. There’s no better source than Nicole when it comes to solving financial problems by keeping your mind on your money, and your money on your mind!

Three takeaways from this episode:

On the 19th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Erin Moore’s got the scoop on healing trauma, dogs, and business. We think that’s the perfect hat trick! Besides, it is high time that we start healing trauma and not retraumatizing ourselves, right? We’re all about the good vibes.

Trauma is in everyone’s wheelhouse, and childhood anxiety is not far behind for many people. Since this is the case, it is more critical than ever that we approach healing without shame. It’s tough to do, but that’s why we have Erin. And she has done something really cool, which is working with dogs to help heal her trauma. Unbeknownst to us, the dog training world is filled with women who have turned to animals to get and receive love because, to them, humans hurt.

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast. 

One of Erin’s fave sayings is, “Whether you’re drowning in a teaspoon or drowning in an ocean, you’re still drowning.” We want to be so careful not to minimize our pain by saying, “But this person had it worse.” Are you doing that? Erin advises on what to do to help yourself. Here’s a hint: put on your oxygen mask first. People dealing with trauma make pledges to care for others in the ways they weren’t cared for. Overdo this, and boom! Drowning.

On the 18th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, we’re bringing sexy back, or sex, as it is in 2020--where everything sucks, and the points don’t matter. Sex is Corbin Knight-Dixon’s gig. He’s a sexuality educator, consultant, learning coach, and advocate. Today, he’s got the tea on everything X-rated.

Corbin is a veteran uncomfortable convo wielder since the ripe ol’ age of 15 when he volunteered at Planned Parenthood, so he feels pretty at home on our set. It’s sex-simpatico, apparently.

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

Skin hunger and sex are going hand in hand in this age. People are isolated, and times are smacking of HIV when you needed to trace who you were with. One option Corbin brought up was the fact that folks were testing the waters of telesex, sex over Zoom, or other video options, which still provide a release and a connection, but it’s completely safe. And if you like to fly solo, then this is also a great time to learn what you like and to take a moment to explore. How’s that for some homework? And BTW, get rid of any shame that you might feel.

On the 17th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Cheri Yazzie is giving us permission to not give a fuck. As an energy healer with her cool-ass business, Fulfilled AF, she is teaching us all about boundaries today and learning how to be happy where you are.

Learning to love where she is and who she is wasn’t an automatic feeling for Cheri. She had to focus on how to heal her past and her energy and allow herself to have it all and enjoy it--despite the challenges we all have.

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

Establishing boundaries isn’t automatic, so if you’ve felt like you’re not very good at this, don’t worry so much! Get back on that boundary wagon and try again. It’s like trying anything new; you just need to keep at it until it sticks.

Remember, changing involves grieving. It’s very normal when you are changing a dynamic between two people that it will be hard to let go and accept that things are going to be different. Allow yourself the space to feel what you need to without judgment. And you know how you hold space for others? Try that on yourself. Especially this year. It’s mandatory for good survival.

On the 14th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Shenika Carter drops some truth bombs about active activism and how we all need to stay engaged and involved--even though the annoying orange is vacating the Oval. That doesn’t mean the fight is over.

For as long as minorities have been around, they have been marginalized, and their civil liberties and human rights threatened. This year, Hispanic people were told that if Trump didn’t win, their rent rates would increase. But Shenika wasn’t shocked, as appalling as it is, and this is what we need to pay attention to: shit like this goes down and affects oppressed populations regularly.

That’s just one takeaway from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast. Here are three more.

In this day and age, we have major race problems that, sometimes, white people can’t see. Legislation is racist. How terrorism is attacked is racist. White domestic terrorism is the issue, and rightfully so, Shenika asks, “Why don’t we have a task force for that?” It’s a question that needs answering and definite proof that more and deep work must be done. This would not be tolerated if the people affected were white.

You need to listen to this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast to accept that the reason we have so many race issues today is due to the continued unfair treatment of black people that dates back to how they were allowed to be treated in society. That’s also why you need to make sure you vote to change up the Senate and help to make a different kind of history.

On the lucky 13th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia dishes with Tomika Bryant of Life in Pumps. Tomika is an organic lifestyle blogger, activist, and Philly girl, so you know she has thoughts on the nonsense of this election, agreeing to disagree, drawing lines in the sand, and cancel culture.

As a black woman talking with a white woman and vice versa, this episode is real and goes to places most people don’t dare to go. A note as you read about it: Mia and the rest of the crew want you to remember if you’re lucky enough that your rights are not up for debate, consider voting for those whose rights are--those are the kind of places we’re going.

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

This week, on a very special Shit We Don't Talk About, Mia is joined by prior guest Drew Linsalata to embark on a Shit We Don't KNOW About journey.  What don't we know about?  We have no idea how President Trump's campaign staff wound up staging a deranged press conference in the dusty parking lot of a tiny landscaping company on the outskirts of Philadelphia.

No, it's not an episode of Veep.  It's real life, which makes it that much better!

Normally we're gonna give you some valuable takeaways from the podcast episode, but this time all we got is this:

On the 11th episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia learns how to be a Dick from guest Marc Ensign, author of the book Be a Dick: How One Person Can Change the World in the Most Unexpected Way. And the book is not what you think at all!

This story of Marc’s friend, Dick, started out as a blog that Wil Wheaton (yes, that Wil Wheaton!) took viral. Marc was inspired by the way Dick lived his life and how he took kindness to the extreme, and then (boom!) a book was born!

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

On the tenth episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia chats with Rob Copeland, educator, counselor, and author of the soon-to-be-published The Synchronization of Life: A Family’s Alignment Pursued. Mia has known Rob since they were kids back in 1979, so you know they have a lot of shit to talk about that we don’t talk about!

First, please just let it be known that black people are tired right now, and rightfully so. Rob is tired, and we need to listen up to that! He is sharing with us why that is and why other people in his shoes and similar shoes(!) are tired, too!

Second, maybe you have some prejudices percolating inside you? Hey, we all do. That’s not a thing to run from, but something to acknowledge. Sometimes, black people are tired because of the way they will be perceived for daring to speak out. Have you heard of “angry black men/women” syndrome? That’s a reality Rob has to deal with--that people might view him that way before he even opens his mouth!

And we haven’t even gotten started. This is one juicy episode. Make sure you listen all the way through. Maybe even don’t multitask as you do!

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

The last four years have been hell on earth for sure, but you’re also being exposed to experiences outside yourself, and this is what has been needed for so long--revealing the systems of racism that were put into place to make it seem like the US was rejecting racism. It’s like pacification.

On the ninth episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About, Mia chats with Heather Coleman Voss, a career coach helping people make incredible career transitions. But today, she is sharing how she survived COVID and what her life is like now as a long-term survivor.

Heather thought she had allergies when she first got sick, but then it hit her like a Mack truck. Her body aches felt more like bone aches; she couldn’t stay awake after a 13-hour nap, her headache spread from the top of her head on down, her intestines were a wreck, and her throat was tight. Her dog was her saving grace. She had to take care of him, so she forced herself to keep moving.

See? We don’t deserve dogs!

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

On the eighth episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia chats with Tara Ijai, of Love Glasses Revolution. She is a proud love rebel and activist and she’s spilling the tea on what that means and why it is so challenging lately.

On the seventh episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia chats with Debbie Scheer, who is a speaker, soon-to-be radio host, and human strategist. Her motto, “If we can laugh about it, then we can surely talk about it,” is right in line with our show. Today’s topic of sobriety might be viewed as a prickly pear by some, but that is exactly why we need to talk about it.

On the sixth episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia chats with Marissa Calderon Jimenez, a bilingual early childhood professional who is waking us up when it comes to Latin representation in education, policies, and well...everywhere.

In early childhood education (which is a huge part of Marissa’s world) and everywhere else in the world, we are not talking about the fact that most policies, laws, and regulations have been written by people who don’t represent this population.

Three takeaways from this episode of the Shit We Don’t Talk About podcast.

On the fifth episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia talks about the childless matriarch and invites Louisa Garrett to explain the concept to the rest of us. Typically, the world is divided up into mothers and non-mothers. Introducing the childless matriarch, a woman of power who might help rear some of the children in her family. They might be an involved aunt, for example.

On the fourth episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia covers the hot topic of immigration and shares the story of her guest, Anh Nguyen’s journey as she fled from Vietnam with her family and came to the US so they could make a new home for themselves. This is a story that has since inspired her to create Children of the Dragon, an organization on a mission to share the stories of Asian refugees, children of refugees, and immigrants.

On the Third episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia chats with Jessica Sidener, the creator of a Night Out with the Girls (that you heard about in episode two), and the new topic of the day is suicide and depression. Mia invited Jessica to join her again to talk about the flip side of her story surrounding breast cancer when she lost her husband, Tyler, to suicide just six months before receiving her diagnosis. As she describes it, she had to wake up from the nightmare that was her life.

On the second episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia chats with Jessica Sidener, the creator of a Night Out with the Girls  and the topic of the day is boobs! So you know you want to listen up! Jessica is a breast cancer survivor whose initiative is moving women (and anyone with breast tissue) to learn about early detection.

People don’t talk about breast health, which is what makes it a perfect subject for this podcast!

On this inaugural episode of Shit We Don’t Talk About; Mia chats with Drew Linsalata, podcast host, two-time bestselling author of The Anxious Truth and An Anxiety Story, and anxiety, and agoraphobia overcomer. Drew brings up topics that cause shame and embarrassment on the regular to break the stigmas surrounding the treatment of mental health disorders and how anxiety medications simply mask the real issues.