March 28, 2025 RECAP - Episode 13 full video here.
“Resistance And Persistence: OUR STORIES, OUR VOICES, OUR HISTORY”
We’re the ones who are always sick and tired of being sick and tired.
But you know what we do? We roll up our sleeves — and we GET. TO. WORK.
We did not come to play on the final Friday of Women’s History Month — we came to tear it up. And we did, in every sense. Sleeves rolled up, voices raised, stories shared, and yes — the anthem was sung.
You have to hear it — and sing it over and over again like we have:
🎵 “SLEEVES UP” by the powerhouse Crys Matthews, our fierce social justice songbird.
Men, women, everyone — this anthem is for all of us. For the WORK ➡️ we’re doing now. For the future ➡️ we’re building. For the regime ➡️ we WILL crush.
A POWER Chat That Delivered
We were so excited to have Susan Wagner, our National Show partner, bring the fire alongside Katherine in a powerhouse conversation. If you missed it — you can listen to the replay right here.
This wasn’t just a conversation. We are telling the world we have got something to say.
Because while they try to ERASE our history, we are making more of it — every day, every Friday, every fight. Even if half the country isn’t enraged! We are! Also, get ready to listen to Susan talk about “It needs to be said” and be on the lookout for it.
Oral history in real-time. The voices of the grassroots. The truth of our movement.
We kicked off with Clara Bingham, an award-winning journalist and author whose work focuses on social justice and women’s issues. We discussed her latest book, The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America 1963-1973. The Movement covers the history of the early years of second-wave feminism and is written in an oral history narrative — the first of its kind!
Clara transported us back to the decade that lit the fuse:
1963–1973, Clara focused on this amazing 10-year period that absolutely every woman should know about. We are here today because millions of women came together and created a nationwide movement. Women refused second-class citizenship and built a movement. Project 2025 will take us backward and we must fight today for the millions of women who lifted us out of second-class citizenship.
From the controversy of The Feminine Mystique to Shirley Chisholm’s revolutionary run to Black women confronting racism and sexism — Clara brought it all.
She’s spoken to over 120 women, ages 75 to 97. Listen in as Clara talks about some of the amazing women and what we learn from them. Below, Clara speaks about the legacy of prominent civil rights activist and lawyer Pauli Murray and her anger as she (or any woman) were included as speakers at the 1963 March on Washington. Clara’s consciousness was raised by this overt sexism by even her friend, Bayard Rustin, an American political activist and a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Black women were soon to find out that sexism was coming for them, too, in unexpected places.
Clara covers the height of the civil rights movement and the important coalitions and friendships between Congresswomen Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug, and Patsy Mink. Together with others and Betty Friedan, they founded the National Women’s Political Caucus.
You don’t want to miss any of this conversation with Clara, but I do want you to hear what she thought we could learn from the past today, as we fight to keep our place and make more ground. It is powerful and doable from some remarkable women who have given us the playbook to lead with and follow.
You can listen to the entire segment with Clara Bingham right here. This is our moment to rise— again.
🎤 Introducing the Persisterhood Project:
The Persisterhood Oral History Project will collect, preserve, and share the stories of powerful women who have stepped into the political arena. Their mission is to document the diverse experiences of women who have become politically active in response to pivotal events like the 2016 & 2025 Presidential Elections, the Women’s March, the stripping of women’s rights, and the attack on Democracy and freedom. Through these narratives, they are highlighting the significant impact of women in shaping the political landscape.
WEBSITE: Persisterhood Project
🌀 The Persisterhood Team – The Keepers of the Flame
Susan Wagner-Co Director of the project declared it loud and clear from Clara: The personal is political.
We’re in a movement now, and our stories matter more than ever. Meet the women who are bringing them to life:
Bonnie Stabile – The Partner: Founder of the Gender and Policy Center at GMU, shaping voices and policy. You can listen to Bonnie’s Segment here.
Amanda Menjivar – The Archivist: Teaching us how history is preserved and protected. You can listen to Amanda’s entire segment here.
Martha Merson – The Documenter: Managing Editor of the Grassroots Connector, capturing our words, our truth. You can listen to Martha’s entire segment here.
Robbin Warner – The Co-Director: The Friday Power Lunch producer took a leave of absence from the FPL to make this possible. This project will debut at the Women’s Summit, and Robbin is making sure we are never erased.
There is so much to learn in this segment about the project, and the role each of them will play in making our grassroots stories come to life. Watch the entire segment here for all the details on how you can become part of this oral history project as it takes place at the most critical moments in our lifetime. You can here Robbins entire segment here.
💋The team is collecting stories from Virginia activists now.
Want to tell your story? You can sign up to be interviewed here.
🎶 Don’t Stop the Music
The soul of the show was Crys Matthews. Her new album, “Reclamation,” is a battle cry.
She’s taking back her voice, her power, her seat at the table. And she’s giving us the track to take ours too.
The entire interview between Crys and Katherine? Unmissable.
When we had no words after 2024, Crys found them — and turned them into music. Listen in to the inspiration that allowed the words to just pour out.
Katherine and Crys talked about the importance of songs being a part of the social justice movement and telling our story. It is far more than just mere words to win an election. Music has a real responsibility to the movement and the people who are a part of it.
Her anthem “Sleeves Up” is more than a song — it’s our movement’s pulse.
And you will be singing it all day long, just like us. Listen to the entire segment here.
🎙️ Next Week’s Line-Up:
Don’t miss it:
Denver Riggleman, former VA Republican Congressman, advisor to the January 6th Committee, and author of “THE BREACH: The Untold Story of the Investigation into January 6th." Then we will hear from Lynlee Thorne, Political Director at Rural Ground Game. We will end with exciting info about the HANDS OFF protests happening across the nation, and in Virginia, with Mia and Maggie, Virginia Leaders of 5051 Movement VA.
💬 The Afterchat? Legendary.
You already know.
Clara Bingham stayed the whole time. So did the Persisterhood team. And if you weren’t there?
Well, you’ll just have to ask someone who was.
Or better yet — be there next time.
See ya next week!
Finale Norton and Katherine White
Episode 13 full video here.
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