Kavita Das is a an author and mother who has worked for social change for close to fifteen years, addressing issues ranging from community and housing inequities, to public health disparities, to racial injustice. Her first book Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar tells the life story of Grammy-nominated Hindustani singer Lakshmi Shankar.

Kavita has been a regular contributor to NBC News Asian America, Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Rumpus. In addition, her work has been published in Salon, WIRED, Poets & Writers, Catapult, LitHub, Tin House, Longreads, Kenyon Review, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Guernica, McSweeney’s, Fast Company, Quartz, Colorlines, Romper, and elsewhere.

Kavita created the popular “Writing About Social Issues” nonfiction seminar, which inspired Craft and Conscience, and has taught at the New School and continues to teach across multiple venues and serve as a guest lecturer.

Kavita Das is currently a Masters in Fine Arts candidate in creative nonfiction and screenwriting at Antioch University where she is the Eloise Klein Healy Scholar. Previously, she received a B.A. in Urban Studies from Bryn Mawr College.

She lives in her hometown of New York City and tries to keep up with the city that never sleeps and her six-year-old daughter Daya.

It was a delight to welcome Helio - aka @jupiterbaal - back to the show. Helio is a history and politics content creator and essayist. We can talk about anything and everything, and we pretty much do. It's a long one, so grab a cuppa or take us on a walk with you and join in on the conversation.

⁠Helio IG⁠

⁠Leah IG⁠

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Joanna Ho is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of many children’s books including my favorite, Eyes that Kiss in the Corners. She is a writer, educator, and mother with a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism, and equity work. She co-hosts the Kidlit Happy Hour podcast.

In our conversation, we talk about the need to build against censorship and the hope we both feel in seeing the people - and especially the children - persist against silencing. We also hear about Joanna’s experience from ideation to publishing to becoming a bestseller. She is an inspiring example of someone who refuses to compromises her values and despite facing challenges, continues to bring her creative work to life.

Joanna is on the leadership team of Authors Against Book Bans, which she encourages all creators - authors, writers, illustrators - to join here.

Joanna website

Joanna IG

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Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone, longtime reproductive justice leaders and co-authors of Liberating Abortion, have spent years helping people share their abortion stories—not as political statements, but as acts of healing, truth, and power.

Their work centers reproductive justice organizers, abortion storytellers, and journalists whose work connects race, gender, and economic justice.

If you're in NYC, check out their featured event on Saturday November 15th at the New York Comedy Festival.

Renee Instagram

Regina Instagram

Leah Instagram

Welcome back for Part 2 with Yaffa!

If you enjoy our conversation, please rate, review, and subscribe - it really helps with visibility.

⁠Yaffa Instagram⁠

⁠Yaffa Patreon⁠

Organizing to a Living Utopia Training

⁠Leah Instagram

Yaffa As is a trans Palestinian author, culture worker, organizer, and artist. Their work lives at the intersection of disability, immigration, queerness, transness, Palestine, and Muslimness.

Their focus on direct action and community care is incredibly inspiring, and over the past year alone, they have helped redistribute over $500,000 to queer and trans communities impacted by genocide.

They have written several books, host the BCSD podcast, and always remind us to imagine and build the utopia we all deserve.

Our conversation is an infusion of hope, which feels aligned with - and necessary for - the current moment. Enjoy Part 1.

PS Yaffa is offering an 8-week session called Organizing to a Living Utopia, built around their book Letters From a Living Utopia...details here!

Yaffa Instagram

Yaffa Patreon

Leah Instagram

Danny Park is an organizer, author, and founding worker member of Skid Row Coffee, a social enterprise pop-up coffeehouse and third space. Danny is featured in the documentary Liquor Store Dreams, a film by friend of the show So Yun Um. He is rooted in his community through organizations such as Korean Resource Center and Creating Justice LA.

I am so moved by Danny's work, presence, and perspective on all things. He is the embodiment of community, humanity, and service.

As fellow diasporic Koreans, it felt significant and potent that we spoke during 추석 - Chuseok - the Korean mid-autumn harvest festival. May our conversation be seeds of abundance, compassion, and liberation for all.

Danny IG

Leah IG

Vaimoana Litia Makakaufaki Niumeitolu Khalil is a painter, poet, and educator. She has painted 38 murals all over the world, from California to New York to South Africa and to Palestine. Her murals tell stories of the people who live in the community, reflecting the openness, vulnerability, and generosity of the human spirit.

Moana embodies her Tongan ancestry, her chosen family in Palestine, and her deep connection to life and the land. I hope our conversation uplifts your spirits and reminds you to create your own art in whatever way you feel called to.

Moana website

Moana YouTube

Moana IG

Leah IG