100th Episode Celebration: Jennie Answers Your Questions

This week we are doing things a little differently! To celebrate rePROs Fight Back’s 100th episode, host Jennie Wetter will be answering questions sent in by listeners. This week, sit back, relax, and get to know the rePROs Fight Back host just a bit better!

You can learn more about Jennie here. If you ever have any questions for Jennie or the rePROs Fight Back team, you can email jennie@reprosfightback.com. Thank you for supporting us these past 100 episodes. We’ll see you for the next 100!

Transcript

Jennie: Welcome to RePROs Fight Back, a podcast where we explore all things reproductive health, rights and justice. I'm your host, Jennie Wetter, and I'll be helping you stay informed around issues like birth control, abortion, sex education and LGBTQ issues and much, much more-- giving you the tools you need to take action and fight back. Okay, let's dive in.

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Jennie: I can’t believe it is our 100th episode. It is just wild to try and wrap my brain around it. Um, so we decided we were going to do something special. I promised y'all we would. Uh, so since it is going to be an ask me anything episode, it doesn't really feel like we need to do an extra introduction of me talking about what's going on with me since you're going to hear all about me for the next half hour or so. So, but what I am really excited about is you finally get to hear from the other half of the podcast, the one who, if you see all of our stuff on social media, if you've been to our website, does all the things that make us look amazing. So I am so excited to now turn it over to, um, our amazing Digital Media Manager, uh, Rachel Marchand.

Rachel: Hi Jennie. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited, but I am nervous. I'm very nervous.

Jennie: It's okay. Um, so just first before we start, thank you. Thank you for doing this. Thank you for all the things you do for the podcast. It would not be what it is without you and all of your hard work to make sure that people see it and it looks good and we have amazing graphics and all of the things. So thank you.

Rachel: Thank you!

Jennie: And I, and I'm going to turn over to you.

Rachel: Oh, okay. All right. Over to me now. All right. So, Oh my gosh. I literally don't even know where to begin. I will say that I can't believe its episode 100. Um, we had to do, uh, we had to send an email to, uh, our coworker Vina, where you and I had to describe, you know, tell her some memories, some of our favorite memories from the podcast. And it just made me realize how much, like, how grateful I am that we have been able to have this experience together and like grow together and grow this podcast.

Jennie: And Rachel has been here almost from the beginning, since it launched.

Rachel: Yeah. It's been what, three and a half… three and a half years?

Jennie: Yeah, almost over three, just over three.

Rachel: But in that time, just to think back on like all of the incredible guests and just how grateful I am to be able to lift up their voices and share their stories and talk about these issues. It's just been so incredible. So, Oh my gosh. rePROs 100th episode. I can't wait for the next hundred.

Jennie: I know can't wait.

Rachel: And also just the listeners have been so amazing and I hope that once we're all out of lockdown, we can meet more of them at all the conferences that we hopefully get to meet everybody in person.

Jennie: Yeah. I am so excited to see how many questions we got. So I'm really excited to do this.

Rachel: All right. Well then let's dive in. So we got a good amount of questions. Are you ready? Jennie?

Jennie: I'm ready.

Rachel: Okay. You're ready to go.

Jennie: It is weird being on the other side.

Rachel: It must be, it must be really strange. Okay. So ready for number one? What made you start the podcast?

Jennie: Yeah, so we decided to start the podcast after the election of Donald Trump, we were looking for new ways that the Population Institute can just [think about] what new things we could do and what kind of innovative strategies we could take to make change. And we kind of threw around a number of ideas and the idea of a podcast came up and, you know, I will be completely honest. I was not completely sold on it. And I was definitely not sold on hosting a podcast. This is not something I ever envisioned myself doing. But part of the Population Institute’s mission is public education. So a podcast is a great opportunity to do just that, to reach the public, to talk about the issues and what actions people can take. So we decided, yeah, that this was a moment where there were so many ways that reproductive health rights and justice were under attack in this country that starting a podcast to talk about these issues and what actions people can take around them seems like a really great idea. So that is how we started the podcast.

Rachel: And now you're a full-blown podcast host!

Jennie: Yeah, it's still very weird. I don't know that it will ever stop being weird that said I love doing it. And I'm really glad that my boss, Bob, pushed me into doing this because, uh, like I said, I was a bit of a reluctant host at first. I'm a bit of an introvert and a little bit shy. So this was definitely not where I saw myself going. So it was a bit of a reach for me, but it's good to be that.

Rachel: Yeah. I feel like in a similar vein that we have another question that asks, what's it like hearing your own voice on the podcast and do you listen to previous episodes ever?

Jennie: Oh, y'all this is, uh, I, no, no, I don't. If I can help it. So for two reasons first, no, I don't like hearing my own voice. It's very weird. You know, it's weird whenever you hear yourself recorded, but also hearing it on microphone is like totally different. I feel like I get podcaster voice, which is not what my voice I feel like sounds like, which is weird. So I, I don't particularly enjoy listening to myself, but, and I know I've talked about this before on the podcast that I have that little voice in the back of my head that heckles me all the time, like talking about “you should have done this better” or “why did you say it like that?” And so one of my strategies for not listening to it is not giving it space. So I don't listen to old episodes if I can help it, because all I will hear is the things I should have said better or done differently. And that's not healthy that that's not a good way to cope. So I don't listen back-- now that said, I do listen to some, if I know there's like an edit that needs to be made, I will listen to episodes to find like where the edits need to happen. But that's the only time I listen.

Rachel: Yeah. I totally understand that. I'm sure. I feel like I would be the same way, but I think it was Wednesday, we had an all-staff meeting and there was a theme that came from a lot of our coworkers that-- we were talking about the 100th episode-- and there was a theme that it's that personal touch that you bring to the podcast where you talk at, where you are vulnerable and you share those, you share those pieces of information with the listeners. I think that's something that really makes the podcast so special.

Jennie: Thank you. Y'all made me cry. It was very sweet. And um, yeah, my heart.

Rachel: I know it was so sweet. Well then maybe I feel like we've talked about this before, I definitely know this has been posted on social, but do you have any favorite episodes yourself?

Jennie: So I feel like there, we have a couple of questions that involve my favorites. So I'm going to give a little secret. I am really terrible at this game. Um, not just for the podcast, but in everything. It depends on the day. Like everything is my favorite for different reasons. So it's always super hard to be like, this is my favorite TV show, or this is my favorite book. Like it always varies. But thinking of the podcast, I have to say one of our recent ones has been one of my favorites. The one where we talked to Monica Simpson, I was so excited for that podcast and to talk to her. So that automatically became one of my favorites, but we've just had so many amazing guests, people I get to work with, um, in coalitions and stuff that I'm always so excited to get to highlight how wonderfully smart they are and how knowledgeable they are about so many of these issues that they all become my favorite because I'm getting to show off the amazing people that I get to work with. It's really weird. It's really hard to pick a favorite, but I will lift up one that will always hold an extra special place in my heart. And it's super short and it gets bypassed a lot. But back in the beginning, I went to a child marriage conference and I got to talk to a young woman. Meghla Akter who was from Bangladesh, and her mom was arranging a marriage for her when she was young. And, um, she was able to put it off and not get married. And she was getting ready to start college when I talked to her and she was a little nervous at the start. It was a little hard to understand. So I think people maybe didn't listen, but it was just such a moving story. And it was so wonderful to get to talk to her. It just holds like this really special place in my heart.

Rachel: Yeah, I absolutely agree. I remember when you came back from that conference and doing the show notes for that, and I thought that was a fantastic episode. That's definitely on my favorite list as well. Jennie: Well, I'm going to turn the tables then because I can, um, do you have a favorite episode? Rachel: Well, we said this before. It's so hard to, from our perspective, so hard to pick a favorite just because I literally feel like when this question is asked, I go through like a Rolodex of every single episode, every single episode in my head and they're all so wonderful, but I think…

Jennie: Yeah, I feel terrible. Not having a solid answer. I know there are so many of them I'm like, Oh, I love this person was always an amazing guest. And like, this person always does this. Like, it's so hard because we have been just so blessed and so lucky to have so many amazing guests on the show that, yeah, it's so hard to pick a favorite.

Rachel: It really is. It's funny. Cause I was trying to put together like a running list and it just got bigger and bigger and bigger. So I can't, I literally cannot narrow down.

Jennie: I can give you like top 50.

Rachel: Yeah, exactly. I think that's smart. But yeah, that episode on child marriage has always stuck out to me. Katelyn Burns’ episodes are amazing. The Abortion and Maternal Health Landscape…

Jennie: Preston is always amazing.

Rachel: Preston's always amazing. The Abortion and Maternal Health Landscape is Different for Black women is an amazing episode.

Jennie: Yeah, that was a really good one.

Rachel: I really enjoyed the Title IX episodes are really wonderful. Yeah. There's just so many. I feel like I could just keep going on and on and on.

Jennie: I know it's so hard. It really is. I think I also have a particular fondness for the ones around issues that I don't get to work on as much in my day-to-day work. So that means like extra special fondness for when Katelyn is on because they talking about transgender issues and that's just not something we spend a lot of time on day-to-day, but I want to make sure it's covered on the podcast, or like Preston came on and we got to talk about decriminalization and sex work and you know, again, that's not something we spend a ton of time on, but is really important. So they have special places in my heart when we get to work on things I care about, but don't get to spend a ton of time on.

Rachel: Or actually one that was on my list, was, well, actually a couple, was Voting Rights as a Reproductive Justice Issue.

Jennie: Oh yeah. Forgot about that one. Love that episode. Oh, Marcella was so wonderful.

Rachel: Yes, I know she, she's amazing. And then Vindication of Pleasure. And I think that we are very lucky to be able to be somewhat independent with the topics we cover on here, because like you said, it is really nice to be able to, um, hear from experts and leaders on topics that Population Institute doesn't necessarily work on. But those are the most informative, impactful episodes. I feel like when we're able to go back and listen to them.

Jennie: Yeah.

Rachel: Okay. Here's one that is also in a similar vein. What's something you've wanted to cover on the podcast, but haven't gotten the opportunity to do yet?

Jennie: So the one thing that immediately comes to mind is talking about disability rights as a reproductive justice issue. It has been something I have wanted to do and I had a specific person in mind. And so I've been trying to make it happen and it hasn't happened because she's super busy and it's been hard to get her to do an episode. So I think I need to like favor covering disability rights as a reproductive issue versus having the person that I envisioned doing it if she doesn't have time to do it. So, um, if anybody has any great people, they think we should talk to please feel free to suggest them. It's a really important topic and I want to make sure we cover it. That's been really high on my list for awhile of topics that we need to cover.

Rachel: Anything else?

Jennie: No, that's the main one that I can think of. I'm sure there are others that will come up, but like yeah, disability, it's just so big in my mind that it's like blocking everything else.

Rachel: Yeah. Well, and the other thing is whenever we go to conferences, we always get such amazing recommendations and suggestions and we're always looking for recommendations and suggestions on any of our social or emailing us for sure. Always looking for new topics to discuss.

Jennie: I mean, that's why we ended up doing infertility a couple others earlier is from listener suggestions.

Rachel: Definitely. What are the challenges you face recording a podcast during the pandemic?

Jennie: Yeah. So in office we have a studio where I usually record, so I can interview people face-to-face which is super nice and helpful, but it's also set up for better sound than my condo is… I have my travel kit at home, which has been helpful. But before the pandemic I did like, I don't know, maybe two, maybe three interviews over the phone, everything else I did face to face. So it was like this whole new skill to develop, uh, figuring out how to interview people over the phone when you can't see faces, which is hard, you know, just trying to find what works. We tried using Zoom and weren't getting as good of recordings. So yeah, it's been like tinkering with everything to try and make sure we're getting you as good of audio quality as possible. So that it sounds good. And also having a good interaction with the person, which sometimes over the phone is hard. Cause you know, you can't see like facial cues, like they're just taking a pause to think and you're jumping over them or something like that. So that was definitely a new skill.

Rachel: And I feel like you'd be remiss if you…you left out a Cinder and Luna.

Jennie: Oh yes. So the other challenge has been my uh, two cats who really loves to be involved in the podcast. One of them is by the door to the condo. I think the cleaning people are in the hall and she loves to listen to them mopping. She'll like chase them. But yeah. So it's been in it then. Sure. They do come up and sometimes talk to me. I see one who is heading this way now. We had an episode where Cinder walked across my laptop, which reminds me, let me move my cursor so she doesn't do it again and stop the recording in the middle, which was awesome. So yeah, it, they have been an adventure, but they've been pretty good. Like they they'll come and sit and like stare at me sometimes while I'm recording or come, just sit and like get into the microphone. But I think we've only had them crying on a couple. They've not been too bad. They're good girls.

Rachel: I feel like we should just do a Cinder and Luna podcast episode. You should interview Cinder and Luna.

Jennie: Well, if Cinder comes over here, we'll see if we can get her to talk.

Rachel: I seem to remember… I think one, if not the first podcast episode you were recording from home or something and send her was outside yelling at you.

Jennie: Yeah. So that's where it's like the ideal place to record is like in a closet because you have all your clothes to like absorb the sound wave so you don't get any echo, but I have like a closet that's along one whole wall. So it's just like narrow and long. I don't have like one that's like easy to sit in. Uh, so I quit doing that cause it just, it wasn't comfortable, and it was hard to arrange all my stuff. And uh, yeah. So I just quit doing that.

Rachel: But needless to say it has definitely been a journey, figuring out how to do this podcast from, yeah.

Jennie: It has been a journey.

Rachel: And so Jennie, please tell me something that listeners might not know about you?

Jennie: Okay. So this is really, really, really random. I don't know. And I think Rachel knows this. I've definitely feel like we've had this conversation, but not that many people do. So a couple of years ago, one morning I was like reading Facebook in bed. And I saw this article that like caught my attention and it didn't, I don't know why. And I clicked on it and it was about this guy who does it, can't visualize things. And so it was like this, they think fairly rare thing. And I was like, wait, what are you talking about? Like that I can't do that. Like wait, do people actually see things? So come to find out. So I don't remember what it's called. Sorry y’all, but so if I were to tell you to picture a beach, do you actually see a beach? Like when you, in your mind, can you like, see it? Can you see it in color? So for the majority of the population that's yes. They can actually visualize a beach or the example in the article was a red ball. If I said, picture a red ball, do you see one? And I can't like, I just, I don't see anything. And there's like a gradiation of it. Apparently where some people can see like in black and white or tones of gray and some people just can't visualize anything. So it like took me awhile to like come to all like all of this of, you know, when I would first explain it to people, I'd be like, yeah. It's like, when you're reading a book, like it's just like narration. And they're like, yeah, no, but when I read a book, I like picture all the things that people are talking about. And I'm like, Oh, okay, well, no, like to me, it's just like running narration. And like, when I dream, it's the same thing. Like I don't visualize. And when I dream, it's just like a story in my head. So often if you hear me talk about a dream, I'll be like, Oh Rachel, you were there. I don't know what you were doing. Cause I can't see you. So unless we're actually interacting, I won't remember what you were doing because it wasn't part of the story. Right? Like, yeah. So it's really random. Um, but yeah, I cannot visualize things.

Rachel: Fantastic answer. I remember when we had that conversation for the first time. Uh, so it's more like, you can conceptualize things like it's conceptual, but you can't, there's no visualization.

Jennie: Yeah. Like I know what a ball is and like, I know what you look like when I'm, when I'm not looking at you. So like I know there are some people that can't do that either. Right? Like people who can't picture faces and like, remember who people are. That's not a problem. I just can't see it.

Rachel: Ah, okay. I get it.

Jennie: I don’t know. It's weird.

Rachel: Not weird.

Jennie: It's different. It sounds like it's not, they don't know how common it is because if you, if you've never seen, like if you haven't experienced anything different, like, I didn't know. It was not normal. I mean that that's still like a judge-y word, but like that that's not how everybody experienced things. I didn't realize when someone said like I'm picturing a beach, they actually could see it. Cause like, that was just never my reality.

Rachel: So you mentioned in the answer to the last question “It's like reading a book.” So I think that's a perfect segue into, have you been reading anything good lately, Jennie?

Jennie: So as Rachel knows, I am a bit of a reader. I think I have definitely talked about it on the podcast as well. Yes, I do read a lot. I think recently the best one I've read is the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. It's about this girl. I don't want to, it's like hard to explain without giving like too, too much away who nobody can remember her. So like if I were to meet somebody and then walk away, you would like immediately forget me. And so it's really cool. And she lives her life. Then all of a sudden, she meets somebody who remembers her. And it's about, it's a great, it's a great story. It was really fun. It was a little sad, but that was really good.

Rachel: Aw!

Jennie: I read My Brilliant Friends by Elena Ferrante. It's part of a, a series. And so this is the first one in that series and it's about two young women in Italy. Um, and it's like about their friendship and the series like travels over the course of them growing up. So this one starts when they're pretty little until one of them gets married. And then let's see, I've been trying to be better about reading nonfiction. I haven't always been great about it, but this year with quarantine, I've really tried to make a point of reading nonfiction like after work for a little bit. I read a bunch this year or this last year. So the Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and the new Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander were two of my favorites that I read this year. The Warmth of Other Suns is about the great migration and it was just an astonishing book. It was just so good. I cannot wait to read her new book that came out last year, cast it's on my list. I haven't gotten to it yet. And then the new Jim Crow deals with the criminal justice system. And that's just something that has been kind of a hole in my knowledge. So that was a great book to read, to start to learn more about criminal justice system. So those are some of my favorites from the last bit.

Rachel: Yeah. I was going to say reading has been so critical during this quarantine.

Jennie: Yeah, for sure. Oh. And the Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. That was also really good. I read that last year too.

Rachel: I get so many good ideas for books from your goodreads.

Jennie: Oh yeah. So I'm on goodreads, feel free to come and be my friend. I am a voracious reader. So, um, and I was before quarantine, but it has only gotten worse during quarantine where I read a lot. So yeah. And this year, my goal is to, so last year it was to be better about reading nonfiction and I'm going to keep that going forward. But this year is to tackle graphic novels. That is just something I never got into before. So last year I read my first, which was the March series by John Lewis. And that was very, very good. And this year I read the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which was really good. So yeah, I will try to read some more graphic novels and you know, books. They've always kind of been my thing.

Rachel: I feel like it's very similar to, um, your new year's resolution last year, which was to do things, to bake things that intimidate you. I don't know if graphic novels intimidate you, but to maybe go a little bit outside of fear bubble. So then what are some things you baked this year, this year or last year? Since it’s only February.

Jennie: Okay. I was going to say so. Yeah. Cause it's only February and I had been doing a lot of baking, so I'm trying to eat down my freezer at the moment. I think I have finally gotten it where I can start baking again. So that's exciting, but yes. So I feel like I've talked about some of this on the podcast, but you may have missed some of it. So last year I decided to do bakes that challenge me or intimidate me or whatever. So I may did sourdough, which I started the starter on my own and that was really fun. And I've been using the starter for other things. So I've made sourdough English muffins, which actually had one for breakfast. They're delightful. I made bagels, which were also really fun and let's see…

Rachel: I seem to remember some cinnamon rolls?

Jennie: [At same time] I did cinnamon rolls…

Rachel: [laughs] Yep! Jennie: …and I had gotten the recipe from King Arthur. They had like these special winter spice sets. And one of the ones I got was speculoos flavoring spices. So instead of just them in, I did speculoos cinnamon rolls, which were delightful.

Rachel: Yeah. That sounds amazing.

Jennie: And then the big one was to tackle this year's new year's resolution, which is pastry, which I have studiously avoided, and I made pain au chocolat, and y'all, I was fully prepared for it to fail. Like I just assumed it would not work. And, uh, it was amazing. It turned out so well, I don't know if it's dumb, beginner's luck, but it was beautiful and flaky and just perfect. And so I made mostly pain au chocolat, but I did some that were, um, turkey and cheese as well. And they were so good. I will definitely do it again. It took a long time, but it was not as hard as I envisioned it to be.

Rachel: Yes. I, I do remember a text that you sent, and it was a video of you cutting into the pain au chocolat, and I was like blown away. It looked so good.

Jennie: It was so good. Like I, I'm not a huge croissant person, but I often feel like a lot of the places you get them and you're not getting like good ones. Right? Like you're not getting real nice flaky croissants, but this was just so good.

Rachel: Do you have an idea of what your next pastry recipe that you're going to tackle will be?

Jennie: No, I don't. I honestly have no idea. I was thinking again to make more of the like savory ones to have them for lunch. Cause that was really good. So that was my thought for right now, but I need to get butter and stuff. I don't have enough butter cause you need a ton of butter for pastry and you need good butter.

Rachel: So much butter!

Jennie: So I need to get good butter.

Rachel: So you have been reading, you've been baking, you've been playing with Cinder and Luna. What podcasts have you been listening to?

Jennie: So I feel like podcasters fall into one of two categories. One, you don't listen to any, and I know there's a lot who like just don't listen to any others or you listen to a ton. And I fall into the, I listen to so many podcasts. That's how I get through my day. I need background noise. Uh, otherwise I get really easily distracted. So I always have a podcast running. So I made a list of some of the top ones I listened to every week. So Boom! Lawyered. And if you all, aren't listening to it, you absolutely should be listening Jessica Pieklo and Imani Gandy at Rewire group. There's a really great legal podcast about reproductive health rights and justice.

Rachel: Absolutely.

Jennie: Check it out. We've talked about Katelyn Burns on the podcast and her being one of our favorite guests to have on. She just literally, uh, I guess when you hear this, last week, started a brand new podcast called Cancel Me Daddy and y'all, it's so good. You should absolutely listen to it. Her and Oliver. And I can't remember Oliver’s full name, so I'm so sorry, Oliver, but you should all listen to you and subscribe, because it was so great. And I cannot wait to see what they have coming forth. I also listened to Hysteria. It's a Crooked Media podcast. Um, and it's Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco and other hosts that rotate in and out talking about news through a feminist lens and often talking about feminist related issues. It's really great. Intersectionality Matters by Kimberle Crenshaw. She always has great guests on to talk about matters relating to intersectionality, I love it. Keep It is also a Crooked Media podcast with Ira Madison III, Louis Virtel and Aida Osman, um, it's pop culture podcasts, and it's just so much fun. I really enjoy listening to that one, my gateway drug podcast. So the very first podcast I ever started listening to that got me really sucked into listening to them--Stuff you Missed in History. Three is just, I love history. It's so much fun. They are really good about making sure to bring forth women, people of color, indigenous history. And it's, it's great. I really enjoy it. I have listened to all of it and there's a lot of it. Undistracted by Brittany Packnett Cunningham, another really great social justice podcast. I really love it. She's had some amazing guests on again, listen to it every week. And a special one just for me and Rachel, because we both listened to it and bond over, um, dark funny, My Favorite Murder and Rachel and I listened to it and always there like, “Oh my God, did you hear whatever happened?” Um, so yeah, that one is a special place in our hearts.

Rachel: I feel like I need to write all these down.

Jennie: They're all really good. And I mean, I, I listened to more, like I said, I am a, I need to have them on while I'm working. It's like the background of my day is podcasts. It's helped me figure out what the hell day of the week it is during the pandemic. Cause I know Pod Save America comes out on Mondays and Thursdays. I know, uh, Pod Save the World comes out on Wednesdays. Like you just track my day, my day of the week because I know what podcasts are out. So that's how I know what day it is because every day is the same anymore.

Rachel: Your podcast calendar.

Jennie: Yeah. So what I'm basically saying is I listened to a lot of podcasts, but I'm always open to recommendations.

Rachel: So again, you've been baking, you've been listening to podcasts. You've been reading, but once lockdown is lifted, what's the first thing you're going to do?

Jennie: Oh my God. I have no idea. So I need to see people. I live by myself. Um, I've not seen very many people at all. Um, we have a coworker who just had a baby, uh, while we've been on quarantine, I would love to see her and get to meet the baby. I would love to see my family. I haven't seen my family for over a year. Yeah. I just, I want to see people again. I miss a lot of people. I haven't seen Rachel in forever since a conference we did. She doesn't live in DC right now. So she probably won't be one of the first people I see. But hopefully not too far distant, um…

Rachel: Not too far away.

Jennie: Yeah. So that, those are the biggest things I'm looking forward to is just, uh, so many people that haven't been able to see. You know, I live in DC, my family's in Wisconsin. I don't have a car. So my world is pretty small right now.

Rachel: Do you feel like the first place you'll travel to will be Wisconsin?

Jennie: Probably. Yeah, probably only unless we go somewhere, but yeah, no, it would probably have to be Wisconsin. I would definitely get in trouble if that was not the case. Um, but I also, my, my best friend and I have been talking about, uh, taking a trip and just like going and like doing nothing somewhere that's not here for like a week. So that is also on my list of getting, uh, to see Lisa again and hang out and spend time together.

Rachel: Yeah. That would be really fun. Do you have any ideas where you might go?

Jennie: Uh, no. No. Uh, we were talking about like starting to plan something, but then it just seemed so impossible to like dream about that, but we'll figure it out.

Rachel: Well, I think that, um, we might be able to figure it out now because one of our questions is where's the coolest place you've ever traveled to and where do you want to go next? So maybe this'll be good. This'll be helpful for you and Lisa to plan your trip.

Jennie: So again, we're going to get back to my inability to pick favorites and like having multiples. So one of them is actually two different trips, but basically to the same place. Um, when I did my study abroad, I was near the Kenya, Tanzania border in Kenya. And then recently I took a trip to Tanzania with my parents, but just right on the Kenya Tanzania border. So basically exactly where I was in Kenya, but just the other side of the border. And yeah, it was the Kenya trip particularly was, ok, life-changing, isn't quite the right word, but path-changing. Um, it, it really changed my focus. It was really great to get out of the U.S. and get to see the world differently and experience the world differently. At that point, I was really looking at going into environmental studies and working, um, on domestic environmental issues. And this really changed that it got me focused on environment and development and focusing more on the development side, which led me to reproductive health. So, I mean, it was definitely, it changed a lot. And then another really fun trip with my parents was also great, cause it was wonderful to get to go with them for the first time to Africa, they do a lot of traveling, but they had never been to Sub-Saharan Africa. So that was really great to experience that with them, um, for the first time. And then we also went to Ireland and that was really fun. This is actually, I interviewed Rachel for the job, like, I don’t know, two days before I was going to Ireland or something? And then she started like, not that long after I got back. My mom's side of the family is from Ireland. I mean, like maybe three generations, like two and a half generations ago. I think my great-grandfather came from Ireland. And, uh, so it was really fun. It was me and my mom and dad. And then two of my aunts were with us and it was just a lot of fun. Um, one to go with my parents and see a lot of Irelands and, um, I really loved it there and would love to go back, but it was also a lot of fun to get, to spend 10 days with my aunts that I, you know, they live near me, but hadn't been able to spend time like that with them before. So it was a lot of fun to get, to travel with them and get to know them better.

Rachel: Aw.

Jennie: And I think we all had a great time. As for where to next, I don't know. I think… I've never been to mainland Europe. I I've been to Ireland and I've been to London, but I've never been to like the rest of Europe. So, um, Greece is really high on my list, Paris, uh, Italy, like there's so much… Spain. Like I just, I'm not done Europe. I would really love to spend some time in Europe.

Rachel: I'm sure Lisa would too!

Jennie: Yeah, I'm sure she would.

Rachel: Do you have any bucket list activities that you'd want to do maybe in Europe?

Jennie: I mean, those are kind of like my bucket list places. So Greece has always been like really high on my list. I really, I think I was of that generation where they like Greek mythology was, um, taught a lot. And then I took a Greek mythology class when I was in college. Um, so that's been really high on my list, but I also like traveling to like Greece and seeing all of that stuff seems really cool to me. Same for like Italy, for similar reasons, plus amazing food in both places. And then like France to like go to the loop and like, um, spend a couple of days there.

Rachel: And when lockdown is lifted, do you have any restaurants that you want to go to, or I guess, do you have any favorite places that you like to eat out at?

Jennie: So the first thing I think of is actually closed it closed before lockdown, but there's one, that's kind of like it, but so back when Lisa lived in DC and we were roommates for a while, but then we lived separately and we used to meet like once a week at this pho restaurant and get together and have dinner and we would get crispy spring rolls and then get a pho. And it, to me, it's like comforting, happier place. So like, that's what I think of. Um, there is a pho place I think, owned by the same family that's near me, but it's just not the same because it's, it's just not the same. Um, so that's pretty high in my list, but also a couple of Jose Andres places I've been thinking about. I've been thinking about Jaleo amd Zaytinya, um, so his Spanish place and his Greek place or a Mediterranean place.

Rachel: Oh, yep.

Jennie: They both sound so delightful. And they both, at least I know for sure is that Zaytinya does, but I think Jaleo does have pickup, but again, I don't have a car, so I can't do pickup, but yeah. So I've been thinking about them recently.

Rachel: Oh no, it's so good. And ever since you mentioned Jaleo I can't stop thinking about it.

Jennie: Sorry. Again, loves Zaytinya a little bit more, but I always go to Jaleo more. I don't know why I love them both.

Rachel: They're not that far from each other either because I was going to say, maybe it's like, maybe it's like a location thing, but you can't really use that as an excuse. [laughs].

Jennie: Right? So Zaytinya feels fancier. So like, I don't know if I feel like I need, it needs to be a special occasion to go there. I don’t know.

Rachel: I know you've talked about this before on the podcast, but I still think that it's something that a lot of people, it resonates with a lot of people and folks really appreciate when you talk about it. So we got a question that someone said, I'm someone who always feels like an imposter in everything I do. And I know you've talked about imposter syndrome on the podcast before. How do I get better about not feeling like I'm a fake?

Jennie: Oh my God, when you figure it out, let me know. Like, honestly, I think it's a little bit of fake it until you make it. Like you keep saying it until you accept it. Um, I still really struggle with it. And one of the things was like, I really don't resonate. Or don't like, when someone calls me an expert on reproductive health and rights, I'm just like, ah, that's not true. Look at all my super smart friends that come on the show, they're the experts like they're so smart. They know all the things. And I think maybe it's just the word doesn't resonate with you. So like finding another way to say it, that feels better for you. So I was doing like a coaching session with some friends in podcasting and we were joking around and just someone pulled out a thesaurus for expert to find other words. And one of them was maven. So I was like, Oh, I love that. So I'm the reproductive health and rights maven. Like, that's just so much more fun and I don't get a full body cringe from it, but it basically means the same thing. Right? But I, I just would never call myself an expert. And so I think some of it is like, you just need to get out of your own way. And that's where I know my downfall is, is I get in my own way. Like I just, I have a lot, I just doubt that I'm good at this. Like getting all therapy, um, uh, doubt that, uh, I'm good enough or don't meet the requirements or, you know, I didn't go to college or get degrees in reproductive health and rights. My background's in environment and environmental policy. And so there's no way I could be an expert, but like literally y'all, I have worked in this field since 2008. I'm an expert, but like somehow for me internally claiming that is really hard. And it's one of those things you just need to keep doing it and faking it and believing it, keep saying it until you feel it and believe it. And I'm not there yet. But like I said, maybe I'll be at the reproductive health maven instead.

Rachel: I love that so much. I love that whoever pulled out that thesaurus is, is amazing. It's just so cool. I totally understand. But then tell me what's something that you're super proud of yourself for?

Jennie: I mean, this podcast, like if you had asked me three and a half years ago, so when Rachel started working at PI, before we had actually started the podcast, if you had told me that we are really saying recording our 100th episode, I could not wrap my mind around that. Like, there is no way we were going to do a hundred episodes of this. Like I was worried people weren't going to want to be guests. I was worried that people weren't going to want, weren’t going to see my vision of this podcast, not being something that the Population Institute is doing, but as something that is useful for the community to help spread the message and get people learning more about these issues and understanding these issues and then seeing what actions they could take. Like, to me, that was the goal of the podcast. Not that it was a program of the organization I worked for and not that it was advancing our organization per se, but that it was going to be something that the community saw as something useful and providing a service to the community. And, you know, I, I had posted about the story about what happened at work, where everybody on the uh, Zoom, Rachel referred to earlier, where everyone was talking about what they loved about the podcast and how proud they were of Rachel and I, and I had posted about that. And some people from the community were like, yeah, no, this has been a great tool and really useful to the community. And that was all I wanted for this podcast. And to see that other leaders in the community think that like, I'm going to cry, just thinking about it. Um, it, uh, it really made me happy because that's what we wanted and to see that people see it that way is really great.

Rachel: And I think, especially in a time where, I mean, during the Trump administration, at a time that literally felt like, uh, like just a black hole and every week or multiple times a week, there was, I mean, obviously new, horrible information coming out, all kinds of issues, not just reproductive health and rights, but it was almost therapeutic to be able to process and work through what was happening by being like, okay, this happened, let's call this person and let's talk about this. And to be able to in such a dark time to be able to, uh, work through that together, um, as just a, an entire field, as a community was so special.

Jennie: Yeah. Yeah. Just… so I cannot believe it's been so much time.

Rachel: I can't believe it's our 100th episode. Yeah. Well, we're also, we're just, like you're right. That Zoom on Wednesday was so, uh, it was very precious and we are really proud of you, Jennie. Like, seriously, we really are.

Jennie: Okay. No more making me cry. There's got to be another fun one. I know, I know Bridget snuck a fun Disney one in there, right?

Rachel: Yeah. Let's, let's switch gears. What's your favorite Disney movie of all time? Why do you like it?

Jennie: So, because I'm that person, I divided this into categories.

Rachel: [laughs]

Jennie: I know, because again, you're expecting me to pick a favorite. Okay. So I did cartoon and then live action. So I have two favorite cartoons. One is the Emperor's New Groove, which I love it. It's a little sassy. It's I don't know it. I love it. It's one of my favorites. It's just, it's great. It's having its 20th anniversary this year. So there's like a bunch of stuff for it. So… I know 20. It's Bridget’s favorite, um, Disney cartoon. So they have a mug that has like some stuff from it on there. So I bought that for her because Bridget and I really bonded over our love of it and we send each other gifts from it all the time. So if you ever see that there's like a disproportionate amount of gifs from Emperor's New Groove in our text chain, that's because of Bridget, and then my other favorite is Beauty and the Beast for obvious reasons. She's a book nerd. Duh, of course I relate to Beauty and the Beast. Okay. Live action. I think I always extra special place in my heart for Mary Poppins. One, there was so much to love about it, but like watching it again as an adult-- Mrs. Banks, as a suffragette, like that is so amazing!

Rachel: It is. I love Mary Poppins.

Jennie: And then I didn't realize this was a Disney movie, but it's on Disney+. So I think Ever After with Drew Barrymore, the Cinderella remake.

Rachel: I've never seen it.

Jennie: Have you not seen this? She played Cinderella. Angelica Houston is the, um, wicked stepmother. Uh, yeah, no, you have to watch it. It's so good. It's on Disney+. I didn't think it was a Disney movie, but like I said, it's on Disney+ so it counts. And then I decided to go way back in my childhood and I have, uh, ones that I just, I can't rewatch because I'm sure they are not good, but I loved as a kid. So were you old enough to remember what was it the Sunday night Disney movies or Saturday night Disney movies on ABC? No. Ugh, anyway, when I was a kid, they, I didn't have cable growing up. We lived in a rural area, so cable did not make it to us. So, uh, that was how I got to experience a lot of the older Disney stuff. Cause obviously I didn't have the Disney channel, but back in the day there was like the wonderful world of Disney, like Sunday night or Saturday night movies. And they played like, not like old Disney movies. Cause I guess at the time they wouldn’t have been that old, but I experienced Disney movies that way. So two amazing ones from when I was younger that I'm sure are not amazing, but I watched all the time, um, Mr. Boogedy and Bride of Boogedy and oh my God, did I love those movies. They are on Disney+ or they were at one point, but I do not think I can watch them because I'm sure they are not good, but I love as a kid.

Rachel: ….What is Mr. Boogedy?

Jennie: He's a ghost. Exactly. He's the boogeyman.

Rachel: I'm writing this down.

Jennie: But also I feel like I, so I was looking to make sure I had the names, right. So the first one is Mr. Boogedy, and then there's the Bride of Boogedy. And I think I saw like Mr. Boogedy had like 20% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Rachel: Of course.

Jennie: So I'm just saying, I don't think it's a good rewatch, but it was amazing as a kid.

Rachel: Oh, I feel like I've got all of these like media recommendations from you that I'm just going to have to go back. And now I’m currently working my way through Bridgerton… Jennie: Oh yeah, this is a prompt for everybody. Our next episode, we are going to talk about Bridgerton. So everybody's homework because there will be spoilers is to watch Bridgerton before you listen to that episode. I'll do a spoiler alert before the episode too, but FYI.

Rachel: Yep. Well, I'm thinking that we covered a lot of ground here. Jennie, you've answered so many questions and thank you to everybody who submitted…

Jennie: I’ve got to go lay down and hydrate, but seriously, thank you to everybody.

Rachel: Are you feeling like you need some to rest?

Jennie: I know. I feel like I have not talked this much, you know, and like a year it was a lot of talking for an hour. Um, but it was so much fun doing it. It was so great to answer everybody's questions or most people's questions. Thank you all for submitting them. Thank you all for supporting the podcast. I am so grateful for each and every one of you who takes time out of your day to spend time with us. Huge thank you to Rachel for doing this, for all the work she does on the podcast to make us look beautiful on social media and to do all the posts and all the things and the website and all the things. Um, thank you to Population Institute too, for pushing us to do this and supporting us and whatever we're covering and letting us talk about whatever we want on the podcast. Um, for a hundred episodes, we've had a great editor, um, Meg. So Meg, thank you so much for all of your work on the podcast to make sure we sound good, which, you know, during the pandemic has been extra challenging. So extra big thank you.

Rachel: Thank you Meg!

Jennie: Um, and I guess with that, uh, thank you everybody. I hope you enjoyed this week's episode as much as we enjoyed doing it. Um, and always feel free to suggest topics or reach out to us on social media. Um, you can find us at rePROs Fight Back on Facebook and Twitter and reprosfb on Instagram. And with that, we will see you later.

Rachel: Thanks everybody, see you out there!

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