Sick of Bad News? Try Good Things

Sick of Bad News? Try Good Things

Author: Lemonada Media April 29, 2025 Duration: 37:26
Steve Bishop used to be a youth probation officer. He wanted to help young people navigate out of a juvenile justice system he knew was flawed. Now, as the Associate Director for Probation and System Transformation at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Steve works to transform youth probation systems around the country – from one that punishes making mistakes in ways that leave young people worse off and neighborhoods less safe to one that holds kids accountable for their actions by steering them toward the guidance and support that can help them grow into responsible adults. In this eye-opening conversation with host Maya Rupert, Steve talks about how we can create a more just and restorative system that’s steeped in relationships, trust, and community. This episode was made possible with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an organization that develops solutions to build a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities. Learn more at aecf.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a media landscape that often feels frantic and fragmented, V Interesting with V Spehar offers a different pace. Hosted by the TikTok news phenomenon V Spehar of Under the Desk News, this weekly podcast from Lemonada Media is built on a simple premise: some stories need more room to breathe. Moving beyond the minute-long format, V uses this space to pull on the threads that get dropped in the daily churn, focusing on the nuanced and curiously human details within larger headlines. The show dedicates time to the complex, enduring issues that shape our world-the kind that defy easy soundbites and demand thoughtful exploration. It’s a blend of clear-eyed explanation and personal perspective, all delivered with V’s signature style. Each episode of this podcast feels like a necessary decompression from the noise, aiming not just to inform but to connect the dots in a way that makes the news feel comprehensible and, yes, genuinely interesting. You’ll hear V’s sharp commentary, find context where it’s often missing, and engage with the parts of a story that typically linger just under the desk.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

V Interesting with V Spehar
Podcast Episodes
Listen Now: How California Is Proving Climate Solutions Are Possible [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:25
Climate solutions aren’t out of reach. They’re already here, and California is leading the way. In 2025, the state hit a historic milestone: for more than 200 days, its grid hit 100 percent clean energy, often for hours…
Listen Now: Rent Too High? Join a Tenant Union. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:59
The rent is too damn high, housing quality standards are far too low, and Tara Raghuveer is doing something about it. Tara is director of Kansas City Tenants, a tenant union which organizes to ensure that everyone in KC…
Bonus: From Charity to Solidarity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:29
There are countless barriers facing immigrant communities when it comes to finding success and economic security in the US. Today we hear from two women who are working tirelessly to level the playing field by reimaginin…
Bonus: The Real Cost of Care Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:55
When we think of care workers, we often picture individuals who nurture, assist, and heal other human beings. But behind that picture are the harsh realities of domestic work and the many sacrifices this marginalized gro…
Bonus: Addressing Gender-Based Violence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:17
We live in an undeniably violent world. Gender-based violence poses a particular threat to the intersecting identities of women, people of color, and marginalized communities. But these survivors are the same folks spear…
Throwback: Who Is a Criminal? with Toni-Michelle Williams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:34
This throwback episode is brought to you with support from The Marguerite Casey Foundation. V sits down with Atlanta-based artist, celebrated community organizer, and Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative Executive Dire…
Throwback: The Hidden History of Home Ec [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:50
When most people think of home economics, they imagine women baking muffins and caring for practice babies. But in this throwback episode, we’re learning that the field was much more than just “stitching and stirring.” I…
Throwback: The Worst Club in the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:36
In this best-of episode, V opens up about something very personal that has shaped the last seven years of their life. Through this tragedy, V found comfort and support in Lemonada’s mission to help “make life suck less”…
Throwback: Let’s Talk About Down There with Dr. Jen Lincoln [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:27
“Don’t have sex. You will get pregnant — and die.” This line was delivered by a fictional high school coach in the movie Mean Girls, but it alludes to a real problem within the education system: that the vast majority of…
Throwback: Venting Isn't Processing, and Other Dope Therapy Notes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:28
Coming out as a person seeking therapy to your partner, parents, or friends can be difficult, and sometimes even dangerous. Sometimes the people who are supposed to love us most are the first to hold us back, or we feel…