Episode 8 - MĚI's Legislation Division

In this episode, Ayushmaan interviews Professor Jeffrey Hollender at the NYU Stern School of Business. Hollender is one ot he most famous sustainable business entrepreneurs in the world, being the founder of Seventh Generation, a home cleaning product brand that was also one of the first to make organic tampons. Conversation also covered his more recent startup Sustain Natural, which markets safe and sustainable contraceptives and hygiene products to women. Ultimately, the episode ends on a call to action to change both culture and consumer behavior for the better.

In this episode, Mikah and Ayushmaan revisit Měi-ssentials to break down rape culture. They begin with the recent case of the Cornell 7, but expand to broader conversations about modesty culture and victim blaming. They also touch on views towards rape victims globally, and possible paths to a better future.

In this episode, Ayushmaan and Mikah host Arleigh Cole-Doyle, founder of the organization Misendostood, which seeks to guide women with endometriosis through the healthcare system and how they can manage their condition. The conversation focuses on the lack of awareness and fast, easy care for those who suffer from the condition; all three agree on a need for better youth education, as well as increased funding to actually research the disease. Arleigh specifically highlights her experience in policy advocacy at the Connecticut state legislature, and the massive potential for change.

In this episode, Ayushmaan and Mikah sit down with Anne Chang, a medical science graduate, certified doula, and founder of Spill Her Tea, an organization dedicated to making women's health education more accessible. Their conversation traces Anne's decade-long journey with irregular periods before a PMOS diagnosis she only found through social media, the gap between what health curricula teach and what people who menstruate actually need to know, and what drove her to build something about it. Along the way, they discuss what a more honest cultural conversation around reproductive health could look like, and what it means to approach advocacy from both a scientific background and lived experience.

In this episode, Ayushmaan and Mikah welcome back MĚI founder and CEO Elise Tao for a candid check-in on everything from the state of the organization to the state of the movement. They cover MEI's latest updates across divisions, the growing, but complicated, cultural conversation around menstrual health in America, the rise of anti-feminist backlash among Gen Z men and what it means for advocacy, and why period tracker privacy has become a frontline equity issue. Elise also reflects on what still feels unfinished, what she's genuinely excited about, and what she's looking forward to, both inside MEI and beyond.

In this episode, Mikah interviews MĚI's own Aishani Pandey, a high school athlete and student advocate living with suspected endometriosis. Their conversation traces Aishani's years-long journey from her first dismissed symptoms at age ten - through irregular cycles, near-anemia, a rejected IUD, and passing out mid-exam - to finally receiving a suspected diagnosis and awaiting laparoscopic surgery. Along the way, they discuss the systemic failures that delayed her care, what it looks like to self-advocate as a teenager navigating both chronic pain and school attendance policies, and why menstrual health in educational institutions can never be one-size-fits-all.

In this episode, Mikah and Ayushmaan interview Livia, MĚI's Chief Legislative Officer, and Jia, MĚI's Chief Advocacy Officer. They cover the past efforts of the Legislative Division in building coalitions and passing bills, the personal experiences of Livia and Jia, as well as the division's future plans.

In this episode, Mikah interviews Vivi Lin, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Jardine Scholar at the University of Oxford, and the founder of With Red and Period Museum, the world's only permanent museum dedicated to menstruation. Their conversation explores what menstrual justice looks like in Taiwan and across Asia, from grassroots movement-building and cultural advocacy to advising government and bringing the conversation to international stages like the UN and Scottish Parliament.

In this episode, Mikah and Ayushmaan introduce the new Měi-ssentials segment, where they'll be diving into how to proper self-care during a period, both for oneself and for others.

In this episode, Mikah and Ayushmaan make a shift to menstrual activism and advocacy as they interview Sasha Goodfriend of the Massachusetts chapters of the National Organization of Women (NOW). They focus on both successful previous legislative efforts in Massachusetts, as well as the path forward for menstrual equity in policy.