Caregiver First, Actor Second

When ICE and Customs and Border Patrol descended on Minneapolis earlier this year, Minnesotans stood up to protect care workers and immigrant communities. One of them was Bri, who built a mutual aid network for her neighbors in need – all while working and raising her own daughters. Reporter Chabeli Carrazana, who's been covering the crisis for The 19th, joins Bri to share how community members – especially moms – have come together in support of each other. This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. To contribute to Bri’s GoFundMe for DACA dreamers, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-daca-dreamers-after-metro-surge?cp_src=d

When his son Henry was born in 2016, comedian and author Roy Wood Jr. asked himself: what kind of father do I want to be? That question led him to reflect on the many lessons he inherited about fatherhood, from his own dad to the other father figures who shaped him. Now, Roy’s taking those lessons and choosing what he’s passing down to Henry – while also learning to model vulnerability and curiosity along the way. This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.

What does life look like after caregiving ends? Chris Punsalan spent his 20s caring for his aging grandmother, and sharing the story on social media, where he grew a huge following. When she died in 2024, he had to figure out who he was without his grandma in his life. Now, Chris is reflecting on what caregiving has given him, and working his first full-time job at Tendercare, an organization that supports caregivers. This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.

What does it mean to be a caregiver? Even though we’ll all give or receive care at some point, the answer looks different for everyone: it’s buying a house with your best friend and raising your kids together after a divorce. Helping your grandma take an “everything shower” each week. Delivering essentials to immigrant families in Minneapolis. Host Yvette Nicole Brown is back to explore these stories and more from everyday caregivers across the country in Season 3 of Squeezed. From Lemonada Media and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, coming October 28.  

We're sharing a special episode of Happier with Gretchen Rubin, featuring our own fabulous Yvette Nicole Brown. In this Roundtable Conversation, Yvette joins Gretchen, podcaster Courtney Martin, and AARP’s senior director of caregiving Rita Choula to talk about the challenges and satisfactions of caregiving, and how planning can help.

This week, we're sharing a great discussion from Yvette's recent interview on Dr. Sharon Malone’s podcast, The Second Opinion. On Dr. Sharon’s show, women take back the conversation on health with straight talk, real experience, and the care we all deserve. You’ll hear prominent female advocates, experts and patients just like you sharing how they confronted gaps in our healthcare system and got second opinions that saved their lives. Dr. Sharon tackles the questions and topics we’ve been conditioned to ignore — the ones we search for at 3 a.m. but never bring up at the doctor’s office. From dismissed symptoms to systemic failures, she pulls back the curtain on what’s really going on in women’s health and gives women the tools to advocate for themselves and each other. In this episode, Yvette shares personal details of caregiving for her dad for almost a decade, and peel back the layers of emotional challenges that come with caregiving and the current caregiving crisis in America. Plus, Dr. Sharon notes the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia and gives insights on Alzheimer symptoms.  Find more episodes of The Second Opinion with Dr. Sharon Malone at https://link.mgln.ai/yvette See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor Brandee Evans is no stranger to balancing multiple roles – on screen and off. In this episode, the P-Valley star gets real about the challenges of caregiving while building her career in Hollywood. During filming season one of the hit series, Brandee was balancing a demanding schedule on set, while caring for her mom Diana, who has multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s. In this frank and revealing conversation, Brandee shares how she navigates it all, and what she's learned along the way. This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

80 million Americans depend on Medicaid. It’s the country’s number one healthcare provider –  and it's now facing massive cuts that will hit women, immigrants and communities of color the hardest. Here to break down what it all means is Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations. Despite the challenges ahead, Ai-jen is leading the fight to support caregivers through storytelling, putting pressure on lawmakers, and talking about how we all benefit from Medicaid.  This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Juggling a demanding career and a young family is already overwhelming. But what happens when you add caring for an estranged parent to the equation? That’s exactly what happened to podcaster and author Jonathan Hirsch when his father Thomas was diagnosed with dementia. Jonathan’s parents raised him in a cult, and were largely absent from his life growing up. Now, he’s had to navigate the logistics, guilt, and grief that comes with caring for someone who never truly cared for you.  This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. For a deeper dive into Jonathan’s story, check out his new book, The Mind is Burning: Losing my Father to a Cult and Dementia Check out AARP’s Caregiving Checklist for help choosing an assisted living facility. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Tara Kovach was diagnosed with colon cancer at 47, her already squeezed life as a working, divorced mom of two kids was turned upside down. Suddenly, the everyday struggles of balancing work with parenting were overshadowed by the stark reality of fighting cancer. In this episode, Tara opens up about the emotional and physical toll of going through surgery and chemotherapy while caring for her children, and the unexpected isolation she felt as a cancer survivor.  This show was created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.