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The co-hosts of the Flow Down podcast, health coach Stefanie Kleinburd and Miami-based journalist Jessica Weiss.

THE LOW DOWN ON THE FLOW DOWN

Miami-based journalist Jessica Weiss has gotten used to covering tough topics over the years like anti-immigrant harassment and environmental issues, And her latest gig, as co-host of the Flow Down podcast, involves discussing a personal topic for women that she hopes can become a little less tough to talk about – periods and menstruation.

“It’s never been something I thought I had permission to talk about. It’s secretive for most women,” Jessica said.

She and her co-host, her friend and women’s health coach Stefanie Kleinburd, launched the podcats last October and have released episodes every other week since then. We chatted with Jessica about how it came together, what she’s learned, and what she and Stefanie hope the podcast can accomplish.

HOW IT GOT STARTED

Jessica had been laid off from her job and was looking for a creative outlet when she started discussing the idea with Stefanie. From there they started doing some research and they discovered that there weren’t that many podcasts about menstruation and how women deal with periods.

Once they realized they could carve out a unique space they decided to go for it.

“As a consumer it’s just like ‘Shut up, buy the products and move on,” Jessica said. “There’s not really that many experiences that half the population experiences that are shrouded as something we don’t talk about.”

So she and Stefanie got the necessary recording software and microphones, and launched the show last October.

WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED

Jessica said the most consistent feedback has been people thanking her and Stefanie for creating this space for women to discuss this common occurrence. She said that women have shared the podcast with friends, daughters, and nieces.

“What I’ve learned is that there are so many women who suffer from issues with their period, and because of all the shame and stigma they don’t even know they can go to a doctor,” Jessica said.

The co-hosts have been able to learn so much more about “period justice” and advocates fighting for greater access to menstrual products and healthcare for women in poor and underserved communities.

WHAT’S NEXT

Jessica hopes the show can continue to be a place for people to call in and commensurate about their experiences, and also for folks to learn from experts.

“We’ll talk about PMS and how to deal with cravings. We want it to be useful on a personal level but also more broad on a social level,” Jessica said.

In the next few weeks the show will discuss topics like period pain and also feature a discussion with Rayka Zehtabchi, director of the documentary “Period. End of Sentence.”

You can find The Flow Down on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify. Episodes are also available on their website, and are released every other week.

LET’S PLAY A GAME!

We’re playing a little Miami trivia with our members. One member who correctly answers this week’s question about one of Miami’s founding families by noon on Thursday will win a $10 gift card from Books and Books. Wanna play? Join us! For $8 a month, our members help us make The New Tropic you know and love possible. Members get special perks like free and discounted event tickets, a kit of member gear, and we have a little extra fun with them too. 😉

GET YOUR VOTE ON

Thanks to everyone who submitted your questions about Overtown’s history, culture, and character. Here are the four finalists! Vote on the question that you most want us to dig into:

  • Would you explore the Masonic connection which flourished in the 50s and 60s?– Retha Fye
  • How did Overtown get its name? – Andy Stermer
  • Why and how was the decision made to put I-95 right on top of the historic neighborhood? – Stephen
  • I want to know more about Overtown’s jazz history; what big name musicians used to come play here/what venues. And why did the scene die out? – Stephanie Jaimes

You have until tomorrow to vote for the question you most want to know about.

We’ll let you all know the winning question in Wednesday’s newsletter and then work on getting you the answer, so stay tuned!

MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

WHAT’S NEW IN THE 305

Third time’s the charm? That’s what State Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez is hoping. He filed a bill last week aimed at allowing more people, including certain property owners, the chance to sell solar energy to customers without having to be regulated by the same rules as larger utilities like Florida Power and Light. He filed similar bills in 2017 and 2018 but they never made it past initial committee discussions. (Miami New Times)

Second thoughts on scooters. Miami Beach is considering a plan for a group of motorized scooter companies to end the ban on scooters during spring break. Their high-tech proposal? Instead of outright preventing the rentals the companies will install tracking devices so they know when renters are riding them illegally. The rental shops would be able to remotely shut the scooters down or prevent people from starting them back up once they park them. (Miami Herald)

Not so fast. Supporters across the state cheered as Amendment 4, a plan to re-enfranchise  more than a million felons, was approved by voters last November. But as those convicted felons prepare to register to vote tomorrow, there are still plenty of lingering questions about how the amendment will be implemented. The latest potential snag is the fact that felons must have completed their sentence in order to be eligible, and that doesn’t just mean serving time – it also means paying any outstanding court fees. And without a statewide standard for the various county courts, issues could arise for thousands of Floridians looking to have their voting rights restored. (WLRN)

A question of enforcement. In a 4-3 ruling, the state Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit by an education advocacy group arguing that the state falls short of its constitutional requirement to provide a “high quality system of free public schools.” The justices wrote that there was no way for the court to enforce an adequate level of education funding, because that matter is the responsibility of the legislative branch. (Orlando Sentinel)

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

Make it a great week, Miami!

 

– The New Tropic

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