Population Media Center Premieres New Podcast "The State of: Women" Hosted by Comedian Gina Brillon and Journalist Kimberly Brooks

An insightful and timely podcast that explores which states get gender equity right and which fall behind

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of: Women (TSOW) podcast debuts November 15, co-hosted by actress, comedian, and writer Gina Brillon and TV host and correspondent Kimberly Brooks. The series kicks off with a Facebook Live party streamed on November 15th from 12pm-1pm PST here. Join the celebration with TSOW co-hosts Gina and Kimberly as they interview special guests Emerge President A'shanti F. Gholar and How Women Lead CEO and Founder Julie Castro Abrams. The event will feature DJ Simmy, TSOWpod trivia, and unreleased clips from the premier podcast.

The State of: Women podcast will compare U.S. states championing women's rights to those that fall short. Gina and Kimberly have lively and solution-oriented conversations, share personal stories, and examine the differences in gender equity on important health, economic and legal issues state-by-state. The show will illuminate inequities in policy and practice and share how to take action and make a difference. The trailer to the podcast can be streamed here.

"Laughter is a powerful tool in driving change," said TSOWpod co-host and stand-up comedian Gina Brillon. "Kimberly and I hope this podcast will help people understand their state and country better, while also giving them a much-needed laugh."

The State of: Women is a new podcast with episodes airing every Tuesday, produced by Population Media Center, Clamor, and Reasonable Volume. The podcast will be available on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and anywhere podcasts are distributed. Conversations will dive into topics such as women in power, trans rights, workplace sexual harassment, reproductive freedom, and more.

"As a journalist (and human), it's nearly impossible not to find yourself deep in the current of a negative news cycle,'' said TSOWpod co-host Kimberly Brooks. "But it's also important to focus on the ways we can take care of ourselves so we have the energy and clarity to help make change in our communities. This podcast does a great job of bridging reality with education and hope."

During the podcast, Gina and Kimberly break down the states where gender rights are being protected, the states where progress is needed, and what needs to be done to achieve lasting gender equity nationally.

"With the reversal of Roe, it has never been clearer that equity is out of reach for millions of women, especially women of color, and that our rights are an uneven patchwork, unfairly determined by where you live," said Lisa Caruso, Population Media Center's Head of U.S. Content. "Thanks to the incredibly talented duo of Gina and Kimberly, The State of: Women will inform and inspire listeners to take action so that the fight for equity can continue."

Kimberly Brooks is a career journalist, speaker, and mental wellness advocate, whose voice of compassion and disarming personality has often allowed people to open up a bit farther, dig a bit deeper, or laugh a little louder. This has led to scores of moving interviews with people around the world — including a sit-down with her first television boss, Oprah Winfrey, in their documentary "O Girls" [fusion.tv]. After beginning her television journey at Harpo Productions, Kimberly produced at NBC, anchored at Fusion TV, and most recently was an anchor and correspondent for programs across ABC News including "ABC News Live" and "Nightline Weekend." Kimberly is a graduate of both Northwestern University and Columbia University in New York City, where she received her Masters in Journalism.

Gina Brillon was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. The Puerto Rican actress, comedian, writer, and mom has been a standup comic since she was 17 years old. Her sophomore 1-hour special Gina Brillon: The Floor is Lava (Amazon Prime Video) won a Gracie Award and was nominated for an Imagen Award. She's appeared on The View, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. You have seen her on Kevin Can Wait on CBS and The Conners on ABC. In 2012, she became the first (and only) Latina winner of NBC's Stand up for Diversity Showcase. The following year, she was a "New Face" at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. Gina and co-host Katherine G. Mendoza also dole out advice on their podcast Mess In Progress: The Homegirls Guide to Self-Help. Most recently, Gina was the first Latina comedian to be a Finalist in season 16 of America's Got Talent. She also stars in the 2023 Disney+ holiday comedy Dashing Through the Snow.

The State of: Women is created, produced, and distributed by Population Media Center (PMC), a global non-profit impact content producer. PMC develops and produces original entertainment content for social and environmental good. In the U.S., PMC's social impact entertainment (SIE) content also includes Crossing the Line, a podcast that tells stories from the frontline in the fight for reproductive freedom. PMC is most well-known in the U.S. for creating Hulu's hit TV series East Los High, which aired for five seasons and was nominated for six Emmy® awards, with an all-Latinx cast and diverse writers room ahead of Hollywood's diversity mandates. PMC makes shows that remake our world.

Reasonable Volume is an LA-based, bespoke audio production house specializing in podcasts and narrative audio. Its production partners and clients include Crooked Media, Clamor, Critical Frequency, Godfrey Dadich Partners, and LAist Studios. The team also produces flagship podcasts for Microsoft, WeTransfer, and Github, among others. The company is founded by two women with deep experience in narrative journalism—NPR veteran Elise Hu and WIRED Magazine alum Rachel Swaby. Its mission is to amplify marginalized voices and produce talent in the audio space.

SOURCE Population Media Center