October 23, 2025 • 46 mins
On this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby sit down with Kansas State Senator—and candidate for KS governor—Cindy Holscher to talk about leadership, equity, and the future of democracy. Holscher shares how her daughter inspired her to run for office, the lessons she’s learned working across the aisle, and why she believes collaboration beats outrage. The conversation covers livable wages, reproductive rights, and women’s representation in politics—plus her reaction to a shocking leak of racist messages from young Republican leaders. A sharp, hopeful reminder that local politics matter and every vote counts.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hey, what's up, everybody? It's your girl, Treka Foster Brasby.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
What's good, y'all? It's your girls.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Cheryl's swoops Hey, And this is a levels to this
the show where we talk about all the things that
women go through. And we really do have a great
show lined up for you today as we have a
very special guest who will be joining us.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
But first, what's going on, Cheryl? What's your week?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Man?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
How your week?
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Man?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Oh? My week was great.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I had to think about it, but you know what,
it's great because, like, I've actually been home for a
couple of weeks, and I am I hate that the
WS season's over, but I'm I've like really enjoyed being home. Yeah,
just to sleep in my own bed, get things done.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I'm cleaning out closets, taking stuff to.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Good will, being a grandma, like just you know all
the things that I love doing.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (01:19):
I know that about you because you you on cruises,
you come home, you're working, you're going on another cruise,
Like I only keep up with you on social media
because I never know where you are.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
That's so crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So I too, have been home for a couple of weeks,
and you know what I've done?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Sleep?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yes, Like yes, oh my god, yeah, And how good
is that?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I mean, my god, I didn't realize how much we
have missed each other because we don't get it.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
You have to introduce yourself. You have to reintroduce yourself.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Myself to sleep, like, hello, go to sleep, girls.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
That is so true.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I always laugh at like my niece and nephew they
want to stay up till two three in the morning
because they just, you know, feel like the world is
gonna change or something overnight, and they want to be
up late.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
And I'm just like, wow, Remember when I too used
to want to be up.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
All all the time because I just didn't afraid I
was gonna miss something. And now, honey, if I get
sleepy at ten fifteen, I'd be like, well, I'm going
to bed.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Even I'm going to be do you.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
You do know me how many I say it to
you said, I will.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Fall asleep wherever we are, and y'all be talking about
me not being in the streets.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
We don't need I need my sleep.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Because I am outside.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
When I am outside, but when I am at home,
when you die. When I'm inside, I will fall asleep
anywhere inside, kitchen, sable, couch, bed, office, I'm out. I'm
good like I'm home.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
But other than that, I've been preparing for my Halloween party.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Duh, How could I forget?
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Halloween's my favorite holid But guess what, I Am actually
going to be in Houston the week on Halloween. On Halloween,
I get to Houston on the twenty ninth of October.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Why what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (03:11):
So I am a delegate for the National PANELMIC Council
Leadership Conference, so I'll be representing my city, Hartford as
one of the delegates at this conference. The conference starts
on the thirtieth and it ends on November second, So
I get there Wednesday. The conference starts Thursday. So I
(03:34):
was trying to sneak in on you, but I'm like,
I can't sneak in on sure. Sure know when I'm
coming to a city, So Halloween. I got to find
something to do on Halloween, because I mean, I can't
help you, I know, I see, I want to ask
I want to ask you for that part.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
I want to ask you with that.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
But I'm so happy you're coming to the A I am.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
I am so I'm actually because you know I live
outside of Houston.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Yes, yet I will actually be.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
In Houston on the twenty night.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I don't know I'm speaking. I'm speaking at afro Tech.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Yes, because it's afro Tech weekend.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah yeah, yeah, I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I can't wait, I know.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
So.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Yeah, we will definitely have to connect on where we are.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
But because I will be gone for the actual weekend
of Halloween, that means I have to have my Halloween party.
This you do, Yeah, of course I do. So, you know,
talking to everybody's.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Got to bid you just not have a Halloween party.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
That's crazy?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
In what world? In what world? In what world? In
whose world? Better than that? Look, and I'll tell you
how bad I am.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
I'm so bad that I started putting up my inflatables,
like the inflatables in my yard already eighty oh yeah,
because I need them to be up, you know, get
in the spirit. And I started, Hey, what are so
I have like dual pumpkins? They like angry pumpkins. So
that's like a one side and then I have an arch.
I have like a ghost arch that's on like one side.
(05:10):
So when you walk the art, the walk the pathway
to my door, you have to go under the arch, and.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Then just have like Halloween music so.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
On the inside, like so I have. So I'm doing
a sores only event from five to eight.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
So from that we call it a wind down. So
we have a wind down.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Well, I like that and one of the activities that
we're doing because I always try to have some form
of self care or some type of activity at this event.
But I wanted to fit the theme, and so since this
is Halloween, the theme is letting go of fears. Whatever
it is that you're afraid of, whether it's a new job,
(05:52):
whether it's taking a new leap, like, whatever it is
you're afraid. We got to find a way to let
go of fears. But then after that we getting drunk.
So that's the part, let go of your fears and
then we're getting.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
I love that. I love that.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
But you talked about sleep and then you talked about
letting go of your fears, because honey, this country that
we're living in right.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Now, honey, this is a scary time.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
It's a scary time, and I don't know how many
people are able.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
To sleep through what we're going through right now.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
People are furloughed, and your president decides that he wants
to build a whole two hundred and fifty million dollar ballroom.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry number forty seven slash forty five,
depending on when.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
You came in.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
No, no, no, no, that that that individual has decided that
he wants to build a two hundred and fifty million
dollar ballroom on a house that he don't even really
belong to.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
That's not your house, sir, it's.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Not your house. It's not your house. It is the
people's house.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
It's yeah, it's it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever
seen or heard. That we're in a government shut down
and you're building shit.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
So wow.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
With that being said, yeah, we definitely have a guest
today who understands exactly where we're coming from, who knows
exactly what it means to have people that she has
to be responsible for and has done so for many
years in the state of Kansas, and so we are
excited today to be welcome me in.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Senator Cindy Holscher to the show.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Who I think is going to bring a wealth of knowledge,
but maybe some perspective to figure out how to deal
with the shit that women ain't just going through it.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Everybody going through it right now.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So without further ado, let's just go ahead and take
this to the next level.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
I am so excited to welcome in today, Senator Cindy Holscher.
She is a dedicated public servant representing the state of Kansas,
also a candidate for governor, and since first being elected
to the Kansas State Senate and twenty twenty, Senator Hulshore
has really been a strong advocate for education and health
care access and community safety. And we are just so
(08:25):
excited to have another strong woman joining our show today.
So without further ado, Senator who Shore, thank you so
much for joining us.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Oh, thank you so much for having me. I love
joining other strong women. So thank you, thank you, thank you.
I appreciate it. It's an honor to be here.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know, I have to give it her.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
That's not just for the customary welcome.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Yeah, yeah, so excited to have you join us on
the show.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yes, customarily for us to make sure that we give
a great, warm welcome to our guests. And before we
get into the nitty gritty, we know that you're representing
the state of Kansas. Not sure if you're a sports
fan or not, but Kansas Jayhawks.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Are always in the mix.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
They are approaching college basketball season. Are you rooting for
the team, what's going on? What can we expect?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
I am always rooting for any Kansas team, but the
Jayhawks do make it particularly exciting with their history of
wins and history of success. And I was thrilled to
be on the Senate floor a couple of years ago
when we honored the team and coach Sas.
Speaker 7 (09:30):
I mean, what a big day. They're just they're just
so impressive and awesome.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
I've always I'm always going to cheer for and congratulate
successful young people and that team.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
Like I said, they are.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Awesome every single time, every single time. You never can
count Kansas out anytime we're doing anything.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
So we had to get that out the way.
Speaker 7 (09:53):
That is important. That is very important, Tea.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
I have one more fun one before we get to
the serious stuff. I know you're always dealing with just
everything politics, so this one has zero to do with politics.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
So my question is this pineapple on pizza or.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
No, no, thank you god, thank you.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
No, it does not pineapple does not be so sorry,
thank you, senator.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
I can't do it. My daughter loves it. I can't
do it. But here's here's my kind of odd thing.
Pizza and milk.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Oh my god, you have the nerd to talk about
me and pep.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I just said, ill.
Speaker 7 (10:45):
To that's so delicious.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Ill Oh my goodness. But I'm just I'm not getting tea.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I ain't trying. I am not trying pizza and milk.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
No, I guess you know a lot of people will
do now.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
No, I don't know.
Speaker 7 (11:07):
I had melt with every meal, even pizza.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
That is that is interesting. I'm not gonna knocket.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
I still do it, and my family makes fun of me.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
It's okay, that's so funny. That's awesome. That is so funny.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Well, you know what, let's just go ahead and kind
of get into because there is so much going on.
It's kind of one of those moments where it's like
where do we even start because there's so many things
that make you want to generate what in the hell
is going on?
Speaker 4 (11:42):
What where is this place that we're living in?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
But I want to start with the ability that you
have to collaborate with so many different people. You've really
built a reputation for working across the aisles and co
founding a bipartisan women's caucus, and really this is a
time where it feels like politics is more divided than ever.
So what have you kind of learned about, you know,
(12:05):
how women leaders specifically can really bridge the gap and
bring people together to get things done.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Oh yeah, I mean I feel like women really just
take a different approach in terms of how we collaborate.
You know, we're very calm, We also multitask, we can
you know, we can sit down and get things started,
and I think that's part of it. Sometimes it's just
knowing where to start and bringing people on board.
Speaker 7 (12:29):
And you know, we know too that first you kind
of got to get.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Got to get some of those issues out in the
open first to then lower that resistance so then you
can move ahead and you know, really get into the
meat of fixing things and coming up with solutions. And
you know, we are we are slower to jump to
angry conclusions, I would say, and that is a huge help.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah, well, Senator, in your twenty twenty six Kids's governor campaign.
Everyone that you had in that video they call you
a fixer. I love that nickname. And then you also
say but also known as Sarah's mom. My question for
(13:15):
you is because people ask me all the time, like,
how did you get started playing basketball? What was it
that made you want to, you know, play basketball? What
made you want to get into politics?
Speaker 5 (13:29):
Well, okay, so I had been working at Sprint large
company here for several years. Took a few years off
to be home with my kids. They were very little.
I had three kids under the age of four, so
it was kind of nutty and crazy here.
Speaker 7 (13:44):
So it took a couple of years off to be
with them while they were little.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
And then when it came time to go back to
work was when all of this kind of transpired. And
you know, here's what's interesting. We came to the Kansas
Kansas City area, Kansas area because of the great schools
and the communities and to decide, Okay, this is where
we want to be to raise our family. And as
luck would have it, about the time our kids got
into school, things were aspiraling downward very fast.
Speaker 7 (14:11):
We were in what was called the brown Back experiment.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
The brown Back tax experiment at that time, it was
devastating our state budget. It was just another form of
trickle down economics honestly, but you know, marketing and packaged
a different way that it was supposed to really boost
our economy did not do that. So so, like I said,
about the time our kids got in school, things weren't
(14:33):
going so well. We were losing teachers, we didn't have supplies.
We had shower curtains for doors for some of our classrooms,
and wow, that's where this was going. So, like I said,
you know, I was seeing the situation. Actually joined up
with a group of advocates and walked to Topeka from
(14:54):
Shawnee to Topeka twice. I mean it's a sixty mile walk,
but we did that to draw attention to the funding issues. So,
like I said, I was very aware of what was
going on. And then one weekend, my daughter Sarah and
I Sarah was twelve, we went into Target on the
weekend just to pick up a few things and we
saw one of her teachers there working stocking shelves.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Wow, I had to have another job.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
Yeah, yes, yeah, And.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
That part is in the video right, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
And Sarah said to me, why is my teacher here
working on the weekend after being at school all week.
I know she's got a family, and I told her, so,
we're in a huge budget crisis. She probably hasn't gotten
a raisin a while, and she's working two jobs to
pay her bills.
Speaker 7 (15:42):
And I kid you not. She looked at me and
she said, you go fix that. That's wrong.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
It was your daughter, and that challenged you to go
and be the fixer. Wow.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
And you know, as I stood there in Target and
I've told you to go fix this a huge situation, situation,
you know, I just started thinking, you know, we were
in quite a situation that kind of similar to what
we are now, where there have been a lot of
extremists really uh, you know, pushing forward an agenda that
(16:17):
didn't fit in with most Kansons.
Speaker 7 (16:19):
And I started thinking about it. I was like, you know,
it's going to.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Take reasonable people stepping forward to make a difference. And
as it turned out, my own representative at the time
was leading the charge on defunding our schools and really
moving and spearheading all of these efforts.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Wow.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
So that seemed like a good place to start.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
So there were there were three things in there that
you said that I got a touch on.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Number one, you mentioned working at Sprint.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
All of our listeners who are born after two thousand
are going to.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Be what a Sprint? I still love Sprints.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
That was funny.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That's when we had the phone that like Chirk and
I was like, oh, you've got spread.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
So there was that.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
The second thing that you mentioned is education, right, just
the way that this country has continued to spiral downward
as it relates to prioritizing our education those who are
our educators, and the way that funding for education is funneled.
(17:26):
It's like there there seems to just I can't put
my finger on how we're losing the receipts of how
important that is. But the third thing that you touched
on is also economic security right. And it's so funny
because I was literally just posting on Twitter earlier about
how this week I went to Walmart and I literally
spent one hundred and eighty nine dollars.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
That was Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Today is Friday, and I'm opening up my refrigerator and
I'm like, what did I buy?
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Like what it feels like I bought nothing?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Like That's like it just went anywhere, And so I
think it's not just me, it's not just you, it's
not others, But it's just so many women that are
just continuing to try to figure out how do we
juggle the rising costs in groceries, in child cares, and
being in careers that just don't always pay fairly. So
from your perspective, what do you think you know needs
(18:17):
to happen, Whether it's at a state level, whether it's
at a national level, but how do we truly find
a way to support women's economic mobility and family stability
in today's day and age.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Oh yeah, I mean I have been pushing for livable
wages and I will keep pushing for livable wages because
I mean, I don't have a problem with CEOs making
a lot of money, per se. I have a huge problem, though,
with them making a lot of money while they're exploiting
their workers.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
And that's often women.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Yeah, and it's often men too, but a lot of women,
and I have a huge issue with that. So, you know,
I'm going to keep pushing for livable wages, you know,
raising our minimum wage, h and also looking for.
Speaker 7 (19:02):
Ways to improve the situation.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
We have a housing crisis here in Kansas, and you know,
across parts of the nation, we have issues with access
to affordable childcare as well as ish access to affordable
health care, and that always affects women more disproportionately than men.
Speaker 7 (19:22):
So, like I said, I'm going to keep pushing on
those issues.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
When we entered the brown Back tax experiment, I was
part of, I was a co founder of the Women's
bypars And Caucus that ended the experiment. We pushed women,
pushed to ensure that there were tax credits there for childcare.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
And I mean, there.
Speaker 5 (19:38):
Were certain things that we held out on that we
said had to be in there. And like I said,
I'm going to keep pushing for those things because that's
important because again, women are always, it seems disproportionate affected
by this.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Yeah. And speaking of health care, I want to go there. Healthcare,
reproductive rights. Health care continues to be a defining issue
for women, whether that's reproductive care.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Maternal health, mental health.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
In your opinion, how do you see the path forward
for protecting women's health rights while finding policies that can
actually pass intoday's divided Congress?
Speaker 4 (20:22):
And I'm putting that nicely super divided.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
Yeah, We've got to do a better job when I
say we Democrats other advocates of making sure that people
we got to help them connect the dots.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
And here's what I'll tell you.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Back in August twenty twenty two, we had the Reproductive
health Care Valid Initiative. That was what the far right
Republicans had pushed to try to do away with abortion
access and all forms of reproductive health care associated with that.
Speaker 7 (20:53):
And here's what happened. We had a huge turnout for
that election, and that amendment failed. I think overwhelmingly about
sixty percent people turned out, men, women.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
But here's what happened just a few months later than
in November. The number of people who showed up to vote.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
Drop by thirty percent in some areas.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
And what that meant was that the very representatives and
senators who put that ballot initiative or put that initiative
on the ballot got elected back to office by and large. So,
like I said, we just have to do, in terms
of our messaging, a better job of helping voters connect
the dots between Okay, you know, state level, these are
(21:35):
people that are making decisions about your healthcare, about your roads,
your you know, your tax base and are trying to
strip away voting rights.
Speaker 7 (21:45):
So I know, and here's the thing, like, I know,
people generally.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Get more excited about the presidential election or you know,
the congressional elections. You know, we're trying to bring more
focus and I'm working on this really hard to draw
attention to the state level those races, because again, those
are so many of the decisions are made that affect.
Speaker 7 (22:03):
People's day to day life.
Speaker 5 (22:05):
And so that thirty percent that didn't come back, I mean,
to me, that's an area that we have to focus on.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
And I will say this.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
You know, often they're working parents, or you know, they're
shoving their kids to soccer, or you know, they're working
two or three jobs. And so what I'm telling people
too is like, you know, we as just regular citizens
have more power and influence than we realize. And what
I'm talking about is, you know, over the past couple
of decades, we've lived under this kind of unwritten rule
(22:35):
if you don't talk religion, you don't talk politics.
Speaker 7 (22:39):
And look where we.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
Are, yeah, yeah, because one.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Side certainly has been talking politics.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Yeah, and we're behind Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
And you know what I believe, if I'm not mistaken
Kansas was one of the states that actually passed the
amendment to continue to make things like abortion legal in
your state, and your Supreme Court reaffirmed that last year.
So it's one of those things where it's like, somebody's
got to start to change, right, Someone's got to stand
up for people.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
And I love to see that.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
You know, people in the state of Kansas are understanding
the importance of midterm elections, who's sitting as your representatives
and who's sitting in these different seats, because we have
a million people that turn out to vote every four
years for the President of the United States, and the
way that the numbers continue to fall off for midterm
elections and mayoral elections, and it's like, I don't know
(23:33):
what we need to do to get folks to understand
the importance of those more close knit elections, the people
who really have an ability to legislate for you and
that will affect.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
Your every day versus the larger thing.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
I don't know who we got to do, but we've
got to do something, And go ahead.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
I'm sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
No, I don't know what we have to do either.
But what I was going to say is, first.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Of all, local elections are very very very very important,
and so to your point, I think so many times
people are like, Eh, my vote doesn't matter, my vote
doesn't count. So when you ask the question what we
have to do, I think all we have to do
is look at where we are right now in this country.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Yea, And yes, your vote does matter.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
Does matter absolutely.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
One thing that you mentioned, Senator Holscher is people talking
because you know what you right, right, Like, we grew
up in my household. Well, I guess my household isn't
necessarily the best example, because we talked about everything at
the dinner table, right, Probably some stuff we shouldn't have
been talking about.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
We were talking about.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
But it's like, wait a minute, this is not appropriate
conversations and dinner. But it was like an unwritten rule
that it was like, you don't talk about religion, you
don't talk about politics, you don't talk about money.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Yep, Like we don't talk about what and how much
in all of those things. And you mentioned that.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
There are those on the other side of the owl
who do have these conversations and that's how they are
raising future leaders. But here recently there was a release
of some ELK text messages from the young Republicans future
leaders of the I mean, that's a societ to be
(25:22):
yet to be determined. But the seriousness of the things
that were stated in those messaging talking about and I
won't go into everything in every detail, but for our
listeners who are unfamiliar, some of the messages contain things like,
you know, everyone that votes know should go to the
gash chamber and calling black people water millon people, and
(25:46):
someone else talked about how much they love Hitler and
Hitler aesthetics and things of that nature, and so double
sided question here number one is how disturbed were you
when you saw these messages? And then the second part
of that is how disturbing is it to know that
these are people who could potentially be leaders, senators, representatives,
(26:11):
and even president right like that these could be the
future leaders of our country.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
That's horrifying. I mean, I just.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
I can't quite put it all into words. How I
mean vile and horrible it is and how I mean
it just it felt like such a hard hit in
terms of you know, what was in those messages. And
let me say this, I am just so I mean,
I'm just so extremely sorry that there are people out
there who feel that way, and I feel I hate
(26:45):
the way that this must make my peers of color
feel to know that they are you know, and sure
you know, of course, you know, we've always kind of
suspected or you know, you always have these inklings into
were some people's attitude are and their perception and everything.
But yet to know that, yes, this, this type of
(27:08):
language came from from a group that really is a
pipeline to leadership.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
I mean, I'll be very clear about that. These are
not kids. I mean, yes, these are twenty thirty, you know,
and are forty.
Speaker 7 (27:21):
These are adults.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
They knew exactly what they were saying, and like I said,
it just is so shameful and I hate what, like
I said, how this must make my peers of color feel,
knowing that they're in the midst of this. Uh, in
terms of people in leadership roles with these attitudes and
(27:43):
again you know, you know, and not only like.
Speaker 7 (27:46):
I say, is this the pipeline of leadership.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
These are individuals who have jobs for some of you know,
the GOP leaders.
Speaker 7 (27:53):
Yeah, so again not kids.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
And you know, if you want to, you want to
look at this, I mean, these.
Speaker 7 (27:59):
Are people being groomed for leadership. But they're being groomed
and hate as well. Yes, yes, and that part stands
so badly.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
The hate part is the part that bugs me the
wrong way because this is to me and I'll let
you go, Cheryl, But to me, the thing that bothers
me the most is there are so many conversations about
people asking, you know, how are we so divided politically?
And in my head, I'm like, well, there's always been,
you know, people who have different political views that will
never change. Political views aren't actually the end of the world.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I mean, it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
We have different views on food, We've got different views
on clothes. To have different views on politics is not uncommon,
and I mean that's happened for since the beginning of time, right,
But the problem is that there are these moral character
human rights differences, and that is the problem. You and
I can disagree on what text cuts make sense. You
(28:53):
and I can disagree on you know, what conservativism is
versus what progressivism is.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
We can deg disagree with all of that.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
I can't agree with someone regardless of what party you
affiliate with, if you are a bigot, if you are
a racist, if you are misogynistic. If you believe that
my existence as a black woman is null and void
simply because.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
You believe that.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Like that is that is the divide. It's not the politics.
It's the basic human rights and moral values that divides us.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
But go ahead, shryl Well.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
I was just going to add on to something that
Senator said. When when you have the vice president, right
jd Vance basically say oh, they're just kids. To your point,
first of all, no, they're not kids. But then when
you have the vice president, he didn't denounce it. He's
(29:51):
making excuses for them. And so I I don't know
how we change the political conversation or the rhetoric when
we have the president the vice president basically then oh,
they're just kids, it's okay, Like Senator in your opinion,
(30:14):
to me, that's just empowering not only the young Republicans
but anyone else who sees that and says, oh, well,
we can do whatever we want to do. Like what
goes through your mind when you hear the vice president
of the United States basically blow it off like it's
no big deal.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
The rock starts at the top. I guess this is
what costs through my mind.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
I mean, yeahah, people in power and you know, vice president.
Speaker 7 (30:43):
As well as president spewing hate.
Speaker 5 (30:46):
Yeah, And like I said, that goes on down and
then you're at the state level, people in positions of
power that.
Speaker 7 (30:55):
Put those you know, put viol remarks out there.
Speaker 5 (30:57):
But yeah, I mean, yeah, the rock starts at the
top is what goes through my mind.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Without question.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Yeah, for sure, staying kind of in that, but a
little bit differently. We talk, you know, briefly, and I
kind of just mentioned a moment ago about like this
whole thing with DEI.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
People are so funny when you mentioned DEI.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
It's like they're using it as a derogatory term, and
I just don't understand it. And I kind of got
this from my girl Joy and read She's like, well,
she says, she asked people it's funny, but it's true.
She says, she asked people often, well, what about DEEI
don't you like is the diversity, the equity or the inclusion?
Speaker 4 (31:34):
And I always find that.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
To be funny, Like what about that specifically don't you
not agree with? But I say that to say, you know, again,
this is a podcast where we continually talk about the
issues that affect women and women of color, working moms,
young women. We're still underrepresented it in government and policymaking spaces.
You know, what do you think it will take to
(31:58):
maybe not just bring more women to the tape, but
to really ensure that they're empowered once they get there. Especially, say,
if you were elected as governor, I.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
Think then you know it is very much up to
me to bring good people with me. And that's what
I've always done and always worked toward. You know, starting
out on the House level, what I ran for election
twenty sixteen, that right away that next election cycle, I
got busy recruiting people specifically, working to recruit minority women,
(32:29):
you know, minorities in general, women because I want diversity
in our government, and working to bring on young people.
I mean, when you look at the age of the
legislature too, I mean that's not representative of our democracy.
So you know, one of the things I did is
I worked on getting some changes made in terms of
(32:50):
campaign finance. When I first ran, my kids were pretty
small then and I could use campaign funds to buy supplies,
but I couldn't use it for childcare to make sure
my kids were safe. As I was out there working
and doing the things I needed to do. So I
put together a petition. I put together a document, and
I petitioned the campaign finance people to.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
Allow that to happen. And it took a little while,
but it did so now moving.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
It was a little too late for me and my kids,
but that's okay because the.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Main thing is I want to bring more people with me.
Speaker 5 (33:23):
So now it has been changed that people can use
campaign funds for childcare needs, you know, when they're campaigning
running for office, and you know, that's one step in
the direction of being able to bring more people on
board that are younger and potentially more diverse. But like
I said, every step along the way, every time there's
been an election cycle, I'm going to work to recruit
(33:43):
people that are diverse, and I'm going to do what
I can to try to bring them into office.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
We definitely need more people like you running.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Shit.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
Sorry I did say it.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
We do.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Not say it.
Speaker 7 (34:01):
I just wait for.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
I want to know. I got you.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I got you.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Have been keeping it real, PG, we have we have
a good job.
Speaker 5 (34:17):
I mean my dad, my dad's a marine veteran. He
was a construction worker, your labor. So there's a lot
of work. You should have said that in the beginning,
describe what's going on.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
Every know, we probably should have made this career from
the start.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
We're not going to keep you much longer. But I
so every day I wake up and I have to.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Monitor how much I'm on social media, how much I'm
watching the news, because the things that are going on
in this country just just isn't the America, I know, right.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
My I question for you, and.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
Maybe it's giving someone hope or some advice when you
see all the things that are going on with the
president sending national guard to you know, these democratic states
and cities, and just all the horrific things that are
going on, Like, give us some words of encouragement. Like
(35:23):
there are days where I'm like, I just need somebody
to tell me something positive out of all the negative
stuff that's going on in this country right now. And
I don't know, what would you say to someone who's like,
I can't, I can't keep doing this.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
No.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
I get that it's heavy and it's overwhelming. There's so
many different things. So you know, I read something a
couple of weeks ago that really resonated with me. You know,
it was something to the fact of you know, it's
not over yet.
Speaker 7 (35:54):
We do still have our democracy.
Speaker 5 (35:57):
You know, if it were over, it would look totally,
it would look even different than this and worse than this.
Speaker 7 (36:04):
So it's not over yet.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
And what that means is we got to get busy
now in terms of what we're doing. And and I
encourage people even to think, Okay, you know, what's your
line in terms of you know, what are you going
to do to try to make a difference. You know,
people are protesting, which I think is important that you know,
showing up for events and protesting.
Speaker 7 (36:28):
That solidarity builds courage.
Speaker 5 (36:30):
And then let your neighbors know that they're not alone
because there's always people sitting at home on the couch
going I think I'm the only one who who feels
this way. You let them know that's not true when
you get up and you take action. But you know,
the other thing I think about, too, is what are
those practical things that you can do in terms of
making a difference in this next election. You know, I'm
(36:50):
encouraging people to be precing people in our in our
districts here in Kansas. You know, again, talking to your
friends and neighbors, so small conversation. And when I say
talk politics, I'm not saying that you got to go
out and talk about abortion or going or things like that. Yeah,
you know, talk about those things that matter to everybody.
Our schools, our roads, our highways, voting rights matter to
(37:14):
a lot of people.
Speaker 7 (37:15):
So, like I said, you know, those are the.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
Conversations that we need to be having with people and
laying them though. It's all at stake. So like I said,
you know, that's how I look at We've got what
I can't remember how many days now until the midterms.
But what you know, I think about that, can I
reach five more people every day?
Speaker 7 (37:35):
I reach ten more people?
Speaker 5 (37:36):
And you know, obviously I'm in a little different position
where I'm reaching out to a lot, but you know,
can regular people reach out to two people a day?
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (37:44):
And back to the point of voting doesn't make a
difference on these statewide elections for our legislators like here
in Kansas, and this happens across the nation.
Speaker 7 (37:54):
Sometimes there are de side of my ten votes.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Yeah, I mean, yeah.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
Your vote makes a difference. You know, friends, get them
to go vote. Yeah, I mean, that's where that's where
our power is.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
It's a great point.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Yeah, No, that's that's an incredible point that you're making,
Like on a state level, sometimes that one or two
people who decided not to turn out to vote could
have literally shifted the direction of the election. So it
is just so important that we continue to encourage people
to exercise your right to vote.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
Just do it.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Just get out and do it. Educate yourself as much
as you can so that you can do it. And
you know, I'm trying to go and visit my mom
for I'm from Michigan, originally born and raised in Detroit,
and I'm trying to go and visit my mom for Thanksgiving,
you guys, And the flights are seven hundred plus dollars.
I have never paid seven hundred dollars to go to
(38:47):
Detroit in my life. And something is telling me that
part of the reason flights are so expensive right now
may play a part with this damn government shut down
which is now on day seventeen. Yeah, and there are
a lot of American senator that are suffering right now
due to the shutdown. Either people have lost their jobs,
(39:07):
they are furloughed, or just you know, basic things. And
I know on the state level, every you guys, are
also affected just from different funding and different projects. I
have a friend who works in nonprofit who no longer
has a job because there's no longer any funding coming
from the department, so that that funded her nonprofit, and
(39:28):
that's in the state of New Jersey. Just you know,
what are your thoughts or or shall I say, do
you have any advice?
Speaker 4 (39:36):
What can these people do?
Speaker 2 (39:38):
What should they be thinking about doing to get the
government reopened?
Speaker 4 (39:42):
If anything? Like what's going on?
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Okay, I mean, don't underestimate the effect again of showing
up and reaching out because and here's why I mentioned this,
elected officials, if they're doing things that aren't in line
with the American people, they prefer that you're not watching.
So if you aren't reaching out and you aren't making
a little noise, then they kind of feel like they're
(40:06):
fine to move forward because they're not going to get
held accountable. When they start to feel like they're going
to be that they're being watched, that there's a chance
they'll be held accountable in the next election, then we
see change. And I mean I think back to you know,
when protests first started back in April, the hands off
protests started happening and the focus on a lot of
those was Elon Musk at that point and the things
(40:29):
he was doing. But people even here in Kansas were
showing up and protesting at the capitol and across the state.
And guess what you know, a couple of months later,
Elon Musk kind of was moved off the stage.
Speaker 4 (40:42):
Mm hmmm hm.
Speaker 5 (40:44):
Now there's probably other people doing horrible things in the government,
but the government saw we were paying attention and noticed
what was going on.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
True, very true, very true, And I love that. That's
such a great point. We just have to stay sticks
and we have to stay paying attention. I think that's
probably the overall overarching theme of this conversation, is that
we have to continue to pay attention and let them
know that we're paying attention.
Speaker 4 (41:13):
That's how we get things done.
Speaker 5 (41:16):
Yeah, and I will say too, I mean, obviously, you know,
sometimes you can find ways too to make an impact,
you know, economically. I think that talks to a lot
of these companies and a lot of these leaders when
you know, when there are voycotts or different things done.
Speaker 7 (41:31):
Uh, and it starts hitting out of the pocket book.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Yep, yeah, sure, do one hundred percent agree. Well, Senator
We really appreciate you pulling up, keeping it real with
us about what it actually takes to keep things moving
and keep things moving forward just for everyone, for women, families, communities.
You've been doing this work for a long time and
it does show and we appreciate you. But before we
(41:54):
wrap and get you out of here, we just want
people who are listening who want to stay connected with you.
We have listeners in this thinking of Kansas who may
want to support what it is that you're building, in
what you're doing.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
How can they get involved? How can they reach out
to you?
Speaker 3 (42:07):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (42:07):
Yeah, you can go right to the website Cindy for
Kansas dot com, all spelled out c I N D
Y f O R K A N S A S
dot com. I'm on Act Blue in terms of donations,
but yeah, reach out every week. We're happy to welcome aboard,
more volunteers, more people who support this campaign as we
(42:29):
move forward to make a big difference here in Kansas.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
I love that. Thank you so much, senator, and here
we go best.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Thank you so much, Thank you for coming on.
Speaker 7 (42:41):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (42:56):
Such an incredible conversation with Cindy. Uh, it was just
great to get the perspective of someone who's literally in
the trenches doing the work, and also just another woman
that she's trying to continue to lead in the way
that we hope people can understand that women can lead.
You know, they didn't seem to understand the assignment in
November of twenty twenty four about how a woman can lead.
(43:19):
So hopefully the state of Kansas can see what they
have in front of them with Senator Cindy Holscher and
make and make a wise decision, whatever decision that may
be for them.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Yeah, just to get a different perspective.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
Right, She's in politics, so she knows things, sees things.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Here's things that we don't.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
But just to get her perspective, to hear her voice
on a lot of different issues was so incredibly good
to have her. I loved everything she said, but I
particularly loved her story on how she got involved in politics.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
A great kids, a way of motivating people to do
things that never you probably never thought was possible. And
when she said, you know you got to fix it,
well that's that's exactly what you do. You find a
way to fix it. I hear you, I hear you,
I understand, I understood love it.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
And she's and she's still fixing.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
It and still is doing her best right, So much
luck to her on upcoming elections and we'll check in
with her to see if she is the next governor
of the state of Kansas. But with Zach Cheryl, it
is that time where we have you level us on up.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
This one's simple, you know, just giving the conversation we had,
the climate we're living in, I know.
Speaker 3 (44:45):
There's just there's there's just fear right that's.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
Probably running through if you live in this country, you're
fearful of something. I just want to say to everybody
found this and it just says hope is.
Speaker 3 (45:00):
The only thing stronger than fear.
Speaker 4 (45:06):
So yah, that is so good.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Listen, hang in there, don't quit, don't give up. I
know what's to say. Keep hope alive, Like, seriously, keep
hope alive.
Speaker 4 (45:16):
Yes, because we need it.
Speaker 2 (45:18):
It's the only thing greater than heere. I absolutely love that. Well, guys,
thank you guys so much for listening to levels to this.
We are definitely going to be back next week with
more next level conversations, just talking about the real shit
that we go through as women. But remember, guys, this
isn't just our show. It's our show, so we want
(45:38):
to hear from you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts,
Email us at Levels to This Podcast at gmail dot com,
tell us what you thought of this week's show and
what you might want to talk about next, and you
know you can always follow us on Instagram at ltt pod.
So until then, keep your mentals ground level and we
will be back next week.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
Thanks. Listen to Levels to This on America's number one
podcast network, iHeart open your free iHeart app and search
Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tureka Foster Brasbee
and start listening
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hey, what's up, everybody? It's your girl, Treka Foster Brasby.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
What's good, y'all? It's your girls.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Cheryl's swoops Hey, And this is a levels to this
the show where we talk about all the things that
women go through. And we really do have a great
show lined up for you today as we have a
very special guest who will be joining us.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
But first, what's going on, Cheryl? What's your week?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Man?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
How your week?
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Man?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Oh? My week was great.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I had to think about it, but you know what,
it's great because, like, I've actually been home for a
couple of weeks, and I am I hate that the
WS season's over, but I'm I've like really enjoyed being home. Yeah,
just to sleep in my own bed, get things done.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I'm cleaning out closets, taking stuff to.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Good will, being a grandma, like just you know all
the things that I love doing.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (01:19):
I know that about you because you you on cruises,
you come home, you're working, you're going on another cruise,
Like I only keep up with you on social media
because I never know where you are.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
That's so crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So I too, have been home for a couple of weeks,
and you know what I've done?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Sleep?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yes, Like yes, oh my god, yeah, And how good
is that?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I mean, my god, I didn't realize how much we
have missed each other because we don't get it.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
You have to introduce yourself. You have to reintroduce yourself.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Myself to sleep, like, hello, go to sleep, girls.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
That is so true.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I always laugh at like my niece and nephew they
want to stay up till two three in the morning
because they just, you know, feel like the world is
gonna change or something overnight, and they want to be
up late.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
And I'm just like, wow, Remember when I too used
to want to be up.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
All all the time because I just didn't afraid I
was gonna miss something. And now, honey, if I get
sleepy at ten fifteen, I'd be like, well, I'm going
to bed.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Even I'm going to be do you.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
You do know me how many I say it to
you said, I will.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Fall asleep wherever we are, and y'all be talking about
me not being in the streets.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
We don't need I need my sleep.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
Because I am outside.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
When I am outside, but when I am at home,
when you die. When I'm inside, I will fall asleep
anywhere inside, kitchen, sable, couch, bed, office, I'm out. I'm
good like I'm home.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
But other than that, I've been preparing for my Halloween party.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Duh, How could I forget?
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Halloween's my favorite holid But guess what, I Am actually
going to be in Houston the week on Halloween. On Halloween,
I get to Houston on the twenty ninth of October.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Why what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (03:11):
So I am a delegate for the National PANELMIC Council
Leadership Conference, so I'll be representing my city, Hartford as
one of the delegates at this conference. The conference starts
on the thirtieth and it ends on November second, So
I get there Wednesday. The conference starts Thursday. So I
(03:34):
was trying to sneak in on you, but I'm like,
I can't sneak in on sure. Sure know when I'm
coming to a city, So Halloween. I got to find
something to do on Halloween, because I mean, I can't
help you, I know, I see, I want to ask
I want to ask you for that part.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
I want to ask you with that.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
But I'm so happy you're coming to the A I am.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
I am so I'm actually because you know I live
outside of Houston.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Yes, yet I will actually be.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
In Houston on the twenty night.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I don't know I'm speaking. I'm speaking at afro Tech.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Yes, because it's afro Tech weekend.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah yeah, yeah, I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I can't wait, I know.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
So.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Yeah, we will definitely have to connect on where we are.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
But because I will be gone for the actual weekend
of Halloween, that means I have to have my Halloween party.
This you do, Yeah, of course I do. So, you know,
talking to everybody's.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Got to bid you just not have a Halloween party.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
That's crazy?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
In what world? In what world? In what world? In
whose world? Better than that? Look, and I'll tell you
how bad I am.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
I'm so bad that I started putting up my inflatables,
like the inflatables in my yard already eighty oh yeah,
because I need them to be up, you know, get
in the spirit. And I started, Hey, what are so
I have like dual pumpkins? They like angry pumpkins. So
that's like a one side and then I have an arch.
I have like a ghost arch that's on like one side.
(05:10):
So when you walk the art, the walk the pathway
to my door, you have to go under the arch, and.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Then just have like Halloween music so.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
On the inside, like so I have. So I'm doing
a sores only event from five to eight.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
So from that we call it a wind down. So
we have a wind down.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Well, I like that and one of the activities that
we're doing because I always try to have some form
of self care or some type of activity at this event.
But I wanted to fit the theme, and so since this
is Halloween, the theme is letting go of fears. Whatever
it is that you're afraid of, whether it's a new job,
(05:52):
whether it's taking a new leap, like, whatever it is
you're afraid. We got to find a way to let
go of fears. But then after that we getting drunk.
So that's the part, let go of your fears and
then we're getting.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
I love that. I love that.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
But you talked about sleep and then you talked about
letting go of your fears, because honey, this country that
we're living in right.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Now, honey, this is a scary time.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
It's a scary time, and I don't know how many
people are able.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
To sleep through what we're going through right now.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
People are furloughed, and your president decides that he wants
to build a whole two hundred and fifty million dollar ballroom.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry number forty seven slash forty five,
depending on when.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
You came in.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
No, no, no, no, that that that individual has decided that
he wants to build a two hundred and fifty million
dollar ballroom on a house that he don't even really
belong to.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
That's not your house, sir, it's.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Not your house. It's not your house. It is the
people's house.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
It's yeah, it's it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever
seen or heard. That we're in a government shut down
and you're building shit.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
So wow.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
With that being said, yeah, we definitely have a guest
today who understands exactly where we're coming from, who knows
exactly what it means to have people that she has
to be responsible for and has done so for many
years in the state of Kansas, and so we are
excited today to be welcome me in.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Senator Cindy Holscher to the show.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Who I think is going to bring a wealth of knowledge,
but maybe some perspective to figure out how to deal
with the shit that women ain't just going through it.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Everybody going through it right now.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So without further ado, let's just go ahead and take
this to the next level.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
I am so excited to welcome in today, Senator Cindy Holscher.
She is a dedicated public servant representing the state of Kansas,
also a candidate for governor, and since first being elected
to the Kansas State Senate and twenty twenty, Senator Hulshore
has really been a strong advocate for education and health
care access and community safety. And we are just so
(08:25):
excited to have another strong woman joining our show today.
So without further ado, Senator who Shore, thank you so
much for joining us.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Oh, thank you so much for having me. I love
joining other strong women. So thank you, thank you, thank you.
I appreciate it. It's an honor to be here.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know, I have to give it her.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
That's not just for the customary welcome.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Yeah, yeah, so excited to have you join us on
the show.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yes, customarily for us to make sure that we give
a great, warm welcome to our guests. And before we
get into the nitty gritty, we know that you're representing
the state of Kansas. Not sure if you're a sports
fan or not, but Kansas Jayhawks.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Are always in the mix.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
They are approaching college basketball season. Are you rooting for
the team, what's going on? What can we expect?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (09:15):
I am always rooting for any Kansas team, but the
Jayhawks do make it particularly exciting with their history of
wins and history of success. And I was thrilled to
be on the Senate floor a couple of years ago
when we honored the team and coach Sas.
Speaker 7 (09:30):
I mean, what a big day. They're just they're just
so impressive and awesome.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
I've always I'm always going to cheer for and congratulate
successful young people and that team.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
Like I said, they are.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Awesome every single time, every single time. You never can
count Kansas out anytime we're doing anything.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
So we had to get that out the way.
Speaker 7 (09:53):
That is important. That is very important, Tea.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
I have one more fun one before we get to
the serious stuff. I know you're always dealing with just
everything politics, so this one has zero to do with politics.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
So my question is this pineapple on pizza or.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
No, no, thank you god, thank you.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
No, it does not pineapple does not be so sorry,
thank you, senator.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
I can't do it. My daughter loves it. I can't
do it. But here's here's my kind of odd thing.
Pizza and milk.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Oh my god, you have the nerd to talk about
me and pep.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I just said, ill.
Speaker 7 (10:45):
To that's so delicious.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Ill Oh my goodness. But I'm just I'm not getting tea.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I ain't trying. I am not trying pizza and milk.
Speaker 7 (10:57):
No, I guess you know a lot of people will
do now.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
No, I don't know.
Speaker 7 (11:07):
I had melt with every meal, even pizza.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
That is that is interesting. I'm not gonna knocket.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
I still do it, and my family makes fun of me.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
It's okay, that's so funny. That's awesome. That is so funny.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Well, you know what, let's just go ahead and kind
of get into because there is so much going on.
It's kind of one of those moments where it's like
where do we even start because there's so many things
that make you want to generate what in the hell
is going on?
Speaker 4 (11:42):
What where is this place that we're living in?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
But I want to start with the ability that you
have to collaborate with so many different people. You've really
built a reputation for working across the aisles and co
founding a bipartisan women's caucus, and really this is a
time where it feels like politics is more divided than ever.
So what have you kind of learned about, you know,
(12:05):
how women leaders specifically can really bridge the gap and
bring people together to get things done.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Oh yeah, I mean I feel like women really just
take a different approach in terms of how we collaborate.
You know, we're very calm, We also multitask, we can
you know, we can sit down and get things started,
and I think that's part of it. Sometimes it's just
knowing where to start and bringing people on board.
Speaker 7 (12:29):
And you know, we know too that first you kind
of got to get.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
Got to get some of those issues out in the
open first to then lower that resistance so then you
can move ahead and you know, really get into the
meat of fixing things and coming up with solutions. And
you know, we are we are slower to jump to
angry conclusions, I would say, and that is a huge help.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah, well, Senator, in your twenty twenty six Kids's governor campaign.
Everyone that you had in that video they call you
a fixer. I love that nickname. And then you also
say but also known as Sarah's mom. My question for
(13:15):
you is because people ask me all the time, like,
how did you get started playing basketball? What was it
that made you want to, you know, play basketball? What
made you want to get into politics?
Speaker 5 (13:29):
Well, okay, so I had been working at Sprint large
company here for several years. Took a few years off
to be home with my kids. They were very little.
I had three kids under the age of four, so
it was kind of nutty and crazy here.
Speaker 7 (13:44):
So it took a couple of years off to be
with them while they were little.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
And then when it came time to go back to
work was when all of this kind of transpired. And
you know, here's what's interesting. We came to the Kansas
Kansas City area, Kansas area because of the great schools
and the communities and to decide, Okay, this is where
we want to be to raise our family. And as
luck would have it, about the time our kids got
into school, things were aspiraling downward very fast.
Speaker 7 (14:11):
We were in what was called the brown Back experiment.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
The brown Back tax experiment at that time, it was
devastating our state budget. It was just another form of
trickle down economics honestly, but you know, marketing and packaged
a different way that it was supposed to really boost
our economy did not do that. So so, like I said,
about the time our kids got in school, things weren't
(14:33):
going so well. We were losing teachers, we didn't have supplies.
We had shower curtains for doors for some of our classrooms,
and wow, that's where this was going. So, like I said,
you know, I was seeing the situation. Actually joined up
with a group of advocates and walked to Topeka from
(14:54):
Shawnee to Topeka twice. I mean it's a sixty mile walk,
but we did that to draw attention to the funding issues. So,
like I said, I was very aware of what was
going on. And then one weekend, my daughter Sarah and
I Sarah was twelve, we went into Target on the
weekend just to pick up a few things and we
saw one of her teachers there working stocking shelves.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Wow, I had to have another job.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
Yeah, yes, yeah, And.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
That part is in the video right, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
And Sarah said to me, why is my teacher here
working on the weekend after being at school all week.
I know she's got a family, and I told her, so,
we're in a huge budget crisis. She probably hasn't gotten
a raisin a while, and she's working two jobs to
pay her bills.
Speaker 7 (15:42):
And I kid you not. She looked at me and
she said, you go fix that. That's wrong.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
It was your daughter, and that challenged you to go
and be the fixer. Wow.
Speaker 7 (15:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:56):
And you know, as I stood there in Target and
I've told you to go fix this a huge situation, situation,
you know, I just started thinking, you know, we were
in quite a situation that kind of similar to what
we are now, where there have been a lot of
extremists really uh, you know, pushing forward an agenda that
(16:17):
didn't fit in with most Kansons.
Speaker 7 (16:19):
And I started thinking about it. I was like, you know,
it's going to.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Take reasonable people stepping forward to make a difference. And
as it turned out, my own representative at the time
was leading the charge on defunding our schools and really
moving and spearheading all of these efforts.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Wow.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
So that seemed like a good place to start.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
So there were there were three things in there that
you said that I got a touch on.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Number one, you mentioned working at Sprint.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
All of our listeners who are born after two thousand
are going to.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Be what a Sprint? I still love Sprints.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
That was funny.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That's when we had the phone that like Chirk and
I was like, oh, you've got spread.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
So there was that.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
The second thing that you mentioned is education, right, just
the way that this country has continued to spiral downward
as it relates to prioritizing our education those who are
our educators, and the way that funding for education is funneled.
(17:26):
It's like there there seems to just I can't put
my finger on how we're losing the receipts of how
important that is. But the third thing that you touched
on is also economic security right. And it's so funny
because I was literally just posting on Twitter earlier about
how this week I went to Walmart and I literally
spent one hundred and eighty nine dollars.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
That was Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Today is Friday, and I'm opening up my refrigerator and
I'm like, what did I buy?
Speaker 4 (17:52):
Like what it feels like I bought nothing?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Like That's like it just went anywhere, And so I
think it's not just me, it's not just you, it's
not others, But it's just so many women that are
just continuing to try to figure out how do we
juggle the rising costs in groceries, in child cares, and
being in careers that just don't always pay fairly. So
from your perspective, what do you think you know needs
(18:17):
to happen, Whether it's at a state level, whether it's
at a national level, but how do we truly find
a way to support women's economic mobility and family stability
in today's day and age.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Oh yeah, I mean I have been pushing for livable
wages and I will keep pushing for livable wages because
I mean, I don't have a problem with CEOs making
a lot of money, per se. I have a huge problem, though,
with them making a lot of money while they're exploiting
their workers.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
And that's often women.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Yeah, and it's often men too, but a lot of women,
and I have a huge issue with that. So, you know,
I'm going to keep pushing for livable wages, you know,
raising our minimum wage, h and also looking for.
Speaker 7 (19:02):
Ways to improve the situation.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
We have a housing crisis here in Kansas, and you know,
across parts of the nation, we have issues with access
to affordable childcare as well as ish access to affordable
health care, and that always affects women more disproportionately than men.
Speaker 7 (19:22):
So, like I said, I'm going to keep pushing on
those issues.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
When we entered the brown Back tax experiment, I was
part of, I was a co founder of the Women's
bypars And Caucus that ended the experiment. We pushed women,
pushed to ensure that there were tax credits there for childcare.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
And I mean, there.
Speaker 5 (19:38):
Were certain things that we held out on that we
said had to be in there. And like I said,
I'm going to keep pushing for those things because that's
important because again, women are always, it seems disproportionate affected
by this.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Yeah. And speaking of health care, I want to go there. Healthcare,
reproductive rights. Health care continues to be a defining issue
for women, whether that's reproductive care.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Maternal health, mental health.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
In your opinion, how do you see the path forward
for protecting women's health rights while finding policies that can
actually pass intoday's divided Congress?
Speaker 4 (20:22):
And I'm putting that nicely super divided.
Speaker 5 (20:28):
Yeah, We've got to do a better job when I
say we Democrats other advocates of making sure that people
we got to help them connect the dots.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
And here's what I'll tell you.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Back in August twenty twenty two, we had the Reproductive
health Care Valid Initiative. That was what the far right
Republicans had pushed to try to do away with abortion
access and all forms of reproductive health care associated with that.
Speaker 7 (20:53):
And here's what happened. We had a huge turnout for
that election, and that amendment failed. I think overwhelmingly about
sixty percent people turned out, men, women.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
But here's what happened just a few months later than
in November. The number of people who showed up to vote.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
Drop by thirty percent in some areas.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
And what that meant was that the very representatives and
senators who put that ballot initiative or put that initiative
on the ballot got elected back to office by and large. So,
like I said, we just have to do, in terms
of our messaging, a better job of helping voters connect
the dots between Okay, you know, state level, these are
(21:35):
people that are making decisions about your healthcare, about your roads,
your you know, your tax base and are trying to
strip away voting rights.
Speaker 7 (21:45):
So I know, and here's the thing, like, I know,
people generally.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Get more excited about the presidential election or you know,
the congressional elections. You know, we're trying to bring more
focus and I'm working on this really hard to draw
attention to the state level those races, because again, those
are so many of the decisions are made that affect.
Speaker 7 (22:03):
People's day to day life.
Speaker 5 (22:05):
And so that thirty percent that didn't come back, I mean,
to me, that's an area that we have to focus on.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
And I will say this.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
You know, often they're working parents, or you know, they're
shoving their kids to soccer, or you know, they're working
two or three jobs. And so what I'm telling people
too is like, you know, we as just regular citizens
have more power and influence than we realize. And what
I'm talking about is, you know, over the past couple
of decades, we've lived under this kind of unwritten rule
(22:35):
if you don't talk religion, you don't talk politics.
Speaker 7 (22:39):
And look where we.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
Are, yeah, yeah, because one.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
Side certainly has been talking politics.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Yeah, and we're behind Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
And you know what I believe, if I'm not mistaken
Kansas was one of the states that actually passed the
amendment to continue to make things like abortion legal in
your state, and your Supreme Court reaffirmed that last year.
So it's one of those things where it's like, somebody's
got to start to change, right, Someone's got to stand
up for people.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
And I love to see that.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
You know, people in the state of Kansas are understanding
the importance of midterm elections, who's sitting as your representatives
and who's sitting in these different seats, because we have
a million people that turn out to vote every four
years for the President of the United States, and the
way that the numbers continue to fall off for midterm
elections and mayoral elections, and it's like, I don't know
(23:33):
what we need to do to get folks to understand
the importance of those more close knit elections, the people
who really have an ability to legislate for you and
that will affect.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
Your every day versus the larger thing.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
I don't know who we got to do, but we've
got to do something, And go ahead.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
I'm sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
No, I don't know what we have to do either.
But what I was going to say is, first.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Of all, local elections are very very very very important,
and so to your point, I think so many times
people are like, Eh, my vote doesn't matter, my vote
doesn't count. So when you ask the question what we
have to do, I think all we have to do
is look at where we are right now in this country.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Yea, And yes, your vote does matter.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
Does matter absolutely.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
One thing that you mentioned, Senator Holscher is people talking
because you know what you right, right, Like, we grew
up in my household. Well, I guess my household isn't
necessarily the best example, because we talked about everything at
the dinner table, right, Probably some stuff we shouldn't have
been talking about.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
We were talking about.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
But it's like, wait a minute, this is not appropriate
conversations and dinner. But it was like an unwritten rule
that it was like, you don't talk about religion, you
don't talk about politics, you don't talk about money.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Yep, Like we don't talk about what and how much
in all of those things. And you mentioned that.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
There are those on the other side of the owl
who do have these conversations and that's how they are
raising future leaders. But here recently there was a release
of some ELK text messages from the young Republicans future
leaders of the I mean, that's a societ to be
(25:22):
yet to be determined. But the seriousness of the things
that were stated in those messaging talking about and I
won't go into everything in every detail, but for our
listeners who are unfamiliar, some of the messages contain things like,
you know, everyone that votes know should go to the
gash chamber and calling black people water millon people, and
(25:46):
someone else talked about how much they love Hitler and
Hitler aesthetics and things of that nature, and so double
sided question here number one is how disturbed were you
when you saw these messages? And then the second part
of that is how disturbing is it to know that
these are people who could potentially be leaders, senators, representatives,
(26:11):
and even president right like that these could be the
future leaders of our country.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
That's horrifying. I mean, I just.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
I can't quite put it all into words. How I
mean vile and horrible it is and how I mean
it just it felt like such a hard hit in
terms of you know, what was in those messages. And
let me say this, I am just so I mean,
I'm just so extremely sorry that there are people out
there who feel that way, and I feel I hate
(26:45):
the way that this must make my peers of color
feel to know that they are you know, and sure
you know, of course, you know, we've always kind of
suspected or you know, you always have these inklings into
were some people's attitude are and their perception and everything.
But yet to know that, yes, this, this type of
(27:08):
language came from from a group that really is a
pipeline to leadership.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
I mean, I'll be very clear about that. These are
not kids. I mean, yes, these are twenty thirty, you know,
and are forty.
Speaker 7 (27:21):
These are adults.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
They knew exactly what they were saying, and like I said,
it just is so shameful and I hate what, like
I said, how this must make my peers of color feel,
knowing that they're in the midst of this. Uh, in
terms of people in leadership roles with these attitudes and
(27:43):
again you know, you know, and not only like.
Speaker 7 (27:46):
I say, is this the pipeline of leadership.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
These are individuals who have jobs for some of you know,
the GOP leaders.
Speaker 7 (27:53):
Yeah, so again not kids.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
And you know, if you want to, you want to
look at this, I mean, these.
Speaker 7 (27:59):
Are people being groomed for leadership. But they're being groomed
and hate as well. Yes, yes, and that part stands
so badly.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
The hate part is the part that bugs me the
wrong way because this is to me and I'll let
you go, Cheryl, But to me, the thing that bothers
me the most is there are so many conversations about
people asking, you know, how are we so divided politically?
And in my head, I'm like, well, there's always been,
you know, people who have different political views that will
never change. Political views aren't actually the end of the world.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
I mean, it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
We have different views on food, We've got different views
on clothes. To have different views on politics is not uncommon,
and I mean that's happened for since the beginning of time, right,
But the problem is that there are these moral character
human rights differences, and that is the problem. You and
I can disagree on what text cuts make sense. You
(28:53):
and I can disagree on you know, what conservativism is
versus what progressivism is.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
We can deg disagree with all of that.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
I can't agree with someone regardless of what party you
affiliate with, if you are a bigot, if you are
a racist, if you are misogynistic. If you believe that
my existence as a black woman is null and void
simply because.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
You believe that.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Like that is that is the divide. It's not the politics.
It's the basic human rights and moral values that divides us.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
But go ahead, shryl Well.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
I was just going to add on to something that
Senator said. When when you have the vice president, right
jd Vance basically say oh, they're just kids. To your point,
first of all, no, they're not kids. But then when
you have the vice president, he didn't denounce it. He's
(29:51):
making excuses for them. And so I I don't know
how we change the political conversation or the rhetoric when
we have the president the vice president basically then oh,
they're just kids, it's okay, Like Senator in your opinion,
(30:14):
to me, that's just empowering not only the young Republicans
but anyone else who sees that and says, oh, well,
we can do whatever we want to do. Like what
goes through your mind when you hear the vice president
of the United States basically blow it off like it's
no big deal.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
The rock starts at the top. I guess this is
what costs through my mind.
Speaker 5 (30:37):
I mean, yeahah, people in power and you know, vice president.
Speaker 7 (30:43):
As well as president spewing hate.
Speaker 5 (30:46):
Yeah, And like I said, that goes on down and
then you're at the state level, people in positions of
power that.
Speaker 7 (30:55):
Put those you know, put viol remarks out there.
Speaker 5 (30:57):
But yeah, I mean, yeah, the rock starts at the
top is what goes through my mind.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
Without question.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Yeah, for sure, staying kind of in that, but a
little bit differently. We talk, you know, briefly, and I
kind of just mentioned a moment ago about like this
whole thing with DEI.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
People are so funny when you mentioned DEI.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
It's like they're using it as a derogatory term, and
I just don't understand it. And I kind of got
this from my girl Joy and read She's like, well,
she says, she asked people it's funny, but it's true.
She says, she asked people often, well, what about DEEI
don't you like is the diversity, the equity or the inclusion?
Speaker 4 (31:34):
And I always find that.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
To be funny, Like what about that specifically don't you
not agree with? But I say that to say, you know, again,
this is a podcast where we continually talk about the
issues that affect women and women of color, working moms,
young women. We're still underrepresented it in government and policymaking spaces.
You know, what do you think it will take to
(31:58):
maybe not just bring more women to the tape, but
to really ensure that they're empowered once they get there. Especially, say,
if you were elected as governor, I.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
Think then you know it is very much up to
me to bring good people with me. And that's what
I've always done and always worked toward. You know, starting
out on the House level, what I ran for election
twenty sixteen, that right away that next election cycle, I
got busy recruiting people specifically, working to recruit minority women,
(32:29):
you know, minorities in general, women because I want diversity
in our government, and working to bring on young people.
I mean, when you look at the age of the
legislature too, I mean that's not representative of our democracy.
So you know, one of the things I did is
I worked on getting some changes made in terms of
(32:50):
campaign finance. When I first ran, my kids were pretty
small then and I could use campaign funds to buy supplies,
but I couldn't use it for childcare to make sure
my kids were safe. As I was out there working
and doing the things I needed to do. So I
put together a petition. I put together a document, and
I petitioned the campaign finance people to.
Speaker 7 (33:12):
Allow that to happen. And it took a little while,
but it did so now moving.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
It was a little too late for me and my kids,
but that's okay because the.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Main thing is I want to bring more people with me.
Speaker 5 (33:23):
So now it has been changed that people can use
campaign funds for childcare needs, you know, when they're campaigning
running for office, and you know, that's one step in
the direction of being able to bring more people on
board that are younger and potentially more diverse. But like
I said, every step along the way, every time there's
been an election cycle, I'm going to work to recruit
(33:43):
people that are diverse, and I'm going to do what
I can to try to bring them into office.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
We definitely need more people like you running.
Speaker 4 (33:55):
Shit.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
Sorry I did say it.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
We do.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Not say it.
Speaker 7 (34:01):
I just wait for.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
I want to know. I got you.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
I got you.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Have been keeping it real, PG, we have we have
a good job.
Speaker 5 (34:17):
I mean my dad, my dad's a marine veteran. He
was a construction worker, your labor. So there's a lot
of work. You should have said that in the beginning,
describe what's going on.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
Every know, we probably should have made this career from
the start.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
We're not going to keep you much longer. But I
so every day I wake up and I have to.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Monitor how much I'm on social media, how much I'm
watching the news, because the things that are going on
in this country just just isn't the America, I know, right.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
My I question for you, and.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
Maybe it's giving someone hope or some advice when you
see all the things that are going on with the
president sending national guard to you know, these democratic states
and cities, and just all the horrific things that are
going on, Like, give us some words of encouragement. Like
(35:23):
there are days where I'm like, I just need somebody
to tell me something positive out of all the negative
stuff that's going on in this country right now. And
I don't know, what would you say to someone who's like,
I can't, I can't keep doing this.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
No.
Speaker 5 (35:39):
I get that it's heavy and it's overwhelming. There's so
many different things. So you know, I read something a
couple of weeks ago that really resonated with me. You know,
it was something to the fact of you know, it's
not over yet.
Speaker 7 (35:54):
We do still have our democracy.
Speaker 5 (35:57):
You know, if it were over, it would look totally,
it would look even different than this and worse than this.
Speaker 7 (36:04):
So it's not over yet.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
And what that means is we got to get busy
now in terms of what we're doing. And and I
encourage people even to think, Okay, you know, what's your
line in terms of you know, what are you going
to do to try to make a difference. You know,
people are protesting, which I think is important that you know,
showing up for events and protesting.
Speaker 7 (36:28):
That solidarity builds courage.
Speaker 5 (36:30):
And then let your neighbors know that they're not alone
because there's always people sitting at home on the couch
going I think I'm the only one who who feels
this way. You let them know that's not true when
you get up and you take action. But you know,
the other thing I think about, too, is what are
those practical things that you can do in terms of
making a difference in this next election. You know, I'm
(36:50):
encouraging people to be precing people in our in our
districts here in Kansas. You know, again, talking to your
friends and neighbors, so small conversation. And when I say
talk politics, I'm not saying that you got to go
out and talk about abortion or going or things like that. Yeah,
you know, talk about those things that matter to everybody.
Our schools, our roads, our highways, voting rights matter to
(37:14):
a lot of people.
Speaker 7 (37:15):
So, like I said, you know, those are the.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
Conversations that we need to be having with people and
laying them though. It's all at stake. So like I said,
you know, that's how I look at We've got what
I can't remember how many days now until the midterms.
But what you know, I think about that, can I
reach five more people every day?
Speaker 7 (37:35):
I reach ten more people?
Speaker 5 (37:36):
And you know, obviously I'm in a little different position
where I'm reaching out to a lot, but you know,
can regular people reach out to two people a day?
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (37:44):
And back to the point of voting doesn't make a
difference on these statewide elections for our legislators like here
in Kansas, and this happens across the nation.
Speaker 7 (37:54):
Sometimes there are de side of my ten votes.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Yeah, I mean, yeah.
Speaker 5 (37:58):
Your vote makes a difference. You know, friends, get them
to go vote. Yeah, I mean, that's where that's where
our power is.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
It's a great point.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Yeah, No, that's that's an incredible point that you're making,
Like on a state level, sometimes that one or two
people who decided not to turn out to vote could
have literally shifted the direction of the election. So it
is just so important that we continue to encourage people
to exercise your right to vote.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
Just do it.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Just get out and do it. Educate yourself as much
as you can so that you can do it. And
you know, I'm trying to go and visit my mom
for I'm from Michigan, originally born and raised in Detroit,
and I'm trying to go and visit my mom for Thanksgiving,
you guys, And the flights are seven hundred plus dollars.
I have never paid seven hundred dollars to go to
(38:47):
Detroit in my life. And something is telling me that
part of the reason flights are so expensive right now
may play a part with this damn government shut down
which is now on day seventeen. Yeah, and there are
a lot of American senator that are suffering right now
due to the shutdown. Either people have lost their jobs,
(39:07):
they are furloughed, or just you know, basic things. And
I know on the state level, every you guys, are
also affected just from different funding and different projects. I
have a friend who works in nonprofit who no longer
has a job because there's no longer any funding coming
from the department, so that that funded her nonprofit, and
(39:28):
that's in the state of New Jersey. Just you know,
what are your thoughts or or shall I say, do
you have any advice?
Speaker 4 (39:36):
What can these people do?
Speaker 2 (39:38):
What should they be thinking about doing to get the
government reopened?
Speaker 4 (39:42):
If anything? Like what's going on?
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Okay, I mean, don't underestimate the effect again of showing
up and reaching out because and here's why I mentioned this,
elected officials, if they're doing things that aren't in line
with the American people, they prefer that you're not watching.
So if you aren't reaching out and you aren't making
a little noise, then they kind of feel like they're
(40:06):
fine to move forward because they're not going to get
held accountable. When they start to feel like they're going
to be that they're being watched, that there's a chance
they'll be held accountable in the next election, then we
see change. And I mean I think back to you know,
when protests first started back in April, the hands off
protests started happening and the focus on a lot of
those was Elon Musk at that point and the things
(40:29):
he was doing. But people even here in Kansas were
showing up and protesting at the capitol and across the state.
And guess what you know, a couple of months later,
Elon Musk kind of was moved off the stage.
Speaker 4 (40:42):
Mm hmmm hm.
Speaker 5 (40:44):
Now there's probably other people doing horrible things in the government,
but the government saw we were paying attention and noticed
what was going on.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
True, very true, very true, And I love that. That's
such a great point. We just have to stay sticks
and we have to stay paying attention. I think that's
probably the overall overarching theme of this conversation, is that
we have to continue to pay attention and let them
know that we're paying attention.
Speaker 4 (41:13):
That's how we get things done.
Speaker 5 (41:16):
Yeah, and I will say too, I mean, obviously, you know,
sometimes you can find ways too to make an impact,
you know, economically. I think that talks to a lot
of these companies and a lot of these leaders when
you know, when there are voycotts or different things done.
Speaker 7 (41:31):
Uh, and it starts hitting out of the pocket book.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Yep, yeah, sure, do one hundred percent agree. Well, Senator
We really appreciate you pulling up, keeping it real with
us about what it actually takes to keep things moving
and keep things moving forward just for everyone, for women, families, communities.
You've been doing this work for a long time and
it does show and we appreciate you. But before we
(41:54):
wrap and get you out of here, we just want
people who are listening who want to stay connected with you.
We have listeners in this thinking of Kansas who may
want to support what it is that you're building, in
what you're doing.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
How can they get involved? How can they reach out
to you?
Speaker 3 (42:07):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (42:07):
Yeah, you can go right to the website Cindy for
Kansas dot com, all spelled out c I N D
Y f O R K A N S A S
dot com. I'm on Act Blue in terms of donations,
but yeah, reach out every week. We're happy to welcome aboard,
more volunteers, more people who support this campaign as we
(42:29):
move forward to make a big difference here in Kansas.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
I love that. Thank you so much, senator, and here
we go best.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Thank you so much, Thank you for coming on.
Speaker 7 (42:41):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (42:56):
Such an incredible conversation with Cindy. Uh, it was just
great to get the perspective of someone who's literally in
the trenches doing the work, and also just another woman
that she's trying to continue to lead in the way
that we hope people can understand that women can lead.
You know, they didn't seem to understand the assignment in
November of twenty twenty four about how a woman can lead.
(43:19):
So hopefully the state of Kansas can see what they
have in front of them with Senator Cindy Holscher and
make and make a wise decision, whatever decision that may
be for them.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Yeah, just to get a different perspective.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
Right, She's in politics, so she knows things, sees things.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
Here's things that we don't.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
But just to get her perspective, to hear her voice
on a lot of different issues was so incredibly good
to have her. I loved everything she said, but I
particularly loved her story on how she got involved in politics.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
A great kids, a way of motivating people to do
things that never you probably never thought was possible. And
when she said, you know you got to fix it,
well that's that's exactly what you do. You find a
way to fix it. I hear you, I hear you,
I understand, I understood love it.
Speaker 3 (44:17):
And she's and she's still fixing.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
It and still is doing her best right, So much
luck to her on upcoming elections and we'll check in
with her to see if she is the next governor
of the state of Kansas. But with Zach Cheryl, it
is that time where we have you level us on up.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
This one's simple, you know, just giving the conversation we had,
the climate we're living in, I know.
Speaker 3 (44:45):
There's just there's there's just fear right that's.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
Probably running through if you live in this country, you're
fearful of something. I just want to say to everybody
found this and it just says hope is.
Speaker 3 (45:00):
The only thing stronger than fear.
Speaker 4 (45:06):
So yah, that is so good.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Listen, hang in there, don't quit, don't give up. I
know what's to say. Keep hope alive, Like, seriously, keep
hope alive.
Speaker 4 (45:16):
Yes, because we need it.
Speaker 2 (45:18):
It's the only thing greater than heere. I absolutely love that. Well, guys,
thank you guys so much for listening to levels to this.
We are definitely going to be back next week with
more next level conversations, just talking about the real shit
that we go through as women. But remember, guys, this
isn't just our show. It's our show, so we want
(45:38):
to hear from you. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts,
Email us at Levels to This Podcast at gmail dot com,
tell us what you thought of this week's show and
what you might want to talk about next, and you
know you can always follow us on Instagram at ltt pod.
So until then, keep your mentals ground level and we
will be back next week.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
Thanks. Listen to Levels to This on America's number one
podcast network, iHeart open your free iHeart app and search
Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tureka Foster Brasbee
and start listening
Hosts And Creators
Terrika Foster-Brasby
Sheryl Swoopes
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