Ep. 79: It Shouldn’t Be This Hard: A Millennial Runs for Office (and We’re Taking Notes) 💁‍♀️🗳️

This episode is serving equal parts "real talk" and "let’s-get-our-act-together energy". Jennifer flies solo (Sarah is off living her best restorative life—boundaries queen 👑) and kicks things off with a spicy-but-relatable monologue on patriotism, political burnout, and why reclaiming joy in today’s chaos feels . . . complicated.

From fireworks with protest signs to side-eyeing corporate America, this intro hits on a big theme in today’s political podcast space: how everyday people navigate values, consumer choices, and civic engagement without completely losing it. Spoiler: you don’t have to sit it out—you just might remix it.

Then we meet our main character moment: Katrina Manetta, millennial candidate for Michigan State House and proof that grassroots politics is alive and very caffeinated. Katrina shares how she helped grow a scrappy coffee shop meetup into a 1,500+ person organizing force in a red-leaning county—because apparently, democracy does thrive when people stop doomscrolling and start showing up.

The convo goes deep on issues driving modern voters (hello, $8K insurance deductibles and “why is everything so expensive?”), plus why younger candidates are pushing back on the “work harder” narrative with a bold “nah, the system should work better.”

Katrina drops some 🔥 campaign strategy too—think door knocking, meeting voters where they’re at, and skipping party labels to actually connect with the ever-growing “politically exhausted but still voting” crowd. It’s a masterclass in how to win over independent voters and rebuild trust in American politics, one convo at a time.

Also: cat moms, no Netflix, and the bold admission that euchre is…not for everyone.

You’re welcome.

To learn more about Katrina Manetta and her campaign: katrinamanetta.com

To learn more about Beyond Resistance: beyondresistancepod.com

@katrinamanetta @MIDemocraticParty @MichiganHouseDemocrats @northmacombdemocraticclub384

#political podcast #grassrootsorganizing #swing voters