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The myth of the gender pay gap myth

Type “the gender pay gap” into any search engine and one of the first results that pops up will be: “The gender pay gap myth.” In the final episode of this miniseries, hosts Beth Silver and Ericka Burroughs-Girardi bust myths and break down the toxic narratives around the gender pay gap. They are joined by Dr. Jonathan Heller, a senior fellow at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, who talks about how toxic narratives maintain systems and policies that keep women undervalued and underpaid. Dr. Jessamyn Schaller, an economics professor and co-author of The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, concludes our series by making the connections between the pay gap and women’s health. 

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Using the tools of democracy for better health

There’s a growing body of evidence that shows that people living in areas with structural barriers, such as laws that restrict voter eligibility, registration and opportunities to participate, have lower voter turnout and shorter life expectancy. In our second episode, hosts Beth Silver and Ericka Burroughs-Girardi are joined by Daniel Dawes, executive director of the Institute of Global Health Equity at Meharry Medical College, and the founder of the political determinants of health framework. Dawes discusses how the political determinants have shaped communities’ ability to define and address public problems. Dr. Peniel Joseph, an author, professor and founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at The University of Texas at Austin, also joins the conversation to provide examples of how tools of democracy — historical and present — have shaped where we are today.

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When young people engage with democracy

In the series’ final episode, Host Ericka Burroughs-Girardi talks with a young changemaker who offers insights on motivating other young people to get involved. Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina freshman Olivia Cody shares her experience encouraging fellow students to vote, volunteer and make a difference in their communities. She also discusses the obstacles they face.