Today’s guest is one of the coolest chicks I know (and you too, soon!), and a conversation that’s a LONG time coming: scholar/writer/teacher/activist Natalia Mehlman Petrzela.

natalia speaking on our “how to activate your inner activist” panel in 2017

Natalia is a historian of contemporary American politics and culture and is currently writing a book on American fitness culture. She is the author of Classroom Wars: Language, Sex, and the Making of Modern Political Culture, and the co-host of Past Present Podcast, a show that turns hindsight into foresight by examining what’s going on in America today through a historical lens. Natalia is Associate Professor of History at The New School, a co-founder of wellness education program Healthclass 2.0 and a Premiere Leader of intenSati, a fitness class that combines cardio with positive affirmations to make the ultimate uplifting workout. 

In this episode we talk about talking to kids about what’s going on in our country/world in an “appropriate” way, where our quest for happiness and “following your bliss” really came from and if it’s actually serving us, making wokeness more than a gimmick, locker room talk (no, not in THAT way), feminism/activism’s place in the wellness industry, and so, SO much more. 

WANT Natalia:

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Maybe the next phase of happiness + fulfilment is a more realistic assesment of it. - @nataliapetrzela Share on X
What you do in the fitness studio is a low-stakes template for what you can do out in the world. - @nataliapetrzela Share on X
Finish this sentence: I want to be strong SO THAT I CAN... Share on X

Show Notes:
Website
Past Present Podcast
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Choose Love, Not Fear in 2013
How “Empowered” Speech About Your Body Might Mask The Same Old Issues
Derek Beres (introduced us!)
Gerren Liles (asked an awesome question!)
Photo cred: Elena Mudd

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