In 2023, Laura Mullen was just another fed up mom. Fast forward to 2026, and she is an elected school board member and the Ohio programs director for Red Wine & Blue, an organization dedicated to mobilizing the now infamous “organized gangs of wine moms” pushing back against authoritarianism in Ohio and across the country.
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If you had told Laura back in 2023 that just three years later she would know state representatives’ names and have strong feelings about them, she would have said you were crazy. If you had told her back then that thousands of Ohioans would come to her for advocacy guidance, she wouldn’t have believed you. But it’s true.
Red Wine & Blue’s presence in Ohio is no joke. It’s a big network that’s growing fast, with more than 60,000 members in Ohio alone. No wonder why they’ve got Trump and allies so worried.
Laura, Ainslee, & Maria discuss how suburban moms and their allies can channel their frustration into tangible actions that help their local communities while disrupting the status quo. They discuss how to make advocacy fun, and share how each of them decompress after a long day of kicking ass.
Perhaps most importantly, they discuss how the small staffs at OAE and RWB rely on each other to do their best work, and why supporting our organizations’ work supports tens of thousands of Ohio advocates that look to us for leadership.
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Finally, while they didn’t get to it on the pod, Red Wine & Blue is having an advocacy day at the Statehouse this coming Tuesday. Check out more information below about the lobby day and training calls beforehand. If you’re ready to start your advocacy journey, here’s your chance!
Episode Information:
Recorded: Monday, March 16, 2026
In this Episode: Maria Bruno, Ainslee Johnson-Brown, Laura Mullen
Produced, Edited, and Recorded by: Devin “Dev Draper” Palmer and Tareya Palmer
Join Red Wine & Blue on March 24 for an Ohio Statehouse Lobby Day!
Future in Focus: Lobby Day for the Ohio We Deserve Tuesday, March 24, 2026 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM ET
Do you care about Public School funding? Vouchers? Immigration? Health care? Voting rights? Data Centers? Countering Extremism? Saving Democracy? You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need political experience. You just need to care about the future of our state — and be willing to raise your voice for it.
PRE-LOBBY DAY PREPARATION CALLS:
Lobby Day Training Evening session Thursday, March 19, 2026 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM ET
OHIO Testimony Preparation Session Sunday, March 22, 2026 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM ET
Thanks for listening. Our work is sustained through the generous support of everyday Ohioans, not billionaire bankrollers. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. Ever $5 a month can make a big difference.
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