Martha Pincoffs
Martha Pincoffs is a mom, a wife, a chef, a curious human, a story lover, and 1/3 of the podcast team behind Three Righteous Mamas. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow Three Righteous Mamas on Twitter here.
How did you get introduced to the audio space?
I fell in love with the audio stories via The Moth and How I Built This and This American Life. Those shows have gone with me on many a long road trip and walk and life in general. What I love so much about the audio space now is that there is something for everyone out there. The accessibility is pretty open right now and there are some really brilliant creators out there.
How did you get introduced to your cohosts Muna and Cristina?
Muna, Cristina, and I met after the election in 2016. We were all devastated by the results of the election and felt afraid for our families in that time. We also all got to work doing what we could to fight for the world where ALL of our kids have what they need to be successful in life.
Why is Three Righteous Mamas important?
Three Righteous Mamas is important because mom’s are often pandered to and condescended to in political and policy conversations. Subject matter is often limited to perceived “women’s issues” ie choice and childcare, when the reality is that we are affected by all of the issues, by money in politics, by economic policy, and climate policy. With Three Righteous Mamas we are driving the narrative for a “Righteous Mamas Agenda” for the world we intend to build for all of our kids and we believe that Mamas in particular have the moral courage to deliver that world.
How would you ask someone like Elizabeth Warren to be on the show?
She is 100% a dream guest! For Senator Warren in particular, I think we would appeal to her experience as a working mom and how fundamentally that shapes the work that she does in the world. She is vocal about that and is a great example of why we need more mamas in positions of power. In other words, we would go for that place where the heart and the brain connect.
What have you learned about the world making the show?
I have learned that our humanity is our connective tissue and that it is best tended in a very personal, very intimate way. I hear this resonance in Cristina’s stories and experiences from organizing, in Alicia Garza’s belief that “we are better than the worst thing we have ever done”, in Beto O’Rourke’s deep care for the communities in Texas. We are connected and we are only as good as the care we take of each other, our communities, our neighbors.
What's your relationship to your voice, and how would you describe it?
The cadence of my voices always surprises me, I can hear my brother in the rhythm and my sister in the tone. When I was younger (I’m 43 now) I couldn’t stand the way my voice sounded on tape. Now, I kind of like it. I’ve arrived at a place in my life where I really like myself and (finally) I say what I mean. That wasn’t always true, so it is always a relief to hear me speaking my own truth.
Thanks, Martha!