Dominant Stories with Jess Weiner

We all know and love the mind of Shonda Rhimes.

She’s the founder of Shondaland and the force behind so many beloved TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and How to Get Away with Murder + Bridgerton.

In this episode, Shonda talks about the intentionality behind her shows and explains how having a diverse cast and crew wasn’t so much a matter of choice as it was simply inevitable. She talks about her “unaplogetically feminist upbringing,” and a family that gave their children what they needed to succeed in this world.

Indomitable as Shonda is, it hasn’t always been easy. Jess and Shonda talk about Shonda’s “Year of Yes,” the year in which Shonda said “yes” to the things that terrify her, and the memoir by the same name that she wrote about her experience.

Shonda’s no stranger to Dominant Stories, and as one might expect from a prolific writer, she has powerful insights to share regarding how she challenged and changed them.

These days, Shonda is unapologetically herself, and still creating amazing television, such as the upcoming Netflix Original series, Inventing Anna.

This incredible and inspiring conversation is a must-listen!

And to learn how you can support the next generation to have a positive relationship with beauty, visit Dove.com/selfesteem for academically validated tools to help parents, teachers, and mentors tackle tough topics ranging from bullying and poor body image to discrimination.

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi, Dominant Story fans! We're excited to share the Jill Scott podcast hosted by culture expert Jill Scott. It's a show from iHeartRadio and we think you'll enjoy it too. Don't just take our word for it, though. Check out the trailer and decide for yourself!

About the podcast: Jill Scott, Laiya St.Clair, and Aja Graydon-Dantzler are music and entertainment icons, but they’re also experts in the art of no-holds-barred conversations. Jill Scott Presents: J.ill the Podcast is like chilling with that friend who says what everyone wants to say but is too afraid to – times three. Expect unfiltered talk about relationships, health, art, and everything else that comes with surviving and thriving as a Black woman in the world.

Listen and subscribe to J.ill the Podcast with Jill Scott on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might think that “breaking the binary” is only about breaking the gender binary, but there is so much more to binary thinking.

Binary thinking refers to anytime we see the world as one way OR another. Binary thinking allows no room for the in-between. And Dominant Stories thrive on binary thinking.

To help us explore how thinking differently about our gender, beauty fashion, and identity can help us break free from our limiting beliefs, Jess is joined by two incredible guests:

Addison Rose Vincent is an educator, LGBTQ+ advocate, speaker, and community organizer. Since coming out as trans and nonbinary in 2010, they’ve been dedicated to creating systemic change across the country. Addison eloquently breaks down what binary thinking means, and how challenging it can help us in our everyday lives. They have some pretty incredible stories to share about trans joy and gender euphoria as well!

Nicolette Mason is a fashion writer and creative consultant, you’ve probably read her work in Marie Claire, Glamour, Teen Vogue, or Refinery29. Nicolette hones in on how binaries play out in the fashion and beauty industries. It might surprise you to learn how much of an effect these industries have on us, and especially the self esteem of women and girls. Nicolette has been working for more than 12 years to push the needle on LGBTQ+ and body-size inclusion.

You can find Addison Rose Vincent @breakingthebinary (@breakingthebinary_ on Tiktok) or at www.breakthebinaryllc.com. You can find the Nonbinary and Intersex Recognition Project’s site, which Addison mentioned, at nirp.us. And you can find Nicolette Mason @nicolettemason or at nicolettemason.com.

If you’d like access to resources to help you be a better ally, (or “accomplice,” as Jess likes to say), the beauty brand Dove has created “Proud To Be Me” to address topics ranging from inclusive language, avoiding misgendering, and challenging negative body talk. Go to Dove.com/ProudToBeMe to learn more.

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode is all about the ritual of beauty. Jess speaks with Ana Flores, speaker and founder of the We All Grow Latina network, about the beauty rituals that were handed down to her as a young woman from El Salvador.

Now as a mother herself, Ana is conscious about the beauty rituals and ideas she chooses to hand down to her 14 year old daughter. She shares how she talks with her daughter about beauty and the male gaze, and how she heals ancestral wounds. And she gives us a beautiful definition for what true beauty is.

Later on in the episode, Jess sits down with the professional troublemaker, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, to talk about beauty in the workplace and “bringing your full self to work.”

Luvvie is an author and speaker. She specializes in shaking up norms within the workplace. “The living embodiment of The Do,” as Jess calls her, Luvvie’s hot takes and advice can help you be more yourself at work.

To sign the CROWN act petition to end hair discrimination in the workplace, and to find resources to help you boost hair confidence with a young person in your life, visit dove.com/thecrownact, or Google, “Dove, My Hair, My Crown.”

You can connect with Ana @anaflores_me, or @weallgrowlatina. And you can find Luvvie @Luvvie across social media, or at her Awesomely Luvvie Facebook page.

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jess talks with world renowned poet and speaker, Azure Antoinette, about her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis.

Azure has been called the “Maya Angelou of the millennial generation” by Forbes magazine. She’s a slam poet who has shared a stage with Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love, and Lady Gaga. Her words are like rays of truth and anyone who meets her knows she is a force to be reckoned with.

Words are her superpower and when she was diagnosed with MS in her 20’s, Azure faced navigating the impact of this disease which currently with no known cure.

She’s candid about growing up in a war with her body which she never felt was ideal. And now through her experience having MS, she has gained a new appreciation for the frame that carries her.

In this conversation, she offers us insights from her condition which only a storyteller and a poet could extract.

It might be counter-intuitive, but despite a body which sometimes feels like it always lets her down, Azure insists that, “Our duty is to remain.” Visit her website at azureantoinette.com

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jess speaks with actor Debby Ryan, about her journey growing up as a child star appearing on shows like the Disney Channel series, “Jessie”.

Now in her late 20’s, Debby is evolving into an industry powerhouse. She has 10’s of millions of followers online and is transparent about how she navigates living authentically while also living her life in the limelight.

Whether it’s looking more closely at the “compare and despair” trap of social media or sharing the ways she tends to her mental wellness, Debby offers such a raw, real take on how she is rethinking what really matters most to her beyond fame and professional success.

If you want to help a young person in your life navigate social media safely and with confidence, head to Dove.com/TheSelfieTalk to get the New Confidence Kit.

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this keystone episode, Jess talks with her friend, psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb to define what ‘Dominant Stories’ are.

Lori is a bestselling author turned therapist who's been helping people challenge and change their inner monologues through the lens of storytelling for decades.

Lori has a gift for making complex ideas relatable and is the perfect person to explain the psychological origins of Dominant Stories.

Lori shares real life examples of how people's lives have been changed by shifting their inner narrative.

Expect to learn something about yourself, expect to laugh-- and as always-- expect to get some actionable tips that you can put to use immediately.

Jess and Lori are also joined byLori's son, Zach Gottlieb who's becoming an advocate for young men and boys to talk about their feelings on his IG platform: Talk With Zach (@talkwithZach)

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

You can find Lori’s social media handles, and a link to her bestselling book Maybe You Should Talk To Someone (along with the brand new accompanying workbook) on her website, lorigottlieb.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this inaugural episode, Jess talks with her friend, Sara Bareilles, about the connections between our Dominant Stories and our creativity.

You may know Sara as the songwriter for the hit Broadway musical, “Waitress”, and you have definitely heard her breakout single, “Love Song”. In this conversation, Sara opens up about how she navigates taking big creative risks while staying grounded to her “muse” and her mental health.

Sara is candid about how our internal negative thoughts can become intertwined with our identity, and how success often does not equal happiness.

Jess and Sara tackle self-confidence and staying true to one’s self in an industry often focused on conformity, and they share a dynamic and joyful conversation about how creativity can bring people together and really make life worth living.

Please rate, review, subscribe and share Dominant Stories with everyone you know.

If you want to learn more about Dominant Stories and how you can challenge and change them, visit jessweiner.com or follow Jess on Instagram @imjessweiner.

You can also email us about your Dominant Stories and how you are changing them - [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 213 259 3033

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess Weiner has over 20 years of experience creating impactful discussions and shifting perceptionsaround body image, representation, beauty, mental wellness, and self-confidence. She’s helped Fortune 500 companies become more inclusive and culturally fluent, including as a partner behind Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign, andhelping toevolveBarbie by adding more body shapes, skin tones, and hair types. Dominant Stories has stemmed from Jess’ personal and professional mission to help people challenge the external (and internal) voices that are holding them back from living the life they desire and deserve (think: “I’m not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough,” etcetera). Throughout the series, Jess and her esteemed guests discuss how the media, culture, and the people in our lives all help to create these stories, and how they’re learningtorewrite them.You'll hear from people shaping our culturelikeAuthorLori Gottlieb,ActorDebby Ryan,ActivistAzure Antoinette, andSinger/SongwriterSara Bareilles (featured in this trailer) aboutthe stories that shapethem!Along the way, you'll alsoget some practical, tactical advice for how you can challenge and change your Dominant Stories.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.