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On Monday's show of May 5, 2025  Elaine B. Holtz comments:

Joining me in the studio are Kimberly "Kim" Caldewey and Robin Latham, key organizers of the Santa Rosa protests held May 1–5, organized by Community United to Resist Fascism (CURF). We’ll discuss these inspiring events, which align with this show’s mission to empower and encourage community action.

Today marks two important occasions. First, Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated in Roseland at 650 Sebastopol Road from 4–9 p.m. Despite fears of ICE interference, Councilwoman Caroline Banuelos and her team courageously chose to move forward, showing strength in the face of intimidation.

Second, we honor National Nurses Week from May 6–12, recognizing the vital contributions of nurses nationwide. This year’s theme is The Power of Nurses™, celebrating their dedication to patient care and community health.

In a time when fear is used to suppress voices, these celebrations and acts of protest reflect the enduring power of courage, community, and faith in “We the People.”

2. Interview with our Guests Robin Latham and Kim Caldewey: In the Women’s Spaces interview, host Elaine B. Holtz speaks with activists Kimberly Caldewey and Robin Latham about organizing a five-day protest in Santa Rosa (May 1–5) through Community United to Resist Fascism (CURF). Caldewey, a former healthcare worker, describes how her activism grew from a belief in healthcare as a right and her work with the Peace and Justice Center. Latham shares her political roots and how a retreat with activist Starhawk inspired a shift toward coalition-building, leading to CURF's formation—uniting over 46 groups.

Both emphasize collaboration over individual agendas and highlight the importance of courage, solidarity, and recognizing privilege in resisting fascism. They discuss ideological challenges within the coalition but note their shared commitment to justice. Highlights included a medical march and a child singing “You Are My Sunshine.” The interview closes with a call to action, urging community involvement through local platforms like the Peace and Justice Center and SOCO Resist.

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On Monday's show of April 28, 2025  Elaine B. Holtz comments: On this episode of Women’s Spaces, host Elaine B. Holtz welcomes artist and activist Nikki Dohn, who has long advocated for women’s and children’s rights. Elaine opens the show with a touching birthday tribute to her daughter Susan Jensen. The episode highlights a week of nonviolent protests organized by Community United to Resist Fascism (CURF) in Santa Rosa, from May 1–5, responding to executive actions seen as threats to constitutional rights. Although a CURF organizer couldn’t join due to technical issues, Nikki Dohn shares her support and reflects on recent protests. Key events include a May 1 labor and immigrant rights march, a May 2 Veterans’ Rally, a Critical Mass Rally on May 3, Palestine Solidarity Sunday on May 4, and Cinco de Mayo activities on May 5. The protests emphasize civic engagement, resistance to injustice, and community unity. More information is available via the Peace & Justice Center and this show’s webpage under Announcements.

2. Interview with our Guest Nikki Dohn:  Nikki Dohn shares her unconventional life journey, including work on shrimp boats, redwood tree crews, and careers in real estate, astrology, and administration. She reflects on past relationships, embracing independence from a young age and later finding love again. Nikki credits her boldness to her Aries spirit and a deep belief in the universe’s movement toward love and evolution, inspired by Eastern philosophies like those of Paramahansa Yogananda. The conversation explores the intersection of personal healing and political activism. Nikki and Elaine stress the maternal responsibility to protect future generations and the planet. They discuss the urgency of civic engagement, highlighting recent protests by Community United to Resist Fascism (CURF). Nikki warns against voter apathy and suppression, urging everyday action—calling representatives, attending rallies, and connecting with neighbors—as ways to combat fear and create change.

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On Monday's show of April 21, 2025  Commentary by our Host, Elaine B. Holtz, Opening Prayer Song by our guest Charlie Toledo, and Reminiscing on the 1970 Survival Faire at San Jose State College by Co-producer Ken Norton:  In this Earth Day episode of Women’s Spaces, host Elaine B. Holtz welcomes Charlie Toledo of the Suscol InterTribal Council and MaDonna Feather Cruz of the Round Valley Indian Tribes to explore Indigenous wisdom, women's issues, and environmental advocacy. Elaine reflects on spirituality and healing, recalling how Charlie’s prayer once helped her overcome vertigo. Charlie opens with the Women Warrior song honoring the land’s original peoples, inspiring strength and unity in women’s activism.
Elaine highlights upcoming protests for immigrant and workers’ rights from May 1–5, invoking "We the People" and Dr. King’s legacy. This first segment honors Rachel Carson and her environmental impact, as well as a symbolic 1970 protest against pollution—a Ford Maverick burial—recounted by co-producer Ken Norton. The segment ends with a children’s choir singing The Earth is Our Mother, reinforcing themes of interconnection, activism, and Earth stewardship for future generations.

Survival Faire SJSC February 20, 1970. Ken Norton is circled at top of student crowd burying the car to draw attention to environmental impact of the internal combustion engine. Photo by .Stan Creighton/The Chronicle

2. Conversation with our Guests Charlie Toledo and MaDonna Feather Cruz: In the final segment of Women’s Spaces, host Elaine B. Holtz speaks with Charlie Toledo and MaDonna Feather Cruz, Native American advocates for cultural preservation and justice. Charlie, executive director of the Suscol InterTribal Council, shares her global and local activism, linking U.S. human rights failures to Native genocide and calling for healing through compassionate birthing and self-love. She recounts the Council’s founding after the 1970s desecration of the Suscol village burial site, which led to pivotal legal protections for Native remains.

The Council, guided by human rights, land stewardship, youth empowerment, and wellness, has restored 24 acres in Napa County using Indigenous practices. Charlie also champions hemp as a climate solution and influences state policy through education and advocacy.

MaDonna, a third-generation Council member, continues her family’s legacy by mentoring Native youth and supporting parents, emphasizing healing and cultural continuity. Together, they promote truth, tradition, and resilience as paths to justice and transformation.

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On Monday's show of April 14, 2025  our Host Elaine B. Holtz  opens the program joyfully celebrating her improved vision after cataract surgery and the return of her reading ability. She’s joined by author Elaine Rock, who discusses her biography of Dusty Roads—a pioneering flight attendant who challenged sexist airline policies in the 1950s and 60s. Elaine also honors the late Gloria Faye Robinson, activist and co-founder of Petaluma Blacks for Community Development, highlighting her impact on education and civic life. Reflecting on life’s beauty and the paradox of using innovations like airplanes for war, Elaine critiques societal priorities like censorship and militarism over basic human needs. She announces local activist events, including a march and a League of Women Voters Zoom on running for office, urging women’s civic engagement. Through her “Our History is Our Strength” segment, she celebrates courageous historical women. Elaine closes by previewing “Men’s Spaces,” a new segment honoring positive male contributions, with a tone of unity and empowerment.

2. Conversation with our Guest Elaine Rock: On Women’s Spaces, host Elaine B. Holtz interviews author Elaine Rock about her debut biography, Dusty Roads: Meet the Hidden Figure Who Really Ignited the Women’s Movement. Rock shares her path from teaching women's history to breaking barriers in tech, later finding purpose in writing after caring for her ailing husband. Inspired by her mother’s feminism and meeting Dusty Roads at the YMCA, Rock felt a deep connection to Dusty’s story. A former flight attendant, Dusty challenged sexist airline rules and became a fierce union activist, filing the first sexual discrimination complaint with the EEOC in 1968. Her work helped pave the way for the Equal Pay Act, Title VII, and the founding of NOW. Rock stresses the importance of preserving this hidden history to inspire future generations. Despite setbacks in gender equity, Dusty's legacy remains powerful. Rock continues speaking about women's rights, sharing Dusty’s advice: “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”

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On Monday's show of April 7, 2025  our Host Elaine B. Holtz  expresses her gratefulness to be back in the studio again after her successful cataract surgery. As usual, she presents some historical events and birthdays of women, upon whose shoulders we stand on. You can read about them on this page in the section called Herstory. 

This show, focused on the April 5th “Hands Off” rally in Santa Rosa, part of a nationwide protest defending women’s and civil rights. Joined by Sabra Briere of Indivisible Sonoma County and retired nurse Sue Hicks, Holtz highlighted the rally’s large turnout—over 5,000 people—and its stand against rising authoritarianism, especially threats to reproductive freedom and democracy.

Briere emphasized the global scope of the movement and criticized the Democratic Party’s inaction, noting the importance of grassroots organizations like Indivisible. The conversation explored how race and age shape protest policing, with the rally’s older, white demographic receiving a peaceful response.

In a more personal second half, Holtz shared her temporary vision loss as a reminder to protect freedoms. Hicks reflected on her activism since 2016 and warned against health disinformation. The episode ended with a strong call to civic action: speak up, organize, as silence in such times is complicit.