Going Through It

As a young actor in Hollywood, Jenifer Lewis never planned on starting a family. But since then she’s played some of the most influential mother …

When author and podcast host Nora McInerny found herself forming a blended family with a new partner not long after the death of her first husband, she had to leave behind any plans she thought she had.

In many ways, Drag Superstar Sasha Velour’s Drag Mothers were her grandmas, who encouraged her exploration of drag at a young age. The lessons she learned from them inform her approach to mentoring other drag queens …

ESPN host Elle Duncan planned her two pregnancies meticulously, just like she planned her career as a sports anchor. But, health complications with …

Comedian Negin Farsad’s parents never pressured her to have kids. But when her dad told a story about her own birth that she’d never heard before, …

When the desire to have kids never kicked in, sociologist Dr. Amy Blackstone thought there was something wrong with her. When she turned to her …

Content creator Jessica Rose built a brand around talking about motherhood online – specifically the parts she doesn’t like about it. And she’s come to realize that regretting parenthood doesn’t necessarily make you a …

For most of his life, Hank Green, the Internet’s science teacher, didn’t know how to hold a baby, let alone raise one. Now that he’s a dad himself, …

Sexologist Shan Boodram did not want a second child. So when she found out she was pregnant again and her feelings about it were not entirely …

Author Elizabeth Gilbert thought motherhood was inevitable. But one night at a friend's dinner party, she realized it didn’t have to be that way… and that she’d have to make some big changes if she wanted to rewrite her …

Chasten Buttigieg always wanted to be a father, but wasn’t sure it was possible for him as a gay man. After his husband Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign ended, they embarked on another challenging journey: …

After seven years of marriage, activist and author Austin Channing Brown was pretty sure she didn’t want children. But a conversation with a friend …

Writer Roxane Gay and her wife Debbie still haven’t decided if they’ll have children. But instead of feeling pressured by the choice (or by the clock), Roxane finds freedom in their options and sees many ways to parent.

Ashley C. Ford is 36, married, and trying to decide: should she have kids? On the fourth season of Going Through It, Ashley talks to 13 noteworthy …

Margaret Cho grew up watching Joan Rivers perform standup on TV. When Margaret became a comic herself, Joan supported her with words, actions, and jokes.

In a family filled with strong women, the spirit, wisdom and love of Tia Mowry’s grandmother endures.

When Fawzia Mirza was 18, her mom enlisted her to smuggle her mom’s favorite fruit, Pakistani mangoes, from Canada to the US. Now, as a queer Muslim fimmaker, she still values the mango as a way they still connect.

Any successful partnership—business, romantic, or creative—starts with a meaningful connection between 2 people. Partners is a podcast about the …

Cultural constraints kept Alexander Chee’s grandmother from pursuing Chinese Calligraphy until late in life. Alex created the Yi Dae Up Fellowship in …

When Franklin Leonard found himself out of his big-wig Hollywood job, he wanted to mope. His mentor, the legendary Hollywood attorney Nina Shaw, …

The late actor Michael K. Williams and Aunjanue Ellis’s grandmother had one thing in common: neither needed words to tell Aunjanue how to follow her …

Zohran Mamdani’s college road trip through East Africa with his dad and uncle was a blissful tour of his heritage. Then he got his report card back.

When Sasheer Zamata enrolled at her university, she didn’t know where she was headed. A staging of a play by the school’s brand-new theater professor …

At 15, all Melissa Proctor wanted was a job at the local mall. Instead, advice from her mother helped her make history as the Miami Heat’s first ball girl.

As a teenager, Ijeoma Oluo thought male attention would validate her as a person worth knowing. A late night proclamation from a friend’s older …

Chani Nicholas first learned of astrology and healing from her step-grandmother. Although they didn’t remain close, Chani still honors her influence …

Being a leader in a field is hard. Being a leader in theoretical physics as a Black woman is a unique battle. When the weight of being one of the first became too heavy, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein turned to her mom for …

When Randa Jarrar started her MFA program, she thought she was taking the next step on the path to success. That is until her professor, Leslie …

Lorena Borjas taught Chase Strangio many things over their decade of working together, including how to show up and fight for trans people in New York City. Her most important lesson? There’s always something to …

When Kelly Marie Tran was in middle school, a simple question from her dad – an immigrant to the US from Vietnam – changed the way she understood …

With new host Jenny Yang, Going Through It returns for its third season featuring 15 notable guests reflecting on what they learned from the elders who influenced them at just the right time.

In this special live episode, Tracy sits down with TV host Tamron Hall at Vulture Fest to discuss being fired from The Today Show. She also shares …

Tracy sits down with actress Tika Sumpter to talk about the ups and downs that come with following your dreams. Tika shares the journey of being a …

Tracy chats with Angela Davis, aka The Kitchenista, about how she pivoted to following her passion for cooking full time. Angela highlights the …

Tracy talks with Emmy award-winning writer, screenwriter and actress Lena Waithe about the power of self-determination and recognizing that struggles are a normal part of our journey.

Tracy welcomes transgender activist Raquel Willis to discuss speaking up for yourself and standing in your truth. Raquel also shares how her life trajectory changed after learning of the passing of a young transgender …

Tracy is joined by Girlfriends creator, Mara Brock Akil to chat about betting on yourself. Mara also shares the moment she was ready to risk it all for a chance at earning it all.

Tracy chats with writer, podcaster, and educator Ashley C. Ford about how a toxic relationship temporarily halted the bigger visions she had for her life. Ashley also shares how self-love led to her biggest breakthrough.

Tracy talks with actress Meagan Good about her infamous fashion moment at the 2013 BET Awards. Meagan shares exactly what happened, the backlash she faced, and how she found strength in her faith despite the criticism.

Tracy is joined by New York Times culture writer and podcast host of Still Processing, Jenna Wortham. Jenna discusses how her dad’s illness propelled …

Tracy sits down with Naj Austin, Founder and CEO of Ethel’s Club and Somewhere Good. Naj shares what prompted her to create Ethel’s Club and the questions she faced as a young, Black entrepreneur in the startup world.

Tracy chats with Essence Magazine’s Entertainment Director, Cori Murray, to talk about the lessons she learned working at the longstanding media …

Tracy is joined by awarding-winning actress and performer, Danielle Brooks. The pair talk about the surprises in store for Danielle when she gave birth to her first child.

Tracy and Ilhan Omar, U.S. Representative from Minnesota’s 5th district, discuss Ilhan’s journey from Somalia to America and how she remains strong amid criticism on the public stage.

Tracy and Josie Duffy Rice, President of The Appeal and host of Justice in America, unpack violence and police brutality, the Black Lives Matter …

Back for a second season, Tracy Clayton hosts Going Through It, a podcast featuring 14 notable Black women discussing a pivotal moment when they decided it was time to make a change.

In 1999, Antje Danielson wanted to start a car-sharing company. But she was a scientist, not a businesswoman, and she knew she couldn’t do it alone. …

In 2012, Ellen Pao was fighting discrimination on two fronts: in the courtroom, where she brought a gender discrimination lawsuit against her former employer Kleiner Perkins, and at work, where she attempted to change …

When Charlotte Cho moved to South Korea, she didn’t have a professional passion or much of a plan. But she did discover the power of the 10-step skin care routine. Now, she’s the founder of Soko Glam, one of the largest …

Years before broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien delivered the news to millions of Americans, she was an entry-level reporter in San Francisco. To …

Jessamyn Stanley didn’t set out to be a yoga instructor. But after a death in her family, yoga became one of the few tools that helped her cope with …

Samin Nosrat built her career and her identity as a chef. She studied cooking in Italy, worked at the revered Chez Panisse, and launched her own pop-up catering company to overnight success. But none of this was what …

The night Glennon Doyle stood in front of an audience to announce the release of Love Warrior, a book about repairing her relationship with her husband, was the same night she met the love of her life — soccer star Abby …

When the Olympics announced in 2012 that women’s boxing would be an official event for the first time in history, Claressa Shields started to prepare …

In the fall of 1965, 18-year-old Hillary Rodham left home and moved almost 1,000 miles away from everything that was familiar. Far from her parents, …

Cameron Esposito had always looked at her career in comedy as if she was running a small, DIY business. But when she was approached by Seeso, an online streaming network, to make a TV series based on her life, she felt …

Amanda Nguyen was appalled to find that the laws around the preservation of her rape kit would make it difficult for her to seek justice after her …

When journalist Rebecca Traister quit her full-time job after she got pregnant, she had a plan: she was going to write her second book while spending …

Audri Scott Williams’ announcement to run in the 2018 primary election wasn’t just historic because she was running in Alabama’s notoriously conservative District 2. She was part of a wave of over 70 black running for …

Ever since childhood, Kathleen Hanna loved singing. When she and her friends started the band Bikini Kill , she used her voice to challenge the male-dominated punk scene and center the women around her. But her success …

Introducing Going Through It, a new podcast from Mailchimp. Coming to a podcast provider near you on April 15th.