What does it mean to raise a family while also serving your country?

In this episode of The Unaparent, Katia sits down with Senator Ruben Gallego and his wife, Sydney Gallego, for a conversation that goes far beyond politics. They talk candidly about the realities of parenting three young children while navigating the demands of public life.

From breaking cycles of fatherhood to confronting the maternal health crisis, Senator Gallego shares how personal experiences have informed his legislative priorities—including the Dads Matter Act and postpartum Medicaid expansion. Sydney brings her own insights as a maternal health advocate and mother navigating the emotional terrain of postpartum identity and civic engagement.

In a country where gun violence is rampant, childcare is out of reach for many, and parental support remains a luxury instead of a given, this episode serves as a welcome reminder that some elected officials are fighting to change that. It’s a reflection of how public service, at its best, begins at home. Because sometimes, being a good parent is one of the most radical and impactful forms of leadership.

🌸 Topics covered:

• Fatherhood, masculinity & breaking generational cycles
• Maternal health & postpartum policy in America
• Raising kids in an era of gun violence
• Navigating political life as a family
• What gives them hope and what they’re fighting for

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Don’t forget to FOLLOW the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for all the unapparent content you never knew you needed. 📺

⁠The Unaparent Podcast⁠ is a ⁠Studio Dama⁠ production. For production, sponsorship, and ad inquiries contact marina@studiodamadesign.com or send a DM to ⁠@studio.dama.design⁠

SHOW NOTES:

00:00 – Introduction & Guest Bios

02:45 – Unapparent Truths of Parenting

05:20 – How Their Upbringings Shaped Their Parenting Values

08:35 – Early Parenting Fears & Breaking Generational Cycles

12:05 – Legislation Inspired by Lived Experience (Postpartum, Dads Matter Act)

14:40 – What the U.S. Gets Wrong About Postpartum Care

17:30 – The Economic Reality of Raising Children

19:00 – Parenting as Civic Duty & Government Support

21:10 – Gun Violence & Sending Kids to School in Fear

26:50 – Raising Kids in the Public Eye

30:00 – Modeling Presence & Prioritizing Family

33:00 – Navigating Campaigns, Sacrifice, and Support at Home

34:50 – What Gives Them Hope as Parents

38:00 – Final Reflections & Advocacy Plugs (March of Dimes, Children’s Museum of Phoenix)

¿Qué significa realmente ser madre cuando el sistema no está diseñado para ti ni para tus hijos?

En este emotivo episodio, Katia conversa con Cristina Pocta—puertorriqueña/dominicana, madre de tres, y fundadora de la organización sin fines de lucro @seen_nonprofit — sobre el poder del cuidado, la dignidad y la comunidad. Cristina es madre de dos hijos con espina bífida y uno adoptado, y ha convertido su experiencia con la discapacidad, el agotamiento y la fe, en un acto de cuidado colectivo: brindar a otras familias el regalo del descanso.

A través de anécdotas conmovedoras y reflexiones profundas, Cristina habla sobre:

🌍 cómo navegar un sistema de salud desigual

🧠 el dolor de ver a tus hijos ser excluidos

❤️‍🩹 el propósito detrás del sufrimiento

🛏️ la importancia del descanso como acto de resistencia

🫶 y cómo la fe y la comunidad le han dado esperanza

Un episodio que no solo honra a las madres cuidadoras, sino que también nos invita a ver, sentir y actuar con más empatía.

🎁 En esta época de fiestas, pueden brindarle el regalo del descanso a una familia que lo necesita a través de youareseen.org

Te invitamos a seguir la historia de Cristina y muchas otras familias a través de @seen_757 y @seen_nonprofit.

Don’t forget to FOLLOW the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for all the unapparent content you never knew you needed. 📺

⁠The Unaparent Podcast⁠ is a ⁠Studio Dama⁠ production. For production, sponsorship, and ad inquiries contact marina@studiodamadesign.com or send a DM to ⁠@studio.dama.design⁠

SHOW NOTES:

00:00 – Katia Catch Up + Presentación de Cristina Pocta y su historia familiar

03:30 – Una “verdad no aparente” de la crianza

05:30 – Criar dos hijos con espina bífida y uno adoptado

07:15 – El diagnóstico prenatal y los primeros años

10:00 – La maternidad como un acto de sanación

13:00 – Acceso al sistema médico y desigualdad estructural

16:30 – La soledad en el proceso de cuidado

19:00 – Lo que sí funciona: comunidad y pequeños actos de empatía

22:00 – El origen de SEEN y su propósito

25:30 – ¿Qué significa “el regalo del descanso”?

28:00 – El poder transformador de ayudar a otros

30:00 – El legado que Cristina quiere dejar en sus hijos

32:00 – Cómo apoyar a SEEN y dónde encontrar más recursos

33:00 – Cierre y agradecimientos

What does wellness really look like for mothers—beyond the supplements, routines, and influencer checklists? In this powerful episode of The Unaparent, Katia sits down with Haley Williams Pepper—a birth and postpartum doula, activist, mom of two, fellow WAG and host of the Detoxed podcast—to deconstruct the mainstream wellness industry and explore the systemic failures of women’s health care in the U.S.

They also discuss what it’s like to navigate public life as WAGs and as vocal political/social advocates within these typically conservative spaces. They get candid about the privileges and responsibilities that come with having a platform, and how to raise children who lead with radical empathy.

If you’ve ever felt unseen as a mother, or unheard as an advocate, this one is for you.

Topics covered:
❤️‍🩹 What’s broken in women’s wellness culture

📢 The myth of “neutrality” and speaking up as a white-passing woman
🤫 How political silence harms moms and their kids
🏥 The postpartum support moms really need
🧠 Mental health, medical misinformation & maternal rage
🌱 Raising kind, empathetic kids in a divided world

Don’t forget to FOLLOW the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for all the unapparent content you never knew you needed. ⁠The Unaparent Podcast⁠ is a ⁠Studio Dama⁠ production. For production, sponsorship, and ad inquiries contact marina@studiodamadesign.com or send a DM to ⁠@studio.dama.design⁠

SHOW NOTES:
00:00 – Katia Catch-up & reflections on platform, privilege, and purpose
02:45 – Guest intro: Haley Williams Pepper
03:11 – Unapparent truths
05:05 – Navigating public life as WAGs & vocal advocates in conservative spaces
07:13 – Social media as activism & the privilege of having a voice
10:43 – Productive rage, motherhood, and redefining wellness
12:08 – What brought Haley to doula work & care advocacy
17:04 – Informed consent, midwifery, and flawed medical models
19:35 – Debunking toxic wellness and unattainable “self-care”
22:16 – Formula companies, lobbying, and systemic postpartum failures
26:03 – Birthrate panic vs real policy solutions
27:07 – What values Haley is most intentional about passing on
29:03 – Radical empathy as a parenting framework
30:21 – White-passing privilege, integrity, and voice
32:41 – Haley’s podcast “Detox” and final thoughts