Kelsey Rawson and Cynthia Dockery

Kelsey (K) and Cynthia (C) share the difficult and traumatic experiences they had that led them to leave the church. Cynthia (C) shares that she returned to the church after a difficult divorce.

C talks about how being the oldest sibling in a military family resulted in her being able to advocate and care for others, but not for herself. They both talk about learning to speak up for themselves and how that informs their mental health.

C considers the influence her step-father and his military service had on her. K considers her husband to be her biggest influence and supporter.

C shares her political values, saying she’s registered as a Republican, but that she doesn’t vote by party-lines. K describes herself as being liberal, with a focus on equal access to healthcare and other services.

C and K reflect on how others’ differences might affect their lives in ways they might not recognize. K gives an example from her upbringing that showed how her family and a neighboring Black family were treated differently.

C remembers the fall of the Berlin Wall as her earliest memory of politics.

K recalls a mock presidential vote at school as her earliest memory of politics. She also shares how politics have come up in conversation with her children.

C shares the political conversations she has with her children, emphasizing the importance of voting.

K talks about being the only Democrat in her family and how it affects her relationships. C says there’s a wide range of views in her family, and they both talk about how it affects their Thanksgiving dinners.

C and K share what they expected from one another before the recording.