Rebel Girls

Alysia Montaño, Olympic bronze medalist, world champion, and American record holder, talks about the story behind wearing her iconic flower, running while eight months pregnant, and what it took to win the national championship just six months after having a baby.

She also talks about speaking out for women's sports equality, raising her daughter to be a hero, and why you are the author of your own story.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

This season, we invited our credit readers to interview our storytellers. Today, you'll hear from Funmilola Fagbamila who narrated the previous episode about the life of Queen Nanny. If you haven't listened to last week's episode, now is a good time to go check it out! Funmilola reveals how her art and activism collide, the skills it requires to be a successful organizer and why Queen Nanny's story personally resonated. [This episode originally aired March 2019.]

About Funmilola:

Funmilola Fagbamila is a Nigerian American scholar, activist, playwright and artist. She currently serves as an adjunct professor of Pan African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. As an original member of the Black Lives Matter Movement, Funmilola has been organizing with BLM since its inception in 2013. Her most recent theatrical production was featured in the 2018 Netflix Documentary, Feminists.

Credits:

This episode of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is produced by Elena Favilli, Joy Fowlkes, and Meg Murnane. Sound design and original theme music by Elettra Bargiacchi. Mattia Marcelli was the sound mixer. Special thanks to Clio McClure for coordinating our credit readers and interviewers.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who couldn’t be captured. Her name was Nanny. In the jungles of Jamaica, escaped slaves called maroons lived together in colonies, and “Queen Nanny,” as they called her, was one of their leaders. Helped along by her ancestors and the strength of her people, Nanny taught slaves to use the environment to their advantage and fight back. Queen Nanny’s legacy continues to inspire activists and rebels to this day. [This episode originally aired March 2019.]

About the Narrator:

Funmilola Fagbamila is a Nigerian American scholar, activist, playwright and artist. She currently serves as an adjunct professor of Pan African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. As an original member of the Black Lives Matter Movement, Funmilola has been organizing with BLM since its inception in 2013. Her most recent theatrical production was featured in the 2018 Netflix Documentary, “Feminists.”

Credits:

This episode of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is produced by Elena Favilli, Joy Fowlkes, and Meg Murnane, with writing by Corinne Purtill and narration by Funmilola Fagbamila. Jestine Ware edited all scripts. Sound design and original theme music by Elettra Bargiacchi.

This week, records fell across the board. A 43-day solo row across the Pacific. A Wimbledon run that made history for the Philippines. A women's sports ticket record in New York City — before the game even starts. The Weekly Sports Show has all of it, plus WNBA All-Star starters, AUSL league records, and a Pep Talk from a boat.

Catch new episodes every Friday as we bring you all of the news in Women’s Sports.

Play Rebel ⚡ Stay Rebel

Get to know journalist and podcaster Hana Baba, who brought us the story of politician, writer, and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams. Hana tells us how she fell in love with journalism, what it is like to break the expectations placed on her by her Sudanese family, and break the mold as a journalist who wears a headscarf. And, she explains what sees as Stacey Abrams’ biggest impacts on the world. [This episode originally aired March 2021.]