For our final episode of 2020, Anna is joined by Alicia Garza, the activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement. They look back at 2020 — a year when Americans endured crises from the pandemic to the economic recession, racial injustices and a highly contentious presidential election. Through it all, women have often taken the lead. And as we head into 2021, Alicia tells us how she’s looking to set the course in activism for the year to come.

For her final episode as host of "Women Rule," Anna Palmer is joined by POLITICO editor Carrie Budoff Brown and POLITICO Magazine deputy editor Elizabeth Ralph to talk about the strange year we’ve all lived through — from the presidential election to the global pandemic — and look forward to 2021 and beyond, and what all of it means for women.

Now that the 2020 campaign is over, Anna speaks with Parker Poling, the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which made substantial gains this year. Parker's job is a big responsibility — working with hundreds of campaigns, candidates, members of congress, donors and campaign staffers as the clock ticks down to election day. But Parker herself seems to take it all in stride. She talks about the wisdom she's learned over the years that allows her to do that — and the importance of being kind to yourself along the way.

"Women Rule" brings you another special episode of POLITICO's new podcast "Global Translations":  The pandemic and the rise of China are prompting Republicans and Democrats to turn to government power to grow industries important to America’s security and place in the world. “Industrial policy” is an idea long reviled among Washington policymakers. Hosts Luiza Savage and Ryan Heath talk to the people trying to make industrial policy cool again. Luiza Savage is the host of "Global Translations". Ryan Heath is a host of "Global Translations".  Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO Audio.  Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO Audio.  Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.  Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio. Jennifer Harris  is a sentior fellow at the Hewlett Foundation, formerly at the US State Department during the Obama administration. Mariana Mazzucato is an internationally recognized economist and professor at University College London (UCL), and Founder/Director of UCL's Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Check out and subscribe to POLITICO's Global Translations, and China Watcher newsletters. Read Luiza Savage's article on the new industrial policy emerging in the US to counter China's ascent. Global Translations newsletter: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-translations China Watcher newsletter: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-china-watcher POLITICO article: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/04/china-us-economy-industrial-policy-global-translation-433954

The 2020 race is finished. And while we don't know all the results yet, we know enough to say this: There was a big gap between what was expected and what ended up happening. Joining Anna to talk it all through is Ally Mutnick, a campaign reporter for POLITICO and expert on all things congressional elections.   Hosted by Anna Palmer Produced by Zack Stanton Executive Producer is Irene Noguchi

"Women Rule" brings you a special episode of POLITICO's new podcast series "Global Translations."  From closed factories to closed borders, the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of our systems, creating a period of scarcity where demand skyrocketed — from freezers to PPE — and we couldn't supply items fast enough. In this episode of "Global Translations", POLITICO hosts Luiza Savage and Ryan Heath take a deep dive with experts into global supply chains and what "decoupling" and "reshoring" are all about when it comes to America’s reliance on China and the rest of the world. Luiza Savage is the host of "Global Translations".  Ryan Heath is a host of "Global Translations". Annie Rees is a producer for POLITICO Audio. Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO Audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio. Adegoke Oke is a professor of supply chain management at Arizona State University. Tom Duesterberg is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He is an expert on trade and foreign policy.  David Wertime is POLITICO's editorial director for China and author of the China Watcher newsletter. Check out and subscribe to POLITICO's Global Translations and China Watcher newsletters, and Luiza Savage's in-depth piece on how the pandemic is forging a new consensus on globalization. Global Translations: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-translations China Watcher: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-china-watcher Supply chain tug-of-war article: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/21/pandemic-forging-new-consensus-globalization-430605

This year, J.Crew is closing all of its stores and offices on Election Day in an effort to encourage its workers to vote. It’s not a move you’d expect from a major corporation. But Jan Singer isn’t your typical CEO. In fact, she didn't even want to be a CEO when she started out — and her (mostly male) superiors were quick to say she couldn't be a CEO unless she changed who she was. She didn't. And now leads one of the most iconic fashion retailers in America. We talked about her journey as a leader, what she's learned from listening, and how the pandemic is shaping J.Crew's outlook.   Hosted by Anna Palmer Produced by Zack Stanton Executive Produced by Irene Noguchi

You may know her as the star of “Ugly Betty” and “Superstore,” but right now, America Ferrera is focused on the 2020 election. As the co-founder of She Se Puede, she's working to boost the political participation of Latinas throughout the country. We talked about that, her political awakening as a 9-year-old and her participation in the "Time's Up" movement in Hollywood.

Julie Conway is the executive director of VIEW PAC, a group dedicated to electing more Republican women to the House and Senate. She joined Anna to talk about the 2020 campaign, her tips on how to fundraise successfully, and how the wave of Democratic women elected in 2018 is making it easier to recruit Republican women this year.   Host: Anna Palmer Producer: Zack Stanton Executive Producer: Irene Noguchi If you’re a fan of the show, please subscribe to Women Rule on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Rate us and leave a review. You can also join the Women Rule community by texting WOMEN to 66866.

Erin Hill is the executive director of ActBlue, the tech platform powerhouse behind most small-dollar online donations to Democrats. They've raised more than $6 billion since 2004 — including around $3 billion in the 2020 cycle alone — and have helped Dems solidify a lead in online contributions. We talked about all of that and more: How small-dollar donors are changing politics, how the pandemic is changing small-dollar donors, and what all of this could mean for the future of politics. Anna Palmer is the host of "Women Rule." Zack Stanton is the producer. Irene Noguchi is executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Jennifer Horn is the former chair of the New Hampshire GOP. But these days, she's better known for the Lincoln Project — the group of anti-Trump conservatives who support Joe Biden. She joins us to talk about 2020, her journey in politics and the barriers she's encountered in her own runs for office.   Hosted by Anna Palmer Produced by Zack Stanton Executive Produced by Irene Noguchi

Andrea Mitchell, the NBC News journalist and television icon, joins Anna to talk about what she's learned over five decades of political conventions, how life has changed for women reporters and where she sees things going from here.

Angela Duckworth, a Penn psychology professor and host of "No Stupid Questions" from Freakonomics Radio, on the coronavirus pandemic and the unseen psychological reasons that explain why we act the way we do. Duckworth is known for her research on “grit” and self-control — both of which are important characteristics to have when you’re living through times like these. She’s aware that we’re all struggling with those traits right now. And she knows that understanding that — as well as having the self-control to extend empathy to those who, for instance, ignore expert advice in the middle of a global pandemic — will make life a little bit easier for everyone.

Our guest today: Nina Garcia, who in addition to being the editor-in-chief of ELLE Magazine, serves as a judge on “Project Runway.” Her journey to fashion-icon status was an unlikely one: She was an immigrant who came to America to get an education, fell in love with the fashion world, and worked her way to the top after starting out at the very bottom. "I didn’t know anybody here. I didn’t really have any contacts. I had no connections," Garcia tells Anna Palmer. "It was just a big, glamorous industry, and I didn’t really see myself — there were no other Latinas doing it." Throughout her career, Garcia has shown an ability to adapt to new situations — whether that’s taking a chance on a new TV show that would later become a smash-hit, working in the publishing industry at a time of massive upheaval, or staying on top of a fashion world that is built upon the idea of constant change. Anna talks to Nina Garcia about all of that and more on today's episode of "Women Rule." POLITICO's "Women Rule" podcast is produced by Zack Stanton. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio. Special thanks to Bob Auld for helping us out with recording in New York. If you’re a fan of the show, please subscribe to Women Rule on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Rate us and leave a review.  And please share our episodes on social media. You can also join the Women Rule community by texting WOMEN to 66866.

Anna's joined by Padma Lakshmi, the author, model and activist who hosts “Top Chef” on Bravo and whose new show, “Taste the Nation,” is now out on Hulu. Padma said she decided to do the show after thinking about what a central role food plays in American culture and everyday life — and how the people behind the food we love are so rarely given the chance to tell their own stories.   Padma’s work away from the culinary world has put her on the forefront of a host of issues: civil liberties, immigrant rights, and raising awareness for endometriosis — a medical condition that millions of American women have, and which has struggled to receive the funding and attention it deserves because of societal assumptions about women and health.   All that and more on the newest episode of "Women Rule." "Women Rule" is hosted by Anna Palmer and produced by Zack Stanton. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld joins Anna to talk about her new novel, "Rodham," which imagines a world where a young Hillary Rodham decides not to marry Bill Clinton. Though this isn't Curtis's first book, it is her first book to be released during a global pandemic — which presents its own challenges. We get into all of that, and more.

Teresa Carlson, VP of Amazon Web Services, and Dionna Dorsey, the owner and designer behind District of Clothing, join to discuss how businesses are pivoting because of the coronavirus pandemic and how the fallout from the protests over the killing of George Floyd are impacting their companies.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal represents Seattle, one of the most hard-hit areas in the country during the coronavirus pandemic. Via Zoom, she and Anna talked about that, why she thinks the economy isn't quite ready to reopen, and what she wishes the Trump administration got wrong in its response. Beyond that, she discussed her history-making path to the Congress, why she often finds leadership lonely, and "the poor men who are so afraid of our talents as women."

In this special bonus episode, Melinda Gates, one of the world's most active philanthropists and public health advocates, joins Anna to talk about the coronavirus pandemic, what she wishes the Trump administration would do differently in its response and the things that keep her up at night.

Today, a break from all things “coronavirus,” as Anna Palmer talks with fashion legend Diane von Furtstenberg. They sat down back before the stay-at-home orders began, when she was in DC to present Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the annual DVF Awards' lifetime achievement prize. And though a whole lot has happened since then, Diane’s advice still rings true for how we can approach life and its challenges. Fashion legend DVF on life, leadership, and why, even now, she feels imposter syndrome.