Great Ideas – JOY AS RESISTANCE IN THE FIGHT FOR BODILY AUTONOMY: Leading with Play, Joy, and Justice with Jenny Black

Sep 3

Great Ideas – JOY AS RESISTANCE IN THE FIGHT FOR BODILY AUTONOMY: Leading with Play, Joy, and Justice with Jenny Black

In a time when despair is “the favorite tool of the oppressor,” how can joy, play, and rest become radical tools of resistance? In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. Together, they explore what it takes to lead one of the country’s most tenured Planned Parenthood affiliates through political attacks, economic hardship, and burnout—without losing sight of purpose, humanity, or delight. From protecting staff well-being to advocating for bodily autonomy, this conversation offers a powerful blueprint for centering joy as a core strategy for long-term sustainability and social impact.

Key Takeaways:

Joy and play are not frivolous in justice-centered work; they are essential practices that protect against despair and sustain long-term engagement.
Effective leaders openly acknowledge hard realities while quickly pivoting to transparent communication and shared action, avoiding both sugarcoating and secrecy.
Organizational cultures that prioritize meaning, connection, and care for staff can create unusually high tenure and deep resilience, even under constant attack.
Although rights like abortion and gender-affirming care are framed as divisive, broad majorities actually support individuals’ freedom to make their own health decisions without government interference.
Rest, boundaries, and genuine time away from work are non-negotiable for people doing emotionally demanding social change work—and leaders must both model and enforce that standard.

"I believe that despair is the favorite tool of the oppressor, and you cannot have joy and despair at the same time." — Jenny Black

"Joy doesn't necessarily mean giddy. It doesn't mean silly. It means there is a profound satisfaction. There's a profound peace to why we're doing this work." — Jenny Black

"Rest is part of the work." — Jenny Black

Episode References:

Ms. Magazine: https://msmagazine.com/

More About Jenny Black:

Jenny Black is the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. A long-time leader within Planned Parenthood, Jenny centers joy, play, and staff well-being as foundational strategies for building resilience and sustaining long-term impact across reproductive health care, education, and advocacy. Under her leadership, the affiliate continues to provide essential healthcare services while cultivating an organizational culture grounded in meaning, connection, and mutual care.

Connect with Jenny Black:

Website: plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-pacific-southwest

Connect with Kristine:

The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/pod cast/t he-playfull-po dcast-with-k ristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?ac tion=write-review

Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/

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