S2: Episode 1 | Frances Perkins, The Architect of the New Deal

In this episode of HerStance, we pull back the curtain on the true architect of the New Deal: Frances Perkins, the woman who wasn't just the first female Cabinet Secretary but the driving force behind the most significant social reforms in American history.We explore her journey from a strict, conservative upbringing to a radical social reformer, tracing the moment her conscience was awakened—specifically, by the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire—which cemented her lifelong commitment to labor reform.As Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor, Perkins fought tirelessly for the structural safety nets that define modern America, including Social Security, the minimum wage, and the 40-hour work week.Discover the strategic genius of the woman who navigated a hostile, male-dominated cabinet, famously filing away her observations in a folder labeled "Notes on the Male Mind." We delve into the intense backlash she faced, including an impeachment attempt, and how she used her position to "establish the right of others... to sit in the high seats."Perkins believed that "The people are what matter to government," and this episode honors the quiet, tenacious revolutionist whose legacy is woven into the very fabric of American fairness and economic security.