Taking Back the Narrative: Reality Winner in Her Own Words

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: [email protected] happens when telling the truth collides with the full force of the state, and who gets to be called a patriot when the dust settles? In this episode, Josh and I sit down with Reality Winner, former Air Force linguist, NSA contractor, and author of I Am Not Your Enemy, to talk candidly about the choice that changed her life and the system that tried to define her. Reality walks us through why she leaked a top secret document in 2017, what the Espionage Act does and doesn’t allow a jury to hear, and how her time in federal prison during COVID reshaped her understanding of justice, race, and power in America. We talk about sentencing disparities, the economics of incarceration, and the quiet ways local policy shapes people’s lives far more than a single president ever will. We also explore how her new memoir lands in a moment when government secrecy and document mishandling keep making headlines, and why her story resists neat political boxes while still pushing us to ask better questions about transparency and accountability. Along the way, you’ll hear about her family’s grit, her work rescuing dogs in Texas, and why she’s betting on local change over national theatrics. If you care about truth telling, faith in public life, and the human cost of our systems, this one will stay with you. For context on the new book’s release and coverage, see the publisher page and recent features that situate her story in today’s debates. Whistleblower Aid: https://whistlebloweraid.orgFind the book on Bookshop to support local stores: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781954118843Guest Bio: Reality Winner is a former U.S. Air Force linguist and NSA contractor who, in 2017, leaked a classified report on Russian interference in U.S. elections. She served more than four years in federal prison, the longest sentence ever imposed in the United States for leaking to the press. Since her release, Reality has become a voice for prison reform, government transparency, and mental health awareness. Her memoir, I Am Not Your Enemy, offers an unvarnished account of her choices, the legal system that prosecuted her, and the hard road back to an ordinary life.  Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/Support the showKeep the conversation going.Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, suggest a future guest, or connect with us directly?Visit our website:faithfulpoliticspodcast.comBrowse our bookstore, featuring books from many of our guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstoreSupport the show and help us keep these conversations going:patreon.com/cw/FaithfulPoliticsSubscribe for behind-the-scenes content, reflections, and updates:faithfulpolitics.substack.comContact the hosts:Josh Burtram, Faithful Host: [email protected] Wright, Political Host: [email protected] Faithful Politics:Instagram: faithful_politicsFacebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast