In this special Mother’s Day episode of Dispatches, Hollie shares powerful, unfiltered stories of motherhood in conflict zones—from El Salvador’s post-civil war trauma to the ongoing horrors in Darfur. Through intimate accounts like that of Maria, a Salvadoran mother caught between guerrilla fighters and a U.S.-backed regime, and a Darfuri woman surviving unspeakable loss and injury, Hollie reveals the moral complexity, resilience, and heartbreak that define motherhood under siege.

She contrasts these realities with the safety and privilege often taken for granted in developed nations, urging us to amplify the voices of mothers the world too often ignores.

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Hollie and Dennis peel back the curtain on corporate media, exposing the tangled web of ego, pressure, and politics that shape the stories we see—and the ones that quietly disappear.

From firsthand experiences of censorship while reporting on ISIS to reflections on the vanishing independence of modern journalism, Hollie offers an unfiltered take on what it really means to tell the truth in today’s media landscape.

The conversation then shifts to motherhood in America: from soaring childcare costs to the cultural blind spots holding families back. With insights shaped by her own experiences as a journalist and new mom, Hollie digs into the systemic failures impacting birth rates, parenting, and gender roles. It’s a thought-provoking conversation about the forces shaping both our headlines and our homes.

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We journey to the heart of Mexico’s devastating crisis of the disappeared. With over 120,000 people officially missing — and experts estimating the number could be closer to 200,000 — the scale of human loss is staggering. Hollie recounts her recent reporting trip, where she met mothers who have dedicated their lives to finding their children, often at great personal risk and without any government support.

From cartel kidnappings to government complicity, this episode dives into the painful realities of life just south of the U.S. border. We also explore the implications of the U.S. labeling Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations and what, if any, hope that brings for the families left behind.

Heartbreaking, urgent, and often overlooked, this is a story of courage, corruption, and the relentless pursuit of justice in the face of unimaginable loss.

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