Shadow Politics, February 27, 2022
Shadow Politics with Senator Michael Brown
María Sánchez
to Discuss legislation before the DC Council
on Monday, February 28th
Guest, MARÍA VIOLA SÁNCHEZ, PhD, MA
Founder, STOP THE CUT! Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation
My former cohost, María Sánchez, is coming back to the show to talk about important legislation before the Council's Judiciary & Public Safety Committee. The District of Columbia is one of 10 jurisdictions in the United States that does not have a prohibition against female genital mutilation (FGM) – a practice that affects 200 million girls and women worldwide. This legislation also affects females in the District and María will shed light on the importance of passing this bill.
Sánchez holds a PhD in Psychology (Fielding Graduate University, 2021) a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (Pepperdine University, 2017) and a master’s degree in Media Psychology (Fielding Graduate University, 2019). María was elected to Fielding Graduate University’s Board of Trustees in 2019, as a full voting member and still serves, and she served as Fielding’s Student Body President (2018–2020). María’s doctoral dissertation is entitled, “USING THE BYSTANDER INTERVENTION MODEL TO IMPROVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.”
María has become an activist and founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to help with the worldwide eradication of female genital mutilation (FGM).
STOP THE CUT!
At least four million girls worldwide are at risk each year of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) – with most girls cut before the age of 15.
Significant progress has been made in eliminating this harmful practice, but more is needed – and fast – if we are to end it once and for all.
Guest, Maria Sanchez
A native Californian, María Sánchez holds a Ph.D. in Psychology (Fielding Graduate University, 2021) a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (Pepperdine University, 2017) and a Master’s degree in Media Psychology (Fielding Graduate University, 2019).
María was elected to Fielding Graduate University’s Board of Trustees in 2019, as a full voting member and still serves, and she served as Fielding’s Student Body President from 2018 – 2020.
María’s doctoral dissertation was on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and it is entitled, “USING THE BYSTANDER INTERVENTION MODEL TO IMPROVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.”
She has become an activist in the eradication of the procedure which affects 200 MILLION girls and women who are alive today and this is the reason that she founded STOP THE CUT! Eradicating Female Genital Mutilation.
María attended the United Nations’ “International Day of Zero Tolerance” for Female Genital Mutilation on February 6, 2020, in New York. She also attended virtually in February 2021.
She was a member of a two-day conference in the United Kingdom on April 2019 about genital integrity. She also attended a United Nations event in June 2019 as well as traveling to London, November 2019 to personally interview global eradication activists.
María was a presenter at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention in August 2019. She spoke on a three-member panel, “Giving Psychology Away: Using Media to Your Advantage.”
A native Californian, Maria Sanchez graduated from the University of California, Davis where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in the double major of Public Relations and Human Resources. Ms. Sanchez also served as the Commencement Speaker at her graduation ceremonies. After taking some time off, she decided to continue her education at Portland State University’s Master’s Program in Theatre Arts with an emphasis on Scriptwriting.
Ms. Sanchez began her professional broadcasting career as the producer for 103.5 FM KOST’s “Mark & Kim Show” at the time the longest running morning broadcasting team in LA radio history. While producing for the perennially popular Mark & Kim, she interviewed hundreds of guests covering numerous topics as the host of an uninterrupted half hour Public Affairs program.
Having found her calling as an interviewer, Ms. Sanchez transitioned from being the producer of the highly rated “Mark and Kim Show” to the most listened to talk radio station in America – KFI AM 640, Los Angeles. During her stint at KFI, she was a permanent weekend host and often served as the substitute host for such talk radio favorites as Bill Handel, John & Ken, Phil Hendrie and Wayne Resnick.
Having gained invaluable professional experience in the largest market in the country, it was only a matter of time before she developed “The Maria Sanchez Show.” A topical, sometimes controversial, occasionally eclectic, always listener friendly, audience pleasing talk show heard on TALK 650 KSTE. It was not long before “The Maria Sanchez Show” was considered Sacramento’s must hear radio from 9am to noon, Monday through Friday.
With a desire to pursue opportunities in the television industry, the resourceful Ms. Sanchez returned to the metropolitan Los Angeles area and produced a sit-com pilot for NBC TELEVISION. Currently she can be seen moderating infomercials for a variety of products. During this time also co-created and anchored the debate oriented call-in participation show “Cross Talk” for the local NPR affiliate, KCLU 88.3 FM.
A civic-minded mother of four, Maria is also a founder of both the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and Oaks Christian Schools and served on the Founding Board of Directors of My Friend's Place, a resource center for at-risk youth in Hollywood for nine years. Ms. Sánchez was the campaign manager for the Mayor of Thousand Oaks who was successfully re-elected in November 2014 and was the campaign manager for a candidate in the Thousand Oaks City Council special election in June 2015.
She has served on the board of directors of the Girl Scouts of the California Central Coast and the Public Relations Society of America-Gold Coast Chapter and is the co-founder, past president and current 1st vice president of the Westlake Village Republican Women, Federated.
Maria Sánchez has been the co-host of SHADOW POLITICS with United States Senator Michael D. Brown on BBS Radio since October 25, 2015.
Shadow Politics
Shadow Politics is a grass roots talk show giving a voice to the voiceless. For more than 200 years the people of the Nation's Capital have ironically been excluded from the national political conversation. With no voting member of either house of Congress, Washingtonians have lacked the representation they need to be equal and to have their voices heard. Shadow Politics will provide a platform for them, as well as the millions of others nationwide who feel politically disenfranchised and disconnected, to be included in a national dialog.
We need to start a new conversation in America, one that is more inclusive and diverse and one that will lead our great nation forward to meet the challenges of the 21st century. At Shadow Politics, we hope to get this conversation started by bringing Americans together to talk about issues important to them. We look forward to having you be part of the discussion so call in and join the conversation. America is calling and we're listening… Shadow Politics is about America hearing what you have to say. It's your chance to talk to an elected official who has spent more than 30 years in Washington politics. We believe that if we start a dialog and others add their voices we will create a chorus. Even if those other politicians in Washington don't hear you — Senator Brown will. He's on a mission to listen to what America has to say and use it to start a productive dialog to make our democracy stronger and more inclusive. If we are all part of the solution we can solve any problem.
