tonight on kqed newsroom, she is california's first partner, a documentary filmmaker, and a mother of four. we talk in depth with jennifer siebel newsom. coming to you from kqed headquarters in san francisco, this friday september 16th, 2022. tonight, we have a special interview with california's first partner, jennifer siebel newsom. she is also a documentary maker his new film explores a topic

that many of us can relate to. it focuses on the homefront and asks who does the housework and who takes care of the kids. what does that reveal about our relationships let's take a look. >> for women to step into the full power it requires man to step into the full power in the home. that's a legacy that we all deserve. >> jennifer siebel newsom joins us now. thanks so much for being here. it's great to have you here. this is the first time we get to meet so i'm looking forward to get to know you a little bit and for our audience to get to know you a bit better, as well. you have partnership and a lot of your work. partner is in your first part of your name, as well. why is it that you chose first partner instead of first lady? >> i chose first partner for a multitude of regions. there will be a female governor someday.

there will be an lgbtq governor. i want to signal what is possible in the role of governor. but it's also everything about partnership. that is a strong room behind the leader. who is taking care of things at home so we could be the best in the world? who is the person that they whisper to or talk to about everything that stresses nine and concerns them at night before bed or first thing in the morning, or while you are having your coffee or your cup of tea. partnership makes the world go around. we need each other. we are stronger in partnership together. >> you are a documentary filmmaker. do you have any good icebreakers that you use? to talk more easily in conversation took >> that's a good question. i have specific icebreakers? i am about kind of slowing down and heartwarming connection and

you know, feel comfortable and see their best self and shine. i love celebrating women and telling stories that celebrate women. and celebrating great partners. this is what i think the film is about, really inspiring. the phone largely unveils all of the invisible work that women have shouldered historically. shines a light on a path forward where men step into more care at home. >> we have an icebreaker for you here. >> okay. >> we are going to start by taking a look at your instagram account where you, as first partner, share messages, sometimes in spanish, as well -- you are fluent in spanish. about your work and your thoughts. we are going to listen to a clip from women's equality day. >> so, with election day just a few months a day away, i am hoping that women will exercise

their hard-fought right to vote and elect local, state, and federal representatives. especially women and mothers who truly represent our values. >> this is the sort of work you put out on social media. it's always interesting, always topical. here is the icebreaker. you are all just so fashionable. you are so stylish in this. i run around in my yoga pants six days a week. literally, i have them on underneath this right now. >> i love it. >> i know fashion can sometimes >> a gendered issue. for me to talk about you and what you wear. when i look at those clothes, what i see is you making a statement in these outfits. and i want to know what you are stating. so what i want to do is put up a picture of you from one of these videos and i would like you to give me a caption and i will reveal the caption that we come up with you. here's the first one, the one you just looked at.

what do you think? >> earthly mother. >> i think we note that one. check it out. here's what we said. this is you saying i am a grounded bad -- earth mom. >> i love that. >> it came across. here is number two. this one, you are wearing kind of a leopard print jacket. >> oh. i mean hip global citizen. >> all right. we said i like to take a walk on the wild side. >> yeah, okay. >> what do you think? is there a part of you that is a little wild? >> sure. i am an artist. i am creative. i love anything that is creative. i love color. you are wearing gorgeous colors. i just love expressing myself. i'm an emotional human being. i love emotions. uncomfortable with emotions. but i also love mother nature and what mother nature does for

us grounding us and connecting us to what is most important in life. >> this was definitely -- the caption here is inspired by the first partner. seeing these made me definitely want to bring you today. >> beautiful. >> ready. >> this is the last one. this looks like you, maybe in the halls of sacramento, speaking with some of our other leaders there. what you think about this one? >> partner. >> yeah. >> it's not easy being green. >> i know, i know. i love green. is there some kind of connection? >> do you feel that? are there times where you're like, it's not so easy to be first partner, people. >> that's a great question. no, i don't think it's easy. but my documentary actually sheds a light on all the invisible work that women shoulder. not just at home, but in the workforce. i think there are statistics

that 75% of the world's invisible work is carried out by women and girls. even as first partner, there have been times historically where i have felt rendered invisible. and where i kind of was like hey, wait, hello. i have something to say here and i am busting my butt. don't ignore me. i have value and contributions to make. and so my husband is lovely. if i have ever had to say that, his lack of, and you know, totally believes in me and is my biggest fan. but i think in the political world, whether you are the female leader or you are the woman behind the leader, you are often seen as maybe not quite enough. and there is an element of --

okay, but you stay over there. or you can just -- stay in your lane. in your corner. so it has really been lovely. we were a majority women cabinet from the get go. i still believe we are a majority of women in the horseshoe, as we call it, and leadership. >> for people who don't know, the horseshoe is -- >> the senior advisors and the office team that supports the governor. about 220 people. the entire government administration is like 248,000. california has the largest employer in the state. but within the horseshoe, the majority, the minority, and women administration. it is shifting because people are burnt out from the pandemic. not enough in the public service jobs that don't often

pay enough or enable you to compare to certain jobs in the technology or certain finance. there are tough jobs, 24 seven jobs. my husband is always working. i would argue that i am also juggling childcare, other jobs, paid work, documentary work, social advocacy outside of my first partner job. >> in this time of political uncertainty, the roe v wade decision was overturned not that long ago. states are trying to figure out what happens next. california. you have been very involved in the work here in california to make it a state of reproductive freedom and encourage others to come. what's your advice to girls and women in this time? living in this place here in california. >> my advices that they matter. their voices matter.

they deserve to have seats of the tables of power. we need them and leadership. especially local leadership as they build their confidence to have you aspire towards national leadership. these decisions are being made in small towns and state legislatures that are not representative of 30 of their population. women are 51% of the population. >> let's go back a little bit. can you help me understand who you are and where you came from? i need her up in marin. your father was an investment manager. >> yeah. so, my dad and mom are from the midwest and came out for different reasons. probably seeking the california dream. my mother was a military brat. my dad was -- >> her father was the mayor of a small town in montana. >> really? >> and my father, his father

worked in a steel mill at night and his mother worked during the day. he was an only child. scholarships to college for sports and academics and ended up going into investment banking and become a wealth manager. moved out here. had five daughters. i lost my older sister when i was a little girl. >> what happened? >> it was an accident with us young children. unsupervised whenever 6. a few days before my 7th birthday. it was very painful. it basically set the tone for my life and impacted my family in a myriad of ways. my parents having my younger sister and two sisters after. my parents had four girls. my dad raised us to be leaders. i played soccer under the under 23 national team at stanford i went and lived and worked at conservation international. >> you went to stanford where he studied latin american studies.

>> a minor in biology. >> i read somewhere that you wished you had studied anthropology, which is what i did. >> i loved anthropology and history. >> you got your mba from stanford, as well. >> a fair amount of work that you put in there. >> between school i worked in africa and helped to establish these parks in south africa and did work in south america. but i was always focused on the enterprises within women. always worked with women. the environment of connection. sustainable agriculture and forestry. then i got to stanford business school. the drama department is right next door. kind of a global citizen, you know. citizen of the world having lived in latin america. still needed to explore humanity a little bit more.

and you know, i decided to pursue acting while i was in business school at night. sigourney weaver showed up for business school class and i just saw the impact she had. not just on my class, but the power of her voice to do good in the world. harrison ford had been on the board of conservation international. similarly, i was blown away by his environmental advocacy. after business school, i went to hollywood and started acting and producing. and i noticed what went in in front of and behind the camera. that is when i first documentary, misrepresentation, was born. >> what year? >> i started shooting in 2008. >> after you have met and married your husband then. >> that i started shooting it, yeah. >> so you met him on a blind date.

>> yeah. >> i am curious what was your first impression of him and if that has held true through the years. >> yes. there was an incredible connection. we had so much in common. from the environment to our love of africa, our love of montana. i saw how adorable he was with children. he was a feminist without necessarily being coined a feminist. he surrounded himself with all úthese powerful women that he appointed to fire chief and police chief. he was passionate about the city of san francisco. it was familiar. the easiest relationship i've ever had. i was getting out of a relationship of the time, so it was sort of interesting. >> you have a lot in common and continue to over the years. i am curious what life is like and 70 some household, particularly through the lens of the film that you have just made. it is called fair play. let's take a look at that and really kind of dig into it a little bit.

>> when i became a mom, i felt like identity completely changed. >> i really did not understand the amount that she had to endure. >> it goes back to the twisted notion of just asking for help. i don't want to ask. >> work-family conflict is not about women. it's about men and gender pressure on men. >> it is for men what feminism is for women. >> when it comes to care, we are so far behind. we are saying we value work more than we value our families. >> there is this hidden message there which is that it is just too expensive to support women. >> you are not featured on camera in this film. you are the director, producer, writer. i feel like you could not have made this film unless it came from a place inside you, as well. >> that's true. all of my films, i have to have lived a certain extent to be able to tell the story. a lot of research and

information and streaming together sort of a dialogue of expert voices and thoughtfulness that i can validate. that i can say yup, that's true. >> from the outside perspective, you are beautiful, your husband is beautiful. you have four beautiful children. you live this sort of norman rockwell beautiful life at home? >> no. my goodness, no. our lives are so human and real. i think it is such a -- it's almost hurtful when people make these assumptions about us and say someof the things about us that they do online that are not the truth. and we just kind of ignore everything. that they say, you know, good or bad. although i will heart the good. but social media is the worst place these days, when it comes to truth telling. there is just so much hate and

vulgarity online. we are supernormal. the youngest is 6. the eldest is 12. they feel the pressure of being the governor's children. their father is working all the time. he has very little time for them. but when he is there, you know, he will throw the football in the house with our son and the dutch. this was totally my doing and my fault. i'm not kidding. this is insane. i love animals and this is, part of, you know, what holds her kids together and what held them together during the pandemic. a lot of pressure in the children of the governor. things at basketball matches and soccer matches that are super inappropriate. also from adults. super inappropriate and not cool. we are living in trans-times. it's not a great time to be a

public servant. >> right. with that work and the pressure to the kids of the governor and being the first partner, how do you manage the work and the life that you live? how do you find ways to divide the labor in your own home? >> the one during the pandemic, even if kevin and i were working 24 seven, he is home for dinner. that was helpful establishing family meals and conversation. the kid no what is going on. perhaps, they knew too much. we had a child that had serious anxiety. a couple that had anxiety. one in particular that suddenly stopped eating during the pandemic and was afraid of germs and afraid of everything. it was really scary for both gavin and myself. we didn't know what to do. we couldn't find anyone to talk to him. it was just horrifying. we have a dearth of mental health experts and not just in

our state, but in our country. not enough of a focus on mental health. just like any kids, it's really loud. two boys. last night at dinner, who could be the loudest? they are like rolling their eyes. they chime in and i am like oh my god, i need peace. we are super busy. it's a jungle. i had no idea what i signed up no idea what i signed up for. oh my gosh. it's a full-time gig. i was not signed up to do that. it's stressful. we've learned to adjust. all responsibilities around the house. >> does the state provide you with house or help in any way? >> no. no. it's insane. there's a governor's mansion but it's not appropriate for children, for young children. recently, it was renovated by governor jerry brown.

he doesn't have children. it's just not a safe place for young children. it's great for entertaining. we love opening it up to the public and to the dignitaries and the legislature and all of our allies and partners. we started to do more events there. we have a private home. it's bustling near the park. it is, you know, working úmothe and of itself. the majority of americans come from dual income households. the majority of families are actually struggling with this extra responsibility. f course, women are . shouldering the brunt of it. >> that's right. that's what your film is all about. >> that's what it's all about. >> he also made a point that much of the work is often done by women of color. where it is not seen, right. people who are hired for domestic help. who is in your staff for help? >> i have an au pair. it's a young girl who often looks to me like and their

mother and they need to be taken care of and they often speak a different language. i have gone through trials of tribulations, trying to figure out the right thing. really struggled to figure out how to be the mother i wanted to be and be the worker and the advocae and the filmmaker that i wanted to be and to be the partner and wife and boss that i wanted to be. very humbling. but also, if i have struggled, you know, in this situation, it just lengthens my resolve to fix this. i have so much empathy for women across the country and around the world, again, who shoulder the majority of invisible work. >> tell me more about that. >> my focus in the office is gender equity and well-being. there was a lot in the mental health arena. a lot of work. parks access for equity and families that don't have access

to the outdoors. probably one of the biggest initiatives. basically trying to move california.. procurement interregional constructs with local farmers that are being sold directly to stores and schools. >> how is that? >> she is partnered and has been on the advisory council. basically trying to make sure the kids get the freshest, most nutritious, delicious food for breakfast and lunch. we passed universal meals at the state level. that is exciting and also the tie into the climate is that the school food system is like the largest restaurant -- exactly, the procurement opportunities to move agriculture towards regenerative agriculture is one of our goals. that has been exciting. on the gender equity piece, i am big on equal pay, obviously.

and big on all of the policies that are necessary for women like ourselves to raise families while also pursuing careers and having seats at the tables of power. if we are not telling our stories and using our voices to advocates policies that are not going to benefit families or everyone, it's a loss to society and mother nature. and our economy. it's a loss to the world. >> it feels like the work that you're doing with fairplay is a message we have heard before. is not the first time. it's been decades of discussion about the inequality at home in terms of gender. the message has not necessarily yet. we keep hearing it. you think that is what it is going to take having that seat at the table? in order to really see change happen.

>> 9050 more minutes a day or 40% of the childcare and domestic work at home. not only do the men have greater longevity, they are less reliant on prescription meds and antidepressants. they are happier and have better sex lives. their wives are happier and their wives are fulfilling their interests, aspirations, and ambitions outside of the home and less likely to be anxious and depressed. their children have better cognitive development, fewer behavioral problems and healthier long-term relationships. it's a win-win. the more that men step into care and domestic work, the better off we all are. if men do that at home, they bring those values and that practice into the workplace and they have more empathy for their fema colleagues and they shipped the workplace culture so that family-friendly policies

like family leave and flextime and universal child care or some form of subsidized childcare and equal pay was the norm. >> the work that begins at home impacts the world outside, as well. tell us how people can see fairplay. >> anywhere you can buy or rent documentaries. any streaming service, yeah. >> we do a segment at the end of the show which is called something beautiful. our viewers know it. and i am curious if there is a place here in the bay area that you love. that is something beautiful to you. >> i love christy shields. >> i do, too. i've taken many, many walks there. what you love about it? >> i have so many memories there. just magical walks with my children. pregnant with children. with my girlfriends, with one of my dear friend that i lost.

prior to her passing. i just have so many magical memories. there is something about the ions and the gorgeous golden úg it is just magical. >> it's time now for our segment. we are featuring chrissy field.

>> thanks so much for being our guest here today and showing so openly about yourself, your life, and your experiences. >> thanks for having me. >> that's the end of our show for tonight. you can find kqed newsroom online or on twitter. or you can email us at canon are at kqed.org or reach me on social media. thanks for joining us. we will see you back here next friday night. have a great weekend.

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