The Private Lounge is one of the four shows under the All About The Joy umbrella — it’s the quieter space where I sit down for long‑form, human conversations that don’t fit anywhere else.

In this Private Lounge conversation, I sit down with Joel Lava, who is running for Congress in California’s 30th District. Joel talks openly about why he decided to enter the race, what pushed him from activism into politics, and why accountability, accessibility, and community power are at the center of his campaign.

Joel explains his frustration with the lack of impeachment discussions, how Rule 9 works, and why he believes Democratic leadership has lost its sense of urgency. He shares the story of holding weekly rallies outside Rep. Laura Friedman’s office, the importance of town halls, and what it means when elected officials stop engaging with the people they represent.

Joel and I also dig into the realities of running for office — the pressure, the expectations, and how quickly the institution can swallow good people. We discuss AOC’s “Taiwan moment”, media double standards, and why public figures are held to impossible standards while others get a pass.

The conversation shifts into gun violence, the Tiahrt Amendment, the influence of gun and ammo manufacturers, and why focusing only on “assault weapons bans” misses the real problem. Joel breaks down how little the public knows about gun brands, why that’s intentional, and what meaningful reform would actually require.

This is a candid, detailed, and human conversation about leadership, courage, community, and what it really means to step into public service.

Thank you for stopping by – I hope you enjoy the conversation!

Until next time,

Carmen

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All About The Joy is a space for real conversations, radical clarity, and unapologetic joy. Come hang out with us!

All About The Joy: Friday Night Live
– Fridays 6pm PST / 9pm EST

All About The Joy: The Private Lounge
– Sundays 12pm PST / 3pm EST

All About The Joy: Culture & Consequence
– Thursday 6pm PST / 9pm EST

All About The Joy: Carmen Talk
– Varies, but will always land in one of those spots above: Thursday, Friday or Sundays


DISCLAIMER:

As always, please do your own research and understand that the opinions in this podcast and livestream are meant for entertainment purposes only. States and other areas may have different rules and regulations governing certain aspects discussed in this podcast. Nothing in our podcast or livestream is meant to be medical or legal advice. Please use common sense, and when in doubt, ask a professional for advice, assistance, help and guidance.

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TEAM AATJ