Sherry Johnson was 11 years old when she was forced to marry the man who raped her, and it was completely legal. Half a century later, child marriage remains lawful in 34 U.S. states, some with no minimum age whatsoever. In this episode, Hollie breaks down the legal loopholes, the political resistance, and the staggering numbers behind a practice America condemns abroad but quietly permits at home and asks the question reformers have been demanding answered for decades: why won't Congress act?

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A local doctor in Taunsa, a mid-sized city in Pakistan’s Punjab province, first noticed something was wrong in late 2024. Children were showing up at his private clinic HIV-positive, and most had no obvious reason to be.

Their parents were testing clean. They were too young for drug use or any of the standard risk factors health officials tend to reach for when a case is inconvenient. What they had in common was simpler and more damning: they had all been treated at the same government hospital.

So, what went wrong?

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Does this Industry Need More Oversight?

A convicted child sex offender is now a legal father. He is not in prison. He is not hiding. He raised money on GoFundMe, found a surrogate through a family friend, and in 2024 walked out of the system holding a baby boy — and the law, in Pennsylvania and in most of the country, lets him.

That is not a bug. It is the architecture.

Plus some life updates, second pregnancy and seeking suggestions.

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Listener questions drive this candid episode of Dispatches with Hollie McKay, spanning immigration raids in Minneapolis, the roots of Minnesota’s Somali community, NATO’s fractures, and the geopolitical stakes of Greenland and Iran. Hollie explains why closing the Strait of Hormuz could shock the global economy, whether Iran’s unrest could reshape the Middle East, and who benefits when conflicts like Congo stay out of the headlines.

A conversation about power, accountability, and the human cost of decisions made far from public view — plus a personal detour into ballet, discipline, and storytelling under fire.

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In this episode, journalist and author Hollie McKay reflects on a rare personal journey to Morocco—a trip meant for celebration, but one that also sparked a deeper reckoning with the relentless pull of news, social media, and digital noise. From wandering the mystical streets of Marrakech to confronting the addictive vortex of online life, Hollie shares candid insights on learning to disconnect, redefining her identity beyond breaking news, and rediscovering the creative writer within. Along the way, she explores authenticity, motherhood, and what it means to be truly present in a world that constantly demands our attention.

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Hollie reflects on the perils and purpose of modern journalism. From documenting imprisoned reporters abandoned by U.S.-funded outlets, to navigating the blurred lines between truth-telling and propaganda in a digital storm of influencers, Hollie and Dennis examine the shrinking space for press freedom worldwide.

Hollie also shares how motherhood has reshaped her professional compass, balancing the risks of frontline reporting with the responsibilities of raising a child, the psychological toll of conflict reporting, and the enduring importance of human-centered storytelling in an era where virality often eclipses truth.

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In this deeply personal conversation, Hollie steps away from conflict zones to speak candidly about a private grief—her recent miscarriage. In a conversation with longtime friend and interviewer Dennis, Hollie reflects on the physical and emotional toll of early pregnancy loss, the unique form of grief it brings, and the silent weight many women carry.

They explore the stigmas surrounding miscarriage, the biology of trauma, and how society rushes women to move on before they’ve had time to heal. Hollie also opens up about her evolving identity as a mother, the sacrifices of a life spent in war reporting, and the quiet question that lingers in the aftermath: Was it worth it?

Raw, unflinching, and quietly hopeful, this episode is a meditation on loss, legacy, and the courage it takes to share what so often goes unspoken.

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We reflect on the human side of natural disasters—from the heartbreak in Texas to the slow fire recovery in Los Angeles. Hollie discusses the challenge of keeping empathy alive amid media noise, bureaucracy, and tragedy. A candid conversation about how empathy drives action and why it’s so vital in today’s world.

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