Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

To close out Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, San Francisco-based saxophonist and longtime activist Francis Wong joins us to talk about the revolutionary power of music and art. He shares how he came to pick up a saxophone in the first place and how music, especially jazz, has played an important role in his activist work. We discuss the role of multiracial unity and collective power in art and the ongoing fight for social justice in this country. Francis shares about his album with legendary drummer Max Roach and the record label he founded with composer and pianist Jon Jang, Asian Improv Arts. We also play excerpts from Francis’ extensive musical works. REFERENCES: Francis Wong - @franciswongsf Asian Improv aRts - https://asianimprov.org SONGS "Prayers for Melvin Truss" - https://asianamsmakingmusic.tumblr.com/post/55447694876/jon-jang-4-in-one-quartet-prayer-for-melvin “Pie Jesu" from Gabriel Faure's "Requiem" - https://youtube.com/watch?v=rnCKf1--leM "Meditation on Integration" - https://youtube.com/watch?v=rnCKf1--leM "Miyoshi Sketches" - https://youtube.com/watch?v=iBKV-B8Nf0c BACKGROUND INFO Chinese Exclusion Act - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act Joseph Pierce, Union Army Soldier - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Pierce_Chinese_Union_Army_Soldier_In_14th_Connecticut_Infantry_Regiment.jpg Black Arts Movement - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Arts_Movement Erhu instrument - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhu

Pennsylvania State Representative Summer Lee joins us to talk about her race to become the first Black woman representing western Pennsylvania in the U.S. House; why her race is significant to the national progressive movement as a whole; and how she continues to overcome obstacles thrown at her from Republicans and mainstream Democrats alike. REFERENCES: Donate to Summer Lee Directly Here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/demcosummerlee Summer Lee - https://twitter.com/SummerForPA Summer Lee for Congress (watch campaign ad here) - https://summerforpa.com Braddock, PA Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braddock,_Pennsylvania

You want to contribute and we want to help you do it wisely. We explain why donating to Stacey Abrams’s campaign is the most significant way to help Democrats transform the balance of power in this country this midterm cycle. We explain how her campaign can change Georgia (and the country) forever and shine a light on the groundwork being laid in Arizona to make it true Blue, and why you should be supporting the efforts there as well. We also highlight some vulnerable Republican incumbents in California who should be worried about holding their House seat come this fall. Q2 is underway and you know what that means…prom season! Julie also joins the pod to give an inside scoop into high school “prama” (prom trauma and prom drama) before we dive into how to spend your political contributions this quarter. REFERENCES: Where to Give: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/demcoq2pod

Greg Bluestein, Atlanta-Journal Constitution’s political reporter, joins us to break down Georgia’s political landscape from the Shakespearean-style drama that is GA’s Republican Party right now to Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign centered around expanding Medicaid. Greg also shares his view as a longtime reporter of Stacey’s trajectory from her start in the state legislature to 2018 and current campaign to her legacy as “President of United Earth” on Star Trek. We discuss how exactly Democrats won Georgia in 2020, and the hidden figures of Georgia state politics. REFERENCES: Greg Bluestein - @bluestein Greg Bluestein – Flipped: How Georgia Turned Purple and Broke the Monopoly on Republican Power http://bookshop.org/books/flipped-how-georgia-turned-purple-and-broke-the-monopoly-on-republican-power/9780593489154 “Politically Georgia” - podcast https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vQ01HQTExNjQ0Njk5NzI

We’re keeping it in the family as Steve’s niece Courtney Teasley joins the podcast to talk politics and pop culture from Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings to last week’s drama at the Oscars. Courtney shares her experience of Jackson’s confirmation hearings and why Senator Cory Booker’s defense was so heartwarming. Uncle Steve breaks down his latest piece in The Guardian that grounds Republicans’ racist and misogynist attacks against Judge Jackson in historical facts. We also discuss Courtney’s work as campaign manager for Khadija Babb who is running for judge in Davidson County, Tennessee. REFERENCES: Courtney Teasley - @cteasleylawfirm - http://cteasleylaw.com Khadija Babb - @BabbForJudge - https://babbforjudge.com ARTICLE The Guardian // Steve Phillips – Ketanji Brown Jackson hearing reveals Republicans’ racist fears https://theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/25/ketanji-brown-jackson-hearing-reveals-republicans-racist-fears BOOK Black Robes, White Justice by Bruce Wright https://goodreads.com/en/book/show/795527.Black_Robes_White_Justice HISTORY Nathan Bedford Forrest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest Forrest & Maples Slave Dealers Advertisement https://liveauctioneers.com/item/81539672_advertising-forrest-and-maples-slave-dealers-1859-4x8

Michael Tubbs, California Governor Newsom’s new “Anti-Poverty Czar” and former mayor of Stockton, CA, returns to our podcast to update us on his new book, The Deeper the Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home, his growing family, and his latest venture, EPIC (End Poverty in California). He and Steve discuss the false and harmful perceptions against poor people, creative solutions to building wealth for all Americans, and the disproportionate impact of poverty on foster youth. Michael also provides an update on the network he founded a few years ago called Mayors for a Guaranteed Income and how ending poverty in California can provide a roadmap for the rest of the country. REFERENCES: Michael Tubbs - @MichaelDTubbs Organizations End Poverty in California (EPIC) https://endpovertyinca.org Mayors for a Guaranteed Income https://mayorsforagi.org The Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) https://stocktondemonstration.org The Atlantic // Annie Lowrey – A Cheap, Race-Neutral Way to Close the Racial Wealth Gap https://theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/06/close-racial-wealth-gap-baby-bonds/613525 LA Times // Mackenzie Mays – Nearly a century after Upton Sinclair’s campaign, is California really ready to end poverty? https://latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-11/nearly-a-century-after-upton-sinclair-campaign-is-california-really-ready-to-end-poverty Office of Governor Gavin Newsom // Press Release – Former Stockton Mayor Michael D. Tubbs Named Special Advisor for Economic Mobility and Opportunity https://gov.ca.gov/2021/03/11/former-stockton-mayor-michael-d-tubbs-named-special-advisor-for-economic-mobility-and-opportunity Michael Tubbs – "The Deeper the Roots" https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250173447 Martin Luther King, Jr. – "Where Do We Go From Here" https://goodreads.com/book/show/211888.Where_Do_We_Go_from_Here Lorraine Hansberry – "A Raisin in the Sun" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Raisin_in_the_Sun Maid - Netflix Show https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maid_(miniseries)

It’s a family reunion! Aimee Allison, founder of She the People and Democracy in Color’s former president (and original founder and host of this podcast), returns to reminisce and reflect with Steve and Sharline. Aimee shares how She the People—a national network of women of color dedicated to transforming our country’s democracy and elevating the political voice and leadership of women of color—has been strategizing with women of color candidates this midterm election cycle. She reminds us that Democrats cannot win without women of color, who make up 20% of our nation’s population. Steve, Sharline, and Aimee discuss Biden’s historic nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson as our nation’s first Black woman Supreme Court justice and its significance during this year’s Women’s History Month. Aimee also reflects on her time in the U.S. military and her choice to become a conscientious objector at the start of the Gulf War, and she offers her thoughts on the Russia-Ukraine war.

The first Black woman Supreme Court Justice is very likely somewhere prepping for her confirmation hearing right now. We discuss the news of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement and Biden’s promise to put a Black woman on the Supreme Court. Steve, Sharline and Julie talk through the significance of this historic nomination, the potential candidates, and what Biden should take into consideration as he decides. Steve and Sharline also learn a lot about Julie, including finding out she was in the room where it happened while Anita Hill testified at Justice Clarence Thomas’ confirmation hearing in 1991. REFERENCES: Business Insider // Brent D. Griffiths – Reagan's White House made sure the president stuck by his promise to name a woman to the Supreme Court — they knew the politics would help too https://businessinsider.com/supreme-court-women-history-reagan-biden-nominees-2022-1 CNN // Ron Brownstein – The surprising liberal consensus emerging about Biden's Supreme Court decision https://cnn.com/2022/02/08/politics/supreme-court-nominee-qualities/index.html Steve Phillips – Obama Should Nominate a Woman of Color to Replace Scalia on the Supreme Court https://stevepwrites.medium.com/obama-should-nominate-a-woman-of-color-to-the-supreme-court-aaea4cc9556f Democracy in Color Podcast - Trump is in Trouble https://democracyincolor.com/podepisodes/2020/6/24/trump-is-in-trouble History // Sarah Pruitt – How Anita Hill’s Testimony Made America Cringe—And Change https://history.com/news/anita-hill-confirmation-hearings-impact SHOWS Eyes on the Prize documentary. Find it on HBO and PBS Summer of Soul. Find it on Hulu.

The Secretary of State race in Georgia will play a consequential role this election cycle and beyond. That’s why Rep. Bee Nguyen, Stacey Abrams’ successor and the first Asian American woman elected to the Georgia General Assembly, is running to fill that seat. Bee joins us to discuss the Senate’s failure to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation, the history of voter suppression in Georgia, and why she’s running to be the first Asian American to hold statewide office in the Peach State. She also shares how she celebrated this Lunar New Year. Happy Year of the Tiger! REFERENCES: Representative Bee Nguyen - @BeeforGeorgia https://beeforgeorgia.com Stacey Abrams - https://staceyabrams.com Asian Americans Advancing Justice - @aaaj_atlanta - https://advancingjustice-atlanta.org/phi-nguyen Tết - Lunar New Year https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%E1%BA%BFt Articles Atlanta Magazine // Kelsey Gee – “We cannot out organize a subversion of democracy”: Democratic rising star Bee Nguyen is vying to be Georgia’s next elections chief https://atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/democratic-rising-star-bee-nguyen-is-vying-to-be-georgias-next-elections-chief Brennan Center for Justice – Voting Laws Roundup: October 2021 https://brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-october-2021 MSNBC // Steve Benen – Trump-backed Republicans want to oversee upcoming state elections https://msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-backed-republicans-want-oversee-upcoming-state-elections-n1279934 NBCnews // Claire Wang – How Georgia's 1st Vietnamese American state rep is continuing Stacey Abrams' fight https://nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/how-georgia-s-1st-vietnamese-american-state-rep-continuing-stacey-n1252503 The Slate // Jeremy Stahl – The 2022 Races That Could Determine if Trump Steals the Election in 2024 https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/10/in-the-2022-midterms-election-integrity-is-at-stake.html USA Today // Phillip M. Bailey – In 2022 midterms, a new 'Big Lie' battleground: secretary of state elections https://usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/10/11/secretary-state-races-emerge-new-big-lie-battleground-2022/5902346001/?gnt-cfr=1

As redistricting maps get finalized across the country, Democrats are in better shape than most pundits predicted following the 2020 election. Steve, Sharline and Julie share updates on the redistricting process and dive into the numbers to highlight how and where Democrats should focus their energy and investment to win this year. We also discuss what’s wrong with the commonly held belief that the President’s party always suffers in the midterms. And Steve shares important takeaways from his latest article in The Guardian on the fight for voting rights. REFERENCES: Martin Luther King quotes “So the great stumbling block and a stride toward freedom is not the white citizens counselor or the Ku Klux Klan or but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice, who prefers a negative peace, which is the absence of tension to a positive peace, which is the presence of justice who constantly says, I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action.” “The white backlash of today is rooted in the same problem that has characterized America ever since the black man landed in chains on the shores of this nation.” Nikole Hannah-Jones – @nhannahjones Twitter Thread https://twitter.com/nhannahjones/status/1483187472276328449?s=20 The Cook Political Report // David Wasserman – Redistricting Snapshots: Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina https://cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/redistricting/redistricting-snapshots-kentucky-louisiana-missouri-new-hampshire FiveThirtyEight // Geoffrey Skelley and Nathaniel Rakich – Why The President’s Party Almost Always Has A Bad Midterm https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-the-presidents-party-almost-always-has-a-bad-midterm/ Loyola Law School – What is Redistricting? https://redistricting.lls.edu/redistricting-101/what-is-redistricting/ NBCnews // Rebecca Shabad – Wave of retirements rocks Democrats' hopes of holding the House https://nbcnews.com/politics/congress/wave-retirements-rocks-democrats-hopes-holding-house-n1286398 NPR // Carol Ritchie, Rachel Treisman, Nell Clark and Chris Hopkins – Start your day here: Senate Democrats force a showdown over voting rights measures https://npr.org/live-updates/morning-edition-2022-01-18 The New York Times // Nick Corasaniti, Reid J. Epstein, Taylor Johnston, Rebecca Lieberman, and Eden Weingart – How Maps Reshape American Politics https://nytimes.com/interactive/2021/11/07/us/politics/redistricting-maps-explained.html MSNBC // Jonathan Capehart – The Bye Line: Don’t Sit Out the Midterms https://msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/the-bye-line-don-t-sit-out-the-midterms-120238149594 The Washington Post // Dan Balz – Ohio voters asked for fairness in redistricting. They didn’t get it. https://washingtonpost.com/politics/ohio-voters-asked-for-fairness-in-redistricting-they-didnt-get-it/2022/01/17/10bb1b8c-77a9-11ec-bf97-6eac6f77fba2_story.html

One year after the deadly insurrection that took place on January 6, 2021 in the U.S. Capitol, Steve, Sharline and Fola reflect on the failed attempted coup. Steve provides an update on his forthcoming book, How We Win the Civil War, and draws parallels between the Civil War era and this current moment in history. Fola also shares her view on the rise of Black women in politics and media, from Stacey Abrams to writer and director Issa Rae, and the significance of Black women’s visibility. CW: adult language. REFERENCES: Baltimore Plot - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Plot Vox // Zack Beauchamp – How does this end? Where the crisis in American democracy might be headed. https://vox.com/policy-and-politics/22814025/democracy-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-election-violence The Undefeated // Evette Dionne – Black women are more visible than ever. Now what? https://theundefeated.com/features/black-women-are-more-visible-than-ever-now-what The Lily // Sarah Fowler – The Capitol riot was uniquely traumatic for congresswomen of color: ‘We knew that we were targets’ https://thelily.com/the-capitol-riot-was-uniquely-traumatic-for-congresswomen-of-color-we-knew-that-we-were-targets The Paris Review // David L. Uline – Claudia Rankine, The Art of Poetry No. 102 https://theparisreview.org/interviews/6905/the-art-of-poetry-no-102-claudia-rankine The Nation // Steve Phillips – Texas Is Winnable. Beto’s the Candidate to Do It. https://thenation.com/article/politics/beto-texas-governor HBO TV series – Insecure https://hbo.com/insecure HBO Documentary – Insecure the end https://hbo.com/movies/insecure-the-end Stacey Abrams, Candidate for Governor, GA - https://staceyabrams.com Cheri Beasley, Candidate for Senate, NC - https://cheribeasley.com Val Demings, Candidate for Senate, FL - https://valdemings.com

Veteran journalist Suzanne Gamboa, of NBC.com, joins us on our last podcast episode of the year to discuss immigration and U.S.-Mexico relations, Texas’ growing status as a political battleground especially in the upcoming midterms, and the importance of the Latino vote. We also discuss her path to journalism and how and why she helped create the race and ethnicity beat at the Associated Press during her time there. She also shares what shows she’s watching as she winds down the year. REFERENCES: Suzanne Gamboa - @SuzGamboa Articles NBCnews.com // Suzanne Gamboa and Nicole Acevedo – Where do Latinos live? The census shows population growth where you least expect it https://nbcnews.com/news/latino/new-latino-landscape-these-are-stories-behind-decade-change-n1279242 The New York Times // Simon Romero, Manny Fernandez and Mariel Padilla – Massacre at a Crowded Walmart in Texas Leaves 20 Dead https://nytimes.com/2019/08/03/us/el-paso-shooting.html NBCnews.com // Suzanne Gamboa – El Paso, grieving after the Walmart massacre targeting Latinos, now battles coronavirus https://nbcnews.com/news/latino/el-paso-grieving-after-walmart-massacre-targeting-latinos-now-battles-n1234653 TV Series Netflix - “Gentefied” https://netflix.com/title/80198208

You asked, we answered. From the increasing weaponization of “critical race theory” to the ongoing discrepancy between what Democrats say about turnout vs. what they actually do, Steve, Sharline and Julie answer your questions on air and attempt to make sense of the latest in political news including last week’s election day results. Also, our podcast turned two! The team reflects on the last two years of producing the “Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips” podcast and we catch you up on Steve’s latest writing across the web. REFERENCES: Jesse Jackson 1988 Democratic National Convention - Speech https://americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jessejackson1988dnc.htm Justin Bibb, Cleveland Mayor-Elect - @BibbForCLE Michelle Wu 吳弭, Boston Mayor-Elect - @wutrain Articles The Guardian // Steve Phillips – Democratic strategists are embracing ‘popularism’. But they’ve got it wrong https://theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/04/democratic-strategists-are-embracing-popularism-but-theyve-got-it-wrong The Guardian // Steve Phillips – How big a deal is Biden’s infrastructure bill? Our panel responds https://theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/10/how-big-a-deal-is-bidens-infrastructure-bill-our-panel-responds

The U.S. is “not a nation of immigrants” despite popular opinion, especially among many Democrats. In this episode, we speak with acclaimed historian and activist Roxanne-Dunbar Ortiz about her newest book Not A Nation of Immigrants: Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion. Founder of Advance Native Political Leadership Anathea Chino also joins us to discuss the growing political power of Indigenous people across the country. Roxanne and Anathea share their own politicization stories and their opinions on the growing trend of land acknowledgments. We also discuss the increased representation of Native people in shows like FX’s Reservation Dogs and Peacock TV’s Rutherford Falls. References: Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz - @rdunbaro Not "A Nation of Immigrants": Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion - http://reddirtsite.com Anathea Chino - @anatheabc Advance Native Political Leadership - @AdvanceNativePL FX on Hulu - Reservation Dogs Peacock - Ruthorford Falls

Ahead of the 2022 midterms, we survey the landscape of key races in battleground states and discuss why they matter, as well as which exciting candidates to watch. We explain how Democrats can break the “midterm curse” and why investing in voters of color across the South and Southwest is the way to win next year. We also dive into a brief commentary on sports and racial justice as we discuss the recent resignation of former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden. Turns out you can’t “End racism” with a backlog of racist emails. REFERENCES: One Arizona - @OneArizona Montserrat Arrendondo - @Montsevida8 LUCHA Arizona - @LUCHA_AZ Alex Gomez - @Gomez_Alex07 Tomas Robles - @TomasRobles14 Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams Rafael Warnock - @SenatorWarnock Bee Nguyen - @BeeForGeorgia Cheryl Beasley @CherylBeasleyNC Val Demings - @valdemings Lina Hidalgo - @LinaHidalgoTX Mandela Barnes - @TheOtherMandela Articles The Nation // Steve Phillips – Primary Krysten Sinema - She’s Actively Alienationg the Very Voters that Make Up the Coalition that Elected Her https://thenation.com/article/politics/primary-kyrsten-sinema/ Democracy in Color // Fola Onifade – Black Candidates Will Help Democrats Win These 4 Swing Senate Seats in 2022 https://democracyincolor.com/blog/2021/7/28/black-candidates-will-help-democrats-win-these-4-senate-seats-in-2022 The New York Times // Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman - Raiders Coach Resigns After Homophobic and Misogynistic Emails https://nytimes.com/2021/10/11/sports/football/what-did-jon-gruden-say.html CNN // Steve Almasy with contributions from Jill Martin and Jason Hanna – Jon Gruden has resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after reports of homophobic, racist and misogynistic emails https://cnn.com/2021/10/11/us/nfl-jon-gruden-homophobic-misogynistic-emails-spt/index.html “SNL” - White Like Me with Eddie Murphy https://youtube.com/watch?v=l_LeJfn_qW0

Executive Director of Somos Votantes Melissa Morales joins us to share her view on the current debate over Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month and why she thinks Latinos working together is more important than choosing any one name. She also shares how she came to understand that the challenges in her childhood were the result of bad policy and not “bad luck,” the role Latinos played in Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory, and the secret power of Latina women in helping to drive voter turnout in each election cycle, including the upcoming ones in 2022. REFERENCES: Melissa Morales – @Melissa_In_DC - Vice President of Civix Strategy Group, Executive Director, Somos Votantes & Founder, Somos Pac https://twitter.com/Melissa_In_DC https://civixstrategygroup.com https://somosvotantes.org https://somospac.org Hispanic Heritage Month Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hispanic_Heritage_Month Articles History Channel // Yara Simón – Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms https://history.com/news/hispanic-latino-latinx-chicano-background Democracy Journal // Stephanie Valencia – Latina Voters: Why Excitement Matters https://democracyjournal.org/magazine/57/latina-voters-why-excitement-matters Pew Research // Ruth Igielnik and Abby Budiman – The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the U.S. Electorate https://pewresearch.org/2020/09/23/the-changing-racial-and-ethnic-composition-of-the-u-s-electorate

Sharline and Julie share their personal reflections on the Texas abortion ban and what it means to them, especially as women of color. We also provide updates around COVID and President Biden’s latest federal vaccine mandate, and we break down the irony of states like Mississippi opposing the mandate. We also shine a light on the stories that are giving us hope, from Senate candidate for Wisconsin Mandela Barnes’ poll performance to Virginia’s leadership in protecting voting rights. We close out with a gut check on the California recall and thankfully we can all stop holding our breath as Governor Gavin Newsom holds onto his seat! REFERENCES: Take our Survey: https://forms.gle/o5zQDdaK3MsdJpReA Democracy in Color // Fola Onifade – What the Texas Abortion Ban Means to me as a Black Woman https://democracyincolor.com/blog/2021/9/10/what-the-texas-abortion-ban-means-to-me-as-a-black-woman 19th News // Shefali Luthra and Candace Norwood – Inside the Republican strategy for rolling out abortion bans in more states https://19thnews.org/2021/09/inside-the-republican-strategy-for-rolling-out-abortion-bans-in-more-states/ 19th News // Chabeli Charrazana – How abortion restrictions like Texas’ push pregnant people into poverty https://19thnews.org/2021/09/abortion-economy-poverty-texas-law/ 19th News // Candance Norwood – Department of Justice sues Texas over abortion ban https://19thnews.org/2021/09/department-of-justice-sues-texas-over-abortion-ban/ The New York Times // Roni Caryn Rabin – Answers to Questions about the Texas Abortion Ban https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/health/texas-abortion-law-facts.html Texas Tribune // Alexa Ura, Jason Kao, Carla Astudillo and Chris Essig – People of color make up 95% of Texas’ population growth, and cities and suburbs are booming, 2020 census shows https://texastribune.org/2021/08/12/texas-2020-census/ The New York Times // Sheryl Stolberg – G.O.P. Seethes at Biden Mandate, Even in States Requiring Other Vaccines https://nytimes.com/2021/09/12/us/politics/vaccine-mandates-republicans.html The New York Times // Jack Healy, Richard Fausset and J. David Goodman – Biden’s Sweeping Vaccine Mandates Infuriate Republican Governors https://nytimes.com/2021/09/10/us/republicans-biden-covid.html The New York Times // Tracking Coronavirus in Mississippi: Latest Map and Case Count https://nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/mississippi-covid-cases.html The New York Times // Tracking Coronavirus in Texas: Latest Map and Case Count https://nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/texas-covid-cases.html FiveThirtyEight // Latest Polls Of The California Recall Election https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/california-recall-polls/?cid=rrpromo

The California gubernatorial recall election is just two weeks away and stakes are high for Democrats and progressives across the country. California Donor Table Executive Director Ludovic Blain joins us to discuss the racist roots of this Republican-led recall effort against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. We point out where Governor Newsom’s campaign has gone wrong in fighting the recall effort, what he should be doing instead to hold onto his seat, and how our listeners can help. We also travel down memory lane to reflect on California’s first successful gubernatorial recall effort in 2003 (against former Democratic Governor Gray Davis), and explain why the entire recall process in the state is in dire need of reform. Additionally, we break down why people of color are the key to winning this, and all elections, in the Golden State for Democrats. REFERENCES: Ludovic Blain, Executive Director, California Donor Table - @LudovicSpeaks Gavin Newsom - @GavinNewsom Articles Democracy in Color // Ludovic Blain – Newsom Taking Black and Brown Voters for Granted May Cost Him Recall Election https://democracyincolor.com/blog/2021/8/10/newsom-taking-black-and-brown-voters-for-granted-may-cost-him-recall-election CNN // Harry Enten – Why the California recall is within the margin of error and what that means for Gavin Newsom https://cnn.com/2021/08/29/politics/newsom-margin-of-error-recall/index.html Calmatters // Laurel Rosenhall – Could Latino voters make the difference in whether Newsom survives California’s recall election? https://calmatters.org/projects/newsom-recall-latino-voters/

The 2020 Census data is out and we dig into some of the key findings and what they mean for the future of the country. Our favorite data expert, Dr. Julie Martinez-Ortega joins us to discuss the changing demographics of young people of color and how a structural change to the survey helped people better self-identify their race and ethnicity. We challenge mainstream Democrats’ beloved white data geeks and their failure to understand the voting behavior of people of color. We also touch briefly on Afghanistan and the lesson of American hubris. REFERENCES: Brookings // William H. Frey - New 2020 census results show increased diversity countering decade-long declines in America’s white and youth populations https://brookings.edu/research/new-2020-census-results-show-increased-diversity-countering-decade-long-declines-in-americas-white-and-youth-populations CNN // Ron Brownstein – This may be the Democrats' last chance to recover working-class Whites https://cnn.com/2021/08/10/politics/democrats-blue-collar-voters/index.html US Census // Rachel Marks – Improvements to the 2020 Census Race and Hispanic Origin Question Designs, Data Processing, and Coding Procedures https://census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2021/08/improvements-to-2020-census-race-hispanic-origin-question-designs.html US Census // Nicholas Jones, Rachel Marks, Roberto Ramirez, Merarys Rîos-Vargas – 2020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country https://census.gov/library/stories/2021/08/improved-race-ethnicity-measures-reveal-united-states-population-much-more-multiracial.html Pew Research Center // Carroll Doherty, Scott Keeter, Rachel Weisel – The Party of Nonvoters Younger, More Racially Diverse, More Financially Strapped https://pewresearch.org/politics/2014/10/31/the-party-of-nonvoters-2/

On this episode, The Washington Post columnist and former senior writer at FiveThirtyEight Perry Bacon Jr. joins us for a lively discussion about the state of politics and political journalism today, from the burgeoning uncivil war being waged by Republicans to Democrats’ timidity and inability to address the root causes of social and political tension head on. Perry explains why words like “polarization” don’t accurately capture what’s happening in American politics, the pitfalls of “objectivity” when a journalist’s identity and humanity becomes inseparable from the national political debate, and a different type of swing voter that doesn’t get enough attention. He also shares why Democrats are afraid of seeming too friendly to Black people, his hopes for his platform at The Washington Post, and how social media is reshaping journalism. REFERENCES: Perry Bacon Jr. – @perrybaconjr Articles The Washington Post // Perry Bacon Jr. — Opinion: I live in a Democratic bubble, Here’s why that’s okay. https://washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/22/i-live-democratic-bubble-heres-why-thats-okay/ FiveThirtyEight // Perry Bacon Jr. — Five Questions The Political Media Is Wrestling With In Covering America’s ‘Uncivil War’ https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/five-questions-the-political-media-is-wrestling-with-in-covering-americas-uncivil-war/ CNN // Ronald Brownstein — Coronavirus is dividing blue cities from their red states https://cnn.com/2020/03/31/politics/red-states-blue-cities-coronavirus/index.html Reparations Commission H.R. 40 — Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act https://congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/40

In this episode, former state senator and congressional hopeful Nina Turner joins us for a moving conversation about the legacy of civil rights leaders in Ohio and across the country and her goal to push their vision forward as a U.S. representative. She shares her political journey from the Ohio state legislature to her leadership at Our Revolution and her tenure as co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. Turner discusses why this moment is ripe for bold, progressive change, her historical commitment to the Democratic Party as a fighter for working families in Ohio, and why arguments around “sloganeering” dismiss the importance of demanding better for the collective humanity, as many civil rights leaders have done in the past. REFERENCES: Nina Turner – @ninaturner “Hello Somebody with Nina Turner” – Podcast https://iheart.com/podcast/867-hello-somebody-64479986 Nina Turner for Congress – Website https://ninaturner.com Democracy in Color Launch - Women of Color: Uniting the Party, Leading the Country – Video https://facebook.com/348839551906904/videos/366701406787385 Articles Council on Foreign Relations // James M. Lindsay – The 2020 Election by the Numbers https://cfr.org/blog/2020-election-numbers 19th News // Amanda Becker – Exclusive: Ohio’s Nina Turner picks up Ocasio-Cortez endorsement in U.S. House race https://19thnews.org/2021/03/nina-turner-ocasio-cortez-endorsement

In this short-and-sweet episode, we take a break from talking politics to share what we’re reading and watching this summer to rest and unwind. We talk Nikole Hannah-Jones’ 1619 Project and the latest news about her power move to Howard; we denounce any slander about NBC’s This Is Us, and we discuss the books on our list from James Patterson murder mysteries to Harvard professor Jesse McCarthy’s essay collection, Who Will Pay Reparations on My Soul? REFERENCES: Sharline Chiang’s Picks Stream Disney+ — 101 Dalmatians - 1961 // 101 Dalmatians - 1996 // Cruella - 2021 Netflix — High on the Hog Books Chenxing Han — Be the Refuge: Raising the Voices of Asian American Buddhists https://chenxinghan.com Nikole Hannah-Jones — The 1619 Project https://1619books.com Madeleine L’Engle — A Wrinkle In Time https://madeleinelengle.com/books/middle-grade-young-adult/a-wrinkle-in-time/ Fola Onifade’s Picks Stream Starz — Run the World Hulu — Summer of Soul Books Ashley Ford — Somebody’s Daughter https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/somebodys-daughter/ Jesse McCarthy — Who Will Pay Reparations On My Soul? https://goodreads.com/book/show/53404236-who-will-pay-reparations-on-my-soul-essays Podcast Brené Brown — Unlocking Us Podcast https://brenebrown.com/podcast/introducing-unlocking-us/ Steve Phillip’s Picks Stream HBOMax — Hacks NBC — This is Us Amazon — Confederate States of America Book James Patterson — Women’s Murder Club https://jamespatterson.com/landing-page/james-patterson-books-womens-murder-club/ Background Deadspin.com//Michael Harriot — The Caucasian's Guide To Black Barbecues https://deadspin.com/the-caucasians-guide-to-black-barbecues-1730865233 Huffpost.com//Leigh Blickley — The 'This Is Us' Writers Room Is Truly Reflective Of The Show's Story https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_59b94b29e4b0edff97186815/amp Gil Scott-Heron — Whitey On the Moon (Official Audio) https://youtube.com/watch?v=goh2x_G0ct4&feature=share Nikole Hannah-Jones Statement // NAACP LDF — Nikole Hannah-Jones Issues Statement on Decision to Decline Tenure Offer at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and to Accept Knight Chair Appointment at Howard University https://naacpldf.org/wp-content/uploads/NHJ-Statement-CBS-7.6.21-FINAL-8-am.pdf

In this episode, we ground Republican anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in history, including the historical trope of protecting cisgender White girls from perceived threats that have no basis in reality. Then we’re joined by Rebecca Marques, Texas State Director for the Human Rights Campaign to talk about the organization’s efforts to fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the state and across the country. Rebecca explains why we need to pass the Equality Act and put civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ people into law, the importance of intersectionality within the fight for equal rights, and what’s keeping her hopeful as these battles play out in statehouses. REFERENCES: Rebecca Marques - Texas State Director, One America, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - @_RebeccaMarques Organizations Equality Texas - @EqualityTexas Texas Freedom Network - @TFN Texas Organizing Project - @OrganizeTexas Articles The Atlantic // Ronald Brownstein – Why the 2020s Could be as Dangerous as the 1850s https://theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/10/biden-2020-trump-election/616912/ GLAAD // Mary Emily O’Hara – Guide for Journalists: The Supreme Court’s Fulton v. Philadelphia Ruling This June https://glaad.org/blog/guide-journalists-supreme-courts-fulton-v-philadelphia-ruling-june-0 GLAAD // Ryan Roemerman – LGBTQ voters helped tip the 2020 election and we can do it again in Georgia https://glaad.org/blog/lgbtq-voters-helped-tip-2020-election-and-we-can-do-it-again-georgia MAP (Movement Advancement Project) – New Report Highlights Unique LGBTQ Landscape and Advocacy in the U.S. South https://lgbtmap.org/release-2020-southern-broad-report The New York Times // Kara Swisher – Inside the Republican Anti-Transgender MachinePew Forum – Attitudes on Same- Marriage https://nytimes.com/2021/05/13/opinion/sway-kara-swisher-chase-strangio.html?showTranscript=1 19th News // Kate Sosin – The Supreme Court rules unanimously in LGBTQ+ rights vs. religious liberty case https://19thnews.org/2021/06/the-supreme-court-rules-unanimously-in-lgbtq-rights-vs-religious-liberty-case/ Background Bostock vs. Clayton County - Supreme Court ruling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bostock_v._Clayton_County HERO - Houston Equal Rights Ordinance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Houston,_Texas_Proposition_1 Proposed Federal Protections for LGBTQ+ people: The Equality Act https://hrc.org/resources/the-equality-act Emmett Till - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till 1712 Slave Codes - https://books.google.com/books?id=ErPg7VegkcMC&pg=PA167&lpg=PA167&dq=preamble+1712+slave+code&source=bl&ots Juneteenth - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth Wendy Davis - Filibuster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Davis_(politician)#2013_filibuster

In this episode, we sit down with one of the brightest rising stars at the New York Times—political reporter Astead Herndon—for sharp conversation and analysis about the nature of the moment we’re in. Astead, 29, shares why he sees election reporting as culture reporting, how he helped make the reparations debate a litmus test for Democratic Presidential candidates back in early 2020, and why representation alone doesn’t chin the bar for younger voters of color. We also discuss American journalism’s current gut check moment through the lens of Nikole Hannah-Jones’ recent denial of tenure at the University of North Carolina and how Astead shows up authentically at the Times (including getting paid to sing Beyoncé songs). REFERENCES: Sign up for our newsletter here: https://democracyincolor.com/join-us Astead W. Herndon, New York Times, National Politics Reporter – @AsteadWesley New York Times - Outtake from “The Daily” https://nytimes.com/audio/2019/11/22/podcasts/22daily-newsletter-audio.html Nikole Hannah-Jones - @nhannahjones New York Times // Nikole Hannah-Jones - 1619 Project https://nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html New York Times Articles by Astead W. Herndon ‘These People Aren’t Coming From Norway’: Refugees in a Minnesota City Face a Backlash https://nytimes.com/2019/06/20/us/politics/minnesota-refugees-trump.html Progressive Victories Signal Staying Power for the Movement https://nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/politics/election-primary-results.html 2020 Democrats Embrace Race-Conscious Policies, Including Reparations https://nytimes.com/2019/02/21/us/politics/2020-democrats-race-policy.html Articles Forbes - 30 Under 30 - Astead Herndon https://forbes.com/profile/astead-herndon/ The Atlantic // Ta-Nehisi Coates – Why Precisely Is Bernie Sanders Against Reparations? https://theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/bernie-sanders-reparations/424602/ The Daily Princetonian // Marie-Rose Sheinermen – Times reporter Astead Herndon talks newsroom diversity, 2020 election coverage https://dailyprincetonian.com/article/2020/09/journalism-reporter-astead-herndon-newsroom-diversity-2020-election-new-york-times The Root // Michael Harriot – It Turns Out, All Those 'Woke' White Allies Were Lying https://theroot.com/it-turns-out-all-those-woke-white-allies-were-lying-1846959017 Slate // Aymann Ismail – “I Don’t See the Last Four Years as This Journalistic Anomaly” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/01/astead-herndon-interview-new-york-times-trump.html NPR // Roberta Rampton – Trump Announces 'Patriotic Education' Commission, A Largely Political Move https://npr.org/2020/09/17/914127266/trump-announces-patriotic-education-commission-a-largely-political-move

Tram Nguyen, co-director of New Virginia Majority, talks with us about how her work with refugees and disaster survivors led her to electoral organizing, an effort that has transformed the former Confederate state of Virginia into a national leader in voting rights expansion and progressive ideals. Tram also shares her family’s history of courage and resilience—from fleeing Vietnam to living in a refugee camp in Thailand to their early days as new immigrants facing racism in Virginia in the 1980s. We also discuss Virginia's upcoming gubernatorial election, who the New Virginia Majority is endorsing and why. REFERENCES: Tram Nguyen, New Virginia Majority, Co-Executive Director - @tramNVM New Virginia Majority - @NewVAMajority Support New Virginia Majority - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/supportnvm BPSOS - https://bpsos.org Virginia’s Movers and Shakers Jennifer McClellan - @JennMcClellanVA Marcia “Cia” Price - @PriceForDel95 Lashrecse Aird - @delegateaird Kathy Tran - @KathyKLTran News Articles NYT//Reid J. Epstein and Nick Corasaniti – Virginia, the Old Confederacy’s Heart, Becomes a Voting Rights Bastion Https://nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/politics/virginia-voting-rights-northam.html NYT//Tram Nguyen – Democrats Could Learn a Lot From What Happened In Virginia https://nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/virginia-election-democrats.html OZY//Sharline Chiang - I Tried It … Being White https://www.ozy.com/true-and-stories/i-tried-it-being-white/38961/ Background Vietnamese Boat People - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_boat_people VA State Legislature - SAVE Program https://legiscan.com/VA/bill/SB1077/2013

In one of the realest and most authentic interviews we’ve had with an elected official, we chat with St. Louis’ first Black woman mayor, Tishaura Jones. In this raw and honest conversation, Mayor Jones speaks straight from the heart about her path to politics; mental health and the dangerous myth of Black women’s “magical” resilience; her vision for public safety, and her love of good bourbon. REFERENCES: Tishaura O. Jones @tishaura #StuffAdenSays Mayor Tishaura O. Jones @saintlouismayor TikTok: https://twitter.com/tishaura/status/1237520256861646849?s=20 Articles Stlmag.com // Power List 2012: 100 People Who Are Shaping St. Louis Today https://www.stlmag.com/news/Power-List-2012-100-People-Who-Are-Shaping-St-Louis-Today/ stlouis-mo.gov // Nick Dunne: – Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Signs Executive Order to Strengthen Police Accountability, Collect Corrections Complaints https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/jones-executive-order-police-202104.cfm – Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Passes FY2022 Budget with Amendments, Redirects Excess Police Staffing Budget to Diversion and Support Programs https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/jones-passes-fy22-budget.cfm – Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Signs Crown Act Into Law, Vetoes Two Tax Abatements https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/mayor-jones-signs-crown-act-into-law.cfm Stlamerican.com // Featured – Tishaura Jones slams Post editorial board while declining interview http://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/tishaura-jones-slams-post-editorial-board-while-declining-interview/article_bf690c28-eee9-11e6-a351-1f4dd2a2e28d.html The Nation // Jimmy Tobias – Can a Champion of Black Lives Matter Become Mayor of St. Louis? https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/can-a-champion-of-black-lives-matter-become-mayor-of-st-louis/ St. Louis Public Radio // By Rachel Lippmann, Maria Altman, Jo Mannies, Jason Rosenbaum – Alderman Krewson narrowly beats Treasurer Jones in St. Louis' Democratic mayoral primary https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2017-03-07/alderman-krewson-narrowly-beats-treasurer-jones-in-st-louis-democratic-mayoral-primary St. Louis Public Radio // Ryan Delaney – Treasurer's College Savings Program Has Detractors, But Parents Like It https://news.stlpublicradio.org/education/2019-05-28/treasurers-college-savings-program-has-detractors-but-parents-like-it LA Times // Stephen Caesar – L.A. schools police will return grenade launchers but keep rifles, armored vehicle https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-schools-weapons-20140917-story.html Shooting of Michael Brown – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown Books Walter Johnson – The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51343985-the-broken-heart-of-america Richard Rothstein – The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32191706-the-color-of-law?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wkxpaUUGrT&rank=1

In this week’s episode, we review some of the most consequential news out of Washington D.C., from President Biden’s American Families Plan to the latest DOJ confirmation hearings and the House Judiciary Committee’s historic approval of H.R. 40 (a bill that would establish a commission to study reparations). It's safe to say we are pleasantly surprised with how well things are going. REFERENCES: Joe Biden - @JoeBiden & @POTUS Vanita Gupta - @vanitaguptaCR Kristen Clarke - @KristenClarkeJD Articles on Kristen Clarke and Vanita Gupta being tapped for the DOJ NYT // Katie Brenner – Senate Democrats joined by Lisa Murkowski, confirm Vanita Gupta for a top Justice Dept. job https://nytimes.com/2021/04/21/us/vanita-gupta-senate-confirmation.html NPR.org // Jason Breslow – Civil Rights Attorney Vanita Gupta Confirmed As Associate Attorney General https://npr.org/sections/trial-over-killing-of-george-floyd/2021/04/21/989599055/civil-rights-attorney-vanita-gupta-confirmed-as-associate-attorney-general Newsweek // Kristin Clarke – I Prosecuted Police Killings. Defund the Police—But Be Strategic https://newsweek.com/i-prosecuted-police-killings-defund-police-strategic-opinion-1510018 NPR.org // Carrie Johnson – Kristen Clarke's Civil Rights Record Led Her To Barrier-Breaking DOJ Nomination https://npr.org/2021/04/14/986851081/kristen-clarkes-civil-rights-record-led-her-to-barrier-breaking-doj-nomination BuzzFeed News // Zoe Tillman – There Are 93 US Attorneys. Seven Are Women And Only Two Are Black. https://buzzfeednews.com/article/zoetillman/trump-us-attorneys-lack-diversity-justice-department American Families Plan WhiteHouse.gov // Fact Sheet: The American Families Plan https://whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/28/fact-sheet-the-american-families-plan/ Washington Post // Jeff Stein – White House’s new 1.8 Trillion ’families plan’ reflects ambitions – and limits – of Biden presidency https://washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/04/24/biden-families-plan-tax/ NYT // Jim Tankersley – Biden Will Seek Tax Increase on Rich to Fund Child Care and Education https://nytimes.com/2021/04/22/business/biden-taxes.html H.R. 40 Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips - Reparations 101 https://democracyincolor.com/podepisodes/2020/7/9/reparations-101 Congress.gov // Sponsor Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee – H.R. 40 - The Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act https://congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/40/cosponsors Associated Press // Kevin Freking – House panel poised to advance bill on slavery reparations https://local21news.com/news/nation-world/house-panel-poised-to-advance-bill-on-slavery-reparations Aljazeera // William Roberts – Reparations for US slave descendants gains momentum https://aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/15/reparations-for-us-slave-descendants-gains-momentum NYT // Angela Glover Blackwell and Michael McAfee – Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/sunday/banks-reparations-racism-inequality.html

In this episode, we take stock of major news headlines from the latest police violence in Minnesota to the onslaught of voter suppression in Georgia and around the country. We also discuss Republican attacks on transgender rights as a part of their strategy to instill fear among their constituents by “othering” trans youth. We end with a song called “A Prayer for Melvin Truss” by Jon Jang and Francis Wong and we offer it as a prayer for Daunte Wright, George Floyd and the countless others killed by police violence. References: Melvin Truss public outcry: https://www.queersiliconvalley.org/melvin-truss-story/ "Prayer for Melvin Truss": https://myspace.com/francis.wong/music/song/prayer-for-melvin-truss-107352505-120817040 George Floyd: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_George_Floyd Daunte Wright: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Daunte_Wright Virginia Delegate Marcia Price: http://www.delegatemarciaprice.com @PriceforDel95 #StopJimCrow2: https://www.stopjimcrow2.com Film HBO Documentary Exterminate All The Brutes: https://www.hbo.com/exterminate-all-the-brutes Will Smith And Antoine Fuqua Explain Why They're Pulling Emancipation Movie Out Of Georgia In New Statement: https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2565716/will-smith-antoine-fuqua-explain-pulling-emancipation-movie-out-georgia-statement Articles Vox.com // German Lopez – Police officers are prosecuted for murder in less than 2 percent of fatal shootings: https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/21497089/derek-chauvin-george-floyd-trial-police-prosecutions-black-lives-matter Brennan Center for Justice State Voting Bills Tracker 2021: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-voting-bills-tracker-2021 Congress Must Pass the ‘For the People Act’: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/congress-must-pass-people-act#s1-sf Politico.com // Nolan D. McCaskill and Zach Montellaro – All Eyes On Georgia. Again.: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/04/georgia-voting-law-479002 NYT// Nick Corasaniti and Reid J. Epstein – What Georgia’s Voting Law Really Does: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/politics/georgia-voting-law-annotated.html NYT// Reid J. Epstein and Nick Corasaniti – Virginia, the Old Confederacy’s Heart, Becomes a Voting Rights Bastion: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/politics/virginia-voting-rights-northam.html Opinion: Roll Call // Sylvia Albert – Why Congress must pass HR1 and the John R. Lewis Rights Act: https://www.rollcall.com/2021/03/02/why-congress-must-pass-hr-1-and-the-john-r-lewis-voting-rights-act/ Washington Post // Michael Scherer – Zuckerberg and Chan to give another $100 million for local election administrators despite conservative pushback: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/zuckerberg-chan-elections-facebook/2020/10/12/0e07de94-0cba-11eb-8074-0e943a91bf08_story.html Washington Post // Todd C. Frankel – More than 100 corporate executives hold call to discuss halting donations and investments to fight controversial voting bills: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/11/companies-voting-bills-states/ Anti-Trans News 19thnews.org // Kate Sosin – Arkansas lawmakers override governor’s veto of youth gender-affirming care: https://19thnews.org/2021/04/arkansas-governor-vetoes-ban-on-gender-affirming-medical-care-for-youth/ Senior White House official: Any attempt to discriminate against trans kids is ‘against the law’: https://19thnews.org/2021/03/reggie-greer-transgender-day-of-visibility/ Advocate.com // Trudy Ring – Reggie Greer Named White House Senior Adviser on LGBTQ+ Issues: https://www.advocate.com/politics/2021/3/05/reggie-greer-named-white-house-senior-adviser-lgbtq-issues

Racist violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders isn’t new but neither is the community’s history of resistance. In this episode, we speak with Professor Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, a national expert on Asian American history, about the rise in anti-Asian American racism and violence and how it fits into the larger historical and political context of white supremacy in the United States. Judy, Steve and Sharline discuss the roots of their activism, the historical resilience of oppressed people in the face of white violence, and the enduring resolve of communities of color to establish justice and equality for all. REFERENCES: Judy Tzu-Chun Wu https://faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=6123 // UCI Humanities Center https://www.humanities.uci.edu/humanitiescenter UnLadylike2020 https://unladylike2020.com/board/judy-tzu-chun-wu Judy Tzu-Chun Wu // A Trip Down Immigration Lane https://www.facebook.com/judy.t.wu.3/videos/457086952835 Asian American Studies Irvine - https://twitter.com/uciasianam Sharline Chiang // OZY - Reclaiming 5 Ugly Letters https://ozy.com/true-and-stories/reclaiming-5-ugly-letters/39905/ Atlanta Spa Shootings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Atlanta_spa_shootings Who Killed Vincent Chin? https://imdb.com/title/tt0096440/ The Great Battlefield: Investing in Communities of Color to Make Progressive Change w/ New Virginia Majority's Tram Nguyen Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-great-battlefield/id1243705071?i=1000422012791 Fresh Off the Boat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_Off_the_Boat Margaret Cho’s All-American Girl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-American_Girl_(TV_series) Organizations Stop AAPI Hate Website - https://twitter.com/stopaapihate Historical background 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act Japanese Internment in the United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment_of_Japanese_Americans Murder of Vincent Chin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Vincent_Chin 1922 Ozawa vs. United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozawa_v._United_States 1923 United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Bhagat_Singh_Thind

Texas might not be blue yet, but it’s getting there, and several leaders across the state are laying the foundation for a political transformation that’ll change the future of American politics. In this episode, we speak with former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who’s following in the footsteps of former Georgia Rep. Stacey Abrams and doing the work to expand democracy across the Lone Star State. Beto joins us to talk about his innovative, historic 2018 Senate campaign, radical empathy as a framework for white progressives, and what the future of Texas politics means to the rest of the nation. We discuss how he learned to be a white ally and his efforts to help seniors in Texas during last month’s devastating winter storm. He also talks about his future plans and shares the top three artists he would include on a road trip playlist! Spoiler alert: the Texas pride is real. REFERENCES: Beto O’Rourke - https://twitter.com/BetoORourke 'I can think of nothing more American': Beto O’Rourke responds to question on NFL protests - https://youtube.com/watch?v=lAw9eXXVwfM Colin Kaepernick - https://twitter.com/Kaepernick7 Steve Phillips / The Nation - This Is Why Texas Is the Next Georgia https://thenation.com/article/politics/texas-georgia-elections-democrats/ Powered by People - https://twitter.com/poweredxpeople Texas Organizing Project - https://twitter.com/OrganizeTexas H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2019 https://congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1 Isabel Wilkerson - https://twitter.com/isabelwilkerson Beyoncé - https://twitter.com/Beyonce Joe Ely - http://ely.com Willie Nelson - https://twitter.com/WillieNelson

Following the lead of Georgia, a wave of new, fearless progressive leaders has been laying the groundwork for a political revolution in Texas. They’re changing the state's white cowboy narrative and with their leadership, the Lone Star State is poised to upend the political balance of power in America. In this episode, Texas State Rep. Mary González joins us just mere hours after presiding over an appropriations subcommittee for the state, the 9th largest economy in the world. We discuss the political implications of the 2021 historic winter storm, the progressive power building movement happening in Texas, and the significance of her role as an openly woman of color in a historically conservative state. And you heard it here first: Mary’s story will be a movie one day, starring Salma Hayek! REFERENCES: Texas State Representative Mary González - @RepMaryGonzalez Julián Castro - @JulianCastro Colonia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonia_(United_States) 2019 El Paso mass shooting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_El_Paso_shooting 1835 Texas Revolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Revolution Media References The Hurricane - 1999 Film with Denzel Washington https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hurricane_(1999_film) Lonesome Dove - 1989 Mini Series with Robert Duvall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove_(miniseries) Salma Hayek https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salma_Hayek

It’s Black History Month (don’t tell Steve). While he may not be a fan of our very short month of Black history reflection, we can all agree that every month is a good month to highlight Black people leading the charge towards a better future for all of us. In this episode, we chat with Jessica Byrd—one of those dynamic Black leaders—about the “political renaissance” she’s witnessing in this country. One of the most important political strategists in the country, she’s the founder of the political consulting firm, Three Point Strategies, and was one of the co-founders of the Electoral Justice Project of the Black Lives Matter movement. She was just named to Time magazine’s Time100 Next list. As we make our way into this new era in America, we will need the energy, insight, and drive of the next generation of leaders. We think that Jessica Byrd is among the most promising of that generation, and we hope you get to know her a bit better in our podcast. References: Jessica Byrd - @JessicaLBYRD, Founding Partner, Three Point Strategies https://threepointstrategies.org Time // Alicia Garza - Time100 Next - Jessica Byrd https://time.com/collection/time100-next-2021/5937626/jessica-byrd National Black Political Convention or the Gary Convention (1972)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Black_Political_Convention Black National Convention (2020)https://m4bl.org/black-national-convention The Movement for Black Lives https://blacknovember.org Electoral Justice Project - @m4blEJP https://twitter.com/m4blejp Black Futures: An Ode to Freedom Summer https://vimeo.com/507147022

ICYMI, Joe Biden and his administration hit the ground running since his first official day in office. After four years of, well, you know, we like our White House this way: boring and efficient. Light on drama, heavy on getting stuff done. From COVID relief to immigration reform, Biden has signed a slate of executive actions signaling a surprisingly impressive understanding of what it will take to advance equity for millions of Americans. In this episode, we take a high level overview of what Biden’s executive actions mean for the New American Majority. And we also introduce a new segment called “How We Win the Civil War” where Steve grounds our current political climate in the historical context of the U.S. Civil War that never ended. REFERENCES: Alida Garcia, Esq. - @leedsgarcia - VP of Advocacy, FWD.us & Founder, Inclusv Susan Rice - @AmbassadorRice - Director, US Domestic Policy Council Executive Actions CNN.com // Kate Sullivan - Here are the executive actions Biden has signed so far https://cnn.com/interactive/2021/politics/biden-executive-orders/index.html Articles NYT Opinion Editorial // Ease Up on the Executive Actions, Joe! https://nytimes.com/2021/01/27/opinion/biden-executive-orders.html New York Times // Jim Rutenberg, Jo Becker, Eric Lipton, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Martin, Matthew Rosenberg, and Michael S. Schmidt - 77 Days: Trump’s Campaign to Subvert the Election https://nytimes.com/2021/01/31/us/trump-election-lie.html The Root // Stephen A. Crockett Jr. - The Return to Boredom America Deserves https://theroot.com/the-return-to-boredom-america-deserves-1846092852 Newsweek // Jacob Jarvis - Joe Biden Signed More Executive Orders Than Trump, Obama Combined in Their First 12 Days https://newsweek.com/joe-biden-executive-orders-more-donald-trump-barack-obama-first-12-days-1565795 Newsweek // Aimee Allison - The Women Behind Biden’s Executive Orders I Opinion https://newsweek.com/women-behind-bidens-executive-orders-opinion-1565510 Ms. Magazine // Carrie N. Baker - “Uplifting the Rights of Girls and Women in the U.S. and Around the World”: Biden and Harris Announce New White House Gender Policy Council https://msmagazine.com/2021/01/26/white-house-gender-policy-council-biden-harris-tina-tchen/ NPR.org // Barbara Sprunt - Biden Picks Susan Rice For Top Domestic Policy Position https://npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/10/944997218/biden-picks-susan-rice-for-top-domestic-policy-position Book Jean Guerrero // Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda https://harpercollins.com/products/hatemonger-jean-guerrero?variant=32999929610274 Pop Culture Reference YouTube.com // Schoolhouse Rock - I’m Just a Bill https://youtube.com/watch?v=OgVKvqTItto

We’re not crying, you are (okay, we’re crying). On January 20th, we watched history unfold as President Joe Biden and Madam Vice President Kamala Harris took their oaths of office. In our newest episode we pause to appreciate the historic moment of a new administration and then turn our attention to discussing the top priorities for the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration. For the first time since 2010, with control of the executive and legislative branches, the Democrats are poised to deliver sweeping change for the American people. We reminisce on Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration and point to the successes and missteps of his, and his administration's, first few months in office. We also share our feelings at the end of the dark era of the past four years as we enter this new, long-anticipated era. References: Joe Biden - @JoeBiden & @POTUS Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris & @VP The White House - @WhiteHouse Biden Inaugural Committee - @BidenInaugural – Watch the 59th Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris https://bideninaugural.org/watch/ Articles/Polls CNN.com//Ron Brownstein – Trump leaves America at its most divided since the Civil War https://cnn.com/2021/01/19/politics/trump-divided-america-civil-war/index.html Gallup.com // Jeffrey M. Jones – Last Trump Job Approval 34%; Average Is Record-Low 41% https://news.gallup.com/poll/328637/last-trump-job-approval-average-record-low.aspx NPR.org // Franco Ordoñez – On Immigration, Biden Goes Big In Opening Bid to Congress https://npr.org/sections/inauguration-day-live-updates/2021/01/20/958626092/on-immigration-biden-goes-big-in-opening-bid-to-congress

It’s a new year indeed. We’re just seven days into 2021 and the country’s New American Majority has wasted no time flexing its political muscle. While Republicans and Trump supporters make dangerous and desperate last-ditch efforts to overturn the will of the people, Georgia voters clapped back with a resounding “time’s up” and handed Democrats the reins to the U.S. Senate by electing Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Their victory is the result of a 10-year effort led by Stacey Abrams, the first guest on our “Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips” podcast. To kick off this episode, we reflect on how Steve and Stacey met and how her vision transformed the state, and the country. But we also remind folks that the New American Majority is just getting started, and there are so many “Staceys” leading the way to turn the country’s demographic revolution into a political and electoral revolution. In this episode, we highlight seven people who are leading the way to real, systemic change in racial equity, immigration, and voter rights. [17:55] References: 7 People to Watch Jessica Byrd, @JessicaLBYRD, Founding Partner, Three Point Strategies https://threepointstrategies.org Anathea Chino, @anatheabc, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Advanced Native Political Leadership https://advancenativepl.org Maurice Mitchell, @MauriceWFP, National Director, Working Families Party https://workingfamilies.org Alejandra Gomez, @Gomez_Alex07, Co-Executive Director, Lucha Arizona https://luchaaz.org Andrea Guerrero, @guerreroandi, Executive Director, Alliance San Diego https://alliancesd.org Vanita Gupta, @vanitaguptaCR, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights https://civilrights.org, and United States Associate Attorney General Nominee Michelle Tremillo, @MtremilloT, Executive Director, Texas Organizing Project https://organizetexas.org Other References Stacey Abrams, @staceyabrams, Founder, Fair Fight Ayanna Pressley, @AyannaPressley, Massachusetts Congresswoman Nse Ufot, @nseufot, CEO, The New Georgia Project “Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips” Podcast - Georgia: What Winning Looks Like https://democracyincolor.com/podepisodes/2020/12/9/georgia-what-winning-looks-like Tweet - Stacey Abrams on Election Night https://twitter.com/staceyabrams/status/1346668456675061760

In this year’s final episode, we look back at the last 12 months to find the silver linings of a rough year. Turns out, there’s still a lot to smile about. Steve and Sharline share their gratitude for the new COVID vaccine and reflect on how basketball both modeled how to safely navigate the pandemic and also brought a lot of people joy in quarantine. We also point to some major victories in a fraught election year, from Trump’s impeachment in Season 1 of 2020 to the poetic justice of Georgia’s national significance. We’ll see you back in 2021! REFERENCES: Barry Manilow - Song “Looks like we made it” https://youtube.com/watch?v=dSyB-OIRtR0 Ed Yong // The Atlantic - How Science Beat the Virus and what it lost in the process https://theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/01/science-covid-19-manhattan-project/617262/ Kizzmekia Corbett, PhD - @KizzyPhD - a Black woman who is among the National Institutes of Health scientists working directly to develop and produce the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. https://twitter.com/KizzyPhD Aaron Gould Sheinin // Webmed.com - Black Scientist Plays Key Role in Covid Vaccine https://webmd.com/lung/news/20201214/black-scientist-plays-key-role-in-covid-vaccine The Late, Greats John Lewis, congressman and civil rights activist, one of the “Big Six” leaders who organized the 1963 march on Washington. C.T. Vivian, minister, author, and close friend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Reverend Joseph Lowery, minister, civil rights leader and founder of the SCLC—Southern Christian Leadership Conference—with Martin Luther King, Jr. Journalist of Color Jonathan Capehart @CapehartJ of The Sunday Show , MSNBC https://twitter.com/CapehartJ Tiffany Cross @TiffanyDCross of The Cross Connection, MSNBC https://twitter.com/TiffanyDCross Rashida Jones @RJonesNews , incoming President, MSNBC https://twitter.com/RJonesNews Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee, reporter, Washington Post https://twitter.com/myhlee Ahiza García-Hodges // NBC News - Rashida Jones named next president of MSNBC https://nbcnews.com/news/all/rashida-jones-named-next-president-msnbc-n1250296 April Ryan @AprilDRyan white house correspondent, theGrio.com; political analyst, CNN https://twitter.com/AprilDRyan Donate to Raphael Warnock & Jon Ossoff for U.S. Senate, and to Fair Fight https://secure.actblue.com/donate/warnock-ossoff?refcode=podcast

It’s definitely December because holiday movies are streaming everywhere. But it feels like we’re in the middle of election season with the flurry of energy surrounding the upcoming Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs. In this week’s episode, we’re joined by one of the architects of the political transformation of the Peach State—New Georgia Project Action Fund CEO Nse Ufot. We introduce a new segment called “Don’t Get Me Started.” In this inaugural take, we sound off on the Democratic hand-wringing about the purported negative electoral impact of activist calls to defund the police. [4:26] We talk to Nse about how community organizers won Georgia for Biden, what it’s going to take to make it happen again in January, and the multiracial coalition that’s putting in the work(we also learn about Nse’s long-standing relationship with Oprah!)[14:45] References Nse Ufot - @nseufot - CEO of The New Georgia Project, a nonpartisan effort to register and civically engage Georgians. https://ngpaf.org And She Could Be Next - Documentary https://andshecouldbenext.com Emily Badger // The New York Times - How Atlanta’s Politics Overtook the Suburbs, Too https://nytimes.com/2020/12/09/upshot/atlanta-suburbs-democratic-shift.html Carlos Granda // abc7news - LA school district returns grenade launchers; keeps armored vehicle, M16s https://abc7news.com/lausd-los-angeles-unified-school-district-grenade-launchers-department-of-defense-weapons-program/314715 Rashawn Ray // Brookings - What Does Defund the Police Mean and Does It Have Merit? https://brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/06/19/what-does-defund-the-police-mean-and-does-it-have-merit Donate or Volunteer Donate - The New Georgia Project Action Fund https://secure.actblue.com/donate/new-georgia-project-action-fund-1 Volunteer - The New Georgia Project https://mobilize.us/thenewgeorgiaproject

Thanksgiving is different this year, but it could’ve looked even more terrifying if not for the millions of people who persisted in myriad ways to forestall fascism, kick Trump out of the White House and reclaim our country for the multi-racial majority. To celebrate, Steve, Sharline, and Julie gather around a virtual table for a little fun Thanksgiving dinner game of “This or That.” [5:43] We then take time to reflect and thank all the people who helped us get through 2020 in our personal lives and in the political sphere as well. [13:01] Thank you to all our listeners and Happy Thanksgiving! REFERENCES: Nse Ufot - @nseufot, CEO of The New Georgia Project, a nonpartisan effort to register and civically engage Georgians. @NewGAProject Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams - https://fairfight.com Aimee Allison - @aimeeallison, founder and president of She the People, a national network elevating the voice and power of women of color. @_shethepeople Susan Sandler - When I First Found Out I Had Cancer, a book which chronicles her journey with cancer and provides resources for survivors and their loved ones. https://braincancerandme.com Clint Smith // The Atlantic - In 1864, Like in 2020, America Just Got Lucky https://theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/election-when-america-narrowly-avoided-disaster/617176/ Sweet Honey in the Rock - Ella’s Song https://youtube.com/watch?v=U6Uus--gFrc

With the defeat of Trump, we managed to forestall fascism for the moment, and the entire world is taking a collective sigh of relief. Over the course of Election Week, we flipped Arizona and Georgia blue, witnessed record turnout across the country, and propelled Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House. In this episode, we revel in the victory just a little longer before honing in on what’s next—winning two Senate runoff races in Georgia in January so Democrats can take control of the U.S. Senate. We also talk with our data expert, Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega, and Arizona strategist John Loredo, founder of Arizona Wins, about what the election results reveal about the American character and what we have to do to build lasting progressive power in the coming years. John also shares how Biden winning Arizona is the culmination of a sustained 10-year effort to turn the state blue, and he offers important lessons learned for the future of Democratic politics. REFERENCES: John Loredo - former member of the Arizona House of Representatives (1997-2005), Founder Arizona Wins! http://az-wins.org/ Donate to Raphael Warnock & Jon Ossoff for U.S. Senate, and to Fair Fight https://secure.actblue.com/donate/warnock-ossoff?refcode=podcast Democratic Party of Georgia - Georgia Runoff Strike Team Sign Up https://mobilize.us/democracyincolor/event/362551/ America Votes Georgia Volunteer Sign Up https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfKPID0RoAGR2KUsg1sWHioMFVKfk0lTSUzQ-xVWElv1pjOg/viewform Edison Research // New York Times - Election Exit Polls https://nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/exit-polls-president.html Roxane // The New York Times - I Am Shattered but Ready to Fight https://nytimes.com/2020/11/05/opinion/trump-supporters-election-2020.html Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Election Results 2020 (23:22 - 23:55) https://youtube.com/watch?v=LyC855KdBKo 11Alive - Atlanta takes to the streets to celebrate the Biden and Harris win https://youtube.com/watch?v=C7p94KMgITk One Arizona https://onearizona.org/ Lucha https://luchaaz.org Our Voice, Our Vote https://ourvoiceourvote.us Mi Familia Vota https://mifamiliavota.org Chispa Arizona https://chispaaz.org Unite Here http://unitehere11.org Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy: CASE http://case-az.org/

Steve, Sharline and data scientist Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega give us a post-Election Day update of everything that went down last night. They talk about what surprised them, what gives them hope for the future of the New American Majority, and what to expect over the next several hours and days. REFERENCES: Scott Walker - @scottwalker - 45 Governor of Wisconsin (2011-2019) John Loredo - former member of the Arizona House of Representatives (1997-2005), Founder Arizona Wins! @JohnLoredo10 http://az-wins.org/ Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein - senior editor at The Atlantic and senior political analyst for CNN - Twitter thread https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1323644768807628802 Excerpt from thread: An E-day thread: For 4 years, Trump has governed as a wartime president for red America, w/blue America, not any foreign adversary as the target. That's provoked an enormous reaction from the diverse, well-educated urban centers & inner suburbs driving eco growth & innovation Ronald Brownstein // The Atlantic - The GOP’s Demographic Doom Millenials and Gen Z are only a few years away from dominating the electorate https://theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/10/millennials-and-gen-z-will-soon-dominate-us-elections/616818/ Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips podcast with special guest Ron Brownstein - One Virus, Two Americas https://democracyincolor.com/podepisodes/2020/4/2/one-virus-two-americas Tram Nguyen // The New York Times - Democrats Could Learn A Lot from What Happened in Virginia https://nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/virginia-election-democrats.html

With just five days left before Election Day, we offer a How-To guide of what to watch for as election results unfold on November 3rd. We hone in on the top four signs to watch for to get a sense of who is going to win. Our favorite data scientist, Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega, breaks down which states and counties to keep an eye on—and at what time of the night. Also, Steve and Dr. Julie give us their quick gut-check: whether they think certain swing states will end up going for Biden or Trump. REFERENCES: Election Night 2020 - Follow Along At Home With Democracy in Color on Election Night http://democracyincolor.com/election Dave Wasserman // NBC News - Will Trump Win Again? Watch Florida’s Sumter County for first election night clue. https://nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/will-trump-win-again-watch-florida-s-sumter-county-first-n1243497 Allen Smith // NBC News - 'Nothing happening': Third-party candidacies appear less a factor in 2020 https://nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/nothing-happening-third-party-candidacies-appear-less-factor-2020-n1240433 Protect the Results - https://protecttheresults.com

Trump didn't believe in COVID; then he got COVID. Then he got better (or so it is seeming, at least for now). Schadenfreude abounded especially when the news that he had tested positive for the virus was first announced. In this episode, we talk about why our country, this election, and Democrats’ prospects for taking back the White House and Senate are better off if No. 45’s health stays steady/doesn't take a nosedive. Our special guest Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and Twitter celeb for his insightful posts on Trump’s health, shares with us his thoughts on the president’s medical outlook. [17:22] And data scientist extraordinaire Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega joins us to explain why the top two Senate races that progressives should be supporting in these final weeks before Election Day are those in Georgia and Texas. [37:21] Also this episode—our 30th—marks the one-year anniversary of this podcast! Thank you to all of our listeners! REFERENCES: Dr. Bob Wachter - @Bob_Wachter Steve Phillips // The Nation - These Are the States to Focus on to Flip the Senate https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/elections-senate-texas-georgia/ The New York Times // Tram Nguyen - Democrats Could Learn a Lot From What Happened in Virginia States Don’t Become Battlegrounds Overnight https://nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/virginia-election-democrats.html Megan Thee Stallion - @theestallion Megan Thee Stallion // The New York Times - Why I Speak Up for Black Women https://nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/megan-thee-stallion-black-women.html Susan Sandler - Series of Essays: When I First Found Out I had Cancer - Website http://Braincancerandme.com Senate Candidates Raphael Warnock for GA - https://warnockforgeorgia.com Jon Ossof for GA - https://electjon.com MJ Hagar for TX - https://mjfortexas.com Sara Gideon for ME - https://saragideon.com Jamie Harrison for SC - https://jaimeharrison.com Organizations New Virginia Majority - https://newvirginiamajority.org New Georgia Project Action Fund - https://www.ngpaf.org Texas Organizing Project Website - https://organizetexas.org

With Election Day only 33 days away, we answer a question on everyone’s mind—What more can I do in these final few weeks? In this episode, we offer suggestions on top actions you can take right now to make a difference before November 3rd. We also sit down with Krystal Ortiz, a director of NEWCO Strategies, who shares insight about strategic election-related volunteering options. Steve describes NEWCO, a political consulting firm, as “a quiet, behind-the-scenes force supporting a lot of the most important work happening in progressive politics and social change in this country.” Steve also discusses what recent developments since RBG’s death have revealed about the exact nature of the fight we are currently in as a nation and why Democrats and progressives need to get clear on this, and fast. REFERENCES: Krystal Ortiz, Director at NEWCO Strategies - https://newcostrategies.com/krystal-ortiz - @klortiz14 Campaign Healthy Website - @EatReal2Win - https://healthycampaign.org The New York Times // Lisa Lerer - ‘Election Stress Disorder,’ the Sequel https://nytimes.com/2020/09/24/us/politics/election-stress-disorder.html Bobby Seale Founder of the Black Panthers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Seale Nse Ufot @NseUfot - Clip - Q&A: And She Could Be Next https://youtube.com/watch?v=rvcURUQhK0s And She Could Be Next - https://andshecouldbenext.com Where to Donate: Arizona Wins - http://az-wins.org New Georgia Project Action Fund Website - @ngpaction - https://ngpaf.org New Florida Majority Website - @NewFLMajority - https://newfloridamajority.org One Pennsylvania Website - @OnePennsylvania - https://onepa.org/vote Casa in Action Website - @CASAinAction - https://casainaction.org/pennsylvania Where to Volunteer if you have Time and Energy: Swing Left’s The Last Weekends - https://thelastweekends.org/democracyincolor Vote Forward Website - @votefwd - https://votefwd.org/democracyincolor Protecting Voting Results: Protect the Results - https://protecttheresults.com Power the Polls - @PowerThePolls - https://powerthepolls.org Television Show Choices: Krystal: Schitt’s Creek, CBC/Netflix Sharline: Avatar The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon/Netflix Steve: Ted Lasso, Apple+; The Bridge, BBC; Trapped, BBC

We are here for you. In this episode, we offer insight and analysis to help talk you and your friends off the ledge as we all anxiously wait and work towards the November elections, which is less than 50 days away. We offer facts and information to back up our assertion that we truly believe Democrats have—in a fair election—an electoral advantage, even in a number of swing states. We hope this episode will sustain you and help you focus your energy and efforts in these final weeks before Election Day. REFERENCES: Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein Joy Reid - @JoyAnnReid // TheReidOut https://msnbc.com/reidout POLLS Voter Doubt of 2020 Outcome Possible - Monmouth University Poll https://monmouth.edu/polling-institute/documents/monmouthpoll_us_091020.pdf/ The New York Times/Siena College National Poll https://scri.siena.edu/2020/06/24/biden-leads-trump-50-36-in-national-poll/ ORGANIZATIONS Fairfight https://fairfight.com PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) https://pcun.org Vote Save America https://votesaveamerica.com Plant Based Fitness Oakland https://plantbfitness.com/ MEDIA The New York Times // Astead W. Herndon Minnesota Seemed Ripe for a Trump Breakout. It Has Not Arrived. https://nytimes.com/2020/09/13/us/politics/Minnesota-poll-Biden-Trump.html NPR Politics Podcast with Domenico Montanaro https://npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast Brown is the New White // Steve Phillips https://thenewpress.com/books/brown-new-white GENERAL FiveThirtyEight Presidential Forecast https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/ Nixon’s campaign and “law and order” position https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon_1968_presidential_campaign Voting Right Act of 1965 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965

Hot off the press! Democracy in Color just released our 2020 Report Cards on the Democratic Party SuperPACs—the organizations that raise and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to elect Democratic candidates. These SuperPACs have already raised more than $600 million. We issue these Report Cards to reveal how these organizations are performing so far this cycle, whether they are on track in terms of spending and strategizing to win on Election Day. Spoiler alert: Most of them are barely getting passing grades. We also take a moment to remember actor Chadwick Boseman, who starred in Black Panther and other movies, and who recently passed away at the age of 43. References: Democratic SuperPACs 2020 Report Cards: The Good, The Bad, and The Wasteful https://democracyincolor.com/2020overview Ludovic Blain - @LudovicSpeaks // California Donor Table https://californiadonortable.org Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams // Fair Fight https://fairfight.com Tram Nguyen - @TramNVM // New Virginia Majority https://newvirginiamajority.org Tom Steyer - @TomSteyer // NextGen America https://nextgenamerica.org Chadwick Boseman - @chadwickbosman // Black Panther - https://marvel.com/movies/black-panther

Few people know Kamala Harris like we in the Bay Area do. We discuss Joe Biden’s selection of the former San Francisco district attorney and Oakland native as his running mate. We also hear from one of Kamala’s long-time mentees—another Bay Area political star—Lateefah Simon, who was hired by Kamala 20 years ago despite not having a college degree at the time. Simon, an award-winning nonprofit leader and elected official who is currently president of the Akonadi Foundation where she runs one of the leading racial justice foundations in the country, talks about what it’s like when your mentor becomes the Democratic vice presidential candidate. She also shares how Kamala’s belief in the potential of and encouragement of young women like herself is just one example of her commitment to improving society and the lives of others. References: Lateefah Simon - @lateefahsimon // Lateefah for BART https://www.lateefahforbart.com Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris 2009 Bart shooting - Oscar Grant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Oscar_Grant Organizations Akonadi Foundation Website https://akonadi.org Bart Board Website https://bart.gov/about/bod MacArthur Fellows Program - Website https://macfound.org Young Women’s Freedom Center Website https://youngwomenfree.org Videos Joe Biden Introduces Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) As Running Mate Clip https://youtube.com/watch?v=ymyY7jez0rM Kamala Harris on George Floyd Clip https://youtube.com/watch?v=d_2KIrsaddA Kamala Harris on her mother Clip https://twitter.com/mayaharris_/status/1293342255089168390

A vice presidential candidate will be chosen by Joe Biden any day now. The top six finalists are Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Karen Bass, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth and Val Demings. We discuss the historic significance of this year's vice presidential selection process. We also dive into factors Biden is likely weighing before making his decision, and the maddening critique of some Black women contenders as being “too ambitious.” And lastly, Steve, who is friends with four of the people Biden has considered, offers his prediction—who he thinks the winner of the 2020 Veepstakes will be! References: Democracy in Color - The White List https://democracyincolor.com/signhr40 Potential VP Picks Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams Karen Bass - @RepKarenBass Val Demings - @RepValDemings Tammy Duckworth - @SenDuckworth Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris Susan Rice - @AmbassadorRice Elizabeth Warren - @SenWarren Book Richard Ben Cramer // What It Takes: The Way to the White House https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/380057.What_It_Takes Scholarship Cecil Rhodes Scholarship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Rhodes Organization Venceremos Brigade - Website https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venceremos_Brigade Audio Clip C-SPAN - John McCain Speech 2008 Republican Convention https://www.c-span.org/video/?280812-2/open-phones

With the recent passing of Civil Rights legends Congressman John Lewis and Reverend C.T. Vivian, many people are focusing on who will take the baton of leadership and carry it forward. In today’s episode, we are joined by two of the country’s most inspirational young leaders — Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and Stockton First Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs whose work will be featured in a new HBO documentary, “Stockton On My Mind,” which debuts July 28th. From Universal Basic Income to fighting for gender justice to being new parents, Michael and Anna discuss their respective and collective work to carry on the struggle for justice and equality. References: Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs - @MichaelDTubbs Stockton 1st Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs - @annas_tea_ Video Clips Washington University in St. Louis - U.S. Rep John Lewis on Bloody in Selma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjZZ3r7Nuuk Visionary Project - C.T. Vivian: Freedom Rides https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zTjNKLVLO4 The Obama White House - President Obama Delivers Remarks on the 50th Anniversary of the Selma Marches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvAIvauhQGQ The Obama White House - The Benediction at the Inauguration of Obama by Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb2UJ6r1A3E Michael Tubbs HBO Documentary - Stockton on my Mind - Television Tues, July 28, 9:00PM PT; On Demand Available Wed, July 29 https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/stockton-on-my-mind Books Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs - The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20202078.Anna_Nti_Asare_Tubbs Martin Luther King Jr. - Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211888.Where_Do_We_Go_from_Here Connie Schultz - . . . and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10928._and_His_Lovely_Wife Reports San Joaquin Community Data Co-op in partnership with Anna Nti-Asare-Tubbs and Sukhi Samra // Report on the Status of Women 2018 https://www.michaeldtubbs.com/stockton-womens-report Organizations: Economic Security Project https://www.economicsecurityproject.org/ Mayors for a Guaranteed Income https://www.mayorsforagi.org/ Stockton Strong https://www.stocktonstrong.org/ Stockton Scholars https://www.stocktonscholars.org/ Other Authors and Writings Steve Phillips - Justice and Hope: Past Reflections and Future Visions of the Stanford Black Student Union, 1967-1989 https://exhibits.stanford.edu/stanford-pubs/catalog/pw849rd2893 Prof. Clayborne Carson - Martin Luther King Papers Project https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/about-papers-project Author Paulo Freire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire

School is not back in session yet but clearly there are a lot of people who need schooling, especially when it comes to understanding reparations. In this episode, "Professor” Steve Phillips breaks down the history of slavery and its legacy in this country and answers the question: Does the U.S. government owe anything to Black Americans? We also talk about why it's so important for Congress to act now and pass HR 40, the bill to establish a commission to study the legacy of slavery and to make recommendations about possible remedies, including reparations. References: Sign our Petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-black-americans-deserve-reparations-demand-congress-commission-a-reparations-study-now?source=direct_link&referrer=group-democracy-in-color H.R. 40 is a bill that would create a commission to study the effects of slavery on African Americans and explore possible remedies—including reparations Congress.gov - https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/40 Other Reparations Resources NJ-S322 - New Jersey Reparations Task Force https://www.billtrack50.com/BillDetail/1169949 Forbes // Rachel Sandler - California Assembly Passes Reparations Bill https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/06/13/california-assembly-passes-reparations-bill/ Reparations to Japanese Americans - Civil Liberties Act of 1988 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Liberties_Act_of_1988 Video and Audio clips Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream Speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARvrvJV4th4 Trevor Noah on the Daily Show - The Reparations Debate Should America Compensate the Descendants of Slaves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uf_XDFXvzU Beverly Hillbillies - Opening and Closing Theme Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvE9zJgm8OY Daily News Post Reports Podcast, hosted by Martine Powers - Why Americans Don’t Learn About Tulsa, or Junteenth https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/why-americans-dont-learn-about-tulsa-or-juneteenth/ TIME - Mitch McConnell Says Reparations for Slavery Are Not a ‘Good Idea’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQz7kL_qrE4 PBS News Hour - Ta-Nehisi Coates Full Opening Statement on Reparations at House Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcCnQ3iRkys Books Sven Beckert - Empire of Cotton https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20758057-empire-of-cotton Articles The Nation // Steve Phillips - This is the Perfect Moment to Push for Reparations https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/black-reparations-hr40-congress/ The New York Times // Angela Glover Blackwell and Michael McAfee - Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/sunday/banks-reparations-racism-inequality.html The New York Times // Nikole Hannah-Jones - What is Owed https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/24/magazine/reparations-slavery.html Study National Bureau of Economic Research - “Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” https://www.nber.org/papers/w9873

From failed political rallies to plummeting poll numbers to big losses in the Supreme Court, Trump is descending rapidly toward the nadir of his presidency. We discuss how the political tide is turning in America and why this is happening. In addition, our special guest—“Super Lawyer" and former Supreme Court clerk Stacey Leyton—offers insight into last week's major decisions and a “behind the scenes” look at how the Supreme Court functions. References: Stacey Leyton is a partner at the San Francisco law firm Altshuler Berzon where she practices constitutional and labor law. - @Stacemundo // https://altshulerberzon.com Ruth Bader Ginsburg - @scotusginsburg Civil Rights Act - Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deferred_Action_for_Childhood_Arrivals Book: Bruce Wright - Black Robes, White Justice https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/795527.Black_Robes_White_Justice Court cases: Dred Scot v. Stanford - In 1857, right before the Civil War, in the Dred Scot case, the Court held descendants of Africa, “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect” and could not become U.S. citizens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred_Scott_v._Sandford Plessy v. Ferguson - In 1896, after the destruction of Reconstruction, the court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson, the separate but equal case, they wrote, “The white race deems itself to be the dominant race in this country. And so it is in prestige, in achievements, in education, in wealth and in power. So, I doubt not, it will continue to be for all time if it remains true to its great heritage and holds fast to the principles of constitutional liberty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson Ozawa v. United States - In 1922, the court ruled in the Ozawa vs United States case that Asians could not become U.S. citizens because they were not white (citing the original immigration law restricting immigration to “free white persons.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozawa_v._United_States Video Clips: ABC13 Houston - Houston members of FIEL, Dreamers React to DACA vote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxi0NIDpD74 Bostock vs. Clayton County oral arguments US Supreme Court - Stanford Professor Pam Karlan making her case last October in court https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO81baYrWPk