Pod for the Cause

2020 has been a year unlike any other - from the COVID-19 pandemic to racial injustice, a historic presidential election and more - as we close the door on 2020 and welcome a New Year, The Leadership Conference colleagues LaShawn Warren and Kelly Brewington join Vanessa Gonzalez to take a look back & reflect on all that has happened this year, while also bringing in some cheer as we approach 2021.

Schuyler Bailar, athlete, activist, life coach, and the first openly trans NCAA Division I athlete and swimmer, and Sam White, social impact strategist and advocate, join host Allyn Brooks-LaSure for a conversation all about allyship in the Black Lives Matter movement. The Leadership Conference's own Vanessa Gonzalez hits us with her Hot Takes.

On our first post-Election episode, comedians Travon Free and Jenny Yang join host Allyn Brooks-LaSure to break down the 2020 Election and the state of comedy as we transition from the Trump Presidency to a Biden-Harris Administration.

Welcome to The Election Episode of Pod for the Cause! Host Allyn Brooks-LaSure sits down with Leigh Chapman, Program Director of Voting Rights at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Ramon Contreras, Founder of Youth Over Guns, and Deja Foxx, activist and founder of Gen Z Girl Gang.

On this week's Pod for the Cause, we talk all about the Supreme Court confirmation hearings and voting with Aklima Khondoker (Georgia State Director, All Voting is Local), Kayla Griffin (Ohio State Director, All Voting is Local), Lena Zwarensteyn (Fair Courts Campaign Director, The Leadership Conference), and Rosemary Avila (Arizona Campaign Manager, All Voting is Local).

How are college students feeling during COVID-19? What's it like to be an undergrad during a global pandemic? On this week's Pod for the Cause, we check in with student leaders of color across the country for a collegiate roundtable. Joining host Allyn Brooks-LaSure on the Pod Squad is Danielle Geathers, President of the Student Government at MIT, Luis Huerta, President of the Associated Students of University of California, Riverside, Cameron Nolan, Student Government Association President at Morehouse College, and Foothill College Student Government President, Abhiraj Muhar.

This week's Pod for the Cause episode hosted by Allyn Brooks-LaSure is all about the psychological impacts of COVID-19, especially for communities of color. Author, Veteran, and Heart Healer Rob Hill Sr. joins us as our special guest to share more wisdom and words around this topic. Plus, Assistant Professor and Director of Wellness at Washington University in St Louis, Dr. Jessi Gold, M.D. MS, and The Leadership Conference's Communications Assistant, Kenny Park Yi, join the "Pod Squad" to talk about self care and mental health during COVID-19.

Pod for the Cause is all about the census this week! Stand-up comedian Cristela Alonzo joins us to talk about the power the census holds for historically undercounted communities — and the urgency of saving the 2020 Census — with guest host Beth Lynk, Director of Census Counts. Plus, our own Ashley Allison and Tamika Turner, Communications Director of Census Counts, round out the Pod Squad!

In the season 3 premiere of "Pod for the Cause", host Ashley Allison is joined by Compton’s Mayor Aja Brown to discuss the horrible storm - between COVID-19, police violence, and everything else that has been happening in our nation. Plus, The Leadership Conference’s Allyn Brooks-LaSure and United We Dream’s Greisa Martinez join Ashley on the Pod Squad to talk about the legacies of Rev. C. T. Vivian and Congressman John Lewis, a major victory for DACA at the Supreme Court, when the pandemic is or isn’t ending, and hyper-realistic cakes.

Pod for the Cause is guest hosted by Allyn Brooks-LaSure to discuss the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement in unprecedented times - we cover allyship, true change, and more, all with a packed Pod Squad and special guest Iyanla Vanzant.

In honor of the Mother's Day and the one year anniversary of Pod for the Cause, host Ashley Allison is joined by former Obama Administration Senior Advisor, New York Times Bestselling Author, and mother/grandmother Valerie Jarrett to talk about the journey of motherhood, finding her voice, and the realities of being a working mother. Plus, Ashley and the pod squad celebrates Mother's Day by bringing their moms in on this episode too!

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by the creator, writer, and director of the Netflix series Dear White People, Justin Simien, and the actress who portrays the character Joelle Brooks in Dear White People, Ashley Blaine Featherson, to discuss the experience of students of color on college campuses along with the complexities of race in our nation.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined remotely by New York Times bestselling author, historian and antiracist activist Dr. Ibram Kendi to talk about the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on Black communities.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined remotely by Vanita Gupta, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference, to talk about how COVID-19 has impacted our world and how, now more than ever, the fierce fight to protect civil and human rights continues.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by Stacey Abrams, the former Democratic nominee for the governorship of Georgia, the Founder and Chair of Fair Fight, and the Founder of Fair Count, to talk all things voting, Census, and what is next in Leader Abrams' future.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by powerhouse Representatives Kathy Castor, Darren Soto, Marc Veasey, Al Green and John Sarbanes for part two of a special episode live from the Maxine Waters "Millennial Media Row" State of The Union event to talk about health care, justice reform, reparations, economic security and ultimately how to get people out to vote in the 2020 election.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by powerhouse Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Barbara Lee, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Maxine Waters for part one of an episode live from the Maxine Waters "Millennial Media Row" State of The Union event to talk about health care, justice reform, reparations, economic security, the power of Black women, and ultimately how to get people out to vote in the 2020 election.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by Cecile Richards, Mayra Macias, and Alicia Garza for a very special episode live from The Leadership Conference Education Fund's "We Are Democracy" conference to talk all about voter engagement and what candidates should be doing to reach the people.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by Martín Batalla Vidal, the lead plaintiff in the New York case McAleenan v. Vidal, to discuss DACA and how the fight will continue to create a pathway for future generations to live and thrive in America.

To kick off season two, Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison is joined by special guest Dawn-Lyen Gardner, star of Queen Sugar, to discuss voter suppression, the importance of representation, and the fluidity of racial/cultural identity. If you're new to the show be sure to check out our first season and click subscribe today!

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison welcomes David Hogg, activist and co-founder of March For Our Lives and Zion Kelly, activist and student at Florida A&M University, to discuss their tragic experiences with gun-related violence -- and the urgent need for reform on all levels.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison welcomes Vilissa Thompson, creator of #DisabilityTooWhite and founder of RampYourVoice, to discuss how disability rights are civil rights -- and how we should all hold each other accountable for disability discrimination, both within the movement and our lives. Thompson makes the case for why we should all speak up about the intersection of racism and disability rights.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison and the iconic Rev. Dr. William Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and architect of the Moral Mondays movement, discuss what justice and freedom look like in the Trump era. The conversation includes how young people are leading the movement and how we should all use our moral compass to continue the fight.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison and film director, author, and activist Paola Mendoza discuss immigration and family separation. The conversation includes experiences of families on the border who are seeking asylum and safety, as well as the importance of immigration reform.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison interviews actress and model, Isis King, to discuss her breakout role in When They See Us. The conversation includes what pride month means to her and to the LGBTQ community, in addition to how people can become better allies.

Pod for the Cause host Ashley Allison, Alabama Senator Vivian Figures, and Kimberly Inez McGuire, executive director of Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), discuss the recent Alabama abortion law and the nationwide attacks on abortion overall. The conversation included how these attacks will harm people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community in addition to how we can rise up in defense of a women’s right to choose.

Ashley Allison, host of Pod for the Cause, interviews Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, co-director of Caring Across Generations, and founder of Supermajority, to discuss civic engagement efforts. They discuss a new national activist network that connects women organizers to ignite action.

Ashley Allison, host of Pod for the Cause, interviews Dale Ho, voting rights program director at the ACLU, to discuss all things census. They discuss the Supreme Court oral arguments case to remove the citizenship question, counting all communities, and the importance of a fair and accurate count in 2020.

Ashley Allison, host of Pod for the Cause, interviews Marion Gray-Hopkins, Executive Director of Coalition of Concerned Mothers and Rhanda Dormeus, Treasurer of Coalition of Concerned Mothers, on how they turned their tragedy into advocacy. Both Gray-Hopkins and Dormeus lost their children at the hands of police violence.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights launched “Pod for the Cause” podcast to expand the conversation on critical civil and human rights challenges of our day: census, justice reform, policing, education, fighting hate & bias, judicial nominations, fair courts, voting rights, media & tech, economic security, immigration, and human rights. Through this expanded dialogue, we want to spur activism that drives change in our communities and country. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and leave a 5-star review.