Philadelphia-based journalist Ernest Owens joins Steve and Sharline to share how things are shaping up in one of Democrats’ most critical states leading up to Election Day. Ernest describes the current energy in the state and the nuanced levels of engagement he’s witnessing compared to previous elections. He shares what’s top of mind for Black voters in Philly including his take on the media’s hand-wringing about Black male voters.
Ernest Owens - ernestowens.com @mrernestowens
The media can’t seem to stop talking about Black men. So, we decided to do something radical: let two Black men discuss Black men. Washington Post opinion columnist Perry Bacon Jr. returns to the show to share his thoughts on where VP Harris’ race stands, how he’s thinking about Black voters, and the evolving media landscape in this election.
Perry Bacon Jr - Washington Post, @PerryBaconJr & @perrybaconjr.bsky.social
Steve and Sharline share one—or maybe more than one—thing they’re hopeful for, worried about, and watching for in the “tea leaves” as Election Day draws closer.
In the second half of this episode, we feature a conversation from Steve’s other podcast, “Exit Polls”, where he recently spoke with two young voters in New York City—his niece, Leah, and her friend, Julia. They share their thoughts on Kamala Harris’ candidacy and offer some insight into how Gen Z’ers are processing this election cycle.
Between Kamala Harris’ sharp debate performance and the increased hateful rhetoric from the right, Democrats are poised to win in states Obama captured.
Steve and Sharline discuss the latest reported assassination attempt against Trump and the broader issue of increased political violence and gun violence in the U.S. from school shootings to death threats against election workers in Georgia.
They also share their thoughts on the debate between Harris and Trump, including Trump’s dangerous lies about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. Sharline shares an important connection to her own childhood experiences with anti-Asian and anti-immigrant hate.
The two also look at a “six-pack” of other critical races that will be key to Democrats’ victory this fall, including states that Obama won, such as North Carolina and Florida, as well as major swing states like Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Steve and Sharline recap VP Harris and Coach Walz’s first sit-down media interview, held last week with CNN, as well as the DNC which took place earlier in August. They discuss the upcoming presidential debate on September 10 and what Kamala Harris needs to do to win. They also briefly touch on how Democrats can gain a government trifecta in 2025.
Back in 2020, we had current congressional candidate (and recent pod guest) Lateefah Simon on the show to talk about President Biden’s historic announcement in choosing Kamala Harris as his VP as well as Kamala’s long record of being a champion for others.
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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.
Lateefah Simon - @lateefahsimon // Lateefah for BART
Kamala Harris - @Kamala Harris
2009 Bart shooting - Oscar Grant
Organizations
Akonadi Foundation Website
Bart Board Website
MacArthur Fellows Program - Website
Young Women’s Freedom Center Website
Videos
Joe Biden Introduces Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) As Running Mate Clip
Kamala Harris on George Floyd Clip
Kamala Harris on her mother Clip
Following Tuesday’s announcement from VP Kamala Harris that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would be joining the campaign as her running mate, Steve and Sharline get together for an “emergency” podcast episode to discuss their thoughts and reactions.
House Rep. Ruben Gallego joins the podcast to talk about his Senate campaign against Republican Kari Lake to replace former Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema and what a path to victory looks like in November.
Recorded well before the most recent political developments, this race remains critical to holding the Senate and being able to govern and advance a progressive agenda in 2025.
He shares his journey to politics from working with veterans to fighting back against SB1070, aka the “show me your papers” law. He also discusses the impact of the attack on reproductive rights in Arizona and shares why focusing on Arizona’s issues instead of national conversations is the key to winning across the state.
Ruben Gallego - @RubenGallego
Lawyer and PolicyLink Founder-in-Residence Angela Glover Blackwell discusses her new podcast project Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, a six-part series that illustrates the potential of our democracy, using L.A. as an example of what is possible when people come together to create change.
She shares her journey from growing up in a segregated St. Louis, MO in the 1950s and 60s to her role as an organizer during the Black Power Movement to a lifelong commitment to social justice, policy work, and activism. She shares key concepts from her latest podcast including what it means to be a generous leader and a phrase she coined called the “curb cut effect.”
Angela also offers advice on how to stay hopeful and engaged in a time when current events leave many feeling discouraged, and she makes a case for why voting isn’t just about ourselves but about the future generations of people to come after.
Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life (Podcast)
Happy Pride! Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist Imara Jones shares the origins of her multimedia company TransLash Media and the role of storytelling and narrative in preserving the humanity of trans people.
She breaks down how and why the fight for trans rights has become the focus of American politics in recent years, and she discusses the role of journalists in covering trans issues. She also touches on how mainstream media misses the mark when it comes to understanding the moment we’re in.
Imara also weighs in on the complexities of progress and victories in support of trans rights while anti-trans hate and violence continues to rise, and she explains how a trans agenda for liberation is fundamentally about creating a society that works for everyone.
Imara Jones - imarajones.com @imarajones
TransLash Media - translash.org
In collaboration with the Bay Area Book Festival, we’re broadcasting the powerful conversation between Steve, Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell, and former co-executive director of the Highlander Center, Ash-lee Woodard Henderson about Steve’s book How We Win the Civil War.
Moderated by former podcast guest and congressional candidate Lateefah Simon, the panelists each discussed their commitment to building and establishing a multiracial democracy in this country and how their life experiences led them to that work.
They discuss what it means to be in solidarity with one another, the undeniable legacy and role of the South in America’s destiny, and the multifaceted ways in which we fight back against authoritarianism and white nationalism. Steve also reads a short excerpt from his book.
Introducing our funniest guest yet: Solo performance artist, comedian, and actress Kristina Wong joins the podcast to talk about her path to theater (including her brief stint as an elected Koreatown, LA official), and how her creation of the “Auntie Sewing Squad” helped her and many others survive the pandemic.
She discusses her play Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord, a 2022 Pulitzer finalist in drama, and the importance of mental health awareness in the AAPI community.
Kristina Wong - kristinawong.com
Arizona legend-in-the-making Raquel Téran talks about her bid for Congress and her decades-long work to help turn the state into a shining example of what progressive organizing (and winning) looks like.
Raquel shares her journey to politics and the issues she plans to lift up in Congress. She also shares why she believes building coalitions and mobilizing voters are key to protecting democracy and how she recruited and mentored many of the key leaders who are driving change across the state.
Raquel Téran - RaquelTeran.com & @RaquelTeran
Care in Action’s Hillary Holley shares how the organization is mobilizing domestic workers, most of whom are women of color and immigrants, and pushing Democrats to embrace a Care Agenda in Congress. She shares insight on the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights which was introduced to Congress in 2021.
She also shares her path to organizing and discusses her role in helping Stacey Abrams build Fair Fight Action, one of the crucial voter mobilization engines in Georgia that helped flip the state in 2020.
Hillary Holley - @HillaryHolley4
March Madness may be over but we’re gearing up for a…Narrow November with our very own set of 16 congressional districts that have the potential to flip the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Data expert Dr. Julie Martínez Ortega joins Steve and Sharline to discuss the updated New Majority Index (NMI) and which districts they’ll be watching closely ahead of November elections.
Lateefah Simon—Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) board member, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and Congressional candidate—shares her path to politics, including her work with Vice President Kamala Harris during Harris’ time as San Francisco Attorney General.
Lateefah shares why she decided to run for office and offers insight on how grief has been a catalyst for her political work and activism. She also courageously expresses her thoughts on the war in Gaza and says what few are willing to say.
Lateefah Simon - @lateefahsimon
Sarah Alvarez, founder of Outlier Media, a Detroit-based service journalism organization, shares what she’s hearing on the ground in Michigan following the protest “uncommitted” vote by more than 100,000 people during the state’s recent Democratic presidential primary.
She shares what role today’s journalists must play in filling information gaps at the local level, and why nonprofit news organizations like the one she’s built are needed today.
Sarah, Steve, and Sharline discuss Michigan’s historical significance in the larger scheme of national politics. Sarah draws parallels between the ways politics and journalism-as-usual are failing those who need the most support and deserve the most attention.
Outlier Media - outliermedia.org
Steve and Sharline celebrate the release of the paperback edition of How We Win the Civil War, which comes out Tuesday, March 12. They discuss how the political landscape has changed since the first edition launched in 2022 and why How We Win is more pertinent now than ever.
They also discuss the book’s reception since its first release and the exciting partnerships that have developed with groups and organizations who resonate with How We Win’s message.
Steve shares his hope and vision for this new edition and the parts of the book that have become his favorite.
Buy the second edition of How We Win the Civil War!
Podcast episode: "White People and the Fight for Racial Justice with SURJ's Erin Heaney"
Award-winning journalist and editor-at-large at The 19th News Errin Haines joins us to talk about her game-changing work at the digital news startup centered on gender, politics, and policy.
She also talks about Breaking the News—a documentary that chronicles the origins of The 19th—which debuted on PBS this week.
Errin shares some of the publication’s history-making moments, including her early coverage of the Breonna Taylor killing that brought a gender perspective to the conversation of racism and police brutality. Errin also shared insight into how The 19th nailed the first sit-down interview with Kamala Harris after she made history as the first African American (and Asian American) vice presidential candidate.
Errin also dives into the current election cycle; The 19th’s new fellowship (a partnership with The 1619 Project’s Nikole Hannah Jones); and The 19th’s newest product—“The Amendment” podcast, which Errin hosts.
Solano Community College’s Vice President of Student Affairs Lisa Neeley discusses her work at Solano and the California college’s commitment to Black students and other students of color in the face of increasing backlash against DEI efforts.
Neeley talks about Solano’s programs and processes to ensure equity and inclusion such as the Black Falcons Success Program and her hopes for other higher education programs around the country.
Lisa Neeley - @Lisamarieneeley
Transcript (unedited)
