Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Redistricting 101

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In this Episode:

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 Jr. 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

The Cook Political Report // David Wasserman – Redistricting Snapshots: Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina

FiveThirtyEight // Geoffrey Skelley and Nathaniel Rakich  –  Why The President’s Party Almost Always Has A Bad Midterm   

Loyola Law School  – What is Redistricting? 

NBCnews // Rebecca Shabad – Wave of retirements rocks Democrats' hopes of holding the House

NPR // Carol Ritchie, Rachel Treisman, Nell Clark and Chris Hopkins – Start your day here: Senate Democrats force a showdown over voting rights measures

The New York Times // Nick Corasaniti, Reid J. Epstein, Taylor Johnston, Rebecca Lieberman, and Eden Weingart  – How Maps Reshape American Politics  

MSNBC // Jonathan Capehart – The Bye Line: Don’t Sit Out the Midterms  

The Washington Post // Dan Balz – Ohio voters asked for fairness in redistricting. They didn’t get it.

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · One Year Later: The Attempted Coup That Couldn’t Stop The Rise

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In this Episode:

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

Vox // Zack Beauchamp – How does this end? Where the crisis in American democracy might be headed.

The Undefeated // Evette Dionne – 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’

The Paris Review // David L. Uline – Claudia Rankine, The Art of Poetry No. 102

The Nation // Steve Phillips – Texas Is Winnable. Beto’s the Candidate to Do It.

HBO TV series – Insecure

HBO Documentary – Insecure the end

Stacey Abrams, Candidate for Governor, GA

Cheri Beasley, Candidate for Senate, NC

Val Demings, Candidate for Senate, FL

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Suzanne Gamboa

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In This Episode:

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
The New York Times // Simon Romero, Manny Fernandez and Mariel Padilla – Massacre at a Crowded Walmart in Texas Leaves 20 Dead
NBCnews.com // Suzanne Gamboa – El Paso, grieving after the Walmart massacre targeting Latinos, now battles coronavirus

TV Series
Netflix - “Gentefied”

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Questions from the Audience

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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

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

The Guardian // Steve Phillips – How big a deal is Biden’s infrastructure bill? Our panel responds

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In this Episode:

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 - Website

Anathea Chino - @anatheabc
Advance Native Political Leadership - @AdvanceNativePL.

FX on Hulu - Reservation Dogs

Peacock - Ruthorford Falls

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Who and Where to Watch in 2022 Midterms

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In this Episode:

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

Democracy in Color // Fola Onifade – Black Candidates Will Help Democrats Win These 4 Swing Senate Seats in 2022  

The New York Times // Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman - Raiders Coach Resigns After Homophobic and Misogynistic Emails

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

“SNL” - White Like Me with Eddie Murphy 

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Hispanic, Latino, Latinx — What’s in a name?

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In This Episode:

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, Civix Strategy Group, Executive Director, Somos Votantes & Founder, Somos Pac

Hispanic Heritage Month Wiki

Articles

History Channel // Yara Simón – Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms
Democracy Journal // Stephanie Valencia – Latina Voters: Why Excitement Matters
Pew Research // Ruth Igielnik and Abby Budiman – The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the U.S. Electorate

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · September News Round Up

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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!

Democracy in Color // Fola Onifade – 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

19th News // Chabeli Charrazana – How abortion restrictions like Texas’ push pregnant people into poverty

19th News // Candance Norwood  – Department of Justice sues Texas over abortion ban

The New York Times // Roni Caryn Rabin  – Answers to Questions about the Texas Abortion Ban

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

The New York Times // Sheryl Gay Stolberg – G.O.P. Seethes at Biden Mandate, Even in States Requiring Other Vaccines

The New York Times // Jack Healy, Richard Fausset and J. David Goodman – Biden’s Sweeping Vaccine Mandates Infuriate Republican Governors

The New York Times // Tracking Coronavirus in Mississippi: Latest Map and Case Count

The New York Times // Tracking Coronavirus in Texas: Latest Map and Case Count

FiveThirtyEight // Latest Polls Of The California Recall Election

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · California Recall

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In This Episode:

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  

CNN // Harry Enten – Why the California recall is within the margin of error and what that means for Gavin Newsom

Calmatters // Laurel Rosenhall – Could Latino voters make the difference in whether Newsom survives California’s recall election?

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · A Nation in Color: The 2020 Census and the Future of Our Country

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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

CNN // Ron Brownstein – This may be the Democrats' last chance to recover working-class Whites

US Census // Rachel Marks – Improvements to the 2020 Census Race and Hispanic Origin Question Designs, Data Processing, and Coding Procedures

US Census // Nicholas Jones, Rachel Marks, Roberto Ramirez, Merarys Rîos-Vargas – 2020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country

Pew Research Center // Carroll Doherty, Scott Keeter, Rachel Weisel – The Party of Nonvoters Younger, More Racially Diverse, More Financially Strapped

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Perry Bacon Jr Final

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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. 

FiveThirtyEight // Perry Bacon Jr. — Five Questions The Political Media Is Wrestling With In Covering America’s ‘Uncivil War’

CNN // Ronald Brownstein — Coronavirus is dividing blue cities from their red states

Reparations Commission

H.R. 40 — Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Nina Turner Sees the Promise in the Problem

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In This Episode:

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 

Nina Turner for Congress – Website

Democracy in Color Launch - Women of Color: Uniting the Party, Leading the Country – Video

Articles

Council on Foreign Relations // James M. Lindsay – The 2020 Election by the Numbers

19th News // Amanda Becker – Exclusive: Ohio’s Nina Turner picks up Ocasio-Cortez endorsement in U.S. House race

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Summer, Summer Summertime!

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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 for 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
Nikole Hannah-Jones — The 1619 Project 
Madeleine L’Engle — A Wrinkle In Time

Fola Onifade’s Picks

Stream

Starz — Run the World
Hulu — Summer of Soul 

Books

Ashley Ford — Somebody’s Daughter 
Jesse McCarthy — Who Will Pay Reparations On My Soul 

Podcast

Brené Brown — Unlocking Us Podcast

Steve Phillip’s Picks

Stream

HBOMax — Hacks
NBC — This is Us
Amazon — Confederate States of America 

Book

James Patterson — Women’s Murder Club 

Background

Deadspin.com//Michael Harriot —  The Caucasian's Guide To Black Barbecues
Huffpost.com//Leigh Blickley — The 'This Is Us' Writers Room Is Truly Reflective Of The Show's Story
Gil Scott-Heron — Whitey On the Moon (Official Audio)
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

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Pride: Hope, Struggle, and Taking Back Power

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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

GLAAD // Mary Emily O’Hara – Guide for Journalists: The Supreme Court’s Fulton v. Philadelphia Ruling This June

GLAAD // Ryan Roemerman – LGBTQ voters helped tip the 2020 election and we can do it again in Georgia

MAP (Movement Advancement Project) – New Report Highlights Unique LGBTQ Landscape and Advocacy in the U.S. South

The New York Times // Kara Swisher – Inside the Republican Anti-Transgender MachinePew Forum – Attitudes on Same-Sex Marriage

19th News  // Kate Sosin – The Supreme Court rules unanimously in LGBTQ+ rights vs. religious liberty case

Background

Bostock vs. Clayton County - Supreme Court ruling
HERO - Houston Equal Rights Ordinance
Proposed Federal Protections for LGBTQ+ people: The Equality Act
Emmett Till - Wikipedia
1712 Slave Codes - Preamble
Junteenth - Wikipedia
Wendy Davis - Filibuster

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Astead

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In this Episode:

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:

Astead W. Herndon, New York Times, National Politics Reporter – @AsteadWesley

New York Times - Outtake from “The Daily”

Nikole Hannah-Jones - @nhannahjones

New York Times // Nikole Hannah-Jones - 1619 Project 

New York Times Articles by Astead W. Herndon

 ‘These People Aren’t Coming From Norway’: Refugees in a Minnesota City Face a Backlash

Progressive Victories Signal Staying Power for the Movement

2020 Democrats Embrace Race-Conscious Policies, Including Reparations

Articles
Forbes - 30 Under 30 - Astead Herndon

The Atlantic // Ta-Nehisi Coates – Why Precisely Is Bernie Sanders Against Reparations? 

The Daily Princetonian // Marie-Rose Sheinermen  – Times reporter Astead Herndon talks newsroom diversity, 2020 election coverage

The Root // Michael Harriot – It Turns Out, All Those 'Woke' White Allies Were Lying

Slate // Aymann Ismail – “I Don’t See the Last Four Years as This Journalistic Anomaly”

NPR // Roberta Rampton – Trump Announces 'Patriotic Education' Commission, A Largely Political Move

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Tram Nguyen on How Virginia Turned Blue

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In This Episode:

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 Here

BPSOS Website

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

NYT//Tram Nguyen – Democrats Could Learn a Lot From What Happened In Virginia

OZY//Sharline Chiang - I Tried It … Being White

Background

Vietnamese Boat People

VA State Legislature - SAVE Program

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Unapologetic and Authentic: St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

IN THIS EPISODE:

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

stlouis-mo.gov // Nick Dunne:

–  Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Signs Executive Order to Strengthen Police Accountability, Collect Corrections Complaints

– Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Passes FY2022 Budget with Amendments, Redirects Excess Police Staffing Budget to Diversion and Support Programs

 – Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Signs Crown Act Into Law, Vetoes Two Tax Abatements

Stlamerican.com // Featured – Tishaura Jones slams Post editorial board while declining interview

The Nation // Jimmy Tobias – Can a Champion of Black Lives Matter Become Mayor of St. Louis?

St. Louis Public Radio // Rachel Lippmann, Maria Altman, Jo Mannies, Jason Rosenbaum –  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

LA Times // Stephen Caesar – L.A. schools police will return grenade launchers but keep rifles, armored vehicle

Shooting of Michael Brown – Wikipedia

Books
Walter Johnson – The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States

Richard Rothstein – The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · 100 Days In: Is Biden Actually a Progressive?

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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

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

NPR.org // Jason Breslow – Civil Rights Attorney Vanita Gupta Confirmed As Associate Attorney General

Newsweek // Kristin Clarke –  I Prosecuted Police Killings. Defund the Police—But Be Strategic 

NPR.org // Carrie Johnson – Kristen Clarke's 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.

American Families Plan 

WhiteHouse.gov // 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

NYT // Jim Tankersley – Biden Will Seek Tax Increase on Rich to Fund Child Care and Education

H.R. 40

Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips - 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

Associated Press // Kevin Freking – House panel poised to advance bill on slavery reparations

Aljazeera // William Roberts – Reparations for US slave descendants gains momentum

NYT // Angela Glover Blackwell and Michael McAfee – Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Fighting the Same Beast: White Supremacy

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IN THIS EPISODE:

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:

Queer Silicon Valley // 1985: Fatal Police Shooting of Melvin Truss Sparked Public Outcry

‘Prayer for Melvin Truss’ - written and performed by Jon Jang, Francis Wong, AsianImprov Arts

George Floyd Wikipedia

Daunte Wright Wikipedia

Virginia Delegate Marcia Price Website and @PriceforDel95

Campaign for Voting Rights #StopJimCrow2

Film

HBO Documentary Exterminate All The Brutes

Cinemablend // Corey Chichizola – Will Smith And Antoine Fuqua Explain Why They're Pulling Emancipation Movie Out Of Georgia In New Statement

Articles

Vox.com // German Lopez – Police officers are prosecuted for murder in less than 2 percent of fatal shootings

Brennan Center for Justice – State Voting Bills Tracker 2021 and Congress Must Pass the ‘For the People Act’

Politico.com // Nolan D. McCaskill and Zach Montellaro – All Eyes On Georgia. Again.

NYT// Nick Corasaniti and Reid J. Epstein – What Georgia’s Voting Law Really Does

NYT// Reid J. Epstein and Nick Corasaniti – Virginia, the Old Confederacy’s Heart, Becomes a Voting Rights Bastion

Opinion: Roll Call // Sylvia Albert – Why Congress must pass HR1 and the John R. Lewis Rights Act

Washington Post // Michael Scherer – Zuckerberg and Chan to give another $100 million for local election administrators despite conservative pushback 

Washington Post // Todd C. Frankel – More than 100 corporate executives hold call to discuss halting donations and investments to fight controversial voting bills

Seattle Times // Joseph O’ Sullivan – Bill restores voting rights to Washingtonians with felonies upon release from prison

The Appeal // Kera Lerner – Oregon Bill Would Enable People to Vote From Prison 

Anti-Trans News

19thnews.org // Kate Sosin – Arkansas lawmakers override governor’s veto of youth gender-affirming care and Senior White House official: Any attempt to discriminate against trans kids is ‘against the law’

Advocate.com // Trudy Ring – Reggie Greer Named White House Senior Adviser on LGBTQ+ Issues

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Bold Asian American Activism and Its Roots

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 Faculty Website // UnLadylike2020 Bio
Judy Tzu-Chun Wu // A Trip Down Immigration Lane"
UCI Humanities Center Website
Asian American Studies Irvine - @UCIAsianAm
Sharline Chiang // OZY - Reclaiming 5 Ugly Letters
Atlanta Spa Shootings Wikipedia
Who Killed Vincent Chin? Documentary
The Great Battlefield: Investing in Communities of Color to Make Progressive Change w/ New Virginia Majority's Tram Nguyen Podcast
Fresh Off the Boat Wikipedia and Trailer
Margaret Cho’s All-American Girl Wikipedia - @margaretcho

Organizations

Stop AAPI Hate Website - @StopAAPIHate

Historical background

1882 Chinese Exclusion Act Wikipedia
Japanese Internment in the United States Wikipedia
Murder of Vincent Chin Wikipedia
1922 Ozawa vs. United States Wikipedia
1923 United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind Wikipedia

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