In this Episode:

Back for a third episode, former mayor of Stockton, California and friend of our show Michael Tubbs returns to update Steve and Sharline on his inspiring and rapidly growing effort to end poverty in America and to help bring Dr. King’s vision for a just and equitable society to fruition.

Michael talks about his award-winning 2023 documentary “It’s Basic”, which follows several universal basic income (UBI) pilot programs around the country and the successes and challenges they’ve faced along the way. He also describes the growing popularity of UBI in political and pop culture circles, including on the award-winning television sitcom Abbott Elementary.  

The founder of End Poverty in California (EPIC) and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI), Michael also weighs on this week’s New Hampshire presidential primary results.

REFERENCES:

Michael D Tubbs

March 17, 2022 - "Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips" - Michael Tubbs is the Anti-Poverty Czar 

July 23, 2020 - " Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips" - Passing the Baton

IN THIS EPISODE:

In the first of what will be several episodes throughout this year focused on the 2024 election cycle, Steve and Sharline frame up the Republican presidential primary calendar and what they’ll be watching as results roll in.

The New York Times’ Astead Herndon also phones in from Iowa where he’s preparing to cover the Republican Iowa Caucus and discusses the current state of the race, his analysis on the unwavering support of Trump’s base, and what to expect from a potential second Trump presidency.

He also shares his thoughts on Nikki Haley’s appeal with conservatives and the evolving role of race and ethnicity in both parties.

REFERENCES:

Astead W. Herndon - @AsteadWH // NY Times

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora

In This Episode:

2023 has come and gone! If you missed any of our episodes this year, this is the one to tune into as Steve, Sharline, and Fola share highlights from some of their favorite episodes this year. The team also shares what’s on their minds and in their hearts as they look to 2024. 

See you in the new year!

REFERENCES:

Episodes mentioned

• The 1619 Project’s Shoshana Guy Is On the Record

• Heather Booth: When We Organize, We Can Change the World

• Not Your Grandparents’ Greenpeace with ED Ebony Twilley Martin

• George Floyd’s America with Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa

• Newbery Medal Author Amina Luqman-Dawson on Freewater

• Steve to the Class of 2023: Rise and Take Control

• 40 Years of the Rainbow Coalition

• White People and the Fight for Racial Justice with SURJ’s Erin Heaney

• Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s Beth Broderick on the Power of Storytelling

• “Latinos = the X Factor” with EquisLabs’ Stephanie Valencia

IN THIS EPISODE:

Are you curious about what a truly powerful (and progressive) alternative political party could look like in the U.S?

National Director of the Working Families Party Maurice Mitchell returns to talk about what it means to create a multiracial and multicultural progressive, working-class party and what that looks like strategically within a two-party system.

He discusses WFP’s 25-year history, the inspiring slate of elected officials they’ve championed, and the party’s first national convention in Philadelphia back in October. Maurice shares his take on the connections between the movements of today and the Civil Rights Movement of 1965 and how he’s thinking about the upcoming election year.

He also shares how he stays connected to his love of music and the artist within.

REFERENCES:

Maurice Mitchell - @MauriceWFP
Working Families Party - @workingfamilies workingfamilies.org

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In This Episode:

Washington Post opinion editor Alexi McCammond dives into the changing digital news landscape and the role of traditional, legacy news media in reaching newer, more diverse (and often, more progressive) audiences.

She sheds light on the disconnect she’s seeing between older left-leaning politicians and young people, and her expectations from a coalition of young voters and people of color as the 2024 election cycle draws closer.

REFERENCES:

Alexi McCammond - @alexi

Steve Phillips // Washington Post - California Senate race will prove whether Democrats care about diversity

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IN THIS EPISODE:

Former Obama staffer and founder of EquisLabs Stephanie Valencia discusses her path to politics and why Latino voters are the “X factor” in today’s political landscape. She explains how political strategists should think about the expansive and diverse Latino electorate, and what progressives are getting right and wrong about engaging with Latino voters. 

She also explains the creation of the Latino Media Network and the targeted effort to reach Latinos where they are, including via radio and WhatsApp.

REFERENCES:

Stephanie Valencia - @stephanievalenc

EquisLab / @EquisLab / @EquisResearch

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In This Episode:

Spooky season is upon us!

Actress and activist Beth Broderick, best known for her role as Aunt Zelda in the 1996 hit TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch, joins Steve and Sharline to talk about the ongoing actors’ strike, the power of narrative, and her life’s journey at the intersection of politics and entertainment.

Beth discusses her decades-long involvement in progressive and social causes, the legacy of “Sabrina” and shares her thoughts on the future of Hollywood.

References:

Beth Broderick - @BethBroderick

Beth Broderick: Wit and Wisdom from a Woman of a Certain Age - Substack

Beth Broderick // The Huffington Post - The Betrayed

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IN THIS EPISODE:

Steve takes the hot seat as a guest on his own show in this penultimate episode of our special podcast series! Steve and Sharline discuss his forthcoming book How We Win the Civil War and how the concept developed over the last few years. 

Sharline shares how she and Steve came to be a book publishing power team, and Steve discusses the formative experiences that have shaped his work and his path to writing (Jesse Jackson quotes, included).

CW: Adult Language

REFERENCES:

Steve Phillips - @StevePtweets

Steve Phillips // New Press - How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good

Isabel Wilkerson // Random House - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

The New York Amsterdam News

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In this Episode:

Rhiana Gunn-Wright, a key architect of the Green New Deal and one of our nation’s leading figures in the fight for climate justice, joins the podcast to talk about what a green transition can and should look like in the U.S.

Rhiana shares her path to the climate movement and how the Inflation Reduction Act leaves Black people behind. She also breaks down the importance of policy-making in the greater environmental justice movement.

REFERENCES:

Rhiana Gunn-Wright - @rgunns

Rhiana Gunn-Wright // Hammer & Hope - Our Green Transition May Leave Black People Behind 

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Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

In This Episode:

School is back in session!

Our in-house data expert, Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega, joins Steve and Sharline for a data deep dive into the electoral landscapes of Kentucky and Mississippi, two states in the heartland of America with unique opportunities for Democrats to lean in and win this November.

We also touch on Virginia for a quick discussion about the state legislature races also happening this fall. We wrap with an update on the current slate of Republican presidential candidates, and Steve shares who he thinks poses the biggest threat to Democrats if he or she were to win the Republican presidential primary.

REFERENCES:

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Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

IN THIS EPISODE:

It’s our 100th episode! 

Erin Heaney, executive director of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), joins us to discuss the role of white allyship in the fight for justice and a multiracial democracy. 

Erin shares her path to organizing, her hopes for SURJ, and details on the White Stripe Project—a new initiative between the Sandler Phillips Center, the Working Families Party and SURJ focused on increasing the number of white voters committed to progressive causes.

REFERENCES:

Erin Heaney, Executive Director, SURJ - @heaney_erin

SURJ - @showup4rj and surj.org

"Progressives want to grow the ‘White Stripe’ of a multiracial coalition" Politico

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Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · 35 Years of the Rainbow Coalition

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

In this episode:

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition, Eddie Wong, former national field director for Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign, joins Steve and Sharline to reminisce on the alliance that transcended boundaries of race, gender, and socio-economic status to create a powerful force for change.

Steve, Sharline, and Eddie delve into the strategies, challenges, and triumphs that marked the coalition's journey, as well as its influence on shaping today's movements for social justice and equity.

Original coalition members also share personal anecdotes, insights, and reflections on how the Rainbow Coalition ignited a transformative movement that redefined the landscape of social and political activism, and the impact of Reverend Jackson’s visionary leadership in their own lives.

REFERENCES:

Eddie Wong

Jesse Jackson 1984 Democratic National Convention Speech

Rainbow Coalition Recordings:
Dr. Amanda Kemp
Pierre Barolette
Theresa Montaño
Ellen Spears

Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Restorative Justice for the Classroom and Beyond

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

IN THIS EPISODE:

Congressmember Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) joins Steve and Fola to talk about his time as an educator, from being a crisis intervention teacher to founding his own school.

He shares what he sees as the role of the Squad; how he got involved with Justice Democrats; and what led him to run for office in the first place. He shares his thoughts on the major issues we’re facing in K-12 education, from attacks on LGBTQ+ youth to the conservative backlash against so-called “critical race theory,” and Republicans’ refusal to take action on gun legislation.

Rep. Bowman also shares what’s giving him hope and answers a very important weight-lifting question.

REFERENCES:

Representative Jamaal Bowman - @JamaalBowmanNY // IG: jamaalbowmanny

Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips · Steve to the Class of 2023: Rise and Take Control

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

IN THIS EPISODE:

In a personal and moving conversation with Sharline, Steve shares the winding, yet connected roads that led to his first keynote speech at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies’ fifth commencement ceremony.

Steve discusses the art and poetry that inspired his speech and the childhood memories that resurfaced as he wrote. In his advice to the graduates entering the workforce at one of the most critical times in our country’s history, he shares key lessons from his time in political and labor movements to his time spent writing How We Win the Civil War. He also honors Susan’s legacy and the friends they gained in their joint effort to make a difference in the world.

REFERENCES:

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies Commencement 2023

Barbara James-Hogu - "Rise and Take Control"

Margaret Walker - "For My People"

Sonia Sanchez - "Middle Passage"

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

IN THIS EPISODE:

Ben Smith, journalist and author of the new book Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral, joins the podcast to discuss how the media revolution has changed the political landscape and the implications for the future. 

Ben and Steve talk about his new book, the historical relationship between media and politics, and the transformation of Facebook from a social platform into a media juggernaut. Ben also shares details about Semafor, the news platform he’s building and who on the Left is actually doing media well.

REFERENCES:

Ben Smith - @semaforben

Semafor

Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

In this Episode:

In honor of Juneteenth, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the 2023 Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award Amina Luqman-Dawson joins us to talk about her award-winning debut children’s novel Freewater. 

Amina shares how she learned about the Great Dismal Swamp (where Freewater is set) in Virginia, the former home to the real-life maroon colony of thousands of formerly enslaved Africans who lived there in the 1700s and 1800s. She also explains why she chose to use fiction to tell the story about this important piece of American history. She and Steve reflect on the years leading up to Amina’s successful debut and Susan’s contribution to Freewater. 

Amina reads a passage from Freewater and Sharline’s daughter shares her thoughts on the novel.

References:

Amina Luqman-Dawson - // @AminaLuqman

Freewater

In this Episode:

The 19th News’ LGBTQ+ reporter Orion Rummler breaks down the scope of the attacks against the LGBTQ+ community and the importance of having trans journalists out in the field telling these stories.

Orion shares his thoughts on the Biden administration’s response, the state legislators speaking truth to power, and what’s giving him hope despite the ongoing assaults on LGBTQ+ rights.

REFERENCES:

Orion Rummler - @i_oriion
The 19th News

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

In this Episode:

Greenpeace’s new executive director Ebony Twilley Martin shares her path to climate activism and the significance of her position as the first Black woman to lead a national legacy environmental organization. 

She discusses Greenpeace’s recent lawsuit victory and the legal strategies corporations use to silence environmental activists. She also shares her thoughts on President Biden’s response to the climate crisis, the proposed Cop City in Atlanta, and the role of young people in the fight for climate justice.

REFERENCES:

Ebony Twilley Martin - @Ebony_4_Justice
To support Greenpeace:
Text 86799
1-800-722-6995
engage.us.greenpeace.org

In this Episode:

The Washington Post’s White House Bureau Chief Toluse Olorunnipa and The New Yorker’s Robert Samuels join us to discuss their book, His Name Is George Floyd: One Man's Life and The Struggle for Racial Justice. The book was a finalist for the 2022 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

The writers discuss how the concept for the book came to be and why it was important to trace George Floyd’s ancestry as far back as the Civil War.

They also share their outlooks on where we are as a country today and what they hope readers take away from their book.

REFERENCES:

Robert Samuels - @newsbysamuels
Toluse Olorunnipa - @ToluseO

His Name Is George Floyd

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

In this Episode:

Steve, Sharline, and Julie dive into the facts and data of the California Senate race ahead of the 2024 election to replace Senator Dianne Feinstein. 

They discuss current polling data related to the race, racial demographics underlying the state, including its growing Latino population, and Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2020 promise to appoint a Black woman to the seat.

References:

CA-12 - Rep. Barbara Lee
CA-47 - Rep. Katie Porter
CA-30 - Rep. Adam Schiff

The Nation // Steve Phillips - “Don’t Count Barbara Lee Out of the California Senate Race”