Democracy In Color

With important and history-making choices on ballots across the country this year, resident data expert Dr. Julie Martínez Ortega joins the podcast to help cut through the hazy 2022 midterm election predictions and offer an objective look at the final days leading up to November 8. Spoiler alert: it all comes down to voter turnout. From Georgia to Florida and Arizona to Wisconsin, this year’s midterms will be decided by which side does a better job of motivating their supporters to hit the polls through Election Day. We also list the groups and organizations doing this work across the country and explain how supporting them right now can help shape midterm outcomes. REFERENCES: Arizona - Arizona Wins https://secure.everyaction.com/nEWvcVbl2EioT4I6y_LmFw2 California - CHIRLA Action Fund - https://chirlafund.org/donate-now California - Inland Empire Action Fund https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ieunitedactionfund California - OC Action https://ocaction.org/give Georgia - Stacey Abrams for Governor ht

To celebrate the release of How We Win the Civil War, Steve joins Senator Cory Booker for a live, national virtual Town Hall, moderated by MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting, to discuss how we build majority support for a true multiracial democracy in the U.S. This live recording was co-hosted by our national partners at Community Change Action, Justice Democrats, MoveOn, Netroots Nation, Voto Latino, and Working Families Party. REFERENCES: Purchase your copy of "How We Win the Civil War" today: https://barnesandnoble.com/w/how-we-win-the-civil-war-steve-phillips/1140905279 Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey - @CoryBooker Rahna Epting, Executive Director, MoveOn - @rahnamepting https://front.moveon.org

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). Steve and Sharline also explain when and how you can pre-order your copy of the How We Win the Civil War, out October 18! CW: Adult Language REFERENCES: Steve Phillips - https://twitter.com/StevePtweets Steve Phillips // New Press - How We Win the Civil War: Securing a Multiracial Democracy and Ending White Supremacy for Good https://amazon.com/How-Win-Civil-War-Demographic/dp/1620976765/?maas=maas_adg_93B3BC931911EC8ED6FFABAE62AF7A37_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Isabel Wilkerson // Random House - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents https://goodreads.com/

Atlantic staff writer and CNN columnist Ron Brownstein joins us for Part 2 of our special How We Win series to discuss the coalitions competing to define the identity of this country and the historical context for this centuries-long existential battle. Ron shares his analysis on why the 2020s could end up looking a lot like the 1850s, how he’s interpreting Biden’s changing rhetoric, and how he’s thinking about the upcoming midterms. Ron also provides his expertise as we explore key themes in Steve’s forthcoming book How We Win the Civil War, out October 18. REFERENCES: Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein Books Rock Me on the Water: 1974-The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Music, Television, and Politics by Ron Brownstein https://amazon.com/Rock-Water-1974-Transformed-Television/dp/006289921X The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861 by David M. Potter https://amazon.com/Impending-Crisis-1848-1861-David-Potter/dp/0061319295 The South as a Conscious Minority, 1789-1861; a Study in Political Thought by Jesse T.

For the first episode of our special How We Win series, award-winning author and historian Mae Ngai places the existential crisis of our time into historical context as she highlights the pervasive nature of the question: who gets to be an American and who is deserving of dignity and equality? Our conversation with Mae lays the foundation for our series’ deep dive into the parallels between our present moment and the not-so-distant past. She reveals the history of a partnership between the South and West to perpetuate white supremacy, and describes just how intertwined the “Chinese Question” and the “Negro Question” have been since the founding of America. REFERENCES: Mae Ngai, Professor of History and Lung Family Professor of Asian American Studies, Columbia University - https://history.columbia.edu/person/ngai-mae

Lawyer and former federal prosecutor Subodh Chandra joins us to help wrap our minds around the myriad legal challenges Trump is currently facing, from the January 6 hearings to the multiple investigations taking place in several jurisdictions. Subodh breaks down what a federal search warrant signals, and how much leeway Trump has been given so far to comply with the rule of law (hint: a lot). Subodh’s explanation of the current state of Trump’s criminal investigations—and his overall optimism that our nation’s justice system will prevail—left us feeling fairly hopeful that the former president will, in fact, be held accountable for his crimes, and that we can rest assured that the levers meant to protect and ensure a functioning democracy have not completely disappeared. REFERENCES: Subodh Chandra - @SubodhChandra Chandra Law - https://chandralaw.com/about/meet-the-team/subodh-chandra Documentary 137 Shots 2021, TV-MA https://netflix.com/title/80172819 In this documentary, law enforcement faces scruti

We discuss the political power of Black people and other people of color, who, when factored into the math, have the ability to tip the scale in this year’s midterms. Our resident data scientist Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega joins us to help explain some of the most significant takeaways that surface when we apply a race-conscious perspective to existing election analyses. REFERENCES: Equis Research - 2020 Post-Mortem https://equisresearch.medium.com/2020-post-mortem-part-one-16221adbd2f3

Former Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper joins us to discuss the state of U.S. politics through the lens of Ohio. David shares the work he’s done to hold the line against the disturbing trend of autocracy emerging across the state and in national politics at large. He breaks down the role state houses play in either helping or hurting our democracy. We also discuss David’s new book Laboratories of Autocracy, in which he outlines the dangerous strategic shift and development of white nationalism across the country—a backlash he attributes to the election of the first Black President. REFERENCES: David Pepper - @DavidPepper - http://davidpepper.com Stacey Abrams - https://staceyabrams.com All In: Fight for Democracy - https://allinforvoting.com David Pepper’s Books: The People’s House (2016) - https://bookshop.org/books/the-people-s-house/9781619845121 The Wingman (2018) - https://bookshop.org/books/the-wingman-9781619848719/9781619848719 The Voter File (2020) - https://bookshop.org/books/the-voter-

LGBTQ+ rights activist Julie Dorf joins us to share how she and a coalition of ragtag organizers created the International and Human Rights Commission in the 90s, her role in and lessons learned during the struggle for marriage equality, and why she’s listening to her own “ spawn” and younger activists on how to move forward in these times. References: Julie Dorf - @JulieDorf Council for Global Equality - http://globalequality.org OutRight Action International - https://outrightinternational.org Act Up - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACT_UP Nation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_Nation Roseanne episode - “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Ask,_Don%27t_Tell_(Roseanne)

Lt. Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes joins us to discuss his bid to become the first Black Senator from Wisconsin. He shares his working class roots as the son of union members and why the Senate needs more leaders who aren’t afraid to do what’s right and fight for social justice. We discuss his 2018 race in which he became the first African American lieutenant governor in the state. We also find out how he came to have such a powerful name. REFERENCES: Mandela Barnes - @TheOtherMandela - Mandela Barnes for Senate https://mandelabarnes.com Donate to Mandela Here - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/demco-barnes Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Plan - https://osce.wi.gov/pages/cleanenergyplan.aspx Nelson Mandela - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

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" - h

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

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 W

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/po

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’

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