Democracy In Color

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 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Plot Vox // Zack Beauchamp – How does this end? Where the crisis in American democracy might be headed. https://vox.com/policy-and-politics/22814025/democracy-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-election-violence The Undefeated // Evette Dionne – Black women are more visible than ever. Now what? https://theundefeated.com/features/black-women-are-more-visible-than-ever-now-what The Lily // Sarah Fowler – The Capitol riot was uniquely trauma

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 https://nbcnews.com/news/latino/new-latino-landscape-these-are-stories-behind-decade-change-n1279242 The New York Times // Simon Romero, Manny Fernandez and Mariel Padilla – Massacre at a Crowded Walmart in Texas Leaves 20 Dead https://nytimes.com/2019/08/03/us/el-paso-shooting.html NBCnews.com // Suzanne Gamboa – El Paso, grieving after the W

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 https://americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jessejackson1988dnc.htm 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 https://theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/04/democratic-strategists-are-embracing-popularism-but-theyve-got-it-wrong The Guardi

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 - http://reddirtsite.com Anathea Chino - @anatheabc Advance Native Political Leadership - @AdvanceNativePL FX on Hulu - Reservation Dogs Peaco

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 Vot

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 of Civix Strategy Group, Executive Director, Somos Votantes & Founder, Somos Pac https://twitter.com/Melissa_In_DC https://civixstrategygroup.com https://somosvotantes.org https://somospac.org Hispanic Heritage Month Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hispanic_Heritage_Month Articles History Channel // Yara Simón – Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms https:

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: https://forms.gle/o5zQDdaK3MsdJpReA Democracy in Color // Fola Onifade – What the Texas Abortion Ban Means to me as a Black Woman https://democracyincolor.com/blog/2021/9/10/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

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 // Ludov

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 https://brookings.edu/research/new-2020-census-results-show-increased-diversity-countering-decade-long-declines-in-americas-white-and-youth-populations CNN // Ron Brownstein – This may be the Democrats' last chance to recover working-class Whites https://cnn.com/2021/08/10/politics/democrats-blue-collar-v

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. https://

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 https://iheart.com/podcast/867-hello-somebody-64479986 Nina Turner for Congress – Website https://ninaturner.com Democracy in Color Launch - Women of Color: Uniting the Party, Leading

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 on 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 https://chenxinghan.com Nikole Hannah-Jones — The 1619 Project https://1619books.com Madeleine L’Engle — A Wrinkle In Time https://madeleinelengle.com/books/middle-grade-young-adult/a-wrinkle-in-time/ Fola Onifade’s Picks Stream Starz — Run the World Hulu — Summer of Soul Books Ashley Ford — Somebody’s Daughter https://static.macm

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 https://theatlantic.com/polit

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: Sign up for our newsletter here: https://democracyincolor.com/join-us Astead W. Herndon, New York Times, National Politics Reporter – @AsteadWesley New York Times - Outtake from “The Daily” https://nytimes.com/audio/2019/11/22/podcasts/22daily-newsletter-audio.html Nikole Han

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 - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/supportnvm BPSOS - https://bpsos.org Virginia’s Movers and Shakers Jennifer McClellan - @JennMcClellanVA  Marcia “Cia” Price - @PriceForDel95 Lashrecse Aird - @delegateaird Kathy Tran - @KathyKLTran News Articles

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 https://www.stlmag.com/news/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 https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/jones-executive-order-police-202104.cfm – Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Passes FY2

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 Articles on 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 https://nytimes.com/2021/04/21/us/vanita-gupta-senate-confirmation.html NPR.org // Jason Breslow – Civil Rights Attorney Vanita Gupta Confirmed As Associate Attorney General https://npr.org/sections/trial-over-killing-of-george-floyd/2021/04/21/989599055/civil-rights-attorney-vanita-gupta-confirmed-as-associate-attorney-general Newswe

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: Melvin Truss public outcry: https://www.queersiliconvalley.org/melvin-truss-story/ "Prayer for Melvin Truss": https://myspace.com/francis.wong/music/song/prayer-for-melvin-truss-107352505-120817040 George Floyd: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_George_Floyd Daunte Wright: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Daunte_Wright Virginia Delegate Marcia Price: http://www.delegatemarciaprice.com @PriceforDel95 #StopJimCrow2: https://www.stopjimcrow2.com Film HBO Documentary

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 https://faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=6123 // UCI Humanities Center https://www.humanities.uci.edu/humanitiescenter UnLadylike2020 https://unladylike2020.com/board/judy-tzu-chun-wu Judy Tzu-Chun Wu // A Trip Down Immigration Lane https://www.facebook.com/judy.t.wu.3/videos/457086952835 Asian American Studies Irvine - https://twitter.com/uciasianam Sharl

Texas might not be blue yet, but it’s getting there, and several leaders across the state are laying the foundation for a political transformation that’ll change the future of American politics. In this episode, we speak with former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who’s following in the footsteps of former Georgia Rep. Stacey Abrams and doing the work to expand democracy across the Lone Star State. Beto joins us to talk about his innovative, historic 2018 Senate campaign, radical empathy as a framework for white progressives, and what the future of Texas politics means to the rest of the nation. We discuss how he learned to be a white ally and his efforts to help seniors in Texas during last month’s devastating winter storm. He also talks about his future plans and shares the top three artists he would include on a road trip playlist! Spoiler alert: the Texas pride is real. REFERENCES: Beto O’Rourke - https://twitter.com/BetoORourke 'I can think of nothing more American': Beto O’Rourke responds to question on NF