Democracy In Color

As the nation continues to protest anti-Black police violence, including the recent killing of Rayshard Brooks, we sit down with Sen. Elizabeth Warren for a special episode to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, the potential for reparations, and what white allies should do in this moment. “White progressives need to be active, anti-racist allies in this moment and beyond,” Warren says. “Being anti-racist means fighting for anti-racist public policy. Being race neutral just won't work.” Our wide-ranging conversation begins with Sen. Warren’s response to the police killing of George Floyd, the ongoing global and national protests and how Congress is responding. We also discuss the prevalence of racism in virtually every American institution. References: Senator Warren - @SenWarren Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The CFPB is committed to providing consumers with up-to-date information and resources to protect and manage their finances. https://www.consumerfinance.gov Author Ta-Nehisi Coates - htt

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the Minneapolis police, an historic nationwide and global movement has emerged in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, calling for the end of anti-black racism and police brutality, and defunding the police. Demonstrations have been held in all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 800 cities on six continents across the world. In this episode, we discuss how we’re processing all this through our respective cultural lenses and then we dive into how we, as a nation, got here and what should happen next to ensure that this moment brings about lasting meaningful change. In addition, we discuss what this moment means in terms of growing support for Black equality and what that means for this November's elections and beyond. References: James Baldwin Quote - To Be Black and Conscious in America https://quotefancy.com/quote/963966/James-Baldwin-To-be-black-and-conscious-in-America-is-to-be-in-a-constant-state-of-rage Minnesota Attorney General

The enormity of this crisis has revealed the ugly underpinnings of our public assistance system — both in terms of how we think about people who are struggling financially and also about the systems designed to help those people. Unemployment figures in the U.S. are at their highest since the Great Depression—nearly 40 million people have filed for unemployment since the pandemic began. (That's greater than the combined population of 21 states, according to Forbes.) In this episode, we talk about why we have a system that is so adversarial to people in dire economic straits and how this crisis also presents an opportunity for rethinking and redesigning these systems for the coming era. Namely, what can we do from here on out to shape U.S policy and politics for decades to come in terms of how we treat and perceive the poor? We also talk about two recent law enforcement shootings of innocent men and one “Karen, Please” incident in the news that have further cemented the fact that to be African American i

Garlin Gilchrist, Michigan's lieutenant governor, talks to us about life on the frontlines in a battleground state that is dealing all at once with the COVID-19 crisis, armed protesters storming the Capitol demanding the lifting of stay-at-home orders, and ensuring a safe and fair Fall election in a state Trump won by just 10,704 votes. [8:15] Gilchrist, a 38 year-old political rising star, also shares with us the story behind his unlikely path from Microsoft software engineer to second-in-command state leader, the first African American to ever hold the position. Gilchrist is chair of the recently created Michigan Coronavirus Taskforce on Racial Disparities, one of the first taskforces of its kind in the country. We also talk about how the indifference coming from the White House in the face of catastrophic human suffering reveals the lack of a shared “social contract” when it’s the lives of people of color that are being disproportionately affected, and we discuss the implications for progressive politics

Nikema Williams, chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, talks to us about both her personal experience as a COVID-19 survivor and her continued efforts as a State Senator to keep her constituents healthy and safe in a state that is one of the first in the nation to lift its shelter-in-place order, according to Governor Brian Kemp’s plans. Williams shares valuable lessons for states across the country debating when and how to reopen. References: Nikema Williams - @NikemaWilliams Georgia Democratic Party - @DPGChair The Washington Post // Reis Thebault, Andrew Ba Tran and Vanessa Williams - For black folks, it’s like a setup: Are you trying to kill us? https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/26/coronavirus-southwest-georgia CBS’s American legal web TV series - The Good Fight Hulu TV drama series - Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng - Little Fires Everywhere novel Director David Yates and Writer J.K. Rowling - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them The French Georgia Choir message to Kemp: No Sir Kemp

Stacey Abrams, Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Catherine Cortez Masto are the six women most often mentioned as Biden's possible choice for running mate. We analyze each person's strengths and weaknesses in terms of what Biden and the Democrats most need in order to win in November. References: New York Times Op Ed  // Steve Phillips - It’s Obvious Whom Joe Biden Should Pick as Vice President https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/opinion/joe-biden-running-mate-stacey-abrams.html Donors of Color Action - http://www.donorsofcolor.org

We sit down with Ron Brownstein, senior editor at The Atlantic and senior political analyst for CNN to talk about how responses and attitudes towards the coronavirus differ along the same lines that divide the country politically. What does this divide mean for how this pandemic unfolds? How will it all play out politically, and what does it mean for November? Brownstein is one of the nation’s top political journalists. He’s a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He has written six books, including The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship Has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America His analysis that America is in the midst of a battle between the Coalition of Transformation and the Coalition of Restoration is one of the most illuminating frameworks for understanding U.S. politics presented by any analyst. Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein The Atlantic // Ron Brownstein - Red and Blue America Aren’t Experiencing the Same Pandemic https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/03/how-republic

Coronavirus has upended life across the country and the world. We talk about how it’s been affecting us, how we’re coping, and what the future looks like. We’re joined by special guest Stephanie Douglass, human resources director for a global company with offices in Beijing, on how China flattened the curve and lessons we can learn from China and other Asian countries. [4:10] Also, what’s happening in politics and public policy in light of COVID-19. References: Democracy in Color & She the People - Open Letter to Democratic Presidential Candidates: A Call for Committing to Choosing a Woman of Color as Candidate for Vice President http://democracyincolor.com/wocvp The Nation // Steve Phillips - The Vice Presidential Nominee Should be a Woman of Color https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/biden-sanders-vp-of-color/ The Washington Post // Vanessa Williams - Groups call on Biden, Sanders to choose a woman of color for vice president https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/17/groups-call-biden-sa

Post-Super Tuesday: What happened, why, and what’s next? After a dizzying week in national politics, we try to make sense of it all by discussing why Biden bounced back, what it means for Bernie, and what the data says about how it’ll all end up. References: Democracy in Color - How to Help https://www.democracyincolor.com/howtohelp Rolling Stones // Tessa Stuart - Stacey Abrams Is Building a New Kind of Political Machine in the Deep South https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/stacey-abrams-census-voting-rights-vice-president-953173/ New York Times // Steve Phillips - Bernie Sanders Can Beat Trump. Here’s the Math. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/opinion/bernie-sanders-polls.html C-SPAN - Joe Biden Remarks in Los Angeles https://www.c-span.org/video/?469947-1/joe-biden-addresses-supporters-los-angeles

We talk about how the Left is missing the mark at this moment with its troubling silence on Trump’s white nationalism, which is the key to and cornerstone of his continued power. By failing to make this their top priority issue—and keep it front and center—the Left, including all current Democratic primary candidates, risks throwing away their best chance at winning this November. We also hear what our special guest, Maurice Mitchell, formerly a key leader in the Black Lives Matter movement and now National Director of the Working Families Party, has to say on this topic, the party’s support of Elizabeth Warren, and much more. [11:21] Maurice Mitchell - https://twitter.com/mauricewfp Working Families Party - https://twitter.com/workingfamilies

Iowa Caucus 2020 will be one for the books. We talk about what happened and what it means as the nomination race heads to another nearly-all-white state—New Hampshire—and then, finally, on to the diverse states of Nevada and South Carolina, where voters of color will help decide who becomes the eventual winner. Steve breaks down the interplay of Momentum and Math (accumulating delegates) in determining the Democratic nominee. Also get great insight on what’s ahead from Emmy Ruiz, one of the nation’s foremost political strategists who worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign in Nevada in 2016 and was most recently a senior advisor to Kamala Harris’ campaign. [12:54]

With the impeachment trial underway in the U.S. Senate and the Republicans doing everything in their power to cover up Trump’s corruption, we unveil an innovative new formula for ranking winnability of 2020 Senate elections and look at what it will take for Democrats to flip control of what’s supposed to be “the world's greatest deliberative body.,” [09:16], Plus, we sit down with one of the year’s most inspiring Senate candidates in the country, Texas’s Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez as she explains why Trump’s team is “deeply afraid of people like me.” [21:23]. References: The Nation Magazine: 12 States Where Democrats Could Flip the Senate

Are white male presidential candidates receiving preferential treatment from the Democratic Party? As the Democratic presidential primary field grows whiter and more male, we discuss how the Party and its rigid reliance on polling and fundraising numbers in its debate qualification rules give white men an advantage. We also explain what the Party should be doing to change this fact. Also in this episode: Reflections on Julian Castro and the ending of his campaign; spotlight on Hidden Figure Maya Rupert, Castro's campaign manager, and what we did over the holidays.

Since so much of the news is alarming and frequently depressing, we wanted to close out the year with a more inspiring and hopeful episode by sharing the Top 10 Stories to Give Us Hope Heading into 2020. In this episode, we count down the top victories, trends, and developments that should allow us to enter the new year with the energy and optimism we’re all going to need!

We delve into Pete Buttigieg’s Black problem and the underlying causes. What are the real reasons why he is polling at 0% with Black voters? And why does it matter to all Democratic voters? Ricky Klee, a college instructor from South Bend, Indiana who has carefully followed and written about Buttigieg’s administration for several years, shares his insights. We also preview a new report from Democracy in Color looking at Mayor Pete’s record on racial issues in South Bend. Also, some reflections on Kamala Harris suspending her campaign and what it says about the Democratic Party and African American political trends.

It’s a very special Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips Thanksgiving episode! Where else can you get caught up on the latest in presidential politics (Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Biden and more!) and also hear Thanksgiving stories from listeners who span the cultural spectrum of the rainbow? And speaking of the Rainbow, we share a special story of Steve’s recent encounter with Jesse Jackson at Washington’s National Airport. All of that, plus a Hidden Figures segment on an inspiring Native American leader who has helped elect Congresspeople, advise major donors, and parlay her experience working at Nordstrom into a “styling” business for women leaders.

Neera Tanden, who has been called one of our nation’s most powerful women in politics by Fortune magazine, is the president of Center for American Progress, the nation’s largest progressive think tank. She sheds light on the impeachment hearings and what Democrats and progressives need to keep in mind at this moment. We also find out how Neera, an immigrant whose family was on food stamps when she was a child, arrived to where she is today. We also learn about her favorite childhood dish!

Tim Wise, one of the most prominent anti-racism writers and educators in the country, offers insight to what we can learn from his experience working on a campaign to defeat an actual former member of the KKK, David Duke, in the 1990s (during Duke’s run for U.S. Senate and the governor’s seat in Louisiana), and what that experience can teach us today as we work to oust Trump. Wise also weighs in on this current impeachment moment and the dynamics of patriotism versus white supremacy. Earlier this year he wrote a Twitter thread about how Democrats fail to understand how to confront an opinion who openly fans the flames of racism. That thread was retweeted 21k times. Wise is the host of the podcast Speak Out with Tim Wise. He is the author of more than seven books, including White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.

The Washington Post recently wrote that Stacey Abrams is the most impressive Democrat in the country. Abrams, the first Black woman gubernatorial nominee in U.S. history, spoke for all Democrats in America when she delivered the Response to the State of the Union Address in February 2019, and she could be our nation’s next V.P.

Iowa, the state that launched Barack Obama’s campaign, is arguably the single most important state in this current Democratic nomination contest. It’s also the quintessential swing state. Two Iowa experts discuss what it takes to win and where things stand in the race.