Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Trump’s Terrible Tariffs with Economist Thea Lee

Thea Lee, economist and former deputy undersecretary for international labor affairs at the Department of Labor, provides insight to Trump’s economic madness and the global chaos unleashed. 
Thea offers us a 101 on tariffs and their role in economic policy. She explains why Trump’s trade policy lacks credibility in its purported goal of supporting workers and manufacturers. She also lays out the consequences of tariffs, from hurting small businesses to increasing the cost of living for the most vulnerable, including Black and Brown communities. 
As a longtime champion for worker’s rights, Thea shares lessons learned from Trump’s first term and what actual strategies in support of American workers could look like. 
REFERENCES:
Thea Lee - @TheaMeiLee

The Future of the Democratic Party with Congressman Greg Casar

House Representative and Chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Greg Casar (TX) breaks down the evolving role of the CPC in this current Trump era and shares what the Democratic Party needs to do to regain trust and power among voters.
 
He discusses the future of the party and emphasizes the need to build a multiracial working-class coalition that is not afraid to pick big fights. 
REFERENCES:
Congressman Greg Casar - @RepCasar (official) & @gregcasar (campaign)

Advancing Reparations with Liberation Ventures’ Aria Florant

Aria Florant, co-founder and CEO of Liberation Ventures (LV), joins the podcast to share how her organization is driving the movement for reparations forward, even in the face of the current administration’s full-scale assault against equity and justice. 
She breaks down the four pillars of a comprehensive reparations program and shares LV’s bold mission to make reparations “common sense and commonplace” in America. 
Aria also highlights inspiring local and state victories—like the progress happening in Palm Springs, CA. She offers valuable insights on how to cultivate white allyship and multiracial support for racial justice and reparations. 
REFERENCES:
Aria Florant, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Liberation Ventures - Liberation Ventures / Bluesky / Instagram 
 

ACLU’s Cecillia Wang on the Legal Battle Against Trump

ACLU Legal Director Cecillia Wang explains the strategy behind Trump’s barrage of executive orders to reverse decades of progress and unleash the power of the federal government against anyone who is not a straight, white man. 
She describes his overall goal of creating “in-groups” vs. “out-groups” of people by attacking the structural reforms of Reconstruction, scapegoating immigrants, and targeting trans youth. Cecillia shares the country’s history of anti-immigration policy and how Trump’s attacks on immigration have shifted from his first term. She also discusses the importance of mass movement alongside legal action in fighting for social justice and equality.
Cecillia reminds listeners that we are not starting from scratch and that despite America’s history of racism and exclusion, there is also a rich legacy of struggle and progress.
REFERENCES:
Cecillia Wang, ACLU National Legal Director - Bio
RSVP for the ACLU's Know Your Rights Trainings
 

Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson Is Excited for the Power of the People

Former co-executive director of the Highlander Center Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson shares why this moment is ripe for transformative social change towards justice and progress. 
Ash-Lee discusses the role and impact of Highlander, including its legacy of identifying and supporting movement leaders from the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement. She also shares why she remains excited at this moment, despite increased attacks on American democracy.
REFERENCES:
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson - @_AshDashLee_

Virginia is for Lovers of Democracy

Tram Nguyen co-executive director of New Virginia Majority, returns to the show to help break down why Virginia remains at the forefront of what progressive change can look like and what can happen when we transform a state. She discusses how she decided on her vote to help elect the new head of the DNC and shares her experiences as an Asian American growing up in Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy. She also explains how Medicaid expansion became an electoral tool for pushing progressive policy in the Virginia legislature and the critical races happening in the state in 2025, including the race for governor and House races where the multiracial coalition can make a true difference.
References:
Tram Nguyen - @tramNVM
New Virginia Majority - Website / @NewVAMajority

The End of the Trump Era with Maurice Mitchell

The beginning—and the end—of the Trump era is here.
National Director Maurice Mitchell returns to the show for a three-peat to discuss how the Working Families Party (WFP) is approaching these next four years under Trump and why they’ve dubbed the next ten years as the “Working Families’ Decade.”
Maurice lays out a compelling vision for the future of American politics and explains why he and the WFP see an opportunity to fill the inevitable gaps that will emerge during Trump’s presidency as he toes the line between the billionaire coalition and some disillusioned working-class voters. 
He explains what Democrats need to do as they recalibrate and why the “woke-ism” debates are a distraction from the real issues facing the multiracial working class. 
References:
Maurice Mitchell - @mauricewfp.bsky.social
Working Families Party - workingfamilies.org
"Left Organizing Is in Crisis. Philanthropy Is a Major Reason Why" by Nina Luo, The Nation

Looking Ahead to 2025

Happy New Year!
To kick off 2025, Steve and Sharline look ahead to 2025 and dig into key areas of focus as we enter a new Trump administration. 
They discuss three dominant yet fundamentally incorrect mainstream narratives about the 2024 election. In addition, they survey the current race for the next DNC chair, including the lack of diverse candidates. They also highlight the slate of key members of Congress we’ll be watching from Texas’ Greg Casar to Arizona’s Ruben Gallego to California’s Lateefah Simon.

Building Solidarity with USC Professor Manuel Pastor

For our final episode of the year, Manuel Pastor, University of Southern California professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity, joins Steve and Sharline to discuss lessons learned from this year’s presidential election including how to understand Latino political identity and the role of narrative and messaging in building broad coalitions. 
 
Manuel touches on the dangerous rise of technoauthoritarianism and shares his framework for how progressives can and should be thinking about geography and political strategy. 
REFERENCES:
Manuel Pastor - X: @Prof_MPastor & Bluesky: @profmpastor.bsky.social

Self Care Is Radical Work with Somatics Coach Viveka Chen

Let’s pause for a moment and remember that we need to take care of ourselves. 
Leadership coach, transformative justice practitioner, and somatics coach Viveka Chen (she/they) discusses the intersection of personal healing and collective liberation. Viveka shares insights from their work helping activists, organizers, and community leaders build resilience and foster connection in the face of systemic injustice.
Viveka discusses healthy ways to deepen our capacity for change, how to transform burnout into sustainable action, and she shares grounding practices for getting through the holiday season and beyond.
Viveka, Steve, and Sharline also share how they’re each finding gratitude in this moment and take a moment to breathe deeply and reflect.
REFERENCES:
Viveka Chen - Strozzi Institute
co-LAB Collective's Radical Sabbatical
co-LAB Collective's Helpful Frameworks for Hard Times
When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, Shared Purpose, and Leadership in the Timeplace of Collapse // Norma Wong