Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

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

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

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 - Cavemen and Cashmere
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Why I Wrote “How We Win the Civil War”(Rerelease)

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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Black People and the Green Transition with Rhiana Gunn-Wright

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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Top Races to Watch This Fall

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.
RESOURCES:
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White People and the Fight for Racial Justice with SURJ’s Erin Heaney

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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40 Years of the Rainbow Coalition

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

Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Restorative Justice for the Classroom and Beyond

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

Steve to the Class of 2023: Rise and Take Control

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 - https://slu.cuny.edu/current-students/commencement
Barbara James-Hogu - "Rise and Take Control" - https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/rise-and-take-control-117946
Margaret Walker - "For My People" - https://poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/21850/for-my-people
Sonia Sanchez - "Middle Passage" - https://youtube.com/watch?v=P98JZhWUijY

Going Viral with Former Buzzfeed EiC Ben Smith

Ben Smith, 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 https://twitter.com/semaforben
Semafor - https://semafor.com
Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral - https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678592/traffic-by-ben-smith