Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Redistricting 101

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 white backlash of today is rooted in the same problem that has characterized America ever since the black man landed in chains on the shores of this nation.”
Nikole Hannah-Jones – @nhannahjones Twitter Thread https://twitter.com/nhannahjones/status/1483187472276328449?s=20
The Cook Political Report // David Wasserman – Redistricting Snapshots: Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina https://cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/redistricting/redistricting-snapshots-kentucky-louisiana-missouri-new-hampshire
FiveThirtyEight // Geoffrey Skelley and Nathaniel Rakich – Why The President’s Party Almost Always Has A Bad Midterm https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-the-presidents-party-almost-always-has-a-bad-midterm/
Loyola Law School – What is Redistricting? https://redistricting.lls.edu/redistricting-101/what-is-redistricting/
NBCnews // Rebecca Shabad – Wave of retirements rocks Democrats' hopes of holding the House https://nbcnews.com/politics/congress/wave-retirements-rocks-democrats-hopes-holding-house-n1286398
NPR // Carol Ritchie, Rachel Treisman, Nell Clark and Chris Hopkins – Start your day here: Senate Democrats force a showdown over voting rights measures https://npr.org/live-updates/morning-edition-2022-01-18
The New York Times // Nick Corasaniti, Reid J. Epstein, Taylor Johnston, Rebecca Lieberman, and Eden Weingart – How Maps Reshape American Politics https://nytimes.com/interactive/2021/11/07/us/politics/redistricting-maps-explained.html
MSNBC // Jonathan Capehart – The Bye Line: Don’t Sit Out the Midterms https://msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/the-bye-line-don-t-sit-out-the-midterms-120238149594
The Washington Post // Dan Balz – Ohio voters asked for fairness in redistricting. They didn’t get it. https://washingtonpost.com/politics/ohio-voters-asked-for-fairness-in-redistricting-they-didnt-get-it/2022/01/17/10bb1b8c-77a9-11ec-bf97-6eac6f77fba2_story.html

One Year Later: The Attempted Coup That Couldn’t Stop The Rise

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 traumatic for congresswomen of color: ‘We knew that we were targets’ https://thelily.com/the-capitol-riot-was-uniquely-traumatic-for-congresswomen-of-color-we-knew-that-we-were-targets
The Paris Review // David L. Uline – Claudia Rankine, The Art of Poetry No. 102 https://theparisreview.org/interviews/6905/the-art-of-poetry-no-102-claudia-rankine
The Nation // Steve Phillips – Texas Is Winnable. Beto’s the Candidate to Do It. https://thenation.com/article/politics/beto-texas-governor
HBO TV series – Insecure https://hbo.com/insecure
HBO Documentary – Insecure the end https://hbo.com/movies/insecure-the-end
Stacey Abrams, Candidate for Governor, GA - https://staceyabrams.com
Cheri Beasley, Candidate for Senate, NC - https://cheribeasley.com
Val Demings, Candidate for Senate, FL - https://valdemings.com

NBC.com’s Suzanne Gamboa on Latinos, Politics and Race

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 Walmart massacre targeting Latinos, now battles coronavirus https://nbcnews.com/news/latino/el-paso-grieving-after-walmart-massacre-targeting-latinos-now-battles-n1234653
TV Series
Netflix - “Gentefied” https://netflix.com/title/80198208

Don’t Call It a Mailbag: Questions from Listeners

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 Guardian // Steve Phillips – How big a deal is Biden’s infrastructure bill? Our panel responds https://theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/10/how-big-a-deal-is-bidens-infrastructure-bill-our-panel-responds

Not a Nation of Immigrants

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 Peacock - Ruthorford Falls

Who and Where to Watch in 2022 Midterms

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 Voters that Make Up the Coalition that Elected Her https://thenation.com/article/politics/primary-kyrsten-sinema/
Democracy in Color // Fola Onifade – Black Candidates Will Help Democrats Win These 4 Swing Senate Seats in 2022 https://democracyincolor.com/blog/2021/7/28/black-candidates-will-help-democrats-win-these-4-senate-seats-in-2022
The New York Times // Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman - Raiders Coach Resigns After Homophobic and Misogynistic Emails https://nytimes.com/2021/10/11/sports/football/what-did-jon-gruden-say.html
CNN // Steve Almasy with contributions from Jill Martin and Jason Hanna – Jon Gruden has resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after reports of homophobic, racist and misogynistic emails https://cnn.com/2021/10/11/us/nfl-jon-gruden-homophobic-misogynistic-emails-spt/index.html
“SNL” - White Like Me with Eddie Murphy https://youtube.com/watch?v=l_LeJfn_qW0

Hispanic, Latino, Latinx — What’s in a name?

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://history.com/news/hispanic-latino-latinx-chicano-background
Democracy Journal // Stephanie Valencia – Latina Voters: Why Excitement Matters https://democracyjournal.org/magazine/57/latina-voters-why-excitement-matters
Pew Research // Ruth Igielnik and Abby Budiman – The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the U.S. Electorate https://pewresearch.org/2020/09/23/the-changing-racial-and-ethnic-composition-of-the-u-s-electorate

News Roundup: How We’re Responding to the Texas Abortion Ban and More

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 states https://19thnews.org/2021/09/inside-the-republican-strategy-for-rolling-out-abortion-bans-in-more-states/
19th News // Chabeli Charrazana – How abortion restrictions like Texas’ push pregnant people into poverty https://19thnews.org/2021/09/abortion-economy-poverty-texas-law/
19th News // Candance Norwood – Department of Justice sues Texas over abortion ban https://19thnews.org/2021/09/department-of-justice-sues-texas-over-abortion-ban/
The New York Times // Roni Caryn Rabin – Answers to Questions about the Texas Abortion Ban https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/health/texas-abortion-law-facts.html
Texas Tribune // Alexa Ura, Jason Kao, Carla Astudillo and Chris Essig – People of color make up 95% of Texas’ population growth, and cities and suburbs are booming, 2020 census shows https://texastribune.org/2021/08/12/texas-2020-census/
The New York Times // Sheryl Stolberg – G.O.P. Seethes at Biden Mandate, Even in States Requiring Other Vaccines https://nytimes.com/2021/09/12/us/politics/vaccine-mandates-republicans.html
The New York Times // Jack Healy, Richard Fausset and J. David Goodman – Biden’s Sweeping Vaccine Mandates Infuriate Republican Governors https://nytimes.com/2021/09/10/us/republicans-biden-covid.html
The New York Times // Tracking Coronavirus in Mississippi: Latest Map and Case Count https://nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/mississippi-covid-cases.html
The New York Times // Tracking Coronavirus in Texas: Latest Map and Case Count https://nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/texas-covid-cases.html
FiveThirtyEight // Latest Polls Of The California Recall Election https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/california-recall-polls/?cid=rrpromo

Keep Cali Blue: California Recall and What’s At Stake

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 // Ludovic Blain – Newsom Taking Black and Brown Voters for Granted May Cost Him Recall Election https://democracyincolor.com/blog/2021/8/10/newsom-taking-black-and-brown-voters-for-granted-may-cost-him-recall-election
CNN // Harry Enten – Why the California recall is within the margin of error and what that means for Gavin Newsom https://cnn.com/2021/08/29/politics/newsom-margin-of-error-recall/index.html
Calmatters // Laurel Rosenhall – Could Latino voters make the difference in whether Newsom survives California’s recall election? https://calmatters.org/projects/newsom-recall-latino-voters/

A Nation in Color: 2020 Census and Our Future

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-voters/index.html
US Census // Rachel Marks – Improvements to the 2020 Census Race and Hispanic Origin Question Designs, Data Processing, and Coding Procedures https://census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2021/08/improvements-to-2020-census-race-hispanic-origin-question-designs.html
US Census // Nicholas Jones, Rachel Marks, Roberto Ramirez, Merarys Rîos-Vargas – 2020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country https://census.gov/library/stories/2021/08/improved-race-ethnicity-measures-reveal-united-states-population-much-more-multiracial.html
Pew Research Center // Carroll Doherty, Scott Keeter, Rachel Weisel – The Party of Nonvoters Younger, More Racially Diverse, More Financially Strapped https://pewresearch.org/politics/2014/10/31/the-party-of-nonvoters-2/