We’re joined by Eliana Pinckney, daughter of the late Rev. Clementa Pinckney, to reflect on the Charleston massacre’s lasting impact and her father’s legacy of love, service, and civic duty. Eliana takes us back to being 11 and honors her mother’s quiet strength. She then talks about what it’s like to be part of the 9/11 generation shaped by gun violence, living with vigilance and exhaustion while “thoughts and prayers” continue to replace policy. We also talk about civic education, performative politics, and how Eliana turns art into activism and community into change.

To learn more about the Clementa Pinckney Foundation, visit: https://pinckneyfoundation.org/

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We kick off the new season in Los Angeles with Mayor Karen Bass, and she doesn’t hold back. She takes on her journey as a public servant and explains why she left Congress to come home and lead a city in crisis. We also dig into affordability and the policies that push people onto the streets and how her team has fought homelessness by cutting red tape and fixing broken systems. We also talk wildfire recovery, climate extremes, and the misinformation that fuels blame. Then Mayor Bass gets real about ICE raids, protests, and why nonviolent pushback matters.

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In our season finale, we sit down with Kamala Harris for an unguarded conversation about the weight of leadership and the search for steadiness through faith, family, purpose, and friendships forged through fire. Vice President Harris reflects on building a presidential campaign in 107 days, making history with the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and refusing to let others define her right to be in the room. Together, we talk about a Democratic Party that can’t play it safe forever as well as the dangers of misinformation and disinformation.

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Rachel Maddow joins us for a candid conversation about history and the fight for democracy. She traces her path from AIDS activism to journalism and explains how she learned to use stories to move hearts as well as minds. We also wrestle with PEPFAR, mass incarceration and Trump-era abuses, and we talk about protecting our own power and holding on to hope while we try to push this country forward. In the end, Rachel reminds us that telling the truth is its own form of power, and she challenges us to keep doing the work our moment demands.

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We sit down with Dr. Amy Acton to talk about her run for governor and why she believes Ohio is ready for honest, people-first leadership. She reflects on her childhood, leading Ohio through COVID, and why corruption and rising costs demand a new approach to government. Dr. Acton knows what it takes to rebuild trust and strengthen our communities. She reminds us that ordinary people can create extraordinary change. Together, we explore how courage, empathy, and real connection can move Ohio forward — and why this moment calls all of us to rise.

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Fresh off our live Substack conversation

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On this special “At the Kids’ Table” episode, we flip the script and hand the mic to teen host Margo, and answer questions about the government shutdown and how it hurts families who rely on health care and SNAP. Together we dig into what leaders owe the people they serve and what makes a good president—all through the honest, unfiltered lens of a young voter in the making. Margo has no trouble reminding us that kids are paying attention and deserve real answers from grown-ups, not spin. Also, we give out the inaugural the “Sit Your Butt Down” Award.

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In this episode, we sit down with three of the hardest-working people in politics: party chairs of the early primary states. Ray Buckley of New Hampshire, Daniele Monroe-Moreno of Nevada, and Christale Spain of South Carolina talk about what it really means to run a state party. We dig into how under-resourced these operations are, why state parties are the backbone of democracy, and how early states shape the national conversation long before Election Day. It’s a reminder that real power starts close to home, and it starts with us.

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In this episode we bring together three of Washington’s top political minds — Chuck Rocha, Albert Morales, and Khalil Thompson — for a candid conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing men of color in Democratic politics. From the lack of Black- and Latino-owned consulting firms to the need for culturally competent messaging and leadership, the panel unpacks how power, access, and authenticity shape campaigns — and what it’ll take to truly diversify the party’s future. Plus: concrete fixes that turn rhetoric into results.

Glossary:

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Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina sits down at the table to revisit his journey from a young boy in Sumter inspired by Harry Truman to one of the most influential voices in American politics. Together, we reflect on the lessons that shaped his leadership and the mentors and moments that defined his path. Through stories of faith, family, and history—and his new book The First Eight—we explore how America has always measured its greatness by repairing its faults, and how we can do it again by choosing unity, humility, and purpose over division.

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