Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

In this re-release of our 100th episode, Erin Heaney, executive director of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), discusses the role of white allyship in the fight for justice and a multiracial democracy.

If you’d like to volunteer with SURJ, you can join their remote SURJ Action Hours: Summer to Grow, Turn Up the Heat campaign that takes place every other Wednesday through the summer or you can find an in-person meeting near you. On August 5 and 12, SURJ is also hosting a 2-part remote training session on how to show up for immigrant communities.

Erin Heaney, Executive Director, SURJ - @heaney_erin

SURJ - @showup4rj and surj.org

"Progressives want to grow the ‘White Stripe’ of a multiracial coalition" Politico

Transcript (unedited)

Steve and Sharline share how they’re processing the last several months before diving into the books and television shows that are helping them regroup, from Sharline’s first watch of Gilmore Girls with her daughter to Steve’s love of British murder mystery books. 

They also share how they’re finding humor on social media and in live comedy clubs.

Sharline's Recs

Soul Authority: Liberatory Tools to Heal from Oppressive Patterns and Restore Trust in Your Heart Compass by Loraine Y. Van Tuyl

On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood by Lucy Jones 

The Spirit and the Strength: A Profile of Toni Morrison

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) - Watch on Netflix

Steve's Recs

Thursday Murder Club & We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Four Seasons (2025) - Watch on Netflix

Dept. Q (2025) - Watch on Netflix

Book Rec Instagram - @Jennybookmama (Steve's niece!) 

Deepak Bhargava, president of the Movement Action Fund, discusses the reality of the moment we’re facing and what it’s going to take to win back our democratic freedoms.

He shares what history, both at home and abroad, can teach us about defending ourselves against fascism and authoritarianism and he explains why the “Sue, Protest, Vote” framework is not robust enough anymore.

Deepak shares lessons learned from civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson, including how to engage nonviolent resistance as a way of life and he dives into what works and what doesn’t when it comes to winning power and protecting our rights. 

REFERENCES: 

Deepak Bhargava - Practical Radicals

"We are no longer free. But we can win our freedom back" The Guardian

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New York Times bestselling author and scholar Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs discusses her new book Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us and why she set out to write a book that makes plain one of the organizing principles and primary barriers to progress in the U.S.

Against the backdrop of what’s happening in L.A. right now, Anna’s book offers insight into whose values and ways of life Trump is fighting to protect. Anna dives into the nuances of sexism and racism, sharing stories from her personal life that illuminate the many ways American patriarchy works to erase the contributions of Black women, Native women, immigrants, and people of color across the board.

Anna Malaika Tubbs - annamalaikatubbs.com

Instagram - @annamalaikatubbs

Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us - Buy the book

Director of Mission Telecom Giving Ashindi Maxton shares why she’s viewing this otherwise harrowing political climate as a moment of opportunity. 

Ashindi discusses the role of philanthropy in social justice movements, including its strengths and limitations and how she’s helping to transform the sector into one that is more social justice oriented, innovative, and capable of stepping up to the challenge.

She offers a global perspective on social justice and how different movements are finding new ways to secure funding towards their mission. She also shares insight into her new role at Mission Telecom, a broadband company that invests in systemic change and has a progressive goal to make internet connectivity affordable, particularly across the South. Ashindi also shares stories from her recent conversations with social change groups in the South, a place where she is witnessing deep and sophisticated levels of organizing. 

Ashindi Maxton - Bio

Way to Win Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jenifer Fernandez Ancona shares the organization’s research findings about where Democrats went wrong in 2024 and what it’s going to take to win in 2026 and beyond.

She explains what the data really shows about last year’s election and how her organization’s qualitative focus groups reveal a fundamental error in Democrats’ understanding of where the party goes from here.

Jen shares what she’s hearing from voters who sat out of the 2024 election, including how they perceive the Democratic Party and their opinion of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. She discusses the role of data-driven messaging vs. voter mobilization, and she breaks down why Democrats’ failure to fight back against Republicans caused them to lose voters who were looking for a break from business-as-usual politics. 

Jenifer Fernandez Ancona - @jenancona // @jenancona.bsky.social

Way to Win - waytowin.us // @WayToWinAF // @waytowinus.bsky.social 

Way to Win Substack - "Americans—And The Missing Biden Voters—Want Change"

Michigan’s first Black lieutenant governor Garlin Gilchrist discusses his race for governor in 2026 and lessons learned as the state’s second-in-command in the middle of the extraordinary crisis that was the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He shares his wins in office, including advancing criminal justice reform and expanding broadband access, as well as what he believes went wrong in the 2024 election. Gilchrist also shares why his unique background as a software engineer turned community organizer makes him fit to lead the state and he shares his vision for the future of Michigan.

Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist - campaign website // bluesky

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. 

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. 

Congressman Greg Casar - @RepCasar (official) & @gregcasar (campaign)

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. 

Aria Florant, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Liberation Ventures - Liberation Ventures / Bluesky / Instagram