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

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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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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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.

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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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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

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.

Representative Jamaal Bowman - @JamaalBowmanNY // IG: jamaalbowmanny