Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Solano Community College’s Vice President of Student Affairs Lisa Neeley discusses her work at Solano and the California college’s commitment to Black students and other students of color in the face of increasing backlash against DEI efforts. 

Neeley talks about Solano’s programs and processes to ensure equity and inclusion such as the Black Falcons Success Program and her hopes for other higher education programs around the country.

Lisa Neeley - @Lisamarieneeley

Back for a third episode, former mayor of Stockton, California and friend of our show Michael Tubbs returns to update Steve and Sharline on his inspiring and rapidly growing effort to end poverty in America and to help bring Dr. King’s vision for a just and equitable society to fruition.

Michael talks about his award-winning 2023 documentary “It’s Basic”, which follows several universal basic income (UBI) pilot programs around the country and the successes and challenges they’ve faced along the way. He also describes the growing popularity of UBI in political and pop culture circles, including on the award-winning television sitcom Abbott Elementary.  

The founder of End Poverty in California (EPIC) and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI), Michael also weighs on this week’s New Hampshire presidential primary results.

REFERENCES:

Michael D Tubbs

March 17, 2022 - "Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips" - Michael Tubbs is the Anti-Poverty Czar 

July 23, 2020 - " Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips" - Passing the Baton

In the first of what will be several episodes throughout this year focused on the 2024 election cycle, Steve and Sharline frame up the Republican presidential primary calendar and what they’ll be watching as results roll in.

The New York Times’ Astead Herndon also phones in from Iowa where he’s preparing to cover the Republican Iowa Caucus and discusses the current state of the race, his analysis on the unwavering support of Trump’s base, and what to expect from a potential second Trump presidency.

He also shares his thoughts on Nikki Haley’s appeal with conservatives and the evolving role of race and ethnicity in both parties. 

Astead W. Herndon - @AsteadWH // NY Times

2023 has come and gone! If you missed any of our episodes this year, this is the one to tune into as Steve, Sharline, and Fola share highlights from some of their favorite episodes this year. The team also shares what’s on their minds and in their hearts as they look to 2024. 

See you in the new year!

REFERENCES:

Episodes mentioned

• The 1619 Project’s Shoshana Guy Is On the Record

Are you curious about what a truly powerful (and progressive) alternative political party could look like in the U.S?

National Director of the Working Families Party Maurice Mitchell returns to talk about what it means to create a multiracial and multicultural progressive, working-class party and what that looks like strategically within a two-party system.

He discusses WFP’s 25-year history, the inspiring slate of elected officials they’ve championed, and the party’s first national convention in Philadelphia back in October. Maurice shares his take on the connections between the movements of today and the Civil Rights Movement of 1965 and how he’s thinking about the upcoming election year.

He also shares how he stays connected to his love of music and the artist within.

REFERENCES:

Maurice Mitchell - @MauriceWFP

Working Families Party - @workingfamilies workingfamilies.org

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Washington Post opinion editor Alexi McCammond dives into the changing digital news landscape and the role of traditional, legacy news media in reaching newer, more diverse (and often, more progressive) audiences.

She sheds light on the disconnect she’s seeing between older left-leaning politicians and young people, and her expectations from a coalition of young voters and people of color as the 2024 election cycle draws closer.

Alexi McCammond - @alexi

Steve Phillips // The Washington Post - California Senate race will prove whether Democrats care about diversity

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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.

Stephanie Valencia - @stephanievalenc

EquisLab / @EquisLab / @EquisResearch

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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.

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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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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