Empower Hour

Our democracy is in peril. Many states are trying to make voting harder, not easier by nefariously limiting access to voting by mail, needlessly toughening voter registration laws, and brazenly targeting the voting rights of marginalized groups. Moreover, partisan state legislatures are about to redraw congressional districts again and can create enough seats to change the majority in the House of Representatives before a single vote is cast in 2022. However, there remains some hope; recently, the House of Representatives passed the For The People Act of 2021, a comprehensive bill that counters states' attacks on our voting rights and tackles the intrusion of private money in American government. Join Chris Stansel, Victoria Zamitalo, and Empower Hour co-founder Branden Reis to discuss.

Following the subreddit r/Wallstreetbets' attempts to save GameStop, a whole host of new questions and controversies have followed. What does this mass socialization of stock trading say about the future of the market? Will any of the corrupt billionaires at the top of this scheme face charges? Join Chris Stansel, Victoria Zamitalo, and special guest Tucker Toenjes to discuss.

The food service company Aramark, which supplies UF's food on campus, has come under scrutiny due to their alleged use of prison labor, underpay of workers, and violations of labor laws. In response, UF students have called for UF to renegotiate their contract with Aramark to reflect student's demands. Join Chris Stansel, Victoria Zamitalo, and special guest Dmitry Podobreev to discuss. 

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Whether you accept it or not, the 2020 election results are here. Biden will be our 46th President; Democrats will maintain control of the House of Representatives and control of the Senate depends on runoff elections in Georgia. Join Chris Stansel and Victoria Zamitalo in Episode 9 to discuss.

Empower Hour is back from a brief summer break! With Election Day one month away, we have a lot to cover. On Episode 8, Chris Stansel and Victoria Zamitalo discuss the septuagenarian screeching heard throughout the first 2020 Presidential Debate. 

As Covid-19 rages across the globe, the silent killer of climate change looms on the periphery. Sea level rise, warming waters, and desertification are only a fraction of the ecological changes that are currently underway. Are these symptoms of a curable disease, or has the planet passed a tipping point of no return? Chris Stansel, Victoria Zamitalo, and esteemed climate change ecologist Dr. Stephen Mulkey are on to discuss.

As Black Lives Matter demonstrations continue across the country and Congressman Ted Yoho accosts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol Building, it is evident that America is deeply divided and in a leadership crisis. Can pragmatic leadership prevail during these times? Is the future of American politics a bitterly entrenched affair or can we unite based on our shared values? Join Chris Stansel, Victoria Zamitalo, and special guest Adam Christensen, Democratic candidate for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, to discuss. 

The University of Florida and universities across the country are struggling with reopening plans for the Fall as college students are trying their best to adapt to a new normal. With cuts in student services, gridlock in student government, and frustrating transitions to online classes, students are turning to UF for answers but have received contradicting information. Chris Stansel and special guests Jackson McMillan and Claudia Tio are on to discuss. 

Our collective failure to stop the spread of COVID-19 may be a precursor to the ineffective global management of the looming climate crisis. If the public is divided on wearing face masks to limit the spread of a virus, how can we unite to save our planet from ourselves? Join Chris Stansel, Victoria Zamitalo, and special guest Professor Saskia Van Wees on our fourth episode, "Climate Change: Unmasked," to discuss.

As 2020 shapes up to be one of the most chaotic years in living memory, the US has seemingly plunged into unknown territory. That is, unless we've been here before? William Strauss and Neil Howe's "Generational Theory" suggests Amercian history is caught in a cycle, and we are simply experiencing a "crisis" phase of history. Chris Stansel and Victoria Zamitalo discuss.