Make It Plain MIP with Rev. Mark Thompson

The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. That's what you'll find at the top of the episode, and today's speaker is Karla, a deaf student who lost her much-needed financial aid when her dad got a raise. The rest of today's episode is devoted to the paradox of Blackness right now: am I willing to risk sacrificing my own life to save my own life? Mark explores that question with Akilah Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist currently covering the healthcare beat for ProPublica.org, who recently spent time talking with Black protestors who have to consider that very question as they head into the streets every day to stand up to police brutality. Hear what she learned from the people who are putting their immediate well-being on the line for what they hope will be sustainable change in systemic racism. READ Akilah's reporting discussed in this episode here: https://www.propublica.org/article/on-the-minds-of-black-lives-matters-protestors-a-racist-health-system MORE INFORMATION on the Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington: june2020.org Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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The Black community is experiencing a disproportionate amount of deaths from both the pandemic AND a police-demic, and the Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) is at its intersection fighting for justice and searching for solutions. Maurice BP-Weeks, Co-Executive Director, and his colleagues at the organization were already working on the eviction crisis that was sparked by coronavirus outbreak; now, in the midst of a national uprising against policing, they're splitting their efforts to simultaneously research the ins and outs of police budgets, uncovering the hard truth that they're bloated with cash and get a hefty handout every time they ask. They're also looking at how we can move forward with specific demands, and deciding on what those demands should be, in order to make permanent change for police budgets in this country. Get into that and more in today's episode. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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Choo choo! All aboard the hot mess express, destination: Georgia. This episode is essential listening for understanding how voter suppression works, with Georgia's primary election as our case study. The state's primary election, which was held on June 9th, was an absolute disaster, with voters mysteriously purged from voter rolls, polling location changes that weren't communicated to voters in time, and a whole lot of "weird" circumstances that prevented people from voting; but take it from Anoa Changa, Staff Reporter at ourprism,org, this situation is by design! And the real kicker is that politicians are using the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to shut down polling centers completely, instead of relocating them to ensure citizens have access to exercise their right. Get a grip on this knowledge now to adequately prepare yourself for what you might be up against when you go to cast your vote in your state's primary, or worse, in the 2020 general election. Producer's Note: The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we plan to feature real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. Because of time constraints, we couldn't fit a personal story in today's episode, but that will resume tomorrow! In the meantime, head to the website for more information: june2020.org Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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ICYMI yesterday's announcement, the Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority. That's what you'll find at the top of the episode, and today's speaker is Antoine, a 23-year-old fast food worker who only makes $7.25 an hour. The rest of today's episode is also about numbers, but of a different kind. Mark talks about Civiqs and polling quite a bit with founder Markos Moulitsas, but today we've brought in the organization's Director, Drew Linzer, to dive deeper. Civiqs has polled opinions towards the Black Lives Matter movement on a daily basis since 2017, and right now in the United States, it is the most favorably viewed political organization or politician among any national organization--including Trump and the former favorite, Barack Obama. Hear the breakdown of demographics for who is supporting the BLM movement, the process behind Civiqs' polling, what makes their data reliable, and how Americans are polling on other cultural topics including the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and COVID-19 racial data. INFORMATION on Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington: june2020.org POLLING DATA discussed in this episode: civiqs.com Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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With historic job losses from coronavirus, the gap has never been wider between the rich and the poor. The Poor People's Campaign is holding a Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 20th; every day leading up to that day of action, we'll be featuring real stories of struggle and poverty to raise awareness and make the subject a priority, and that's what you'll find at the top of today's episode. After that, you'll hear Mark's conversation with Leigh Chapman, Director of Voting Rights Program for the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. In this unprecedented moment in history, do you feel democracy has failed you? Do you wonder if there's actually any point in voting? Leigh wants to reaffirm your power as a voter and remind you that showing up to the ballot box to cast a vote is also a form of protest. More info on the Poor People's Campaign March here: june2020.org Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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"We cannot turn to a new chapter until we have political change and change of law," says Joe Sanberg, entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Aspiration. And in the midst of coronavirus, as we are finally getting a collective grasp on how essential workers are grossly underpaid, Joe is focusing on changing something specific: the minimum wage. And forget about $15 dollars--he says businesses across the country should be paying employees a minimum of $25 dollars an hour. He didn't pick this number out of a hat, though, and in today's episode you'll get to hear his strategic insight and how companies of all sizes can work to implement this necessary standard. For more on Joe, check him out on Twitter @JosephNSanberg Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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The jobs report is never as simple as some headlines make it seem; yes, unemployment dropped by just over 1-percent, but it went UP for African-Americans, explains Chad Stone, Chief Economist for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. There's other details to consider too, like the fact that the additional unemployment insurance of $600 dollars per week is set to end on July 31st, and we have yet to see what reopening the economy does to the coronavirus case numbers. Mark and Chad unpack this and more in today's essential episode. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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In today's episode we travel down to Alabama, where there is a gubernatorial candidate who is currently running on a platform to pubicly lynch convicted drug dealers. "He's throwing red meat to his base," says Benard Simelton, President of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP. Meanwhile, the state is starting to reopen and coronavirus is still a major concern for residents. Another pressing matter in Alabama: the 2020 Senate race, which could potentially see the infamous Jeff Sessions running against Senator Doug Jones. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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The work on the ground is not near done, says Irna Landrum, Campaigns Manager DailyKos, as activists in Minneapolis are trying to find a balance in demonstrating and caring for the community. She and other reporters and activists have found accelerants hidden in alleyways and on private property, gasoline in water bottles, and are wary of any sudden and explosive sounds resembling gunfire. But listen to this episode to find why she sees this time as both scary and hopeful. And with Markos’ polling knowledge, the three of them circle around the question that remains at the back of our minds: what could all of this potentially mean for Trump, Biden, and the 2020 election? Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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As our country remains in a state of unrest, Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia's 8th District is not shying away from calling George Floyd's death what it was: murder. In today's episode, he reflects on that as well as his discomfort with the fact that some people seem more upset about property damage than what is happening to human lives. You'll also hear why he calls Trump a modern-day George Wallace, his thoughts on re-opening states (remember coronavirus?), and why he's confident in Joe Biden's campaign for president. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com 

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