Natasha Explains It All

I'm back. In the era of billionaire bros, voting with our dollars has taken on great importance. I share some thoughts on how to do that and why there is reason for hope as we go through this Gilded Age reboot.

Bookshop.org alternative to Amazon for books

The StoryGraph alternative to GoodReads for book reviews and tracking

Fossil Free Funds for sustainable investment options

Muckraking journalism by Judd Legum

We are a few days away from the end of voting in the United States, and many are facing long lines to vote. Pizza to the Polls is here to help, by sending pizza to voters facing long lines.

Facing an 1+ hour long wait to vote? Request pizza from Pizza to the Polls here.

Pizza to the Polls is available in all states for this election except Georgia, which criminalized the provision of food and water to voters following 2020, when Georgia voted for Joe Biden and for two Democratic senators.

Welcome to Season 5! If you're feeling election anxiety, I've got a way for you to direct that energy towards winning in November. In addition to winning the White House, we also need to retake the House and keep the Senate; the change we need requires a blue trifecta. With that in mind, here are a few places where you can donate to key congressional races, i.e. races that are really close and underfunded, so a boost in funding can make a difference in the voter turnout needed to ensure a blue trifecta.

key House races

key Senate races

key House and state races

key House, Senate, and state races

*full disclosure: I have donated to each of these funds, so I am recommending what I myself have used

I have collaborated again with Mike Pinto, host of the Singing for Survival capoeira history podcast. This time, we discuss sexual abuse in capoeira and what we as capoeiristas can do to address the wrong that has happened and how to prevent it moving forward. One of those ways is to support CapoeirAcolher, an organization in Brazil that supports victims of such abuse.

My thoughts on voting no on Prop. 36.

More information:

LA Times Editorial Board piece on No on Prop. 36

Stop Prop. 36 campaign

Independent journalist Judd Legum has done several pieces on retail theft and Prop. 36:

The Vera Institute Infographic on Prop. 36 and longer analysis

Politico coverage on Prop. 36

How California's incarceration rates compare to other states and countries, by the Prison Policy Initiative

I will be doing a two-part series on why to vote NO on Prop. 36. Part one is a quick share on some upcoming opportunities to learn about Prop. 36 from reputable criminal justice organizations.

Wednesday, September 25th at 5:30pm PST (virtual) - Initiate Justice's No on Prop. 36 Workshop

Thursday, October 3rd at 6pm PST (in-person in Oakland) - Ella Baker Center and Urban Peace Movement Prop. 36 Town Hall

Stay tuned for part two!

With the November election coming up soon, it's time to get out the vote! In this episode, I share some ways you can help boost voter turnout.

As part of my election series, today's episode is about why I am voting for Nikki Bas for Alameda County Supervisor, District 5.

To hear directly from the candidates, check out the ⁠candidate forum on zoom⁠ on September 5th from 4-5:30pm.

I discuss the ⁠Oakland Reimagining Public Safety Task Force Report⁠ that Nikki was highly involved in and why that's a great thing.

I talk about the MACRO program, which Nikki was instrumental in making a reality.

I also discuss why Nikki is more likely to implement the ⁠Care First, Jails Last Taskforce⁠ Final Report, which is one of Supervisor Carson's legacies and critical to public safety.

A couple of articles on some recent scandals with the Alameda County sheriff's office and why we need county supervisors who will provide oversight of the sheriff.

A gorgeous work of historical fiction that tells the story of a woman born during the Spanish flu pandemic and who dies during the coronavirus pandemic 100 years later. Allende introduces us to multiple generations of a family and their loves and losses, hopes and disasters, while exploring historical events like the military dictatorships in Chile and Argentina during the 1970s and 80s. I reflect on how this book reminds me of my own grandmother and what this book can teach us about the current moment.

I recommended the following movies for a deeper dive:

Machuca

La Historia Oficial

I referenced the following articles during the episode:

https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/southern-cone/2021-03-23/argentinas-military-coup-what-us-knew

https://www.mediamatters.org/russ-vought/undercover-interview-project-2025-architect-gets-candid-initiatives-radical-goals-and

My reflections on the 2024 US presidential election.