On this episode, Nancy is joined by guest co-host Betsy Morgan to speak with award- winning documentary filmmakers Kim Snyder and Maria Cuomo Cole about their recent documentary The Librarians. The film is a moving portrayal of the school librarians on the front line in the battle against book bans and censorship. In the film, Kim and Maria deftly explore how the rightwing political movement that started with parental rights evolved into an attack on librarians, traditionally viewed as valued and apolitical members of our society. Their conversation touches on the dark forces behind the book bans, the bravery and conviction of the librarians who have stepped outside their comfort zones to fight these bans, and the bipartisan movement that has been sparked by the film, giving voice to everyday Americans who oppose censorship and believe deeply in intellectual freedom. To learn more about how you can watch The Librarians or even host a screening, go to thelibrariansfilm.com. The film will also be broadcast on February 9th, 2026 on PBS, check your local station for details.

Kim A. Snyder is an Academy Award® nominee and Peabody Award-winning Director / Producer whose latest feature, THE LIBRARIANS, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and is now released globally in 160+ cities. Her Oscar-nominated short DEATH BY NUMBERS, co-created with gun-violence survivor Sam Fuentes, has won multiple awards. Snyder’s acclaimed films include US KIDS (Sundance 2020), LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL SHOOTING (Netflix Original), and NEWTOWN (Sundance 2016, Peabody Award, PBS). Her earlier work includes WELCOME TO SHELBYVILLE (PBS) and I REMEMBER ME (Zeitgeist Films). She also associate produced the Oscar-winning short TREVOR, which spawned The Trevor Project. Snyder holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins SAIS and lives in New York City.

Peabody and Emmy Award-winning producer Maria Cuomo Cole’s credits include the Oscar-Nominated DEATH BY NUMBERS (2024, Montclair - Best Short Doc), US KIDS (Sundance 2020), LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL SHOOTING (Netflix), NEWTOWN (Sundance 2016) and Oscar-shortlisted Living for 32 (2010), EP: THE HUNTING GROUND (2015) and Oscar-nominated THE INVISIBLE WAR (2014)

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Photo credit: Tessa Belle Dillman Photography

On this episode, Nancy is speaking with former governor, former presidential candidate and former Democratic National Committee chair, Howard Dean. When Governor Dean served as the DNC chair, he implemented what he called the “fifty state strategy,” a radical idea at the time with a goal of supporting Democrats in every state in the country, be it red, blue or purple. Governor Dean and Nancy discuss how the strategy worked two decades ago, what a robust version of it could look like today, and how to keep the grassroots growing and not left to wither in the sun. Don’t miss this refreshing conversation with a person who has seen the inner workings of government at the highest levels and speaks with refreshing candor about how things played out then and what we need to be doing now.

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On this episode, Nancy is joined once again by guest co-host Betsy Morgan for a conversation with Robert Hubbell of Today’s Edition newsletter, the ultimate resource for grassroots Democrats who can’t face the news. In Today’s Edition, Robert provides a digest of the day’s news, couched in hopeful realism. In other words, Robert spends his days immersed in the media landscape so you don’t have to. And on this episode he is giving us a much needed pep talk. Robert, Betsy and Nancy talk about how to keep on keeping on during dark times, the importance of perspective, how to find joy in activism, and becoming the leader you want to see in the world.  You can subscribe to Today’s Edition (for free if you want!) on Substack.

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If you’re listening to this podcast, you’re probably no stranger to the postcard writing groups that have blossomed since the 2016 election. In fact, you may have written some of them yourself. But Nancy’s guest on this episode, Erin Miller, has come up with a different take on the postcard concept with her new group, Cartoons for Democracy. Instead of writing to Democrats to get out the vote as existing groups do, she is targeting Republican and independent voters with postcards featuring political cartoons in an effort to break through corporate media bubbles and get people thinking for themselves. Erin and Nancy talk about the power of political cartoons, why postcards are uniquely well suited for this kind of messaging, and the current postcard campaign going on in Virginia where you can have an impact in the upcoming elections there. To learn more about Cartoons for Democracy or make a donation, visit their website here or you can order postcards for their current campaigns here.

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On this episode, Nancy is joined once again with guest co-host Betsy Morgan for a conversation with Brian Derrick, of the online Democratic fundraising platform, Oath.Vote. Brian last came on the podcast in July 2024 when many of us were still nervously hopeful that a Democrat might win the election. Now a year later, but feeling like worlds apart from the American democracy as it existed back then, Nancy and Betsy talk to Brian about Oath’s impact in 2024, their big goals for Virginia this fall and bigger goals for the midterms, the difference between witnessing and action, and so much more. Listen to the end for some great actionable suggestions for you or anyone else trying to figure out how to get more involved. And a direct link to their most impactful ways to give, updated in real time, is here. At a time where there is woefully little to feel good about, this conversation is like a ray of political sunshine.

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Nancy is joined by guest host Betsy Morgan on this episode featuring superstar activist Jess Piper speaking about how Democrats can win with rural voters. Jess has become a prominent voice for rural Democrats and in her work at Blue Missouri, she and her colleagues are working to run a Democrat in every race in the state. Jess, Betsy and Nancy talk about the desperate state of affairs in rural Missouri where infrastructure has been gutted by the Republican state supermajority; what Democrats get wrong when it comes to rural voters; and how a relatively small increase in Democratic turnout in those areas can have outsize impacts on top of ballot races.

To learn more about Jess and her work, check out her Substack newsletter and to support Blue Missouri, you can do so here.

The University of New Hampshire study that Jess refers to in the podcast can be found here.

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This episode features Jackie Payne of Galvanize Action, an organization that focuses on moderate women living in rural, small town and suburban areas. These women want progress on key issues but aren’t reliably playing a role to get us there. Galvanize Action helps them connect with their values in a way that impacts their civic behavior. Nancy and Jackie talk about the neuroscience and behavioral psychology underlying the work at Galvanize Action; the nuanced concerns of this group of women that constitute the largest voting bloc in the country; and the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation. To learn more about Galvanize Action and see examples of their top-performing messaging, check out their highlights page.

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This episode features a conversation with Sarah Curmi, Executive Director of Sister District. Founded in the aftermath of the 2016 election, Sister District is a women-led grassroots political group that is dedicated to building lasting Democratic power in state legislatures. The group is powered by volunteers in blue districts that pair or “sister” up with key swing districts where their efforts can really move the needle. Unlike some other groups that have petered out over the years, the folks at Sister District have taken their mandate and run with it, expanding their operations to much more than just elections. Sarah and Nancy talk about the secret sauce that makes Sister District different, their work with local grassroots groups, and the community that people can find within the local chapters. Sister District is doing really interesting, smart and multifaceted work; you can check out their website to learn more and get involved.

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This episode features a conversation with Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy, a cross-ideological nonprofit devoted to stopping authoritarianism. Nancy first featured Protect Democracy on this podcast four years ago, shortly after the January 6th insurrection. Given the rollercoaster that we have been on since then, and the new and dangerous threats that we face as a country, this seemed like a good time to check back in. Amanda and Nancy discuss the challenges of imposing political consequences without political power, and how the pro-democracy coalition must channel the energy and anger of the current moment into meaningful pressure from the outside in and the bottom up. They also talk about he ways in which Trump is following the authoritarian playbook to dismantle democratic institutions, as well as specific, concrete actions that we can all do to protect democracy.

Mentioned in the episode:

Sign up for the If You Can Keep It newsletter

The Authoritarian Playbook for 2025

How *You* Can Protect Democracy

How to Pay Attention

Thank you for being a listener!

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Is registering Democrats the key to saving the world? That’s the premise behind Field Team 6 whose founder Jason Berlin is Nancy’s guest on this episode. Jason and Nancy first spoke five years ago when Field Team 6 was registering voters in parking lots. Now the group has grown into a grassroots powerhouse that is reaching millions of unregistered voters online and in person and getting out the vote in swing states and districts around the country. Jason and I talk about the massive volunteer army that powers his organization, with teams of experts in their fields; and the measurable impact of their work in winning elections with the slimmest margins of victory; and their initiative to combat ballot rolloff. In a time when it feels hard to smile, Jason and his great sense of humor make resistance fun. 

And one last thing – we are excited to announce that New Faces of Democracy is now a member of the Democracy Group, a network of podcasts and organizations that create educational content about democracy, civic engagement, and civil discourse. Check it out! 

Here is the New Faces of Democracy profile of Jason from 2020.

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Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.