Oh This World

Today we look at the importance of some of the elected offices that get less attention during election season, talk about why they're important in 2020, and what you can do to get involved.

To start, we review the importance of the Texas House and State Board of Education races in November, then turn our attention to the justice system. For more on the importance of electing progressive DAs, check out this NBC News piece. For some of the challenges facing progressive DAs who have been elected, read this.

For more on José Garza, running for District Attorney here in Travis County, visit his website. The Austin Chronicle story on Garza calling for jail changes during COVID is here; more on his primary run-off against Margaret Moore can be found in Community Impact.

You can get the basics when it comes to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals here. The 2010 Andrew Cohen that we reference about Sharon Keller is available on the Atlantic website.

Meanwhile, check out this Texas Tribune story for more on our embarrassing Ag Commissioner, Sid Miller. What is the Ag Commissioner actually responsible for? A lot, it turns out. Find out the details here.

What can we do today?

1. Research ALL the races in your district well before going to the polls. One good resource? Antoinette recommends the voting guide from your local League of Women Voters chapter. A sample can be found here.

2. Get involved in a down-ballot race today. Good resources for Texans include Flip The Texas House, Swing Left, and Indivisible Austin. Or volunteer directly for a campaign.

This episode was recorded on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

On this episode, Antoinette takes us through her own evolution in thinking about social media activism, explores the pitfalls of the online life, and unveils her strategy for using social media effectively.

Before we jump into our main topic for the day, a few brief follow-ups from last week: we look at the latest on attempts to hold the Austin Police Department accountable, and offer final thoughts on Kerbey Lane-gate. One essential way for Austinites to make your voices heard when it comes to the police: get in touch with your City Council member and stay in touch, especially while next year's budget is being debated. Find an easy way to do it and what to say here.

Next, Antoinette takes us through her social media evolution. Two resources she found useful in taking her social media game to the next level: this Pew Research piece on "Activism in the Social Media Age," and this NPR interview with Howard Gardner, the author of "Changing Minds."

What can you do now?

1. A quick call to action for allies in the fight for racial justice: follow the example of chef Samin Nosrat and take the next seven days to use social media to amplify Black Americans who are in your field of expertise (Nosrat is using her Instagram to promote and amplify Black chefs).

2. Give your social media activism a tune-up. Strategize about how to post and share with more purpose and intention. Antoinette shares more of what she means by this during the second half of today's episode.

You can also use social media to tell us how it's going. We're on Twitter and Instagram @ohthisworldpod.

This episode was recorded on Monday, June 15, 2020.

This week, we have a bevy of follow-ups, as well as our weekly recs for what to watch, listen to, and read this weekend to stay grounded in this unsettling time.

We start with a look at the Coronavirus numbers. They're not great, particularly in Texas, where the governor's premature reopening and GOP aversion to basic public health measures is leading to an uptick in cases.

Here in Austin, we're in our fourth straight day of triple-digit numbers of new cases. Wear a mask, social distance, and stay home when possible, y'all!

Next, a special for our TX21 listeners as we dive back into Kerbey Lane-gate, and call out CEO Mason Ayer for fawning over our Austin-hating Congressman (and for having a sickeningly limited dessert menu).

Speaking of Austin, we discuss the Austin City Council's initial steps to hold the Austin Police Department accountable, which include some substantive changes, though we need to continue to hold our council members accountable, too.

We also take a look into the somewhat ignominious racial history of Sen. John Cornyn, in light of his recent resistance to renaming Fort Hood. To learn more about the scandal in Tulia, Texas we talk about today, check out Nate Blakeslee's book Tulia: Race, Cocaine and Corruption in a Small Texas Town, or this 2002 Austin Chronicle story by Lauri Apple.

Finally, Antoinette introduces us to White Nonsense Roundup. Check them out!

Our recs for the weekend?

Antoinette is in a Netflix situation at the moment, recommending Issa Rae's new comedy The Lovebirds and the series Derry Girls.

Lucas suggests everyone check out John Oliver's latest Last Week Tonight about the police; recommends reading (or listening to, given his recent audiobook binge) Isabel Wilkerson's marvelous history of the Great Migration, The Warmth of Other Suns; and watching Kusama: Infinity, about the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, currently streaming on Hulu.

This episode was recorded on Friday, June 12, 2020. 

Today Lucas leads a wide-ranging discussion about how the Texas State Board of Education wields significant influence over how history is taught both in Texas and across the country, why it matters, and what we can do about it.

First, Antoinette has a follow-up to recent conversations about defunding the police, and Lucas explains why he'll no longer be eating at Kerbey Lane (and encourages listeners to do to the same).

In the first half of their conversation, Lucas and Antoinette explore two separate but related issues: how our schools are still largely segregated and how what U.S. students learn about race and racism in American history classes is often sorely lacking. Aiding our conversation is this must-read 1619 Project essay by Nikita Stewart on how slavery is taught in American schools (hint: not well).

Next we turn to how the Texas State Board of Education shapes what students learn in history class, and why that has consequences not only for Texas students but for students across the country. Another must-read: historian Jonna Perillo's Washington Post story on how the Texas SBOE "exposes how poorly we teach history."

What can we do about all this?

1. Learn more about how students are taught U.S. history now. In addition to Nikita Stewart's article, we recommend James W. Loewen's classic Lies My Teacher Told Me, which analyzes a dozen textbooks used in U.S. history classrooms. 

2. Find out who has the power to shape curriculum in your community, and where to speak out if you don't like how they're doing it. You can find information here on how each state chooses its history textbooks.

3. Get involved in the 2020 races for the Texas State Board of Education. Learn more about Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau in District 5, and also her possible GOP opponent, a jester-hat wearing man with a history of "sexist, racist tweets and conspiracy-laden rants."

Also, check out the 21-Day Racial Equity Building Challenge that Antoinette mentioned in this episode here.
 
This episode was recorded on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

On today's episode, Antoinette leads us through the steps we can all take as consumers, employees and business owners to make sure businesses are keeping anti-racism at the forefront of their agendas.

First, we get a quick correction on the (less-wonderful-than-they-first-appeared) unemployment numbers from last week, and Lucas suggests Austin listeners head over to Grits for Breakfast for an update on a couple of Austin City Council resolutions related to policing that will be considered this week. (Call your council members!)

Then, Antoinette uses a recent NYT piece on the economic risks facing black workers in the COVID-19 era to kickstart a broader conversation about antiracism in the workplace. For the CEPR profile of frontline workers she references, go here. You can find the story on companies bankrolling Tom Cotton here.

What can you do to hold businesses accountable? Antoinette offers a whole bunch of ideas for consumers, employees and business owners throughout the episode.

One immediate call to action: go through your emails and take note of the businesses promising to "do more" on the antiracism front. Keep track of these emails on your phone or computer (Antoinette recommends keeping it all in a folder called RECEIPTS). Flag your calendar to check back in 30, 60 or 90 days to see which companies have kept their promises and how (and if they're not following through, call them out and find other places to conduct your business).

How are you making sure anti-racism is at the forefront of the businesses you frequent? Let us know on Twitter @ohthisworldpod or by email at [email protected]. 

This episode was recorded on Monday, June 8, 2020. 

In this mini-episode, Lucas addresses white people who are supportive of the Black Lives Matter protests but still get skittish when they hear "defund the police."

You can read a copy of the 1928 Koch and Fowler "Master Plan" for Austin here (the part Lucas references is on p. 57, or view a screenshot here). For more on Austin's freedmen communities, check out the Austin History Center.

This bonus episode was recorded on Sunday, June 7, 2020.

Activist and musician Matt Oliver is our special guest today to talk about relational organizing.

Before Matt joins us, we give an update on the coronavirus numbers for the week. Cases continue to rise faster than ever globally, while the unemployment rate has dropped. Another number to report: five. That's how many Texas GOP county leaders have shared racist Facebook posts and/or racist conspiracy theories this week.

Next we turn to the protests in Austin, and the Austin Police Department's unacceptable response to them. The tension between citizens and the APD has been on the rise for some time; this week's protests resulted in the police seriously injuring multiple Austinites. Among the peaceful protesters hurt by police were a sixteen-year-old hit in the head with a beanbag round, a pregnant woman, and a Texas State student who was critically injured. Activists are calling for change, and hundreds of citizens spoke at a City Council meeting last night, including the brother of one of the victims.

Amazingly, none of this stopped the Council from voting in favor of taking a $400,000 grant for APD, despite calls for them not to do so. Only four council members opposed the measure. If your council member supported it, you need to give them a call. Think 40% is way too much of the city's budget to be handed over to APD? Be sure to take this budget survey to let the city know where your priorities are.

Next, our special guest: activist Matt Oliver, who is also husband to TX25 Democratic congressional candidate Julie Oliver. Matt talks with us about relational organizing: what it is, how it works, and why it matters. He also explains how they're using it on the Oliver campaign. Want to get started? Volunteer here.

Since it's Friday, Matt also gives us his recs for what he's been reading and listening to lately (Steely Dan is involved!) Lucas, meanwhile, has a typically depressing movie recommendation, while Antoinette has begun to keep track of all of the companies emailing her Black Lives Matters statements, so that she can hold them accountable moving forward.

Stay safe this weekend and we'll see you on Monday.

This episode was recorded on Friday, June 5, 2020.</

After a week of especially horrible police brutality against black Americans, many white allies are showing up for the first time on the shores of Activist Island. Help them dry off, warm up, and find ways to be productive citizens in this new place.

Before we dive into the heart of the episode, we explore whether or not our Congressman here in TX21 is a fascist (hint: he wants American soldiers to turn on American citizens), and look at a minor flare-up on social media this week after constituents in the district called him out on it.

Next, a discussion of Blackout Tuesday. Was it merely performative? What were its unintended consequences? And what does it show us about how to (and how not to) be be an ally/decent human being in 2020?

Blackout Tuesday takes us into a broader exploration of how white people can educate themselves moving forward. We look at some common missteps newcomers make, the differences between calling out and calling in, and how all of us can call our people in to advocate for change.

What can you do? For allies, Antoinette points us to a social media post that she thought summed it up well: listen, research, donate.

There are a lot of resources for folks interested in doing all of these things, including lists of ways to help now, what to read and where to send money.

We want to know what you're doing. Find us on Twitter/IG @ohthisworldpod or email us at [email protected]. Stay safe out there! 

This episode was recorded on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

In this time of pandemic and upheaval, what are the dangers of living in an echo chamber? Are there benefits? How do we break out of them?

On today's show we look at all kinds of echo chambers--from ideological to racial (specifically white people only hearing other white voices)--and their many perils.

Among the resources we chat about that are worth checking out: are this Forbes piece on figuring out whether you're in a social media echo chamber, and this NPR piece on how that may have happened in the first place.

We also take a brief look at deep canvassing, an issue we'll touch on later in the week. See this Vox piece on whether it's possible to "talk someone out of bigotry" for a preview.

What can you do now to break out of your echo chamber?

1. Don't rely on any one platform or outlet for your news. Check out this media bias chart, which looks at both an outlet's ideological perspective and how rigorously researched the information on the site is. Start taking a look at platforms whose writers differ from you ideologically, but who are still ranked as credible.

2. Check in with some progressive friends outside of your immediate social circle as to how they're doing after this last tumultuous week. In addition to doing it because it's good to check in on your friends, this will be good practice for relational organizing, a subject we'll address later in the week.

Also: are you a white person who has had productive conversations with family members or friends interrogating white supremacy or privilege in your own lives? Have a script you've used for talking to a racist family member? We'd love to hear about it. Shoot us a line at [email protected] or find us on Twitter/IG @ohthisworldpod.

This episode was recorded on Monday, June 1, 2020.

Welcome to our weekend grab bag, where we follow up on stories from throughout the week and talk about what we're listening to, reading and watching to stay grounded in this unsettling time.

As always on Fridays, we start with a look at the numbers from both a public health perspective and an economic one. Here in Texas, Thursday saw the "largest single-day number of new coronavirus cases"; 2.2 million Texans have filed for unemployment since the COVID-19 crisis began.

Next, we look at the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the President's vile response, and what white people need to be doing right now to combat white supremacy. Lucas shares a Medium post from Corinne Shutack on 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice, and Antoinette recommends a list of Ally Reading Materials from Black Lives Matter Austin. A March for Black Lives and Freedom is scheduled for Sunday at the Texas State Capitol. 

As for weekend recs, Lucas suggests Uncut Gems, which just started streaming on Netflix (also worth a look: this Ringer piece on how Kevin Garnett ended up in the movie). Antoinette, meanwhile, has been devouring the now-departed The Newsroom.

Stay safe this weekend and we'll see you on Monday.

This episode was recorded on Friday, May 29, 2020.