Our Body Politic

Farai Chideya goes into the history of voting rights with legal expert Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to fully understand why our democracy is under threat today. Representative Bee Nguyen of the Georgia General Assembly shares why protecting voting rights is central to her campaign for Georgia Secretary of State. Journalist Manolia Charlotin provides important historical perspective to help us understand the political upheaval in Haiti. On Sippin’ the Political Tea, New York politics is on the menu, with our host, Errin Haines of The 19th, and Marina Villenueve of the Associated Press.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

0:53 Sherrilyn Ifill breaks down our history of voting rights in the U.S.

12:34 Georgia state Representative Bee Nguyen on her role defending voting rights in her state

21:52 Manolia Charlotin of Press On offers context for the recent political upheaval in Haiti

31:21 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Errin Haines of the 19th and Marina Villeneuve of the Associated Press talk about New York state politics

Farai Chideya talks with Dr. Angel Pérez of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling about how students can access the resources they need for a successful college experience. Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares lessons from her book on facing your fears. Latinx author Carmen Maria Machado addresses criticism of her memoir from a school district in Texas, and why it matters to share her story. Social media maven Omehabiba Khan tells the origin story of her successful Instagram dating site for Muslims, Rishta Live. And on the weekly roundtable Sippin’ the Political Tea, Farai Chideya talks about what accountable, community-based journalism can look like with two founders of local news organizations based in New York: Mazin Sidahmed of Documented, and S. Mitra Kalita of Epicenter-NYC.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:35 Dr. Angel Pérez gives advice for college students and their families approaching the new year

13:01 Luvvie Ajayi Jones on facing fear, which she calls “the everlasting hater”

22:02 Author Carmen Maria Machado on moral panic and her book “In the Dream House”

27:07 Omehabiba Khan on her online dating platform for Muslims

31:30 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Farai Chideya and journalists S. Mitra Kalita of Epicenter-NYC and Mazin Sidahmed of Documented talk about local journalism

Farai Chideya talks with author Roxane Gay about the skill and craft required to write about trauma. Writer Deesha Philyaw of “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies” explores womanhood, relationships, and “what we owe our mothers.” Journalist Soledad O’Brien on navigating racism and sexism in the media industry, and striking out on her own. On Sippin’ the Political Tea, Errin Haines of The 19th examines the importance of taking the insurrection of January 6th seriously, with political scientist Christina Greer and public policy expert Carol Anderson.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:42 Roxane Gay on the skill it takes to write about trauma

12:44 Deesha Philyaw on writing and womanhood

22:37 Soledad O’Brien on taking her own path in journalism

31:45 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Errin Haines and special guests Carol Anderson and Christina Greer talk about the week’s news

Farai Chideya talks with St. Louis mayor Tishaura Jones about how she hopes to accomplish her progressive goals. Business of entertainment contributor Casey Mendoza reports on the #FreeBritney movement as a reproductive justice issue, and shares which entertainment venues are reopening. Astrophysicist Sarafina Nance explains how she manages the sexism and racism in her field, and invites other women like her to study science. And Errin Haines of The 19th hosts the weekly news roundtable Sippin’ the Political Tea, with Tiffany Jeffers and Jess Morales Rocketto.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:54 St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones on public safety reform 

13:08 Contributor Casey Mendoza on this summer’s entertainment news 

23:18 Astrophysicist Sarafina Nance on making her mark

31:56 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Errin Haines, Jess Morales Rocketto, and Tiffany Jeffers talk about the week’s news

Farai Chideya talks with Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, a Biden-Harris adviser on Covid-19 and health equity, about where we are in the pandemic. Researcher Dr. Jenn Jackson shares the GenForward survey results that show young people’s evolving stance on policing and police reform. Sharon Chang and Kamal Sinclair of the Guild of Future Architects reimagine public safety. Ten-year-old Tanitoluwa Adewumi and his family on overcoming obstacles to help him become chess national master. And Farai Chideya, Errin Haines, and Jess Morales Rocketto update us on the voting rights debate in the weekly news roundtable, Sippin’ the Political Tea.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:55 Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith is Chair of the Presidential Covid-19 Health Equity Task Force

13:10 A look at the GenForward surveys on protests and policing

18:49 The Guild of Future Architects takes on public safety reform

27:42 Tani Adewumi shares how he became a chess national master

32:05 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Errin Haines, Jess Morales Rocketto, and Farai Chideya talk about the week’s news

Farai Chideya talks with Representative Nydia Velázquez about recovery and self-determination for Puerto Rico, and how she paved the way for other Latinas in Congress. Cecilia Muñoz, longtime policy expert and former Obama administration official, explains how Democrats and Republicans just aren’t having the same conversation when it comes to immigration reform. Our Body Politic producer Priscilla Alabi looks into ways of forming a susu, and the scams that are taking advantage of this age-old savings practice. And political contributor Errin Haines leads a conversation about women of color creating their own career paths on the roundtable, Sippin’ the Political Tea, with Farai and Jess Morales Rocketto.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:31 Representative Nydia Velázquez on Puerto Rican voters

13:12 Policy expert Cecilia Muñoz on how to frame immigration reform

23:17 A look at the age-old practice of the susu and how it's faring today

32:04 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Errin Haines, Jess Morales Rocketto, and Farai Chideya talk about the week’s news

Farai Chideya talks with journalist Judd Legum about why he digs deep into corporate money in politics, especially after the insurrection of January 6th. Our Body Politic health contributor Dr. Kavita Trivedi shares how to stay safe with the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, and convincing your loved ones to get vaccinated. In her new book, The Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik challenges us to rethink our paradigms for understanding politics. Plus, political contributor Errin Haines and legal analyst Tiffany Jeffers join Farai on the roundtable, Sippin’ the Political Tea, to discuss assaults on voting rights, the staying power of Trumpism, and the myth of objectivity.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:54 Journalist Judd Legum on holding corporations accountable for their political spending

12:54 Health contributor Dr Kavita Trivedi on the latest Covid-19 news

23:42 Nesrine Malik on her book “We Need New Stories: The Myths that Subvert Freedom”

31:23 Sippin’ the Political Tea: Errin Haines, Tiffany Jeffers ,and Farai Chideya talk about the week’s news 

Farai Chideya talks with Our Body Politic legal analyst Tiffany Jeffers and Slate’s health and race reporter Julia Craven on a Sippin’ the Political Tea roundtable focused on new Supreme Court rulings. Retired Major General Linda Singh of the Maryland National Guard shares her experience handling sexual assault cases in the military, and why she wants to hold the institution’s leaders accountable. Military Times bureau chief Meghann Myers explains why the military is having trouble tackling another pressing issue: extremism within its ranks. And Farai talks with fellow journalist Geraldine Moriba about what constitutes extremism, and how it manifests in the false “Lost Cause” narrative about the Confederacy.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:49 On Sippin’ the Political Tea, legal analyst Tiffany Jeffers and journalist Julia Craven discuss the latest SCOTUS decisions

18:40 Retired Major General Linda Singh on holding military leaders accountable for addressing sexual assault

30:46 Military Times reporter Meghann Myers on the military’s efforts to tackle extremism within its ranks

39:37 Journalist Geraldine Moriba on confronting false narratives about the Confederacy and Confederate monuments

Farai Chideya talks with special guest Jenni Monet, an Indigenous affairs reporter and media critic at Indigenously, and Errin Haines of The 19th, on Sippin’ the Political Tea. U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge explains why it’s so important to her that the federal government call out systemic racism. Harvard University historian Annette Gordon-Reed reflects on Juneteenth through the lens of memoir. And author Nobuko Miyamoto shares her new book, “Not Yo’ Butterfly,” about her decades as an artist and activist in the U.S.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

1:02 Sippin’ the Political Tea discusses the week’s news with Indigenous affairs reporter Jenni Monet and contributor Errin Haines

18:45 Secretary Marcia L. Fudge of Housing and Urban Development on acknowledging systemic racism in the federal government

30:03 Annette Gordon-Reed of Harvard on celebrating Juneteenth growing up in Texas

38:00 Nobuko Miyamoto on her new memoir and the power of artistic expression

Farai Chideya welcomes the co-hosts of The Double Shift podcast on Sippin’ the Political Tea to talk about the impact the pandemic had on moms’ mental health, and how they can begin to recover. New York Times Opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie shares his views on the latest voting rights legislation, and why he decided to take full parental leave this year for the birth of his second child. Dr. Miguelina Germán, a child behavioral health specialist, gives an overview of how children have fared this past year, and what we have to look forward to with schools reopening. And camp counselor and Black Outside director Angelica Holmes shares her personal and professional experience with the benefits of outdoor activities for Black girls.

EPISODE RUNDOWN

00:39 Sippin’ the Political Tea covers the mental health of mothers during the pandemic with the co-hosts of The Double Shift podcast

18:19 Jamelle Bouie on voting rights, studying history, and being a full-time parent

30:07 Dr. Miguelina Germán on the mental health of children during the pandemic

39:11 Camp counselor Angelica Holmes on the importance of taking kids outdoors