Pod for the Cause

This episode commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, reflecting on its profound impact in dismantling legalized segregation, securing voting rights, and expanding protections against discrimination. It explores the victories it represented for marginalized communities and how it catalyzed further reforms in education, housing, and employment. As we celebrate this anniversary, however, we also dive into the ongoing challenges to civil rights. We examine new threats to a fair and equitable democracy from initiatives like Project 2025—an extremist agenda and wish list for a conservative administration that seeks to roll back vital civil rights protections. With attacks on affirmative action, voting rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and reproductive justice on the rise, we highlight the persistent inequalities and barriers to justice that remain. We discuss the history, the setbacks, and the continued urgency to defend and expand civil rights in today’s politically polarized landscape.

In this episode commemorating the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, we delve into the pivotal 1964 campaign that aimed to register African American voters in Mississippi and the Deep South and challenge systemic racial barriers. We will explore the courageous efforts of activists, the profound impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and the ongoing struggle for voting rights in America. Through conversation with advocates and activists, as well as historians and academics, we will reflect on the legacy of Freedom Summer and its relevance today in the fight for a more equitable democracy. This episode will honor the past and address the continuing quest for justice and equality through the ballot.

June has been designated a month of awareness for several civil rights causes and constituencies. From LGBTQ Pride and Stonewall to Caribbean American Heritage and Juneteenth, the month reminds us of our ongoing efforts to achieve an America as good as its ideals. And as June is also designated Black Music Appreciation Month, we know that whatever the civil rights fight, music has been the soundtrack and a catalyst for change. Gospel’s freedom songs like "We Shall Overcome" gave voice to the struggle for racial equality in the 1950s and 60s, accompanying marches, rallies, and sit-ins. Today, hip hop music has become a powerful medium for championing the underserved and holding the powerful accountable on issues like police violence. This episode will explore music as a tool for resilience, solidarity, and activism as we advance all movements for justice and equality.

In recognition of the 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, this podcast episode delves into the sobering reality that, sixty years later, American schools remain starkly separate and profoundly unequal. Despite the Supreme Court's historic declaration against racial segregation in 1954, data reveals a troubling trend: over half of the nation’s students find themselves in racially concentrated districts, where segregation persists, and educational resources vary widely along racial and socioeconomic lines. Data also shows that as our Black and Brown students are denied educational opportunities, they are disproportionately represented within the criminal legal system, demonstrating a school to prison pipeline. As such, upon the anniversary of Brown, we must reckon with our separate and unequal history that continues to plague us today and determine how we reach the promise of educational equality. This episode serves as a critical reminder that the fight for equal education is far from over and urgent action is needed to address the ongoing legacy of segregation in our schools.

For our courts to work for all of us, our judges should reflect and represent the diversity of our society. Federal courts have been slow to include judges of color, women, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and judges from varied legal backgrounds, including those with civil rights experience. However, recent judicial appointments are changing that. Newly confirmed judges have broken barriers and shattered glass ceilings by desegregating courts that have never had a judge of color or a judge from their background serve before. And nearly half of the lifetime confirmations during this administration have been former public defenders, civil rights lawyers, and others who have dedicated a significant portion of their careers to protecting civil and human rights. We must build upon this success. For example, we need more federal judges who are Latino/a, judges with known disabilities, judges who are LGBTQ+, judges who are Native American, and judges with experience in civil and human rights. This episode will consider how we achieve meaningful demographic and professional diversity among our nation’s judges. It will explore how diversity on the bench leads to fairer decisions, increased confidence in our legal system, and a stronger democracy. 

February is Black History Month and an opportunity to consider the state of the Movement for Black Lives. Last year, we observed the 10-year anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death, which compelled three Black women to turn a Black Lives Matter hashtag into a social movement. And this year marks the 10-year anniversary of the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, which renewed demands for police accountability and reform across the country. In the decade since, we have come to “say their names” and many more, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. This episode will discuss the progress and evolution of the Movement For Black Lives, which is not only taking on police violence, but other inequities impacting Black lives, such as health disparities and economic insecurity.

Technology is an integral part of our everyday lives. Thanks to technological advances, there are increased connections and efficiencies around how we learn, work, and play. However, technology, like every other aspect of our society, can perpetuate harms and inequities if we are not intentional around its development and implementation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the perfect example of technology that could benefit humankind but is causing great harm through discrimination and disinformation. As we witnessed in recent elections, AI has been used to continue election interference tactics. And certainly, there are significant concerns around the way that AI will be used in the high stakes 2024 presidential election. In response to these concerns, last fall, the Leadership Conference established the Center on Civil Rights and Technology to anchor emerging and existing technology in civil rights. This episode will explore the latest tech and civil rights happenings, focusing on AI and misinformation. We will also introduce the Center and its work to ensure civil rights and technology go hand in hand.

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in January, we are provided with an opportunity to discuss the state of Dr. King’s dream at this moment. Over the years, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech has been weaponized to push for a colorblind society; and this year will be no exception. In fact, given the recent dismantling of affirmative action in higher education by the U.S. Supreme Court, and the constant legal and legislative attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, the opportunity and equality envisioned by Dr. King stands to be dismantled. This episode will discuss the attacks on civil rights that impact our communities in all areas of education, from K-12 to higher education, as well as the economy and employment for our communities of color.

Welcome back to Pod for the Cause Season 7! On today’s episode, our host, Kanya Bennett, managing director of government affairs at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, discusses the life and legacy of Bayard Rustin with President Clayola Brown, head of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, International Vice President of Workers United-SEIU, and Senior Advisor for Strategic Partnership and Racial Justice at the AFL-CIO; Dr. David Johns, the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition; and Author Michael G. Long, most recently, the editor of Bayard Rustin: A Legacy of Protest and Politics.

Join Kanya Bennett as she discusses the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder with Carolyn Shields, President of the Shelby County Branch of the NAACP, and Deuel Ross, Deputy Director of Litigation at NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This episode was recorded before the Court rendered its decision in Merrill v. Milligan.