Ever since September 11, many Sikh Americans have been falsely associated with terrorism. And in 2017, fear-based messages seem to be gaining traction more easily than ever. The presence of fear in our politics has very real consequences — but it’s also an opportunity for education, and for more Americans to become part of the solution.

In Episode 17, Mark Reading-Smith, Senior Director of Communications & Media at the Sikh Coalition, joins the podcast to discuss the difficulty of combatting messages based in fear. A durable, foundational message is key; without it, voters won’t pay attention to policy details or expertise. And communicators can’t afford to “over-intellectualize their responses.”