In a time when U.S. politics feels gridlocked and bleak, ballot initiatives are offering a surprising source of hope. In some of the reddest states—places that handed Trump overwhelming victories—voters are quietly embracing progressive policies like paid sick leave, higher minimum wages, and Medicaid expansion.

In this episode, Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, about why ballot measures succeed where candidates fail. Together, they explore how citizen-led initiatives cut through partisan noise, mobilize communities, and create lasting change—even in places dominated by gerrymandering and voter suppression.

From Nebraska to Missouri, Chris explains how grassroots coalitions and early funding strategies build momentum and protect hard-won victories. The conversation also looks ahead to upcoming ballot fights over reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights, and voting access—and why this tool may be one of the most powerful defenses against authoritarianism at home and abroad.

If you’ve ever wondered how ordinary citizens can reclaim democracy, this episode will inspire you with real stories of progress where you might least expect it.

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Decades of failed immigration reform and political half-measures have left millions of immigrants in the U.S. without a path to legal status. Instead, families are being torn apart by harsh deportation policies, asylum seekers are forced into the shadows, and U.S. citizen children live in daily fear of losing their parents.

In this episode, I speak with Jessica Orozco Guttlein, Senior Vice President for Policy and Communications at the Hispanic Federation, about how we got here—and what it will take to repair the damage. We examine the legacy of the 1986 immigration reform, the repeated failure to pass the DREAM Act, and how policies like the Laken Riley Act deepen racial profiling and destabilize communities.

Jessica also sheds light on the resilience of mixed-status families, the role of industries that quietly depend on immigrant labor, and why restoring due process must be central to any meaningful reform. Together, we consider how piecemeal solutions—like securing citizenship pathways for Dreamers—can begin to rebuild trust, reunite families, and prevent history from repeating itself.

(00:00) Broken Immigration System and Political Stalemate

Inadequate immigration policies and deportation destabilize families and communities, highlighting the need for comprehensive reform and recognition of immigrant contributions.

(13:29) Challenges in US Asylum Policy

The U.S. asylum system faces challenges due to policy changes, lack of resources, and removal of protections for immigrants.

(24:31) Impact of Immigration Policies on Communities

Immigrants in the US face fear and uncertainty due to increased enforcement policies, affecting sectors like hospitality and healthcare.

(32:01) Restoring Due Process in Immigration

The Laken Riley Act grants local police immigration authority, impacting mixed-status families and emphasizing the need for legislative action and due process restoration.

(36:08) Immigration Backlog and Justice System

The recent tax and spending bill highlights concerns about immigration enforcement priorities and the need for fair reforms.

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Author and scholar Anna Malaika Tubbs joins The Electorette to discuss her powerful new book, Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us—a sweeping, incisive examination of how American patriarchy was built to exclude, erase, and control. In this conversation, Anna unpacks the nation’s gendered social order, from its origins in the Constitution to its modern-day consequences in law, politics, motherhood, and racial injustice.

Drawing on personal experience, global perspective, and deep historical research, Anna explains how stories like that of Sacagawea—an Indigenous girl forced to guide the Lewis and Clark expedition—have been co-opted to prop up a false narrative of inclusion. She also traces how the legacy of patriarchal power lives on in institutions like the Supreme Court, and how it has shaped political identities and movements across generations.

Anna Malaika Tubbs is a Cambridge Ph.D. candidate in Sociology and a Bill and Melinda Gates Cambridge Scholar. Erased is the follow-up to her debut The Three Mothers, and was an instant New York Times bestseller, a USA Today national bestseller, and named an Amazon Best Book of the Year (So Far) for 2025.

This conversation explores what it means to be seen, to be heard, and to reclaim stories that were never told truthfully to begin with.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) American Patriarchy With Anna Malaika Tubbs

American patriarchy, its impact on society, and reimagining narratives through personal and historical lenses.

(12:31) Deconstructing American Patriarchy Through History

Sacagawea's story is used to serve agendas, revealing erasure of matriarchal and non-binary identities and shared struggles of marginalized groups.

(22:13) American Patriarchy and Women's Resistance

Black women challenge American patriarchy, influenced by Supreme Court decisions, advocating for inclusive reproductive justice.

(37:09) Black Feminist Motherhood and Reproductive Justice

Black feminism, motherhood, and American patriarchy are discussed, with emphasis on accessible reproductive choices and dismantling societal norms.

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In this episode of The Electorette, I’m joined by Ofirah Yheskel, Director of External Affairs for the Democratic Governors Association, to unpack the growing national influence of Democratic governors—especially in the face of Republican extremism and Trump-aligned policymaking.

We discuss two high-stakes gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, where Democratic candidates Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill are stepping up to defend reproductive rights, protect access to healthcare, and push back against anti-democratic efforts like gerrymandering and Medicaid cuts. Their races aren't just local—they're national bellwethers for what’s ahead in the 2026 midterms.

From canceled medical debt in Michigan to creative policy leadership in states like Arizona and Illinois, this conversation spotlights how Democratic governors are becoming the last line of defense—and the first line of progress. Whether you live in a battleground state or not, now is the time to pay attention.

(00:00) The Role of Democratic Governors

Democratic governors protect civil rights, reproductive rights, and healthcare against federal challenges, emphasizing the importance of electing Democratic governors in upcoming races.

(08:11) Governor's Races

Virginia and New Jersey's pivotal elections feature bipartisan candidates Spanberger and Sherrill, challenging extreme Republican policies on healthcare and reproductive rights.

(16:28) Preparing for Critical Governor's Races

Democratic governors shape national politics, DGA involvement, battleground states, open seats, supporting candidates, and staying informed.

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What does a truly progressive foreign policy look like—and what happens when we abandon it?

Foreign policy often feels like a conversation for elites. But in this episode, Sara Haghdoosti, Executive Director of Win Without War, argues otherwise. She joins Jen Taylor-Skinner to unpack how the collapse of diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran—and Israel’s recent strikes—have pushed the world dangerously close to a wider war.

Together, they explore the long-term consequences of abandoning the Iran nuclear deal, the myth that Americans don’t care about foreign policy, and how militarism abroad fuels violence and repression at home. Most importantly, Sara explains why people-led movements—not politicians—are our best hope for peace.

They also discuss the critical role of women at the negotiating table, the urgent need to demystify foreign policy, and how today’s most pressing threats—like climate change and displacement—can only be solved through diplomacy.

(00:01) US Foreign Policy in the Middle East

Israel-Iran tensions, human impact, historical context of Iran nuclear deal, role of sanctions, and importance of people-led movements for peace.

(11:19) Progressive Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Solutions

Foreign policy, racism, and domestic impact are explored, emphasizing the need for progressive diplomacy and civil society's power in shaping political discourse.

(20:00) Reimagining US Foreign Policy and Diplomacy

Feminist activism, female leadership, grassroots organizing, and broadening perspectives in U.S. foreign policy.

(33:13) Challenging Islamophobia and Building Progress

Society's progress in combating Islamophobia, resistance to divisive rhetoric, and interconnectedness for a safer world.

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In this episode of The Electorette, host Jen Taylor-Skinner is joined by Kelly Hall, Executive Director of The Fairness Project, to discuss how ballot measures are transforming the political landscape. As congressional dysfunction deepens and the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" threatens vital programs like Medicaid, direct democracy offers a bold and effective workaround.

Kelly breaks down the Fairness Project’s 2024 wins—where voters in red states overturned abortion bans, raised the minimum wage, and expanded healthcare access. These aren’t just policy victories; they’re blueprints for bypassing broken institutions and reclaiming power from unresponsive lawmakers. Ballot initiatives not only protect rights under attack—they can reshape public consensus and influence national debates.

From lawsuits to signature drives, and from grassroots momentum to constitutional amendments, this conversation is both a reality check and a call to action. Whether you live in a red state, blue state, or somewhere in between, ballot initiatives may be the most underused—and urgently needed—tool we have to defend democracy.

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Empowering Voters Through Ballot Initiatives

Ballot initiatives empower citizens to enact change on critical issues in conservative states, influencing the national narrative.

(12:25) The Power of Direct Democracy

Citizen-initiated ballot measures serve as a tool for marginalized groups in red states, while corporations use them in blue states.

(24:14) Expanding Impact of Ballot Initiatives

Citizen-initiated ballot measures challenge conservative agendas and shape national discourse on reproductive rights, healthcare, and minimum wage.

(37:36) Mobilizing for Direct Democracy

Ballot measures are a democratic tool for change, but face challenges such as signature collection and threats from lawmakers.

(45:07) Getting Involved With Fairness Project

Nature's timeline and stages of ballot measures, engaging with the Fairness Project, personal reflections, and a call to action.

#BallotMeasures #FairnessProject #ReproductiveRights #DirectDemocracy #Medicaid #MinimumWage #TheElectorette #AbortionRights #PoliticalPodcast #CivicPower #FightBack #BigBeautifulBill #KellyHall #RedStateResistance #DemocracyInAction

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In this episode of The Electorette, host Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with Jessica Fulton, senior fellow with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, about the 2025 budget bill—rebranded by conservatives as the "Big Beautiful Bill"—and the devastating consequences it could have for Black households.

Rooted in the Joint Center’s policy brief, Centering Black Households in the 2025 Tax Debate, the conversation exposes how proposals like extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would continue to funnel wealth to high-income, disproportionately white households—while offering temporary, shallow benefits to working-class families. Jessica explains how policies that sound equitable on the surface—like tax deductions for tipped workers, child tax credits, and overtime exemptions—actually reinforce economic exclusion.

Together, they explore how tax policy has long been used as a tool of racialized wealth-building and why understanding these “wonky” details is essential to building a more equitable economy. They also touch on the dangers of cutting Pell Grants, dismantling agencies that support Black-owned businesses, and using budget reconciliation to pass policies that will have generational consequences.

This episode is a powerful call for greater transparency, stronger advocacy, and inclusive policymaking that truly supports all families—not just the wealthiest.

Episode Chapters:

(00:00) Tax Code, Wealth, and Racial Inequality

The Federal Tax Code perpetuates racial inequality, with implications for Black households, through policies like the 2025 Budget Bill.

(12:23) Tax Policy and Racial Disparities

Changes to child tax credit privilege higher-income households, exclude poorest families, and perpetuate systemic inequities.

(23:56) Tax Policy and Worker Income

Nature's financial burdens on low-income workers, tax treatment of tips and overtime pay, and erosion of worker protections.

(27:28) Tax Policies and Working Class Disadvantages

Tax policies can privilege certain workers, have political motivations, and create disparities between demographic groups.

(39:47) Tax Code and Racial Disparities

Examining how race affects taxation and economic disparities, and the importance of understanding and challenging these systems.

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In this episode of The Electorette, Amanda Edwards, candidate for Texas’s 18th Congressional District, joins host Jennifer Taylor-Skinner for a powerful conversation about legacy, leadership, and what it means to truly serve. A native of Houston’s 18th District, Edwards shares her deep personal ties to the community and reflects on the seat’s profound history—once held by trailblazers like Barbara Jordan and Sheila Jackson Lee.

Edwards discusses the impact of Governor Greg Abbott’s delay in calling a special election, which has left nearly 800,000 residents without representation during a time of crisis. From federal budget cuts to hurricane preparedness, she outlines why this moment demands urgent, community-centered leadership.

The conversation also delves into the disconnect between elected officials and constituents, with Edwards highlighting her commitment to restoring trust and accountability. She shares personal stories—like her father’s battle with cancer and her post-Harvey recovery work—and lays out her vision for building policies that support education, economic opportunity, and reproductive justice.

Edwards makes a compelling case for re-engaging disillusioned voters and ensuring that representation is not just symbolic, but truly transformative.

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In this episode, Jen Taylor-Skinner speaks with bestselling author Lynne Olson about her powerful new book, The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück. The conversation unearths the little-known history of French women—many from the resistance—who were captured and sent to Ravensbrück, the Nazis’ only all-female concentration camp.

Though they faced starvation, disease, forced labor, and the constant threat of execution, these women refused to surrender their dignity—or their purpose. They built a covert network inside the camp, shared banned news, sabotaged Nazi efforts, and supported one another through quiet but unwavering acts of resistance.

Olson’s research and storytelling illuminate the strength of ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances—and how their defiance, though often silent, continues to echo today.

This episode is a tribute to their memory, their courage, and a timely reminder that resistance takes many forms—and every act counts.

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GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis joins The Electorette to talk about how we push forward in a moment of backlash. From corporate rollbacks on DEI to the rise of hate-fueled content online, we explore the forces working to dismantle progress—and how collective power, storytelling, and unapologetic joy can be our sharpest tools for resistance. Sarah Kate shares her “slingshot theory” of progress, and offers a rallying cry to prepare for the next election—and the long game ahead.

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