The Resistbot Podcast

✊🤖 Join us for our tenth episode to learn about congregate care and the problems in the “Troubled Teen Industry” with Dr. Athena Kolbe and Dr. Vanessa Hughes of Breaking Code Silence, a social movement organized by activists and survivors of institutional child abuse. If you liked this episode, join us on Twitter on Tuesday, December 7 at 7:30 pm ET for a spaces conversation on this subject with our panel.

Mentioned on the Air

• Breaking Code Silence
• Congregate Care: Far from Home, Far from Safe
• Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

What You Can Do to Help

• Please Support/Co-Sponsor The Accountability for Congregate Care Act 2021
• Donate to Breaking Code Silence
• Volunteer for Breaking Code Silence

This Week's Panel

• Melanie
• Athena
• Susan
• Christine
• Dr. Athena Kolbe
• Dr. Vanessa Hughes

Watch Live Sundays at 1 pm

• Twitch
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Facebook

Episode edited by Angel Barrera. If you need a show edited, you can find her on Twitter here!

✊🤖 Join us for our ninth episode, where we'll get a clear picture of what American life looks like for our indigenous neighbors and the need for supportive allyship from Jaike SpottedWolf, a water protector and member of the Mandan, Hidatsu, and Arikara tribes.

Mentioned on the Air

• Return the Land
• The Erasure of Native America
• Joy is Resistance, The Water Protectors of Camp Migizi

Support Jaike and the Water Protectors

• Camp Migizi Amazon Wishlist
• Donate to $JaikeSpottedWolf with Cash.app
• Donate to @Jaike-SpottedWolf with Venmo

Related Petitions

• Vote No on H.R. 1374
• Please Stop Line 3
• Water Rights are Human Rights

This Week's Panel

• Melanie
• Athena
• Susan
• Christine
• Jaike

Watch Live Sundays at 1 pm

• Twitch
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Facebook

Episode edited by Angel Barrera. If you need a show edited, you can find her on Twitter here!

✊🤖 Join us for our eighth episode featuring an interview with Laura Goodhue, V.P. of Public Policy at Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, and a discussion of reproductive rights—under threat in the United States.

Mentioned on the Air

• Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
• The Marshall Project
• They Belong to Us by Susan Stutz

Related Petitions

• Protect Women’s Healthcare, pass H.R.3755/S.1975
• Stand up for Abortion rights and a Woman’s Right to Choose
• Vote YES to pass WHPA of 2021
• Protect Reproductive Rights

This Week's Panel

• Melanie
• Athena
• Susan
• Laura Goodhue

Watch Live Sundays at 1 pm

• Twitch
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Facebook

Episode edited by Angel Barrera. If you need a show edited you can find her on Twitter here!

✊🤖 Join us for our seventh episode filled with lots of valuable information about voting rights, voter registration, voter ID, and voter suppression with expert Debra Cleaver, founder of Vote.org and VoteAmerica; as well as the history of the Voting Rights Act, and things you can do to help register and turn out voters in future elections.

Mentioned on the Air

• Mississippi Votes
• APIA Vote
• Move Texas
• AAPI Fund
• VoteAmerica

Notable Petitions

• H.R.1 & John Lewis Act
• Vote Yes on the Freedom to Vote Act
• Honor John Lewis - Pass H.R.4

This Week's Panel

• Melanie
• Christine
• Athena
• Dr. Coohill
• Debra

Watch Live Sundays at 1 pm on

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Show edited by Angel Barrera, if you need a show edited you can find her on Twitter!

✊🤖 Join us for our sixth episode covering domestic violence featuring family law professor Linda Weiksnar, who's also on the board of directors of Safe Space Florida. This episode is essential for anyone who is a victim of domestic violence or thinks someone they know may be: learn from Linda how to escape a bad situation, red flags, and more.

• 0:00 - Cue the Music
• 0:51 - Melanie Introduces the Show
• 2:37 - Introducing the Panel
• 3:08 - Christine Lu
• 5:04  - Athena Fulay
• 7:14 - Susan Stutz
• 10:11 - Interview with Linda Weiksnar
• 20:44 - Panel Discussion
• 23:47 - The Violence Against Women Act
• 26:48 - Panel Discussion Continued
• 27:52 - Red Flags
• 38:17 - Closing Plugs

If you have feedback or want to volunteer, email [email protected] or learn more about the bot on our website.

This Week's Panel

• Melanie
• Christine
• Athena
• Susan
• Linda

Watch Live Sundays at 1 pm

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Use the Chatbot

• iMessage
• Telegram
• Twitter
• Messenger
• Or text the word “resist” to the number 50409

Support Resistbot

• Resistbot Guide for Organizers
• Download the iOS App
• Follow on Twitter
• Like on Instagram
• Like on Facebook

Relevant Petitions

• Violence Against Women Act
• Reauthorize an Expanded VAWA that Builds on H.R.1620
• Survivors of Domestic Violence Need You to Vote YES on H.R. 2119

Referenced in the Show

• Women's Law
• The Hotline
• Women Against Abuse
• Social Solutions
• Rule of Thumb
• Safe Space Florida
• Dress for Success
• Sisters PGH
• Justice Democrats
• Emily's List

✊🤖 Join us for our fifth episode covering real American immigration stories. Our first story is from our own Christine Lu, who immigrated to the United States from Taiwan as a two-year-old in the 1970s; and "Cece" who is in the process of immigrating to the United States from Nigeria as she is fleeing politically motivated sexual violence. Please skip this chapter if you don't want to hear this sensitive content.

• 0:00 - Cue the music 
• 0:54 - Moderator Melanie Starts the Show
• 4:01 - Christine Lu's American Story
• 19:11 - Cece's American Story
• 41:09 - Panel and Q&A
• 54:18 - Wrap and End Credits

If you have feedback or want to volunteer, email [email protected] or learn more about the bot on our website.

This week’s guests, in order of appearance

• Melanie
• Christine
• Athena
• Susan

Watch the live show Sundays at 1 pm on

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Use the chatbot on

• iMessage
• Telegram
• Twitter
• Messenger
• Or text the word “resist” to the number 50409

Support Resistbot

• Resistbot Guide for Organizers
• Download the iOS App
• Follow on Twitter
• Like on Instagram
• Like on Facebook

Referenced in the Show

• Our American Stories by Scot Mactaggart
• Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the U.S. from Pew Research
• Refugee Resettlement Resources in Ohio
• Refugee Resettlement Resources from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement

✊🤖 Join us for our fourth episode: an interview with Prof. Nancy A. Oretskin, J.D. and emeritus professor from New Mexico State University. Nancy is an attorney that has been representing asylum seekers pro bono at the border near El Paso, Texas since 2010; and is a preeminent expert in migration, asylum, and immigration.

• 0:00 - Cue the music 
• 1:00 - Introducing this week's moderator: Melanie Dione
• 2:31 - Introducing this week's panel: Susan, Christine, Dr. Coohill, and Athena
• 7:51 - Kicking off the interview with Prof. Nancy A. Oretskin
• 22:50 - Seeking Asylum from Asia
• 25:10 - Has Asylum Changed Between Administrations?
• 28:04 - What Evidence is Required?
• 31:05 - History of Asylum with Prof. Buzzkill
• 35:45 - What is the Ideal Policy?
• 39:19 - The Remain in Mexico Program
• 42:58 - What Americans Can Do Right Now
• 47:29 - Land vs. Air Crossings
• 50:08 - Key Takeaways and Panel Wrap
• 57:26 - End Credits

If you have feedback or want to volunteer, email [email protected] or learn more about the bot on our website.

This week’s guests, in order of appearance

• Melanie
• Christine
• Susan
• Joe
• Athena
• Nancy

Watch the live show Sundays at 1 pm on

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Use the chatbot on

• iMessage
• Telegram
• Twitter
• Messenger
• Or text the word “resist” to the number 50409

Support Resistbot

• Resistbot Guide for Organizers
• Download the iOS App
• Follow on Twitter
• Like on Instagram
• Like on Facebook

Referenced in the Show

• Fronteras 711: Southwest Asylum and Migration Institute at NPR
• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Annunciation House
• Catholic Charities
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network
• USCIS

✊🤖 Join us for our third episode covering the interconnected issues of Infrastructure, Reconciliation, Filibuster, and the Debt Ceiling in Congress. Today we introduce Christine Lu, co-founder of Cross Border Lab and America Innovates for a global and AAPI perspective.

• 0:00 - Intro 
• 2:58 - Welcome Christine Lu 
• 5:48 - Introducing Infrastructure, Reconciliation, Filibuster
• 8:40 - Melanie with Audience Q&A
• 13:04 - Professor Buzzkill
• 15:31 - Spotlight on the Violence Against Women Act
• 18:49 - Spotlight on HBCU Funding
• 21:51 - The History of the Debt Ceiling
• 29:39 - How the U.S. is Viewed from Abroad
• 35:01 - Civics Education
• 39:12 - Debt Ceiling and the Age of Obama
• 42:40 - Bipartisan Support for Infrastructure
• 47:05 - The Status Quo
• 50:46 - Wrap

If you have feedback or want to volunteer, email [email protected] or learn more about the bot on our website.

This week’s guests, in order of appearance

• Scot
• Christine
• Susan
• Melanie
• Joe

Watch the live show Sundays at 1 pm on

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Use the chatbot on

• iMessage
• Telegram
• Twitter
• Messenger
• Or text the word “resist” to the number 50409

Support Resistbot

• Resistbot Guide for Organizers
• Download the iOS App
• Follow on Twitter
• Like on Instagram
• Like on Facebook

Referenced in the Show

• How the Infrastructure Deal Might Test the Limit of Popular Bills at 538
• Save the Women by Susan Stutz
• House Renews Violence Against Women Act, But Senate Hurdles Remain at NPR

✊🤖 Join us for our second episode and the second part of our series on disability programs. Our guest today is Vilissa Thompson, LMSW, a macro-minded social worker from South Carolina.  Ramp Your Voice! is her organization where she discusses the issues that matter to her as a Black disabled woman, including intersectionality, racism, politics, and why she unapologetically makes good trouble.

• 0:00 - Welcome to Episode 2
• 2:50 - Introducing Jason Putorti, co-creator of Resistbot, and the Resistbot origin story
• 8:40 - Re-introducing Susan Stutz and Melanie Dionne to bring us back into #DemolishDisabledPoverty and social security safety net programs
• 12:58 - How the SSI legislation is working its way through Congress
• 16:38 - Introducing Vilissa Thompson to discuss her perspective on the challenges of navigating complex systems of disability programs
• 33:51 - Q&A for Vilissa
• 44:07 - Putting the SSI campaign in context with other popular issues in Resistbot history
• 48:57 - How organizers can best use Resistbot to advance issue campaigns or turn out votes
• 54:24 - Useful keywords for individual Resistbot users

If you have feedback or want to volunteer, email [email protected] or learn more about the bot on our website.

This week’s guests, in order of appearance

• Scot
• Jason
• Susan
• Melanie
• Vilissa

Watch the live show Sundays at 1 pm on

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Use the chatbot on

• iMessage
• Telegram
• Twitter
• Messenger
• Or text the word “resist” to the number 50409

Support Resistbot

• Download the iOS App
• Follow on Twitter
• Like on Instagram
• Like on Facebook

Referenced in the Show

• Improve SSI in Recovery Bill Petition 
• Congress Must Include SSI + HCBS in Build Back Better Petition
• Resistbot Guide for Organizers
• Save the Women by Susan Stutz

✊🤖 Our premiere episode is a discussion of the ongoing movement to end disabled poverty and to fix SSI and SSDI programs.

• 0:00 - Moderator Scot Mactaggart introduces the show.
• 2:26 - Introducing Susan Stutz, Resistbot policy writer, and content researcher, to open today’s topic of SSI and the #DemolishDisabledPoverty campaign.
• 9:20 - Introducing Athena Fulay in Washington D.C., community organizer, and Resistbot outreach volunteer, discussing the experience of delivering Resistbot letters in person to Congressional offices.
• 16:50 - Introducing Dr. Joseph Coohill (a.k.a. Professor Buzzkill) a 25-year professor of history who’s taught at Duquesne University, Penn State, and Oxford.
• 20:11 - Introducing Melanie Dione; writer, podcaster, and event organizer in New Orleans, La.; and the text for the Improve SSI in Recovery Bill petition.
• 31:07 - Introducing Matthew Berwick, disability advocate and President of the United Spinal Association of Western Pa, to discuss his personal experiences.
• 39:54 - Panel discussion on SSI/SSDI
• 1:08:24 - Outro

If you have comments, feedback, or want to volunteer, email [email protected] anytime; or learn more about Resistbot on our website.

This week’s guests, in order of appearance

• Scot
• Susan
• Athena
• Joe
• Melanie
• Matt

See the live show Sundays at 1 pm on

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• Facebook

Use the chatbot on

• iMessage
• Telegram
• Twitter
• Messenger
• Or text the word “resist” to the number 50409

Support Resistbot

• Download the iOS App
• Follow on Twitter
• Like on Instagram
• Like on Facebook
• Resistbot Guide for Organizers

Referenced in the Show

• Improve SSI in Recovery Bill Petition 
• Congress Must Include SSI + HCBS in Build Back Better Petition
• Matthew Cortland 
• World Suicide Prevention Day and Month by Susan Stutz
• The New New Deal by Susan Stutz