Two Kids from Sac

It’s midterm season, and Melanie and Jahmal are taking this one personally.

In this Election Special, the Two Kids from Sac get candid about why voting matters, how it really works, and what to do after you drop off your ballot.

Melanie remembers giving a keynote the morning after the 2016 election, and why she still focused on the honor of casting a vote. Jahmal shares the morning his daughter walked in and asked, “Daddy, what happened?” They talk about the Jim Crow tests their elders faced just to vote, a friendship between John Kasich and Ron Dellums that proves you can disagree without disrespect, and why the water board and your community college district deserve as much attention as the governor’s race.

Then they make it practical:

Think differently. Didn’t vote in 2024? Now’s your time.
Influence intentionally. Call five to eight people and ask: Did you get your ballot? Did you turn it in? Do you need help?
Move courageously. Have a plan, bring a partner, and vote early if you can.

California voters: Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. You’ll find ballot info and both sides of every measure at sos.ca.gov.

Hosted by Melanie M. Shelby and Wm. Jahmal Miller. Produced by Storyline Media Group.
Dreams, Grit and Graceful Revelations.

00:00 Welcome back
01:00 OND: prime time for spirits
04:19 A bucket-list room: Stedman Graham, Eric Holder and Dr. Sharon Malone
06:56 Election night 2016 and a keynote the next morning
10:07 “Daddy, what happened?” and the drop in civility
13:05 The vote is the beginning (and how laws really get made)
14:37 Civics class, and “How do I change my vote?”
16:50 Your whole ballot, not just the top
18:23 Who paid for that ad?
18:52 Local measures and your tax dollars
21:09 Jim Crow voting tests and the duty to be informed
22:12 A polling place at our elementary school
23:57 Kasich and Dellums: disagree without disrespect
25:14 Melanie ran for office twice
26:47 Why your vote is worth protecting
28:33 Why the stakes feel personal
33:25 Think, influence, move: your voting plan
35:46 After you vote: stay engaged

What happens when we stop simply using technology and start imagining what we could create?

Melanie Shelby and William Jahmal Miller welcome Tiffani Alvidrez to Two Kids From Sac for a conversation about mentorship, political power, and making room for our communities in the future of AI. From her Central Valley upbringing to California’s Capitol and a career at NVIDIA, Tiffani shares how community, curiosity, and a willingness to step into unfamiliar spaces shaped her journey.

Together, they explore what it takes for Black and Brown communities to move from consumers to creators, why local civic engagement matters, and the responsibility to bring others along as we advance. It’s a conversation about seeing opportunity, asking better questions, and using the tools already in our hands to build something bigger.

Melanie and Jahmal return from summer break with a new set, a renewed sense of purpose, and an honest conversation about meeting this moment with courage, clarity, and community.

From personal healing and choosing joy to civic responsibility and preserving Black history, this season opener connects the work we do within ourselves to the impact we can have around us. Rooted in their Sacramento upbringing and the generations who paved the way, the hosts explore what it means to think differently, influence intentionally, and move courageously.

In this episode:

• Sacramento roots, global perspective: How growing up in Rosemont and North Highlands continues to shape their lives and leadership.

• Healing and choosing joy: Melanie reflects on a summer of prioritizing mental health, embracing support, and learning to lead in love.

• The power of community: Why we need people who support us, hold us accountable, and want to see us healthy and whole.

• Civic engagement with intention: The responsibility to seek reliable information, understand what’s on the ballot, and honor the sacrifices behind our right to vote.

• Protecting our history: The importance of preserving family stories, sharing Black history, and learning from those who came before us.

• Connection as a daily practice: How reaching out to someone sitting alone can open the door to meaningful community, especially for isolated elders.

• The courage to begin again: Navigating entrepreneurship, uncertainty, and reinvention without needing every next step mapped out.

A thought to carry with you:

“Sometimes the smallest things can afford the greatest opportunities.”

Put the conversation into action:

Make one intentional connection this week. Reach out to an elder, introduce yourself to someone sitting alone, or check in on a friend. Take time to learn about the issues shaping your community—and choose one courageous step toward the life or impact you want to create.

Coming this season: Conversations with civic, business, and community leaders that bring perspective and practical action to the challenges ahead.

Produced with Jesse Delgado and Storyline Media Productions.