[Un]phased Unedited Podcast

The 2026 midterm elections may ultimately be remembered as a "Bluenami," as voters delivered a wave of victories that reshaped the political landscape and produced a historic set of firsts across the country. This episode explores women, African Americans, and marginalized communities that broke barriers. Senate seats flipped after decades of R3publican control, and what these results may signal for America's future.

Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa review:

✅ The historic "Bluenami" and its impact on the balance of power

✅ Why women, Black voters, young voters, and coalition politics played a decisive role

✅ The significance of multiple firsts across gender, race, ethnicity, and LGBTQ+ representation

✅ What flipped Senate seats may mean for national politics moving forward

✅ Why elections are milestones, not endpoints, in movements for change

Join the Conversation

Which result surprised you most? Which historic victory deserves more national attention? Share your thoughts and continue the conversation with us on all your favorite socials.

Listen, subscribe, and share [un]phased unedited wherever you get your podcasts.

Mentioned in the pod

Elections that haven’t been called yet: Here are the House races left on the map - NPR

Stacey Abrams: Stacey Abrams on Georgia midterm election results, wins for Democrats - NPR

Election Day in America: A Conversation with Tad Stoermer – PoliticsGirl, YouTube

Building Trans Power Beyond the 2026 Midterms - Transgender Law Center

The Most Dangerous Way to Misinterpret the Midterms - NYT

How Americans Voted in 2026 - Voter trends - NYT

This week on [un]phased Unedited, the team explore the concept of cultural continuity and the ways communities preserve customs, values, stories, and traditions across generations (for good or for bad).

Using Ryan Coogler's film, "Sinners" as a cultural touchpoint, they trace the journey of the Zaouli mask dance of the Guro people of Côte d’Ivoire through West African performance traditions, the Middle Passage, the blues, and contemporary movement culture, illustrating how cultural expression evolves while carrying ancestral meaning forward.

In the second half, Dr. Lisa leads an Election Day-themed discussion on modern political advertising and what younger generations are learning about politics in an increasingly media-driven environment. The hosts also examine the staggering cost of modern elections. According to reporting from The New York Times, more than $11.6 billion has been spent on the 2026 midterm elections, including hundreds of millions of dollars from major individual donors. The conversation asks a larger question: What could that level of investment accomplish if directed toward housing, education, healthcare, mental health services, or poverty reduction instead?

Join us for a thoughtful conversation about what societies preserve, celebrate, and fund.

Mentioned in the pod

Sinners Dancers Revealed - Juke Joint Scene Explained – YouTube

The Breathtaking Cost of the Midterms: $10 Billion and Counting on Ads - NYT

Inside Elon Musk’s $276 Million Midterm Rescue Mission for Republicans - NYT

Inside Elon Musk’s $276 Million Midterm Rescue Mission for Republicans - NYT

What happens when violence and inequality become so commonplace that we stop reacting to them?

In this episode, Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa explore the concept of desensitization and how repeated exposure shapes what we see as normal, acceptable, or inevitable. From economic policy and global conflict to historical racial violence and everyday language, they examine the ways individuals and communities become conditioned around harm.

The conversation begins with a look at the increasingly visible divide of the K-shaped economy, where prosperity and struggle often exist side by side.

The discussion then turns to history, psychology, and child development through the lens of Dr. Stacey Patton's powerful book, Strung Up! How White America Learned to Lynch Black Children. Together, they wrestle with difficult questions about how societies teach violence, how children absorb messages about humanity and belonging, and why some individuals resist oppressive systems while others reproduce them.

Throughout the episode, Shaunna and Lisa unpack the relationship between exposure and normalization. Drawing connections to adverse childhood experiences, cultural messaging, and contemporary political discourse, they examine how communities can become accustomed to language and behaviors that once would have been considered unacceptable.

"The question isn't whether we're being exposed. The question is what we're becoming accustomed to, and what that normalization costs us."

Book Club Announcement

Interested in going deeper? Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold is launching a six-week book club focused on Strung Up! How White America Learned to Lynch Black Children by Dr. Stacey Patton. Participants from a variety of backgrounds are invited to engage in thoughtful discussion about history, child development, culture, and the lasting effects of racial violence. The series will include six 90-minute sessions over six weeks, with a break for Thanksgiving. Register here:

Strung Up: Gold Enterprises' Study Hall 

Mentioned in the show 

Boosting US oil supplies with Russian diesel unlikely to have much impact on prices, experts say – ABC News

Strung Up by Stacey Patton – Penguin Random House

Stacey Patton | Howard Profiles – Howard University

In this episode of [un]phased unedited, we examine "Diaspora Wars," the tensions that surface between African Americans, continental Africans, Caribbean immigrants, and other communities across the global Black diaspora. 

We then move to the controversy surrounding a University of Maryland club tennis team email that included an altered version of the Maryland flag featuring r@cist imagery. We unpack the history of the image, the original artist's reaction to its recent use despite the passing of a decade, and the broader questions it raises about racism, symbolism, accountability, and the responsibilities that come with creating and circulating provocative imagery.

Finally, we turn to reports of a woman being assaulted at an October rally in Youngstown, Ohio while carrying a sign calling for the release of the Epstein files. As AI-generated images and misinformation spread online, we examine verified reporting, public reactions, and a difficult question: What happens when crowds become spectators to violence? We reflect on the moral obligations of bystanders when harm unfolds in plain sight.

Mentioned in the show

University of Maryland club tennis team suspended over racist imagery sent to other schools – The Guardian

Artist behind Maryland flag image reacts to UMD email - WBAL Baltimore News

T***p Supporters Have Failed The Human Test – John Pavlovitz

President Jokes Around as Rallygoer Punches Protester in the Face – The New Republic

Rally protester attacked in act of ‘senseless’ political violence, Ohio mayor says – NBC News

Fake image depicting real attack on protester at rally spreads online – Snopes.com

Every so often, we stumble upon a word that aligns seamlessly with current events. Today's vocabulary spotlight features doughty and slew as we recount the case of Christa Gail Pike following her recently botched ex*cution. Dr. Lisa and Dr. Shaunna will wrestle with broader questions regarding capital punishment in the U.S., including, what comes next in Pike's legal process, the emotional complexities experienced by co-victims, and religious/ethical debates regarding the de@th penalty.

Next, we encourage everyone to bookmark the SCOTUS docket. More than 60 cases are on the docket that will shape national policy on climate change, immigration, voting rights, f*rearms regulations, religious liberty, and parental rights. The October 2026 term is yet another of the Court's most consequential terms in recent years.

What do you think about the future of the d3ath penalty, and which Supreme Court case are you watching most closely this term? Share your thoughts and join the conversation.

Mentioned in the podcast

What’s next for Christa Pike after failed execution – WVLT8 (TN local news)

Facts About the Death Penalty — Do All Victims’ Family Members Support the Death Penalty? - Death Penalty Information Center

Court grants three cases as new term is set to begin – SCOTUS Blog

Opening the book on the October Term 2026 – SCOTUS Blog

Supreme Court gears up for new term with major cases on climate change, immigration and guns – CBS News
Docket Search - Supreme Court of the United States

What happens when a society believes that one group's gain must come at another group's expense?

In this episode of [un]phased unedited, Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa explore the concept of the zero-sum game and the powerful ways it shapes American culture, policy, and public perception. From Heather McGhee's groundbreaking book, The Sum of Us to a recent advertising controversy involving Converse, they explore how challenged we are to manage "healthy heat" through important conversations.

Listen, subscribe, and share your thoughts with us as we continue exploring the structures, stories, and assumptions that shape our world.

Mentioned in the show

Heather C. McGhee

Who the heck approved the Converse ad? – The Boston Globe

Converse pulls ad, apologizes after backlash over alleged KKK imagery, ABC News reports - Reuters

Converse Removes Ad that Drew Comparisons to KKK Imagery - NYT

Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror – Equity Justice Initiative

In this episode, Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa explore Weltschmerz — the German concept of “world-pain,” a deep, melancholic weariness about the suffering and imperfection woven into human life. 

Dr. Shaunna leads a conversation about gathering and fighting, drawing inspiration from Priya Parker’s books. They explore Parker’s idea of “healthy heat” and if it's even possible in the sociopolitical climate of the United States.

Then, Dr. Lisa takes the second half, guiding a reflection on memory and loss. As time stretches between us and pivotal moments — 9/11, the civil rights movement, the Obama presidency — they query the consequences of losing touch with the past.

Mentioned in the show

Priya Parker - Your Guide to the Art of Gathering

Over 400 celebrities signed an ACLU letter in support of Jimmy Kimmel's return to the air after being silenced by cronies of the current presidential administration. While public opposition to threats to free speech grew, we simultaneously had to navigate being presented with unwanted videos of recent public violence in the social media public square. 

Word of the Week [1:46]: Otrovert: Just like most topics on this podcast -- this one challenges the binary of introverted and extroverted ways of being.

Phase 1 [7:05]: Ethical Reporting: How do journalists navigate the razor's edge between truth-telling and harm reduction, especially when covering violence? This episode explores trauma-informed reporting, the ethics of true crime, and the remnants of Mamie Till-Mobley's radical decision to "let the world see."

Phase 2 [29:54]: Free Speech in Crisis: What does "free speech" really mean when media consolidation, executive orders, and political pressure reshape the public square? From Jimmy Kimmel's blackout and subsequent return to censorship threats, we look at the tension between constitutional rights and corporate control.

Mentioned in the show

What Is an Otrovert? 5 Signs You Belong To This Rare Personality Type - MindJournal

A mother’s bravery. Her son’s legacy – National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

The Rage: Some Closing Comments on “Open Casket” – University of California, Irvine Criminology, Law, and Society

Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship – The White House

In this episode, we explore how attempting to quell some voices simply amplifies them. We start from Amanda Montell's book, Cultish (2021) and the world of thought‑terminating clichés. These are catchy, seemingly harmless phrases that shut down curiosity, silence, dissent, and discourage deeper critical thinking. We also investigate the role of satire as a tool for social critique, using comedian Druski’s recent work to test the boundaries of racial commentary. Then we turn to modern political language: dog whistles that have evolved from Nixon‑era “law and order” messaging into today’s outright bullhorns. Using the PBS documentary White with Fear and the recent UN vote on slavery as a crime against humanity, we explore what the U.S. "no" vote reveals about American identity and collective memory. As The New York Times piece put it nicely, “It’s Not Trump. It’s America.”

Mentioned in the show

White with Fear - PBS

'The gravest crime against humanity': What does the UN vote on slavery mean? – BBC News

Opinion | It’s Not Trump. It’s America - The New York Times

In this episode, Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa debrief Tad Stoermer’s latest work on democratic resilience and the nine strategies that separate performative resistance from sustained, principled action. They trace how movements lose momentum when power is squandered — from Biden’s missed opportunities to the enduring arc toward justice.
Abusive authority will wait you out unless you build structures that can outlast it.

Mentioned in the podcast

Tad Stoermer | Substack

Tad Stoermer's Resistance History