Art of Power

Latest Episodes:

Stacey Abrams Is Writing, Organizing, And Ready To Date Jul 15, 2021

Show notes

Stacey Abrams, one of the highest profile democracy activists on the planet, is many other things: politician, entrepreneur, lawyer, novelist, even TV producer. She nearly became the first Black woman to govern a state in the U.S. In a wide-ranging conversation with Art of Power host Aarti Shahani, Abrams opens up about her inner wiring. She believes victory and defeat are rarely decisive, so stamina is key in efforts to protect the ballot. Part of her work is to give citizens a reason to believe in the system and fight “despair.” Abrams also explains why she writes novels to live the adventurous lives she cannot. And, she is a whole woman — not just a powerful leader — who is looking for love and working to improve her texting game. “I've not been great at dating,” Abrams tells Art of Power. “I think I could get better at it. I just have to practice.”

Meet The 27-Year-Old Who Changed Michigan's Constitution Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

The political divisiveness of the 2016 election led Katie Fahey to write a Facebook post. “I’d like to take on gerrymandering in Michigan,” she said. “If you’re interested in doing this as well please let me know.” Over the next two years, she found herself on an emotional, political and financial rollercoaster that was successful beyond anyone’s expectations. And it teaches an invaluable lesson: If there’s an intractable problem that needs solving, there’s also a perfect time to solve it. Even if you’re out of your element.

Gaming Mogul Kevin Chou vs. Big Tech Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

Kevin Chou, who could definitely be retired, is definitely not. He’s on a mission to wrest power away from the handful of companies that seemingly own the Internet. Chou is the founder of Kabam, a video game company behind dozens of popular mobile games. A gamer turned gaming mogul, Chou tells Art of Power host Aarti Shahani why he was initially reluctant to follow his childhood passion. He dissects how a screenshot of Elon Musk sold for $25,000 (he had a hand in that). By the end of our chat, your brain may hurt a bit, but you will understand Internet economics and human nature like never before.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, From Activist To Party Boss Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

What matters inside the halls of Congress is not how many retweets you get, it’s how many votes you control. Elected to Congress in 2016, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., has established that power with remarkable speed. She is chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which has 93 House members — over a third of House Democrats. She got her start as an activist protesting the Bush administration in the wake of 9/11. Now she’s one of the most powerful members of Congress. Jayapal tells Art of Power host Aarti Shahani how a horrific family crisis prepared her for anything — and what the pledge of allegiance means to her.

Ezra Klein Kinda Hates Twitter Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

Ezra Klein, founder of Vox.com, is now a New York Times columnist and podcaster. He wants to fix the broken system that is Congress, yet he finds himself operating from inside another broken system: mass media. Ezra talks with Art of Power host Aarti Shahani about how he’s trying to promote structural analysis — as opposed to character-driven stories — in politics. Ezra and Aarti revisit his days as a poor student — and the moment when he nearly got cancelled for a tweet. Ezra also talks about how podcasting — not Twitter — gives him a chance to really listen to the other side (and not just literally). The author of Why We’re Polarized and host of the podcast The Ezra Klein Show says he wants to find and build more open spaces in journalism. Ezra also says he’s come to learn his most basic assumption about how to win hearts and minds was all wrong.

Real Talk On Burnout Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Educating is hard work. And for the people who work for Geoffrey Canada — the man who created one of the most ambitious education models in existence — burnout is real. “It sounds glib when I say this work is not for everybody, but it’s not for everybody for their entire life,” Canada says on Art of Power. “When you’ve served well and it’s time for you to move on, I want to give you nothing for respect and love, because you did what you could do for as long as you could do it.” In this episode, Canada explains his views on burnout. He also explains his crazy idea that was eventually adopted by the federal government: If you want to help kids in poor communities, you have to invest in both the kids and the communities. He tells Art of Power host Aarti Shahani about how he grew up in poverty, broke out with the help of a good education, witnessed the lives of the well-to-do, and then came back home to build a school system in Harlem that at one point earned 100% of his students college acceptance letters. This episode was originally published on April 29.

Founder Of Girls Who Code, Reshma Saujani Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

Reshma Saujani used to be a Big Tech evangelist. She raised a lot of money to build Girls Who Code, a celebrated organization that’s trained nearly half a million girls and young women in tech. But in recent years, she’s come to question if companies like Google have the will to change. For the first time, she goes on the record to talk about retaliation she believed she experienced for publicly questioning Google’s values.

Ai-jen Poo, Godmother Of Social Movements May 27, 2021

Show notes

Ai-jen Poo’s life’s work involves bringing dignity and fairness to domestic workers, often women of color, who care for our children and elders and clean our homes. She has mentored and employed leading activists, including a founder of Black Lives Matter. She’s a hidden force in American politics. Her decades-long crusade has made the “care economy” part of President Joe Biden’s agenda. And as a woman of privilege leading a constituency with far less of it, she has grappled her entire life with a question that others have raised too: What is my place in this movement?

Sal Khan, Founder Of Khan Academy May 20, 2021

Show notes

Sal Khan challenged the education model we’ve been using for centuries. In so doing, he created the largest school in existence. He explains how he wanted Khan Academy to offer a world class education — like a Harvard or an Oxford — except online and free for everyone. He succeeded. And in this episode, we make him explain how he had the confidence to be a revolutionary.

Barack Obama Redefines What It Means To Be A Man May 13, 2021

Show notes

Former President Barack Obama tells ‘Art of Power’ that society has made progress in recognizing the most toxic elements of bad behavior by men. Now, he wants to flip the focus. “What are the positive values that we're trying to instill in our boys?” Obama tells host Aarti Shahani. “Showing compassion is not weakness. Listening is as important as talking.” Hear the former president explain his experience balancing ambition with family obligations, how he wants to expand the definition of what it means to be a man, and how he thinks the stories we tell about right and wrong have tremendous power.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected