Civic Cipher

Latest Episodes:

Tyler McBrien managing editor of Lawfare Discusses the Justice Department Deleting Press Releases (Second Half) Jul 18, 2026

Show notes

Tyler McBrien is the managing editor of Lawfare. He previously worked as an editor with the Council on Foreign Relations and a Princeton in Africa Fellow in South Africa. He is joining us to discuss his recent article in Lawfare, "The Justice Department Erases History; Lawfare Restores It"

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Seth Stern on Daniel ‘Dez’ Sanchez’s 30-Year Prison Sentence for Transporting Zines (First Half) Jul 11, 2026

Show notes

Seth Stern is the chief of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF). Seth’s articles about press freedom have been published by outlets like The Guardian, The Intercept, Rolling Stone, and Columbia Journalism Review. Seth and FPF’s advocacy teamwork in collaboration with independent bloggers, incarcerated journalists, major national news outlets and civil liberties organizations to promote laws and policies that allow public-interest journalism to thrive. Before joining FPF, Seth practiced media and First Amendment law for 13 years. He has an article in The Intercept now entitled "30-Year Sentence for Transporting Zines Is a Five-Alarm Fire for Free Speech."

In the first half of the show, we discuss the incident that led to Daniel ‘Dez’ Sanchez’s 30-year prison sentence and the implications of this precedent.

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Seth Stern on Daniel ‘Dez’ Sanchez’s 30-Year Prison Sentence for Transporting Zines (Second Half) Jul 11, 2026

Show notes

In the second half of the show, we discuss how this case can have a ripple effect on free speech and journalism and press protections in this country moving forward.

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Gillen Tener Martin on Gavin Newsom’s Approach to Dealing with Homelessness in California (First Half) Jul 04, 2026

Show notes

Gillen Tener Martin is a journalist and the Features Editor at the Washington Monthly, which recently published her article entitled "Gavin Newsom’s Tragic Mistake on Homelessness" We speak with Gillen via Zoom for the first half of the show.

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Bernie Sanders-Endorsed Councilman Bobby Nichols Discusses the Recent Slew of Wins by Democratic Socialists (Second Half) Jul 04, 2026

Show notes

Bobby Nichols is Tempe, Arizona's first Democratic Socialist City Councilmember and one of a slate of candidates endorsed by Bernie Sanders. Bobby is the former Phoenix Democratic Socialist of America's chapter chair and current member. He is the founder of Arizona Works Together, a pro-union political action committee operating at the state level. Additionally, Bobby Nichols works for the Office of the Arizona Attorney General as a state attorney representing Arizona's Departments of Child Safety and Economic Security in Superior and Administrative Court cases involving the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of minor children and vulnerable adults. We speak with Bobby Nichols for the second half of the show.

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Anna Rondon Discusses Toxic Uranium Mining on Navajo Tribal Lands (First Half) Jun 27, 2026

Show notes

Uranium mining on Navajo Nation land began in 1944 to supply the U.S. government with the radioactive ore used in nuclear bombs. About 30 million tons of uranium were extracted by the time operations on the reservation ceased in 1986. The environmental contamination from this effort left much of the Navajo Reservation uninhabitable and has had severe health consequences on residents to this day. The reservation is the largest by area in the United States, spanning Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, and about 170,000 of the approximately 400,000 enrolled members of the Navajo Nation reside within its borders. Many of the rest live in nearby communities whose drinking water has been poisoned by uranium contamination. Now several companies including Dick Cheney’s former mining operation are amongst those trying to revive uranium extraction in the area…Joining us today to discuss this issue is Anna Rondon. Anna is a Tribal member of the Navajo Nation and the Executive Director of the Gallup based New Mexico Social Justice Equity Institute.

In the first half of the show, we discuss how the mines have affected workers, their children and their animals. We also discuss which companies are looking to revive the mining efforts on these lands.

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Anna Rondon Discusses Toxic Uranium Mining on Navajo Tribal Lands (Second Half) Jun 27, 2026

Show notes

In the second half of the show, we discuss the fallout of the toxicity and how it is manifested in the native populations. We discuss reparations and the lack of government intervention. We also discuss how listeners can offer support.

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A Conversation with Kamal Johnson—Former Mayor of Hudson, NY (First Half) Jun 13, 2026

Show notes

Kamal Johnson is a former mayor of Hudson, New York, community leader, and youth advocate.

Raised in Hudson and elected as the city’s youngest mayor, and first African American to hold the position. Kamal built a reputation for leading with honesty about issues many public officials avoid discussing openly — trauma, violence, poverty, mental health, generational survival, and what it means to try to heal while carrying the weight of leadership.

Before serving as mayor, he worked for years in youth development, mental health, and community outreach, supporting young people and families navigating many of the same challenges he experienced growing up. His work has focused on violence prevention, youth empowerment, economic equity, housing, education, and creating systems that actually see people instead of just managing them.

In the first half of the conversation, we discuss his inspiration to get into politics, universal basic income, police training, and unresolved trauma in impoverished communities.

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A Conversation with Kamal Johnson—Former Mayor of Hudson, NY Jun 13, 2026

Show notes

Kamal Johnson is a former mayor of Hudson, New York, community leader, and youth advocate.

In the second half of the conversation, we discuss many of the programs he launched during his tenure that were youth-focused, and the impact those had on the community. We end the conversation discussing socialism’s place in the U.S. and he shares his thoughts on Mamdani and other elected officials.

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Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women—A Conversation with Survivor Jamie Lee Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

Jamie Lee is a Native American kidnapping survivor whose story gives insight into the scores of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and the hardships they endure getting support. This conversation includes support organizations as well as other helpful tools that give insight into this heartbreaking issue.

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