Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Latest Episodes:

Special Election Episode: The Next President Nov 04, 2020

Show notes

Steve, Sharline and data scientist Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega give us a post-Election Day update of everything that went down last night. They talk about what surprised them, what gives them hope for the future of the New American Majority, and what to expect over the next several hours and days. REFERENCES: Scott Walker - @scottwalker - 45 Governor of Wisconsin (2011-2019) John Loredo - former member of the Arizona House of Representatives (1997-2005), Founder Arizona Wins! @JohnLoredo10 http://az-wins.org/ Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein - senior editor at The Atlantic and senior political analyst for CNN - Twitter thread https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1323644768807628802 Excerpt from thread: An E-day thread: For 4 years, Trump has governed as a wartime president for red America, w/blue America, not any foreign adversary as the target. That's provoked an enormous reaction from the diverse, well-educated urban centers & inner suburbs driving eco growth & innovation Ronald Brownstein // The Atlantic - The GOP’s Demographic Doom Millenials and Gen Z are only a few years away from dominating the electorate https://theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/10/millennials-and-gen-z-will-soon-dominate-us-elections/616818/ Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips podcast with special guest Ron Brownstein - One Virus, Two Americas https://democracyincolor.com/podepisodes/2020/4/2/one-virus-two-americas Tram Nguyen // The New York Times - Democrats Could Learn A Lot from What Happened in Virginia https://nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/virginia-election-democrats.html

The Four Things to Watch on Election Night Oct 29, 2020

Show notes

With just five days left before Election Day, we offer a How-To guide of what to watch for as election results unfold on November 3rd. We hone in on the top four signs to watch for to get a sense of who is going to win. Our favorite data scientist, Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega, breaks down which states and counties to keep an eye on—and at what time of the night. Also, Steve and Dr. Julie give us their quick gut-check: whether they think certain swing states will end up going for Biden or Trump. REFERENCES: Election Night 2020 - Follow Along At Home With Democracy in Color on Election Night http://democracyincolor.com/election Dave Wasserman // NBC News - Will Trump Win Again? Watch Florida’s Sumter County for first election night clue. https://nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/will-trump-win-again-watch-florida-s-sumter-county-first-n1243497 Allen Smith // NBC News - 'Nothing happening': Third-party candidacies appear less a factor in 2020 https://nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/nothing-happening-third-party-candidacies-appear-less-factor-2020-n1240433 Protect the Results - https://protecttheresults.com

Why Trump’s Health Matters to Democrats Oct 15, 2020

Show notes

Trump didn't believe in COVID; then he got COVID. Then he got better (or so it is seeming, at least for now). Schadenfreude abounded especially when the news that he had tested positive for the virus was first announced. In this episode, we talk about why our country, this election, and Democrats’ prospects for taking back the White House and Senate are better off if No. 45’s health stays steady/doesn't take a nosedive. Our special guest Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and Twitter celeb for his insightful posts on Trump’s health, shares with us his thoughts on the president’s medical outlook. [17:22] And data scientist extraordinaire Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega joins us to explain why the top two Senate races that progressives should be supporting in these final weeks before Election Day are those in Georgia and Texas. [37:21] Also this episode—our 30th—marks the one-year anniversary of this podcast! Thank you to all of our listeners! REFERENCES: Dr. Bob Wachter - @Bob_Wachter Steve Phillips // The Nation - These Are the States to Focus on to Flip the Senate https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/elections-senate-texas-georgia/ The New York Times // Tram Nguyen - Democrats Could Learn a Lot From What Happened in Virginia States Don’t Become Battlegrounds Overnight https://nytimes.com/2019/11/06/opinion/virginia-election-democrats.html Megan Thee Stallion - @theestallion Megan Thee Stallion // The New York Times - Why I Speak Up for Black Women https://nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/megan-thee-stallion-black-women.html Susan Sandler - Series of Essays: When I First Found Out I had Cancer - Website http://Braincancerandme.com Senate Candidates Raphael Warnock for GA - https://warnockforgeorgia.com Jon Ossof for GA - https://electjon.com MJ Hagar for TX - https://mjfortexas.com Sara Gideon for ME - https://saragideon.com Jamie Harrison for SC - https://jaimeharrison.com Organizations New Virginia Majority - https://newvirginiamajority.org New Georgia Project Action Fund - https://www.ngpaf.org Texas Organizing Project Website - https://organizetexas.org

What You Can Do Before Election Day Oct 01, 2020

Show notes

With Election Day only 33 days away, we answer a question on everyone’s mind—What more can I do in these final few weeks? In this episode, we offer suggestions on top actions you can take right now to make a difference before November 3rd. We also sit down with Krystal Ortiz, a director of NEWCO Strategies, who shares insight about strategic election-related volunteering options. Steve describes NEWCO, a political consulting firm, as “a quiet, behind-the-scenes force supporting a lot of the most important work happening in progressive politics and social change in this country.” Steve also discusses what recent developments since RBG’s death have revealed about the exact nature of the fight we are currently in as a nation and why Democrats and progressives need to get clear on this, and fast. REFERENCES: Krystal Ortiz, Director at NEWCO Strategies - https://newcostrategies.com/krystal-ortiz - @klortiz14 Campaign Healthy Website - @EatReal2Win - https://healthycampaign.org The New York Times // Lisa Lerer - ‘Election Stress Disorder,’ the Sequel https://nytimes.com/2020/09/24/us/politics/election-stress-disorder.html Bobby Seale Founder of the Black Panthers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Seale Nse Ufot @NseUfot - Clip - Q&A: And She Could Be Next https://youtube.com/watch?v=rvcURUQhK0s And She Could Be Next - https://andshecouldbenext.com Where to Donate: Arizona Wins - http://az-wins.org New Georgia Project Action Fund Website - @ngpaction - https://ngpaf.org New Florida Majority Website - @NewFLMajority - https://newfloridamajority.org One Pennsylvania Website - @OnePennsylvania - https://onepa.org/vote Casa in Action Website - @CASAinAction - https://casainaction.org/pennsylvania Where to Volunteer if you have Time and Energy: Swing Left’s The Last Weekends - https://thelastweekends.org/democracyincolor Vote Forward Website - @votefwd - https://votefwd.org/democracyincolor Protecting Voting Results: Protect the Results - https://protecttheresults.com Power the Polls - @PowerThePolls - https://powerthepolls.org Television Show Choices: Krystal: Schitt’s Creek, CBC/Netflix Sharline: Avatar The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon/Netflix Steve: Ted Lasso, Apple+; The Bridge, BBC; Trapped, BBC

Are We Going To Win? Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

We are here for you. In this episode, we offer insight and analysis to help talk you and your friends off the ledge as we all anxiously wait and work towards the November elections, which is less than 50 days away. We offer facts and information to back up our assertion that we truly believe Democrats have—in a fair election—an electoral advantage, even in a number of swing states. We hope this episode will sustain you and help you focus your energy and efforts in these final weeks before Election Day. REFERENCES: Ron Brownstein - @RonBrownstein Joy Reid - @JoyAnnReid // TheReidOut https://msnbc.com/reidout POLLS Voter Doubt of 2020 Outcome Possible - Monmouth University Poll https://monmouth.edu/polling-institute/documents/monmouthpoll_us_091020.pdf/ The New York Times/Siena College National Poll https://scri.siena.edu/2020/06/24/biden-leads-trump-50-36-in-national-poll/ ORGANIZATIONS Fairfight https://fairfight.com PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) https://pcun.org Vote Save America https://votesaveamerica.com Plant Based Fitness Oakland https://plantbfitness.com/ MEDIA The New York Times // Astead W. Herndon Minnesota Seemed Ripe for a Trump Breakout. It Has Not Arrived. https://nytimes.com/2020/09/13/us/politics/Minnesota-poll-Biden-Trump.html NPR Politics Podcast with Domenico Montanaro https://npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast Brown is the New White // Steve Phillips https://thenewpress.com/books/brown-new-white GENERAL FiveThirtyEight Presidential Forecast https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/ Nixon’s campaign and “law and order” position https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon_1968_presidential_campaign Voting Right Act of 1965 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965

Pass or Fail?: Report Cards for Democratic Super PACs Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

Hot off the press! Democracy in Color just released our 2020 Report Cards on the Democratic Party SuperPACs—the organizations that raise and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to elect Democratic candidates. These SuperPACs have already raised more than $600 million. We issue these Report Cards to reveal how these organizations are performing so far this cycle, whether they are on track in terms of spending and strategizing to win on Election Day. Spoiler alert: Most of them are barely getting passing grades. We also take a moment to remember actor Chadwick Boseman, who starred in Black Panther and other movies, and who recently passed away at the age of 43. References: Democratic SuperPACs 2020 Report Cards: The Good, The Bad, and The Wasteful https://democracyincolor.com/2020overview Ludovic Blain - @LudovicSpeaks // California Donor Table https://californiadonortable.org Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams // Fair Fight https://fairfight.com Tram Nguyen - @TramNVM // New Virginia Majority https://newvirginiamajority.org Tom Steyer - @TomSteyer // NextGen America https://nextgenamerica.org Chadwick Boseman - @chadwickbosman // Black Panther - https://marvel.com/movies/black-panther

The Kamala Harris We Know Aug 20, 2020

Show notes

Few people know Kamala Harris like we in the Bay Area do. We discuss Joe Biden’s selection of the former San Francisco district attorney and Oakland native as his running mate. We also hear from one of Kamala’s long-time mentees—another Bay Area political star—Lateefah Simon, who was hired by Kamala 20 years ago despite not having a college degree at the time. Simon, an award-winning nonprofit leader and elected official who is currently president of the Akonadi Foundation where she runs one of the leading racial justice foundations in the country, talks about what it’s like when your mentor becomes the Democratic vice presidential candidate. She also shares how Kamala’s belief in the potential of and encouragement of young women like herself is just one example of her commitment to improving society and the lives of others. References: Lateefah Simon - @lateefahsimon // Lateefah for BART https://www.lateefahforbart.com Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris 2009 Bart shooting - Oscar Grant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Oscar_Grant Organizations Akonadi Foundation Website https://akonadi.org Bart Board Website https://bart.gov/about/bod MacArthur Fellows Program - Website https://macfound.org Young Women’s Freedom Center Website https://youngwomenfree.org Videos Joe Biden Introduces Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) As Running Mate Clip https://youtube.com/watch?v=ymyY7jez0rM Kamala Harris on George Floyd Clip https://youtube.com/watch?v=d_2KIrsaddA Kamala Harris on her mother Clip https://twitter.com/mayaharris_/status/1293342255089168390

Veepstakes! - The women who could be vice president (Part 2) Aug 06, 2020

Show notes

A vice presidential candidate will be chosen by Joe Biden any day now. The top six finalists are Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Karen Bass, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth and Val Demings. We discuss the historic significance of this year's vice presidential selection process. We also dive into factors Biden is likely weighing before making his decision, and the maddening critique of some Black women contenders as being “too ambitious.” And lastly, Steve, who is friends with four of the people Biden has considered, offers his prediction—who he thinks the winner of the 2020 Veepstakes will be! References: Democracy in Color - The White List https://democracyincolor.com/signhr40 Potential VP Picks Stacey Abrams - @staceyabrams Karen Bass - @RepKarenBass Val Demings - @RepValDemings Tammy Duckworth - @SenDuckworth Kamala Harris - @KamalaHarris Susan Rice - @AmbassadorRice Elizabeth Warren - @SenWarren Book Richard Ben Cramer // What It Takes: The Way to the White House https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/380057.What_It_Takes Scholarship Cecil Rhodes Scholarship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Rhodes Organization Venceremos Brigade - Website https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venceremos_Brigade Audio Clip C-SPAN - John McCain Speech 2008 Republican Convention https://www.c-span.org/video/?280812-2/open-phones

Passing the Baton Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

With the recent passing of Civil Rights legends Congressman John Lewis and Reverend C.T. Vivian, many people are focusing on who will take the baton of leadership and carry it forward. In today’s episode, we are joined by two of the country’s most inspirational young leaders — Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and Stockton First Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs whose work will be featured in a new HBO documentary, “Stockton On My Mind,” which debuts July 28th. From Universal Basic Income to fighting for gender justice to being new parents, Michael and Anna discuss their respective and collective work to carry on the struggle for justice and equality. References: Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs - @MichaelDTubbs Stockton 1st Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs - @annas_tea_ Video Clips Washington University in St. Louis - U.S. Rep John Lewis on Bloody in Selma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjZZ3r7Nuuk Visionary Project - C.T. Vivian: Freedom Rides https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zTjNKLVLO4 The Obama White House - President Obama Delivers Remarks on the 50th Anniversary of the Selma Marches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvAIvauhQGQ The Obama White House - The Benediction at the Inauguration of Obama by Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb2UJ6r1A3E Michael Tubbs HBO Documentary - Stockton on my Mind - Television Tues, July 28, 9:00PM PT; On Demand Available Wed, July 29 https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/stockton-on-my-mind Books Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs - The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20202078.Anna_Nti_Asare_Tubbs Martin Luther King Jr. - Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211888.Where_Do_We_Go_from_Here Connie Schultz - . . . and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10928._and_His_Lovely_Wife Reports San Joaquin Community Data Co-op in partnership with Anna Nti-Asare-Tubbs and Sukhi Samra // Report on the Status of Women 2018 https://www.michaeldtubbs.com/stockton-womens-report Organizations: Economic Security Project https://www.economicsecurityproject.org/ Mayors for a Guaranteed Income https://www.mayorsforagi.org/ Stockton Strong https://www.stocktonstrong.org/ Stockton Scholars https://www.stocktonscholars.org/ Other Authors and Writings Steve Phillips - Justice and Hope: Past Reflections and Future Visions of the Stanford Black Student Union, 1967-1989 https://exhibits.stanford.edu/stanford-pubs/catalog/pw849rd2893 Prof. Clayborne Carson - Martin Luther King Papers Project https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/about-papers-project Author Paulo Freire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire

Reparations 101 Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

School is not back in session yet but clearly there are a lot of people who need schooling, especially when it comes to understanding reparations. In this episode, "Professor” Steve Phillips breaks down the history of slavery and its legacy in this country and answers the question: Does the U.S. government owe anything to Black Americans? We also talk about why it's so important for Congress to act now and pass HR 40, the bill to establish a commission to study the legacy of slavery and to make recommendations about possible remedies, including reparations. References: Sign our Petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/sign-the-petition-black-americans-deserve-reparations-demand-congress-commission-a-reparations-study-now?source=direct_link&referrer=group-democracy-in-color H.R. 40 is a bill that would create a commission to study the effects of slavery on African Americans and explore possible remedies—including reparations Congress.gov - https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/40 Other Reparations Resources NJ-S322 - New Jersey Reparations Task Force https://www.billtrack50.com/BillDetail/1169949 Forbes // Rachel Sandler - California Assembly Passes Reparations Bill https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/06/13/california-assembly-passes-reparations-bill/ Reparations to Japanese Americans - Civil Liberties Act of 1988 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Liberties_Act_of_1988 Video and Audio clips Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream Speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARvrvJV4th4 Trevor Noah on the Daily Show - The Reparations Debate Should America Compensate the Descendants of Slaves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uf_XDFXvzU Beverly Hillbillies - Opening and Closing Theme Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvE9zJgm8OY Daily News Post Reports Podcast, hosted by Martine Powers - Why Americans Don’t Learn About Tulsa, or Junteenth https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/why-americans-dont-learn-about-tulsa-or-juneteenth/ TIME - Mitch McConnell Says Reparations for Slavery Are Not a ‘Good Idea’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQz7kL_qrE4 PBS News Hour - Ta-Nehisi Coates Full Opening Statement on Reparations at House Hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcCnQ3iRkys Books Sven Beckert - Empire of Cotton https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20758057-empire-of-cotton Articles The Nation // Steve Phillips - This is the Perfect Moment to Push for Reparations https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/black-reparations-hr40-congress/ The New York Times // Angela Glover Blackwell and Michael McAfee - Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/sunday/banks-reparations-racism-inequality.html The New York Times // Nikole Hannah-Jones - What is Owed https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/24/magazine/reparations-slavery.html Study National Bureau of Economic Research - “Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” https://www.nber.org/papers/w9873

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