Millennial Politics Podcast

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Greg Edwards, attacked by DCCC, fights for progress in PA-7 Mar 08, 2018

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Recently, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has stirred up major controversy by attempting to sabotage progressive Democratic primary candidates Laura Moser in Texas' 7th and Greg Edwards. Edwards, an Afro-Latinx civil rights activist and pastor, is not just the most progressive candidate in his race, but one of the most progressive viable candidates running for the House of Representatives in 2018. His website proudly proclaims that "this moment does not call for moderation, but revolutionary ideals rooted in progress," a sentiment clearly not shared by the DCCC or other establishment Democratic Party organizations. We spoke with Greg Edwards on the podcast prior to the DCCC controversy about the recent de-gerrymandering of his state, how to translate transformative justice into public policy, and radical criminal justice reform.

Lauren Baer, Obama Alum & Foreign Policy Expert For FL-18 Mar 05, 2018

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She worked in the Obama Administration for two Secretaries of State (John Kerry & Hillary Clinton), and then for UN Ambassador Samantha Power. She got to know John Kerry's golden retriever (Ben) while working on Mahogany Row, and she traveled across the globe working in high-pressure foreign policy scenarios. But it wasn't until after Trump's election that Lauren Baer first thought about running for office. She credits the birth of her new-born with a fresh desire to take on our challenges head-on. She believes everyone in her district should be able to have access to quality affordable healthcare, a first-rate public education, the opportunity to live in a beautiful (and protected) environment, and a strong economy that preserves and strengthens the middle class. We sat down with Lauren on our podcast to discuss her progressive platform for her district, her experience working in the Obama Administration, and her optimism for the future.

Higher Heights is Investing in Black Women’s Political Leadership Mar 01, 2018

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Kimberly Peeler-Allen, co-founder of Higher Heights for America, joined us on the podcast to discuss how Higher Heights is working to empower and support Black women’s political leadership.

Meet (D) Nadia Hashimi - Physician & Novelist Running For Congress Feb 26, 2018

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Though it is solidly blue, Maryland's 6th congressional district is one of the most interesting in the country. The subject of a Supreme Court gerrymandering case, the 6th is currently being vacated by Democrat John Delaney, who is retiring to focus on a 2020 presidential campaign. One of the four candidates running to replace him in the House of Representatives is Nadia Hashimi, a first-generation Afghan-American pediatric physician, small businessowner, and bestselling author. She is running a grassroots campaign focusing on healthcare, emphasizing her firsthand experience as key to what makes her qualified alongside the two incumbent officeholders also vying for the seat. Nadia joined us on the podcast to discuss her plan to implement single-payer, gerrymandering, and her socially conscious storytelling.

BlackFem Inc - Building Wealth For Women Of Color Feb 22, 2018

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Are you ready for an astounding statistic? The median net worth of women of color is $0. And for a sizable portion of the population, they have a *negative* net worth due to various forms of debt. If you think back to your elementary or high school experience, financial literacy wasn’t something that got a lot of attention. It isn’t mandatory in curricula across the country, and with rising income inequality, this problem isn’t getting any better. Enter BlackFem Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to teaching wealth management skills to low income women of color. Advisors on Wall Street would charge hundreds of dollars per hour for the critical concepts BlackFem integrates into their curriculum, but the classes are completely free for students. Founded by Chloe McKenzie, BlackFem takes complicated ideas and breaks them down into simple bite-sized real-world examples for children as young as three years old. Currently, BlackFem has a presence in NYC, Detroit, and Chicago, and they have plans to rapidly scale up in the near future. We had the opportunity to speak with Chloe about the history of BlackFem, their work over the past year, and the exciting successes they’ve had both in the classroom and out.

Can Marie Newman Unseat Conservative (D) Dan Lipinski? Feb 19, 2018

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An anti-bullying advocate and small businesswoman, Marie is running a proudly progressive grassroots campaign fueled by small donors and enthusiastic volunteers. She already has the support of countless progressive groups like including NARAL and EMILY's List as well as Illinois congressional representatives Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez. Marie joined us on the podcast to discuss the danger social conservatism poses to marginalized Americans, her support for LGBTQ equality and reproductive freedom, and how to transform the Democratic Party into a truly progressive institution.

Black Belt Citizens: From Electing Doug Jones to Fighting Environmental Racism Feb 15, 2018

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In December, Black Alabamians stunned the nation by delivering Democrat Doug Jones a slim victory over child molester Roy Moore in the Alabama special election to replace Jeff Sessions in the United States Senate. Despite lackluster investment from national Democratic forces, the grassroots organizing of Black Alabamians successfully blocked a child molester from becomes a United States Senator. One of the organizations that helped elect Doug Jones was Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice. Based out of Uniontown, Alabama, Black Belt Citizens was founded in 2005 in opposition to a proposed landfill that threatened the health and safety of Black Alabamians. In the years since, Black Belt Citizens has used community-based organizing to fight for economic, environmental, and political justice. Adam Johnston, Coordinator of Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice, joined us on the podcast to discuss the group's work and their revolutionary strategy to dismantle systemic injustice from within the system.

Brian Santa Maria: From The Onion to the House of Representatives Feb 12, 2018

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Minnesota's 3rd congressional district is a top target for the Minnesota's Democratic Party in 2018. Though a Democrat hasn't won election to the 3rd's seat in the House of Representatives since 1958, the district was won by Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012 as well as Hillary Clinton in 2016 by an impressive ten points; making it one of the few districts to go to Hillary Clinton by a larger margin than Barack Obama. With Minnesota's 3rd trending blue despite the state overall trending red, four Democratic candidates have jumped into the race to unseat Republican Erik Paulsen, whose margins of victory have ranged from 7.6 to 24.3 points. Easily the most unconventional candidate in the race is Brian Santa Maria, a former comedy writer for The Onion running on a "Family Pact" and the slogan "let's do something." Brian joined us on the podcast to discuss smart foreign policy, his "moon mission for Earth," and how the Democratic Party can finally start winning again. -- This podcast is sponsored by TAMGA Designs, a clothing brand that envisions a better future for our planet. TAMGA has created their own system of producing beautiful and comfortable clothes that is kinder to people and the planet, using wood-based fabrics, low impact dyes, and alternative packaging. If you go to www.tamgadesigns.com, you can try it out for yourself. And if you use the discount code “MP15” at checkout our friends at TAMGA Designs will give you 15% off.

Rantt Media: Independent Journalism In The Trump Era Feb 08, 2018

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Journalism in the Trump era is under attack. Full-stop. Never before has there been a President that is so loose with the truth, and so viscous in his attacks on the First Amendment. In this troubling landscape, a new outlet has emerged. Rantt Media, independent and free from pre-2016 baggage, has grown to become a trusted voice with insightful content in the Trump Era. With over 50,000 followers on Twitter, they frequently issue rapid-response clap-backs in addition to their well-researched columns like "Unpresidented", and their piece where they surveyed over 1,500 Hillary Clinton supporters. Dylan and Nathan had the opportunity to speak with Ahmed Baba, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Rantt Media, about the latest in the Trump Russia scandal, his work at Rantt, the troubling implications of the latest aggressions by ICE, and the GOP's refusal to act as a co-equal branch in Congress. Listen to the full conversation below, subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, and be sure to follow Rantt Media (@RanttMedia) and Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) on Twitter, and of course, check their website regularly for latest content. -- This podcast is sponsored by TAMGA Designs, a clothing brand that envisions a better future for our planet. TAMGA has created their own system of producing beautiful and comfortable clothes that is kinder to people and the planet, using wood-based fabrics, low impact dyes, and alternative packaging. If you go to www.tamgadesigns.com, you can try it out for yourself. And if you use the discount code “MP15” at checkout our friends at TAMGA Designs will give you 15% off.

The Future of DACA & The DREAM Act Feb 05, 2018

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This Friday, February 8, Congress will vote on a fifth continuing resolution (CR) that will determine whether the government stays open or shuts down. With 122 DACA recipients losing protected status each day, some Democrats are hoping to use the spending deadline to force a vote on an immigration bill that will guarantee a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients or even the larger DREAMer population. On January 19, Senate Democrats managed to shut down the government over DACA, giving them leverage over negotiations with Trump and Senate Republican leadership. However, within 69 hours, they caved, passing a new CR and punting the issue down to February 8. But there is no way to avoid this crisis anymore. Members of Congress passionate about immigration on both sides of the aisle are pressuring party leadership to make a deal on DACA, though nothing remotely passable has materialized yet, mainly since the Trump administration wants to use this negotiation to fundamentally reshape America's immigration system in line with the priorities of anti-immigration hate groups. Jordan Valerie discussed this complicated situation with three DREAMers – Jung Bin Cho, Immigration Rights Fellow at the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium; Juan Escalante, Digital Campaigns Manager for America's Voice and America's Voice Education Fund; and Ciriac Alvarez, Utahn organizer and writer – as well as Inhe Choi, Executive Director of the Hana Center. Make sure to follow our guests online: You can find Jung Bin Cho on Twitter @jungbin618. You can find Ciriac Alvarez on Twitter @ciriacisbeth. You can find Juan Escalante on Twitter @JuanSaaa. You can find the Hana Center on Twitter @HANACenter Take action to defend DACA recipients and fight for a clean DREAM Act by checking out United We Dream's toolkit. --- This podcast is sponsored by TAMGA Designs, a clothing brand that envisions a better future for our planet. TAMGA has created their own system of producing beautiful and comfortable clothes that is kinder to people and the planet, using wood-based fabrics, low impact dyes, and alternative packaging. If you go to www.tamgadesigns.com, you can try it out for yourself. And if you use the discount code “MP15” at checkout our friends at TAMGA Designs will give you 15% off.

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