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New Faces of Democracy — Government
New Faces of Democracy

Welcome to the New Faces of Democracy podcast, hosted by Nancy Bynum.

This podcast features inspiring interviews with people who have transformed their lives since 2016 and who are transforming our political landscape. These are not career politicians or former cabinet members, but ordinary citizens who are starting organizations, running for office for the first time, using their creative skills and otherwise stepping outside of their comfort zones to stand up for our democracy. Along the way, they are discovering new skills and talents and creating new communities.

Nancy felt her own personal call to action in the aftermath of the election of 2016, when it became painfully clear how important it is to use our voices to stand up for the America we believe in. As she became increasingly politically active, she witnessed the emergence of an awe-inspiring phenomenon: people changing their lives to defend our democracy. She decided that the best way for her to help would be to share the work of these change-makers, and New Faces of Democracy was born. Since then, she has dedicated herself to both spreading the word about this new wave of activism and chronicling the tremendous political and patriotic energy of this time.

This podcast elevates and celebrates these new faces, and in the process, will hopefully inspire you and maybe even galvanize you to take action on your own. These are unprecedented times, but there is a silver lining. As we become more engaged citizens, our democracy will become stronger and more resilient– in fact, it’s already happening. So if you’ve had enough depressing news and are ready to feel hopeful and maybe even optimistic about the future, head over to newfacesofdemocracy.org where you can subscribe to the podcast, watch the videos and follow New Faces of Democracy on social media.

Copyright: © Copyright 2026 Nancy Bynum

Latest Episodes:

Erin Miller of Cartoons for Democracy Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

If you’re listening to this podcast, you’re probably no stranger to the postcard writing groups that have blossomed since the 2016 election. In fact, you may have written some of them yourself. But Nancy’s guest on this episode, Erin Miller, has come up with a different take on the postcard concept with her new group, Cartoons for Democracy. Instead of writing to Democrats to get out the vote as existing groups do, she is targeting Republican and independent voters with postcards featuring political cartoons in an effort to break through corporate media bubbles and get people thinking for themselves. Erin and Nancy talk about the power of political cartoons, why postcards are uniquely well suited for this kind of messaging, and the current postcard campaign going on in Virginia where you can have an impact in the upcoming elections there. To learn more about Cartoons for Democracy or make a donation, visit their website here or you can order postcards for their current campaigns here.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Take 2 with Brian Derrick of Oath.Vote Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

On this episode, Nancy is joined once again with guest co-host Betsy Morgan for a conversation with Brian Derrick, of the online Democratic fundraising platform, Oath.Vote. Brian last came on the podcast in July 2024 when many of us were still nervously hopeful that a Democrat might win the election. Now a year later, but feeling like worlds apart from the American democracy as it existed back then, Nancy and Betsy talk to Brian about Oath’s impact in 2024, their big goals for Virginia this fall and bigger goals for the midterms, the difference between witnessing and action, and so much more. Listen to the end for some great actionable suggestions for you or anyone else trying to figure out how to get more involved. And a direct link to their most impactful ways to give, updated in real time, is here. At a time where there is woefully little to feel good about, this conversation is like a ray of political sunshine.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Jess Piper: How Democrats Can Win in Rural America Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

Nancy is joined by guest host Betsy Morgan on this episode featuring superstar activist Jess Piper speaking about how Democrats can win with rural voters. Jess has become a prominent voice for rural Democrats and in her work at Blue Missouri, she and her colleagues are working to run a Democrat in every race in the state. Jess, Betsy and Nancy talk about the desperate state of affairs in rural Missouri where infrastructure has been gutted by the Republican state supermajority; what Democrats get wrong when it comes to rural voters; and how a relatively small increase in Democratic turnout in those areas can have outsize impacts on top of ballot races.

To learn more about Jess and her work, check out her Substack newsletter and to support Blue Missouri, you can do so here.

The University of New Hampshire study that Jess refers to in the podcast can be found here.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Jackie Payne of Galvanize Action Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

This episode features Jackie Payne of Galvanize Action, an organization that focuses on moderate women living in rural, small town and suburban areas. These women want progress on key issues but aren’t reliably playing a role to get us there. Galvanize Action helps them connect with their values in a way that impacts their civic behavior. Nancy and Jackie talk about the neuroscience and behavioral psychology underlying the work at Galvanize Action; the nuanced concerns of this group of women that constitute the largest voting bloc in the country; and the challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation. To learn more about Galvanize Action and see examples of their top-performing messaging, check out their highlights page.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Sarah Curmi, Executive Director of Sister District. Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

This episode features a conversation with Sarah Curmi, Executive Director of Sister District. Founded in the aftermath of the 2016 election, Sister District is a women-led grassroots political group that is dedicated to building lasting Democratic power in state legislatures. The group is powered by volunteers in blue districts that pair or “sister” up with key swing districts where their efforts can really move the needle. Unlike some other groups that have petered out over the years, the folks at Sister District have taken their mandate and run with it, expanding their operations to much more than just elections. Sarah and Nancy talk about the secret sauce that makes Sister District different, their work with local grassroots groups, and the community that people can find within the local chapters. Sister District is doing really interesting, smart and multifaceted work; you can check out their website to learn more and get involved.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

This episode features a conversation with Amanda Carpenter of Protect Democracy, a cross-ideological nonprofit devoted to stopping authoritarianism. Nancy first featured Protect Democracy on this podcast four years ago, shortly after the January 6th insurrection. Given the rollercoaster that we have been on since then, and the new and dangerous threats that we face as a country, this seemed like a good time to check back in. Amanda and Nancy discuss the challenges of imposing political consequences without political power, and how the pro-democracy coalition must channel the energy and anger of the current moment into meaningful pressure from the outside in and the bottom up. They also talk about he ways in which Trump is following the authoritarian playbook to dismantle democratic institutions, as well as specific, concrete actions that we can all do to protect democracy.

Mentioned in the episode:

Sign up for the If You Can Keep It newsletter

The Authoritarian Playbook for 2025

How *You* Can Protect Democracy

How to Pay Attention

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.

If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.

If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!
Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Jason Berlin of Field Team 6 Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

Is registering Democrats the key to saving the world? That’s the premise behind Field Team 6 whose founder Jason Berlin is Nancy’s guest on this episode. Jason and Nancy first spoke five years ago when Field Team 6 was registering voters in parking lots. Now the group has grown into a grassroots powerhouse that is reaching millions of unregistered voters online and in person and getting out the vote in swing states and districts around the country. Jason and I talk about the massive volunteer army that powers his organization, with teams of experts in their fields; and the measurable impact of their work in winning elections with the slimmest margins of victory; and their initiative to combat ballot rolloff. In a time when it feels hard to smile, Jason and his great sense of humor make resistance fun.

And one last thing – we are excited to announce that New Faces of Democracy is now a member of the Democracy Group, a network of podcasts and organizations that create educational content about democracy, civic engagement, and civil discourse. Check it out!

Here is the New Faces of Democracy profile of Jason from 2020.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.

If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.

If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

Follow New Faces of Democracy on Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.

Dana Castner of Choice Tracker Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

This episode features a conversation with Dana Castner, founder of Choice Tracker, a new and important tool in the fight for reproductive freedom. When the Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 that abortion laws must be decided by the states, that put a lot of power in the hands of our state legislators, many of whom we had never heard of, let alone knew their stances on abortion. That’s what Dana discovered and led her to start the all-volunteer group Choice Tracker just two weeks after the Dobbs decision. Nancy and Dana discuss the value in providing voters all the available information on their state representatives in one place; what actions people can take both in election cycles and off years; and why constitutional abortion protections are not enough to save us on their own. Listen to the end if you want to know how to bring Choice Tracker to your state and other ways you can help now, not just right before the next election.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send an email to info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

Jess Craven of Chop Wood Carry Water Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

This episode features a conversation with activist Jess Craven of Chop Wood Carry Water. With close to half a million followers on TikTok and 53,000 subscribers to her substack, Jess is a fierce and passionate warrior for democracy. On this episode, Jess shares with Nancy her view of what it means to be an activist at this time full of so many unknowns, how to find hope through action, some of her favorite organizations right now, and so much more. Tune in for a dose of sanity and humanity, and you will leave both calmed and energized for whatever it is that lies ahead.

Thank you for being a listener!

Stay up to date on New Faces of Democracy by signing up for the newsletter here.
If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on the podcast, send us an email at info@newfacesofdemocracy.org.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe/rate/review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It makes a huge difference!

Season 5: How Not to be an Ostrich Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

This season is dedicated to helping you get your head out of the sand after a brutally disappointing election, finding strength through community and taking action that helps real people in palpable ways. If you’re looking for rage, this may not be the place for you, but if you seek inspiration, and maybe even hope, then tune into to Season 5 of the New Faces of Democracy podcast.

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