Our America with Julián Castro

Listen to This: Good Grief Aug 03, 2021

It’s a fact: death is inevitable, and so is grief. It can stop us in our tracks, regardless of the amount of time that's passed. Good Grief is a six-part, sixty-minute binge of true, short stories that immerse us in the grieving process, find healthy (and avoid unhealthy) ways to cope, and even share a few laughs. Comfort, community, and catharsis guide this audio portrait of love and loss.

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Safety Doesn’t Mean More Guns (with John Legend) Apr 08, 2021

Season Finale! We’re ending on a high note with Grammy-award winning musician and social justice advocate, John Legend, who joins us to talk about using his platform to fight for racial equity, and his personal connection to reforming the criminal justice system and upholding the voting rights of formerly incarcerated folks.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Learn more about changing the conversation on incarceration through the FreeAmerica initiative.
Check out the FreeAmerica + New Profit partnership, Unlocked Futures, that funds social entrepreneurs with a connection to the criminal justice system.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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The Filibuster’s Racist Roots (with Adam Jentleson) Apr 01, 2021

When you hear the word ‘filibuster,’ you might think of an idealistic Jimmy Stewart delivering an impassioned speech against corruption on the Senate floor in Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. But the reality of the filibuster of today – and how we got here – is anything but justice-seeking. Senate insider and author Adam Jentleson walks us through the filibuster’s racist history, its impact on if and how legislation gets passed, and what’s at stake if it isn’t eliminated or reformed, at the very least.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Adam Jentleson’s Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy
Learn more about the filibuster through Adam’s appearances on Fresh Air, The Ezra Klein Show, and KALW’s Your Call

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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A Seat At The Table For Native And Indigenous People Mar 25, 2021

After a year of disproportionately high rates of COVID-19, the major losses within Native and Inidigenous communities have underlined just how deep-seated historical discrimination still is – evident in an overwhelming lack of access to water, electricity, and health care services on reservations. We’re joined by Áshįįhí Clan member President Jonathan Nez of the Navajo Nation and climate activist and journalist Julian Brave NoiseCat of the Canim Lake Band Tsq'escen to talk about reopening Navajo land, the Biden/Harris American Rescue Plan’s investment in tribal lands, and what Secretary Deb Haaland’s historic confirmation to the Department of the Interior means for the health and environmental justice of Native and Indigenous communities.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Follow Julian Brave NoiseCat’s journalism
The Indigenous Green New Deal, by the NDN Collective
Navajo Nation Department of Health COVID data and resources
Mapping Indigenous lands, by Native Land Digital
The Navajo Water Project
Color of Coronavirus project, by APM Research Lab
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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A Reckoning in Texas Mar 18, 2021

In February, Texas faced the startling reality of a changing climate with single-digit temperatures that led to widespread power outages, flooded homes and lives lost. But why was Texas hit with one of the worst blackouts in our country’s history? And why was its energy grid unprepared to handle it? This week, senior energy analyst Julie McNamara of the Union of Concerned Scientists helps us answer these questions, and Lori Landry, a longtime friend of Sec. Castro, shares her family’s experience of having to evacuate their impacted North Texas home.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Julie on The Takeaway - The American Power System Is Unprepared For Climate Change
6 things to know about supply, demand, and our electricity future - The Union of Concerned Scientists
- Read Julie's latest blog post on what happened in Texas here
Tracking the Texas power outages with PowerOutage.US
Power outage terms explained - KUT
Mutual aid for people affected by the outages - Vox
How to prepare for power outages - CDC

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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Who Responds to a Mental Health Crisis? (with Rep Leslie Herod) Mar 11, 2021

Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod saw a gap in mental health services in Denver and decided to do something about it. With the help of a van, a mental health professional, and an EMT, the Support Team Assistance Response (STAR) program was born – and six months in, it has proved effective at fielding mental health calls received by the Denver Police Department. Rep. Herod joins us to talk about STAR’s success, her personal stake in it, and other state-level measures being taken to modernize the current system of policing.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Caring for Denver, the foundation helping to fund STAR
STAR 6-month evaluation
Servicios de la Raza, community services for Denverites
SB 217 explained, courtesy of Colorado Public Radio
Eugene, Oregon’s CAHOOTS, the program that started it all

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 anytime, or chat with them online. The Crisis Text Line also provides support over text at 741741. For people who identify as LGBTQ, the Trevor Project's Lifeline can be reached at 1-866-488-7386.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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Curbing Anti-Asian and Pacific Islander Hate (with Cynthia Choi) Mar 04, 2021

Since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in the US, over 3,000 attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have been reported – with many targeting the Bay Area’s elderly population. Misinformation, fear, and politicians’ racist rhetoric tied to COVID’s origins in China have only fueled the sometimes fatal violence against AAPI communities across the country. Cynthia Choi of Stop AAPI Hate and Chinese For Affirmative Action joins us to talk about scapegoating, the data collected on these verbal and physical attacks, and the pressing need for community-led, intersectional public safety initiatives.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Keep up with Chinese For Affirmative Action and Stop AAPI Hate action items and data collection.

Report an incident to Stop AAPI Hate.

February press release on hate crimes against AAPI elderly.
August report on AAPI attacks nationwide.

AAPI hate crime resources courtesy of National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

Volunteer with the Oakland Chinatown Coalition to assist elderly community members with daily activities.

Request a chaperone or volunteer to chaperone with Compassion In Oakland.
Support the GoFundMe to cover funeral costs for 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee who died in late January after a brutal beating.
Contribute to the Asian Pacific Fund’s Solidarity Fund to address anti-Asian sentiment in the Bay Area.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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Moms Demand Action Feb 25, 2021

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, many Americans felt a call to action to reform our country’s gun laws. One of these people was Shannon Watts, a mother of five who started a Facebook group that turned into Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Two years later, a mom in Texas joined her local chapter of Moms Demand Action after losing her 20-year-old son to gun violence. Calandrian Simpson-Kemp and Shannon Watts join us to speak about turning grief into action and passing common-sense gun legislation in a country that has a gun homicide rate that’s 25x higher than any other high-income country.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Follow Moms Demand Action and Shannon Watts on Twitter
Get involved in your local Moms Demand Action chapter
Resources and research on laws mentioned in this episode:

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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Unions Are Vehicles of Justice (with Mary Kay Henry) Feb 18, 2021

For over 40 years, Mary Kay Henry has fought for the rights of workers with the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU. With the rise of COVID-19 and an increased reliance on essential workers, these rights have too often been disregarded, leaving many without adequate personal protective equipment or access to fair wages and benefits. This week, Mary Kay joins us to talk about unions as a vehicle of justice for a racially diverse workforce that’s representative of our country.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

SEIU resolution in support of Black Lives Matter

National Employment Law Project on raising the minimum wage to $15

NPR on Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan and his Build Back Better economic plan
Mobile Workers Alliance
Gig Workers Rising
Rideshare Drivers United
Listen to our episode on immigrant workers benefits, The Luxury of Paid Sick Leave, here

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Families Ripped Apart Feb 11, 2021

Los Angeles County is home to the largest foster care system in the country, and it’s run in partnership with the police and local Sheriff’s department. So what happens when a system that’s meant to protect our children intersects with law enforcement and ends up criminalizing them instead? How do we get to the root of the system’s domino effect in Black, Brown and Indigenous communities? This week, we’re joined by two women, La Mikia Castillo and Yahniie Bridges, who share their personal experience with the foster care system and how ending police partnerships can help to reimagine child safety.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Read up on the BLMLA #ReimagineChildSafety campaign petition here
Follow BLMLA on Twitter
Missed our first episode on foster care and transition-age youth? Listen to it here

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalists Need To Do Their Damn Jobs (with Dan Rather) Feb 04, 2021

Storied news anchor and journalist Dan Rather has reported on some of the world’s most important events – from Georgia’s church pews at the height of the civil rights movement, to deadly student protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, to the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11. Dan’s been at the epicenter of American media since the ‘60s, and now, at age 89, he’s found himself a dedicated following on social media as well. He joins us to talk free speech, disinformation, and what a 70-year career in journalism has taught him.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Check out Dan’s media production company, News & Guts
Scroll through years of Dan anchoring the news courtesy of UT Austin’s Briscoe Center
Read Dan’s newest book, What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism, and its graphic novel equivalent

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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Making Mental Health Accessible (with Dan Harris) Jan 28, 2021

Dan Harris knows all about how to cope with everyday stressors and anxiety. In 2004, he was filling in for a news anchor on Good Morning America when he experienced a panic attack on air. He joins us this week to talk about how his televised panic attack led him to embrace meditation, and how this mental health routine developed into the Ten Percent Happier books and podcast. With a year like 2020 behind us, we could all use some tips on how to take a breath and practice mindfulness!

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Check out the books Dan has written about his journey
Tune into his podcast, Ten Percent Happier
Read up on meditation research from Harvard’s Lazar Lab and UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center
Additional meditation resources:

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why I'm F*cking Mad (with Jonathan Van Ness) Jan 21, 2021

With the launch of the hit Netflix show, “Queer Eye,” Jonathan Van Ness became a personal grooming guru for unkempt Americans across the country. But JVN has engaged audiences in so much more than better hygiene practices – a year after the show launched, JVN wrote a memoir that helped to demystify living with HIV and what “undetectable equals untransmittable” (or U=U) actually means.

JVN joins us this week to talk about living with HIV, overcoming addiction, and the steps that he hopes the Biden/Harris administration will take to overcome the stigma that he and so many other folks, particularly LGBTQ-identifying, face after coming out as HIV-positive. Tune in, henny.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from the episode:

Tune into JVN’s podcast, Getting Curious
Read JVN’s memoir, “Over The Top”
Search for your local Planned Parenthood
Locate additional HIV testing by zip code
Find a PrEP provider by zip code
Read up on U=U

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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A Beacon of Hope (with Ayanna Pressley and London Breed) Jan 14, 2021

Although 2020 is behind us, the new year is already off to an unsettling start. On January 6, chaos erupted as a violent mob of Trump loyalists stormed our nation’s Capitol, leaving five people dead.

One of this week’s guests, Massachusetts representative Ayanna Pressley, was at the Capitol that day. Fearing for her safety, she reached for the panic button installed in her congressional office only to find it had been torn out. The buttons were installed as a security measure in 2019 after members of the “Squad,” a progressive group of House Democrats, endured racist attacks from President Trump.

With the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris less than a week away, Rep. Pressley and Mayor London Breed of San Francisco join us to talk about the long process of healing and reconstruction necessary for our country. The two influential leaders discuss how to reimagine our criminal legal system and housing affordability, and the importance of building a representative, inclusive economy after a year of reckoning with racial injustice.

Follow Mayor Breed and Rep. Pressley on twitter.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How We Reach the Working Class (with Bernie Sanders) Dec 17, 2020

From his humble beginnings as Mayor of Burlington, Vermont to his seat in the Senate, Demoractic Socialist Bernie Sanders has consistently backed the working class, universal health care and taxing the wealthiest Americans. The Vermont Senator joins us this week to talk about the future of Trumpism, priorities for the new administration, and what this upcoming shift in power could mean for transformative, inclusive change.

Our team is taking a break for the next few weeks, but not to worry – we’ll have new episodes ready for you come January. In the meantime, stay safe and happy holidays!

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from this episode:

Follow Sen. Sanders’ updates on Twitter.
Learn more about your local Democratic Socialists chapter here.

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aging Out of Foster Care Dec 10, 2020

Foster care youth experience disproportionate rates of homelessness, incarceration, food insecurity, and trauma. The pandemic has only made things more uncertain. With the odds so stacked against them, how can we ensure that foster youth will be able to build a sustainable future for themselves once they transition out of the system and are no longer eligible for the benefits they previously relied on? Franco Vega and Amber Baker of the RightWay Foundation join us on this week’s episode to address these questions and share the extreme hurdles they overcame as foster youth themselves.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from this episode:

Keep up with The RightWay Foundation here.
Learn more about the foster care system with this handy collection of links courtesy of The Marshall Project.

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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The Luxury of Paid Sick Leave Dec 03, 2020

Martin Macias and his wife, Tomasita, crossed the border from Mexico into the United States back in the ‘80s with the dream of starting a family. They had their son Jose, and together they became community leaders in the fight for immigrant rights and workers’ benefits. But their journey is marked with unimaginable loss – of a job, their home, and the family’s matriarch. This week, we’re talking about the life and death consequences of what happens when workers are denied basic benefits like paid time off. The father-son activist duo talk about Tomasita’s lasting impact, and what it’s going to take to make economic progress for undocumented immigrant families in our country.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from this episode:

Follow Make The Road Nevada’s advocacy updates on their webpage and on Twitter.
Keep up with the Fight For $15 here.
Check out Informed Immigrants’ comprehensive list of immigrant rights resources and the National Employment Law Project’s fact sheet on immigrant workers’ rights and COVID-19.

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rewind: My America Nov 26, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving! This week, we’re airing a rerun of the very first episode of Our America featuring Rosie and Joaquin Castro.

In 2012, on the stage of the Democratic National Convention, Julián Castro described the American Dream as a relay. In the first episode of Our America, we dig into the Castro family’s backstory. We follow the baton passing from one generation to the next, starting with Julián’s grandmother immigrating to the US nearly 100 years ago. Julián and his twin brother, Congressman Joaquin Castro, talk about their journey from the segregated West Side of San Antonio to the national stage. We also meet their mom, Rosie, an activist in her own right, who highlights raising her sons with a strong sense of Mexican-American identity and how that helped shape their life’s trajectory.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homeless In Las Vegas Nov 19, 2020

Below the iconic Las Vegas Strip, another reality exists in stark contrast to the gambling and entertainment excesses. This week, Louis Lacey of HELP of Southern Nevada paints the picture of homelessness in the city’s drainage tunnels, and how his personal experience with homelessness has influenced his community outreach work. We also talk with Emily Paulsen of the Nevada Homeless Alliance about solutions to homelessness and the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.

Resources from this episode:

Follow HELP of Southern Nevada and the Nevada Homeless Alliance’s community initiatives on Twitter.

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Election Recap (with Joaquin Castro) Nov 12, 2020

With the presidential election at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we’re unpacking the 2020 election results and Latino voter turnout with Joaquin Castro, who recently won his own reelection to Congress. We talk about what the Democratic win actually means for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and what still needs to happen to restore and sustain democracy in our country and around the world.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX. Joaquin is on twitter and Instagram @JoaquinCastrotx.

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life After Deployment (with Jason Kander) Nov 05, 2020

After nearly a decade in the military, Jason Kander had grown accustomed to the demands of deployment in Afghanistan -- but it was his return to civilian life that presented the biggest challenges for him and his family. Today, Kander talks about life during and after service, the career shift into politics that led him to seek treatment for his PTSD, and the dangers of thinking of trauma as “unearned.”

Resources from this episode:

If you or a veteran you know are struggling, dial 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. You can also text 838255 or chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net.
Keep up with the Veterans Community Project to learn about progress within the homeless veteran population.
Learn more about voter suppression and what you can do about it at Let America Vote.
Listen to Jason’s weekly podcast, Majority 54, to learn about combating political misinformation and winning progressive campaigns in red states.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who Gets to Vote? (with Stacey Abrams and Angela Lang) Oct 29, 2020

Stacey Abrams and Angela Lang are no strangers to voter suppression. In their respective states of Georgia and Wisconsin, they have seen communities of color disproportionately silenced time and again by restrictive voting measures. This week we sit down with each of them to talk about knocking on doors, getting out the vote, and what it means to have representation in positions of power, particularly in this moment in history. With less than a week left, we consider how our collective voting power will determine the fate of the country for the next four years and beyond.

Follow Fair Fight on Twitter
Follow Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC) on Twitter

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.
If you’re looking to switch up your workout routine, why not try boxing from the comfort of your own home? FightCamp’s 12-week starter program has 400 different workouts to teach you the fundamentals of boxing. Try it for 30 days with their money-back guarantee at www.joinfightcamp.com/castro.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Separated (with Jacob Soboroff) Oct 22, 2020

In 2018, MSNBC journalist Jacob Soboroff was among the select few to visit Casa Padre, one of the detention centers at the epicenter of the border crisis. What he saw there was cruel, unjust, and part of a long, complicated story. Soboroff joins us this week to talk about reporting at overcrowded facilities, and the families he met who were forcibly separated. Their perspectives shed light on the inhumanity of Trump’s zero-tolerance policy, chronicled in Jacob’s book, “Separated: Inside an American Tragedy.”

Purchase “Separated: Inside an American Tragedy” online from your local bookstore
Follow Jacob Soboroff on Twitter

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Policing the Police (with Sam Sinyangwe) Oct 15, 2020

After George Floyd’s death, Americans grappled with 8 minutes and 46 seconds of police brutality caught on tape. Protests erupted across the country as Americans took to the streets to declare “Black Lives Matter.” As a country, we had to reckon, again, with the idea that not all law enforcement believes this slogan to be true.

Policy analyst and Campaign Zero co-founder Sam Sinyangwe talks to us about the microaggressions of his childhood that inspired his data collection on policing in America. We talk to Sam about why our system of policing is broken, and what organizations like his are doing to reimagine public safety.

Learn more about Campaign Zero, Mapping Police Violence, and #NixThe6
Follow Sam Sinyangwe on Twitter

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not-So-Affordable Housing Oct 08, 2020

This episode brings us to a mobile home park in Waukee, Iowa, where we meet 93-year-old Arletta Swain and her neighbor Matt Chapman. These manufactured housing communities were one of the last remaining affordable housing options in the US - at least they were, until private equity firms came into the picture. Today, we talk to the two neighbors about what grassroots activism looks like when you’re up against a 70% rent hike and, in Arletta’s words, “money-crazy” folks.

Learn more about the affordable housing group, MHAction, and follow them on Facebook
Follow Matt Chapman’s activism on Twitter
See Arletta with her impressive trees!

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nevertheless, She Persisted (with Elizabeth Warren) Oct 01, 2020

Julián and Elizabeth Warren developed a close friendship this past year - from sharing a debate stage to campaigning alongside each other across the country. This week, we’re joined by the Massachusetts senator, who shares her perspective on humble beginnings and making sacrifices for what you believe in. The Oklahoma native talks hope and persistence in the midst of a year that has dealt severe blows to both.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsors

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States of Hunger (with José Andrés and Eric Cooper) Sep 24, 2020

Back in April, a viral image captured the toll of the coronavirus pandemic on Americans trying to put food on the table. In this episode, we get the story behind that photo from Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank. He tells us what it’s like running a food bank in the midst of a national crisis, and what’s changed for essential workers on the frontlines of food distribution.

Next, we talk to renowned chef and food advocate, José Andrés. In 2010, José and his wife, Patricia, started World Central Kitchen to aid in relief efforts after Haiti’s 2010 earthquake. We talk to José about the immigrant farm workers who have sustained us during the pandemic, and the importance of emergency food distribution, from the Navajo Nation to Kentucky polling places.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsor

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.
Good Kids is back for Season 2 on September 29. This season, we talk to parents, experts, and kids themselves about everything from climate change and mental health to race and mentoring. Listen to the trailer here.

Resources from this episode

Learn more about the San Antonio Food Bank
Learn more about World Central Kitchen

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Return To Flint (with Catrina and Ezra Tillman) Sep 17, 2020

It’s hard to look at the current administration’s decision to downplay the severity of the Coronavirus without thinking about the Flint water crisis. Both stories reflect the devastating impact of misinformation and government inaction. This week, we return to Flint and talk to a dynamic duo: Pastor Ezra Tillman and First Lady Catrina Tillman. We hear about the incredible work they’re doing to support their community and the progress still left to be done. Join Julián for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from environmental racism, Diana Ross, and the kindness of strangers.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Resources from this episode

Learn move about the First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church through their website and Facebook page.
Support The Water Box at 501cTHREE.org

Support the show by checking out our sponsor

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.
The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My America Sep 10, 2020

In 2012, on the stage of the Democratic National Convention, Julián Castro described the American Dream as a relay. In the first episode of Our America, we dig into the Castro family’s backstory. We follow the baton passing from one generation to the next, starting with Julián’s grandmother immigrating to the US nearly 100 years ago. Julián and his twin brother, Congressman Joaquin Castro, talk about their journey from the segregated West Side of San Antonio to the national stage. We also meet their mom, Rosie, an activist in her own right, who highlights raising her sons with a strong sense of Mexican-American identity and how that helped shape their life’s trajectory.

Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX

Support the show by checking out our sponsor

You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Our America with Julián Castro Sep 03, 2020

Launching Thursday, September 10th, this series takes an honest and hopeful look at how drastically the American experience shifts from one person to the next. Join us as we explore why the odds seem stacked against so many, and what we can do to change it.

What does your America look like? To share your story, email ouramerica@lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teaser: Our America Jul 15, 2020

Coming September 2020, Our America with Julián Castro features voices that are often unheard in spaces that are often unseen. From mobile home parks in small-town America to underground drainage tunnels beneath the towering casinos of Las Vegas, Julián is on a mission to understand how we got here and, more importantly, how we can do better.

What does your America look like? To share your story, email ouramerica@lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.