Power Station

Latest Episodes:

#193 Dr. Dominique Harrison, The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

When the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies was launched in 1970 its founders entered the fray with a compelling vision. They were renowned public intellectuals committed to creating a hub for newly elected Black officials shifting from civil rights activism to governance. The mission was to advance the socioeconomic status and civic engagement clout of African Americans through evidence-based research and policy recommendations. And the work was rooted in a deep understanding that public policy is never race neutral. Since then, the Joint Center, known widely as America's Black Think Tank, has become the go-to resource for the Congressional Black Caucus and rising leaders in local communities. Now led by Spencer Overton, the Joint Center remains a model for unimpeachable data and policy solutions. This episode of Power Station features Dr. Dominique Harrison who brings tremendous expertise and energy to producing original research and collaborating across sectors about the role of big tech, access to broadband, disinformation, and targeted advertising in Black communities. The work is high-stakes, promising and essential to our democracy.

#192 Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

This episode is a call to action for ending childhood poverty in America. Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, CEO and Executive Director of Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) wants listeners to direct limited income families to the IRS Child Tax Credit (CTC) portal to apply for a refund by the November 15 deadline. We have, as Joseph explains, a once in a lifetime opportunity to lift more than half of low-income families out of poverty and keep them out. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit are this nation's most effective poverty alleviation policies, but many eligible households are unaware of them. And to be clear, they are not public benefits. The CTC allows families whose incomes are limited or sporadic to collect refunds due to them. The payments can be transformational, allowing parents to start a college fund, pursue home ownership or start a business. The Biden Administration strongly supports the Child Tax Credit, and it was expanded but not made permanent in the American Rescue Plan of 2021. As Joseph says, we seem to lack the political will to position all families to reach their American Dream.

#191 Laura Herrin and Alex Tremble, American Conservation Experience Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

Here is a fact that I hope we can all agree on. American is home to a vast array of public lands, from forests to beaches, wildlife refuges and national parks that require our stewardship. These natural resources are vulnerable to devastating man-made harms, from the former president's defilement of Bears Ears in Utah to climate change caused wildfires and flooding. The consequences of these disasters are felt disproportionately by indigenous and other communities of color. American Conservation Experience (ACE) is a champion of public lands whose internships in 50 states and Puerto Rico train young people in the technical and human skills needed to preserve these resources into the future. ACE President Laura Herrin approaches the mission, to create a culture of conservation, with intentionality and savvy. She partners with public agencies and is a trusted behind-the-scenes voice on Capitol Hill. Her action plan for keeping ACE relevant and robust led her to hire Alex Tremble as Chief Culture Officer. Alex is reimagining internal systems, from training to technology, so that ACE's infrastructure can ensure the success of its critical mission.

#190 Nicole Gill, Accountable Tech Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

It is impossible to overstate the dominance of social media in our lives. We are tethered to Facebook, Google and Twitter to consume, communicate, track our followers and detractors, access news and interpret world events. Facebook is the behemoth among other highly unregulated tech platforms that cultivate, collect and capitalize on our personal data. We are the technology users, but it is advertisers who pay Facebook for our data making them the valued customers. Facebook's algorithms, based on surveillance tracking, determines which media sources end up in our newsfeeds. And therein lies the danger. As Nicole Gill, co-founder and executive director of Accountability Tech says, it is harder and harder to have a conversation with neighbors, policy makers or family, because we are not using the same language or set of facts. We are in a crisis of disinformation that is highly profitable for these companies and very dangerous for democracy. Accountable Tech is demanding legislative and regulatory interventions with the capacity to mitigate social harms and increase corporate transparency. We must embrace this opportunity. Accountable Tech tells us how.

#189 Thomas Saenz, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

The origin story of MALDEF-Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund-is rooted in the vision of the late Pete Tijerina. In 1967, he represented a Latina who was seriously harmed by corporate neglect and then again by a judge's refusal, as constitutionally required, to seat Latinos on the jury. Discrimination against Latinos, fueled by misinformation, was escalating and the need for a dedicated civil rights infrastructure was clear. In 1968, Mr. Tijerina, fellow advocates and the general counsel of the NAACP, the model for civil rights activism, collaborated to form MALDEF. It's mission, to promote the civil rights of all Latinos in the US in education, employment, immigration and voting rights could not be more relevant now. It was a rare honor to speak with MALDEF president Thomas Saenz, an expert in civil rights law and a champion for systemic reform to our immigration system. He believes that democracy will be realized when Latinos are seen in the full scope of their humanity and service to this nation, from the highest levels of public service to the frontlines of the pandemic.

#188 Arekia Bennett, Mississippi Votes Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

Mississippi Votes starts with an awe-inspiring mission, the registration of 400,000 eligible unregistered residents, and then goes deeper. It is building a culture of civic engagement in Mississippi, where access to the ballot box is a high hurdle, from the archaic requirement to print, fill out and mail in registration forms to lifelong disenfranchisement for 23 categories of former offenders. Equally daunting is the disconnection that many Mississippians of color feel from civic life, a legacy of racism and marginalization. But the dynamic cohort of young people of color leading Mississippi Votes are reframing how voter registration, voting rights and civic engagement is done. Executive Director Arekia Bennett explains that everything at Mississippi Votes starts with listening to the community and creating the infrastructure needed to support their aspirations. That includes a footprint on 17 college campuses where students are informing a policy agenda and shaping outreach strategies. Change is happening, from 30,000 people registered since 2018 to research and policy centering the restoration of voting rights. Listen to Arekia tell the story. She is powerful in the very best sense of the word.

#187 Ashley Kenneth, The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

In recent years disinformation has become the currency of political forces seeking power over truth. But as we know, facts and data matter. They reveal a true picture of the state of our nation, from which communities are prospering to those that are struggling. They are foundational to identifying the state of healthcare, education, transportation and housing and where disparities in access lies. At the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, 15 super-smart professionals dig into bills proposed by Virginia's State Assembly, analyzing their implications for diverse communities, particularly those who have been marginalized and underserved by racially discriminatory policy making. As CEO Ashley Kenneth explains, TCI Fiscal partners with a talented eco-system of advocacy and service organizations to generate solutions where they are needed most. Their formula, combining facts and analysis with civic engagement and advocacy is remarkably effective. TCI Fiscal is ahead of the federal policymaking curve in many areas, from curbing down payment requirements for fees and fines in the Court system, to increasing the minimum wage. This is how transformational change is made. And Ashley and TCI Fiscal are just getting started.

#186 Ellen Buchman, The Opportunity Agenda Sep 27, 2021

Show notes

Have you ever changed your mind about a pressing social or cultural issue? As we experience life and hopefully evolve so can our perspective and politics. For organizations in the business of advancing social change, interrogating how minds change and applying that knowledge to our communications is essential. At a time of dangerously divisive politics and cultural chasms the status quo for messaging, from disinformation to baiting on social media is inadequate. For 15 years the Opportunity Agenda has been at the forefront of bringing together experts from a range of disciplines to study and act on what makes an actual narrative shift possible. They identify the tipping points that make readiness for a shift in support of the movements for racial, gender, LGBTQ, immigration and economic justice possible. Ellen Buchman, president of TOA, brings incredible heart, organizing savvy and policy proficiency to this challenging and optimistic enterprise. And TOA's new report and podcast series, Shifting the Narrative, is a gift for all of us who want and need to learn more.

#185 Linda Nguyen, Movement Talent Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

At a time of profound turmoil in America, community-based and national nonprofits are demanding big bold social change. Progressive nonprofits are the frontline of movements with the capacity to remake inequitable systems affecting the environment, health care, housing and immigration. This is consequential culture-shifting work and nonprofits need infrastructure and staffing that is commensurate to the challenge. Linda Nguyen launched Movement Talent to position social change work for success by connecting the right people to the right organizations. She draws from her considerable experience in recruiting, sustaining and developing staff at Community Change and leverages her relationships with movement organizations. Linda has an ambitious goal, viewing candidates beyond their fit for a particular group. She looks at the potential of each candidate to staff a high-capacity movement for change. And she is placing candidates into many organizational roles because it takes more than a great executive director to make an organization effective. This new candidate-centric approach is an exceedingly fresh take on building a movement. It starts by treating people and organizations with care and respect.

#184 Jonathan Mehta Stein, Common Cause California Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

In 1964, the US Supreme Court ruled on a lawsuit challenging how electoral districts were drawn and political representation was apportioned. Such cases were inevitable as people moved from urban to rural areas and new immigrant populations settled into both. The Supreme Court ruled that electoral districts of state legislative chambers must be of roughly the same population providing for a one person one vote rule. Redistricting is the process of redrawing district lines based on the most current data from the Decennial Census. When it is politicized, the outcome is gerrymandered districts that favor one group at the expense of another. At California Common Cause, Jonathan Mehta Stein leads a statewide effort to democratize the redistricting process with the participation of those who have the most at stake. He credits Kathay Feng, whose successful ballot initiative enshrined community-based redistricting into California law. Jonathan views redistricting as one critical way to strengthen our political institutions. And he wants you to be seen and heard no matter where you live so that your district elects school board members, state legislators and members of Congress that represent the full humanity of your community.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected