817 Podcast - Fort Worth's Monday Morning Show

BIG STORY: Taylor Rehmet is a union leader running as the only Democrat in a special election jungle primary for Texas Senate District 9, which comprised roughly half of Tarrant County. The election is in November, going against 2 far right extremists. SHORT STORY 1: Tarrant County Commissioners Court wants to reduce voting locations by 40%. SHORT STORY 2: Fort Worth’s city budget proposal focuses...

Beto O’Rourke is a former U.S. Representative, presidential candidate, and one of Texas’s most influential political voices. Known for his bold grassroots campaigns and unwavering commitment to democracy, Beto has inspired millions across the country with his advocacy for voting rights, gun reform, and public education. From his 2018 Senate run that galvanized a new generation of Texas voters to h...

Colin Allred is an American politician and former NFL player. He served as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 32nd congressional district from 2019 to 2025. Allred was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised by his single mother, who was his public school teacher. Today, we discuss his campaign and his strategy to defeat John Cornyn. Learn more about Colin at https://colinallred.com/ Join the 817...

This has been a tough week for Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and Texas, as we see each level of government take further steps towards fascism. In this week's episode we discuss the leaders who are standing up, those who are giving in, and how the people are showing up for the fight. Big Story 1: Fort Worth City Council votes to suspend DEI initiatives , due to 2 latino councilmembers joining co...

This week we spoke with the host of the 817 Gather, Nydia Cardenas, who has worked for decades as a consultant, analyst, and mentor with minority-owned businesses, start-ups, and entrepeneurs. We spoke about why diversity, equity, and inclusion are so important for the city of Fort Worth, and how city council's important vote on Tuesday, August 5th could be a turning point for Fort Worth&apos...

Big Story:  The Cooper Fire Cooper Fire relief fund reached $100,000 and distributes to fire victims Renters at The Cooper reeling after Fort Worth fire. Many had no insurance Fort Worth firefighters, city learning lessons from six-alarm Cooper fire Displaced Cooper tenants forge community, demand accountability after Fort Worth fire Short Story 1: Fort Worth Police Chief finalists announced Short...

This week we have a very special episode, talking just about transit. EJ Carrion is out this week, so Ann Zadeh & Wesley Kirk bring you the history of transit in Fort Worth, where we're currently at, what the future of transit could look like, and how you can advocate for better transit. Much of the info for today's episode came from local historian Quentin McGown's History of T...

This week, for our big story, we sit down with Hunter Griffin and Emeri Calloway from the Tarrant County Young Democrats to showcase how young people in Tarrant County make a difference when fighting for democracy. TCYD helped fight Tim O'Hare's attempt to eliminate college campus voting sites , Keller ISD's attempt to resegregate , and get a Fort Worth progressive elected .  We lis...

The team is joined by Allison Campolo, who is running for chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party . She ran for the Texas Senate in 2017 and served as the former county chair from 2021 to 2023. She shares why she wants to get back in the saddle and updated plans on how to turn the county blue! Watch on YouTube . BIG STORY: An interview with Allison Campolo - DFW native Kendall Scudder is the...

Ann, EJ, and Wesley attended Bernie Sanders' Oligarchy Tour with some awesome 817 Gatherers. We give a full analysis of the event, but also what is to come! Watch on YouTube Big Story: Bernie’s Fighting Oligarchy Tour at Dickies Arena Short Story 1: Absences force cancellation of Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting Short Story 2: Fort Worth City Council weighs ending minority business...

Ann, EJ, and Wesley walk into the studio with a smile on their faces and hope in their hearts, after attending the No Kings Rally in Fort Worth and a weekend of community events. The trio discusses what's next after Mayor Parker's Gay Pride Proclamation, as Juneteenth is this week and Bernie Sanders is coming to town. BIG STORY: Protesters in downtown Fort Worth declare US has ‘No Kings’...

Ann, EJ, and Wesley provide a comprehensive post-analysis of the June 3rd commissioners court meeting, where Judge Tim O'Hare, Commissioner Manny Ramirez, and Commissioner Matt Krause voted 3-2 to accept Map 7. Why Map 7? Where did Map 7 come from? How does this impact Fort Worth? Watch this episode to get a deep dive. BIG STORY: Tarrant County commissioners vote 3-2 to redistrict, adopting a...

Ann and EJ have the privilege to be joined on air with former Commissioner of Precinct Two, Devan Allen. She is the youngest commissioner in county history. She was also the first black female to lead as a commissioner in Tarrant County and the 3rd female in the county's 100-year history to hold such an office. She was part of the court when the county underwent the redistricting process in 2...

This is our first VIDEO episode! You can watch on YouTube! Subscribe, share with friends, and do not forget to add us on social media! The format of this episode is a little different due to all the announcements and progress we have made over the last two weeks. So we start the show with a little introduction and a description of what listeners can expect. The meat of the episode is Judge Tim O&a...

Today, we have a deep and intimate conversation with Jarred Howard, CEO of the National Juneteenth Museum . We discuss how to celebrate Juneteenth in 2025 with NJM at their inaugural Freedom Vibes Festival . You can get your tickets now . As usual, the pod has three short stories before the big story. We will update you on redistricting and how Fort Worth has amassed a million people, passing Aust...

This is a complete show, starting with the cancellation of six figures of NEA funding in North Texas. Mercy Culture breaks ground on its new center, and top county officials praise it. The big story is redistricting updates, and where does funding go in Tarrant and Texas? COMMUNITY UPDATES: Join the Discord RSVP for the 817 Gather SHORT STORY #1: North Texas arts groups have lost over $280,000 in...

Ann and EJ review the election results. Turnout was at its lowest level in over a decade, yet extremism lost. What does this mean moving forward as we prepare for Tim O'Hare's obsession with gerrymandering Tarrant County? Sign up to make your voice heard! Join the online community. Come to the 817 Gather on May 18th! SHOW NOTES: SHORT STORY #1: Election Results SHORT STORY #2: Tarrant Co...

Ann and EJ are back from a big weekend of events to give you three short stories, one BIG story, and wins and losses for the city of Fort Worth. Our big story is an interview with Dr. Mia Hall, who is running for City Council District 6 . Our three short stories are a collection of articles that analyze who gets the money in council races, why Tim O'Hare's National Day of Prayer is a ces...

Ann and EJ sit down with Daryl Davis II, a candidate for City Council District 6, this week for the big story. We also discuss how anti-DEI is impacting TCU and TCC. We give you updates on redistricting talks at the county level as Tim O'Hare's voter fraud law firm gets approved for tens of thousands of our tax dollars. SHORT STORY #1: Anti-DEI impacts TCU and TCC: - TCU cuts Diversity &...

Ann and EJ present three short stories and an interview with Cowtown Democrats President Geoffrey Hyder, who will host the new Texas Democrat Party Chair, Kendall Scudder, on April 15th ! Enjoy the episode, and we apologize for the audio, as we had to move into an outdated studio. We will be better in the future! SHORT STORY #1: Measles Exposure in Tarrant County - RFK Jr. Heads to Texas Kid'...

Democrats have been making gains across the country in special elections, but what does that mean for Tarrant County, where our GOP Judge is looking to rezone the county in his favor and the Tarrant Democratic Party can barely afford rent? Ann and EJ analyze the city, county, and state situation and believe hope exists. Be a part of the hope and attend a Gather . Join our Discord . SHORT STORY 1:...

Today, we sit down with the president and a lead organizer of the César Chávez & Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County , Maricela Jimenez and Maria Morales, to discuss the upcoming March for Justice . If you want to join us, we will gather at 9:30 am at the JFK Memorial on March 29th. If you cannot make the walk, they also have a link to donate . SHORT STORY #1: Fort Worth-based Texas ref...

Ann and EJ are guest-less this pod, which is the first in weeks! Ann attends a Mayoral panel where the last four mayors of Fort Worth talk about the past, present, and future of Fort Worth. This leads to the question: Is Fort Worth better today than pre-pandemic or post Betsy Price? SHORT STORY #1: Keller ISD Remains One District - Keller ISD abandons plan to split district into two, citing financ...

Brandi Waller-Pace, the organizer and visionary behind Fort Worth's African American Roots Festival , joins us in the studio. She shares her motive for bringing such a curated experience to the city and how Fort Worth can be a destination for art and music that uplifts marginalized voices. As usual, we go through our short stories, wins, and losses! SHORT STORY #1: Measles Outbreak: Where is...

Ale Checka, an award-winning public school teacher with 17 years of experience in FWISD, organized an opinion piece in the Star-Telegram to oppose Governor Abbott's Voucher Program. This voucher program aims to defund public schools while subsidizing private schools for privileged families. FWISD is already facing budget cuts and school closures, and this bill could exacerbate these challenge...