Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

We discuss the political power of Black people and other people of color, who, when factored into the math, have the ability to tip the scale in this year’s midterms. Our resident data scientist Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega joins us to help explain some of the most significant takeaways that surface when we apply a race-conscious perspective to existing election analyses. REFERENCES: Equis Research -...

Former Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper joins us to discuss the state of U.S. politics through the lens of Ohio. David shares the work he’s done to hold the line against the disturbing trend of autocracy emerging across the state and in national politics at large. He breaks down the role state houses play in either helping or hurting our democracy. We also discuss David’s new book Laborato...

LGBTQ+ rights activist Julie Dorf joins us to share how she and a coalition of ragtag organizers created the International and Human Rights Commission in the 90s, her role in and lessons learned during the struggle for marriage equality, and why she’s listening to her own “ spawn” and younger activists on how to move forward in these times. References: Julie Dorf - @JulieDorf Council for Global Eq...

Lt. Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes joins us to discuss his bid to become the first Black Senator from Wisconsin. He shares his working class roots as the son of union members and why the Senate needs more leaders who aren’t afraid to do what’s right and fight for social justice. We discuss his 2018 race in which he became the first African American lieutenant governor in the state. We also f...

To close out Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, San Francisco-based saxophonist and longtime activist Francis Wong joins us to talk about the revolutionary power of music and art. He shares how he came to pick up a saxophone in the first place and how music, especially jazz, has played an important role in his activist work. We discuss the role of multiracial unity and collective...

Pennsylvania State Representative Summer Lee joins us to talk about her race to become the first Black woman representing western Pennsylvania in the U.S. House; why her race is significant to the national progressive movement as a whole; and how she continues to overcome obstacles thrown at her from Republicans and mainstream Democrats alike. REFERENCES: Donate to Summer Lee Directly Here: https:...

You want to contribute and we want to help you do it wisely. We explain why donating to Stacey Abrams’s campaign is the most significant way to help Democrats transform the balance of power in this country this midterm cycle. We explain how her campaign can change Georgia (and the country) forever and shine a light on the groundwork being laid in Arizona to make it true Blue, and why you should be...

Greg Bluestein, Atlanta-Journal Constitution’s political reporter, joins us to break down Georgia’s political landscape from the Shakespearean-style drama that is GA’s Republican Party right now to Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign centered around expanding Medicaid. Greg also shares his view as a longtime reporter of Stacey’s trajectory from her start in the state legislature to 2018 and curr...

We’re keeping it in the family as Steve’s niece Courtney Teasley joins the podcast to talk politics and pop culture from Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings to last week’s drama at the Oscars. Courtney shares her experience of Jackson’s confirmation hearings and why Senator Cory Booker’s defense was so heartwarming. Uncle Steve breaks down his latest piece in The Guardian that grou...

Michael Tubbs, California Governor Newsom’s new “Anti-Poverty Czar” and former mayor of Stockton, CA, returns to our podcast to update us on his new book, The Deeper the Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home, his growing family, and his latest venture, EPIC (End Poverty in California). He and Steve discuss the false and harmful perceptions against poor people, creative solutions to building wealth for...

It’s a family reunion! Aimee Allison, founder of She the People and Democracy in Color’s former president (and original founder and host of this podcast), returns to reminisce and reflect with Steve and Sharline. Aimee shares how She the People—a national network of women of color dedicated to transforming our country’s democracy and elevating the political voice and leadership of women of color—h...

The first Black woman Supreme Court Justice is very likely somewhere prepping for her confirmation hearing right now. We discuss the news of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement and Biden’s promise to put a Black woman on the Supreme Court. Steve, Sharline and Julie talk through the significance of this historic nomination, the potential candidates, and what Biden should take into consideration as...

The Secretary of State race in Georgia will play a consequential role this election cycle and beyond. That’s why Rep. Bee Nguyen, Stacey Abrams’ successor and the first Asian American woman elected to the Georgia General Assembly, is running to fill that seat. Bee joins us to discuss the Senate’s failure to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation, the history of voter suppression in Georgia,...

As redistricting maps get finalized across the country, Democrats are in better shape than most pundits predicted following the 2020 election. Steve, Sharline and Julie share updates on the redistricting process and dive into the numbers to highlight how and where Democrats should focus their energy and investment to win this year. We also discuss what’s wrong with the commonly held belief that th...

One year after the deadly insurrection that took place on January 6, 2021 in the U.S. Capitol, Steve, Sharline and Fola reflect on the failed attempted coup. Steve provides an update on his forthcoming book, How We Win the Civil War, and draws parallels between the Civil War era and this current moment in history. Fola also shares her view on the rise of Black women in politics and media, from Sta...

Veteran journalist Suzanne Gamboa, of NBC.com, joins us on our last podcast episode of the year to discuss immigration and U.S.-Mexico relations, Texas’ growing status as a political battleground especially in the upcoming midterms, and the importance of the Latino vote. We also discuss her path to journalism and how and why she helped create the race and ethnicity beat at the Associated Press dur...

You asked, we answered. From the increasing weaponization of “critical race theory” to the ongoing discrepancy between what Democrats say about turnout vs. what they actually do, Steve, Sharline and Julie answer your questions on air and attempt to make sense of the latest in political news including last week’s election day results. Also, our podcast turned two! The team reflects on the last two...

The U.S. is “not a nation of immigrants” despite popular opinion, especially among many Democrats. In this episode, we speak with acclaimed historian and activist Roxanne-Dunbar Ortiz about her newest book Not A Nation of Immigrants: Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion. Founder of Advance Native Political Leadership Anathea Chino also joins us to discuss th...

Ahead of the 2022 midterms, we survey the landscape of key races in battleground states and discuss why they matter, as well as which exciting candidates to watch. We explain how Democrats can break the “midterm curse” and why investing in voters of color across the South and Southwest is the way to win next year. We also dive into a brief commentary on sports and racial justice as we discuss the...

Executive Director of Somos Votantes Melissa Morales joins us to share her view on the current debate over Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month and why she thinks Latinos working together is more important than choosing any one name.  She also shares how she came to understand that the challenges in her childhood were the result of bad policy and not “bad luck,” the role Latinos played in Joe Biden’s 20...

Sharline and Julie share their personal reflections on the Texas abortion ban and what it means to them, especially as women of color. We also provide updates around COVID and President Biden’s latest federal vaccine mandate, and we break down the irony of states like Mississippi opposing the mandate. We also shine a light on the stories that are giving us hope, from Senate candidate for Wisconsin...

The California gubernatorial recall election is just two weeks away and stakes are high for Democrats and progressives across the country. California Donor Table Executive Director Ludovic Blain joins us to discuss the racist roots of this Republican-led recall effort against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. We point out where Governor Newsom’s campaign has gone wrong in fighting the recall effor...

The 2020 Census data is out and we dig into some of the key findings and what they mean for the future of the country. Our favorite data expert, Dr. Julie Martinez-Ortega joins us to discuss the changing demographics of young people of color and how a structural change to the survey helped people better self-identify their race and ethnicity. We challenge mainstream Democrats’ beloved white data g...

On this episode, The Washington Post columnist and former senior writer at FiveThirtyEight Perry Bacon Jr. joins us for a lively discussion about the state of politics and political journalism today, from the burgeoning uncivil war being waged by Republicans to Democrats’ timidity and inability to address the root causes of social and political tension head on. Perry explains why words like “polar...

In this episode, former state senator and congressional hopeful Nina Turner joins us for a moving conversation about the legacy of civil rights leaders in Ohio and across the country and her goal to push their vision forward as a U.S. representative. She shares her political journey from the Ohio state legislature to her leadership at Our Revolution and her tenure as co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ 20...