Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

In this short-and-sweet episode, we take a break from talking politics to share what we’re reading and watching this summer to rest and unwind. We talk Nikole Hannah-Jones’ 1619 Project and the latest news about her power move to Howard; we denounce any slander about NBC’s This Is Us, and we discuss the books on our list from James Patterson murder mysteries to Harvard professor Jesse McCarthy’s e...

In this episode, we ground Republican anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in history, including the historical trope of protecting cisgender White girls from perceived threats that have no basis in reality. Then we’re joined by Rebecca Marques, Texas State Director for the Human Rights Campaign to talk about the organization’s efforts to fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the state and across the count...

In this episode, we sit down with one of the brightest rising stars at the New York Times—political reporter Astead Herndon—for sharp conversation and analysis about the nature of the moment we’re in. Astead, 29, shares why he sees election reporting as culture reporting, how he helped make the reparations debate a litmus test for Democratic Presidential candidates back in early 2020, and why repr...

Tram Nguyen, co-director of New Virginia Majority, talks with us about how her work with refugees and disaster survivors led her to electoral organizing, an effort that has transformed the former Confederate state of Virginia into a national leader in voting rights expansion and progressive ideals. Tram also shares her family’s history of courage and resilience—from fleeing Vietnam to living in a...

In one of the realest and most authentic interviews we’ve had with an elected official, we chat with St. Louis’ first Black woman mayor, Tishaura Jones. In this raw and honest conversation, Mayor Jones speaks straight from the heart about her path to politics; mental health and the dangerous myth of Black women’s “magical” resilience; her vision for public safety, and her love of good bourbon. REF...

In this week’s episode, we review some of the most consequential news out of Washington D.C., from President Biden’s American Families Plan to the latest DOJ confirmation hearings and the House Judiciary Committee’s historic approval of H.R. 40 (a bill that would establish a commission to study reparations). It's safe to say we are pleasantly surprised with how well things are going. REFERENCES: J...

In this episode, we take stock of major news headlines from the latest police violence in Minnesota to the onslaught of voter suppression in Georgia and around the country. We also discuss Republican attacks on transgender rights as a part of their strategy to instill fear among their constituents by “othering” trans youth. We end with a song called “A Prayer for Melvin Truss” by Jon Jang and Fran...

Racist violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders isn’t new but neither is the community’s history of resistance. In this episode, we speak with Professor Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, a national expert on Asian American history, about the rise in anti-Asian American racism and violence and how it fits into the larger historical and political context of white supremacy in the United States. Judy,...

Texas might not be blue yet, but it’s getting there, and several leaders across the state are laying the foundation for a political transformation that’ll change the future of American politics. In this episode, we speak with former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who’s following in the footsteps of former Georgia Rep. Stacey Abrams and doing the work to expand democracy across the Lone Star State. Beto...

Following the lead of Georgia, a wave of new, fearless progressive leaders has been laying the groundwork for a political revolution in Texas. They’re changing the state's white cowboy narrative and with their leadership, the Lone Star State is poised to upend the political balance of power in America. In this episode, Texas State Rep. Mary González joins us just mere hours after presiding over an...

It’s Black History Month (don’t tell Steve). While he may not be a fan of our very short month of Black history reflection, we can all agree that every month is a good month to highlight Black people leading the charge towards a better future for all of us. In this episode, we chat with Jessica Byrd—one of those dynamic Black leaders—about the “political renaissance” she’s witnessing in this count...

ICYMI, Joe Biden and his administration hit the ground running since his first official day in office. After four years of, well, you know, we like our White House this way: boring and efficient. Light on drama, heavy on getting stuff done. From COVID relief to immigration reform, Biden has signed a slate of executive actions signaling a surprisingly impressive understanding of what it will take t...

We’re not crying, you are (okay, we’re crying). On January 20th, we watched history unfold as President Joe Biden and Madam Vice President Kamala Harris took their oaths of office. In our newest episode we pause to appreciate the historic moment of a new administration and then turn our attention to discussing the top priorities for the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration. For the fi...

It’s a new year indeed. We’re just seven days into 2021 and the country’s New American Majority has wasted no time flexing its political muscle. While Republicans and Trump supporters make dangerous and desperate last-ditch efforts to overturn the will of the people, Georgia voters clapped back with a resounding “time’s up” and handed Democrats the reins to the U.S. Senate by electing Reverend Rap...

In this year’s final episode, we look back at the last 12 months to find the silver linings of a rough year. Turns out, there’s still a lot to smile about. Steve and Sharline share their gratitude for the new COVID vaccine and reflect on how basketball both modeled how to safely navigate the pandemic and also brought a lot of people joy in quarantine. We also point to some major victories in a fra...

It’s definitely December because holiday movies are streaming everywhere. But it feels like we’re in the middle of election season with the flurry of energy surrounding the upcoming Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs. In this week’s episode, we’re joined by one of the architects of the political transformation of the Peach State—New Georgia Project Action Fund CEO Nse Ufot. We introduce a new segment cal...

Thanksgiving is different this year, but it could’ve looked even more terrifying if not for the millions of people who persisted in myriad ways to forestall fascism, kick Trump out of the White House and reclaim our country for the multi-racial majority. To celebrate, Steve, Sharline, and Julie gather around a virtual table for a little fun Thanksgiving dinner game of “This or That.” [5:43] We the...

With the defeat of Trump, we managed to forestall fascism for the moment, and the entire world is taking a collective sigh of relief. Over the course of Election Week, we flipped Arizona and Georgia blue, witnessed record turnout across the country, and propelled Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House. In this episode, we revel in the victory just a little longer before honing in on what’s...

Steve, Sharline and data scientist Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega give us a post-Election Day update of everything that went down last night. They talk about what surprised them, what gives them hope for the future of the New American Majority, and what to expect over the next several hours and days. REFERENCES: Scott Walker - @scottwalker - 45 Governor of Wisconsin (2011-2019) John Loredo - former mem...

With just five days left before Election Day, we offer a How-To guide of what to watch for as election results unfold on November 3rd. We hone in on the top four signs to watch for to get a sense of who is going to win. Our favorite data scientist, Dr. Julie Martinez Ortega, breaks down which states and counties to keep an eye on—and at what time of the night. Also, Steve and Dr. Julie give us the...

Trump didn't believe in COVID; then he got COVID. Then he got better (or so it is seeming, at least for now). Schadenfreude abounded especially when the news that he had tested positive for the virus was first announced. In this episode, we talk about why our country, this election, and Democrats’ prospects for taking back the White House and Senate are better off if No. 45’s health stays steady/d...

With Election Day only 33 days away, we answer a question on everyone’s mind—What more can I do in these final few weeks? In this episode, we offer suggestions on top actions you can take right now to make a difference before November 3rd. We also sit down with Krystal Ortiz, a director of NEWCO Strategies, who shares insight about strategic election-related volunteering options. Steve describes N...

We are here for you. In this episode, we offer insight and analysis to help talk you and your friends off the ledge as we all anxiously wait and work towards the November elections, which is less than 50 days away. We offer facts and information to back up our assertion that we truly believe Democrats have—in a fair election—an electoral advantage, even in a number of swing states. We hope this ep...

Hot off the press! Democracy in Color just released our 2020 Report Cards on the Democratic Party SuperPACs—the organizations that raise and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to elect Democratic candidates. These SuperPACs have already raised more than $600 million. We issue these Report Cards to reveal how these organizations are performing so far this cycle, whether they are on track in term...

Few people know Kamala Harris like we in the Bay Area do. We discuss Joe Biden’s selection of the former San Francisco district attorney and Oakland native as his running mate. We also hear from one of Kamala’s long-time mentees—another Bay Area political star—Lateefah Simon, who was hired by Kamala 20 years ago despite not having a college degree at the time. Simon, an award-winning nonprofit lea...