Democracy on Fire

On this episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown , healthcare affordability and access are once again at the center of national debate as Congress considers cuts that could leave millions uninsured. Public health expert and cardiologist Dr. Sion Roy, a candidate for the California Senate for the 24th District , joins the conversation to explain how proposed Medicaid reductions and the expiration of ACA...

In this episode of Hot Spots , host Kay Brown travels to Reykjavik, Iceland, attending the Arctic Circle Assembly where global leaders, scientists, and advocates gather to confront the rapid transformation of the Arctic . She speaks with Jim Gamble, Senior Director of Pacific Environment’s Arctic Program , about the accelerating Arctic meltdown and how warming four times faster than the rest of th...

In this powerful episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown , retired B-52 bomber pilot Laura Meeks shares her remarkable life story and her perspective on the challenges facing transgender Americans today . Laura reflects on growing up in a traditional family, building a successful Air Force career, and discovering her transgender identity while serving overseas. She opens up about the emotional complex...

This episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown offers a powerful look into the realities of hunger, housing insecurity, and the unraveling social safety net affecting millions across the United States . Guest John Thomas—a security officer and devoted community volunteer in the Coachella Valley —shares his frontline perspective on feeding, supporting, and dignifying unhoused neighbors through The Shared...

In this episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown , Dr. Sian Prior, lead advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance , explains how rapidly accelerating Arctic melt is reshaping the global climate . Speaking from the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík, she breaks down the science behind black carbon — a potent “super pollutant” produced by ships, transportation, and oil and gas operations — and how its deposi...

In this powerful episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown , policy advisor Maggie Siddiqi from the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty joins to unpack the alarming rise of Christian nationalism and its connection to the new federal private school voucher program buried in last summer’s Big Ugly Bill . Siddiqi explains how this unprecedented law diverts billions in public funds away from publi...

Imam and community organizer Fayaz Nawabi joins Kay Brown to discuss civic engagement, faith, and the urgent fight for democracy in California on this episode of Hot Spots . A San Diego native and graduate of San Diego State University, Nawabi has spent two decades empowering underrepresented communities through political organizing and leadership . As the founder of For the People Action , he wor...

In this episode of Hot Spots , former homeschooled evangelical Sarah Piotrowicz joins Kay Brown to share her journey out of the world of Christian Nationalism . Once raised to be a “foot soldier” for the religious right, Sarah opens up about how political indoctrination and patriarchal control shaped her upbringing and education at Patrick Henry College . She reveals how institutions like the Home...

In this episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown , author and commentator Robert Hubbell joins Kay for an inspiring conversation about resilience, civic engagement, and reclaiming democracy amid chaos and corruption . Hubbell, author of the Today’s Edition newsletter, shares the personal story behind his nightly messages of hope that began after the 2016 election . He explains why maintaining perspecti...

In this compelling episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown , California leader and Lieutenant Governor candidate Michael Tubbs joins to discuss his vision for a more equitable and forward-looking California . From his roots in Stockton to his trailblazing leadership as the city’s youngest and first Black mayor , Tubbs shares how his lived experiences shaped his mission to end poverty and expand opport...

This week’s episode of Hot Spots dives into the rising influence of Christian nationalism and its impact on American politics, education, and democracy. Host Kay Brown welcomes Michelle Singleton, officer of the Riverside County Democratic Party and political action chair , to explore how this movement is fueling culture wars in California , particularly through school boards, voucher programs, an...

In this powerful episode of Hotspots , Pastor Matt Schultz of Anchorage, Alaska, joins the United America Network to break down the growing threat of Christian nationalism in the United States . Schultz, a Presbyterian USA minister and published writer on the subject , explains how Christian nationalism is not Christianity at all, but rather a political ideology fueled by authoritarianism, racism,...

The discourse surrounding Christian nationalism emerges as a pivotal concern in contemporary society, as elucidated in our inaugural episode of Hot Spots with Kay Brown. Joined by the erudite Dr. Bruce Ellis Benson, we delve into the insidious implications of this ideology, which intertwines Christian tenets with national identity, thereby advocating for a societal framework that privileges Christ...