Democrats Abroad: The Blue Vote Café

After World War II, American GI colleges sprang up across Europe to educate US soldiers who were still stationed abroad. What was their lasting impact on the local communities, and what did these historic campuses really look like? In this episode of Blue Vote Café, we dive into a fascinating piece of post-war history. Glenn McRae, whose father attended one of these unique institutions, shares his...

Political influencer Ariella Elm drops into the café to talk about why "voter apathy" is a myth, reminding us that Election Day is truly every Tuesday. She underlines the importance of knowing—and fighting for—what is politically possible, and shares insights on building active voter groups on Sway.co. This conversation touches on: The concepts of Rallywe'en and Doomerella. Thoughts...

Freya Proudman drops into the café to talk about building a youth caucus from the ground up. Rejecting the notion that youth engagement is just about free pizza, Freya underlines the importance of offering young people the opportunity to get involved and contribute in myriad ways to the effort of reclaiming the America we love. This conversation touches on: The current dearth of DA leaders under t...

Are we watching history repeat itself? In this episode of Blue Vote Café , we sit down with Dr. Richard Sack to discuss the creeping shadows of 1930s Europe in today’s political climate and what we can do to fight back. About Our Guest: Dr. Richard Sack is an independent researcher, consultant, and the former Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)....

Former NIH scientists Drs. Jennifer Troyer and Jeremy Berg join the show to discuss the history and accomplishments of the National Institutes of Health, highlighting how investments in basic scientific research support the health and well-being of the entire nation. They examine why it made political sense for the administration to attack the NIH immediately upon taking power, and break down the...

Michelle Samson, the newly appointed spokesperson for Democrats Abroad’s Global Women’s Caucus (GWC), discusses the fight against cultural pressures to be "small, thin, and quiet," alongside broader issues that disproportionately impact women. She highlights key GWC initiatives, including the Feminist Hackathon and an upcoming scavenger hunt spanning five cities with a history of resisti...

Independent journalist Terrell Jermaine Starr discusses expanding the definition of race and how racism informs politics both in the U.S. and abroad. He explores the relatively brief period of American history dedicated to "getting things right," explains why he dislikes comparisons between the modern U.S. and Nazi Germany, and shares his experience being embedded with Ukraine's terr...

Recorded live in Kingston, Ontario, Canada! Historian, speechwriter, and author Arthur Milnes regales us with tales of the U.S. presidents and Canadian prime ministers he has known. In this episode, Arthur shares: The Nixon Connection: Why he ended up "chaining up" Richard Nixon in his backyard (it’s not what you think!). A Living Legacy: His unique garden filled with trees planted by pr...

Jill Nash, founder of Women Forward , joins us to discuss how candid conversations with residents in "red states" inspired her to launch the organization. Throughout the episode, she shares poignant stories from those early dialogues and the creative campaigns that followed—including a unique competition between the Broadway casts of Waitress and Wicked . Key Topics Grassroots Advocacy:...

What is the true purpose of education, and why do fascists always go after universities first? Dr. Joel Westheimer tackles these questions, shares early warning signs from his career, and explains how protest strengthens our citizenship. From comparing AI to CliffsNotes to finding signs of hope in dark times, this is a deeply personal and timely conversation. Listen to the full Blue Vote Café audi...

In this episode, Dr. Nola Haynes joins the show to explore the intersecting worlds of international, space, and climate security. The conversation spans from the heavy summer "greyness" of Washington, D.C. to the vital work of the Persist network and Women of Color Advancing Peace . Dr. Haynes also offers a provocative look at how the structures of white supremacy operate beyond racial i...

Author, artist, and advocate Jayne Mattingly discusses her book, This Body is Grief: Making Peace with the Loss that Comes with Living in a Body , and how inhabiting a body is inherently political—particularly in an era where bodily autonomy is under threat. The conversation explores the lack of marriage equality for disabled people, the realities of ableism, and the "curb-cut effect." J...

Why do some Americans choose to live outside the U.S.? Beyond the three traditional reasons for moving abroad—love, work, and school—there is so much more to the story. Listen in as guests at a Democrats Abroad potluck in Canada share their journeys, hailing from everywhere from Massachusetts to Maine to Montana. Are they happy to be in Canada, or do they regret not being home to help turn things...

Organizer and longtime activist Heather Booth says, "When we organize, with love at the center, we will change the world." Heather discusses her awakening to the power of this message during the Civil Rights Movement, the origins of the Jane Collective, and the training program she founded for organizers, Midwest Academy . She also outlines the Four Ms of Organizing : M embers M essage M...

Kate Barr discusses how to lose an electoral race in the loudest, most impactful way possible. She explores why America isn't as polarized as we’re led to believe, the critical difference between representatives choosing their voters versus voters choosing their representatives, and the urgent need for fair maps. She also introduces the Can't Win Victory Fund ( https://www.cantwinvictoryfu...

From MAGA to Democrat: Pamela Hemphill opens up about her journey, including her experience on January 6 and her time in prison. She reveals what broke the spell of the lies and offers strategies for talking to those still in the Trump cult. Pamela also reads a personal letter from Mike Pence and discusses why she embraces Democrats as the "party of love." Find the full audio library of...

Terry Watkins checks in from Democrats Abroad China. The conversation explores the nuances of racism around the world—specifically in China and Chile—as well as the information vacuum in China and the challenges of freely conversing with fellow DA members there. We also discuss the need to combat apathy and the frustration of sloganeering instead of focusing on our common goals. Find the full audi...

Campaign consultant Eva Posner of Evinco Strategies ( https://www.evincostrategies.com/ ) digs deep into the big questions: what's toxic in our political system, why the Democrats aren't better liked, and how having an agenda is a good thing. She talks about how our political system is upside-down, what's really needed to win races, and the need to certify and regulate political consul...

Kathleen Minor began her political journey in 2008, helping her mother work for Obama in Marjorie Taylor Greene's congressional district. She shares what inspired her to get involved again in 2020, discussing the role of hope, inspiration, and the power that lies in the hands of little people—"two guys on a bridge." She offers her recipe for winning: from listening to inspiring other...

Adam Gurri, editor in chief of Liberal Currents https://www.liberalcurrents.com/ talks about this new media company's broad span of investigation, from the foundational work of defining liberalism and the reasons for defending it, to itemizing existing institutional levers that can help resist authoritarianism. Would Trump have been impeached in 2021 if the Senate rules had specified a vote by...

Stuck in Vermont during the pandemic with his partner stranded across the border in Quebec, playwright Terry Allison was inspired to write about the repercussions at the family and small-town level of separation enforced by an invisible line. Terry talks about language as a fundamental part of our history, about the challenges of writing comedically for a different culture, and about borders as pl...

Democrats Abroad member Bob Vallier explains what a party platform is, what it does, how it's made, and Democrats Abroad's new efforts to ensure proper platform planning. He discusses how preparing a party's platform can stimulate the grassroots at the local level, leading to member engagement and volunteer recruitment. DA members should watch for opportunities to participate and engag...

Kalere Payton visits the cafe from Iceland to tell a tale of racial trauma and healing. Payton speaks to what her mother's story has to teach about perseverance, about what it means to be an ally and to use whatever privilege you have to address injustice. She talks about raising children who will stand in the gap, particularly in a time when there is so much hurt in the world. Visit https://w...

Rachel made a new friend at the inaugural Crooken Con. Christian Ortega dives into what it was like to attend. The conversation ranges from Obama's surprise appearance and feeling startstruck by the speakers and panelists; to billionaires; AI; corporate overlords; notable points made by conference speakers such as Simone Snaders Townsend, Hasan Piker, and Lina Khan; and what it's like to f...

Andrea Miller and Judith Bolker from the Center for Common Ground give an on-the-ground picture of working to educate and empower voters of color in voter suprpession states. Based in Virginia, Andrea talks ensuring that t information reaches people whose circumstances don't give them access, and that people understand why voting makes a difference. Based in the U.K,, Judith talks about Andrea...