The Breakdown with Shaun King

2020 is too much. Period. Today, I just want to talk to you about the importance of processing the pain of it all. ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you hear the disturbing clip of Kenosha, Wisconsin Sheriff David Beth saying Black people need to be locked up, warehoused, and never let out again? He said this after a shoplifting incident. But listen, that man was VOTED into office. We have to start be very, very specific about who and what people should be voting for and against nationwide. Or we get him. ---- If you listen to The Breakdow...

Yesterday the Milwaukee Bucks started a movement. Today I want to unpack the big lesson from their courageous step to not play in their NBA playoff game as a protest against police brutality ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. L...

Last night in Kenosha, Wisconsin armed white supremacists literally worked directly with local police, sharing water and refreshments and strategies with them, before they murdered two people and injured another ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early...

 I'm fighting for it. You are fighting for it. But let's take a moment to define what justice really means for families impacted by police violence and racial terrorism. ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more about your...

Last night, we were literally with the family of Breonna Taylor when we learned that police shot 29-year-old father, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wisconsin in front of his kids. ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more about y...

This past week I decided to do something I've never done - I made my social media accounts private. And I love it. The hate, spam, and death threats have been reduced drastically and the harassment is nearly gone. It comes with a tradeoff. Let me explain. ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebre...

I want to defeat Donald Trump. We must. But squashing dissent and critical voices from the left won't help that - it will turn essential voting groups into non-voters. Let's talk about it. ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Lea...

For years on end, after every mass shooting in this country, Republicans would offer nothing but thoughts and prayers. It's infuriating. But now I am worried that Democrats who are quick to say "Black Lives Matter," but don't actually fight for policies that prove it are doing the same damn thing. Let me unpack and explain it. ---- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work w...

Every day I see people rightly ask why more "good cops" don't speak out on police violence. Well - today I'll show you why. This brave officer posted his professional opinion about the murder of George Floyd - and just got fired over it. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclus...

All across the country, cities are being forced to drastically reform the way police operate within their communities. The outcomes have been incredible, but there is one major change that must be implemented to ensure law enforcement officers can no longer abuse their power: police oversight. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member...

I want to play four of the most powerful clips from the speeches and interviews of Malcolm X. They are also painful because they shouldn't even be relevant anymore, but he literally could've said these things yesterday. Listen and learn. While The North Star takes a sabbatical week, we've decided to rerun the top 5 most listened to episodes of The Breakdown. Here is one of them.  ----- If you list...

The ratification of the 15th Amendment was seen as a huge milestone for the liberation of African Americans, but does it really do all we so often say it does? Shaun doesn't think so, actually. Listen and learn. While The North Star takes a sabbatical week, we've decided to rerun the top 5 most listened to episodes of The Breakdown. Here is one of them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

Mortality is something every person deals with, but few talk about. On today's episode, Shaun shares a personal message about the emotions that come with loss, and how he deals with them.  While The North Star takes a sabbatical week, we've decided to rerun the top 5 most listened to episodes of The Breakdown. Here is one of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that the majority of Americans don't vote? Today I ask you to not only commit to voting, but commit to being an informed voter that brings others with you.  While The North Star takes a sabbatical week, we've decided to rerun the top 5 most listened to episodes of The Breakdown. Here is one of them.  ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, conside...

While The North Star takes a sabbatical week, we've decided to rerun the top 5 most listened to episodes of The Breakdown. Here is the first. The words and legacy of Dr. King have been reduced and sanitized in so many ways. Today Shaun King plays 5 very special audio clips of Dr. King that you have likely never heard before and breaks down why they are so very important. ----- If you listen to The...

I learned a long time ago that victories come so rarely, that you have to celebrate them when you have them. Last night two brilliant candidates won essential elections, but another brilliant candidate lost as well. Let me unpack and explain all three races. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/th...

It's here! My brand new book, Make Change, is now available in bookstores worldwide. Today, I want to share a short story of failure and the major pivot that we made as a result. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more a...

Tomorrow is a huge day for me as I await the release of my new book, Make Change. Today I want to read an excerpt from it for you. If you have not yet ordered it, please do so now at MakeChangeBook.com ok? ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early acce...

Most people think of Hawaii as a perfect paradise, but it faces the same systemic issues as the rest of the country, including mass incarceration. That’s why Jacquie Esser is running for lead prosecutor, to bring about desperately needed change. Let’s help get her elected! ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www...

Yesterday we shared our first 5 ways to defund the police and make America safer at the same time. Today, we conclude with the final 5 ideas. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

Alex Vitale is one of my favorite scholars in the country on how and why we must defund the police. He recently listed 10 ways we can do that safely. Today I'll break down the first five. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Lea...

The United States is experiencing a failure of both systems and personnel. It's not one, but both. And as a consequence, the single most famous stat for mass incarceration is now the exact same as this horrible new stat for the coronavirus. It's because the stats are produced by the same source. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a membe...

Kim Gardner is my hero. She's the lead prosecutor for St. Louis and has more courage in a day than most of us will have in our lifetime. Because of that, she has now become one of the single most hated Black women in America to the conservative white establishment. Today let's hear from Kim directly and plan on supporting her in every way we can. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to he...

Meet Victoria Burton-Harris - a badass woman who is running to be the new District Attorney of Detroit. It's one of the single most important races in the country and she needs our support. ----- If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. L...