The Joy of Democracy

In this episode of The Joy of Democracy, Joy Silver welcomes Straight Outta Rivco correspondents Anyse Smith and Francisco Ramos for the launch of a new collaboration highlighting overlooked communities across Riverside County. Their first feature is Part 1 of a conversation with Chris Castorena, planning commissioner for the City of Banning. Together they explore the challenges facing rural and s...

A lively and important conversation between Host Joy Silver and her guest Michael Johnson, about the evolving definitions of masculinity, and the societal pressures that accompany them. Takeaways: The current societal landscape affords young women unprecedented advantages due to the dismantling of legal barriers and the accumulation of emotional intelligence from historical struggles. Young men fa...

In this A Deeper Dive episode of The Joy of Democracy , host Joy Silver welcomes filmmaker and first-time playwright Joyce Callo to discuss her heartfelt new comedy, The Beauty Bubble . Inspired by a real Joshua Tree beauty salon and museum, the play explores grief, reinvention, chosen family, and the healing power of community. Callo shares how the story grew from lived experiences, cultural divi...

The "No Tax on Tips" proposal, while seemingly straightforward, harbors a multitude of complexities that warrant thorough examination. In this installment of "Money Talks," I, Joy Silver, am joined by financial expert Cindy Barone, a Certified Financial Planner with extensive experience, to elucidate the intricacies of this policy. We delve into critical concepts such as the differentiation betwee...

Democracy isn’t just a principle—it’s a system that depends on participation to function. In this thoughtful conversation, Leigh McGowan of PoliticsGirl joins Joy Silver to explore what meaningful engagement looks like today—and why disengagement carries real consequences. Leigh has built a national audience by making complex issues understandable and actionable. She is able to dissolve complexity...

Grassroots activism continues to shape the national conversation—and deliver real results. In this episode, Becki Sameroff Robinson returns with another “ We Did That ” segment on The Joy of Democracy with Joy Silver , highlighting how organized citizens, protests, and persistent civic engagement are influencing major legal and political outcomes across the country . From massive “No Kings” demons...

In this The Joy of Democracy episode’s Money Talk segment, certified financial planner Cyndie Barone breaks down the much-talked-about “no tax on Social Security” claim —and explains why the name may be misleading . She clarifies that the provision is actually a limited income deduction for people age 65 and older, not a true elimination of taxes on Social Security benefits . The conversation expl...

On this We Did That! episode of The Joy of Democracy , host Joy Silver is joined by longtime activist Becky Sameroff Robinson for another discussion about how Americans are thwarting the current regime’s efforts to embrace fascist rule in a Democracy. It’s another great example of how the people have the power and Mickey Mouse was hammered by his late-night superstar’s appeal with tens of millions...

In this A Broad and A Bro episode of The Joy of Democracy with Joy Silver , author and journalist Walter Rhein joins the conversation to explore how patriarchy, media narratives, and toxic definitions of masculinity shape American politics and culture . The discussion examines why women’s leadership still faces resistance, how reproductive rights are inseparable from economic justice, and why acco...

A certified financial planner breaks down one of the most talked-about tax proposals: “No Tax on Tips.” In this episode of The Joy of Democracy with Joy Silver , Cyndie Barone, CFP , explains how the policy actually works, who may benefit, and who could be unintentionally harmed . Listeners learn the critical difference between above-the-line and below-the-line tax adjustments, why employer report...

In this powerful episode of The Joy of Democracy , organizer and longtime educator Becki Sameroff Robinson joins host Joy Silver and breaks down how everyday people successfully fought back against harmful political and corporate actions in their new feature, We Did That! From boycotting Tesla and Target to organizing protests against airlines involved in deportation contracts , she shows how coll...