Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Happy Thanksgiving! Our team is taking a break this week, so we’re re-sharing one of our most popular episodes from last year featuring somatics coach Viveka Chen, now with a brand-new intro from our co-host Sharline Chang. In This Episode: Let’s pause for a moment and remember that we need to take care of ourselves. Leadership coach, transformative justice practitioner, and somatics coach Viveka Chen (she/they) discusses the intersection of personal healing and collective liberation. Viveka shares insights from their work helping activists, organizers, and community leaders build resilience and foster connection in the face of systemic injustice. Viveka discusses healthy ways to deepen our capacity for change, how to transform burnout into sustainable action, and she shares grounding practices for getting through the holiday season and beyond. Viveka, Steve, and Sharline also share how they’re each finding gratitude in this moment and take a moment to breathe deeply and reflect. REFERENCES: Viveka Chen - Strozzi Institute co-LAB Collective's Radical Sabbatical co-LAB Collective's Helpful Frameworks for Hard Times When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, Shared Purpose, and Leadership in the Timeplace of Collapse // Norma Wong

The 19th News’ childcare and economy reporter Chabeli Carrazana discusses the unique beat she’s formed and why reporting on the economy from a gender lens matters. Chabeli explains how the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted women of color, and she discusses the challenges faced by immigrant childcare workers in the wake of Trump’s immigration crackdowns. She shares the undue burden LGBTQ+ mothers face when it comes to healthcare, and she gives insight into the groundbreaking universal childcare program implemented in New Mexico. She also points to NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s agenda as a possible model for the next wave of universal childcare. REFERENCES: Chabeli Carrazzana - @ChabeliC_ The 19th News - Author Bio & Articles Breaking the News - Documentary

For the Bay Area Book Festival’s inaugural Merritt Dialogue Speaker Series, Steve and writer Rebecca Solnit join Working Families Party California State Director Jane Kim for a hopeful conversation on changing the narrative and imagining a better future. They cover several issues relevant to this political moment including, voter suppression, the climate crisis, youth activism, and media misinformation and disinformation. They also discuss why harnessing the power of the New American Majority hinges on progressives unapologetically fighting for racial justice and equality. They share what is giving them hope in these harrowing times and answer questions from the audience. REFERENCES: Rebecca Solnit - Website Jane Kim - Website // @JaneKim Bay Area Book Festival - Website // Merritt Dialogue Speaker Series

Somos Votantes founder and president of Melissa Morales returns to discuss the critical role of the Latino electorate and what her organization is hearing from voters about our current political climate. She unpacks how voter behavior among Latino communities shifted from 2020 to 2024 and the impact of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign to be the first woman president of the United States. Morales also explains recent polling data that shows waning support among Latinos for Trump’s policies, particularly as it relates to the economy and looming threats of deportation by ICE in immigrant communities. REFERENCES Somos Votantes - somosvotantes.com // @SomosVotantes "Trump's Standing with Latino Voters Beginning to Collapse as Latino Men and Young Voters Decisively Turn Away" - Poll

Executive Director of Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) Fahd Ahmed discusses Zohran Mamdani’s historic race for New York City mayor and the lessons for Democrats and progressives in future elections. Ahmed explains how DRUM Beats NYC (DRUM’s sibling organization) has mobilized South Asians and working-class immigrants across the political spectrum in support of Mamdani, whose platform centers the material needs of working-class New Yorkers, such as housing, childcare, and transportation, as well as global issues including the war in Gaza. Ahmed shares his view on the reluctance of some established Democratic leaders to endorse Mamdani and the implications of his potential victory for the future of the Democratic Party and progressive politics in the United States. REFERENCES: Fahd Ahmed, Executive Director, DRUM Beats NYC - @DRUMBeatsNYC // drumbeatsnyc.org

San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer, and longtime observer of California politics, Joe Garofoli offers historical and political context to California’s growing role as a bastion against the Trump administration’s march towards fascism. He breaks down the upcoming November ballot measure to redistrict the state and neutralize the five additional Republican seats created in Texas. He also shares his view of Governor Gavin Newsom’s political trajectory, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ next move, and what all of this spells for 2026 and 2028. REFERENCES: Joe Garofoli - @joegarofoli // San Francisco Chronicle

Steve and Sharline reflect on Steve’s latest manuscript before diving into how they’ve been coping and surviving these last eight months of the second Trump administration. They cover the key bellwether elections of 2025 that will be dominating headlines this fall from New York City’s mayoral race to the historic gubernatorial race in Virginia, one that will elect its first female governor. They discuss the significance of these upcoming elections and they touch on two key Senate races that could reshape Democrats' congressional power in 2026.

Emmy Ruiz, former assistant to the President during the Biden-Harris administration, and White House director of political strategy and outreach, returns to discuss the redistricting showdown in Texas. She dives into the impact of gerrymandering on democracy, and offers her thoughts on the response from Democratic-led states to Republicans' redistricting efforts. She also shares her insights on grassroots organizing, mobilizing voter turnout in key districts, and the evolving landscape of Latino voter behavior. REFERENCES: Emmy Ruiz - Twitter/X

Cristina Jiménez, Co-founder and Executive Director of United We Dream, joins Steve to discuss her new book, Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear Into Pride, Power & Real Change. She shares the impact of American foreign policy around the world, but particularly in her home country of Ecuador, that led to mass migration movements in search of safety and stability. She discusses the role of eugenics in immigration policy, and how her experiences as a young person led her to activism. Cristina also shares what she’s learned as an organizer and what she believes is necessary to navigate this current political landscape.

In this re-release of our 100th episode, Erin Heaney, executive director of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), discusses the role of white allyship in the fight for justice and a multiracial democracy. REFERENCES: If you’d like to volunteer with SURJ, you can join their remote SURJ Action Hours: Summer to Grow, Turn Up the Heat campaign that takes place every other Wednesday through the summer or you can find an in-person meeting near you. On August 5 and 12, SURJ is also hosting a 2-part remote training session on how to show up for immigrant communities. Erin Heaney, Executive Director, SURJ - @heaney_erin SURJ - @showup4rj and surj.org "Progressives want to grow the ‘White Stripe’ of a multiracial coalition" Politico Transcript (unedited)

Steve and Sharline share how they’re processing the last several months before diving into the books and television shows that are helping them regroup, from Sharline’s first watch of Gilmore Girls with her daughter to Steve’s love of British murder mystery books. They also share how they’re finding humor on social media and in live comedy clubs. REFERENCES: Sharline's Recs Soul Authority: Liberatory Tools to Heal from Oppressive Patterns and Restore Trust in Your Heart Compass by Loraine Y. Van Tuyl On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood by Lucy Jones The Spirit and the Strength: A Profile of Toni Morrison Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) - Watch on Netflix Steve's Recs Thursday Murder Club & We Solve Murders by Richard Osman Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood Four Seasons (2025) - Watch on Netflix Dept. Q (2025) - Watch on Netflix Book Rec Instagram - @Jennybookmama (Steve's niece!)

Deepak Bhargava, president of the Movement Action Fund, discusses the reality of the moment we’re facing and what it’s going to take to win back our democratic freedoms. He shares what history, both at home and abroad, can teach us about defending ourselves against fascism and authoritarianism and he explains why the “Sue, Protest, Vote” framework is not robust enough anymore. Deepak shares lessons learned from civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson, including how to engage nonviolent resistance as a way of life and he dives into what works and what doesn’t when it comes to winning power and protecting our rights. REFERENCES: Deepak Bhargava - Practical Radicals "We are no longer free. But we can win our freedom back" The Guardian

New York Times bestselling author and scholar Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs discusses her new book Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us and why she set out to write a book that makes plain one of the organizing principles and primary barriers to progress in the U.S. Against the backdrop of what’s happening in L.A. right now, Anna’s book offers insight into whose values and ways of life Trump is fighting to protect. Anna dives into the nuances of sexism and racism, sharing stories from her personal life that illuminate the many ways American patriarchy works to erase the contributions of Black women, Native women, immigrants, and people of color across the board. REFERENCES: Anna Malaika Tubbs - annamalaikatubbs.com Instagram - @annamalaikatubbs Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us - Buy the book

Director of Mission Telecom Giving Ashindi Maxton shares why she’s viewing this otherwise harrowing political climate as a moment of opportunity. Ashindi discusses the role of philanthropy in social justice movements, including its strengths and limitations and how she’s helping to transform the sector into one that is more social justice oriented, innovative, and capable of stepping up to the challenge. She offers a global perspective on social justice and how different movements are finding new ways to secure funding towards their mission. She also shares insight into her new role at Mission Telecom, a broadband company that invests in systemic change and has a progressive goal to make internet connectivity affordable, particularly across the South. Ashindi also shares stories from her recent conversations with social change groups in the South, a place where she is witnessing deep and sophisticated levels of organizing. REFERENCES: Ashindi Maxton - Bio Mission Telecom Giving - missiontelecom.org

Way to Win Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jenifer Fernandez Ancona shares the organization’s research findings about where Democrats went wrong in 2024 and what it’s going to take to win in 2026 and beyond. She explains what the data really shows about last year’s election and how her organization’s qualitative focus groups reveal a fundamental error in Democrats’ understanding of where the party goes from here. Jen shares what she’s hearing from voters who sat out of the 2024 election, including how they perceive the Democratic Party and their opinion of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. She discusses the role of data-driven messaging vs. voter mobilization, and she breaks down why Democrats’ failure to fight back against Republicans caused them to lose voters who were looking for a break from business-as-usual politics. REFERENCES: Jenifer Fernandez Ancona - @jenancona // @jenancona.bsky.social Way to Win - waytowin.us // @WayToWinAF // @waytowinus.bsky.social Way to Win Substack - "Americans—And The Missing Biden Voters—Want Change"

Michigan’s first Black lieutenant governor Garlin Gilchrist discusses his race for governor in 2026 and lessons learned as the state’s second-in-command in the middle of the extraordinary crisis that was the COVID-19 pandemic. He shares his wins in office, including advancing criminal justice reform and expanding broadband access, as well as what he believes went wrong in the 2024 election. Gilchrist also shares why his unique background as a software engineer turned community organizer makes him fit to lead the state and he shares his vision for the future of Michigan. REFERENCES: Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist - campaign website // bluesky

Thea Lee, economist and former deputy undersecretary for international labor affairs at the Department of Labor, provides insight to Trump’s economic madness and the global chaos unleashed. Thea offers us a 101 on tariffs and their role in economic policy. She explains why Trump’s trade policy lacks credibility in its purported goal of supporting workers and manufacturers. She also lays out the consequences of tariffs, from hurting small businesses to increasing the cost of living for the most vulnerable, including Black and Brown communities. As a longtime champion for worker’s rights, Thea shares lessons learned from Trump’s first term and what actual strategies in support of American workers could look like. REFERENCES: Thea Lee - @TheaMeiLee

House Representative and Chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Greg Casar (TX) breaks down the evolving role of the CPC in this current Trump era and shares what the Democratic Party needs to do to regain trust and power among voters. He discusses the future of the party and emphasizes the need to build a multiracial working-class coalition that is not afraid to pick big fights. REFERENCES: Congressman Greg Casar - @gregcasar

Aria Florant, co-founder and CEO of Liberation Ventures (LV), joins the podcast to share how her organization is driving the movement for reparations forward, even in the face of the current administration’s full-scale assault against equity and justice. She breaks down the four pillars of a comprehensive reparations program and shares LV’s bold mission to make reparations “common sense and commonplace” in America. Aria also highlights inspiring local and state victories—like the progress happening in Palm Springs, CA. She offers valuable insights on how to cultivate white allyship and multiracial support for racial justice and reparations. REFERENCES: Aria Florant, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Liberation Ventures - Liberation Ventures / Bluesky / Instagram

ACLU Legal Director Cecillia Wang explains the strategy behind Trump’s barrage of executive orders to reverse decades of progress and unleash the power of the federal government against anyone who is not a straight, white man. She describes his overall goal of creating “in-groups” vs. “out-groups” of people by attacking the structural reforms of Reconstruction, scapegoating immigrants, and targeting trans youth. Cecillia shares the country’s history of anti-immigration policy and how Trump’s attacks on immigration have shifted from his first term. She also discusses the importance of mass movement alongside legal action in fighting for social justice and equality. Cecillia reminds listeners that we are not starting from scratch and that despite America’s history of racism and exclusion, there is also a rich legacy of struggle and progress. REFERENCES: Cecillia Wang, ACLU National Legal Director - Bio RSVP for the ACLU's Know Your Rights Trainings