Season 2 Episodes

Terrified about the state of SCOTUS and the courts and wondering how you can take action to support court reform? We started this podcast in the days after Dobbs, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Brett Edkins from Stand Up America to chat about his journey from law school to advocacy, how lawyers can use their skills to advocate for and support court reform, and the role regular people can play in standing up to corruption in the American courts. He’s got advice on everything from s...

Looking for a way to build community and make political change using your artistic skills or an interest in crafting? Jayna Zweiman was an architect recovering from a life-changing head and neck injury when she found the knitting and crocheting community. It became a critical part of her recovery, and, ultimately, activism. Since then she’s founded multiple projects focused on giving crafters a political community that helps educate people through art and provides real, tangible resources to ...

What does it take to overcome your anxieties and concerns about canvassing, public speaking, and more? Jade Pacheco gives us an unfiltered look at how she went from being a shy, passive citizen to a builder of communities through her work with ACT 4 SA, the first grassroots organization in San Antonio to focus on policing the police. In the process she talks about developing the confidence to canvas for candidates and causes, the training and support that allowed her to take the leap, the med...

So you want to fight climate change but you’re feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem? Margaret Klein Salamon is a clinical psychologist turned climate activist eager to help people overcome inertia and fear so they can get involved in the climate movement. We talk about how to activate “emergency mode” instead of “panic mode” to face some of the biggest challenges of our time, and what’s at stake if we don’t. Episode Links: Learn more about Margaret / Climate Awakening:...

So you’re interested in running for state assembly? In 2021, Irene Shin took on an incumbent Delegate in Virgina’s 86th district and won! Now embarking on her second campaign for the VA House of Delegates, we talk about how she got involved in state-level politics, how she decided to run for office, the first steps she took to declare and build a campaign staff, and what life looks like in a part-time state assembly. In the process we talk about the challenges of being a historic “first,” why...

So you’re a journalist interested in using your skills to amplify new narratives and voices and promote a more just, more equitable world? This wide-ranging, incredibly thoughtful conversation with journalist and Long COVID activist Fiona Lowenstein is all about the power of storytelling, using journalism for good, the importance of accessibility, and how to use privilege and access constructively in one’s activist work. Fiona talks about how their skills as a communicator have helped them no...

So you’re hoping to meet other activists, learn about their work, and figure out how you can join forces or support each other’s work? Netroots Nation 2023, the largest annual conference for progressives in America, is almost here! We spoke to longtime program communications director Mary Rickles Conley about the value of building a progressive community, how she got involved with Netroots, how their speakers and panelists are selected, and what attendees can gain from attending, both in pers...