A weekly show that takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for you.
We discuss the importance of shifting our mindset to one that is infused with hope. Positive change comes when we choose hope. Though nobody can fix it all, we can all do something and make an impact…
We discuss the role of collective memory in the myth-making of American exceptionalism.
Hajar’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Advocate
2) Relate
3) Create
Hajar Yazdiha is an Ass…
We discuss how ungoverning is the equivalent of a bull in a china shop. We have already seen the destruction of many institutions and many functions of the administrative state, but we don't yet know…
We discuss the long history of vigilante democracy in the US and its return in our current politics. The playing field is currently tilted in favor of these vigilante policies, but blue states can le…
We discuss how out of date immigration laws are and why the only cure is comprehensive immigration reform from Congress. In the face of rising arrests and deportations by ICE, this is the perfect epi…
We discuss how certain radical acts of justice by everyday people challenge the legitimacy of the criminal system and form the underpinning of a new collective legal thought, demosprudence. Collectiv…
We discuss deliberative polling as a way to assess the will of the people and then to make it consequential. This is what democracy is all about.
James’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
…We discuss the main goals of copaganda: narrowing our conception of safety and threat, constantly warning us that those harms are increasing, and telling us that the solution to our fears is more inv…
We discuss how multisolving is a way to address the multiple issues that are currently facing our democracy at the same time, ranging from pollution and sustainable energy to civil rights and collect…
We discuss Inclusive Constitutionalism, a fresh way to interpret the Constitution that makes inclusive democracy real. By contrast, originalism interprets the meaning of the Constitution as fixed in …
We discuss why the Constitution—the document we've been taught to revere as the very foundation of American democracy—might actually be responsible for the current crisis in government. It might be l…
We discuss how the Supreme Court’s lawlessness is fueled by the conservative grievance mindset where Republicans believe they are victims of laws they don’t agree with. The Supreme Court has played a…
We discuss why housing insecurity undermines our democracy. We cover the evolution from Reagan, when homelessness was blamed on the individual, to the increasing recognition that housing is a human r…
We discuss "calling in" as a practice rooted in a human rights framework that can transform how we engage across our divide and potentially be the bridge that helps our democracy survive.
Loretta’s…
We discuss what it takes to build worker power from scratch and how these efforts can reshape not only our workplaces, but democracy itself.
Jaz’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
Organ…
We discuss reclaiming the narrative of democracy. Democracy is a tool to deliver on our values in the realm of justice, dignity, fairness, and freedom.
Stacey’s civic action toolkit recommendation…
We discuss the growing phenomenon of pregnancy criminalization, examine the path forward in a post-Dobbs world, and consider what a just jurisprudence of pregnancy might look like.
Karen’s civic ac…
We discuss the history of citizenship schools, their profound importance in the Civil Rights Movement, and the critical lessons they offer for our present moment.
Elaine’s civic action toolkit reco…
We assess the first 100 days of the Trump administration and what we can expect going forward.
Skye’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
Join a dinner for democracy or a coffee for change
…We discuss what’s happening in the AI space to augment human life in this moment, and what the potential intersections are with democracy.
Natalie’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:
Use…