Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips
171 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 187 ratingsA color-conscious political podcast, hosted by Steve Phillips, that releases episodes every other Thursday. While grassroots organizations raised voters of color turnout to historic levels, securing Democratic victories in 2020 and 2021, there remain strong differences of opinion about the right strategy for winning in a racially-polarized electoral landscape.
“Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips” offers candid and data-driven analysis on how progressives can win. Join Steve for a conversation that is unafraid and unapologetic about grappling with some of the toughest issues in politics today.
Special guests have included: Stacey Abrams, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Beto O’Rourke.
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Episodes
Veepstakes! - The women who could be vice president (Part 2)
August 06, 2020 08:25 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBA vice presidential candidate will be chosen by Joe Biden any day now. The top six finalists are Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Karen Bass, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth and Val Demings. We discuss the historic significance of this year's vice presidential selection process. We also dive into factors Biden is likely weighing before making his decision, and the maddening critique of some Black women contenders as being “too ambitious.” And lastly, Steve, who is friends with four of the people ...
Passing the Baton
July 23, 2020 08:26 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBWith the recent passing of Civil Rights legends Congressman John Lewis and Reverend C.T. Vivian, many people are focusing on who will take the baton of leadership and carry it forward. In today’s episode, we are joined by two of the country’s most inspirational young leaders — Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and Stockton First Partner Anna Malaika Nti-Asare-Tubbs whose work will be featured in a new HBO documentary, “Stockton On My Mind,” which debuts July 28th. From Universal Basic Income to fi...
Reparations 101
July 09, 2020 08:30 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBSchool is not back in session yet but clearly there are a lot of people who need schooling, especially when it comes to understanding reparations. In this episode, "Professor” Steve Phillips breaks down the history of slavery and its legacy in this country and answers the question: Does the U.S. government owe anything to Black Americans? We also talk about why it's so important for Congress to act now and pass HR 40, the bill to establish a commission to study the legacy of slavery and to ma...
Trump Is In Trouble
June 25, 2020 00:00 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MBFrom failed political rallies to plummeting poll numbers to big losses in the Supreme Court, Trump is descending rapidly toward the nadir of his presidency. We discuss how the political tide is turning in America and why this is happening. In addition, our special guest—“Super Lawyer" and former Supreme Court clerk Stacey Leyton—offers insight into last week's major decisions and a “behind the scenes” look at how the Supreme Court functions. References: Stacey Leyton is a partner at the San ...
Elizabeth Warren Talks Anti-Racism
June 16, 2020 00:00 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBAs the nation continues to protest anti-Black police violence, including the recent killing of Rayshard Brooks, we sit down with Sen. Elizabeth Warren for a special episode to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, the potential for reparations, and what white allies should do in this moment. “White progressives need to be active, anti-racist allies in this moment and beyond,” Warren says. “Being anti-racist means fighting for anti-racist public policy. Being race neutral just won't work.”...
The Whole World Is Marching
June 12, 2020 00:00 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MBIn the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the Minneapolis police, an historic nationwide and global movement has emerged in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, calling for the end of anti-black racism and police brutality, and defunding the police. Demonstrations have been held in all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 800 cities on six continents across the world. In this episode, we discuss how we’re processing all this through our respective cultural lenses a...
Rewriting the Story on Unemployment
May 28, 2020 00:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBThe enormity of this crisis has revealed the ugly underpinnings of our public assistance system — both in terms of how we think about people who are struggling financially and also about the systems designed to help those people. Unemployment figures in the U.S. are at their highest since the Great Depression—nearly 40 million people have filed for unemployment since the pandemic began. (That's greater than the combined population of 21 states, according to Forbes.) In this episode, we ta...
Rewriting Story On Unemployment
May 28, 2020 00:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBIN THIS EPISODE: The enormity of this crisis has revealed the ugly underpinnings of our public assistance system — both in terms of how we think about people who are struggling financially and also about the systems designed to help those people. Unemployment figures in the U.S. are at their highest since the Great Depression—nearly 40 million people have filed for unemployment since the pandemic began. (That's greater than the combined population of 21 states, according to Forbes.) In t...
Battleground Michigan: Saving Lives, Beating Trump
May 15, 2020 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBGarlin Gilchrist, Michigan's lieutenant governor, talks to us about life on the frontlines in a battleground state that is dealing all at once with the COVID-19 crisis, armed protesters storming the Capitol demanding the lifting of stay-at-home orders, and ensuring a safe and fair Fall election in a state Trump won by just 10,704 votes. [8:15] Gilchrist, a 38 year-old political rising star, also shares with us the story behind his unlikely path from Microsoft software engineer to second-in-c...
I Survived, But What About Georgia?
April 30, 2020 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBNikema Williams, chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, talks to us about both her personal experience as a COVID-19 survivor and her continued efforts as a State Senator to keep her constituents healthy and safe in a state that is one of the first in the nation to lift its shelter-in-place order, according to Governor Brian Kemp’s plans. Williams shares valuable lessons for states across the country debating when and how to reopen. References: Nikema Williams - @NikemaWilliams Georgia Democ...
The Six Women Who Could Be Vice President
April 17, 2020 00:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBStacey Abrams, Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Catherine Cortez Masto are the six women most often mentioned as Biden's possible choice for running mate. We analyze each person's strengths and weaknesses in terms of what Biden and the Democrats most need in order to win in November. References: New York Times Op Ed // Steve Phillips - It’s Obvious Whom Joe Biden Should Pick as Vice President https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/opinion/joe-biden-running...
One Virus, Two Americas
April 03, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBWe sit down with Ron Brownstein, senior editor at The Atlantic and senior political analyst for CNN to talk about how responses and attitudes towards the coronavirus differ along the same lines that divide the country politically. What does this divide mean for how this pandemic unfolds? How will it all play out politically, and what does it mean for November? Brownstein is one of the nation’s top political journalists. He’s a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He has written six book...
We're All In This Together
March 20, 2020 00:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBCoronavirus has upended life across the country and the world. We talk about how it’s been affecting us, how we’re coping, and what the future looks like. We’re joined by special guest Stephanie Douglass, human resources director for a global company with offices in Beijing, on how China flattened the curve and lessons we can learn from China and other Asian countries. [4:10] Also, what’s happening in politics and public policy in light of COVID-19. References: Democracy in Color & She the P...
We’re All In This Together
March 20, 2020 00:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBCoronavirus has upended life across the country and the world. We talk about how it’s been affecting us, how we’re coping, and what the future looks like. We’re joined by special guest Stephanie Douglass, human resources director for a global company with offices in Beijing, on how China flattened the curve and lessons we can learn from China and other Asian countries. [4:10] Also, what’s happening in politics and public policy in light of COVID-19. References: Democracy in Color & She the P...
And the Winner Is...
March 05, 2020 00:00 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MBPost-Super Tuesday: What happened, why, and what’s next? After a dizzying week in national politics, we try to make sense of it all by discussing why Biden bounced back, what it means for Bernie, and what the data says about how it’ll all end up. References: Democracy in Color - How to Help https://www.democracyincolor.com/howtohelp Rolling Stones // Tessa Stuart - Stacey Abrams Is Building a New Kind of Political Machine in the Deep South https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-featu...
Dear Left, You’re Missing The Mark
February 21, 2020 00:00 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBWe talk about how the Left is missing the mark at this moment with its troubling silence on Trump’s white nationalism, which is the key to and cornerstone of his continued power. By failing to make this their top priority issue—and keep it front and center—the Left, including all current Democratic primary candidates, risks throwing away their best chance at winning this November. We also hear what our special guest, Maurice Mitchell, formerly a key leader in the Black Lives Matter movement a...
Dear Left, You're Missing The Mark
February 21, 2020 00:00 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBWe talk about how the Left is missing the mark at this moment with its troubling silence on Trump’s white nationalism, which is the key to and cornerstone of his continued power. By failing to make this their top priority issue—and keep it front and center—the Left, including all current Democratic primary candidates, risks throwing away their best chance at winning this November. We also hear what our special guest, Maurice Mitchell, formerly a key leader in the Black Lives Matter movement a...
After the White States, What’s Next?
February 06, 2020 00:00 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBIowa Caucus 2020 will be one for the books. We talk about what happened and what it means as the nomination race heads to another nearly-all-white state—New Hampshire—and then, finally, on to the diverse states of Nevada and South Carolina, where voters of color will help decide who becomes the eventual winner. Steve breaks down the interplay of Momentum and Math (accumulating delegates) in determining the Democratic nominee. Also get great insight on what’s ahead from Emmy Ruiz, one of the n...
How to Flip the Senate in 2020
January 22, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBWith the impeachment trial underway in the U.S. Senate and the Republicans doing everything in their power to cover up Trump’s corruption, we unveil an innovative new formula for ranking winnability of 2020 Senate elections and look at what it will take for Democrats to flip control of what’s supposed to be “the world's greatest deliberative body.,” [09:16], Plus, we sit down with one of the year’s most inspiring Senate candidates in the country, Texas’s Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez as she expla...
The White Man's Bump
January 09, 2020 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBAre white male presidential candidates receiving preferential treatment from the Democratic Party? As the Democratic presidential primary field grows whiter and more male, we discuss how the Party and its rigid reliance on polling and fundraising numbers in its debate qualification rules give white men an advantage. We also explain what the Party should be doing to change this fact. Also in this episode: Reflections on Julian Castro and the ending of his campaign; spotlight on Hidden Figure ...
The White Man’s Bump
January 09, 2020 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBAre white male presidential candidates receiving preferential treatment from the Democratic Party? As the Democratic presidential primary field grows whiter and more male, we discuss how the Party and its rigid reliance on polling and fundraising numbers in its debate qualification rules give white men an advantage. We also explain what the Party should be doing to change this fact. Also in this episode: Reflections on Julian Castro and the ending of his campaign; spotlight on Hidden Figure ...
Top 10 Stories of Hope from 2019
December 26, 2019 00:00 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBSince so much of the news is alarming and frequently depressing, we wanted to close out the year with a more inspiring and hopeful episode by sharing the Top 10 Stories to Give Us Hope Heading into 2020. In this episode, we count down the top victories, trends, and developments that should allow us to enter the new year with the energy and optimism we’re all going to need!
Buttigieg’s Black Problem
December 10, 2019 00:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBWe delve into Pete Buttigieg’s Black problem and the underlying causes. What are the real reasons why he is polling at 0% with Black voters? And why does it matter to all Democratic voters? Ricky Klee, a college instructor from South Bend, Indiana who has carefully followed and written about Buttigieg’s administration for several years, shares his insights. We also preview a new report from Democracy in Color looking at Mayor Pete’s record on racial issues in South Bend. Also, some reflecti...
The Thanksgiving Episode
November 26, 2019 00:00 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBIt’s a very special Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips Thanksgiving episode! Where else can you get caught up on the latest in presidential politics (Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Biden and more!) and also hear Thanksgiving stories from listeners who span the cultural spectrum of the rainbow? And speaking of the Rainbow, we share a special story of Steve’s recent encounter with Jesse Jackson at Washington’s National Airport. All of that, plus a Hidden Figures segment on an inspiring Native Am...
My Deepest Hope Is This Is An Inflection Point: A Conversation With Neera Tanden
November 12, 2019 00:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBNeera Tanden, who has been called one of our nation’s most powerful women in politics by Fortune magazine, is the president of Center for American Progress, the nation’s largest progressive think tank. She sheds light on the impeachment hearings and what Democrats and progressives need to keep in mind at this moment. We also find out how Neera, an immigrant whose family was on food stamps when she was a child, arrived to where she is today. We also learn about her favorite childhood dish!
How to Defeat a Racist: An Interview with Tim Wise
October 31, 2019 00:00 - 36 minutes - 82.7 MBTim Wise, one of the most prominent anti-racism writers and educators in the country, offers insight to what we can learn from his experience working on a campaign to defeat an actual former member of the KKK, David Duke, in the 1990s (during Duke’s run for U.S. Senate and the governor’s seat in Louisiana), and what that experience can teach us today as we work to oust Trump. Wise also weighs in on this current impeachment moment and the dynamics of patriotism versus white supremacy. Earli...
Stacey Abrams: "We Have Always Found a Way Forward"
October 17, 2019 06:04 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBThe Washington Post recently wrote that Stacey Abrams is the most impressive Democrat in the country. Abrams, the first Black woman gubernatorial nominee in U.S. history, spoke for all Democrats in America when she delivered the Response to the State of the Union Address in February 2019, and she could be our nation’s next V.P.
Iowa: How Democrats Win in a 90% White State
October 17, 2019 06:04 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBIowa, the state that launched Barack Obama’s campaign, is arguably the single most important state in this current Democratic nomination contest. It’s also the quintessential swing state. Two Iowa experts discuss what it takes to win and where things stand in the race.
Impeachment: What’s Race Got to Do With It?
October 17, 2019 06:04 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBTrump’s power has always been grounded in fanning the flames of white racial resentment, and it’s no accident that the most racially diverse Congress in history is now holding him accountable.
Stacey Abrams: ”We Have Always Found a Way Forward”
October 17, 2019 06:04 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBThe Washington Post recently wrote that Stacey Abrams is the most impressive Democrat in the country. Abrams, the first Black woman gubernatorial nominee in U.S. history, spoke for all Democrats in America when she delivered the Response to the State of the Union Address in February 2019, and she could be our nation’s next V.P.
The Brown Girls Guide to Politics: Aimee Allison
April 13, 2019 18:19 - 37 minutes - 85.2 MBThe Brown Girls Guide to Politics Podcast is all about amplifying the voices of women who are too often forgotten in media coverage. Host A’shanti Gholar leads conversations with women changing the face of politics. In this episode, A'shanti sits down with Democracy in Color Podcast host Aimee Allison. Listen and enjoy!
Midterm Elections 2018: Not a Blue Wave, But a Brown One
November 08, 2018 02:06 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBAimee sits down with political insider Tim Molina and Democracy in Color founder Steve Phillips to debrief on the wins and losses of this historic election. Women of color were the indisputable winners, with many becoming firsts, unseating incumbents, flipping state and Congressional seats, and generally announcing their political ascension. But there was also widespread voter suppression, overt racism, and a stark distance between white voters and everyone else up and down the ballot. This e...
Political Organizer Nse Ufot
October 21, 2018 23:05 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBNse Ufot calls in from one of the political hot zones leading up to the elections. She leads the New Georgia Project, in a state where a contentious gubernatorial race has raised the stakes and deepened awareness about voter suppression, electoral misinformation, and other tactics to deplete black and brown voter rolls.
Rising Political Power Couple Michael and Anna Tubbs
October 01, 2018 04:59 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBBy acting locally with purpose and resolve, the millennial black mayor and first lady of Stockton, CA, are leading the nation by example in their own backyard. He was endorsed by Oprah and President Obama, and mentored by Valerie Jarrett. She’s a brilliant scholar at the University of Cambridge studying the lives of women who shaped iconic men. Stockton, which he calls a “Microcosm of race and ideology,” is proving to be fertile ground for this rising political couple.
She the People Changes the Game for Women of Color
September 06, 2018 00:00 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBShe the People is a national movement to elect more women of color, spearheaded by our very own Aimee Allison, who, with her two guests, provides insights into how to harness the power of voters of color throughout the South and the rest of the country. Political strategists LaTosha Brown and Tory Gavito dissect the organizational errors that have mired Democrats for decades, explain why “the South eats strategy for breakfast,” and how women of color are redefining what makes a winning strate...
Political Writer Julie Kohler Has a Message for Her Fellow White Women
August 21, 2018 02:05 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBWriter and political analyst Julie Kohler has a message for other white women about how to be better progressive and intersectional allies.
Kevin de León Is Ready for The Big Leagues
July 30, 2018 04:00 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBThe California State Senator is in the race for his political life against a 20-year incumbent. But this son of an immigrant single mother says he's overcome bigger odds and is ready for this challenge. He's also not holding back on the failure of fellow Democrats to lead their party and the country.
Why Rashida Tlaib Feels Like the Future
July 09, 2018 04:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBThe Detroit native is running to fill a key Democratic House seat in Michigan, one already mired in controversy. But the outspoken candidate has already taken on billionaires in defense of her constituents, thrice beating recall efforts. Simply put, Tlaib stands up no matter the size of the challenge.
David Garcia says "Somebody with my last name needs to win."
June 18, 2018 04:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBThe gubernatorial candidate and fourth-generation Arizonan is campaigning on the premise that for his state to live up to its promise, it must elect someone who represents the state's population more accurately.
David Garcia says ”Somebody with my last name needs to win.”
June 18, 2018 04:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBThe gubernatorial candidate and fourth-generation Arizonan is campaigning on the premise that for his state to live up to its promise, it must elect someone who represents the state's population more accurately.
Congressman Ted Lieu Sets a Target for November Elections
May 28, 2018 04:02 - 26 minutes - 24 MBThe Congressman is in charge of getting more Democrats get elected and “flipping the House,” and he’s got his work cut out for him. He talks to Aimee about rethinking traditional campaigning, the challenge of defeating a party headed by pathological liar, and what the rising majority needs to do to assert its political power.
Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Gillum
May 07, 2018 04:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBTallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum is running for governor of Florida, and has a strong chance of flipping the high-stakes red state—but he’ll have to overcome legacy issues like voter suppression and the NRA first. The stakes are high: if a progressive Democrat can win Florida in a gubernatorial race, they could effectively turn it blue for 2020.
S3 Trailer
April 25, 2018 16:21 - 1 minute - 1.6 MBThe political game is changing and we will get you ready as the November elections approach. In our third season, host Aimee Allison elevates the national conversation about a post-Trump electorate, the ascension of voters of color, and the surge in political leaders of all stripes. Aimee's guests are strategists, thinkers, candidates and power players who speak candidly about the the emergence of a new political era thanks in large part to the New American Majority. Our political insider, Ti...
Vien Truong — An Environmental Hero for Our Times
September 12, 2017 00:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBVien Truong is one of the country’s foremost policy experts and strategists on building an equitable green economy. She leads Green For All, a national initiative that puts communities of color at the forefront of the climate movement and equality at the center of environmental solutions.
The Revolution of Love: Valarie Kaur
September 11, 2017 00:00 - 36 minutes - 84.5 MBThe Revolution of Love: Valarie Kaur by Democracy in Color
Ian Danley & One Arizona
July 22, 2017 17:54 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBIan Danley is the Governing Board President of Phoenix Union High School District and the Executive Director of One Arizona, from the White House as a Champion of Change.
Power to the People— In Conversation with Arisha Hatch of Color of Change
June 26, 2017 20:42 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBColor of Change, and one of its top leaders Arisha Hatch has emerged as one of the sharpest and powerful advocates for the justice and rights for African Americans in this country. They have been behind some tremendous campaigns -- including one that led to Bill O’Reilly being fired from FOX News. Stay tuned for Arisha Hatch.
Eric Liu Says You're More Powerful Than You Think
May 26, 2017 07:35 - 46 minutes - 105 MBI’ve been thinking about the term “citizenship” differently after talking with my latest guest, Eric Liu, an author, educator, and civic entrepreneur. He spoke at length about the concept of “powerful citizenship,” the central theme of his new book, You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen. He describes his book as: “strategies for average Americans to go from the primal scream of ‘I’m not going to take it anymore!’ to actually being literate in power and...
Eric Liu Says You’re More Powerful Than You Think
May 26, 2017 07:35 - 46 minutes - 105 MBI’ve been thinking about the term “citizenship” differently after talking with my latest guest, Eric Liu, an author, educator, and civic entrepreneur. He spoke at length about the concept of “powerful citizenship,” the central theme of his new book, You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen. He describes his book as: “strategies for average Americans to go from the primal scream of ‘I’m not going to take it anymore!’ to actually being literate in power and...
The New Yorker's Jelani Cobb on White Supremacy and the White House
May 10, 2017 17:32 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBJelani Cobb is one of the sharpest, brightest, most poignant writers and observers of the moment that we’re in. Cobb is a staff writer for The New Yorker, where he writes about race, politics, history, and culture. He is also an author and professor of journalism at Columbia University. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Cobb is a graduate of Howard University and Rutgers University, where he received his doctorate in American history. In 2015, Cobb won the Sidney Hillman Prize for Opinion ...