What is the future of the Democratic Party? How will redistricting shape voters’ power in the South? What are the latest primary results telling us about the political moment we’re in? Kamala D. Harris, 49th Vice President of the United States, joins Stacey to share what she’s hearing from voters on the ground as she travels through the South. They also talk about the new attitude Democrats need to win elections, fight back against Trump, and stop his authoritarian agenda.

What can the great political speeches of the past teach us about the moment we’re living through today? Pod Save the World host and author of All We Say: The Battle for American Identity, Ben Rhodes joins Stacey Abrams to trace the history of civil rights in America through the words of some of the most influential voices across the political spectrum, , from Martin Luther King Jr., Dolores Huerta, and Barack Obama to Alexander Stephens and Donald Trump. They also dig into the rise of modern authoritarianism, the latest in the Iran War, and how we can build community and find common ground in a time that feels increasingly fractured. Learn & Do More: BE CURIOUS: Pick up a copy of Ben Rhodes’ new book, All We Say: A History of the United States in Fifteen Speeches. SOLVE PROBLEMS: HeadCount is an organization that turns fans into voters by registering people at concerts, festivals, sporting events, and community gatherings anywhere you can turn a passion for culture into voting action

Trump's second term has been defined by mounting corruption, but who, if anyone, is holding him accountable? MSNOW’s Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels join the show to discuss whether Republicans will ever push back against Trump's abuses of power, Todd Blanche's nomination, and the growing politicization of the Department of Justice. They also explain why the upcoming midterm elections could be the country's best chance to check authoritarianism, what it will take to build a durable pro-democracy majority, and why Americans should demand more from their government.

America can feel like it's spiraling out of control—but could a state like Wisconsin hold the blueprint for turning things around? Ben Wikler, former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and author of the new book This Is the Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy, joins Stacey Abrams to explain why the answer is yes. Drawing on Wisconsin's political battles, Wikler argues that Democrats can win back voters ahead of the midterms by learning from closely divided states that have successfully pushed back against Republicans. They discuss how Democrats can sharpen their messaging, the lasting impact of gerrymandering, whether it's finally time to abolish the Electoral College, and the power we all have to make a big difference by organizing locally.

America has an infamously imperfect past, but rather than confronting our demons, interpretations of our history have become a political football. This week, Stacey is joined by historian and author Heather Cox Richardson, and award winning journalist and member of the Cherokee nation, Rebecca Nagle. They talk about where America stands 250 years in, why erasing native history is so damaging, and how the way we frame our past shapes our civil discourse today. Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Visit Heather Cox Richardson’s substack, “Letters from an American” for more excellent insight into American history. Also listen to Rebecca’s new podcast, “First America” and pick up a copy of her book, “By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight For Justice on Native Land”. Solve Problems: Consider donating to NDN Collective to support their mission of creating sustainable solutions on indigenous terms through organizing, activism, philanthropy, and more. And visit The Native American Rights

Why do intersectionality and Critical Race Theory matter in today’s political climate?  This week, Stacey sits down with civil rights advocate, Critical Race Theory scholar, and Columbia Law School professor Kimberlé Crenshaw to discuss how these frameworks help us make sense of issues ranging  from the recent ICE killing in Houston, Texas, to the Trump administration’s attacks on the rights of marginalized communities. They also explore how today’s backlash against Critical Race Theory is tied to a broader effort to reshape American democracy, and explore how her own life shaped these groundbreaking ideas, as told in her new memoir, Backtalker: An American Memoir.

How can art help save our democracy? The relationship between art and politics has shaped American history for generations. From challenging those in power to inspiring social movements, artists have long played a vital role in protecting and strengthening democracy. This week, Stacey sits down with actress, director, and activist Kathleen Turner and former mayor of Ithaca and President of People For the American Way, Svante Myrick, for a conversation about the Trump administration's attacks on media and artistic expression, the role celebrities and influencers can play in political mobilization, and People For the American Way's efforts to defend Black voting power amid a racial gerrymandering crisis. Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Check out Colson Whitehead’s novel John Henry Days. The story tracks 120 years of American history - from the folk tale of the railroad worker to how America confronts and cloaks its challenges even now. Solve Problems: Visit People for the American Way’s

This week, guest host Melissa Murray, host of Crooked Media’s Strict Scrutiny podcast is joined by Erin Ryan, co-host of Crooked Media’s Hysteria. They juxtapose the Obama Presidential Center opening with Trump’s UFC event celebrating his 80th birthday, and talk about the two very different visions of our country that those events (and their attendants) represent. They also touch on Trump’s dismal approval ratings, the biggest takeaways from primary battles in states like New York and Georgia, the positive vibes at the World Cup, and why the right just can’t move on from attacking pride month.

This episode originally aired in 2025. Christian nationalism is an extremist, anti-democratic ideology rooted in the belief that the United States should be a nation for Christians to the exclusion of all others. In modern times, the Trump administration and its Republican allies have wielded this ideology as a weapon to divide Americans and implement an agenda via plans like the infamous Project 2025 that eviscerates the rights of immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community, questions the rights of women to vote, restores a freedom to discriminate against others and targets reproductive rights. This week, in response to a listener question asking what Christian nationalism has to do with the central tenets of Christianity, Stacey shares her own experience as a progressive, democratic Christian, pulling back the curtain on a core truth: the malice and hatred preached by right-wing religious leaders who shape our politics has nothing to do with Jesus’s actual teachings.

What does disability rights and representation really look like? While the Trump administration continues to decimate access to healthcare and dismantle civil rights, disabled Americans are often among those most affected and most overlooked. More than 70 million adults in the United States live with a disability, navigating barriers that extend far beyond health care. This week, Stacey is joined by Marlene Sallo, Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network, and disability rights advocate and motivational speaker Spencer West. They discuss the challenges facing the disability community, what many people get wrong about disability rights, and why building a more accessible and inclusive society is a social justice issue that impacts us all. Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Follow Spencer West on Instagram (@spencer2thewest) and expand your list of trusted creators, advocates, and journalists covering disability issues. Our guests also recommended The Anti-Ableist Manifes