Best Deepak Bhargava Podcasts (2025)

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Texas Redistricting Showdown with Emmy Ruiz 35:50

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12d ago35:50

35:50

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' redistr…

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Courage Over Fear with Immigration Activist Cristina Jiménez 53:19

27d ago53:19

53:19

United We Dream Co-founder Cristina Jiménez 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…

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White People and the Fight for Racial Justice with SURJ’s Erin Heaney (Rerelease) 46:26

1M ago46:26

46:26

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 tak…

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Summer Reading Reset 45:57

2M ago45:57

45:57

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. R…

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How to Defeat Fascism with Deepak Bhargava 32:04

2M ago32:04

32:04

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 …

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Understanding American Patriarchy with Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs 52:51

3M ago52:51

52:51

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 off…

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Philanthropy’s New Role with Ashindi Maxton 48:42

3M ago48:42

48:42

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,…

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Not Too Woke, Too Weak: Democrats’ Real Problem With Voters 48:14

4M ago48:14

48:14

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 fundamen…

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From Grassroots to Governing with Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist 44:43

4M ago44:43

44:43

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 h…

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Trump’s Terrible Tariffs with Economist Thea Lee 42:47

5M ago42:47

42:47

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 w…

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The Future of the Democratic Party with Congressman Greg Casar 29:00

5M ago29:00

29:00

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 …

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Advancing Reparations with Liberation Ventures’ Aria Florant 40:49

6M ago40:49

40:49

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 mi…

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ACLU’s Cecillia Wang on the Legal Battle Against Trump 54:09

6M ago54:09

54:09

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 Re…

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Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson Is Excited for the Power of the People 51:16

6M ago51:16

51:16

Former co-executive director of the Highlander Center Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson shares why this moment is ripe for transformative social change towards justice and progress. Ash-Lee discusses the role and impact of Highlander, including its legacy of identifying and supporting movement leaders from the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter mov…

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Virginia is for Lovers of Democracy 46:33

7M ago46:33

46:33

Tram Nguyen co-executive director of New Virginia Majority, returns to the show to help break down why Virginia remains at the forefront of what progressive change can look like and what can happen when we transform a state. She discusses how she decided on her vote to help elect the new head of the DNC and shares her experiences as an Asian Americ…

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The End of the Trump Era with Maurice Mitchell 51:48

7M ago51:48

51:48

The beginning—and the end—of the Trump era is here. National Director Maurice Mitchell returns to the show for a three-peat to discuss how the Working Families Party (WFP) is approaching these next four years under Trump and why they’ve dubbed the next ten years as the “Working Families’ Decade.” Maurice lays out a compelling vision for the future …

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Looking Ahead to 2025 46:19

8M ago46:19

46:19

Happy New Year! To kick off 2025, Steve and Sharline look ahead to 2025 and dig into key areas of focus as we enter a new Trump administration. They discuss three dominant yet fundamentally incorrect mainstream narratives about the 2024 election. In addition, they survey the current race for the next DNC chair, including the lack of diverse candida…

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Building Solidarity with USC Professor Manuel Pastor 49:46

9M ago49:46

49:46

For our final episode of the year, Manuel Pastor, University of Southern California professor of sociology and American studies and ethnicity, joins Steve and Sharline to discuss lessons learned from this year’s presidential election including how to understand Latino political identity and the role of narrative and messaging in building broad coal…

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Self Care Is Radical Work with Somatics Coach Viveka Chen 46:59

9M ago46:59

46:59

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 res…

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Where We Go From Here: Post-Election 2024 41:50

10M ago41:50

41:50

Steve and Sharline reflect on the results of the 2024 election and where we go from here as a nation. They share how they’re processing their feelings and discuss top takeaways of this election cycle including the impact of sexism, how to understand the exit polls, and changing voter dynamics across the country. They also lift up lessons learned an…

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All Eyes on Pennsylvania 53:33

10M ago53:33

53:33

Philadelphia-based journalist Ernest Owens joins Steve and Sharline to share how things are shaping up in one of Democrats’ most critical states leading up to Election Day. Ernest describes the current energy in the state and the nuanced levels of engagement he’s witnessing compared to previous elections. He shares what’s top of mind for Black vote…

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Understanding the Black Male Vote with Perry Bacon Jr. 43:28

11M ago43:28

43:28

The media can’t seem to stop talking about Black men. So, we decided to do something radical: let two Black men discuss Black men. Washington Post opinion columnist Perry Bacon Jr. returns to the show to share his thoughts on where VP Harris’ race stands, how he’s thinking about Black voters, and the evolving media landscape in this election. REFER…

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The Future: Changing the Trajectory 44:36

11M ago44:36

44:36

Right now, we find ourselves at an urgent intersection with several timelines and possibilities intertwined. We’ve declared that “We’re not going back”, that to “Make America Great Again” is to reverse decades of hard-fought progress. But what does a true and sustainable path forward actually look like? And who is leading the way? In the third and …

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One Thing…Or More 53:00

11M ago53:00

53:00

Steve and Sharline share one…or maybe more than one thing they’re hopeful for, worried about, and watching for in the tea leaves as Election Day draws closer. In the second half of the show, Steve’s niece and her friend Julia join him on “Exit Polls” to share their thoughts on Kamala Harris’ candidacy and offer some insight into how Gen Z’ers are p…

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The Present: This Moment Feels Urgent 31:14

11M ago31:14

31:14

The summer of 2024 will no doubt go down in history as one of the most tumultuous, transformative, and monumental summers before an election. Following Biden’s historic decision to step down from the race, Vice President Kamala Harris’ rise to the top of the Democratic ticket shifted the national sentiment into high gear and generated Obama-level e…

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“Obama States” in Play in 2024 40:08

12M ago40:08

40:08

Between Kamala Harris’ sharp debate performance and the increased hateful rhetoric from the right, Democrats are poised to win in states Obama captured. Steve and Sharline discuss the latest reported assassination attempt against Trump and the broader issue of increased political violence and gun violence in the U.S. from school shootings to death …

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The Past: We’re Not Going Back 23:47

12M ago23:47

23:47

On November 5, millions of voters will make their way to the polling booths to answer some of the most pivotal questions defining American politics today: What kind of country do we want to be? And do we want to move our country forward towards progress or backward towards harm and repression? In Part 1 of The Path Forward, we explore the key compo…

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60 Days Out 47:08

12M ago47:08

47:08

Steve and Sharline recap VP Harris and Coach Walz’s first sit-down media interview, held last week with CNN, as well as the DNC which took place earlier in August. They discuss the upcoming presidential debate on September 10 and what Kamala Harris needs to do to win. They also briefly touch on how Democrats can gain a government trifecta in 2025.…

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The Kamala Harris We Know (Rerelease) 45:53

1y ago45:53

45:53

Back in 2020, we had current congressional candidate (and recent pod guest) Lateefah Simon on the show to talk about President Biden’s historic announcement in choosing Kamala Harris as his VP as well as Kamala’s long record of being a champion for others. -- From 2020: Few people know Kamala Harris like we in the Bay Area do. We discuss Joe Biden’…

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VP Harris Picks Her VP 46:46

1y ago46:46

46:46

Following Tuesday’s announcement from VP Kamala Harris that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would be joining the campaign as her running mate, Steve and Sharline get together for an “emergency” podcast episode to discuss their thoughts and reactions.By Democracy in Color

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Rep. Ruben Gallego Is Fighting for Arizona 31:31

1y ago31:31

31:31

House Rep. Ruben Gallego joins the podcast to talk about his Senate campaign against Republican Kari Lake to replace former Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema and what a path to victory looks like in November. Recorded well before the most recent political developments, this race remains critical to holding the Senate and being able to govern and ad…

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13. Finale: What did we learn? Where do we go from here? 1:12:08

1y ago1:12:08

1:12:08

In this, our final episode of the Practical Radicals Podcast, we hear from over a dozen progressive leaders, including several former students, and reflect with them about what we’ve learned since the book Practical Radicals came out last November and what we make of the path ahead — as the U.S. and the world face a daunting and overlapping set of …

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Reimagining the Future with Angela Glover Blackwell 45:55

1y ago45:55

45:55

Lawyer and PolicyLink Founder-in-Residence Angela Glover Blackwell discusses her new podcast project, Reimagining Democracy for a Good Life, a six-part series that illustrates the potential of our democracy, using L.A. as an example of what is possible when people come together to create change. She shares her journey from growing up in a segregate…

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12. Learning from Opponents with Munira Lokhandwala of LittleSis.org 49:13

1y ago49:13

49:13

Most famous guides to strategy are written for overdogs. (Think of Machiavelli’s The Prince or Sun Tzu’s Art of War.) And overdogs today invest in strategic education at a scale that dwarfs anything on the left. Their commitment is captured in the slogan of the right-wing Leadership Institute, which has trained over 200,000 people: “You owe it to y…

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The Fight for Trans Liberation with Award-Winning Journalist Imara Jones 37:13

1y ago37:13

37:13

Happy Pride! Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist Imara Jones shares the origins of her multimedia company TransLash Media and the role of storytelling and narrative in preserving the humanity of trans people. She breaks down how and why the fight for trans rights has become the focus of American politics in recent years, and she discusses the…

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11. Abolitionism & the Seven Strategies with Manisha Sinha 55:48

1y ago55:48

55:48

In the struggle to abolish slavery — the social movement that arguably set the template for all that followed — organizers used all seven strategies we identify in Practical Radicals. According to our guest, historian Manisha Sinha, the abolitionists were “radical in their goals . . . but pragmatic in implementation” — the quintessential practical …

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LIVE! Building a Resilient Multiracial Democracy in 2024 and Beyond 59:23

1y ago59:23

59:23

In collaboration with the Bay Area Book Festival, we’re broadcasting the powerful conversation between Steve, Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell, and former co-executive director of the Highlander Center, Ash-lee Woodard Henderson about Steve’s book How We Win the Civil War. Moderated by former podcast guest and congressional…

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10. Collective Care in the AIDS Crisis with Tim Sweeney 1:27:25

1+ y ago1:27:25

1:27:25

Underdogs often respond to systemic oppression through collective care – acts of mutual aid and cooperation with the goal of meeting people’s basic survival needs when the state fails to do so. Some people feel collective care is just what we should do as decent human beings, but that it isn’t a strategy for systemic social change. Others are more …

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Comedian and Pulitzer Prize Finalist Kristina Wong Is No Joke 50:19

1+ y ago50:19

50:19

Introducing our funniest guest yet: Solo performance artist, comedian, and actress Kristina Wong joins the podcast to talk about her path to theater (including her brief stint as an elected Koreatown, LA official), and how her creation of the “Auntie Sewing Squad” helped her and many others survive the pandemic. She discusses her play Kristina Wong…

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9. Momentum with Mae Boeve of 350.org 58:23

1+ y ago58:23

58:23

Sometimes social movements can spread like wildfire. From the sit-ins of the Civil Rights movement to the sea change in support for marriage equality, from the divestment campaign to end apartheid in South Africa to the climate justice movement winning the largest climate bill in history (2022’s Inflation Reduction Act) — the strategy model known a…

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Transforming Arizona with Congressional Candidate Raquel Téran 29:14

1+ y ago29:14

29:14

Arizona legend-in-the-making Raquel Téran talks about her bid for Congress and her decades-long work to help turn the state into a shining example of what progressive organizing (and winning) looks like. Raquel shares her journey to politics and the issues she plans to lift up in Congress. She also shares why she believes building coalitions and mo…

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8. Inside-Outside Strategies with Felicia Wong 1:17:32

1+ y ago1:17:32

1:17:32

In the right circumstances, progressive groups can work with progressive insiders in government to win big policy changes. In this episode, we consider “inside-outside campaigns,” including what makes them possible and some of the inevitable tensions that they create, for example about when and how to compromise when a coalition doesn’t have enough…

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Building a Care Agenda with Care In Action’s Hillary Holley 43:32

1+ y ago43:32

43:32

Care in Action’s Hillary Holley shares how the organization is mobilizing domestic workers, most of whom are women of color and immigrants, and pushing Democrats to embrace a Care Agenda in Congress. She shares insight on the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights which was introduced to Congress in 2021. She also shares her path to organizing an…

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7. Electoral Change with Maurice Mitchell 56:40

1+ y ago56:40

56:40

Episode 7: Electoral Strategies with Maurice Mitchell Many progressives are cynical about electoral politics. But our guest today explains why engaging in electoral politics is crucial for building the kind of society we want. Maurice Mitchell is the National Director of the Working Families Party, a savvy, independent political organization that h…

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Sweet Sixteen: The House Seats Democrats Can Flip 34:42

1+ y ago34:42

34:42

March Madness may be over but we’re gearing up for a…Narrow November with our very own set of 16 congressional districts that have the potential to flip the balance of power in the House of Representatives. Data expert Dr. Julie Martínez Ortega joins Steve and Sharline to discuss the updated New Majority Index (NMI) and which districts they’ll be w…

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6. Narrative Shift with Cristina Jimenez Moreta and Alan Jenkins 1:26:54

1+ y ago1:26:54

1:26:54

In the past two decades, progressives have gotten far more savvy at the strategy we call “narrative shift,” learning how to challenge the dominant story and change the common sense on key issues. For example, on same-sex marriage, activists drove a sea change in public sentiment — from 27% support in 1996 to 71% in 2023. And research shows that Occ…

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Lateefah Simon is Taking Up the Baton 34:25

1+ y ago34:25

34:25

Lateefah Simon—Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) board member, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and Congressional candidate—shares her path to politics, including her work with Vice President Kamala Harris during Harris’ time as San Francisco Attorney General. Lateefah shares why she decided to run for office and offers insight on how grief has been…

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5. Disruptive Movements with Frances Fox Piven 45:34

1+ y ago45:34

45:34

In this episode, we explore the strategy of disruption and talk with one of its leading theorists and practitioners, the legendary scholar and activist Frances Fox Piven. Stephanie and Deepak begin by distinguishing protest from disruption, two types of action that are often confused. They consider famous instances of disruption, like the mass acti…

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Understanding the Michigan Vote with Outlier Media's Sarah Alvarez 43:38

1+ y ago43:38

43:38

Sarah Alvarez, founder of Outlier Media, a Detroit-based service journalism organization, shares what she’s hearing on the ground in Michigan following the protest “uncommitted” vote by more than 100,000 people during the state’s recent Democratic presidential primary. She shares what role today’s journalists must play in filling information gaps a…

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4. Base-Building in Community Organizing with Make the Road NY’s José Lopez and Ángeles Solis 55:17

1+ y ago55:17

55:17

In the Spring of 2021, dozens of immigrant New Yorkers, mostly women, launched a hunger strike that lasted 23 days and was the climax of a campaign to win an unprecedented $2.1 billion relief package for workers who had been excluded from unemployment benefits, federal stimulus checks, and rent relief. At the time, many thought the campaign’s deman…