Surviving Elections Episodes

Surviving Elections:
a new miniseries on midterms & movements

Published October 2, 2018

This is our trailer episode — the mission of this miniseries & our community’s questions in less than 5 minutes.

Visit the episode page to access show notes, further resources, & transcript

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Elections vs. Movements: the Strategy Showdown

Published October 10, 2018

It’s a battle of strategy, values, and culture: should we be building social movements for the long-term that embody all of what we deserve; OR engaging in the current reality of the political cycle to win what we can, while we still can? Varshini Prakash and Will Lawrence of Sunrise Movement join us to blow up the binary and explain how their work makes sense of the rhythms of elections and movement vision.

Visit the episode page to access show notes, guest bios, further resources, & transcript

Listen on RadioPublic / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / GooglePlay / Stitcher

Building Transformative Campaign Culture

Published October 17, 2018

Women campaign managers are transforming the old boys club of transactional campaign culture. We’re joined by Nancy Leeds of the infamous CampaignSick Tumblr, home of the memes that make us laugh til we cry… and then just keep on crying, and the insightful accompanying blog about campaign leadership.

Becca Rast also shares about her transformative work as a campaign manager on the Jess King Congressional race in Pennsylvania, and how a long-term movement perspective can build healthy campaign culture and leave powerful organizing infrastructure behind after election day.

Visit the episode page to access show notes, guest bios, further resources, & transcript

Listen on RadioPublic / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / GooglePlay / Stitcher

Campaign Workers, Unite! There is Power in a Union

Published October 24, 2018

Campaign Workers Guild (CWG) is organizing the movement to unionize political and issue-based campaign workers nationwide. CWG Vice President Meg Reilly joins us to talk about why transforming the working conditions of campaigns is necessary for our end goals, how building worker power impacts strategy and what’s possible, and gives us a play-by-play of where to start if you want to start a union. Host Kate Werning and organizer Shanequa Charles share some of their experience and learnings from recently participating in the unionization process on the Cynthia Nixon campaign.

Visit the episode page to access show notes, guest bios, further resources, & transcript

Listen on RadioPublic / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / GooglePlay / Stitcher

Inside the Candidate Experience

Published October 31, 2018

Our “CANDIDATES TELL ALL” episode is powered by extraordinary Black women. Running for office is incredibly strenuous. Why do candidates do it, and how do they keep themselves grounded along the way?

Esteemed guests join us to dish about candidacy and all that it entails: Stacey Abrams (Democratic candidate for Governor of Georgia) tells us how she stays energized on the campaign trail and what her favorite TV shows are, Ashlee Marie Preston (the first transgender candidate to run for state office in California) tells us about what she learned when taking on the establishment from the inside, and Nelini Stamp (Working Families Party National Organizing Director) shares about how she takes care of herself and what it takes to select and support great candidates nationwide.

Visit the episode page to access show notes, guest bios, further resources, & transcript

Listen on RadioPublic / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / GooglePlay / Stitcher

Making Meaning of Victory and Loss

Published November 7, 2018 (the day after the 2018 Midterm elections)

If we learned anything from November 5, 2008 and November 9, 2016, it’s that Election Day is only the beginning of the feels. So often we collapse with exhaustion the day after and miss out on the opportunity to make thoughtful meaning and stay connected to each other. Join us for a post-election debrief with movement elders who can re-ground us in the long game, and young leaders with their eyes on the prize to help us interpret this election cycle together. Featuring lifelong activist Barbara Dudley, Alexandra Rojas (Executive Director of Justice Democrats), and Maurice Mitchell (National Director of Working Families Party).

Visit the episode page to access show notes, guest bios, further resources, & transcript

Listen on RadioPublic / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / GooglePlay / Stitcher