How To Citizen with Baratunde
How To Citizen with Baratunde reimagines the word “citizen” as a verb and reminds us how to wield our collective power. So many of us want to do more in response to the problems we hear about constantly, but where and how to participate can leave us feeling overwhelmed and helpless. Voting, while critically important, simply isn’t enough. It takes more to make this experiment in self-governance work! Listen in to learn new perspectives and practices from people working to improve society for the many. Join writer, activist, and comedian Baratunde Thurston on a journey beyond politics as usual that w...
Bonus · Thu, May 25, 2023
BONUS: Baratunde On Peril and Promise of AI
Welcome to a special bonus episode of How To Citizen. We are sharing Baratunde's appearance on the What Could Go Right? podcast, created by The Progress Network. Baratunde discusses technology, and specifically generative artificial intelligence, and how it might help or hinder human progress and how it aligns or deviates from our concept of citizen as a verb. As always, find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbaratun.de%2Fpuck-shownotes&data=05%7C01%7CJoelleSmith%40iheartmedia.com%7C3c64f0d0fcb34cc2742308db531c3623%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%
S4 E12 · Thu, April 27, 2023
Citizening at The Source (Sam Rader)
So much of the conversation around democracy focuses on the external: from elections and policy to protests and organizing. While getting active is important...what could happen if we ALSO turn inwards? When we shift our relationship with our insides—what we believe and feel and the unconscious patterns we act from—our world shifts with us. In the final episode of season four, Baratunde sits down with Source Code creator and former psychologist, Dr. Sam Rader , about how we can learn to citizen on a deeper level. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Recognize dynamics What are the dynamics within society that upset you the most? If you are really honest with yourself, how does this dynamic play out inside of you? To begin the journey of uncovering your unconscious defenses, you can take Dr. Sam’s free Discover Your Top Coping Style Quiz . After you watch the results video, journal on what might be possible for you and your world if this pattern could shift. Become More Informed - Learn about Source Code Read Dr. Sam’s forthcoming book, ‘Source Code’, one year ahead of publication, in her Return to Love Membership or sign up for her email to find out when the full book is released. Dr. Sam also suggests you check out Karen O’Brien’s book “ You Matter More Than You Think .” Karen is a renowned expert on climate change, who introduces us to the fractal nature of reality, and how each of us is the front line of exponential and instant change. Publicly Participate - Stand for love When you next go out to run an errand in your community, attend a cultural event or school meeting, especially in situations that might feel dicey, decide for yourself what it means to you to “stand for love” in those places. Even just setting the intention and putting your attention on it will have a ripple effect. SHOW NOTES Check out our episode with Heather McGhee who explains why so many Americans have a zero-sum worldview. Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also ho
S4 E11 · Thu, April 20, 2023
First, You Bring Them Cake (Christian Vanizette)
There’s no shortage of volunteer opportunities or organizations offering them. But how often are the communities meant to benefit from all of this volunteer work determining what help is truly needed, and which issues are most pressing? Christian Vanizette has spent the last decade building MakeSense, a global network of over 100,000 citizens and entrepreneurs committed to solving social and environmental issues where they live — bringing neighbors together to share solutions to address local challenges together. Baratunde met up with Christian in Paris to find out what it takes to move people from local volunteers to global activists, and to learn more about the creative, strategic, and fun tactics he’s bringing to the fight against climate change. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Notice emotionally charged language & stories Reflect on how you FEEL when you hear the words climate change. What feelings come to mind? Why do you think that is? Have you heard or seen any alternative perspectives that convey the opposite of what you are feeling? Take a week to immerse yourself in the alternative perspective while withholding judgment - just observe and notice how it makes you feel. Be curious and open to the feelings. Be Informed - Learn from diverse voices Watch some informative videos on Climate Town ’s Youtube channel, and check out All We Can Save —a book centering women and Indigenous voices—which uplifts and shows us how we can make a better future together. Publicly Participate - We ALL need to act Join a local chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby and engage with a national, bipartisan group working on many important policy-change campaigns. And as Christian mentioned in the episode, check out and follow @STOPEACOP on instagram and join the regroop app for coordinated climate actions we can take to stop carbon bombs and increase our chances of keeping Earth beautifully habitable for us all. And while we need to pressure the industry to stop drilling, we also need to change our consumer demand for fossil fuel! Use the Future Card to get cash back when you buy from climate-forward brands (disclosure: Baratunde is an advisor to and investor in this company). SHOW NOTES Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citiz
S4 E10 · Thu, April 13, 2023
A How to Citizen Huddle (Coach Steve Kerr & Friends)
Whether you’re a sports fanatic, or you’ve never stepped foot on a court or field—there’s a lot we can learn about citizening from the lens of coaches and athletes. To show us how sports can help us with teamwork, discipline, and a sense of play in our citizening efforts— Baratunde is joined by Steve Kerr , head coach of the NBA championship-winning Golden State Warriors and relentless advocate for gun violence prevention, along with Dr. Kensa Gunter , a clinical and sports psychologist, and Jamie Zaninovich , the Deputy Commissioner & COO of the Pac-12 Conference. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - How it feels to work with others For those of you that played team sports, how did teamwork make you feel? What about teamwork was easy for you? What parts were challenging? Or if you didn’t play team sports, picture any other team you’ve been a part of in school or work. What personal benefits did you receive by coming together with others to work on something? Be Informed - Sites to help you get going Find the issue you’re passionate about and start learning! Go to howtocitizen.com and click on Let’s Start to get personalized results that will help you learn about issues you care about. Let curiosity guide you. Once you get your quiz results, let us know what you start learning! If you are an athlete or coach, check out All Vote, No Play to find civic drills you can do together as a team. Publicly Participate - Your presence has power Bear witness by lending your presence and listening as another way to publicly participate. Join Baratunde as he practices publicly participating in this way. Find and attend a gathering in your community (council meeting, non-profit assembly, school board meeting, church potluck or other community forum) and simply be present and LISTEN. SHOW NOTES Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at Puck . You can find him all over <a href="https://baratun.de/lin
S4 E9 · Thu, April 06, 2023
Fewer Debates, More Dunk Tanks (Priya Parker)
How we gather matters. A lot. And what is a nation but a big ol’ gathering of gatherings? Baratunde talks with Priya Parker , facilitator and author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters , about how we can use gatherings as a tool for strengthening our relationships by doing things together that invoke joy and have meaning. Listen till the end to hear Priya answer a listener’s pressing question during the live taping. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Gatherings & their impact Think about gatherings in your life. What was a great one where you felt connected, fulfilled, and a sense of purpose? What was a bad one? Was there one that surprised you? See if you can remember how you felt attending each one. Did it bring you closer to other people? Become More Informed - Meetings can be where you practice democracy Check out Priya’s conversation with Brené Brown on her Dare to Lead podcast. They go through an example of Priya’s Gathering Makeover . It’s focused on improving a weekly leadership meeting which may sound like it has nothing to do with practicing democracy, but it’s actually quite the opposite. Also check out Priya’s website and The Gathering Toolkit . Publicly Participate - Practice gathering Download her free guide on The New Rules of Gathering . Then, plan a gathering based on this workbook. It can be anything: poker night, tenant association meeting, or congressional hearing. See if you and your folks feel differently about this gathering than others. SHOW NOTES Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at Puck . You can find him all over the internet . CREDITS How To Citizen wi
S4 E8 · Thu, March 30, 2023
To End Conflict, We Must Transform It (Tim Phillips)
The intensifying political division and violence in our country is concerning — but it’s not unique. And few know that better than Tim Phillips. For 30 years, his organization Beyond Conflict has been bringing people from opposing sides of violent divides together to find common ground. He shares insights from their research into human psychology that could hold keys for overcoming violent division, along with lessons from Northern Ireland, South Africa and beyond to help us fight polarization here at home. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Try the 90-Second Rule Think about a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about a political or ideological issue, and notice where you felt that tension or frustration in your body. The next time you’re in that situation: try the 90 second rule — created by Harvard researcher Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, who found it takes 90 seconds for an emotion to pass. Before engaging in a debate or discussion that gets your blood boiling, take 90 seconds to do absolutely nothing: wait to exchange words, step away from your phone — whatever it takes to give you that minute and a half of simply not-that-debate. Become More Informed - Learn about polarization Check out this video from Tim’s organization, Beyond Conflict about polarization and misperceptions between Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. And if you want to dig deeper, read their two reports on the issue: America’s Divided Mind: Understanding the Psychology That Drives Us Apart and Renewing American Democracy: Navigating a Changing Nation . Tim also recommends listening to this interview with South African leaders about how the U.S. can move beyond toxic polarization. Publicly Participate - Invest in building real relationships Move conversations offline and invest in building real relationships with people across the aisle in your community. Try engaging with organizations setting up opportunities for Americans to come together, and navigate our divides at the local level, such as One America Movement , Civic Genius , Make America Dinner Again , and Living Room Conversations . SHOW NOTES Read Tim’s <a href="https://www.salon.com/2014
S4 E7 · Thu, March 23, 2023
Justice Begins with Imagination (Ruha Benjamin)
According to Ruha Benjamin, we’re living inside someone else’s imagination. An imagination that limits our ability to build a more just, liberated world. So, how do we take back our agency and begin to seed something different? Baratunde talks with Princeton professor and founding director of the Just Data Lab , Ruha Benjamin to find out. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Bear witness and create a ripple This one is inspired from Ruha’s book Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want which says: “…bear witness to the weight of individual and communal protective acts and consider how all of us can be involved in sheltering one another from the rain and sun by cultivating relationships, skills, accountability, and healing.” Think about when you witnessed someone near you perform an act of justice or kindness or protection for another. Was it a big or small act? Did it require courage? How did witnessing that make you feel about the world? Is it something you could repeat and further the impact? Become More Informed - Learn about racial justice Ruha recommends Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey and The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander both of which you can find on our Bookshop page . Publicly Participate - Invest in your community using your time & skills Check out ways to invest and get to know your community using your existing skills and experience. If you’re 60+ check out Thirdact.org and Cogenerate.org . If you’re 25-59 check out Volunteermatch.org and Catchafire.org . If you're 16-24 check out Civicsunplugged.org and Youthclimatelobby.org . SHOW NOTES Walk through Breonna’s Garden and check out Lady Phoenix’s IG for more. Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you fin
S4 E6 · Thu, March 16, 2023
A New Shape for the Economy (Kate Raworth)
It’s no secret that our economy only works for a select few. But what would our economy look like if we prioritized people and the planet, instead of profit? Economist Kate Raworth says it might look like a doughnut and to build it requires changing how we talk about, teach, and imagine economics. Baratunde talks with Kate about her theory of doughnut economics and how we can build an economy that works for all life on Earth—exploring how our small acts of consumerism can enhance or degrade a culture of democracy. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - What We Call Ourselves Matters It's clear that we show up with different values, norms and expectations when called as a citizen rather than as a consumer. Take a moment to reflect on how you might interact differently with e-commerce and purchasing decisions if you were called a “Steward to the Commons.” Become More Informed - Digest the Doughnut Check out Kate's 2018 TED talk (where Baratunde first met her!). Also, read Kate’s book Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist . Publicly Participate - Find or Start Some Doughnuts Near You Join the community at Doughnut Economics Action Lab ! You can check out the members map to find others near you and read stories of how community groups are getting started putting the ideas into practice. You can also create your own event on DEAL's platform inviting others in your locality (be it town, city, or state) to join you. And check out the tools Kate mentioned: Doughnut Unrolled and Doughnut Design for Business . SHOW NOTES Check out the Doughnut Unrolled tool Kate developed for cities and places interested in trying out the doughnut. Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America
S4 E5 · Thu, March 09, 2023
DAO-mocracy (Alex Zhang)
Imagine if the members of your group chat shared more than memes but also shared a bank account, or if the early users of a social media app helped decide how that app grew, made money, and moderated content. How does the group make decisions and make sure everyone is heard? Who decides how the money is spent? These are some of the questions Friends with Benefits (FWB), a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) has had to answer. Baratunde talks with FWB Mayor Alex Zhang about DAOs, online community-building, and Web3 to find out if the way we citizen online can positively affect how we citizen IRL. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - How we shape the spaces we inhabit Take a moment and think about your relationship to the digital spaces you spend time in. This could be social media, gaming, or a group chat. Where do you feel like an active participant, where you set the terms and tone of the environment? Where do you feel passive, like someone else is in charge? How might you change that relationship? Become more informed - Web3, squads, and digital public spaces We can create a healthier culture of democracy through web3 beyond starting and joining DAOs. If you’re new to this world, the New York Times’ has a great primer on Web3. Once you’ve read that, take a deep dive into the history of “Squads”— a form of social and economic organizing that is shifting power and social dynamics away from an individualistic society. If our conversation with Alex made you curious, check out our episode with Eli Pariser from New_Public. We go deep on how to better design digital public spaces. Publicly participate - Sharing power and setting culture in groups You’re likely a part of a group, a tenants or homeowners association, a parent group, a committee at work. The next time you’re at one of your meetings, take note of how the group makes decisions. Who speaks? Who is silent? What areas are open to input? What is considered off-the-table? Is there even an agenda!? Over time see if you can identify the kind of culture the group has: chaotic? Deferential? Can you find any opportunities for the group to make that culture more small-d democratic, by rotating speaking or leadership roles, or openly acknowledging how decisions are made and how that might shift? We don’t need to find new groups and spaces to practice this democracy thing—let’s start where we are. SHOW NOTES Check out our<a href="h
S4 E4 · Thu, March 02, 2023
Democracy without Politicians (Claudia Chwalisz)
Instead of electing politicians to represent us…what if we just represented ourselves? Peer to peer. Neighbor to neighbor. Baratunde talks with Claudia Chwalisz about citizens’ assemblies—groups randomly-selected by lottery that are shifting political and legislative power into the hands of everyday people. Claudia is one of the world’s leading voices on citizens’ assemblies and founder and CEO of DemocracyNext , an organization working to build new institutions for the next democratic paradigm. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Imagine life with citizen assemblies Our reflection prompt is inspired by the DemocracyNext launch event, which you can view on YouTube . Imagine it’s 10 years in the future, and we’ve established new civic rituals. Election Day is out and Sortition Day – the day that people selected by lottery are assigned to various citizen assemblies – is in. What might it feel like to serve in one of these well-facilitated and compensated assemblies with your neighbors? Imagine what it would be like to read media coverage of the deliberations that focus on a community’s attempt at finding common ground, rather than who made the most outlandish statements. What headlines do you see? How do politics feel in this future? Become Informed - Learn from global citizen assembly experiments To learn more about citizen assemblies, read the New Yorker essay by Yale political science professor Hélène Landemore. For a deeper dive, read her book, Open Democracy . To see a citizen’s assembly in action, check out the Irish Citizens' Assembly or the permanent citizens' assembly in Paris . Also check out Claudia’s organization, DemocracyNext . Publicly Participate - Get involved with DemocracyNext and direct democracy powered by everyday people Subscribe to the DemocracyNext newsletter - they'll be launching a global community of enthusiasts wanting to learn more and help build this next democratic paradigm. And if you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and start practicing democracy this way with others, look to the non-profit org Democracy Without Elections for resources to get started locally. SHOW NOTES Check out our <a href="https://www.howtocitizen.com/episodes/
S4 E3 · Thu, February 23, 2023
Love is a Renewable Resource (Nsé Ufot)
We all know that voting alone won’t save democracy. But it does help…a lot. No one understands that better than voting rights organizer Nsé Ufot . She’s the former CEO of the New Georgia Project , where she leveraged technology and culture to register 600,000+ new voters. Nsé and Baratunde talk about why voting still matters and how we can bring love into the ways we citizen together. SHOW ACTIONS Internal Reflection - What Do You Love? Take a moment to reflect on what you LOVE about your city, your county, or your country. Now pause and breathe while visualizing those things for a few minutes. What do you feel in your body when you put your attention on what you love? How might this feeling help you citizen better? Become Informed - Read bell hooks Nsé mentioned this idea of a “love ethic” which she got from Black feminist author and activist bell hooks. Learn more by reading her book All About Love: New Visions (A Love Song to the Nation) If you’ve only got time for a shorter read: we’ve found a beautiful blogpost that summarizes bell hooks’ love ethic. Publicly Participate - Find Your People There’s only ONE New Georgia Project, so if you live in Georgia, get involved with that organization. For those of us not blessed to live in the peach state, every region of the U.S. has similar groups focused on relational organizing work. Check out The Center For Popular Democracy for a great listing of affiliate organizations all around the U.S. you can get involved with. You can also put relational organizing to work when it’s time to vote with organizations like CircleVoting or VoteForce . SHOW NOTES Check out our episode with Angela Lang to learn more about how we mobilize folks to politically engage in their community. Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How T
S4 E2 · Thu, February 16, 2023
Crafting a Citizen Story (Jon Alexander)
The stories we’re told & tell about ourselves shape the ways we act and how we citizen. And the story we’ve been living in for decades now is one of consumerism and self-interest. Baratunde talks with reformed ad-man and author of CITIZENS: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us Jon Alexander about how we can tell a new story rooted in community and interdependence. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Tell a new story Think about the three stories – Subject, Consumer, and Citizen. Where do they show up in your life? Maybe you’re a subject with your parents or a consumer in your neighborhood. In what spaces, communities or realms are you already living the Citizen Story? Where else could you show up that way? Become Informed - Learn about the Citizen Story Check out Jon’s book CITIZENS: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us and this BBC article . Also, check out The New Citizenship Project to find out how you or your organization can learn to tell a different story. Publicly Participate - Practice asking for help Think about Jon’s question: What are you trying to do in the world that’s so big, you actually need other people to do it with you? It can actually be small, but just too big for you alone. It could be fixing the fence around your yard, organizing a fundraiser at your school, or envisioning a future for your company. Ask someone to help you do it! We know asking for help can be hard, so start by asking those in your sphere, “is there something you’re trying to do that I can help you with?” SHOW NOTES Check out our episode with Audrey Tang to hear more about how we can leverage tech & digital tools to strengthen democracy. Listen to the podcast episode where Baratunde and Jon first connected: From What If To What Next hosted by Rob Hopkins. Read this New York Times article to learn more about the America In One Room experiment. Find How To Citizen on <a href="https://baratun.de/howtocitizen-
S4 E1 · Thu, February 16, 2023
Democracy, Fractals, and Sci-fi (adrienne maree brown)
Saving our democracy isn’t just about registering people to vote, ending gerrymandering, and so on. It’s about getting back to the basics of living together well through micro, everyday moments. To kick off season four of the show, Baratunde talks with writer, activist, and fellow Virgo adrienne maree brown about how we can learn to practice democracy in every space we’re in and how our small, civically-minded behaviors in society create a culture that isn’t easy to shake. Stay till the end to hear questions from our live audience. SHOW ACTIONS Internally Reflect - Make a plan to share your power What communities are you a part of right now, from the smallest to the largest, the most local to the most global? Build that list in your mind. In which of these communities do you play some role in decision-making and resource allocation? Can you think of ways to bring others into those decisions more? In other words, can you think of ways, even and especially small ways, to bring more democracy to your existing communities? Become Informed - Study the work of Grace Lee Boggs & Octavia Butler adrienne was mentored by Chinese American philosopher, writer and activist Grace Lee Boggs . Learn more about Boggs in the documentary American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs . Explore the power of fiction to affect our vision of what’s possible by reading adrienne’s book, Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements . And her newest book, Fables and Spells . You should also read the Parable Series by Octavia Butler to see why adrienne is so obsessed with this writer. Most books cited in the show are available on our Bookshop.org page . Publicly Participate - Practice collaborative ideation Return to the communities you identified in the personal reflection. It could be your household, classroom, office department, or group chat. Within one of these groups, have members identify some challenge you feel is hurting or impeding the group. Then ask folks to imagine what things would be like years out if this challenge were fully resolved. How would they feel? What would they be able to accomplish? Write this down in short form, perhaps a corny movie trailer to make it fun. “In a world, where none of us carries student debt…” or “In a world, where everyone in this house is able to access the bathroom for as long as they need without preventing others from doing the same…” It doesn’t have to be super serious. The point is to try,
Trailer · Thu, February 09, 2023
Season 4: Creating a Culture of Democracy
The podcast for people tired of tuning into bad news is back with a fourth season and brand new ways to interpret the word “citizen” as a verb! This season we’re asking, how can the practice of “citizening,” in ways big and small, create a dope culture of democracy? We’re getting practical, sharing things you can try in your community, in your workplace, in your home, and within yourself. To help us, we’ll hear from people like adrienne maree brown, Steve Kerr, Priya Parker, Nsé Ufot, and you! Our guests and live audience will help us find inspiration in everything from sports and birthday parties to climate action and web3. Cause we need to prioritize the culture we create around our democracy as much as the systems that make it function! SHOW NOTES Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at Puck . You can find him all over the internet . CREDITS How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Rowhome Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston and Elizabeth Stewart. Allie Graham is our Lead Producer and Danya AbdelHameid is our Associate Producer. Alex Lewis is our Managing Producer. John Myers is our Executive Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen and Blue Dot Sessions. Jasmine Lewis and Gabby Rodriguez are our Audience Engagement Fellows. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio and Layla Bina. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 E13 · Fri, February 18, 2022
BONUS: Homelessness Is Solvable (with Aras Jizan)
In this bonus episode, Baratunde learns how data, well-defined goals, and a sense of collective ownership are helping those at the front lines of America’s housing crisis work to solve, not manage, homelessness. His partner in conversation is Aras Jizan, the Portfolio Lead for Data and Technology for the Built for Zero initiative at Community Solutions. Guest: Aras Jizan Bio: Portfolio Lead for Data and Technology for the Built for Zero initiative at Community Solutions Online: Community Solutions website , Twitter @cmtysolutions , and Instagram @cmtysolutions Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Say these aloud to yourself Inspired by Aras's recommendations, repeat these: I believe that homelessness is solvable. I understand that we must fix systems, not people. I consider people experiencing homelessness in my community to be my neighbors. - BECOME INFORMED Hear stories of homelessness from those experiencing it Visit <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Finvisiblepeople.tv%2F&data=04%7C01%7CJoelle
S3 E12 · Thu, December 30, 2021
Those We’ve Left Behind (with Shaka Senghor & Teresa Hodge)
Baratunde asks how can we citizen with tech when we disconnect millions from technology and from society as a whole by incarcerating them? He closes the season in conversation with two people who’ve served time for felony convictions and are now working in tech to expand opportunities for all: Shaka Senghor, author and head of DEI for TripActions, and Teresa Hodge, president of Mission: Launch and co-founder of R3 Score which changes how employers use background checks. Guest: Shaka Senghor Bio: Bestselling author and speaker; Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at TripActions Online: Shaka’s website , Twitter @shakasenghor , and Instagram @shakasenghor Guest: Teresa Hodge Bio: President of Mission: Launch, co-founder of R3 Score Online: Mission: Launch website ; R3 Score website ; Teresa’s Twitter @teresayhodge Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Are we that bad? The United States has five percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of the world’s prison population. Ask yourself the question Teresa wants us all to ask: are we that bad? - BECOME INFORMED Who is leading the spaces you spend time in? Take stock of the companies whose products and services you use the most and the non-profits you may be supporting. Now go take a look at their boards and senior leadership. Do they reflect the experiences of the communities they serve? While you’re in a learning mode, check out Shaka’s TED Talk, Why Your Words Deeds Don’t Define You - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Citizen with those who have felony convictions The Last Mile is an incredibly effective organization that prepares incarcerated individuals for successful reentry through business and technology training. Support their work through donation, volunteering, or better yet, hire their graduates! Redeemed Sole , an organization Shaka founded, highlights a number of organizations helping people avoid or return from incarceration. Find an initiative there, and donate, amplify, or join in some way. Find out if your workplace, school, or even landlord uses traditional cr
S3 E11 · Thu, December 23, 2021
Blockchain Chickens and Empathetic Tech Workers (with Xiaowei Wang)
Baratunde is reminded that “tech companies” are really just people and asks what it would mean for tech employees to think critically about their work and its impact and use that power to remake the industry from the ground up? He talks with Xiaowei Wang, whose work at Logic School helps workers answer those questions. They also discuss blockchain, rice farming in rural China, and tarot. It’s all connected. Guest: Xiaowei Wang Bio: Lead steward of Logic School, author of Blockchain Chicken Farm Online: Logic School website ; Xiaowei on Twitter @xrw Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Consider consent and care Think of what consent and care mean to you, and think of what consent-ful and careful tech would look like, function like, feel like. What relationships would be strengthened? Shattered? - BECOME INFORMED Learn about critiques and better ways Read this explainer on Platform Co-ops , which are digital platforms collectively owned and governed by the people who depend on and participate in them. And follow the work of T he Gig Worker’s Collective which is shining a light on and advocating for the people who work at the other end of our smartphone taps and swipes. - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Support the alternatives and whistleblowers Support community internet and technology groups like the Detroit Community Technology Project , NYC Mesh , and Oakland Mesh . And check out The Tech Worker Handbook, a collection of resources to better prepare and support tech workers considering whether to speak out on issues that are in the public interest. Recommend it to a tech worker near you, but don’t send it to their work email! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 E10 · Thu, December 16, 2021
When The Data Is Us (with Krystal Tsosie)
Baratunde continues his journey to discover how we can embed more justice into the data driving our increasingly automated lives and focuses on the most intimate data there is: our DNA. He talks with Krystal Tsosie, an indigenous geneticist, and bioethicist who fights for data sovereignty and the rights of indigenous peoples to have agency over their personhood and knowledge. Guest: Krystal Tsosie Bio: Indigenous (Diné/Navajo) geneticist-ethicist at Vanderbilt University and incoming faculty at Arizona State. Co-Founder of the Native BioData Consortium. Online: Native BioData Consortium website ; Krystal’s TED talk and Twitter @kstsosie Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT What’s your data worth? Ask yourself, “how much is my data privacy worth to me, and how do I feel about nonconsensual surveillance based on my data?” Now add in the element of genetic information. How would you feel if any of your biological kin donated genetic information that was tied to information about you that can be bought and sold? - BECOME INFORMED Learn about nonconsensual data collection Read this NY Times article about Indigenous tribes in the Amazon who felt “duped, lied to, exploited” when they realized their donated blood samples were being sold for $75 a vial while the medicines they were promised in exchange never arrived. Or learn about Henrietta Lacks , a Black woman whose cervical cancer cells (“HeLa”) changed the field of biology and have been commodified by laboratories, but without the knowledge of her or her family. Now let’s make it more personal. Find out what Big Tech knows about you with some of the suggestions in this article . - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Support ethical data practices Empower science led by Indigenous scientists working with tribal communities to ensure that the benefits of biomedicine and public health benefit Indigenous peoples. Consider making a donation to the Native BioData Consortium . And help protect yourself and slow the market for selling our data by installing the Global Privacy Control . This is a feature of certain web browsers that lets you signal to a site not to tra
S3 E9 · Thu, December 09, 2021
Arsenic in My Muffins (with Kasia Chmielinski)
Baratunde knows what is healthy to eat or not, thanks to the required nutrition labels on our food. But how do we know the ingredients in the algorithms and AI we depend on are safe to use? Baratunde speaks with Kasia Chmielinksi about the Data Nutrition Project, which helps data scientists, developers, and product managers assess the viability, health, and quality of the data that feeds their algorithms and influences our decisions daily. Guest: Kasia Chmielinski Bio: Co-Founder of the Data Nutrition Project, an affiliate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, senior research advisor at the Partnership on AI Online: The Data Nutrition Project website ; Kasia on Twitter @kaschm Show Notes + Links Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Kasia Chmielinski for joining us! Follow them at @kaschm on Twitter, or find more of their work at datanutrition.org . ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Like people, machines are shaped by the context in which they were created. So if we think of machines and algorithmic systems as children who are learning from us - their parents - what kind of parents do we want to be? How do we want to raise our machines to be considerate, fair, and to build a better world than the one we are in today? - BECOME INFORMED Watch: Coded Bias Listen: Radical AI Podcast Read: Race after Technology , Weapons of Math Destruction , Data Feminism Make Choices: *privacy not included (consumer guide for buying technologies) - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Donate to these groups on the front lines ensuring the future of AI is human and just: Algorithmic Justice League , ACLU , Electronic Frontier Foundation Discuss: Host a book club! The books above are really great platforms to gather folks who want to learn from the literature and each other. Attend a lecture or event:<a href="https://datasoci
S3 E8 · Thu, December 02, 2021
Defending Our Collective Psyche (with Sander van der Linden)
Can we inoculate ourselves against misinformation and conspiracy theories in the way we do for infectious diseases? Instead of debunking, can we “pre-bunk?” Sander van der Linden, co-founder of Inoculation Science, has created games that offer to do just that. Baratunde plays one of them and speaks with Sander about online misinformation campaigns, polarization, and how we can better protect ourselves. Guest: Sander van der Linden Bio: Professor of Social Psychology in Society at the University of Cambridge, co-founder Inoculation Science, author of The Truth Vaccine (writing) Online: Inoculation Science website ; Sander’s website and Twitter @Sander_vdLinden Show Notes + Links Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Sander for joining us! Follow Sander at @Sander_vdLinden on Twitter, or find more of his work at inoculation.science . ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Reflect on the game. After you play the game at https://inoculation.science and watch a few videos, reflect on how they made you feel. Are there online experiences you’ve had that make more sense once you consider you might have been intentionally manipulated? How do you think these games will affect your future online experiences? - BECOME INFORMED Play the game. Point your browser over to https://inoculation.science and play their set of inoculation games. In addition to Breaking Harmony Square, which we featured in this episode, they offer games to help you limit the harm of fake news and COVID misinformation. - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Share the game. Finally, share the games with people you care about. Friends don’t let friends spread misinformation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 E7 · Thu, November 25, 2021
Can Tech Save the Literal World? (with Jamie Margolin)
Baratunde connects with Gen-Z author and climate activist Jamie Margolin, to see how this next generation is using tech to save the planet. He was surprised more than once by this 19-year-old’s perspective. She is the founder of This Is Zero Hour, an intersectional movement of young people fighting for a livable planet and co-organizer of the 2018 Youth Climate March. Guest: Jamie Margolin Bio: 19-year-old Colombian-American organizer, activist, author, public speaker, and film & tv student. Online: Jamie’s book, Youth To Power , and her Twitter and Instagram ; Zero Hour on Instagram Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT What do technology and Earth mean to you? Jamie helped us conceive of technology in a different, more elemental way. When you think of technology, what do you think of? When you think of nature, what do you think of? Do you ever think of the same thing in answer to both questions? - BECOME INFORMED Learn about climate threats and opportunities. For better climate news, check out CoveringClimateNow.org. On social media, follow groups like This Is Zero Hour and Sunrise Movement . For something more local, search online for climate change and your neighborhood or town. Try a search for climate action in the same way. I did and discovered regional climate action plans, zero waste retailers, and forecasts about climate change specific to where I live. I also highly recommend the book All We Can Save. It's an anthology of essays by women representing all the people we’ve ignored on climate and filled with solutions and inspiration. Find it in our show’s online bookshop . - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Take collective climate action of some kind Those local searches I recommended might lead you to businesses you can support or groups you can join. I recommend the Citizens Climate Lobby as a possible place to start. An even more basic step is to take a look at your own energy use. I went through my electricity bill closely and saw an option to choose renewable energy sources, and signed up. Boom! Then talk about it. Are you composting, put that online? Trying to understand where your energy comes from? Take it to the socials! Let’s use tech to make climate action mainstream. </p
S3 E6 · Thu, November 18, 2021
Fast, Fair, Fun (with Digital Minister Audrey Tang)
After a life of civic hacking outside the system through efforts like vTaiwan, Audrey Tang, now Digital Minister of Taiwan, speaks with Baratunde about how to use digital tools to include people in more direct, participatory, democratic practices and her design philosophy of “fast, fair, fun.” She shows how tech can help government be more responsive to and collaborative with its citizens. Guest: Audrey Tang Bio: Digital Minister of Taiwan, open-source software contributor, poetician Online: Taiwan’s Public Digital Innovation Space ; On Twitter @audreyt and the hashtag #FastFairFun Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Flexing our personal power When have you felt justified pushing against an authority in your life? How did you do it and did it achieve your goal? If not, why not? If so, were there other unintended consequences? If you could go back in time, would you change your actions in any way? - BECOME INFORMED What is Open Government? Get informed about this idea of "open government." Learn more about Audrey’s work at digitalminister.tw . If you want to go deeper, read the book Open Democracy by Hélène Landemore. It's about centering ordinary citizens in the democratic process. Find it in our online bookstore bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen . And search social media for the hashtag #OpenGovernment to discover other related thinkers and doers helping us govern ourselves. - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Public Forums Practice sharing your voice on an issue you care about in a public forum (not just social media). For example, you can comment on upcoming federal regulations at regulations.gov . But the real action is local, so join a participatory budgeting initiative by searching online for “participatory budgeting near me”, or attend a virtual or live city or neighborhood council meeting and offer feedback during the public comment section. Use your voice to influence a public issue. Flex your power! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 E5 · Thu, November 11, 2021
Circles in a World Made for Triangles (with Pia Mancini)
Baratunde learns more about experiments in digital democracy. He speaks with Pia Mancini, cofounder of Open Collective, a platform empowering collectives and mutual aid groups with new transparent, decentralized financial tools that make local grassroots efforts more feasible than ever. It is a powerful example of how the use of technology can change the power dynamics and help people citizen together where they live and across the globe. Guest: Pia Mancini Bio: Democracy activist, open source sustainer, co-founder & CEO at Open Collective and Chair of DemocracyEarth Foundation. Online: Open Collective website ; Pia’s website ; on Twitter @piamancini and @opencollect Show Notes + Links Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Pia for joining us! Follow her @piamancini on Twitter, or find more of her work at Opencollective.org . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Cultivate Optimism Take a moment to reflect on when you feel most positive, most optimistic in your week? What are you doing, who are you around, what media/info sources are you consuming? Work on adding more of these elements to your weekly routines. The world needs more clear-eyed optimists for us to reach our collective potential. It’s hard to citizen when you’re only cynical. BECOME INFORMED Who in your life needs Open Collective Take a moment to wrap your mind around this NEW community infrastructure that is truly revolutionizing the way local initiatives and groups work together around the world. We bet you know of a local project or informal group that could benefit from it! Take the time to learn more https://opencollective.com/ . Also check out Pia’s TED talk , How To Upgrade Democracy for the Internet Era, for more about her beliefs and journey. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Join in with other locals Support open-source and move away from private mega-malls like Facebook by adopting the Signal app , an open source, end-to-end encrypted, not-for-profit messaging platform. And if you use open source to build the product that is making yo
S3 E4 · Thu, November 04, 2021
Move Slow and Fix Things (with Esra’a Al Shafei)
Esra’a is a Bahrani human rights activist and founder of Majal, a multiplatform organization that amplifies underrepresented voices in the Middle East and North Africa. She works collaboratively with technologists and designers across the world to create alternative digital spaces that are safe from censorship and trolling. Utilizing gamification and music, Majal’s platforms offer a safe space for people who face persecution based on their identity and politics. Guest: Esra’a Al Shafei Bio: Founder of Majal, Migrant Rights, and Mideast Tunes; civil rights activist dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ youth in the Middle East. Online: Majal website ; @ealshafei on Twitter Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Personal Security When have you felt concerned for your safety and security online? What features online made you feel vulnerable or exposed? Was it something you could control or was it outside of your control? If you’ve never felt insecure on online platforms, why do you think that is? - BECOME INFORMED Question Scale in Philanthropy Check out Majal.org and look at the platforms they operate. When you are engaging with nonprofits and philanthropy, look at who founded and runs the groups you support or amplify. Find ones that are run by those closest to the problem, which are often people from marginalized communities. Start your learning journey by reading Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva. - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Challenge the philanthropic norms. Instead of supporting large organizations that emphasize scalability and unsustainable growth, consider getting as local and grassroots as you can in terms of your time and resources. Often smaller, on-the-ground, and grassroots organizations have a more direct impact despite far fewer resources. And make the How To Citizen community look good: donate over at Majal.org so they can keep supporting the important platforms serving activists and LGBTQ youth in the Middle East. MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions. Visit our non-Bezos bookshop . Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly<a href="https://bit.ly/baratunde-website
S3 E3 · Thu, October 28, 2021
Public Parks and Re-creation (with Eli Pariser)
Right now we interact with the public more online than offline. But these digital spaces are not designed with our collective wellbeing in mind. Baratunde speaks with Eli Pariser, Co-founder of New_Public, about how we are missing intentionally designed digital public spaces, like libraries and park spaces online, and they discuss New_Public’s NEW! design playbook for creating platforms that bring us together instead of tear us apart. Guest: Eli Pariser Bio: Author, Activist, and Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of New_Public Online: New_Public website ; @elipariser on Twitter; Eli’s website Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Public Interactions Reflect on some recent online interactions you’ve had with total strangers on social media. Now think about some interactions you’ve had with strangers offline, maybe in a public park or library. How did each experience make you feel? Did you prefer one over the other? Why? - BECOME INFORMED Check out New_Public’s work Check out New_Public’s new design playbook for building digital public spaces of the future. It was built from two years of global research and feedback. Also, read Eli’s thought-provoking article in the Atlantic about envisioning a future online that serves the public good and supports a culture of democracy. - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Join a niche, online community forum. Consider joining or starting your own online community where you can practice some of the 14 signals using a platform like Hylo or MightyNetworks . Most of the signals don’t require code as much as thoughtful governance, culture, and norm-setting to create a different kind of online space that helps us citizen. Said another way, try finding or creating an online community in a space that isn’t a giant shopping mall. MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions. Visit our non-Bezos bookshop . Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter ,
S3 E2 · Thu, October 28, 2021
A Podcast-Sized History of Tech (with Scott Galloway)
Baratunde has been sounding the alarm about the perils of Big Tech for years. In this episode, he breaks down his journey in tech and talks with tech expert and sharp critic, Prof G, otherwise known as Scott Galloway, co-host of the Pivot Podcast. They dive into Scott’s summary of what the hell went wrong, his recent argument that corporations need to start acting “as citizens,” and how this idea of corporate citizening informs his investment strategy. Guest: Scott Galloway Bio: Marketing expert who specializes in critiquing the worlds of tech & business, and how they operate within capitalism. Online: His website ; @profgalloway on Twitter; the Pivot podcast Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - INTERNALLY REFLECT Feeds and Feelings Take a moment to reflect on your various social media feeds. If your FB or Instagram feed had a personality how would you describe it (ie. sassy with a bit of inspiration or snarky, gossipy, and entertaining)? How do your social media feeds make you feel? Consider training the algorithm by selecting accounts and content that pushes you forward rather than drags you down. A small but perhaps mighty action for your mental and emotional wellbeing. - BECOME INFORMED Check out Baratunde’s Digital Manifesto Read and contribute to an open Google Docs version of the manifesto here . Comment about what’s missing, improve it, or add references to work from others. Baratunde may share some of your feedback on his social channels. Also recommended by Scott, the book Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman available in our bookshop . - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Ensure regulation of Big Tech Here are three grassroots efforts you can join to ensure big tech doesn’t go unregulated. Join with others to lend your voice and skills. Check out - Freedomfromfacebookandgoogle.com , Athenaforall.org working to free us from Amazon, and The Economic Liberties Project.us . MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions Visit our <a h
S3 E1 · Thu, October 28, 2021
Baratunde’s Tech Origins (with Belinda Yvonne Thurston)
Technology and its promise of a better world is a part of Baratunde’s DNA. In this episode, Baratunde reminisces with his older sister, Belinda, about their upbringing in Washington DC in the 1980s. They discuss their mother’s influence on his earliest experiences with tech that would someday come to shape this very podcast. Guest: Belinda Thurston Bio: Yogini, tai chi player, Buddhist, African-Japanese American, journalist, speaker, motivator, number one sister. Online: Just B Yoga website Go to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice. ACTIONS - INTERNALLY REFLECT Relationships matter. How have you invested in the key relationships that make your world go round? Do you have the relationship with your siblings and family members that you want? This Harvard Study showed that happiness boils down to one thing: relationships. MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions Visit our non-Bezos bookshop . Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter , his column on Puck , or you can even text him right now at 202-894-8844 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Trailer · Thu, September 30, 2021
Season 3: Using Tech to Citizen
Season three of How To Citizen with Baratunde is all about tech. Launching October 28th, we’re bringing you the people using technology for more than revenue and user growth. They are using it to help us citizen. We don’t have to live in the futures shown in Terminator, Black Mirror, or Westworld. We can choose a different path. Instead of being used by tech, we can use tech to bolster our community participation, strengthen our relationships, and help us flex our collective power. This season brings you those stories. Follow the show’s Instagram , and visit the website - howtocitizen.com - to learn more about the show’s topics and continue your citizen journey beyond the podcast. Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter , follow him on Instagram , or sign up for his column on Puck . You can even text him right now at 202-894-8844. CREDITS How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions . Our executive producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart, and Misha Euceph. Our senior producer is Tamika Adams. Our producer is Alie Kilts, and our assistant producer is Sam Paulson. Stephanie Cohn is our editor. Valentino Rivera is our senior engineer. And Matthew Lai is our apprentice. Original Music by Andrew Eapen . With additional original music for Season 3 from Andrew Clausen. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio and Rachael Garcia at Dustlight Productions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 E12 · Thu, June 17, 2021
Comedians Who Read the Newspaper (with Hari Kondabolu)
If we’ve learned anything in Season 2 of How To Citizen with Baratunde, it’s that it takes a village, and by that, I mean the entire global community. From leaders of nonprofits, to Wall Street entrepreneurs, we need everyone to come together to build the economy we all deserve. And that even includes comedians. In this episode, we speak with fellow podcaster and comedian Hari Kondabolu about comedy’s role in shaping our future. Guest: Hari Kondabolu - comedian, writer & podcaster Twitter: @harikondabolu Bio: Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer & podcaster based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been described by The NY Times as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.” In 2018, his Netflix special “Warn Your Relatives” was released and he was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics To Watch. Regarding his special, The NY Times wrote ” it was an artistic breakthrough for him, an incisively funny and formally adventurous hour that reveals a comic in command of his powers.” SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Hari Kondabolu for joining us! Follow him at @harikondabolu on Twitter, or find more of his work at harikondabolu.com . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT When have you grown or helped others grow? Hari reminded us that just because we’ve done wrong doesn’t mean we must accept wrong and that we can grow from mistakes. When have you grown from a mistake, and did others help you? When have you helped others grow? BECOME INFORMED Tune Into Hari Give Hari some love and support him by checking out The Problem with Apu streaming on HBO MAX, and his Netflix special Warn Your Relatives . PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Immigrant Rights Legal citizenship is something many of us take for granted and others struggle to achieve. Support the work of RAICES which helps refugees and immigrants navigate the confusing and often dangerous process of migration. https://www.raicestexas.org/take-action/ If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com . Mention Comedians Who Read the Newspaper in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen. Visit the show's homepage -<a href="https://cms.megaphone.fm/organization
S2 E11 · Thu, June 10, 2021
Baratunde Reflects on Season Two
“It’s hard to citizen when you can’t pay the bills.” This season’s theme has revealed the economic causes of our deep division and has opened our eyes to how our democracy and economic well-being are incredibly interconnected. This week, Baratunde weaves together lessons from across this season, discovers surprising takeaways, and revisits stories that have more in common than we expected when we set out to make this season. Listen to a virtual conversation among our guests that will reveal new insights. Show Notes + Links Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. And become a paid subscriber to newsletter.baratunde.com for ad-free versions of the podcast. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Reflect on the Season Ask yourself, how did this season make you feel? How has it challenged you and what have you learned? And if you're comfortable sharing, we’d love to hear from you! Send an email to comments@howtocitizen.com or leave a voice memo with feedback in general, how does citizen.com/voicemail BECOME INFORMED Keep Learning Understanding the economy and the structures behind it is essential to being able to participate as a citizen in our democracy. We hope we have made that case this season, but there’s always more to learn. Head over to www.bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen for plenty of reading materials from the season including titles written and recommended by our guests. We particularly recommend Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us and Jessica Gordon Nembhard’s Collective Courage. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Choose your own We’ve asked you to do a lot this season, from joining the fight for a $15 minimum wage to supporting various bills to investing in non-extractive real estate. And sometimes, it’s hard to know where to start. All of the actions from this season will be available at howtocitizen.com, plus we are designing a choose your own adventure to help you get started on, or further deepen, your citizen practice. Sign up for our email newsletter to stay connected as the digital arm of the show launches later in Summer 2021- visit www.howtocitizen.com to sign up! If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com . Mention in the subject line. And share about your citizening o
S2 E10 · Thu, June 03, 2021
In People We Trust (with Aisha Nyandoro)
This week, Baratunde digs into the world of Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income, in other words distributing money, much like we do when we subsidize farmers or oil companies, but instead to individual households. Where does this money come from? Who gets the money? Will people still work? What will people even spend it on? And how on earth does free cash help our economy? Baratunde sits down with Aisha Nyandoro to find out what exactly happens when you give people in extreme poverty a thousand dollars a month, no strings attached. Guest: Aisha Nyandoro - CEO of Springboard To Opportunities Twitter: @aisha_nyandoro Bio: Aisha Nyandoro is the Chief Executive Officer of Springboard To Opportunities. Springboard provides strategic, direct support to residents of affordable housing. The organization’s service delivery model uses a “radically resident-driven” approach designed to improve quality of life and end the generational poverty trajectory. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Aisha Nyandoro for joining us! Follow Aisha at @aisha_nyandoro on Twitter and learn more about Springboard to Opportunities and Magnolia Mother’s Trust. ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Change the story Consider the commonly told stories you’ve heard about poverty in America. Stories like “people are poor because of bad choices,” “poor folks are uneducated,” and “never give spare change to a homeless person because they’ll use it on drugs.” Now flip those stories. Think about the systems at play that keep people poor. Things like predatory payday lending, doctor-prescribed opioids, red-lining, social welfare programs with unrealistic thresholds, and drug-related incarceration rates for people of color. Who is benefiting from these misleading narratives, and keeping certain segments of society poor? BECOME INFORMED Look for other models Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income has been tested in a few different countries, regions, cities, and towns. So do some reading, and find out what the economists say about these programs. Check out this article from Vox listing out everywhere that has tried these programs and what learnings came out of each program. You can also check out the results from the most recent UBI experiment in Stockton, CA that spanned the course of two years. Learn about it
S2 E9 · Thu, May 27, 2021
Not Another Patchouli-Soaked Co-Op (with Jamila Medley)
Workers have long been excluded from financial gains when businesses become profitable, and wages are no longer a way to create stability and build wealth. Cooperatives were created to combat this very problem. This week features Jamila Medley, the former Executive Director of the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA), a co-op OF co-ops. PACA works to support this business model across industries, from food, to banking, to electricity! Guest: Jamila Medley - Former Executive Director of Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance Twitter: @PhillyCoops Bio: Jamila Medley is a passionate advocate and educator for the advancement and growth of the cooperative economy. In her work with existing and start-up co-ops, she provides support for leadership development, cooperative economics education, navigating group dynamics, and creating adaptive systems to support group process and learning. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Jamila Medley for joining us! Follow PACA at @PhillyCoops on Twitter, or find more of PACAs work at philadelphia.coop . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT How Do You Coop(erate)? Just like Jamila’s experience growing up, cooperatives don’t always have to be formal organizations. What are some informal ways you have participated in collective stewardship? Perhaps a community garden? Local park clean-up? Or in church? Think about the ways you cooperate with your community, local and global! BECOME INFORMED Collective Courage We’ve got some homework for you! Per Jamila’s suggestion, start with reading Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice by Jessica Gordon Nembhard. Collective Courage chronicles Black cooperative business ownership and its place in the civil rights movement. A history that’s often forgotten when discussing coops. Purchase it from our online bookstore, and support local bookshops in the process. https://bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Join or Support A Coop Near You You’d be surprised how many cooperatives are operating right around you. Look into either buying from a local farm or grocery coop, joining a local credit union which is a financial co-op, or even getting your power
S2 E8 · Thu, May 20, 2021
Working 5 to 9 (with Ai-jen Poo)
Racism, exclusion, and unchecked corporate growth have trapped an entire class of people in poverty, no matter how hard they work. We call them the “working poor.” This week, workers’ rights advocate Ai-jen Poo shows Baratunde how it’s possible to work several jobs and still struggle to make ends meet — and how domestic workers are fighting for a future where all workers receive the dignity and fairness they deserve. Guest: Ai-jen Poo - Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance Twitter: @aijenpoo Bio: Ai-jen Poo is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, a non-profit organization working to bring quality work, dignity, and fairness to the growing numbers of workers who care and clean in our homes, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Ai-jen Poo for joining us! Follow her at @aijenpoo on Twitter, or find more of her work at domesticworkers.org . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Who’s cared for you? Think about someone in your life who's cared for you. Think about the value of that relationship. It could be a family member, a neighbor, a childcare provider, or some other caregiver in your life. What role did they play in your life? Bonus points: Give them a shout out, call them, and just let them know that you appreciate them. BECOME INFORMED Be an Ethical Employer, even at home. The National Domestic Workers Alliance’s sister organization, Hand in Hand , offers support to employers of domestic workers (housekeepers, nannies, care givers). Also, their new app Alia allows you to provide insurance and time-off for people you employ in your home. Check out the resources on their website, domesticemployers.org , to learn how you can ethically employ someone in your home. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Benefits for all, no matter the job. New platforms are working to address the need for portable benefits. Two that we found promising are: Opolis , a new membership-owned digital employment platform, and the Portable Benefit Network , another new platform focused on attaching healthcare to th
S2 E7 · Thu, May 13, 2021
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Broadband (with Bruce Patterson)
In 2021 it’s non-negotiable: quality home internet is something we all need. Our entire economy, along with almost all other aspects of our lives, relies on access to the internet. This reality is why many argue that it should be treated as a public good and operated like a public utility instead of run by a handful of corporations that leave many people underserved. This week, Baratunde sits down with technologist Bruce Patterson to learn how the small city of Ammon, Idaho gives its residents access to high speed internet through its own state-of-the-art, public broadband infrastructure. Guest: Bruce Patterson - Technology Director for the City of Ammon, Idaho Bio: Bruce Patterson is the mastermind behind the ‘Ammon Model,’ which focuses on the separation of broadband infrastructure from broadband service, both technically and economically. During his tenure at the City of Ammon, Bruce was responsible for the creation and management of the Ammon Fiber Network. He managed everything from strategy and implementation including legal, public process, financial, construction, and technical aspects. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Bruce Patterson for joining us! Learn more about his work at ammonfiber.com . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT What’s publicly or municipally run in your community? Post office, water, library, etc. How do you use these services and what would change about them if they were owned exclusively by private companies? Or if they are, do you feel your community is being well-served? If you were in charge, how would you improve these services for the public? What else could you imagine working better if it was run by the people and served more of us? BECOME INFORMED Other Public Options Basically our participation in society and our lives now rely on the internet. Bruce helped meet that essential need by having the local government operate a network, but it’s not the only way, and internet access isn’t the only service. Find out more about community efforts to own services from broadband to banking through the links below: Community broadband Community Broadband: The Fast, Affordable Internet Option That's Flying Under the Radar Postal Banking Ted Talk by M
S2 E6 · Thu, May 06, 2021
Don’t Be an A**hole (with Marie Estrada)
In a future where we depend increasingly on Amazon, the fates of many small businesses hang in the balance. In this episode, Baratunde learns about a new model to help local small businesses compete with the online ease of ordering from Amazon. He speaks with whiskey distiller Marie Estrada, a small business owner who has pushed through the hurdles of the pandemic, while giving back to the community in ways that corporate monopolies just don’t. Guest: Marie Estrada - small business owner, distiller, motorcycle enthusiast Instagram: @motospirits Bio: Marie Estrada left a career in book publishing and in 2016 opened MÔTÔ Spirits distillery in Bushwick, Brooklyn with her business partner, Hagai Yardeny. Inspired by their travels, they specialize in rice whiskey and Jabuka, an invented spirit made from apples and rice. She lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Marie Estrada for joining us! Follow MÔTÔ Spirits at @motospirits on Instagram, or learn more about what Marie’s brewing at motospirits.com . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT How do you relate to local businesses? What locally-owned businesses do you rely on? Do you know the owners? What do you most appreciate about the shop? What would you miss if it went out of business? Try following some of your favorite local businesses on social media - many have instagram accounts where you can reach out directly. BECOME INFORMED Know Why Small Business Matters We often hear that it’s “good to support local, independent businesses,” but why? The Institute for Local Self Reliance answers that question in the article, “ Why Care About Independent, Locally Owned Businesses? ” If you want to do a deeper dive, go to bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen to check out more titles on this topic. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Shop Local, Buy Direct If you live in New York City, check out https://shopin.nyc/ - a new online service for residents to shop from small businesses in their area, not Amazon. Shop In NYC has plans to expand, so keep an eye out for one near you or reach out to them if you want to start a marketplace in your region. Meanwhile, the Shop app by Shopify can help
S2 E5 · Thu, April 29, 2021
But They Make It So Easy! (with Stacy Mitchell)
Our extreme wealth inequality isn’t just caused by economic exclusion; we are also struggling with the concentration of corporate power. Simply put, most of our money flows directly into the pockets of a few wealthy individuals. This week, Baratunde learns how it’s possible for Amazon to receive one out of every two dollars spent online. He speaks with antitrust reformer Stacy Mitchell who breaks down why concentrated power like this is a threat to our businesses, communities, and democracy. Guest: Stacy Mitchell Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Twitter: @stacyfmitchell Bio: Stacy Mitchell is Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs its Independent Business Initiative, which partners with a broad range of allies to design and implement policies to reverse corporate concentration and strengthen local enterprise. Show Notes + Links Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show by leaving a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Stacy Mitchell for joining us! Follow her at @stacyfmitchell on Twitter, or find more of her work at ilsr.org . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Why do you shop at Amazon? Do you like the convenience? The prices? Are you a working family and don’t have many other options? Or do you not have access to local shops? If you have the means, challenge yourself to find one item that you regularly purchase on Amazon and commit to buying it locally. BECOME INFORMED What does the research tell us about Amazon? In Fall 2020, the House subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative law released a historic investigation into monopolies like Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon. The report calls on Congress to restore antitrust laws of the New Deal era and to finally start regulating these companies. Check out The Institute for Local Self Reliance’s summary of the report, The People vs. Amazon , available at bit.ly/peoplevamazon . Bonus points if you then call your representative to tell them you care about this issue. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Join the fight against monopoly power To take on monopolies like Amazon we must flex our citizen muscle, not just our consumer muscle! Check out ilsr.org/fighting-monopoly-power to learn ways you can join the fight locally and nationally. If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur, consider joining <a href=
S2 E4 · Thu, April 22, 2021
Land Without Landlords (with Noni Session)
Imagine a land without landlords or racialized displacement. Sounds too good to be true. The East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative [EB PREC] is fighting for this future. Baratunde sits down with Executive Director Noni Session and learns how EB PREC is reclaiming their community, and building local ownership through real estate. Guest: Noni Session Executive Director of East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative Twitter: @NoniSession Bio: Noni is a 3rd generation West Oaklander, Cultural Anthropologist and Grassroots Organizer. After a 2016 run for Oakland City Council in which she garnered more than 43% of the vote, Noni came to believe her community’s clearest pathway to economic justice and to the halt of rapid displacement was a cooperative economy. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news and more, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Noni Session for joining us! Follow her at @NoniSession on Twitter, or find more of her work at ebprec.org . You can also watch the full EB PREC intro video here . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Where is home? Take a moment to reflect on where you live. How did you end up there? What influenced your decision to rent or buy in a particular place? Was it based on real estate speculation, rental prices, family history, relationship ties, or something else? Does it feel like home? Do you know any neighbors who have lived there for generations? Consider the role privilege has played in determining your place of residence. BECOME INFORMED Learn more about gentrification Gentrification is happening all over the country, from big cities, to small towns, and even rural communities. And there’s a lot more to it, than just the buzzword. To learn more, check out the podcast, There Goes the Neighborhood . Watch the documentary City Rising produced by PBS and KCET. Or read the book The Color of Law, which you can find on bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen and support independent bookstores instead of Amazon. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Invest in communities, not commodities. Check out EBPREC.org and <a href
S2 E3 · Thu, April 15, 2021
Ownership Is Key (with Sam Polk)
Everytable founder, Sam Polk, wants to change the way we do business by not only creating jobs, but going a step further to create wealth-building, ownership opportunities through a social franchise model. In this episode, we follow Sam’s journey from Wall Street tycoon, to nonprofit connoisseur, to social entrepreneur, and how he found himself with a new mission to transform the food system by making it delicious and profitable for everyone. Guest: Sam Polk CEO of Everytable Twitter: @SamPolk Bio: Sam Polk is the founder and CEO of Everytable, a social enterprise on a mission to transform the food system to make delicious and healthy food affordable and accessible to everyone, everywhere. A former hedge fund trader, Sam left a successful career on Wall Street to follow his heart to fight food injustice and inequality in America. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Sam Polk for joining us! Follow him at @SamPolk on Twitter, or find more of his work at Everytable at everytable.com/about . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Show Me What a Business Owner Looks Like! Think about the businesses in your neighborhood. Are they mostly local small businesses or national chains? If more of one than another, why do you think that is? Who works there and who owns them? When you hear the word entrepreneur or business owner, what do you see in your mind? Who is that person? What do they look like? BECOME INFORMED “Exit to Community” a new model that shares the wealth Success for entrepreneurs often means selling their business to a bigger company or going “public” on the stock market. These “successful exits” can generate a lot of wealth for the few people at the top: owners and investors. What if there was another path for those entrepreneurs to take? One that rewarded those most connected to and impacted by the business including employees, customers, founders and investors? There’s a movement called Exit To Community which is doing just that. Learn more about it by visiting e2c.how . PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Join or support an effort to build an economy that serves the many Consider joining or giving to a few of the community movements working to build a more inclusive economy. Here are two we are fond of: ZebrasUnite dot coop</a
S2 E2 · Thu, April 08, 2021
Why Is Our Economy So … White? (with Heather McGhee)
This week, author Heather McGhee breaks down the driving force of American economic exclusion via the swimming pool. Baratunde asks Heather about all she has learned traveling across the country to write her book, The Sum of Us . They explore the roots of wealth inequality, the true cost of racism, and why Americans have a zero-sum worldview - meaning progress for some must come at the expense of others. Guest: Heather McGhee - writer, advocate Twitter: @hmcghee Bio: Heather designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. Her new book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together is now available from One World, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Her 2020 TED talk, “Racism Has a Cost for Everyone” reached 1 million views in just two months online. In the coming year, she will launch an original podcast on how to create cross-racial solidarity in challenging times. SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Heather McGhee for joining us! Follow her at @hmcghee on Twitter, or find more of her work at heathermcghee.com . ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Where does your family fit in? Our history is deeply rooted in the idea that one group’s gain must come at the expense of another. Reflect on your family. Has anyone expressed any of these sentiments? Where do you think it comes from? Why? BECOME INFORMED Read the Sum of Us This book is incredible. It’s engaging, insightful, and digs deep into the hidden history of our country. Heather covers lots of ground, from the economic and racial impact of Climate Change to the Housing Crisis of ‘08. Support local bookstores and this show. You can buy it and more online at bookshop dot org slash how to citizen. https://bookshop.org/howtocitizen PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Fight for $15 As Heather explained, solidarity dividends are the gains we get when we work together, across racial divides. Fight for $15 is an international movement for workers rights and a $15 minimum wage. Heather cites this movement as a perfect example of reaching across racial lines. The website fight for 15 dot org has all sorts of ways you can get involved, from signing a petition to organizing in your place of work. If you take any of these actions, share that with us - act
S2 E1 · Thu, April 01, 2021
It’s All Greek to Me! (with Astra Taylor)
In Season One we asked ourselves, what does it mean “to citizen”? How do we show up and stand up for our community? Coming off the heels of January 6th, 2021, Baratunde starts Season Two by taking a step back with the question, “How can we citizen with so much division?”. In this episode, we speak with author and filmmaker Astra Taylor who takes us back to ancient Greece and reveals how our political and economic rights are deeply intertwined. Guest: Astra Taylor - writer, organizer, and documentarian Twitter : @astradisastra Bio: Astra Taylor is a filmmaker, writer, and political organizer. She is the director of the philosophical documentary What Is Democracy? ; the author of T he People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age ; and co-founder of Debt Collective . SHOW NOTES + LINKS Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! We are grateful to Astra Taylor for joining us! Follow her at @astradisastra on Twitter. or find more of her work at hiddendriver.com ACTIONS PERSONALLY REFLECT Find a “We” Are you a worker? A student? A freelancer? Reflect on the communities you are (or could be) a part of and organize with other community members to advocate for causes you all care about. Find strength in numbers! BECOME INFORMED Press the Subscribe/Follow button We’re not being vain. This season we’ve got a lot of incredible guests and more ways for you to show up and citizen. So buckle up, and join us on this journey. PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE Join the Debt Collective Are you in debt? Join Astra’s union for debtors, The Debt Collective, at debtcollective.org . Become a part of a movement of debtors who are wielding their collective economic power. If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com . Mention It’s All Greek to Me in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen. Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey. Also
S2 Enull · Thu, March 25, 2021
Introducing: Season 2 of How To Citizen with Baratunde
How do we wield our collective power for the many, not just the few, in order to live together even with our differences? We feel the dangerous divisions within our democracy daily: the pandemic response, racial oppression, and political violence. In season two of How To Citizen with Baratunde, we focus on ground zero for these divisions: money, capitalism, and the economy. In a time of radical economic inequality, how do we citizen when we can’t pay the bills. This season we explore the deep roots of wealth inequality in the US, learn how its historic levels impact democracy, and search across the nation for inspiring people working to find solutions. Their stories paint a powerful picture of a new, more inclusive economy that serves the many, strengthens local relationships, and gives people not just stability but the time to truly citizen. Visit the show's homepage - howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey. Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon . You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844. CREDITS How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeart Radio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our executive producers are me, Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohn is our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen . Valentino Rivera is our engineer. Sam Paulson is our apprentice. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 E16 · Thu, November 12, 2020
To Be Less Polarized, We Must Humanize (with Esther Perel)
Baratunde ends Season One focused on the state of our relationships, a key pillar of how to citizen, and thus the health of our society after the most contentious election in modern history. In conversation with world-renowned relationship expert, Esther Perel, they discuss how to repair relationships in this moment, and how choosing to listen and humanize each other is not only how to citizen, but enlightened self-interest. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Esther Perel for joining us! Follow her @EstherPerelOfficial on IG or @estherperel on Twitter. or find more of her work at EstherPerel.com . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! INTERNAL ACTIONS What is your model of relationships? Were you raised to believe in self-reliance and autonomy or interdependence and loyalty? Do you conceive of yourself as an “I” trying to develop a “We” or the other way around? Take inventory of the relationships in your life. Identify relationships in your life that are polarized over politics. Determine which make you truly unsafe that you must let go, then focus on those where you are still committed to some level of relationship and you can still see possibility. In those relationships, make the choice to humanize the person, listen, and find common ground, no matter how small. Reflect on your own behavior and language. Can you acknowledge any responsibility for the state of the relationship? Examine your own perspectives about people who vote differently than you. What about your view or beliefs about “these people” makes you fearful? If these thoughts were reversed, would they sound fair or accurate to you? Can you imagine another dimension to one of them as to why they vote or behave the way they do? EXTERNAL ACTIONS Choose to deepen one or two relationships with people who voted differently from you. Instead of ignoring how a loved one voted, practice engaging through questions, not arguments. Be curious. Remember the question from Eric Liu in Ep 2: “what are you afraid of?” and add “what do you hope for?” and “what do you care about?” Build and invest in relationships outside of politics. We need more excuses to connect with each other beyond politics. In our second episode, Eric Liu asked us to start a club, any club. Do it. If you’re already in one or more, good for you. Stay connected to others through the common interests you share. Invest in those relationships. ------------------------------------------------------ If you take an
S1 E15 · Thu, November 05, 2020
Unwavering Kindness as Our Pandemic Response (with Dr. Michael Osterholm)
Baratunde reflects on Election Day and contemplates the record set this week for positive COVID cases recorded in a single day. He speaks to his trusted source for all things pandemic response, Dr. Michael Osterholm, and learns about the "pandemic of kindness" that Dr. Osterholm hopes will be more contagious than the virus in the coming weeks. Dr. Osterholm shares how he keeps moving forward despite the dire facts, and he wrestles with the injustice of people of color being disproportionately impacted by the disease. Listen to his weekly COVID podcast, The Osterholm Update, here . Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Dr. Michael Osterholm for joining us! Follow him on Twitter @mtosterholm and @CIDRAP. You can learn more about the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota here . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. This is another critical moment in the pandemic and we can't take our eyes off the ball of suppressing the disease and stopping its spread. INTERNAL ACTIONS Subscribe to the Osterholm Update podcast. It’s weekly. It’s honest. It’s essential. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars Think about the worst and the best with this pandemic. What’s the worst you’ve experienced? Job loss. Loss of a loved one? Make a little space to grieve and acknowledge that. What’s the best? Have you had quality time with friends? Did you finally clean your garage? Embrace those positives without guilt or shame. Embrace the good and the bad from this year and know that you are not alone. Recommit to suppressing the virus. We know it’s hard. We are tired and angry. Let’s remember why we are making sacrifices: to save lives; to keep our healthcare system from being overrun. Keep physical distance. Wear masks. Wash hands. Let’s dig deep and rediscover the spirit of shared sacrifice that has enabled us to rise to other occasions. EXTERNAL ACTIONS If you can, support a local COVID relief fund. Search for “donate Covid relief fund” and the name of your city. There are so many people in need. If you have something to give to help folks through this please do. Be kind. Spread a pandemic of kindness. Do something nice and unexpected for someone today. Repeat tomorrow. And tell us about it. Even try to stretch beyond your comfort zone as we live in these unp
S1 E14 · Thu, October 29, 2020
Flexing Our Civil Resistance Muscle (with Jamila Raqib)
Baratunde wrestles with how to handle rising political violence in the U.S. by learning from a leading steward of strategic nonviolent action. Jamila Raqib, executive director of the Albert Einstein Institution, shares lessons on the superiority of nonviolent approaches to change, options for defending democracy against authoritarianism, and tips on what to do if a certain head of state refuses to leave office. Hypothetically. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Jamila Rahib for joining us! Follow her on Twitter @jamilaraqib. You can learn more about The Albert Einstein Institute at https://www.aeinstein.org/ . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL ACTIONS (Actions that help you reflect and explore your emotions and experiences related to these topics or personal actions that don’t involve others) Give energy and attention to what you WANT for our country If you journal, pray, meditate or do yoga, use your practice between now and the election to center yourself on what you want to happen. Developing that clear picture first will help you emotionally and psychologically prepare to respond if it doesn’t go the way you want. Walk that fine line with me!! For a powerful visioning example, see this proposed 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution organized by the Brooklyn Public Library. https://www.bklynlibrary.org/28th-amendment Look through the 198 methods at the Albert Einstein Institution https://www.aeinstein.org/nonviolentaction/198-methods-of-nonviolent-action/ Identify any you’ve already employed. Congrats! You’re a strategic nonviolent activist already! EXTERNAL ACTIONS (Public actions that require relationships and interaction with others) Contribute to building our collective civil resistance muscle through the actions below. Share this site that Jamila mentioned with examples and stories about nonviolent action https://wagingnonviolence.org/ Attend a Choose Democracy workshop on “How To Defeat An Election-Related Power Grab” Find trainings at https://choosedemocracy.us/ , take the pledge on the home page, and check out the action center. Engage in action recommended by “Hold The
S1 E13 · Tue, October 27, 2020
Making Our Returning Citizens Whole (with Desmond Meade)
Baratunde learns to think about sacrifice and having skin in the game in terms of a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich analogy. Desmond Meade , founder of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), reminds us that to error is human and the need for second chances, and how that reminder mobilized a grassroots citizen’s movement that transcended racial and political lines to restore voting rights to 1.4 million Floridians with past felony convictions. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Desmond Meade for joining us. Follow on Twitter. You can learn more about the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition at https://floridarrc.com/ . Find Desmond on Twitter @DesmondMeade or on instagram @DesmondMeade44 We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL ACTIONS (Actions that help you reflect and explore your emotions and experiences related to these topics or personal actions that don’t involve others) Do you know anyone that you love that’s ever made a mistake? This is the question Desmond used to erase the lines that separate us, and create a circle of humanity around voting rights restoration. Think about it for yourself. Are you the chicken, the cow, or the pig? According to Desmond, in a ham and cheese omelet, the cow makes a contribution; the chicken makes a contribution; the pig makes a commitment. We need all three. Put another way, what role are you going to play? Read Desmond’s Book Let My People Vote: My battle to restore the civil rights of returning citizens. Find it in our online bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen . EXTERNAL ACTIONS (Public actions that require relationships and interaction with others) Support the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition https://floridarrc.com/volunteer/ Donate or volunteer. Find other people to take to the polls We’ve said this before, but talk about voting. All the time. On your Zooms. On the bus! While waving to your neighbors. Make sure people you are interacting with have voted or have a plan to vote and then follow up. Spread good news Even if the victory is small, tell others. We are drowning in depressing information and uninspiring narratives. Be a part of changing that. Find s
S1 E12 · Thu, October 22, 2020
Making Our Presence Felt (with Angela Lang and Quentin Palfrey)
Baratunde digs into the feeling of disconnect and neglect felt by the black community in Milwaukee during the 2016 election and learns from Angela Lang, Executive Director of Black Leaders Organizing Communities (BLOC MKE). They are changing what it means to get people politically engaged in their community, and it doesn’t start with knocking on doors, begging for votes two months before an election! Quentin Palfrey also weighs in on how data scientists and lawyers are uniting on the ground to stop voter suppression, especially targeting communities of color. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Angela Lang and Quentin Palfrey for joining us. Follow @angela_lang and @blocbyblocMKE on Twitter. You can learn more about the BLOC MKE at https://www.blocbybloc.org/ and in this press piece here . Follow @qpalfrey and @protectthevote on Twitter. You can learn more about Voter Protection Corp at https://www.voter-protection.org/ . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL ACTIONS (Actions that help you reflect and explore your emotions and experiences related to these topics or personal actions that don’t involve others) What does it mean for your community to thrive? This is the question BLOC asks the people of Milwaukee, and we want you to answer it for yourself. Yes, it could be speedbumps. It is probably more. Think about it. Write it down. Real change starts by doing the hard internal work. Let’s keep it up! In June, many of us participated in Black Lives Matter protests, posted BLM messages on our instagrams and bought all the books on how to be anti-racist. Have you read the books, continued to share content from organizations, activists, artists, and business owners within the Black community since then? Time to revisit and re-engage. EXTERNAL ACTIONS (Public actions that require relationships and interaction with others) Support BLOC MKE As a grassroots organization, they need our support to be able to go deep in engaging their community in and out of election cycles. You can give to their non-partisan or partisan arm at https://www.blocbybloc.org/donations . Volunteer to be a Voter Guardian in Milwaukee. </str
S1 E11 · Tue, October 20, 2020
Making Our Votes Count (with Sherrilyn Ifill)
Baratunde speaks with Sherrilyn Ifill, the President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund about the very long history of voter suppression, why it still exists (hint: white supremacy and racism), and the current tactics being deployed for the 2020 election. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Sherrilyn Ifill for joining us. Follow her at @Sifill_LDF and @NAACP_LDF on Twitter. You can learn more about the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund at https://www.naacpldf.org/ . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL ACTIONS Become educated on the systems of oppression so you know the roots and how to fight back. Two good books to start with for a comprehensive take. Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X Kendi Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B Wells You can buy these books and support local bookstores using our show’s bookshop.org link https://bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen Understand the Voting Rights Act and how the Shelby decision changed everything. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/how-shelby-county-broke-america/564707/ Make your voting plan. Visit www.morethanavote.org to make your voting plan. This is the organization that LeBron James helped start, and they’ve partnered with a number of groups including Sherrilyn and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Also visit https://votesaveamerica.com/plan/ the newly released tool from Vote Save America to get ready with a sample ballot for your area to plan your voting so you can be EFFICIENT at the voting booth. EXTERNAL ACTIONS Find out the EXACT requirements of mail-in or absentee ballots in your state and share them so every vote is counted. The requirements and directions for voting by mail differ by state. Some require signatures by a witness on the outside of the envelope along with the
S1 E10 · Thu, October 15, 2020
Making Our Voices Heard (with Maria Teresa Kumar)
Baratunde speaks with Maria Teresa Kumar, President of Voto Latino, about the power in numbers of Latinx voters and the work of relationship-building for this moment. Maria shares stories of what effective government looks like and its impact on the lives of the Latinx community. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Maria Teresa Kumar for joining us. Follow @mariateresa1 and @votolatino on Twitter. You can learn more about Voto Latino at https://votolatino.org/ . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL ACTIONS (Actions that help you reflect and explore your emotions and experiences related to these topics or are personal actions that don’t involve others) Prepare yourself emotionally. This year, we have an election season, not an election day. And we may not know the result for several days or even weeks after November 3rd. Make a plan to vote and start acting on it NOW. If you haven’t voted yet, make your plan now. Figure out how you’re going to vote, and who you’re voting for. Plan this like it’s the biggest date of your life. If you can, vote early and in-person. It is still the most ideal way to vote in this election. A great resource with state-by-state information is at whenweallvote.org. Check it out then confirm your voting rules and deadlines with your county elections office. If you plan to vote by mail (also called absentee voting in states like Wisconsin), make sure you are registered, and then VERY CAREFULLY follow the directions on how to submit your ballot. Adopt a swing state and help get out the vote. You can phone bank or text with others organizing in battleground states - we don’t believe it is even partisan anymore to help to ensure Biden wins since Trump is no longer interested in preserving or leading a democracy. Go to https://votesaveamerica.com/states/#battleground-states to learn more and sign up. EXTERNAL ACTIONS (Public actions that require relationships and interaction with others) Make, “have you voted?” the new “how are you?” in your conversations. Check in with the people you care about. Ask them if they plan to vote or have already voted. This is healthy peer pressure. Once you’ve voted, let EVERYONE know (more subtle and not so subtle peer pressure on social media!) Post the “I voted” sticker on your IG grid and ask others to do the same
S1 E9 · Thu, October 08, 2020
Building Bridges, Not Walls
Baratunde ignores the headlines about Chicago and heeds a listener’s advice to learn more about the South Side from a local artist who is building bridges in her community and literally helping people find common ground. Tonika Johnson helps us understand the pride that comes from being a Chicagoan and the root causes of today’s community struggles grounded in segregation and discrimination. Through her Folded Map Project, she is a perfect example of using art as a way to citizen. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Tonika Johnson for joining us. Follow @TonikaJ on IG. You can learn more about The Folded Map Project at https://www.foldedmapproject.com/ . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. Internal: (actions that help you reflect on your own emotions, opinions, and experiences regarding a particular issue) Find your fold, as Tonika says. Whether you live in Chicago or not, there is a dividing line exacerbating racial and class segregation in our lives, and we want you to find it. First, reflect on your own neighborhood, and digitally identify and write down the following: The food you enjoy and the restaurants you support The neighborhood cultural institutions and local artists you appreciate The local businesses you depend on: grocery, bookshops, dry cleaners, etc. The local library and any programming it offers that you’re into The local news sources you rely on Now, think about a neighborhood you hear about in the news that is in your city, but that you may not visit because it’s “bad” or “undesirable” or because it’s too nice and inaccessible to you. For that neighborhood, use the internet and social media to get to know it outside of media headlines using the questions below: For the food you enjoy, find a restaurant in that neighborhood that you’d want to order from. Find and follow two local artists and one cultural institution to follow on social. Find and follow three local businesses that match the type you frequent in your neighborhood. Check out the corresponding library website and follow them on social media. Find one neighborhood news source from that neighborhood. Maybe there’s a podcast, online weekly, or social media account devoted to telling stories of that community. We want you to become a better citizen of your neighborhood and your whole city. BONUS: Listen to these two episodes of This American Life called “House Rules” that examin
S1 E8 · Thu, October 01, 2020
“Let the Kids Lead” - Youth Power in Action (with Josh Thompson and Zoë Jenkins)
Baratunde calls out the adults that say, “The kids will save us,” but then underestimate or don’t support kids’ efforts to participate. Josh Thompson and Zoë Jenkins, leaders at Civics Unplugged, share a new kind of movement and organization that is setting a vision for the future of democracy in 2030 and showing us what Gen Z leadership can look like right now. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Josh Thompson and Zoë Jenkins for joining us. Follow @joshuatthompson on Twitter or @civicsunplugged on IG or Twitter. You can learn more about Civics Unplugged at https://www.civicsunplugged.org/ . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL: Writing exercise! Inspired by Civics 2030 program at Civics Unplugged, complete the following to start your journey as a Civics 2030 Builder: To me, a flourishing democracy is one… To me, a flourishing community is one… By 2030, I pledge to have contributed to the flourishing of the following communities: By 2030, I pledge to have played any, many, or all of the following roles in service of creating a brighter future for my communities and American democracy After developing your own vision and pledge, check out these two pieces from the Civics Unplugged community for more ideas and inspiration: Why We Must Save American Democracy and What American democracy could look like in 2030 EXTERNAL: Identify any young people in your life who you could support and then ask them what they are working on and how you can help. Nominate high school students or encourage them to apply to the Civics Unplugged fellowship and spread the word. https://www.civicsunplugged.org/apply Get involved as a mentor or partner in supporting Builders and the Civics 2030 Campaign. https://www.civicsunplugged.org/plug-in (BONUS!) Find your favorite Drake meme or parody and share it with someone who will enjoy it! If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com . Mention Kids will Lead in the subject line. And brag online about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen .
S1 E7 · Tue, September 29, 2020
Bonus Episode: The Power of Creative Freelancers (with Mathieu Young)
In this bonus episode, Baratunde follows up on an audience member’s question asked during the live taping of Ep 06 “Making Work Work for Everyone.” How can independent contractors or freelancers find their collective power to address issues they face as self-employed workers? What would that look like? Baratunde speaks with Mathieu Young, a creative freelancer based in Los Angeles who straddles all the employment labels from self-employed, to employer, and employee about the power of community and what the future may hold. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Mathieu Young for joining us for this Bonus Episode. Follow @artoffreelance and @mathieuyoung . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. Check out the show notes for Episode 08 “Making Work Work for Everyone” or the show page here for how to citizen actions regarding this topic. We love feedback from our listeners - comments@howtocitizen.com. Visit Baratunde's website to sign up for his newsletter to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more. Follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon . You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844. How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of I iHeart Radio Podcasts. executive produced by Miles Gray, Nick Stumpf, Elizabeth Stewart, and Baratunde Thurston. Produced by Joelle Smith, edited by Justin Smith. Powered by you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 E6 · Thu, September 24, 2020
Making Work Work for Everyone (with Saru Jayaraman and Michelle Miller)
Baratunde wonders what today’s labor movement looks like and how workers are responding to the unprecedented consolidation of corporate power across all industries from tech to agriculture to retail. He learns how our economy and our democracy are impacted by these extremes. Saru Jayaraman speaks to the Davida and Goliath power dynamics in the restaurant industry, the origins of the $2.13 per hour minimum wage for tipped workers, and the progress of One Fair Wage. Michelle Miller of CoWorker.org reimagines how we can be agents of our economy instead of objects in the economy. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Saru Jayaraman and Michelle Miller for joining us for this episode. Follow @sarujayaraman and @michelleimiller on Twitter and their organizations onefairwage.com and coworker.org You can find this episode, a transcript, show notes and the full set of actions at https://www.baratunde.com/how-to-citizen-episodes/06-making-work-work Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW. ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE. INTERNAL ACTION: Reflect on your role as a worker in the context of the larger economy and ask these questions: Is the value I create for people in my community, society, or the environment through my work accurately reflected in how I’m compensated? What are the impacts on society and our collective well-being when corporations consolidate power through the court system and our elected officials? As a worker, do you feel represented and protected by your HR department? Why or why not? If you experienced your employer violating your rights or others, are you familiar with what resources are at your disposal and generally how the law works in order to appropriately deal with the situation? EXTERNAL ACTION: As a consumer, ask questions about worker’s pay and healthcare at the restaurants you frequent to let management know you care. Enough people asked for organics, and alternative milks, which led to change! Download the ROC National Diners Guide to find places to dine that support and protect their workers. Encourage your own local restaurants to join the platform. The app is available for iOS and android. Support Organizing Efforts. Join as a worker or ally member of Restaurant Opportunities Coalition United in the fight for worker protections for restaurant workers. Donate or volunteer with One Fair Wage COVID Relief Fund
S1 E5 · Thu, September 17, 2020
Fight COVID With Everyone And Everything You Know (with Danielle Allen and Dr. Amy Aminlari)
Baratunde explores how, in the absence of national leadership, determined, newly-minted leaders are problem-solving and mobilizing people around them to protect and save lives during this pandemic. Danielle Allen breaks down what has ACTUALLY been happening with regional leadership and how she stays hopeful in the work of protecting all of us during this pandemic. Emergency medicine physician, Dr. Amy Aminlari, shares her experience standing up a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) operation and finding community. We have an abundance of wealth and resources in this country, and yet, it has come down to very local and regional cooperation based on existing networks of trust. In this episode, we continue to learn how individuals with varied backgrounds are showing up to fight, leaving their comfort zones, and using the power of their voices, knowledge, and relationships to ensure no one is left unprotected. As our guest, Danielle Allen, put it in her recent Washington Post op-ed, “There is only one real silver bullet. It’s called grit. This is a can-do country, and our determination to beat the disease is our ultimate weapon.” Show Notes + Links Follow Danielle @dsallentess on Twitter and Amy’s efforts at @sandiegoppe on IG and national PPE efforts at @lastmileworks and @getusppe on IG. Find this episode, a transcript, show notes at https://www.baratunde.com/how-to-citizen-episodes/06-fighting-covid For this episode, here is what you can do INTERNAL: Make a list of the ways you’ve helped others since March 2020. Write it down. Which efforts were easy and why? Which ones stretched you or were out of your comfort zone. Why did you do them if they were uncomfortable? Don’t overlook your contributions just because they seemed easy or obvious. After you’ve made the list, look at it and recognize that you’re already citizening. Reflect on how else you can use who and what you know to make a difference during the pandemic. What additional knowledge or relationships do you have that could uniquely benefit your immediate community in the fight against the pandemic? “Community” could be your friends, family, neighbors, church or civic group, or another interest group. What introductions can you make that might be beneficial? EXTERNAL: Support other “Amy’s” in your community. Think of other examples of people around you who are practicing how to citizen during this pandemic. Whether those efforts are big or small, how can you support them? Start a civic circle as a way to connect purposefully with friends during this time. Set aside an hour on Sunday mornings or afternoons to organize an ongoing civic video call with some of your nearest and dearest to discuss ways to get involved, share notes and passions, and think collectively about the power you ha
S1 E4 · Thu, September 10, 2020
Feeding Ourselves Our Way (with Chef José Andrés)
Baratunde learns about mutual aid and local, distributed approaches to feeding ourselves during this time of crisis. José Andrés, chef, humanitarian, and founder of World Central Kitchen, speaks about the power of food to build community, and his belief that we can indeed feed ourselves with dignity in this moment if we have the political will to do so. Two representatives of the LA Community Fridge movement tell us about how neighbors are feeding neighbors and learning more about each other in the process. While COVID has exposed the fragility of so many systems including how we eat, we look at two approaches to feeding ourselves that are largely outside the realm of government action and funding, both anchored by local community action, and provide new ways to address the food crisis in America. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to José Andrés and Liana Sanchez and Katelan Cunningham, volunteers with LA Community Fridges. Follow @ChefJoseAndres on Twitter and @lacommunityfridges on IG and their linktree here . We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! ACTIONS FOR THIS EPISODE, HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO Internal Action: Internalize the idea of mutual aid versus charity by reflecting on these questions. Is it easy for you to ask your neighbors for help? Why or why not? Think of a time when someone tried to help you and had good intentions, but missed the mark because they didn’t listen. How did that make you feel? Did you tell them they missed the mark in meeting your need? Why or why not? (Hint: your response often relates to power dynamics in a relationship). Think of a time when you asked for help from someone you knew and that you had supported in the past. Was it easy or hard to receive from them? If your brother or sister was in need, would you prefer giving to a charity to help them or supporting them directly? Explore more about mutual aid during this pandemic here and here . External Action: Look into whether your neighborhood could benefit from a Community Fridge or some other mutual aid project depending on what your community needs. These two guides, here and <a href="https://lifehacker.com/start-a-friendly-fridge-to-feed-your-neighbors-
S1 E3 · Thu, September 03, 2020
Keeping Us Safe, Beyond Policing (with Dr. Phil Goff and Zach Norris)
Baratunde builds off the last episode of his previous podcast, We’re Having a Moment . He speaks with two esteemed guests, Dr. Phil Goff, who works directly with police departments around the country, and Zach Norris, who works with communities, about ways we can reclaim public safety that don’t always need to involve the police. Show Notes + Links Find Phil @DrPhilGoff and visit Center for Policing Equity and @policingequity on social media. Find Zach @zachwnorris and at zachnorris.com. Visit Ella Baker Center , and @ellabakercenter on social media. Also grab his book, We Keep Us Safe here . Find this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . Please rate and review this podcast and share feedback at comments@howtocitizen.com . Use #howtocitizen on social media. For this episode, here is what you can do. INTERNAL ACTIONS It starts with you. Explore your own relationship to feeling safe and living among your neighbors. Answer some of the following questions for yourself AND in discussion with at least one other member of your community. What do you need to feel safe in your community? What makes you feel unsafe in your community? How do you get to know your neighbors? When was the last time you made eye contact with someone in your neighborhood? When was the last time you talked to one of your neighbors? What can neighbors do to keep each other safe? Has a neighbor ever made you feel unsafe? What happened and what would have made it better? Don’t look away. Get educated on how policing works where you live. How much of your city and county budget go to police. What percentage is this of the total? What rank is police expenditure among top spending categories? Who runs law enforcement in your area? City? County? Sheriff? Chief? Who has hire/fire authority? What is your most local access to law enforcement? Where is the nearest station or precinct? Who is already working on public safety issues where you live? Identify who is responsible for and makes public safety decisions where you live and find out which positions get voted in. When is the next election for these positions in your community and who is running? Good neighbors don’t just call the cops. Know who you call instead of the police. Create a resource you can keep on hand or enter into
S1 E2 · Thu, August 27, 2020
Democracy Means People Power, Literally (with Eric Liu)
Baratunde shares the four pillars of How To Citizen. Eric Liu, founder of Citizen University, schools us on power - what it is, who has it, and how the practice of citizenship is empty without this literacy. They also discuss how this power needs to be coupled with civic character to prevent us from becoming finely-skilled sociopaths. Eric answers questions from the live audience and Baratunde gives you some ways to practice understanding and using power. Show Notes + Links We are grateful to Eric Liu for coming on the show and schooling us on power. Buy his books here at our online bookshop for the show that supports local bookstores. Check out Citizen University for more tools for how to citizen and follow @ericpliu on Twitter. We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . ACTION FOR THIS EPISODE, HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO External Action: Start or join a club. Practice power by being in relationship with others in a self-organized environment. Interacting with a group of people who are self-organized around a shared interest but who may be very different from you otherwise, allows you to experience and practice being a part of how groups of people make decisions, self-govern, be accountable to each other, negotiate different needs and perspectives, collaborate, and resolve conflicts. Because it is all self-selected, the dynamics are more peer-to-peer, mimicking how we work together as members of society as opposed to a work or family environment. Internal Action: Practice seeing and understanding power. It will literally become your “super-power” as a citizen. Pick an issue that you care about that impacts a specific community or the general public. Who benefits from the current state of things, and who doesn’t? Lastly, how are the decisions about this issue made - is there accountability, transparency, and participation by those most affected? Who influences the decision-making process and what types of power do they use? If you took either action or both, share with us what happened or how you felt - action@howtocitizen.com . Mention Episode 01 in the subject line. We love feedback from our listeners - comments@howtocitizen.com . Visit Baratunde's website to sign up for his newsletter to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more. Follow him on Instagram or join <a href="
S1 E1 · Thu, August 27, 2020
Prelude: Revolutionary Love is How to Citizen (with Valarie Kaur)
Baratunde lays the spiritual foundation for the show. His first guest, Valarie Kaur, activist and author of See no Stranger, helps us go inward to ready our hearts and minds for How To Citizen. Welcome to the show! In December 2016, activist, lawyer, and Sikh faith leader Valarie Kaur, asked this question in her Prayer for America: “What if this darkness is not the darkness of the tomb, but the darkness of the womb? What if our America is not dead but a country still waiting to be born? What if the story of America is one long labor?” Nearly four years later, Baratunde could think of no better spiritual invocation for this show than a conversation with Valarie, the author of See No Stranger. In the premiere episode of this podcast, Baratunde and Valarie discuss the role of love, joy and relationships in reimagining and reclaiming the act of being a citizen. Show Notes We are grateful to Valarie Kaur for helping us give birth to this show. Buy her book See No Stranger here at our online bookshop for the show that supports local bookstores. Check out her Revolutionary Love Project ; Dive into her curriculum at SeeNoStranger.com and follow @valariekaur on Twitter. We will post this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com . ACTION FOR THIS EPISODE, HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO Take 10-15 minutes to think about the questions below - ideal is to let yourself write down any thoughts that come to mind. It’s not about putting down a single word answer for each. Laying this internal foundation will be important as we start to take actions outward in relationship with others. Number 1: What is your super power in our fight to make society better for us all? (voice, pen, bank account) Number 2: What protects you, and who has your back when things get tough? (law degree, social media feed) Number 3: Who is your beloved community, the group of people you connect with most deeply? (show up with you when things get hard) Number 4: What object or activity will ground and center you, reminding you who you are? Number 5: Where do you find joy, and how will you protect your joy every day? We’d love to hear your reflections to one or all of these questions - email us action@howtocitizen.com . Mention Episode 1 in the subject line. We love feedback - comments@howtocitizen.com . Visit Baratunde's website to sign up for his newsletter to learn about upcoming guests and live tapings, and more. Follow him <a
Bonus · Thu, August 20, 2020
Introducing: How To Citizen with Baratunde
How To Citizen with Baratunde reimagines the word “citizen” as a verb and reminds us how to wield our collective power. With humor and empathy, Baratunde explores societal topics that affect us all, speaks with people using their relationships and power for the benefit of the many, and offers audience members ways to participate. With so much media focused on what is wrong with our society, this show focuses on what is right and how to build on it. Our democratic experiment is up for grabs, and we the people will decide, through our action or inaction, where we go next. SHOW NOTES Visit Baratunde's website to sign up for his newsletter to learn about upcoming guests and live tapings, and more. Follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon . You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844. How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of I Heart Radio Podcasts. executive produced by Miles Gray, Nick Stumpf, Elizabeth Stewart, and Baratunde Thurston. Produced by Joelle Smith, edited by Justin Smith. Powered by you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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