Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams

Stacey talks to Kate Nazemi, a local education activist and parent, and Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the future of public education during a second Trump Administration. They break down Project 2025’s education policy prescriptions, the threats to the Department of Education, and what changes a President can and cannot make. Then, they discuss how to best get involved at the local level to make change in your community – from attending local school board meetings, to writing to your local representatives. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn & Do More: Check out the work of Advocates For Inclusive Education @afiebucks on Instagram, or at their websiteMake a list of people in your network and community that are working to do good, or could be potential partners for good.Follow the work of Jon Valant and The Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, or check out Chalkbeat, a nonprofit newsroom devoted to covering education across the United States.

Stacey talks to Rachel Sweet, who has successfully used ballot initiatives in tough states to change the rules. Most recently, she served as campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the coalition that passed abortion rights via a ballot measure in Missouri during the November elections. They discuss how ballot initiatives can be a tool for positive change, even in conservative states, and how to build coalitions at the state and local level to protect and expand our rights during a second Trump administration. Then, Stacey answers a listener question about the power of leading with compassion in difficult political moments – instead of reacting with only anger.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn & Do More: Visit the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center at Ballot.OrgVisit Indivisible.org to learn more about getting involved in the legislative process in your state

Stacey talks to renowned chef, activist, and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio about why the United States has a food insecurity crisis despite being the richest country in the world — and why this issue is especially pressing with an incoming Trump administration. They discuss what can be done to address the problem head on, including what Colicchio has learned from years of advocating for school lunches and solving for food deserts on Capitol Hill. Then, Stacey answers a listener question about what the potential appointment of Robert F. Kennedy will mean for the FDA, CDC, and America’s health in general. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn & Do More: Watch the documentary “A Place At The Table”Visit Double Up Food Bucks to see if your state has this program, or how to get it thereCheck out Food Research and Action Center for information on your state’s school meal programsSupport the Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand ProjectDonate to children and families in need at your local food bank, Feeding America or No Kid Hungry.

Stacey speaks with historian Heather Cox Richardson to see what history can teach us about moving forward after Trump’s reelection. They discuss strategies for countering disinformation, how Democratic leaders are preparing to use states’ rights to their advantage to challenge Trump’s federal overreach, and how the era following William McKinley’s presidency can be a guide for progressives. Then, Stacey answers questions from the audience on how to get involved in politics, and how to respond to community in this post-election environment. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn & Do More: Read Heather Cox Richardson’s nightly newsletter, “Letters from an American”, or her book, “Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America”.Build community and find ways to help locally at Unitedway.org

Stacey offers a reflection and a call to action to move beyond resistance and into insistence after the re-election of Donald Trump. Then she speaks with Grammy, Pulitzer, and MacArthur Genius Grant winning musician Rhiannon Giddens about the connection between politics and art. Giddens dives into the way categorization divides the music industry, the deep and multicultural history of the banjo, and how she has put her unique stamp on every genre from opera to folk music.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn & Do More: Watch the documentary Stacey Abrams and Selena Gomez produced called “Louder: The Soundtrack of Change”.Support independent musicians like Rhiannon Giddens and her group The Silk Road Ensemble.Plan ahead for Biscuits And Banjos, a festival Giddens is organizing dedicated to the reclamation and exploration of black music, art, and culture.

Stacey talks with meteorologist and veteran hurricane expert, John Morales, who describes how growing up in Puerto Rico led him to his career and how important it is to talk about extreme weather effects. He explains the science of why storms are getting stronger, heatwaves are getting hotter, and droughts are becoming more frequent. Plus they discuss how your vote can help push policy makers to mitigate climate change and the most impactful actions we need to take to help our communities. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn & Do More: Visit the Center for Climate and Energy SolutionsParticipate in the support group Extreme Weather SurvivorsLocate your mutual aid organization at Mutual Aid HubBe vigilant about disinformation and listen to our episode “Deepfakes, Lies, and How to Fight Disinformation”

Giving birth in the United States can be dangerous – but it doesn’t have to be. Stacey talks to Representative Jennifer McClellan of Virginia about the disparities in maternal health outcomes in the U.S. and policies to expand access to reproductive healthcare and affordable childcare. Then, Stacey welcomes ProPublica reporter Kavitha Surana to discuss her story on the deadly impact new state abortion bans are already having on pregnant people – and the importance of sharing these stories. We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.Learn More: Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say This Mother’s Death Was Preventable (ProPublica)The19thNews.OrgThe Only Doctor (PBS)Black Maternal Health CaucusThe Momnibus

Stacey sits down with artist KNA to discuss how artists are impacted by AI and other evolving technologies, how they can use them to fuel their creativity, as well as what next steps need to be taken to secure resources and protection for the arts in an increasingly digital world. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Do More:- Read the terms and conditions of social media and streaming platforms- Support artists directly by buying their art and merchandise

Stacey sits down with award-winning actor, producer and activist Bryan Cranston to talk about how the entertainment industry is evolving one year on since the writers’ and actors’ strikes, how Hollywood can sustain our thirst for content, as well as the livelihoods of the artists who make it.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn More: Pencils Down! The 100 Days of The Writers Guild StrikeEntertainment Community Fund

Stacey is joined by Mother Jones’ national voting rights correspondent and author, Ari Berman, to untangle threats to voting rights ahead of November’s election, what’s changed since the last presidential election, and how to push back to protect access this year and beyond. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn More:Links to Ari Berman's books:Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the PeopleGive us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in AmericaMarc Elias’ Democracy DocketTo register to vote or update your registration: vote.govTo find volunteer opportunities and get involved in protecting the right to vote: fairfight.com/lfgvStacey's new children's book: Stacey Speaks Up

In honor of Banned Books Week, Stacey is joined by two guests: Her mom and former librarian, Reverend Carolyn Abrams, and actor, director, and literacy advocate, LeVar Burton. The trio discuss the transformative power of story and strategies to combat book banning.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn More: Banned Books Week: https://bannedbooksweek.org/events/https://twitter.com/BannedBooksWeekhttps://www.instagram.com/banned_books_week/https://www.facebook.com/bannedbooksweek/American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom Banned Books Report: https://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/reportAmerican Library Association Dear Banned Author Campaign:https://www.ala.org/bbooks/dear-banned-authorStacey Speaks Up: https://bookshop.org/p/books/stacey-speaks-up-stacey-abrams/21172602LeVar Burton Reads: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/levar-burton-reads/id1244649384

If there’s power in numbers, then there are arguably few groups as powerful American tenants. Stacey is joined by founding director of the KC Tenants Union, Tara Raghuveer, to highlight the vast political potential they’re building through their organization in Kansas City and beyond.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn More: Read Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew DesmondVisit the KC Tenants website for a link to donate, an organizing toolkit, and resources on how to organize a campaign, write letters, and more.Look up your local mutual aid groups for fund drives, food banks, and other ways to volunteer.

Stacey is joined by journalist and author, Paola Ramos, and Washington Post TikTok host and producer, Joseph Ferguson, to explore how journalists and news organizations are meeting a dramatically altered landscape and the best way to navigate new media and the information maelstrom.  We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.Learn More:PBS News Hour “MisInformation Overload: Teens Reveal Perceptions and Impact of Misinformation” https://srlmisinformationoverload.tumblr.com/ For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. 

College sports is a huge business. How can we make it more fair for the athletes themselves? Stacey is joined by WNBA forward Brianna Turner and former NFL defensive back Domonique Foxworth to talk about student athlete compensation, unionizing college teams, and the future of the NCAA.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Disinformation touches all of us, and more often than we think. Stacey is joined by Esosa Osa, founder of Onyx Impact, to talk about how acute the issue is and how to stop bad information from spreading—online and even in your family’s group chat.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

This election is in the hands of Gen Z, a cohort of young Americans that’s diverse, creative, and—often—skeptical. At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Stacey is joined by Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first member of Gen Z to be elected to Congress, and influencer Haley Lickstein, a leading voice on civic engagement among young people, to talk about how they’re working to get their peers involved.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

In the debut episode of Assembly Required, Stacey takes on one of the most intractable problems in American politics: the unequal distribution of power created by the Electoral College. Could ranked choice voting help give all Americans a more meaningful vote? Cynthia Richie Terrell, Executive Director of RepresentWomen and co-founder of FairVote, joins Stacey to make the case.We want to hear your questions. Send us an email at assemblyrequired@crooked.com or leave us a voicemail at 213-293-9509. You and your question might be featured on the show.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Let's face it, sometimes the world feels broken. We can see what needs fixing, yet more and more, it feels like the problems are too big and the bad guys are winning. But the truth is, they’re not. They’re just hoping we stop fighting. Welcome to Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, a new podcast from Crooked Media and Democratic changemaker Stacey Abrams. Stacey knows better than anyone that societal shifts happen when a group of ordinary people decide that a problem is solvable, and are willing to pitch in and work towards the solution.Each week, Stacey will break down the biggest issues we face into digestible, actionable items, introduce us to the warriors for good already working towards solutions, strategize, and share tangible ways to get involved. Because we can't fix everything, everywhere, all at once; but we can each do something, somewhere, soon.