The Confused Caucus Podcast

We are thrilled to bring you this special episode from our live event Comedy and Conversations 2023 Session Wrap up, recorded at the Cultured South Fermentation Company. Featuring two of our favorite stand-up comedians Krystle Pierce and Tamar Rubin, and Georgia State Senator Nikki Merritt from District 9, and State Representative Kim Schofield from District 60. Senator Merritt and Representative Schofield talk about facing challenges of achieving victories for constituents when the numbers in the legislature don't favor the minority's point of view, how they navigate these challenges, find compromises, and work towards solutions that benefit their constituents.They also share about engaging in dialogue with their Republican colleagues to help pass legislation, and how sometimes they have to give up their authorship of bills in order to ensure their passage, help their constituents and improve their communities.We cover both state and local issues, with a focus on advocating for progressive change, engaging in respectful conversations, and understanding different perspectives. We hope you enjoy this entertaining and informative episode, that is a unique blend of comedy and politics.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQ LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!—————————— INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-CaucusLINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: June 13th, 2023

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Representative El-Mahdi Holly, a community organizer and member of the Democratic Party in the Georgia House of Representatives for the 116th District. In this episode, we discuss the contentious Buckhead City movement, tips for holding local politicians accountable by their constituents, and the important difference between 1099 tax forms and W-2 forms.Listen in to learn why the Homestead Exemption Act is important for Georgians, why a famous Atlanta musician was granted an award by the Georgia Black Legislative Caucus, and who El-Mahdi Holly looks up to.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQ LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!—————————— INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-CaucusLINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: March 15th, 2023

We're excited to be back, with Part 1 of our first guest interview of Season 3 in 2023, with Representative Holly. Elected in 2019, Rep Holly previously represented Georgia's 111th State House District, and in 2023 he now serves as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing District 116. He has a long history as a community organiser for regional and non-profits, and gathered a wide range of local support to win his race by a land slide. Amongst many other accolades, Holly has called Georgia home since 2003.In this conversation we discuss the origins of Rep. Holly's Muslim name, the importance of being in a country that embraces everybody, how being comfortable with your own faith allows you to have the capacity to hear where others are coming from, the difference between this year and previous years in the House, plus much more.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQ LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!—————————— INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-CaucusLINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: March 15th, 2023

Welcome to the third season of the Confused Caucus! It's amazing to think that we've made it this far, and we're super grateful for all of the support. We're excited to be back in 2023 with all new episodes, and all new representatives talking all things under the golden dome. In this first episode, we discuss the pros and cons of personally crossing party lines and radical love with a big asterisk, and Munir share's his experience driving in the presidential motorcade and meeting President Biden while he was in town speaking for MLK weekend at Ebenezer Baptist Church, plus much more.Thank you for joining us on this journey, we can't wait to see where this season takes us.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!——————————INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-CaucusLINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: March 24th, 2023

“We did it first…” We GOT THE SENATOR! On this 2nd part of our two part series LIVE from The Historic Plaza Theater we have a tremendous conversation between an incredible comedian & actor Baron Vaughn (Grace & Frankie on Netflix) & Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock. In this conversation Baron gets the Senator to talk about his background, his love for his State & the people in it & he even has a few jokes of his own. We think this conversation is truly unlike any you’ve heard from the Sen. Warnock & we think is the perfect example of the magic that happens when comedians are in conversation with elected officials. We hope you enjoy!SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!——————————INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-Caucus-159179905934464LINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: October 27th, 2022

It’s been a long time…we shouldn’t have left you... Confused Caucus is back and because we kept you waiting we have a special episode for you! In Part 1 of a 2 Part episode we take you LIVE from our second “Comedy & Conversations” at the Historic Plaza Theater with our guest Charlie Bailey (currently running for LT Governor here in GA) & great Atlanta comedian Shaunak Godkhindi. This conversation is the perfect mix of fun & informative. If you don’t know what a Lt. Governor does this convo will tell you, want to know what a “fake elector” is we got you. Shaunak and Bailey provide the giggles for a truly special episode.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!——————————INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-Caucus-159179905934464LINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: October 27th, 2022.

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with GA State Senator Dr. Michelle Au, who represents District 48th, one of the most diverse districts in the whole country. In this episode Senator Dr. Michelle Au talks about inside baseball, her switch from Senate to House of Representatives, and much more.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!——————————INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Confused-Caucus-159179905934464LINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: April, 13th, 2022

Following a wild first year within Senate, we’re back again, one year later, with GA State Senator Dr. Michelle Au, who represents District 48th, one of the most diverse districts in the whole country.In this episode Senator Dr. Michelle Au helps us wrap up the 2022 Legislative session, we discuss bills on gun laws, COVID-19, and general legislative etiquette within Georgia’s congress.SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!——————————INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ConfusedCaucusLINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: April, 13th, 2022

Welcome back for Season Two of the Confused Caucus.The past few months have been an absolute rollercoaster at the Gold Dome. We are excited to be back, looking at politics through the eyes of those in power, with those impacted by it - all the while trying to make sense of the nonsense that is politics. Today we’re joined by Rep. Sam Park, who has recently stepped into chair of the Gwinette State House Delegation, which is currently in the process of re-districting.In this episode we discuss the re-districting process, the history of redlining and gerrymandering within the state of Georgia, various bills coming down the pipeline in the State House, and much more. SUBSCRIBE TO CONFUSED CAUCUS ON iTUNES/APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3qG5eUQLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE: https://www.ConfusedCaucus.com——————————CONNECT WITH US!——————————INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/confusedcaucusTWITTER: http://twitter.com/ConfusedCaucusFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ConfusedCaucusLINKTREE: https://www.linktr.ee/ConfusedCaucusRECORDED: March, 13th, 2022

It’s been a few days since Sine Die - and while the paper bill confetti is still on the floor - we sat down with Minority Leader of Georgia House of Representatives Democratic Caucus Dr. James Beverly! aka “Leader Beverly”We wanted to understand what his biggest takeaways were from this session and his goals for the next one. What he hopes the brand of the GA Dem party will be and his strategy to get there. It is no surprise that he was a lecturer in leadership at Mercer University given his optimistic outlook and focus on “the work” as he puts it. He tells us the inside scoop on where legislative dealings go down...and let’s just say no space is sacred at the Capital. We went down the rabbit hole talking about his favorite conspiracy theory and discovered that it has something to do with hip-hop. [bit.ly/HorseandHipHop]//Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: April 8th, 2021

Sine Die! The bell has rung and the paper bill confetti has been thrown… the “40 most dangerous days for GA” are over. We sat down with Senator Jen Jordan (Jer-dun) to discuss the highs and lows of this session. What bills passed, what bills didn’t and how these will impact our lives for the years to come. We also talk about the pending redistricting (read: Gerrymandering) which may be delayed due to the census. [“Redistricting fight gears up in Georgia as census data delay grows” bit.ly/GARedistricting]. We also dive a little deeper into the Voter Suppression Bill (SB202) the real reason why the Republican party wants the power taken away from the Secretary of State - it’s brilliant, it’s ugly and if the courts don’t over turn it - this could literally alter the face of GA politics.//Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: April 1st, 2021

"If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?" This rendition of rabbinic sage Hillel the Elder's quandary is what guides Rep Shelly Hutchinson. Rep Shelly, is a business womxn, a loving mom, a wife and a badass representative. The quote is timely, as we sat down with Rep Hutchinson the same night Rep Park Cannon, one of our previous guest, was unlawfully arrested for simply knocking on the door of Gov. Kemp - as he signed the horrendous voter suppression bill into law. It was an emotional evening as the story was developing literally in the middle of the our conversation. Rep Shelly is a bold and fierce advocate for the Georgians, but best of all she is just like the rest of us...and it’s good to have everyday people who represent us at the Gold Dome… //We hope as you listen in to the episodes you are not only learning what goes on at our State Capital but are encouraged to get more involved and perhaps even consider running yourself. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to use to be connected to one of the many phenomenal grassroots organizations who do this work right here in Ga. As always, thank you for listening and enjoy the episode!

GA State Senator Dr. Michelle Au is a destroyer of glass-ceilings, to say the least — she holds a litany of "firsts" as you will hear about in the episode. While she is a practicing anesthesiologist... brace yourselves... this episode will not put you to sleep! (Is it clear that the non-comedian wrote this one?)She is a proud first-generation Chinese-American immigrant as her parents immigrated to the United States with their parents in the 1960s after the Second World War. While this was recorded a few days before the racially motivated murders of East Asian womxn in Atlanta, we talked about the rise of anti-Asian racist incidents. [Read More: 3,800 anti-Asian Racist Incidents | bit.ly/AntiAsianPastYear]Fun Fact: Sen. Dr. Au represents District 48th, one of the most diverse districts in the whole country!//Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: March 4th. 2021

State Representative Park Cannon is one of the youngest-ever members of the Georgia House of Representatives! Between her age, race and openly queer identity, she is shaking things up at the Gold Dome. As an activist, she stands up and speaks up for the people of Ga! And that, in a Republican-White-Male Dominated GA House.She talks about her unorthodox path to becoming a state representative and how being a doula prepared her for it! Yes, people at the Gold Dome act like children - but that is not the only connection. Rep Park currently serves as the Secretary to the GA House Democratic Caucus and her legislative efforts focus on reproductive justice issues, such as access to quality health care, housing, and education. Cannon was awarded the “Fresh Legislator” and “Joan Garner Service” awards!This interview was done just one day before she was forcefully moved by State Police officers during a protest over voting rights... [Read more here: bit.ly/ParkAndCapitalPolice]. While we may have interviewed the day before this incident many things we discussed could have foreshadowed the events. So while shocking it was not unfortunately not surprising.Rep. Park remains resilient and is one of the most passionate and energetic Representatives definitely shaking up things under the Gold Dome! Check out her book: The Universal Guide to Running For Office [bit.ly/ParkBook]//Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: February 25, 2021

Born and raised in Georgia, Representative Sam Park is the grandson of refugees from the Korean War and the son of immigrants. He is the first Asian American Democrat and the first openly (yea, that is an important word here) gay man elected to the Georgia State Legislature! He is also the first lawyer of his family and works as an attorney for Positive Impact Health Centers, a nonprofit working to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Georgia.He turned his "pain into purpose" when his mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer, which would eventually take her life, Rep Park knew he had to fight for the thousands of Georgians who still do not have access to healthcare today. [bit.ly/GAuninusedrate_48] He challenged and won against a three-term Republican Chairwoman who not only voted to block Medicaid expansion, she voted to allow state-sanctioned discrimination against the LGBTQ community. Though his odds were slim, his people-powered campaign made history!Rep Park serves in leadership as the Deputy Whip for the GA House Democratic Caucus and as Chair of the Gwinnett State House Delegation. BTW, we are nominating Sam for the "Best Smile Under the Gold Dome" 😉//Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: February 11, 2021

What do you get when you cross a Ph.D. in microbiology, a senior lecturer at Emory, and a State Rep? Representative Dr. Jasmine Clark! She organized the March for Science in Atlanta has worked with groups like GA Alliance for Social Justice, on advocating for social justice issues, and is now fighting for facts and science at the Gold Dome!Rep Clark is the Vice-Chair of the Gwinnett State House delegation and serves as the Secretary on the Executive Board of the GA Legislative Black Caucus. She is an immense asset to the state as the only (and possibly first) healthcare Ph.D. in the GA House. As part of this, she led the charge against the Governor's office for "malfeasance" when they inaccurately reported COVID-19 statistics - yall remember when the dates were all out of order showing a false downward trend? AP: "States accused of fudging...COVID-19 testing data" [bit.ly/GovFudgesCOVIDdata] We sure are glad to have this sharp shooting Legislator in a Lab Coat on our side. Action Item: Introduce yourself to your State Representative and Senator (Find them here:bit.ly/discoverpolitics). Make sure to include your address and ask to subscribe you to their newsletter. //Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: February 3, 2021

We are so excited for our first official State Representative - Rep Renitta Shannon!She is not only an outspoken member of the GA General Assembly, she literally stands up for what she believes in - even if it means putting her body on the line. She served as the Executive VP of the National Organization for Women and was awarded “Most Valuable Legislators” in The Nation Magazine’s 2017 Progressive Honor Roll! She has adorned the cover of many magazines and her voice has been heard around the nation standing up for our rights. In this episode, we talk about why she decided to run, how she came out as bisexual - making her the first bi-sexual legislator to serve in the GA General Assembly, she openly talks about her experience with abortion and we finally learn what the hell filibuster actually is. Rep Shannon also gives us some insight on why she will go Skydiving but not bungee jumping, her favorite watering hole, and her favorite Atlanta Album...well, sort of.*Action Item: Find your State Legislators (State Representative and Senator) [bit.ly/discoverpolitics]//Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus Podcast [bit.ly/confusedcaucus]Recorded: January 28, 2021

Historically Philosophers argued that to "know that you know nothing" was a paradox, as you can't know what you don't know. But now we all know that decisions are being made about our future and are intentionally being done behind closed doors. In this episode, we start to get "un-confused" and get a lay of the land from two bad-ass women, Pallavi Purkayastha & Falak Sabbak, who have not only been doing the good work but fighting for transparency and our rights. We explore how someone becomes a state Representative, how a bill becomes law, and most importantly what you can do regarding legislation that will impact your life! Subscribe to "The Session" by Branch Politics and stay informed about new laws being proposed by the Georgia state legislature.Subscribe & Connect with the Confused Caucus PodcastRecorded: January 21, 2021

Get to know our hosts David, Joyelle, and Munir as they walk you through what our podcast will be and why do we need a "School House Rock" for our current political climate.

Welcome to the Confused Caucus: The Black, Brown, Blue, a podcast for those of you who simultaneously feel politically motivated and a little confused or intimidated. Each week comedians Joyelle Johnson, David Perdue & social curator/activist Munir Meghjani will discuss current political happenings with elected officials, policy makers, lobbyists and anybody out there who may be in the business of the often-overwhelming world of politics, Join us each episode as we take a critical, comical, concerned eye on the political world around us