People in Common

Anat Shenker-Osorio examines why certain messages falter where others deliver. We talk about why fabulously fighting fascism - together - is the thing that matters most right now. We begin with Anat's motivations and her journey in political activism, starting in kindergarten. She emphasizes the importance of direct political action and the need to promote positive messaging rather than just reacting to opposition narratives. Anat discusses effective communication strategies, the flaws of conventional polling, and the power of social proof. She also highlights the 3.5% rule: "no government has withstood a challenge of 3.5% of their population mobilized against it" (credit to Erica Chenoweth of the Harvard Kennedy School) and the significance of local involvement and visible resistance in dismantling authoritarian regimes. She calls for living your beliefs openly. Anat is the author of "Don't Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy" and host of the "Words to Win By" Podcast. She delivers her findings packed in snark in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Boston Globe, Salon, The Guardian and Grist. Check out her "Ways to Resist" and "Freedom Over Fascism Toolkit" for more. 00:00 Introduction to People in Common00:16 Meet Anat Shenker-Osorio02:11 Anat's Early Activism Story05:58 Philosophy and Inspiration07:26 Challenges in Political Messaging11:32 The Role of Public Opinion20:00 The Fiction of Just Voting Our Way to Democracy27:20 The Power of Joy and Proactive Campaigns32:36 Challenging Norms and Living Your Beliefs33:15 Strategies for Persuasion37:14 Historical Context and Lessons41:59 The Power of Social Proof57:44 Local Action and Collective Effort01:00:51 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Reggie Hubbard is a political activist turned yogi turned activist yogi. We explore how our spiritual problems are at the root of our political problems. He shares his personal transformation journey, triggered by professional setbacks, leading him to adopt yoga and meditation as life-changing practices. Through a spiritual and holistic approach, Reggie emphasizes resilience training, the importance of dealing with hard truths, and the power of healing. He talks about how his stroke was a great teacher. Reggie's approach focuses on grounding, fostering creative brilliance, and addressing systemic societal issues with personal spiritual transformation. Reggie is the founder and chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga. Check out his upcoming workshops, meditations, and wisdom at Active Peace Yoga (activepeaceyoga.com).00:00 Introduction: Shifting from Politics to Spirituality00:23 Meet Reggie Hubbard: Activist Turned Yogi00:48 Guided Meditation with Reggie03:44 Reggie's Journey: From Politics to Yoga04:52 Facing Adversity: Reggie's Story06:45 The Turning Point: Embracing Yoga08:30 Building Active Peace Yoga13:03 Resilience and Devotion: Reggie's Philosophy22:35 Overcoming Challenges: Reggie's Stroke and Recovery27:45 Cultural Inability to Deal with Hardships28:09 Understanding Anger and Social Justice29:08 Confronting Racial Discomfort32:28 Spiritual Problems and Healing33:52 Stroke as Teacher34:29 Radical Acceptance and Recovery40:08 Resistance and Resilience Training49:27 Closing Reflections and Meditation53:57 Creative Destruction and Rebuilding

This trailer introduces the People in Common podcast, where we speak with inspiring leaders about what we can do about the urgent and overwhelming problems of the world. With powerful stories and recommendations for action, we bridge the gap between movement leaders and those of us who care but aren’t sure what to DO.

Desmond Meade is Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. He led the historic 2018 victory of Florida Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to more than 1.4 million Floridians with previous felony convictions, the largest expansion of voting rights in a half-century. The grassroots citizen initiative won by nearly 65 percent of the vote - and as Desmond says, “won with love.” In 2019, Time magazine named Desmond one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Father Greg Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. Homeboy received a $20M from MacKenzie Scott the week we spoke. Father Boyle is the author of the New York Times-bestseller Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion and two other books. He has received the California Peace Prize and been inducted into the California Hall of Fame. In 2014, President Obama named him a Champion of Change.

Kelly Ward Burton is the founding President of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) and its affiliates, the National Redistricting Foundation and All On The Line. Under the leadership of NDRC's Chairman Eric Holder, Kelly has led NDRC and affiliates to become the first-ever centralized hub for a comprehensive redistricting strategy, resulting in the fairest maps this country has seen in decades. Prior to leading NDRC, she was the Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and managed several campaigns for U.S. Senate and House. Kelly has a long history as a political entrepreneur, helping to launch several advocacy organizations to expand the number of women running for office and help nonprofit leaders leverage their power for impact.