Who's with Me? with W. Kamau Bell

In this interview, Kamau Bell opens by giving flowers to Dominique Morgan for being an unapologetic Black trans woman educator and advocate on social media. Morgan explains her approach: showing people how to learn without "looking like a doggone fool" and expanding themselves without burdening others. She emphasizes that relationships are "disruptors" necessary for meaningful engagement, comparing asking questions without established connection to asking a neighbor you've never spoken to for sugar.   Morgan discusses her authentic social media presence (bonnet sometimes on, sometimes off) as intentional resistance to pressures on Black trans women to appear a certain way, which has built genuine community specifically with Black women. She previously worked as CEO of Black and Pink, the largest prison abolitionist organization centering LGBTQ+ incarcerated individuals.   Morgan recounts her incarceration from ages 18-27, including 18 months in solitary confinement, six months on death row due to overcrowding, and how this experience, combined with her parents' deaths before she turned 27, paradoxically prepared her for her 2020 transition. She shares meeting John Lotter (killer of Brandon Teena) in solitary, later receiving thanks from him through her Black and Pink work, and dedicating a healing room to Brandon Teena, illustrating her philosophy that "no one should be known by the worst thing they've ever done".   Morgan details her 2024-2025 legal case: after being let go from Okra Project in August 2022, she was indicted in October 2024, spent two years fighting charges related to allegedly untracked bail support funds, and ultimately chose to serve 30 days on Rikers starting April 2025 rather than continue an exhausting battle where her story risked becoming politicized, taking her power back while gaining clarity on her purpose.   She distinguishes empathy from radical compassion learned through Stanford's program, which defines compassion as "bearing witness" without requiring immediate action. This has informed her approach to current events, including the killing of Nolan Wells and systemic oppression.   Morgan emphasizes the need to see Black trans women as individuals, not monoliths, noting that transition doesn't automatically mature someone emotionally: "Estrogen doesn't make you have... Showtime synergy."   Follow Dominique Morgan on Substack at https://thedominiquemorgan.substack.com/    Donate to Black and Pink at blackandpink.org, The Maryland Safe Haven (Formerly Baltimore Safe Haven) at baltimoresafehaven.org, and Sister Song at sistersong.net.   Watch The Okra Project's response to the legal situation mentioned in the show at https://youtu.be/0dsOx6pfcA8?si=W1MOGGFjw3ZMYa6h and read the Them.us article at https://www.them.us/story/okra-project-nonprofit-video-dominique-morgan-allegations?shem=aimgspe .    Check out Mahogany Mommies and check out their shirts at mahoganymommies.com. Use code WKB for a discount.   Buy the 2027 We Gather calendar by artist Jen Bloomer that features Kamau at radicistudios.com. Use WKamauBell10 to get 10% off.   Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kamau opens his interview with Joy Reid by praising how well she’s done since moving on from corporate journalism, building out her own independent show, merchandise line, and even anti-Trump gear. Reid shares that she was actually let go from MSNBC on her day off, attributing the decision to friction over her coverage of Donald Trump and Israel-Palestine, which made it harder for the network to normalize a second Trump term. She explains that her pro-Palestine stance goes back to her parents’ experiences with colonialism and her father’s life in apartheid South Africa, emphasizing that supporting Palestinian rights and standing against antisemitism aren’t mutually exclusive.   Their conversation turns to how Black women are treated in media and politics, with Reid reflecting on Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign loss to a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist as a particularly painful moment. While Reid wrestles with whether misogyny or racism played a bigger role in Harris’s defeat, Bell notes that Obama winning while Hillary Clinton lost highlights how gender can still outweigh race in presidential politics. Reid cautions against taking a free and fair election in 2028 for granted, pointing to Trump’s reluctance to back JD Vance and broader warning signs for democracy.   Reid also calls out mainstream political journalism for treating crucial issues like horse-race sports coverage and normalizing dangerous rhetoric. She contrasts today’s reporters with Woodward and Bernstein’s real-time Watergate reporting, pointing out that holding key revelations for book deals, as Bob Woodward did with Trump’s early COVID admissions, costs actual lives. She recalls realizing in February 2020 that COVID was airborne while her show was pushed to focus entirely on impeachment, calling it a major media failure.   Looking ahead to the midterms, Reid expects Republicans to challenge any losses in court and anticipates voter intimidation at polling places, but sees a real opening for Democrats as economic pressure and foreign policy missteps mount. Her advice to Democrats if they win: use power aggressively by pushing Medicare for All, ending foreign wars, and holding Trump allies accountable.   Reid opens up about her immigrant roots: her mother was from Guyana and her father from the Congo, identifying as both African American and a product of the broader diaspora, while navigating the nuances between those identities. She also addresses past controversies, including her decision to give a friend airtime to apologize after using an on-air slur against Hakeem Jeffries, defending her choice despite the blowback.   Closing on a personal note, Reid gives a nod to the American Cancer Society, honoring her mother, who passed away from metastatic breast cancer.   After, Kamau chats with Rep. Angie Nixon about her race for the Florida Senate, how she's not afraid to stand up against Republicans intent on bringing our country back to the Jim Crow South, and why it's imperative to go out and vote in the upcoming midterms.   Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

W. Kamau Bell welcomes soccer legend Megan Rapinoe for a wide-ranging conversation reflecting on her storied career, personal growth, and ongoing activism. The discussion begins with Rapinoe explaining her characteristic approach to taking action first and navigating consequences later, noting that having "the right kind of people not in my corner and the right kind of people in my corner" validates her choices. The topic turns to Rapinoe's passionate defense of transgender women in sports, where she directly confronts the "lack of basic humanity and empathy" in current discourse. She dismantles fairness arguments by pointing out that "sports is not fair in any sort of way ever" and emphasizes that athletic competition cannot supersede human rights. Rapinoe traces her activism roots to her mother's early lessons about using one's platform responsibly, despite growing up in conservative Redding, California—a "predominantly white, really conservative" environment where her parents modeled egalitarian values. The interview explores her public breakup with Sue Bird, which the couple chose to announce gracefully to provide "a good ending" rarely seen with celebrity couples. She describes being good at sports as "a spiritual experience" involving profound "alignment of purpose", while acknowledging the difficult transition into retirement, including accepting that "there isn't another feeling" that can replicate championship performance. Rapinoe expresses dismay at continued homophobia in men's sports and the "level of silence and cowardice" among powerful figures who could speak out without sacrifice. She closes by urging political engagement: "Politics is going to interact with you whether you interact with it or not", before confirming that she is, in fact, with Kamau.  Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s episode with Colin Kaepernick was recorded live at Marcus Books in Oakland, California. Kamau opens by thanking Kaepernick for his book, The Perilous Fight, which reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The conversation turns to Kaepernick's 2016 protest. Kamau reads Kaepernick's famous quote about refusing to stand for the flag of a country that oppresses Black people. Kaepernick explains that this statement came from years of study and reading, rather than a pre-planned remark. He credits reporter Steve Wyche for handling the story thoughtfully: pulling him aside privately rather than pressing him in public, warning him of the potential fallout, and seeking permission before publishing. They address a widely circulated misconception that veteran Nate Boyer convinced Kaepernick to kneel. Kaepernick clarifies that teammate Eric Reid proposed kneeling as a way to maintain a respectful posture while continuing the protest. The 49ers then arranged a meeting with Boyer, who initially agreed to kneel alongside them but backed out at the last minute, citing his oath, choosing to stand beside them instead. Kaepernick describes Boyer's subsequent actions as opportunistic: misrepresenting the story, profiting off T-shirts featuring Kaepernick alongside an MLK quote, excluding Reid, and leveraging the moment into movie roles. Rather than correct the record publicly at the time, Kaepernick and Reid chose to keep the focus on the underlying issue. The discussion shifts to Kaepernick's upbringing in Turlock, California, a predominantly white town, where he was raised by adoptive white parents. He describes constantly facing questions about his background and appearance, finding solidarity with other non-white peers, and lacking Black mentors to guide him on cultural matters and hair care. Though his parents were loving, their emphasis on assimilation created tension around his style, hair, music, and culture. He found inspiration in Black athletes who succeeded while staying themselves unapologetically. Figures like Allen Iverson, Randy Moss, and Ken Griffey Jr. When discussing his racial identity, Kaepernick states simply, "I'm Black," dismissing debates over racial categorization as divisive tactics meant to fragment the community. Kamau brings up Jay-Z's partnership with the NFL. Kaepernick explains that after trying to reach Jay-Z to collaborate, Jay-Z only called him the day before his official NFL press conference. Kaepernick pushed back strongly, accusing Jay-Z of "selling the culture out to a bunch of racists." He contextualizes this decision by pointing to a 2017 NFL owners' meeting where Panthers owner Terry Pegula explicitly advocated for finding "a Black face" to help end the protests, comparing the strategy to the NRA using Charlton Heston. Kaepernick details the work of the Know Your Rights Camp, which he launched following the 2015 killing of Mario Woods. Originally focused on legal rights education, the initiative has expanded to encompass holistic community support, including funding free second autopsies in cases of police custody deaths, providing legal defense for 2020 protesters, and distributing PPE, rent relief, and grants to Black-owned businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting on his status as a cultural icon, Kaepernick hopes people who wear his jersey translate symbolic support into tangible action, emphasizing the life-and-death stakes behind the movement. He concludes with a lighthearted story about his four-year-old daughter challenging him at the dinner table, giving a glimpse into "what I'm going to be navigating for the rest of my life.”. Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The podcast opens with Kamau giving Rafael his flowers. Rafael, who has lived in LA for seven years, insists he still identifies Berkeley and Oakland as home, describing his time in LA as an extended work trip.   The conversation moves into Rafael's background in the Bay Area youth poetry scene, where he competed in the National Poetry Slam and earned a reputation. Around season three of Def Poetry Jam, producers sought out younger voices and brought Rafael on at age 18. He describes being a nervous, skinny kid staring at the ground on stage, having never memorized a poem before. He was one of the first people to convert his clip from VHS and upload it to YouTube, where it reached a million views, a rare feat at the time. He then toured colleges for a decade off that single clip.   During this period, Rafael and his childhood friends opened a recording studio in a North Oakland warehouse, where he first began collaborating with Daveed Diggs. He later took a role as creative director of a poetry scholarship program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also worked toward a degree, finishing four credits shy of completion.   The interview touches on Rafael's identity as a white Latino, the complexity of Hispanic racial identity, and the importance of honest self-placement within conversations about race and representation in Hollywood.   The conversation closes with Rafael discussing his commitment to the Bay Area community, including efforts around the Oakland film incentive, the Baylist initiative connecting Bay Area media makers, and a call for investment in local film infrastructure. He reflects on the importance of mentorship and passing permission to younger artists, citing an encounter with Jim Carrey as a defining moment of validation.   Donate to #Makeitbay at https://makeitbay.org and to Youth Speaks at https://youthspeaks.org   Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.