Go Behind The Ballot

We'd love your support:Join our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendClaire and Nichole are so excited to share the trailer for our brand new project titled - The Voucher Scam. The Voucher Scam is an exposé on one of the most critical issues facing public education today - education vouchers.As Texas leadership pushes an aggressive voucher agenda that would privatize and defund public schools, Claire and Nichole give listeners a behind-the-scenes look at what's really at stake.The first episode of The Voucher Scam is available. Subscribe to the show where you listen to podcasts.Also we are still actively creating this show. Want to help us finish it? Donate to our page:https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

We'd love your support:Join our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendThis week's show is short and sweet. We are working hard on a brand new podcast called The Voucher Scam which will premiere next Thursday October 5th. In the meantime, we encourage y'all to sign up for our newsletter and donate to the new project.https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

We'd love your support:Join our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendTexas Monthly Articles that grounded our conversation:https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ken-paxton-supporters-gop-civil-war/https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ken-paxton-acquitted-texas-senate-impeachment-trial/Join us as we break down the acquittal of Attorney General Ken Paxton on all charges. It was quite a trial and had twists and turns up until the end. However, as we've done research it seems as if the acquittal was quite predictable. There is no doubt that this was a political trial and the Texas Senate stayed loyal to Paxton and the far-right wing of the Republican Party that is in the pocket of Tim Dunn, a west Texas billionaire. It was a great reminder that democracy is at stake and voting has never been more important. Want to listen to more about Christian nationalism? Listen to our episode with Mendi Tackett:https://gobehindtheballot.com/what-is-christian-nationalism-and-how-is-it-undermining-democracy-with-mendi-tackett-culture-warsWant to read more about Christian nationalism?Read Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du MezSpeaking of democracy…help us do our part by supporting our podcast, The Voucher Scam, which reveals how integral public education is to a healthy democracy. Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

The impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton has remained full of interesting developments! In fact, by the time you read this, neither of us would be surprised if there's multiple new developments and this seems like old news. But for this episode, prepare yourself to hear about Paxton's chief of staff, Missy Cary who knew more about Paxton's mistress than she ever wanted to know. We'll fill you in on Brandon Cammack who was the outside counsel hired by Paxton and spoiler alert–was never paid for his services. We will catch you up. We've learned that the trial could conclude as early as this week so we may be able to bring you final thoughts next week. However, it also wouldn't shock us if it goes on for much longer. Who really knows!?! Friends, we're still fundraising for our podcast and it is really taking shape. Humbly, we ask for your help to get the word out across the state about the danger of education vouchers. If you feel moved to donate, awesome! If you feel moved to share our campaign, also awesome!Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchersWe'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

The impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton began on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. It began with Paxton's defense lawyers making a motion to dismiss all charges. Just imagine if they'd succeeded–everyone could've called it a day! But alas, the 16 charges were all upheld and the trial began in earnest. Ken Paxton, through his attorneys, pleaded not guilty on all charges. If opening statements are a good indicator of how this whole trial will go, it will be quite the fiery event! So far, we've heard from Paxton's top deputy who resigned after concerns with the attorney general's behavior. We will keep watching and may very well continue to bring updates. In the meantime, the Texas Tribune has great coverage and we've linked an article below.Need a great rundown of the major players? Look here:https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/01/ken-paxton-impeachment-witnesses-parties/And also, got some pennies or energy to spare? We could use your help on our anti-voucher podcast.Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchersWe'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

We'd love your support:Join our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendA big component of a healthy democracy is accountability. Are our elected leaders abiding by their oath of office? Do we, as their constituency, trust them? Join us as we discuss the upcoming impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton set to begin on September 5, 2023. Y'all it's a case that's full of drama and cloak and dagger twists and turns! We will be watching and on the edges of our seats to see how it all turns out. In a nutshell, he's charged with abuse of office. This all took center stage when he came before the House in February 2023 to ask for $3.3 million dollars to settle a lawsuit brought against him by former staff members who were whistleblowers. That request launched a secret investigation that led the Texas House to impeach him by a 121-23 vote. Now it's the Texas Senate's turn to hear all the evidence and decide on his guilt or innocence. It's a nail-biter for sure! Texas Tribune articles:https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/24/ken-paxton-attorney-general-investigations-lawsuits/https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/18/ken-paxton-impeachment-evidence/While we've got your attention… we remain working hard on our investigative podcast to expose the education voucher scam. We'd love your help to continue–or share it with others if that's what you can do right now. Thanks, everyone!Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

Bently Paiz, 18-year-old candidate for County Commissioner in Comal County, joins us to talk about his historic candidacy and to discuss youth and democracy. Bently confirms that many young people do feel apathetic about voting because they are disappointed in the candidates they have to choose from and their lackluster platforms. We learn about Bently's work on Claudia Zapata's campaign and how that inspired him to make serving others a core principle of his own campaign. Bently is truly inspiring for everyone to see that we are all capable of making a difference and that it all starts within each of us. We hope you will donate to Bently's campaign or even volunteer! Email Bently at:bently4countycommissioner@gmail.comFind Bently on social media platforms as: @bently_4_comal_countyAlso, consider supporting another audacious 18-year-old county commissioner candidate running in Guadalupe County, Nahomie Alanis. Email Nahomie at: nahomie4guadalupe@gmail.comFind Nahomie on Instagram as: @nahomiealanis_ And, yes, we are still fundraising for our podcast about education vouchers and exposing them as the scam that they are. Please help us bring this important information to the public so we can build an informed coalition to fight back and reject them once and for all! Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchersWe'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

So you've heard of the regular Texas legislative session. You know it ended already. So what's up with these special sessions? We're here to answer. We'll give you all the quick facts you need to know especially because we hear from reliable sources that Governor Abbott is very likely to call another special session in October for a singular issue: education vouchers. Speaking of education vouchers…did you hear that we've been deep into research? Did you know that we've discovered they're a scam? Listen to this latest episode for all the facts about special sessions and know that we want to arm you with all the information you need to prepare for October! If you want to help us in this fight to defeat vouchers and fully fund public schools, please consider donating.Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchersWe'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

Caroline Duble and Nneka Iheanacho of Avow, an unapologetic abortion advocacy organization, speak to us about the state of abortion care. In Texas, abortion is completely banned with the exception of a life or death scenario with the pregnant person and there is no rape or incest exception. To be clear, providers are criminalized, and the charge could be a first-degree felony. Beyond these concerns, there are also the less obvious effects of increased surveillance and the general fear created by the current laws. A reminder: an abortion is a procedure you can have when you no longer want to be pregnant and there are two kinds: medication and procedural. Good bills: HB12 which extends Medicaid to one-year post pregnancy and HB300 which removed sales tax on menstrual care items and adult diapers. Nneka gives a great rundown of the empowered work happening on the local level to support vulnerable communities. Bad bills: Came in the form of budget items. For instance, an increase was given to crisis pregnancy centers that are fake clinics and this funding now stands at $140 million of our state budget. SB24 codifies alternatives to abortion, and it's now called Texas Thriving Families. HB17 reduces the local control of district attorneys. HB1575 establishes a screening process for collecting data from pregnant people. Finally, all the anti-LGBTQ legislation was bad and more can be heard in an earlier episode from Ricardo Martinez of Equality Texas. If you're wondering how to help, plug into local groups. It can be as simple as signing up for updates so you are aware of what's happening. Resource:https://needabortion.org/We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

We'd love your support:Join our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendDonate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers We're on a mission to preserve democracy by exposing the education voucher scam! We see that there is a huge disconnect between what our governor and a few legislators are pushing versus what the public wants. Spoiler alert: we don't want vouchers! They tried again and again to pass vouchers but failed in the regular legislative session. Yet, here we go again with an attempt in an upcoming special session–rumored to be held in October. This is our chance to make our voices heard and make sure vouchers are rejected again. But we know that this will require loud and united voices. Step 1: create this podcast to educate what vouchers are, who's pushing them, and why they're bad for democracy. Step 2: amplify that message by building a network of messengers who will spread this critical message. Step 3: get vouchers defeated! The way we do this is by building this grassroots movement now and so we are asking for your support. We'd deeply appreciate a financial contribution. Not possible right now? We'd also deeply appreciate you sharing this message and joining us in this important movement. Let's reject vouchers and also send the message that the citizens of Texas are united and we want policy that is good for all Texans–not just a few at the top. Let's be mighty together! Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendCurious what happened in the Texas 88th legislative session regarding public education? Today's episode is for you! We say welcome back to Laura Subrin Yeager. She is an experienced leader in coalition building, grassroots advocacy management and public education policy.Last year she explain the difference between public school accountability and assessment. In this episode, we get the low down on what lawmakers were cussin and discussin when it came to public education. Sadly, there were very few good bills that passed. Many representatives did put forward bills to improve school funding and raise teacher pay but all of the good bills were weighed down by vouchers. What's a voucher? A voucher allows parents to take public money out of public education and use it for a private school. Some bad public education laws are coming our way. Did you know that Texas public schools can now allow chaplains to replace counselors in schools? What's alarming is that they do not have to have the same credentials as professional counselors and they bring their religious ideology to public schools. It's a further blurring of the line between church and state and parents should be concerned. Governor Abbott continues to beat the drum for vouchers (or ESA) and it's very likely he will call a special session for this priority. This is a perfect time to plug our brand new investigative podcast that will look at vouchers. We would love your help getting this show off the ground and you can do that here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/saynotovouchers

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendGo Behind the Ballot is celebrating its 1 year anniversary AND 80th episode! We look back on what it's been like demystifying Texas politics. The podcast has covered 5 series so far - public education, elections, culture wars, food insecurity and now the 88th legislative session. We discuss the most memorable moments from the show and how the podcast has informed our understanding of democracy. As the show has grown, we have drilled down on the importance of civic engagement and education. We all deserve a seat at the table and Go Behind the Ballot is committed to encouraging citizens to pull up a chair.Don't miss our sneak peek at what's in store… psst a brand new podcast!

During the legislative session, Texas legislators filed a staggering 141 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills, solidifying Texas as a leader in proposed discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. In this episode, Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, the largest LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization in Texas, provides an overview of the 88th Texas Legislature, highlighting both the victories and challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. The efforts of the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies were not in vain. They managed to defeat 134 out of the 141 bills, marking a significant triumph and reflecting the power of advocacy and collective action. But a few bills passed with devastating consequences for the community. These victories demonstrate the resilience and dedication of those working towards equality and justice for all. Ricardo also highlights the importance of Akira Ross's story to understand the harmful impact of homophobic and transphobic rhetoric on the personal safety of LGBTQIA+ individuals. Tune in to this episode, and let's continue to support and amplify the voices of organizations like Equality Texas and work together towards a more inclusive and equitable future for the LGBTQIA+ community.We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

We invite back one of our favorite election experts, Emily Eby, to explain what happened to voting rights in the 88th legislative session. She kicks off the show highlighting the priorities that rose to the top this session - culture wars and state control. Good news - some positive voting bills made it through! We learn that it is now easier for Texans with disabilities to utilize curbside voting. But with the good comes the bad, especially for Harris County. They have lost the ability to appoint an elections administrator. If you need a refresher on what elections administrators do and how they differ from county clerks, check out our show with Beth Stevens. https://gobehindtheballot.com/who-makes-elections-actually-happen-elections-administrators-what-do-they-do-beth-stevens-explains-all/ And for a sneak peek of the ‘ugh', Emily reflects on the common practice of representatives ignoring the will of the majority. We wrap up with what democracy means to Emily and how we can reclaim our voice at the Capitol.We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

What went on during the 88th Texas Legislative Session? Nancy Thompson, the founder of the Political Action Committee (PAC), Mothers Against Greg Abbott, joins us for a conversation to give us the scoop. Nancy walks us through ‘the good, the bad, and the ugh' of the session. Nancy reviews the bills and explains her lens: are these bills good for all Texans? We conclude by talking about the importance of democracy and reminding ourselves that the fight is worth it!**Bonus Content Alert!!** Do you want to hear more from Nancy? Find more of our interview on our Youtube channel. We talk about her political origins, the founding of Mothers Against Greg Abbott, and what she fights for everyday. Resources:Are you registered to vote? Find out here.The podcast Nancy mentioned in the episodeWant a breakdown of how a bill becomes law? Read this Texas Tribune article.We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friend

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendDid you know that the 88th legislative session ended on May 29, 2023? Did you know that a special legislative session was called immediately after the regular session ended? So much happened between Jan. 10, 2023 when the 88th legislative session started and now. Join us as we give an overview of our next series that will recap all that went down at the Texas Capitol. Over the next few weeks, we will be speaking with guest experts who work in a specific area of Texas politics. We're rolling up our sleeves and tackling The Good, The Bad and The Ugh!‘The Good' will cover the good bills that were passed and the lawmakers who deserve an extra special shout out for their incredible work.‘The Bad' will address the bad bills headed our way. Our lens for judging a bill ‘bad' was how it affects most Texans. Does this solve a problem or divert attention away from real issues?‘The Ugh' is the catch-all for those moments of frustration, disbelief and exhaustion. Finally, we will wrap up shows by asking our guests ‘What does democracy mean to you?' In this episode we share our answers. And we want listeners to share too! Send us a voice memo to info@gobehindtheballot.com and we will play your answers on future shows.

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendHello friends! After a brief break, we are ready to pick up the shovel and dig deeper into demystifying Texas politics. Our show has a few changes that we are excited to share with you.We are recording in person. Check out the show on youtube to see our new studio.Emphasis on the D word - Democracy! We will be asking each guest ‘What does democracy mean to you?' And we want listeners to share too! Send us a voice memo to info@gobehindtheballot.com and we will play your answers on future shows.Shorter Episodes. We sent out a listener survey and you told us that you would prefer shower shows around the 30-40 minute mark. That's our goal going forward.Episodes will be released once a week on Thursdays.Thank you for listening and stay tuned for our upcoming series on recapping the 88th legislative session.

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendGo Behind the Ballot is under construction so pardon our mess! We're keeping things close to the vest right now but we can say that it will be worth the wait and the heart of our show will remain the same. We remain committed to fighting for democracy in our great state of Texas. We still believe in making invisible systems visible so we can engage effectively. We will continue to tell the story of how our political institutions work so everyday Texans can demand more. The best ways to stay in-the-know are to subscribe to our newsletter and stay subscribed to our show on your favorite podcast platform. We look forward to what the future holds and we WILL be back!

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendLook back with us at the many highlights from our Food Insecurity series. From Adam Johnson of the Citations Needed Podcast to Celia Cole, the CEO of Feeding Texas. From Lawson Picasso and her lived experience to Dr. Laurie Green and her incredible historical expertise. From the joyful storyteller, Mando Rayo, to Rachel and Curtis from Every Texan who grounded our conversation in the reality of life for many Texans. We covered a lot. If you haven't listened to this series yet, this is a fantastic overview and a way to decide which particular episodes tickle your brain. If you've already listened, these are some of our favorite moments from the lineup–think of it as our ‘best hits'. We'd love to hear from you. What was the most eye-opening moment? Did you notice any blindspots on our part? Did you discover any of your own blindspots? What resonated with you? Also, a reminder that we are in the midst of making some changes that we are excited to unveil as we are able. Stick with us on this journey to stay in the know!

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendNichole's going solo this week to take a peek at the historic events happening in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Can any of those lessons apply to us in Texas? What does this reveal about democracy? Should we be inspired or terrified? We'll talk about the timeline of events, the dramatic turns, and the end result (for now). I'll give you my hot takes and impressions about how we, here in Texas, could use the example provided by Tennessee as inspiration to make our voices even more heard here. Stick with us–we've got big things coming!

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendHave y'all listened to Lawson Picasso's episode yet?? If you missed her show, this is a great week to tune in or listen again!She generously shares what her experience was like when she was food insecure and living in her car - lovingly named Mama Smurf. We gain a better understanding of what it means to live on the razor's edge.Lawson is now an advocate for systemic, holistic changes. And she is very inspiring. We're fans!Attention Mentions:Lawson: the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster debacle and especially the use of her lyrics in the Congressional hearing (Lawson's an unapologetic Swiftie!)Claire: Del Valle Education Foundation (Claire is the president!) working with the Kendra Scott philanthropic arm and seeing the good that can result for familiesNichole: Chernobyl on HBO Max along with the accompanying podcast

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendMutual aid came on our radar during winter storm Uri in 2021 but we didn't really ask many questions back then. As we've learned more about food insecurity and asked ourselves questions about the role of NGOs and charitable giving in maintaining current systems, we've bumped into questions about mutual aid again. What is it? How does it differ from charity? How do people access it? The more we learned and explored, the more we had to ask ourselves to explore our own assumptions about who's deserving and why we even ask that question in the first place. Learn alongside us and we hope you walk away willing to do your own homework which is to think about how you approach giving and what systems you want to intentionally support (or not).

We'd love your support:Join our PatreonDonate on StripeLeave us a rating and review wherever you listenShare our podcast with your friends Attention Mentions:Curtis: Bel-Air TV series on PeacockRachel: ‘Is It Worth Having Kids?,' a video from The Economist on YoutubeClaire: ‘A New Child Labor Crisis in America,' an episode of The Daily, a podcast from the New York TimesNichole: Renaissance album by Beyoncé What are SNAP benefits? Who's eligible? How do people apply? What did the pandemic reveal about food insecurity? Rachel Cooper and Curtis Hills from Every Texan help us understand the practical realities of being a working Texan today. They talk to us about the barriers for folks living in precarity and explain how someone working full time can find themselves living on the razor's edge. We confront the reality that all these issues boil down to political choices, and our leadership could make different choices. We remind you about the absolute necessity for civic engagement, and we hope you feel that same tug too! Let us know what you think.

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendhttps://www.cbsnews.com/video/hunger-in-america-the-1968-cbs-documentary-that-shocked-america/Part of our research for the Food Insecurity series led us to watch the 1968 CBS documentary, Hunger in America. It was hosted by Charles Kuralt and was structured in four sections that highlighted specific regions and cultures: Hispanic families in San Antonio; White families in Virginia; Navajo families in Arizona; and Black families in Alabama. It was a hard-hitting piece that was designed to jolt Americans into the recognition that hunger wasn't a concept relegated to third world countries but something that we have our own problems with here. And it did just that. The images of children and babies suffering from hunger and malnutrition were especially excruciating to watch. The documentary also did a really great job of demonstrating how programs like the Surplus Commodities Program and Food Stamps did and didn't work to address hunger in America. We both struggled to watch it–it is a VERY difficult piece but we also believe in its effectiveness and clarity. If you feel up for it, we recommend it as a primer on the devastating effects of hunger and the legacy of the challenges we still face today.

Attention Mentions:Mando: Story questing for season 3 of his podcast ‘Tacos of Texas' has his attentionClaire: Maintenance Phase podcast especially the episode titled ‘Doctors Have a New Plan for Fat Kids'Nichole: ‘What You Want Wants You' by Suzanne Eder Ways to find Mando:http://www.unitedtacosofamerica.com/Instagram: @unitedtacosofamericaInstagram: @identity.productionsPodcast: Tacos of Texas Join us as we talk about politics through the lens of food! Mando shows us that we can use culture as a fun entry point when exploring contentious issues. He has a long history of community building and grassroots organizing and those values inform his approach to food and his commitment to platforming folks who might otherwise be invisible. He is a natural champion of people and advocates for people's dignity by supporting their authentic expressions. Mando's natural exuberance for what he does inspired us to commit to trying more new things and especially taking more active notice of the people around us each day.

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeSupport us on PatreonJoin our newsletterLeave us a rating and reviewShare our podcast with a friendMission complete! We hosted a panel at the South By Southwest Conference on the Civic Engagement track on March 13 here in Austin, Texas! If you're a regular listener, you know we've built this series around food insecurity in preparation for the panel. We've learned so much and looked forward to sharing it with an audience at SXSW. Listen as we share our experience–spoiler alert: it was fantastic! We were even fortunate enough to have two articles about our panel! If you'd like an outsider's perspective on what we covered, you'll find those articles here and here.

If you're a regular listener, you know we were thrilled to host a panel at the South By Southwest Festival on food insecurity. Like the good students we aim to be, we gathered with our panelists, Lawson Picasso(advocate) and Celia Cole (CEO of Feeding Texas) for a run-through of our panel ahead of the actual day. In addition, we wanted to share our panel with you listeners because we know that attending SXSW isn't possible for many of you. Join us as we share what we plan to cover during the festival and give you a peek into how we prepared. Eventually, the audio of the actual panel should be available and we will share that as well. Thank you for following along with us and allowing us to highlight this important topic!

We'd love your support:Join our PatreonDonate on StripeLeave us a rating and review wherever you listenShare our podcast with your friendsClaire attended a staff legislative briefing at the Texas State Capitol. She was invited by a friend of the pod, Patti Everitt. If you haven't listened to our episode that features Patti Everitt educating us about charter schools in Texas, we highly recommend you go back and listen. We've learned that there's a lot of misinformation about charter schools and Patti Everitt is on the front lines of debunking those false narratives. At the briefing, Claire shared her experience of fighting a charter amendment expansion in her own neighborhood. She worked with Patti and fellow community members who fought back against the charter expansion and won! Stay tuned as we continue to stay informed especially as Governor Greg Abbott has named school choice as a top legislative priority this 88th Texas Legislative Session.

Attention Mentions:Laurie: Hidden Brain podcast from NPRClaire: The Parent Test series on HuluNichole: ‘The Whiteness Myth' episode on the Throughline podcast Hunger in America documentary from CBS that is referenced:https://www.cbsnews.com/video/hunger-in-america-the-1968-cbs-documentary-that-shocked-america/ Dr. Laurie Green is the author of the upcoming book, The Discovery of Hunger in America: A Site of Public Crisis of Race, Health, and American Democracy. Claire Campos O'Neal and Nichole Abshire were so grateful for the historical context she provides for hunger in the US. She walks them through the early governmental programs like Surplus Commodities (1930s) and how it was never meant to address hunger but actually meant to support the farming industry. They move on to the ‘discovery' of hunger in the 1960s that culminated in the food stamps program. They discuss the barriers created by charging for a program whose beneficiaries have no money. They also discuss the particular language used now–food insecurity—and how it came into our vocabulary in the 1990s in the Clinton administration. Dr. Green is masterful at sharing how the details of history inform our present and how vital it is for fully grasping our current struggles.

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeLeave us a rating and review wherever you listenShare our podcast with your friendsAustin advocates are starting a local Poor People's Campaign and Nichole attended their first meeting. She will keep us posted on how it moves forward and her participation. Please reach out to us if you're interested in joining the movement!From: www.breachrepairers.orgDrawing on the unfinished work of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the National Welfare Rights Organization, worker's rights movements, women's rights movements, religious leaders, and people of all races who launched the Poor People's Campaign in 1968 and called for a “revolution of values,” today's Poor People's Campaign is a growing national movement organized to challenge the interlocking issues of systemic racism, systemic poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism.

What does it mean to be food insecure in Texas? Is that even the right language? What are the underlying causes of food insecurity? We get answers to all of these questions and more in our conversation with Celia Cole, the CEO of Feeding Texas. She explains how the pandemic made food insecurity more visible to the general public and how food banks across the state rose to the occasion. Celia shares her current advocacy work; she's so involved that she even recorded this episode from the capital! Continue listening to this series to learn alongside Claire and Nichole as they deepen their understanding of the issues facing the most vulnerable in Texas. Attention Mentions:Celia: The Walking Dead, on AMC and NetflixClaire: The Last of Us on HBO MaxNichole: Recaps on YouTube of Married at First Sight Australia called Rehashed by Wilko

We'd love your support:Donate on StripeLeave us a rating and review wherever you listenShare our podcast with your friendsOur journey into awareness about food insecurity has led us to reflect on our own experiences. We share the ways that government programs have helped our families to keep moving up and yet we also have to reckon with the shaming that has been attached to those times of need. We have both done a lot of reflection on how we move throughout our daily lives and the big and small ways that we've absorbed messages about the poor and poverty. We aim to be better stewards of the abundance we've been given. We hope you'll share your own thoughts and feelings with us. Have you found these episodes to be challenging? Has your perspective changed at all? Stick with us because we've got more compelling information to share.

Attention Mentions: Lawson: the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster debacle and especially the use of her lyrics in the Congressional hearing (Lawson's an unapologetic Swiftie!) Claire: Del Valle Education Foundation (Claire is the president!) working with the Kendra Scott philanthropic arm and seeing the good that can result for families Nichole: Chernobyl on HBO Max along with the accompanying podcast We explore the issue of food insecurity through the eyes of Lawson Picasso who has a compelling lived experience to share. She helps us understand the reality of living without a safety net and how invisible precarity can be even to those we are closest to. Lawson uses her incredible voice to detail her experience living in a car and brings us into the unrelenting pressures of living without resources. She weaves hope throughout her sharing and we hope you find the same level of commitment to making change that we've found. Finally, we leave you with Lawson's magic formula: access your lawmakers + educate yourself + serve others = pathway to positive change.

Blog post referenced:https://www.drmichaeljharrisbooks.com/blog/10-ways-the-hunger-games-is-our-present-and-our-future-3-district-12-where-you-can-starve-to-death-in-safety‘The Hunger Games,' both the book and film series, were hugely popular. Why? Do they speak to something that resonates with us, as a society? Do they feel more like a nonfiction future than a fictional one? Claire and Nichole discuss a blog post by Dr. Michael J Harris that is one of a series of blog posts based on his book, ‘Stay Alive: Surviving Capitalism's Coming Hunger Games,' published in April/May 2021 by Zero Books. We make connections between the world of Panem and the state of Texas and find ourselves questioning the priorities and decisions of leadership. Stick with us as we continue to explore these intertwined issues of poverty, visibility, hunger, and power. We hope you'll share your thoughts and feelings with us.

Attention MentionsAdam: Mozart: The Reign of Love and Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph, two biographies by Jan SwaffordClaire: The 1619 Project television series on HuluNichole: Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas Buckle in. Yes, we secured a conversation with Adam Johnson of the Citations Needed podcast! Brace yourself for a meaty and rapid-fire discussion of food insecurity that inevitably tumbles into the myriad of related issues: poverty, homelessness, precarity, and labor. Prepare to feel challenged and maybe even a bit destabilized or at least that was our experience at times. But true to form, Adam inspires a rethinking of the systems around us and demonstrates how we are presented a media narrative that just might be undermining our ability to make lasting and meaningful change. Please share your thoughts. We'd love to know what resonated with you and what didn't.

https://schedule.sxsw.com/2023/events/PP1143174Claire and Nichole are honored to take part in SXSW in the Civic Engagement track on March 13. They will host a panel on food insecurity in Texas and beyond called ‘Hunger Games: Who is Winning in Our Broken System?' Join them as they share how this opportunity came about (hint: Claire made it happen!). They talk about their own evolution into how they look at hunger and food insecurity and how it's been shaped by extensive research and conversation initiated by this panel opportunity. Finally, they give a sneak preview of the panel guests who will each have future episodes along with the experts who helped them frame this topic. Please share your thoughts! We'd love to have your input and we are always open to feedback!

Disinformation! Christian Nationalism! Gender Identity! Gun Reform! Immigration! Abortion! Critical Race Theory! We took on the daunting challenge of discussing some of the most hot button issues in politics today. Our goal was to really understand what these issues are about and why they suck up so much of the political oxygen. In today's show, we recap our 'Culture Wars' series. We share our takeaways as we look back at the amazing expertise of our guests. We noticed some patterns in policy decision-making here in Texas as we continued our learning journey. Please chime in and share your thoughts. We know these issues can be emotionally fraught and we want to hear from you!

Join us for a departure from our usual episodes as we explore Nichole's experience losing power during this Central Texas winter storm. Claire and Nichole discuss the mental toll of living through uncertainty during these extreme weather events. They also reflect on their own access to resources and share how they recognize how much more difficult life is for so many Texans. We hope you'll join us in holding our lawmakers and leaders accountable. We continue to believe in the need for community action and a commitment to the collective good. What was your experience like?

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/texas-winter-storm-icy-weather-2-1-23/index.htmlhttps://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/02/texas-winter-weather-mental-health/https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/03/texas-ice-storm-emergency-preparedness/https://www.feedingtexas.org/your-impact-on-winter-storm-uri-relief/We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you breaking news…Central Texas experienced a major winter storm that halted life as we know it. Join Claire and Nichole as they explore the causes of this particular failed response–from power failures to impassable roads to lackluster communication. What is the responsibility of the state of Texas? What failures belong to the city of Austin? Why does this feel like a problem that's solvable but leadership has refused to solve it? Let us know what your experience looked like. Together we can demand better from our lawmakers.

Reference Article: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/whatever-happened-with-texas-anti-crt-law/2022/12It's been almost a year and a half since Texas's anti-CRT Legislation (HB3979 and SB3) has been in effect. What's it been like for educators? Has it had the desired effect? We read an article in Ed Week for reference. Curiously, despite the efforts of the author, Ileana Najarro, no conservative educators responded to follow-up questions but the article does include the voices of educators of color. Despite assurances from lawmakers, there remains confusion about what's out of bounds and also confusion about the consequences for violating the law. Stick with us as we continue to follow what's happening on the ground and explore this contentious issue.

Attention Mentions:Tiffany: The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life by Simran Jeet SinghClaire: Ingrid Goes West movie streaming on HBO MaxNichole: Citations Needed podcast Additional books recommended by Dr. Puett:White Too Long by Robert P. JonesJesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez Join us in a fascinating conversation with Dr. Tiffany Puett of the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life about Critical Race Theory. Tiffany dedicates her time to the study of diversity in Texas and accurately presenting the rich populace of our state. Because of her PhD in religious studies, she also speaks authoritatively on the influence of religion on our state politics. All of these factors intersect in the issue of Critical Race Theory. She helps us understand why lawmakers in Texas felt a need to design and pass legislation to preemptively make sure the children of Texas would never be presented with any ideas remotely connected to CRT. We made many connections in this conversation, and we're curious to hear your thoughts.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/when-does-pregnant-texan-life-count-under-new-abortion-ban/We read the Texas Monthly article titled ‘When Does the Life of a Pregnant Texan Count Under the State's New Abortion Ban?' In our conversation with Scott White we realized we had a blindspot–HB1280. Join us as we untangle the relationship between SB8 and the reigning law of the land in Texas, HB1280. Spoiler alert: it's highly restrictive and has had devastating consequences for pregnant Texans. Stick with us as we keep our eye on Texas Legislators to see if they're willing to revisit this bill and provide the clarity that doctors and patients so desperately need.

When it comes to the topic of abortion, things can get pretty heated because there a lot of sides to it. Should it be legal or illegal? Is it a criminal offense? Is a miscarriage labeled as abortion? There are a lot of questions that you really have to do extensive research. Well today's guest did his research on this topic that not too many men think about. Join Claire Campos O'Neal and Nichole Abshire as they talk to Scott White, a supportive dad who just attended his daughter's advocacy event about abortion, which lit the lightbulb for him. He then decided to learn more about abortion so he can inspire those around him to learn more too via uncomfortable conversations. Discover his thoughts and insights about abortion in the state of Texas. Learn the history of how abortion started and what's in store for future generations. Start educating yourself on this topic today!

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/title-42-end-covid-ban-migrants-border-immigration-rcna61803https://www.stitcher.com/show/cnn-political-briefing/episode/title-42-will-remain-in-effect-210319245https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/08/joe-biden-border-visit-el-paso/Our conversation with Uriel Garcia left us with a strong sense of how complex the issue of immigration and the border really are. So we did what we do best and sought information to demystify it all–or at least what we can. We used President Biden's visit to El Paso as the inspiration for getting a grasp on Title 42, the current proposed solutions to the problems, and thinking about the role of leadership. Buckle in with us and prepare yourself to hear us do our best to untangle this thorny topic in real time. As usual, we'd love to hear your thoughts and insight.

Attention Mentions:Uriel: Los Espookys on HBO MaxClaire: We're Here on HBO MaxNichole: A Little Bit Culty Podcast is available on all platformsUriel Garcia, an immigration reporter for the Texas Tribune, joins us to discuss the Mexican border and immigration. Uriel's family immigrated from Mexico, which gives him an innate understanding of immigrant stories and influences his desire to frame his storytelling around people rather than politics. He walks us through the complexity of immigrant stories and the diverse factors that impact them, from the country of origin to law enforcement interactions. We learn about the use of Title 42 during the height of COVID as a way of turning back immigrants at the border and how it's currently facing its expiration date. Uriel explains how the paths to legal immigration are very limited and are out of reach for people without significant resources. We end our discussion with his worry that we aren't any closer to real momentum in dealing with immigration because politicians tend to use it as a political tool rather than proposing real solutions. Despite that, we hope that the more each of us learns, the more we will hold our leadership accountable.https://www.texastribune.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA4uCcBhDdARIsAH5jyUl8CgCcXqMmRQiFPYeMDJ1d8XP4AOGW2ytowzTs-_3n0NBZ3NG1ThgaAp-BEALw_wcB

Monitoring site for bills:https://legiscan.com/TXhttps://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/texas-could-remove-period-products-sales-tax-in-next-legislative-session/https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/education/2022/12/19/here-are-some-of-the-major-education-bills-filed-ahead-of-the-2023-legislative-session/https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austin-new-years-eve-celebratory-gunfire/269-294d10cb-dc45-4d14-a198-bf7806a2be7chttps://www.dallasobserver.com/news/texas-bill-would-offer-tax-credits-for-grocery-stores-that-open-in-food-deserts-15592968Texas Legislators have already filed thousands of bills for the 88th Texas Legislative Session. What bills will leadership in each chamber allow to be heard? What will make it over the many hurdles an individual bill must pass to reach the governor's desk? What will Governor Greg Abbott sign into law? Join Claire and Nichole as they share some of their favorite and least favorite bills that have been filed. We hope you will join us as we watch the progression (or not) of these bills. Stay tuned as we share ways to deepen our connection with our listeners and let us know what you're watching out for!

How a bill becomes a law (or doesn't):https://tlc.texas.gov/docs/legref/legislativeprocess.pdf*This document includes a great flow chart/infographic of the processLegislative glossary:https://house.texas.gov/about-us/legislative-glossary/#EPause. We're stepping away from our ‘Culture Wars' series for a moment to bring attention to an important event beginning on January 10, 2023 - the Texas Legislature begins its 88th session! Join us as we read the tea leaves to see what the priorities of the Texas Legislature might be. From property tax relief to abortion to public education, we have some signs and we hope you'll stay engaged with us to see how it all unfolds!

Claire and Nichole look forward to what awaits in 2023! We start with our hopes for the 88th Texas Legislative Session and our excitement for having a clearer understanding of what's happening there. We move on to discuss our hopes for new series which we know will include amazing guests. We especially look forward to hosting live events where we can deepen our connection to our fabulous listeners. Thanks for everything and we hope you continue on with us and we'd be honored for you to rate and review us!

Join us for a holiday replay of one of our favorite episodes.Attention Mentions:Chris: The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy by Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. PerryClaire: Dopesick on HuluNichole: The Bachelorette on ABC and Huluhttp://christackettnow.com/Chris Tackett shares how he got his start in public life by serving on the school board for Granbury ISD and how what was meant to be a nonpartisan race became partisan despite the wishes of him or his opponent. That experience led him to follow the money trail in Texas politics and what he found was enlightening and frightening. Chris discusses the influence of money in politics and how it can make a few voices sound like many. He talks about the need for free and fair elections and how being consistent in his message lights the way for how he moves forward. This episode is a can't-miss for anyone who wants a greater understanding of the relationship between money and politics in Texas elections today.

As 2022 comes to a close, Claire and Nichole take a moment to reflect on all of the great highlights from the past year. We have much to be grateful for - our incredible guests, our new knowledge of Texas politics and of course our fantastic listeners! Thank you so much for tuning in each week and we can't wait to bring you more shows in 2023. Remember to subscribe, review and rate the show!

Claire & Nichole hope you are having a restful holiday season! We are replaying a past favorite episode from our Education Series.Attention Mentions:Patti Everitt: she's really paying attention to the importance of teachersClaire: Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-wives Edition on Bravo and PeacockNichole: Fair Play, a documentary on Apple+Go behind the ballot with us for this information-packed episode with Patti Everitt who knows all things charter schools. She has dedicated so much of her time to asking questions about how charter schools function in Texas so we can all have more clear information. She talks about the challenges that charter schools create for local ISDs and the different expectations and accountability for each. Patti gives us a tutorial on how charter schools are funded in Texas and how that affects all Texas families. She also informs us on important questions families should ask when making decisions about charter schools versus their local ISD. Buckle up for a very informative episode.