LEAD 2020: A TNDP Podcast

This episode we talk with a number of democratic party leaders across the state about incidents they have experienced in regards to voter intimidation and about the Voter Protections allowed around polling locations. If you see something, say something.  Call the Voter Protection Hotline, 1-855-4VOTETN (1-855-486-8386) --- These conversations are taken from our Facebook Live events that broadcast every Thursday at 4pm CT. Watch us live at facebook.com/tndem Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town

Cocktails & Questions with Candidates is a series from the Tennessee Democratic Party where we talk with candidates across the State of Tennessee to find out who they are, what they stand for and how we can help them win. This episode we're joined by Representative Bob Freeman, Democratic candidate for TN State House in District 56. We chat with Bob about his lifelong history in TN, his vision for how environmental concerns can fuel the economy and how he reaches across the aisle to get things done. For more on Bob Freeman and his campaign, visit his official site: http://votebobfreeman.com --- These conversations are taken from our Facebook Live events that broadcast every Thursday at 4pm CT. Watch us live at facebook.com/tndem Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town

Cocktails & Questions with Candidates is a series from the Tennessee Democratic Party where we talk with candidates across the State of Tennessee to find out who they are, what they stand for and how we can help them win. This episode we're joined by Gabby Salinas, Democratic candidate for TN District 97. We chat with Gabby about her inspiring history that brought her to politics, the importance of a representative government and her plans for ensuring schools are funded and working people have access to health care. For more on Gabby Salinas and her campaign, visit her official site: http://voteforgabby.com --- These conversations are taken from our Facebook Live events that broadcast every Thursday at 4pm CT. Watch us live at facebook.com/tndem Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town

Cocktails & Questions with Candidates is a series from the Tennessee Democratic Party where we talk with candidates across the State of Tennessee to find out who they are, what they stand for and how we can help them win. This episode we're joined by Marquita Bradshaw, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. We chat with Marquita about her history with activism, why she decided to run and her plan for an economy that works for working class people.  For more on Marquita Bradshaw and her campaign, visit her official site: https://www.marquitabradshaw.com/ --- These conversations are taken from our Facebook Live events that broadcast every Thursday at 4pm CT. Watch us live at facebook.com/tndem Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town

Cocktails & Questions with Candidates is a series from the Tennessee Democratic Party where we talk with candidates across the State of Tennessee to find out who they are, what they stand for and how we can help them win. This episode we're joined by Torrey Harris, candidate for Tennessee House District 90. We chat with Torrey about why he decided to run, the priorities of his campaign, and take questions from viewers.  For more on Torrey Harris and his campaign, visit his official site: https://www.torreyharris.com/ --- These conversations are taken from our Facebook Live events that broadcast every Thursday at 4pm CT. Watch us live at facebook.com/tndem Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town

Cocktails & Questions with Candidates is a series from the Tennessee Democratic Party where we talk with candidates across the State of Tennessee to find out who they are, what they stand for and how we can help them win. This episode we're joined by Elizabeth Rowland, candidate for Tennessee House District 16. We discuss why she decided to run, the priorities of her campaign, and take some questions from viewers.  For more on Elizabeth Rowland and her campaign, visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VoteElizabethRowland/ --- These conversations are taken from our Facebook Live events that broadcast every Thursday at 4pm CT. Watch us live at facebook.com/tndem Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town

Governor Bill Lee and Republicans in the legislature are putting Tennessee lives at risk by pushing their permit-less gun carry legislation. With mass shootings at an all time high and Tennessee gun deaths rising every single day, it is a time to strengthen gun control not become less strict. In this episode, Now You Know host and TNDP Chair, Mary Mancini, sits down with Safe Tennessee Project Executive Director, Beth Joslin Roth. We walk through the 2nd Amendment Responsibility in Tennessee, the NRA's role in law making around guns, and Governor Lee's gun agenda.  Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town Guests Safe Tennessee Project Executive Director, Beth Joslin Roth

Mary walks through the TN Democratic Primary Process with Maria Brewer, TNDP Director of Party Affairs, including how the primary results affect the TNDP Delegation that will go to the DNC convention in Milwaukee this summer. They ask answer the question, why does the Democratic Party convention delegation look so much less old and white than the Republican Party convention?  Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town Guests TNDP Director of Party Affairs Maria Brewer

Governor Bill Lee is attempting to ban abortion in Tennessee by proposing the most extreme, comprehensive anti-abortion legislation that the state has ever seen, along with a slough of legislation to limit women’s rights and harm families. In this episode, Now You Know host and TNDP Chair, Mary Mancini, sits down with Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood Executive Director, Francie Hunt. We walk through the political history of reproductive rights and the current war against them.  Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town Guests Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood Executive Director Francie Hunt

The Tennessee Educators Association (TEA) is an organization that works to advance public education by advocating for educators and students across the entire state of TN. In this episode, Mary Mancini sits down with Beth Brown -  a career teacher, education advocate and President of the TEA. Brown has keen insight on the problems facing schools in both rural and urban districts (spoiler alert: they're the same problems).    The issues facing our school systems are complicated and widespread. Mancini and Brown touch on everything from underfunded teachers, to student trauma to the ESA Vouchers Program (a controversial bill that sends taxpayer dollars to parents to remove their children from public schools).    Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town Guests Tennessee Educators Association President Beth Brown Twitter: @TEA_Teachers Instagram: @TEA_Teachers

The same week Senator Brian Kelsey (R) of Shelby County celebrated the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. by tweeting the MLK quote “The time is always right to do what is right." he introduced legislation that would cement Tennessee as a "Right To Work" in our Constitution. For those that don't know, the Right To Work law was enacted in 1947 but does not do what the name suggests Instead of being a guarantee of employment to people seeking work, it depletes union resources by enacting a government ban on requiring employees in union workplaces to pay union dues. They get the benefits, i.e. safe workplaces, collective bargaining, etc., without the investment. For our inaugural episode of If You Don't Know, Now You Know we sit down with Senator Katrina Robinson, TN AFL-CIO Alyssa Hanson political and communications director, and TN AFL-CIO Secretary/Treasurer AJ Starling to discuss this issue, how it negatively impacts every resident of Tennessee and the misnomers around the name itself. As always, we remind you of the importance of voting, particularly in local and State elections. If you aren't registered to vote, or don't remember if you are or not, please check your status by visiting sos.tn.gov.   Hosted by Mary Mancini Produced by Emily Cupples and TNDP Distributed by We Own This Town    Guests Senator Katrina Robinson TN AFL-CIO Alyssa Hanson TN AFL-CIO Secretary/Treasurer AJ Starling

Randall Rice is a long time health care advocate and volunteer, and a Certified Application Counselor for Affordable Care Act enrollees. He joins the LEAD 2020 Podcast to discuss the harm posed by the extreme and unprecedented block grant plan unveiled by Gov. Bill Lee this week. The plan would make Tennessee the first state in the country to convert federal Medicaid funding into a block grant, which caps the amount of money Tennessee can receive and jeopardizes health coverage for thousands of vulnerable citizens.

Kristina Richardson is a mother of four, a veteran, a volunteer with Enough Is Enough Tennessee, founder of Indivisible Hardin County, a community volunteer with the Red Cross and WRAP, a local organization for sexual and domestic abuse survivors, and is a survivor of sexual and domestic violence herself.

Feroza Freeland is a Memphis native who has worked on various progressive electoral and issue-based campaigns across Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2018 and currently works in policy advocacy in Nashville.

DNC Chair Tom Perez discusses the talented 2020 Democratic presidential field, changes to the DNC debate rules, leading with our values, the Tennessee GOP's latest voter suppression law and more on the LEAD 2020 Podcast!

Former Obama HUD Secretary and 2020 Democratic Presidential hopeful Julian Castro joins the TNDP Podcast!

Our guest today is Matthew Hildreth, Director of New Initiatives at America’s Voice and founder and Board-Chair of RuralOrganizing.org Matt began his career working in television before jumping into national political communications over a decade ago. He grew up on a small farm in Eastern South Dakota and is a graduate of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota where he studied Philosophy and Communications. He holds an Executive Education Certificate from Harvard University’s Leadership, Organizing and Action program, and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication from the University of Iowa.

2020 Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Mackler joins the LEAD 2020 Podcast and discusses why he's running, how he got to this point, and the challenges facing Tennessee and the United States. 

State Rep. London Lamar joins the LEAD 2020 TNDP Podcast to share her path to the Tennessee House of Representatives and discuss the need for bold young leadership within the ranks of the Tennessee Democratic Party and how you can make it happen.

In 2019 and 2020, there is only one way forward for all those who share our values: we must join together with people from all walks of life to fight for our future. The LEAD 2020: TNDP Podcast will address the party's path forward into 2020 and how regular people can get involved and create change from city hall to the White House.