Recap of our live convening in the nation's capital

The Democracy Group and The McCourtney Institute for Democracy recently hosted members from the podcast network and democracy-focused partners at our first-ever live convening in Washington, D.C. Over the two-day event, we discussed collaboration opportunities, expanding our reach as podcasters, social media strategies and democracy and peace building.

From producing collaborative episodes to establishing a presence on Substack, the network and our partners are eager to continue strengthening democracy through community, innovative approaches and coming together.

The event also featured insightful keynote presentations from Jessica Tarlov (host of Raging Moderates) and Ben Rhodes (host of Pod Save the Wrold), who shared their experiences as successful political podcasters. The live recording with Rhodes, joined by our hosts Kamy Akhavan and Stephanie Gerber Wilson, wrapped up the convening with discussions of America’s place on the global stage and how the health of American democracy impacts other democracies around the world.

“There were a number of great sessions,” said Corey Nathan, who led the conversation with Tarlov. “Mostly, it was a wonderful time hanging out with all these incredible folks who, together, are examining what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.”

Our sincerest thank you to the Louis Rakin Foundation for supporting this event.

The Democracy Group's Conversation with Ben Rhodes: America's Changing Role in A Changed World

‍Recorded live on May 22 with an audience of roughly 100, this episode features Pod Save the World's cohost Ben Rhodes in a conversation about America. From global democratic backsliding to the U.S.'s reputation on the international stage, Rhodes and our hosts Kamy Akhavan and Stephanie Wilson provided invaluable insights on the state of our democracy.

This is Jessie Nguyen, The Democracy Group's Community Manager. Here are some of my favorite podcasts this week, check them out!

Future Hindsight: Body, Law and Liberty: Karen Thompson

Pregnancy Justice is dedicated to advancing and defending the rights of pregnant people. Its legal director, Karen Thompson, joined the episode to discuss pregnancy criminalization and examine the path forward in a post-Dobbs world.

The Politics Guys: Why you have to be weird to run for office

If you're thinking about taking the next step in reshaping our democracy and running for office, this episode is a must-listen. Eva Posner, founder and CEO of political consulting firm Evinco Strategies, joined host Mike Baranowski to talk about challenges first-time candidates face and how to get donors to support your campaign.

Freedom Over Fascism: Stephanie Wilson and LOLGOP Jason Sattler

Jason Sattler, the face behind LOLGOP on social platforms, joined host Stephanie Wilson to talk about the 3.5% rule among anger and hope for our democracy. Sattler shared his transition from writing about politics for USA Today to now being someone "who works full time for democracy." Give this a listen!

FEATURED EXPERTS

Democracy Works: Robert Lieberman on When four threats to democracy collide

Robert Lieberman is a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University. He studies American political development, public policy, race and American politics. Lieberman is an award-winning author whose first book, Shifting the Color Line, won several reputable awards.

Democracy Fix: Kim Wyman on Love it or Leave it: A Conversation About Elections Resilience and Resolve

Kim Wyman is Washington's Former Secretary of State, the second woman to hold the position in the state's history. She previously served as Thurston County Elections Director for nearly a decade. Wyman's office led a statewide effort to modernize and secure election infrastructure, and she continues to focus on fair and accurate elections.