Voting Rights

In this episode commemorating the 60th anniversary of Freedom Summer, we delve into the pivotal 1964 campaign that aimed to register African American voters in Mississippi and the Deep South and challenge systemic racial barriers. We will explore the courageous efforts of activists, the profound impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and the ongoing struggle for voting rights in America. Through conversation with advocates and activists, as well as historians and academics, we will reflect on the legacy of Freedom Summer and its relevance today in the fight for a more equitable democracy. This episode will honor the past and address the continuing quest for justice and equality through the ballot.

Today on Pod for the Cause, we will use Black History Month as an opportunity to consider the state of the Movement for Black Lives. For this conversation, we are joined by three committed and courageous visionaries who are at the forefront of the fight for Black liberation, Black freedom, and Black joy.

Join Kanya Bennett as she discusses the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder with Carolyn Shields, President of the Shelby County Branch of the NAACP, and Deuel Ross, Deputy Director of Litigation at NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This episode was recorded before the Court rendered its decision in Merrill v. Milligan.

Join Kanya Bennett as she discusses Juneteenth and reparations with Jeff Robinson of The Who We are Project, Kavon Ward of Where is My Land, and Keenan Keller of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

Join Kanya Bennett and cohost Jheanelle Wilkins, director of state and local government affairs at the Leadership Conference, as they discuss recent attacks on Black political power with District of Columbia Councilmember Robert White, Melissa Wasser of the ACLU-DC, Dr. Sekou Franklin of Middle Tennessee State University, and Patrice Willoughby of the NAACP.

Join our host, Kanya Bennett, as she continues the conversation around book bans and curriculum censorship with Maggie Tokuda-Hall.

Join our host, Kanya Bennett, as she discusses book bans and curriculum censorship with Karsonya "Kaye" Wise Whitehead and Khalil Gibran Muhammad.

Join our host, Kanya Bennett, as she discusses police violence and reform with Chelsea Glass and Josh Adams of DeCarcerate Memphis and Krissy Roth, senior policy associate at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.