
Future Hindsight
A weekly show that takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for you.
Latest episodes

Jun 5, 2025 • 45min
The Art of Calling In: Loretta Ross
We discuss "calling in" as a practice rooted in a human rights framework that can transform how we engage across our divide and potentially be the bridge that helps our democracy survive. Loretta’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Do an integrity audit: pause and self assess before responding Always focus on the good part of people Loretta Ross is an activist and an associate professor at Smith College. Loretta has had a long career in the human rights movement and her new book is Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Loretta on X: https://x.com/LorettaJRoss Read Calling In: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Loretta Ross Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

May 29, 2025 • 45min
Democracy On The Job: Jaz Brisack
We discuss what it takes to build worker power from scratch and how these efforts can reshape not only our workplaces, but democracy itself. Jaz’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Organize a union in your workplace Train at Inside Organizer School Jaz Brisack is a union organizer and cofounder of the Inside Organizer School, as well as the author of Get on the Job and Organize: Standing Up for a Better Workplace and a Better World. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Jaz on X: https://x.com/jazbrisack Read Get on the Job and Organize: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Jaz Brisack Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

May 22, 2025 • 40min
Reclaim Democracy’s Power: Stacey Abrams
We discuss reclaiming the narrative of democracy. Democracy is a tool to deliver on our values in the realm of justice, dignity, fairness, and freedom. Stacey’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Refuse to pre-capitulate Take action on one issue you care about once a week, every week Stacey Abrams is an author, political leader, and host of the new podcast Assembly Required. After eleven years in the Georgia House of Representatives, seven as Minority Leader, she was the 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, where she won more votes than any other Democrat in the state’s history. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Stacey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/staceyabrams Listen to Assembly Required: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/assemblyrequired/ Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Stacey Abrams Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

May 15, 2025 • 52min
Body, Law, and Liberty: Karen Thompson
We discuss the growing phenomenon of pregnancy criminalization, examine the path forward in a post-Dobbs world, and consider what a just jurisprudence of pregnancy might look like. Karen’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1) Educate yourself at the Pregnancy Justice website: https://www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/our-issues/ 2) Make your voice heard, put pressure on district attorneys who bring cases to criminalize pregnant people. Karen Thompson is the Legal Director of Pregnancy Justice and leads a team defending the rights of people who face criminalization because of their pregnancies or pregnancy outcomes. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Pregnancy Justice on IG: https://www.instagram.com/pregnancyjust Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Karen Thompson Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

May 8, 2025 • 49min
Classrooms of Democracy: Elaine Weiss
We discuss the history of citizenship schools, their profound importance in the Civil Rights Movement, and the critical lessons they offer for our present moment. Elaine’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Share the power of voting with your neighbors. Start your own community citizenship schools! Elaine Weiss is a journalist, speaker, and author of Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools that Built the Civil Rights Movement. She’s also the author of The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, which was a source for the Broadway musical SUFFS. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Elaine on X: https://x.com/efweiss5 Read Our Guests’ Books!: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Elaine Weiss Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

May 1, 2025 • 46min
100 Days of Chaos: Skye Perryman
We assess the first 100 days of the Trump administration and what we can expect going forward. Skye’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Join a dinner for democracy or a coffee for change Resist isolation and say yes to building a future for ourselves. Skye Perryman is the President and CEO of Democracy Forward, which uses the law to build collective power and advance a bold, vibrant democracy for all people. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Skye on IG: https://www.instagram.com/skyeperryman Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Skye Perryman Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

9 snips
Apr 24, 2025 • 54min
AI's Civic Potential: Natalie Monbiot
Natalie Monbiot, a strategist and pioneer in AI and virtual human technologies, shares her insights on how AI can empower democracy and enhance human life. She discusses the emergence of avatar technology and the ethical implications surrounding digital identities. Natalie highlights the concept of 'Civic Spark' for collective action, the role of AI in education, and the importance of human agency in an AI-driven world. The conversation also touches on AI's potential to alleviate stress and foster community engagement, encouraging listeners to actively embrace these technologies.

Apr 17, 2025 • 1h 6min
The Democracy We Never Had: Aziz Rana
We discuss rethinking the Constitution as a way to reimagine democracy. In addition, we examine the role of constitutionalism in exporting the principles of democracy as the underpinning of American imperialism. Aziz’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Join a union or a party formation or a tenants’ association in your community Get involved in shaping the terms institutions that serve as meaningful checks Aziz Rana is professor of law at Boston College and the author of The Constitutional Bind: How Americans Came to Idolize a Document That Fails Them and The Two Faces of American Freedom. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Read The Constitutional Bind: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Aziz Rana Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

Apr 10, 2025 • 46min
Youth Power vs. The Climate Crisis: Aru Shiney-Ajay
We discuss the Green New Deal and how youth movements like the Sunrise Movement are the secret sauce in getting the federal government to drive the effort to stop the climate crisis. Aru’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Hold on to a disciplined form of hope Join Sunrise Movement! Sunrisemovement.org/become-a-member Aru Shiney-Ajay is the executive director of Sunrise Movement, a movement of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Aru on X: https://x.com/aru_shineyajay Follow Sunrise Movement on X: https://x.com/sunrisemvmt Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Aru Shiney-Ajay Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

Apr 3, 2025 • 46min
Land, Power, and Democracy: Michael Albertus
We discuss the great reshuffle of land in the last few centuries and the intersection of land, power, and democracy. Michael’s civic action toolkit recommendations are: Support conservation easements Learn about the indigenous communities that have been displaced from the land where you live and finds ways to support reallocation Michael Albertus is professor of political science at the University of Chicago and the author of five books. His most recent is Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn’t, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies. Let’s connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/ Discover new ways to #BetheSpark: https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark Follow Mila on X: https://x.com/milaatmos Follow Michael on X: https://x.com/mikealbertus Sponsor: Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful. Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight Credits: Host: Mila Atmos Guests: Michael Albertus Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis