

Future Hindsight
Mila Atmos
A weekly show that takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for you.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 30, 2025 • 36min
AI for the Public Interest: Bruce Schneier
 We discuss how AI can both serve the public interest and advance the goals of our democracy, despite the misgivings about the current state of AI.   Bruce's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Use the tools of AI! 2) Use assistive tech to write to your elected representatives   Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist, chief of security architecture at Inrupt Inc, a lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School, and the co-author of Rewiring Democracy: How AI Will Transform Our Politics, Government, and Citizenship.     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 Bruce on X:  https://x.com/schneierblog    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: Bruce Schneier Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Oct 23, 2025 • 42min
How Underdogs Build Power: Stephanie Luce
 We discuss Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World—a guide for a new generation of activists seeking not just to understand power, but to build it.   Stephanie's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Learn a new skill, like non cooperation or mutual aid 2) Find organizations that align with your values and check if they offer trainings   Stephanie Luce is Professor of Labor Studies at the School of Labor and Urban Studies and Professor of Sociology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She's also the co-author of Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the 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 Stephanie on X:  https://x.com/stephanie_luce_   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: Stephanie Luce Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Oct 16, 2025 • 47min
The Pathway to Citizenship: Todd Schulte
 Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us, champions a fair immigration system that offers permanent legal status and citizenship pathways to immigrants. He discusses the challenges of the current system, including legal barriers that leave many undocumented, and the economic benefits immigrants bring to the U.S. Todd shares practical civic actions for local communities and highlights the importance of nurturing talent and strengthening civil rights. His insights shed light on the need for reform and the hopeful steps we can take to support immigrants. 

Oct 9, 2025 • 47min
Small Dollars, Big Strategy: Brian Derrick
 We discuss how the everyday voter can make strategic political campaign donations just like a billionaire.   Brian's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Find an election you've never participated in before and get involved 2) Check out the Supreme Court races in Pennsylvania, governor's races in NJ and VA, and the California redistricting ballot measure   Brian Derrick is the co-founder of Oath, a donor advising platform whose mission is to empower donors to participate in our democracy by offering civic education and helping users manage their political giving to maximize impact.     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 Brian on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/brianderrick_/   VOTE FOR FUTURE HINDSIGHT!   https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting?utm_campaign=signal4_finalists_finalistnotification_092325&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cio#/2025/individual-episodes/genre/news-politics   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: Brian Derrick Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Oct 2, 2025 • 39min
Following the Money in Politics: Hilary Braseth
 We discuss the unavoidable intersection between our capitalist economy and democratic governance, and how their relationship plays out through campaign finance and other political transactions.   Hilary's civic action toolkit recommendations are:    Get the data of your state, locality, and elected officials at opensecrets.org   Piece together what is happening your state     Hilary Braseth is the executive director of OpenSecrets, the nation's premier research and government transparency group tracking money in politics and its effect on elections and policy.   VOTE FOR FUTURE HINDSIGHT!   https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting?utm_campaign=signal4_finalists_finalistnotification_092325&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cio#/2025/individual-episodes/genre/news-politics   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 OpenSecrets on X:  https://x.com/OpenSecretsDC    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: Hilary Braseth Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Sep 25, 2025 • 44min
Holding Democracy Accountable: Miranda Spivack
 We discuss how the struggle for transparency is really a struggle for the soul of American democracy.    Miranda's civic action toolkit recommendations are:    Look up the agendas of your local school board and city council, and attend the public meetings   Learn how your local and state governments make decisions     Miranda S. Spivack is a veteran reporter and editor who specialized in government accountability, as well as the author of Backroom Deals in Our Backyard: How Government Secrecy Harms Our Communities and the Local Heroes Fighting Back.     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 Miranda on X:  https://x.com/mirandareporter    Read Backroom Deals in our Backyards:  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: Miranda Spivack Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Sep 18, 2025 • 45min
Turning Hope Into Action: Michael Ansara
 We discuss the basics of organizing and the fruits of that work. Michael reminds us that "organizers organize organizations."   Michael's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Gather 4-5 friends to talk about what's happening 2) Share ideas on what you can do to resist    Michael Ansara is a seasoned community organizer and the author of The Hard Work of Hope: A Memoir.     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 BlueSky:  https://bsky.app/profile/michaelansara.bsky.social    Read The Hard Work of Hope:  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: Michael Ansara Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Sep 11, 2025 • 37min
From Protest to Power: Jonathan Pulphus
 We discuss the enduring power of protesting and the significance of the Ferguson uprising in the long arc of the Black liberation movement.    Jonathan's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Speak with a young person in your life about what they're wrestling with 2) Emphasize community engagement   Jonathan Pulphus is an organizer from St. Louis, Missouri, Co-founder of the community organization Tribe X, and the author of With My People: Life, Justice, and Activism Beyond the University.     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 Jonathan on X: https://x.com/pulphusj   Read With My People: https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight    Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight    Credits:  Host: Mila Atmos  Guests: Jonathan Pulphus Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

Sep 4, 2025 • 43min
We Are Changemakers: Sharon McMahon
 We discuss the importance of shifting our mindset to one that is infused with hope. Positive change comes when we choose hope. Though nobody can fix it all, we can all do something and make an impact. Sharon reminds us that if something is worth doing for everyone, it's worth doing for one person.    Sharon's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  1) Choose hope. 2) Get involved in an issue that is important to you because your actions do matter.   Sharon McMahon is the creator of "Sharon Says So" and host of the "Here's Where it Gets Interesting" podcast. She's also the author of The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement.     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 Sharon on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sharonsaysso/    Read The Small and the Mighty:  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: Sharon McMahon Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis 

16 snips
Aug 28, 2025 • 40min
Myth Making in America: Hajar Yazdiha
 Hajar Yazdiha, an Associate Professor of Sociology at USC Dornsife, dives into the fascinating intersection of collective memory and American exceptionalism. She dissects how historical narratives shape contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter, emphasizing the need for truthful storytelling. Hajar advocates for a civic action toolkit—Advocate, Relate, Create—to inspire change. She also challenges listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about America’s racial history, revealing both the struggles and hopes of a multiracial democracy. 


