Future Hindsight

We discuss why now is the time for a third political party to really take center stage in American democracy.   Maurice’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Organize! Join an organization. Create conditions where people can govern and decide the direction of their country and their democracy   Maurice Mitchell is the National Director of the Working Families Party. He's a nationally recognized social movement strategist, a visionary leader in the Movement for Black Lives, and a community organizer for racial, social, and economic justice.     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 Maurice on X:  https://x.com/MauriceWFP    Check out the Working Families Party: https://workingfamilies.org/    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: Maurice Mitchell Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

We’re sharing an episode from our friends at Latino USA! In this episode, producer Reynaldo Leaños Jr. travels to southern Arizona where one of the first major concentrations of surveillance towers on the southern border were built, and he looks at what these towers mean today, and for the future of those crossing, and living, there.   The “virtual wall” across the U.S.-Mexico border is made up of things like drones, sensors, cameras and… surveillance towers. Both Democrats and Republicans have supported border technology through the years, but advocates and researchers argue that a virtual wall can be as controversial, and deadly, as a physical wall.     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    Listen to Latino USA:  https://www.latinousa.org/    Sponsors:  Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.   Thanks to SelectQuote for supporting Future Hindsight! Go to SelectQuote.com/hopeful now!   Need a gift idea? Head over to Masterclass.com/HOPEFUL for the current offer. Thanks to MasterClass for supporting Future Hindsight!   Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight  Credits:  Featuring: Latino USA Podcast Host: Mila Atmos Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

Nancy Rosenblum, a Harvard professor and co-author of Ungoverning, dives into the chaos of 'ungoverning' and its potential to dismantle vital institutions. She warns it’s like a bull in a china shop—whose chaos poses a threat to democracy. Rosenblum emphasizes how personal authority can weaken democratic values and reflects on the dangers of rising vigilantism and aggressive immigration policies. She encourages active civic engagement, urging everyone to vote at local and state levels to reclaim agency amidst unpredictability.

We discuss election integrity and voting machines, the amazing work of election workers, and the logistics of election audits.   Ben’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Talk to your town or county clerk and offer to help. Be a poll worker for a day!   Ben Adida is the Executive Director of Voting Works, the only non-profit voting system vendor in the U.S. Their mission is to make election technology everyone can trust through transparency, simplicity, and demonstrable security.     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 Ben on X:  https://x.com/benadida    Sponsor:  Thanks to SelectQuote for supporting Future Hindsight! Go to SelectQuote.com/hopeful now!   Need a gift idea? Head over to Masterclass.com/HOPEFUL for the current offer. Thanks to MasterClass for supporting Future Hindsight!   Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight  Credits:  Host: Mila Atmos  Guests: Ben Adida Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

We discuss why the American electorate voted the way they did in 2024, the history of various voter suppression tactics, and how we can bounce back from a feeling of post-election civic helplessness.   Michael’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Use your platform! Do the research. Read books. Go deep on what's going on and convey what you've learned.   Michael Waldman is the CEO and President of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and a constitutional lawyer and writer who is an expert on the presidency and American democracy.     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/mawaldman    Sponsor:  Need a gift idea? Head over to Masterclass.com/HOPEFUL for the current offer. Thanks to MasterClass for supporting Future Hindsight!   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 Waldman Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

We discuss the long history of vigilante democracy in the US and its return in our current politics. The playing field is currently tilted in favor of these vigilante policies, but blue states can level the playing field by playing constitutional hardball. David Noll reminds us that the American people have beat back movements to use vigilante power to enforce a reactionary agenda time and again.   David’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Get involved in local politics Resistance works and there are a lot of opportunities to resist authoritarianism    David Noll is the co-author of Vigilante Nation: How State-Sponsored Terror Threatens Our Democracy. He’s also the Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development and a professor of law at Rutgers Law School, as well as an academic fellow of the National Institute for Civil Justice.     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 David on X:  https://x.com/davidlnoll    Sponsor:  Need a gift idea? Head over to Masterclass.com/HOPEFUL for the current offer. Thanks to MasterClass for supporting Future Hindsight!   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: David Noll Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

We discuss how the Democratic party continues to ignore AAPI voters in schools despite their increasing power at the ballot box and the necessity to build coalitions with them to win elections. Between 2016 and 2020, voter turnout in this community increased by 47%. The near doubling of AAPI voters in Georgia and Arizona effectively made the Biden victory in 2020 possible.    Varun’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Show up to a school board meeting Gather insight from engaging in your local community   Varun Nikore is Executive Director of the AAPI Victory Alliance, an organization that works to build Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) political power across the country by providing education on progressive issues; creating and advocating for policies that affect our communities; and building alliances with organizations to help AAPIs exert their power and be the margin of victory at the local, state, and national levels.     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 Varun on X:  https://x.com/varunnikore   Sponsor:  Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! 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: Varun Nikore Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

We discuss the intersection of feminism and democracy and discover how the egalitarian underpinnings of feminism are fundamental to an equal society. Abortion bans illustrate this well. “Any time there's a conflict between the Constitution and someone's personal bodily autonomy and the subject of rights under the law, that is anti-democratic.”    Nicole’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Start small, engaging directly in your community Maintain hope and optimism and believe that you’re going where you want to go   Dr. C. Nicole Mason is the founder and president of Future Forward Women, a project at the New York Women’s Foundation.     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 Nicole on X:  https://x.com/cnicolemason     Sponsor:  Thanks to SelectQuote! Go to SelectQuote.com/hopeful Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! 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: Dr. C Nicole Mason Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis

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:  Choose hope. 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/    Sponsor:  Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! 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

We discuss why American democracy should not treat the Latinx community as a monolith, what actually matters to this community, and how the strength of their engagement in U.S. democracy will play out in this year’s presidential election.   Maria Teresa’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  VOTE! Share your excitement to vote with everyone you know, especially young people.   Maria Teresa Kumar is the President and CEO of Voto Latino, a civic engagement organization focused on educating and empowering a new generation of Latinx voters, as well as creating a more robust and inclusive democracy.     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 Maria Teresa on X:  https://x.com/MariaTeresa    Sponsor:  Thanks to Shopify for supporting Future Hindsight! 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: Maria Teresa Kumar Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Producer: Zack Travis