How To Citizen with Baratunde

In this engaging discussion, Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Digital Minister and a pioneer in open-source software, shares her journey from civic hacker to government leader. She emphasizes the power of digital tools to enhance participatory democracy and describes her design philosophy of 'fast, fair, fun.' Audrey introduces innovative concepts like VTaiwan for public discourse and quadratic voting to capture nuanced citizen opinions. She highlights how student activism shaped Taiwan's political landscape, showcasing the potential of technology to create responsive governance.

Baratunde learns more about experiments in digital democracy. He speaks with Pia Mancini, cofounder of Open Collective, a platform empowering collectives and mutual aid groups with new transparent, decentralized financial tools that make local grassroots efforts more feasible than ever. It is a powerful example of how the use of technology can change the power dynamics and help people citizen together where they live and across the globe. Guest: Pia ManciniBio: Democracy activist, open source sustainer, co-founder & CEO at Open Collective and Chair of DemocracyEarth Foundation. Online: Open Collective website; Pia’s website; on Twitter @piamancini and @opencollectShow Notes + LinksGo to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!We are grateful to Pia for joining us! Follow her @piamancini on Twitter, or find more of her work at Opencollective.org.ACTIONSPERSONALLY REFLECT Cultivate OptimismTake a moment to reflect on when you feel most positive, most optimistic in your week? What are you doing, who are you around, what media/info sources are you consuming? Work on adding more of these elements to your weekly routines. The world needs more clear-eyed optimists for us to reach our collective potential. It’s hard to citizen when you’re only cynical. BECOME INFORMEDWho in your life needs Open CollectiveTake a moment to wrap your mind around this NEW community infrastructure that is truly revolutionizing the way local initiatives and groups work together around the world. We bet you know of a local project or informal group that could benefit from it! Take the time to learn more https://opencollective.com/. Also check out Pia’s TED talk, How To Upgrade Democracy for the Internet Era, for more about her beliefs and journey.  PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEJoin in with other locals Support open-source and move away from private mega-malls like Facebook by adopting the Signal app, an open source, end-to-end encrypted, not-for-profit messaging platform. And if you use open source to build the product that is making you money, give back to open source, because open source is not free. It was paid for by someone else's time. So make sure you give back to the developers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Esra’a is a Bahrani human rights activist and founder of Majal, a multiplatform organization that amplifies underrepresented voices in the Middle East and North Africa. She works collaboratively with technologists and designers across the world to create alternative digital spaces that are safe from censorship and trolling. Utilizing gamification and music, Majal’s platforms offer a safe space for people who face persecution based on their identity and politics.Guest: Esra’a Al ShafeiBio: Founder of Majal, Migrant Rights, and Mideast Tunes; civil rights activist dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ youth in the Middle East. Online: Majal website; @ealshafei on TwitterGo to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice.ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Personal SecurityWhen have you felt concerned for your safety and security online? What features online made you feel vulnerable or exposed? Was it something you could control or was it outside of your control? If you’ve never felt insecure on online platforms, why do you think that is? - BECOME INFORMEDQuestion Scale in PhilanthropyCheck out Majal.org and look at the platforms they operate. When you are engaging with nonprofits and philanthropy, look at who founded and runs the groups you support or amplify. Find ones that are run by those closest to the problem, which are often people from marginalized communities. Start your learning journey by reading Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva.  - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEChallenge the philanthropic norms. Instead of supporting large organizations that emphasize scalability and unsustainable growth, consider getting as local and grassroots as you can in terms of your time and resources. Often smaller, on-the-ground, and grassroots organizations have a more direct impact despite far fewer resources. And make the How To Citizen community look good: donate over at Majal.org so they can keep supporting the important platforms serving activists and LGBTQ youth in the Middle East.  MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions. Visit our non-Bezos bookshop.  Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter, his column on Puck, or you can even text him right now at 202-894-8844 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right now we interact with the public more online than offline. But these digital spaces are not designed with our collective wellbeing in mind. Baratunde speaks with Eli Pariser, Co-founder of New_Public, about how we are missing intentionally designed digital public spaces, like libraries and park spaces online, and they discuss New_Public’s NEW! design playbook for creating platforms that bring us together instead of tear us apart. Guest: Eli Pariser Bio: Author, Activist, and Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of New_Public Online: New_Public website; @elipariser on Twitter; Eli’s websiteGo to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice.ACTIONS - PERSONALLY REFLECT Public InteractionsReflect on some recent online interactions you’ve had with total strangers on social media. Now think about some interactions you’ve had with strangers offline, maybe in a public park or library. How did each experience make you feel? Did you prefer one over the other? Why?  - BECOME INFORMEDCheck out New_Public’s workCheck out New_Public’s new design playbook for building digital public spaces of the future. It was built from two years of global research and feedback. Also, read Eli’s thought-provoking article in the Atlantic about envisioning a future online that serves the public good and supports a culture of democracy. - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEJoin a niche, online community forum.Consider joining or starting your own online community where you can practice some of the 14 signals using a platform like Hylo or MightyNetworks. Most of the signals don’t require code as much as thoughtful governance, culture, and norm-setting to create a different kind of online space that helps us citizen. Said another way, try finding or creating an online community in a space that isn’t a giant shopping mall. MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions. Visit our non-Bezos bookshop.  Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter, his column on Puck, or you can even text him right now at 202-894-8844 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baratunde has been sounding the alarm about the perils of Big Tech for years. In this episode, he breaks down his journey in tech and talks with tech expert and sharp critic, Prof G, otherwise known as Scott Galloway, co-host of the Pivot Podcast. They dive into Scott’s summary of what the hell went wrong, his recent argument that corporations need to start acting “as citizens,” and how this idea of corporate citizening informs his investment strategy. Guest: Scott GallowayBio: Marketing expert who specializes in critiquing the worlds of tech & business, and how they operate within capitalism.Online: His website; @profgalloway on Twitter; the Pivot podcastGo to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice.ACTIONS - INTERNALLY REFLECT Feeds and FeelingsTake a moment to reflect on your various social media feeds. If your FB or Instagram feed had a personality how would you describe it (ie. sassy with a bit of inspiration or snarky, gossipy, and entertaining)? How do your social media feeds make you feel? Consider training the algorithm by selecting accounts and content that pushes you forward rather than drags you down. A small but perhaps mighty action for your mental and emotional wellbeing. - BECOME INFORMEDCheck out Baratunde’s Digital ManifestoRead and contribute to an open Google Docs version of the manifesto here. Comment about what’s missing, improve it, or add references to work from others. Baratunde may share some of your feedback on his social channels. Also recommended by Scott, the book Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman available in our bookshop.  - PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEEnsure regulation of Big TechHere are three grassroots efforts you can join to ensure big tech doesn’t go unregulated. Join with others to lend your voice and skills. Check out - Freedomfromfacebookandgoogle.com, Athenaforall.org working to free us from Amazon, and The Economic Liberties Project.us.MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions Visit our non-Bezos bookshop.  Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter, his column on Puck, or you can even text him right now at 202-894-8844 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology and its promise of a better world is a part of Baratunde’s DNA. In this episode, Baratunde reminisces with his older sister, Belinda, about their upbringing in Washington DC in the 1980s. They discuss their mother’s influence on his earliest experiences with tech that would someday come to shape this very podcast. Guest: Belinda ThurstonBio: Yogini, tai chi player, Buddhist, African-Japanese American, journalist, speaker, motivator, number one sister.Online: Just B Yoga websiteGo to howtocitizen.com for transcripts, our email newsletter, and your citizen practice.ACTIONS- INTERNALLY REFLECTRelationships matter.How have you invested in the key relationships that make your world go round? Do you have the relationship with your siblings and family members that you want? This Harvard Study showed that happiness boils down to one thing: relationships. MORE WAYS TO CONNECT & SUPPORT Leave a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords! Find us at @howtocitizen on Instagram and tag us in your actions Visit our non-Bezos bookshop.  Subscribe to Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter, his column on Puck, or you can even text him right now at 202-894-8844 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season three of How To Citizen with Baratunde is all about tech. Launching October 28th, we’re bringing you the people using technology for more than revenue and user growth. They are using it to help us citizen.We don’t have to live in the futures shown in Terminator, Black Mirror, or Westworld. We can choose a different path. Instead of being used by tech, we can use tech to bolster our community participation, strengthen our relationships, and help us flex our collective power. This season brings you those stories.Follow the show’s Instagram, and visit the website - howtocitizen.com - to learn more about the show’s topics and continue your citizen journey beyond the podcast. Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter, follow him on Instagram, or sign up for his column on Puck. You can even text him right now at 202-894-8844.CREDITSHow To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our executive producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart, and Misha Euceph. Our senior producer is Tamika Adams. Our producer is Alie Kilts, and our assistant producer is Sam Paulson. Stephanie Cohn is our editor. Valentino Rivera is our senior engineer. And Matthew Lai is our apprentice. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. With additional original music for Season 3 from Andrew Clausen. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio and Rachael Garcia at Dustlight Productions.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If we’ve learned anything in Season 2 of How To Citizen with Baratunde, it’s that it takes a village, and by that, I mean the entire global community. From leaders of nonprofits, to Wall Street entrepreneurs, we need everyone to come together to build the economy we all deserve. And that even includes comedians. In this episode, we speak with fellow podcaster and comedian Hari Kondabolu about comedy’s role in shaping our future. Guest: Hari Kondabolu - comedian, writer & podcasterTwitter: @harikondaboluBio: Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer & podcaster based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been described by The NY Times as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.” In 2018, his Netflix special “Warn Your Relatives” was released and he was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics To Watch. Regarding his special, The NY Times wrote ” it was an artistic breakthrough for him, an incisively funny and formally adventurous hour that reveals a comic in command of his powers.”SHOW NOTES + LINKSGo to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!We are grateful to Hari Kondabolu for joining us! Follow him at @harikondabolu on Twitter, or find more of his work at harikondabolu.com.ACTIONSPERSONALLY REFLECT When have you grown or helped others grow?Hari reminded us that just because we’ve done wrong doesn’t mean we must accept wrong and that we can grow from mistakes. When have you grown from a mistake, and did others help you? When have you helped others grow?  BECOME INFORMEDTune Into HariGive Hari some love and support him by checking out The Problem with Apu streaming on HBO MAX, and his Netflix special Warn Your Relatives.  PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEImmigrant RightsLegal citizenship is something many of us take for granted and others struggle to achieve. Support the work of RAICES which helps refugees and immigrants navigate the confusing and often dangerous process of migration. https://www.raicestexas.org/take-action/  If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Comedians Who Read the Newspaper in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen. Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.CREDITSHow To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohn is our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Alie Kilts. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“It’s hard to citizen when you can’t pay the bills.” This season’s theme has revealed the economic causes of our deep division and has opened our eyes to how our democracy and economic well-being are incredibly interconnected. This week, Baratunde weaves together lessons from across this season, discovers surprising takeaways, and revisits stories that have more in common than we expected when we set out to make this season. Listen to a virtual conversation among our guests that will reveal new insights. Show Notes + LinksGo to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. And become a paid subscriber to newsletter.baratunde.com for ad-free versions of the podcast.Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!ACTIONSPERSONALLY REFLECT Reflect on the SeasonAsk yourself, how did this season make you feel? How has it challenged you and what have you learned? And if you're comfortable sharing, we’d love to hear from you! Send an email to comments@howtocitizen.com or leave a voice memo with feedback in general, how does citizen.com/voicemail BECOME INFORMEDKeep LearningUnderstanding the economy and the structures behind it is essential to being able to participate as a citizen in our democracy. We hope we have made that case this season, but there’s always more to learn. Head over to www.bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen for plenty of reading materials from the season including titles written and recommended by our guests. We particularly recommend Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us and Jessica Gordon Nembhard’s Collective Courage.  PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEChoose your own We’ve asked you to do a lot this season, from joining the fight for a $15 minimum wage to supporting various bills to investing in non-extractive real estate. And sometimes, it’s hard to know where to start. All of the actions from this season will be available at howtocitizen.com, plus we are designing a choose your own adventure to help you get started on, or further deepen, your citizen practice. Sign up for our email newsletter to stay connected as the digital arm of the show launches later in Summer 2021- visit www.howtocitizen.com to sign up!If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen. Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.CREDITSHow To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart, and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohn is our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Stephanie Cohn. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Baratunde digs into the world of Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income, in other words distributing money, much like we do when we subsidize farmers or oil companies, but instead to individual households. Where does this money come from? Who gets the money? Will people still work? What will people even spend it on? And how on earth does free cash help our economy? Baratunde sits down with Aisha Nyandoro to find out what exactly happens when you give people in extreme poverty a thousand dollars a month, no strings attached.  Guest: Aisha Nyandoro - CEO of Springboard To OpportunitiesTwitter: @aisha_nyandoroBio: Aisha Nyandoro is the Chief Executive Officer of Springboard To Opportunities. Springboard provides strategic, direct support to residents of affordable housing. The organization’s service delivery model uses a “radically resident-driven” approach designed to improve quality of life and end the generational poverty trajectory.SHOW NOTES + LINKSGo to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!We are grateful to Aisha Nyandoro for joining us! Follow Aisha at @aisha_nyandoro on Twitter and learn more about Springboard to Opportunities and Magnolia Mother’s Trust.ACTIONSPERSONALLY REFLECT Change the storyConsider the commonly told stories you’ve heard about poverty in America. Stories like “people are poor because of bad choices,” “poor folks are uneducated,” and “never give spare change to a homeless person because they’ll use it on drugs.” Now flip those stories. Think about the systems at play that keep people poor. Things like predatory payday lending, doctor-prescribed opioids, red-lining, social welfare programs with unrealistic thresholds, and drug-related incarceration rates for people of color. Who is benefiting from these misleading narratives, and keeping certain segments of society poor? BECOME INFORMEDLook for other modelsUniversal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income has been tested in a few different countries, regions, cities, and towns. So do some reading, and find out what the economists say about these programs. Check out this article from Vox listing out everywhere that has tried these programs and what learnings came out of each program. You can also check out the results from the most recent UBI experiment in Stockton, CA that spanned the course of two years. Learn about it here.  PUBLICLY PARTICIPATEDonate to Magnolia Mother’s TrustGot some capital you’re looking to liberate? This one is simple. Donate to Magnolia Mother’s Trust. Checkout springboardto.org/magnolia-mothers-trust/ to find out how. If you are sold on UBI as a part of the solution, get involved with others in the Income Movement and attend or sponsor a march near you planned for Sept 25th, 2021. If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention In People We Trust in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen. Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.CREDITSHow To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart, and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohn is our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Stephanie Cohn. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.