On The Issues With Michele Goodwin

As part of our Black History Month Rewind at Ms. Studios, we're revisiting some of our favorite past episodes. First up, we're taking a look of voting rights and voter suppression, revisiting an episode recorded ahead of the 2020 presidential election. At the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, voting activist and civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer described the violent injustice she and others had endured while living under the South’s Jim Crow rules and fighting for the right to vote: “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired!”Over 50 years later, ahead of the 2020 election, we see record early voting across the country. Even so, serious efforts aimed at voter suppression persist, including curbing access to mail-in voting and shutting down polling locations.So, what are the biggest threats to voting rights today? How is voter suppression showing up in the 2020 election? What can we do to ensure that our elections remain free and fair?Joining us to discuss these issues are some very special guests:Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Clarke leads one of the nation’s most important national civil rights organizations in the pursuit of equal justice for all. She is the author of Barack Obama and African American Empowerment: The Rise of Black America’s New Leadership.Judge Glenda Hatchett, who served as senior attorney at Delta Airlines before becoming the chief presiding judge of Fulton County Georgia Juvenile Court in Atlanta.  Her law firm, the Hatchett Firm, represented Philando Castille’s estate in the wake of his tragic death. She presides over the two-time Emmy-nominated courtroom series, Judge Hatchett, now in its 16th season. Most recently, she has returned to TV in her new television court series, The Verdict with Judge Hatchett.Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center—and the first Black woman to hold that title.  She is an active participant on the governance council of the Southern Movement Assembly, and an organizer with Concerned Citizens for Justice. She has served on the National Council of the Student Environmental Action Coalition.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

Welcome to The Magazine, our mini-pod, which gives a peek into Ms. magazine's forthcoming and current issues.  In this episode, listeners hear about the Spring 2025 issue—which delves into the feminist resistance to the second Trump administration—as it hits newsstands.  Support the show

We begin 2025 on 'On the Issues' with special guest Dr. Anthony Fauci. In this episode we discuss some of the most important issues currently confronting the health of our nation and the world—from vaccine skepticism, COVID denialism, and health misinformation and disinformation to the rising tide of violence aimed at medical providers. Dr. Fauci joins us to express his hope for the future, offer insights on the pushback against vaccines, and speak candidly about how his life changed after being in the public spotlight at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the toll it took on him and his family.Joining us to discuss these issues is our very special guest:Dr. Anthony Fauci: Dr. Anthony Fauci served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) from 1984-2022. He also served as Chief Medical Advisor to the President in the Biden administration from 2020-2022.  He is currently a Distinguished University Professor in the School of Medicine at Georgetown University, where he also holds an additional appointment in the university’s McCourt School of Public Policy. He is also the author of On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

In this episode, we continue to assess and reckon with the 2024 election results.  How did abortion rights prevail, while anti-abortion lawmakers were elected in the very same states? What will a Trump administration mean for women's rights, federal courts, agencies and throughout government?  Are there any safeguards left as a check or restraint on abuse of office?  And, what silver linings can we find among the election results? Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight are our very special guests, Moira Donegan: Moira Donegan is a feminist writer and opinion columnist with the Guardian U.S., as well as a writer in residence for the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University.Fatima Goss Graves: Fatima Goss Graves is president of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, and a co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

Election administration continues to be one of the most compelling, challenging, and increasingly dangerous jobs at the federal, state, and local levels. A recent survey by the Brennan Center revealed that over a third of election officials have experienced threats, harassment, or abuse just for doing their jobs.In the face of these fundamental challenges to our democracy and an environment that has increasingly been characterized by political polarization, how can we protect our elections and support our election officials?To discuss these important issues, we’re joined by three special guests:Natalie Adona: Natalia Adona is the county clerk, recorder-elect, and the former assistant clerk-recorder and registrar of voters for Nevada County, California. Tonya Wichman: Tonya Wichman is the Director of the Defiance County Board of Elections, in Defiance, Ohio, and a certified elections and registration administrator.Gabriella Cázares-Kelly: Gabriella Cázares-Kelly is the county recorder in Pima County, Arizona, where she made history in 2020 as the first Native American to be elected to a countywide seat.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

This week, we’re continuing our coverage of the lead-up to November’s elections by looking at an institution that has become increasingly contentious over the past four years: the U.S. Supreme Court. The specter of the Court has loomed over these elections like never before—from former President Trump repeatedly taking credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and thanking the Justices he appointed for doing so, to the next president’s role in reshaping the Court. What role is the Court playing in this election cycle and how will this election cycle influence the next four years of Supreme Court rulings?Helping us to sort through these questions and set the record straight is our very special guest, Skye Perryman: Skye L. Perryman is President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan, national legal organization that promotes democracy and progress through litigation, regulatory engagement, policy education, and research. She previously served as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

In the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, the role that women are playing in this election is clearer than ever. Now under two weeks out from election day, we’re aware that so much is at stake for the entire nation, and for women in particular. This week, as we continue our coverage of the lead-up to the November elections, we’re exploring the role of women and gender in this election. What are we seeing in terms of the gender gap? How will abortion policies impact the outcome of the presidential election? And how are media narratives addressing all of these issues, and influencing voters? Joining us to discuss these pressing issues is our very special guest: Fatima Goss Graves. Fatima Goss Graves is president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, president of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, and a co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

This week, we’re bringing back a very good friend of ‘On the Issues’ to talk about a topic that will profoundly influence the outcome of this fall’s elections: voter suppression. As voters head to the polls, officials and activists on the ground in states like Georgia are sounding the alarm about rules and voting restrictions that could significantly impact peoples’ ability to vote. What are the biggest threats to voting rights today? How will voter suppression impact the outcome of the 2024 November elections, from down-ballot races to the presidential contest—and how can we fight back against it, before election day gets here?Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight is our very special guest, Prof. Anthony Michael Kreis is a professor of law and political science with Georgia State University. His research examines the relationship between social change and the law, focusing on the relationship between American political history and the development of law over time.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

In this episode, we dive into a topic that’s more relevant than ever this election season: masculinity. White men are mobilizing to support Kamala Harris and we unpack why.  Polls are showing a growing gender gap, this election season—with women favoring Harris, while men favor Trump—but is the polling accurate? If so, what can we learn from this? How have the election’s gender politics changed, in the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris running for president? How does Trump continue to influence American masculinities years after leaving political office—and how will masculinity influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election?Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight is our very special guest, Jackson Katz: Jackson Katz, Ph.D., is a regular Ms. contributor and creator of the 2020 documentary The Man Card: White Male Identity Politics from Nixon to Trump, which was just rereleased in a newly revised and updated version. He is also a member of the Young Men Research Initiative working group and founder of Men for Democracy.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

On this week’s episode, we’re thinking about the return to school and Congress with Michigan Rep. Hilary Scholten. As we return to both, many things are top of mind: issues like gun safety, policies that benefit mothers and families, and much more are all things that matter at home, in schools, and in Congress. These are also major issues this election season. How can we ensure that our children and families aren’t just safe—but can thrive?Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight is our very special guest,Rep. Hilary Scholten: Congresswoman Hillary J. Scholten serves Michigan’s Third Congressional District. She began her career as a social worker, working with people affected by issues of housing and homelessness, and she is the first woman and mother ever to represent Michigan’s Third District in Congress.Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show