Join Chair Yvette Lewis as she sits down with Senator Mary Washington and Councilmember Evan Glass to talk about Pride Month.

MD Dems Podcast

Pride and Progress

Join Chair Yvette Lewis as she sits down with State Senate President Bill Ferguson and Speaker Adrienne A. Jones to recap the 2021 Legislative Session!

All About Session

For The People

Chair Yvette Lewis sits down with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin and discusses the newly passed American Rescue Plan, his role as Chair of the U.S. Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and more. You won't want to miss this episode!

Catching Up With Cardin

Chair Yvette Lewis hosts conversations with Congressmen Anthony Brown and Kweisi Mfume. Together, they discuss their careers, the hard work they’ve been doing in Congress, and how we can fight systemic inequalities. You can also expect to hear them discuss how the Biden-Harris administration is building our country back better.

A Black History Month Conversation

Chair Yvette Lewis talks with Hagerstown Mayor Emily Keller about her historic election as the first woman mayor of Hagerstown, COVID response, and local matters in Hagerstown.

New Beginnings

The 2020 Maryland Democratic Party Year in Review with State Senator Cory McCray, Party Chair Yvette Lewis, and Executive Director Eva Lewis!

The Year In Review

Victories And Lessons

ft. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and former NFL player Torrey Smith, moderated by Chair Yvette Lewis. This episode discusses why we vote and the importance of voting. Leader Hoyer and Smith talk about what is different about this election and what is on the line. The podcast starts with Leader Hoyer talking to undecided voters, telling them the Vice President Biden he knows. (2:45) Chair Lewis follows up by asking Leader Hoyer about how the political landscape has shifted after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and why winning not only the presidency, but also the House and Senate majority is vitally important.(6:54) The conversation then goes to Smith, who speaks about policies from Joe Biden that stick out to him.(11:45) Smith talks about the importance of criminal justice reform and voting for candidates that will implement change. Smith and Leader Hoyer proceed to talk about health care and the implications of removing the Affordable Care Act during a global pandemic. Chair Lewis asks why voting is important and how can we make access easier.(15:55) Smith and Leader Hoyer discuss how this election is different from 2016, and how we can capitalize on energy from youth activism.(20:51) Smith discusses why it is important for everyone to be involved and vote, regardless of age and race.(26:34) Smith and Leader Hoyer discuss keeping your elected officials accountable after they have been elected to office. Chair Lewis asks how to navigate voting during the global pandemic, whether it is by mail or in person.(37:46) Smith and Leader Hoyer close it out with final words.(43:04)

Why We Vote

The New York Times and the Washington Post published damaging exposes of Trump's inaction in January 2020. Consumed with impeachment and trade negotiatons with China, President Trump missed a crucial window to prepare for the novel coronavirus that has thus far claimed more than 22,000 lives and toppled our economy. On this episode Arinze dives into those stories and delivers a heartfelt message about the need for party unity in the aftermath of Senator Sanders' exit from the primary and subsequent endorsement of Vice President Joe Biden. Be sure to subscribe, so you never miss an episode. If you have any feedback you can email us at info@mddems.org!

Ep. 39: No More Malarkey

Arinze delivers a scathing assessment of Trump's propaganda press conferences. The task force briefings are purposefully timed to preempt local and national news coverage. These "briefings" regularly feed lies and disinformation to the American public that are designed to boost Trump's approval ratings as his administration bungles its response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Tune in for a brand new podcast format as the Maryland Democratic Party shifts its operation to digital organizing in this new social distancing era. Be sure to share your feedback or share your comments on air via voicenote by emailing info@mddems.org. Thanks for listening! Stay safe, wash your hands, and TRUST SCIENCE.

Ep. 38: Stockpile of Lies

ft. Del. Pam Queen (D-14). The podcast opens with a candid discussion about Del. Queen’s educational background (a bachelors, two masters, and a PHD) in the STEM field and the challenges she faced early on in her career. Her personal story dovetails into the ongoing fight for greater funding for Maryland’s HBCUs. Del. Queen goes on to talk about her work with Black Girls Vote at Morgan State University (8:50) and how she is getting students involved in grassroots efforts to support the Maryland HBCU lawsuit. Next Del. Queen discusses her “Equal Pay - Equal Work” bill (10:50), her bill to screen for the presence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) in schools (12:30), her work on the Economic Stability workgroup (17:20), and a bill to bring more childcare subsidies (23:00) to Maryland families. Arinze asks Del. Queen about the social and philanthropic organizations that she is apart of, and how they’ve helped her run for public office (24:26). The conversation wraps with a discussion focused on how Del. Queen got her start in politics (26:22) and her outlook on the future of the Maryland General Assembly (28:25).

Ep. 37: Sine Die pt. 2

ft. Speaker Pro Tem, Del. Sheree Sample Hughes (D-37A). On this episode Del. Sample Hughes discusses what it means to be the only Democrat representing Maryland’s Eastern Shore (2:52) and addresses some of the challenges the Shore is facing— including access to broadband internet (5:34) and physician shortages (10:14). Later we discuss her role as a mentor to new legislators (18:21) and her responsibilities as Speaker Pro Tem. Del. Sample Hughes opens up about the challenges she faced as a woman aspiring to hold elected office (24:15) and the importance of relying on her loved ones to help make serving in the legislature a reality (29:09). The podcast closes with her thoughts on the amount of bills the MDGA hears on an annual basis (32:20), the new direction of the House of Delegates (37:52), and the need for Maryland’s HBCUs to be rightfully compensated after years of underfunding (41:12).

Ep. 36: Sine Die pt. 1

On this episode Arinze sits with Prince George’s State Central Committee Member Chris Stevenson and Democratic activist Julio Murillo to discuss the new dynamics of the 2020 Presidential Primary. The pod opens with Chris— a Black and Latinx voter— and Julio— a Latinx voter— assessing how we’ve arrived to our final two candidates (3:20 - 10:26). Arinze asks what the outlook is for the Party post-convention (10:35) and Julio says the Vice Presidential pick this cycle could be especially critical to winning in November (13:00). Arinze takes issue the pejorative usage of the term establishment, and argues that the “establishment” delivered America’s first black president, healthcare reform, and more (15:15). The group debates whether Progressives can count on signature issues like Medicare for All and Student Loan Relief could actually be enacted (19:44) by a Democratic president and if working class whites, moderate Republicans, and independents can be trusted to vote for the Democratic nominee in November (26:30). The conversation then turns to a discussion about what Biden has to do to connect with Latinx voters and what Bernie has to do to connect with black voters through the remainder of the Primary contest (34:07). The episode wraps with a discussion about turnout (42:50) and early predictions about which policies could conceivably be enacted by Sanders or Biden prior to the 2022 midterms (53:50). Wash your hands.

Ep. 35: And Then There Were 2...

ft. Caryn York, CEO of JOTF (Job Opportunities Task Force). On this episode Arinze sits down with Caryn to discuss the work of JOTF— whose mission is to help transition low wage workers to high wage jobs. Caryn explains what the “criminalization of poverty” is and why JOTF is working to eradicate it from our public policies (3:22). Part of that work includes reforming Maryland’s overwhelmingly punitive child support system and understanding how to put in place policies that actually benefit chilren and co-parents (7:40). Caryn talks about the solutions JOTF is supporting to help create more equitable child support guidelines (16:40) and explains how economic justice is inextricably linked to our criminal justice system (20:40). Next Arinze asks Caryn about the changes she’s seen in the General Assembly under new leadership (21:40) and their willingness to take a different approach to longstanding issues such as criminal record expungement (22:50)— particularly the elimination of the “unit rule” which is preventing tens of thousands of Marylanders accessing expungement. Caryn explains why these Marylanders cannot get dropped charges off of their criminal records— the reason will blow your mind (24:40). Arinze asks Caryn how this year’s “tough on crime” rhetoric is impacting JOTF’s work to reform the criminal justice system and decriminalize poverty (31:20). The conversation wraps with this question: “What should politicians seeking election or re-election in Baltimore pursue to help turn the City around?” (36:30).

Ep. 34: Economic Justice Warrior

The Maryland Democratic Party hosts a weekly deep dive into Maryland politics, national news, and the political strategies it will take to win back the White House and the Governor's Mansion in Maryland.

hubhopper

MD Dems Podcast

hubhopper