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Myanmar's streets have been filled with pro-democracy protesters following the military coup on February 1st. On this episode, a pro-democracy activist and organizer, Mo Lwin, gives us a rare look into how hundreds of thousands of people are organizing in the face of an increasingly violent military. With democracies around the world facing an uphill battle, the crisis in Myanmar is one we all have a stake in.

One week ago, Myanmar joined the growing list of democracies in recent years to backslide into autocracies. The military carried out a coup over unfounded claims of widespread election fraud (sound familiar, America?) and arrested leaders of the democratically-elected party. On this episode, we follow the rise and fall of democracy in Myanmar and discuss its repercussions on democracy at large.

Board certified Allergist and Immunologist, Dr. Renuka Basavaraju, explains everything you need to know before getting the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine: from deciding if you are eligible for the vaccination to precautions you should take based on your medical history. There is a lot of information (some credible, some not) circulating about the vaccine. This episode condenses the research-based facts on the vaccine in a way that does not require a science degree.

In the days following the attack on the Capitol, the question of ‘how’ weighs the heaviest. To answer that, this episode goes back ten years to discover the origin of the attack. And, maybe more importantly, investigates if another Trump-supporter attack will happen again. What happened on January 6th could be the beginning of a dark period for American democracy, or be the end of one.

Everything that could possibly be said about 2020 has been said, and, well, here are three more. In a year that has taken about 1.8 million lives from COVID-19 around the world and caused economic devastation, it made us face some things we have been putting off. From the personal to the societal: How does a movement on race reckoning come to fruition? What makes our worldview so different from others? Which relationships are truly important to us?

Listen for a quick exploration of the questions we faced this year. (Also, because you have exhausted everything on Netflix.)

Critique of Trump supporters’ platform from the last episode was met with some backlash. And no, it wasn’t from the people who *are* Trump supporters. It was from those who actively oppose him. I can’t say I’m surprised. Outspoken women have not been the ideal for, well, all of time. But, lucky for me, I’d rather be a ‘bitch’ than a bystander. And so should you. In this episode, I parse out which of us are ‘bystanders’ and draw on Black history to show the power of bystanders to drive social justice.

Only a few weeks after Biden’s win, rumors of a 2024 Trump presidential bid have begun to surface; reminding us that the authoritarian movement that Trump inspired will not go quietly. And is one that we cannot afford to misunderstand. On this episode, host Anita Kirti debates with the President of the largest Republican women’s organization in Texas on her party’s support for Trump. And breaks-down the go-to arguments of Trump supporters to reveal their links to authoritarianism and prejudice.

What was supposed to be a sweeping referendum on Donald Trump, turned out to be a marginal victory for Democrats. So, if you’re counting, that’s the second time Democrats and their polls underestimated the power of Trumpism. It seems to be that they are in denial about the significant reason why Trump’s supporters remain unwaveringly loyal: authoritarianism. In this episode, we dive into the psychology behind what Trump activated in his base and what it means to our ability to reunite our country.

Most of us are guilty of chalking up the position of the opposing political party to sheer stupidity. Yet, as confounding as it is, they do have a method to their madness. Social psychologists have pinpointed why some people don’t see the world as we do. And, from that, they developed a persuasive tool called moral reframing, that allows you to effectively communicate your position to people with opposing political views. On this episode, we will be joined by Jan Voelkel, a PhD candidate at the Department of Sociology at Stanford, who has authored multiple papers on political ideology, to discuss moral reframing.

A secondary mental health pandemic is being left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts fear that prolonged periods of uncertainty, stress, and grief will leave many with post traumatic stress disorder. This episode explores Post Traumatic Growth, a process of facilitating personal growth after trauma. An interview with Dr. Tedeschi, one of the founders of the concept, explores how to apply this concept to pandemic-related trauma and discusses the scope of the mental health crisis that is developing.

In 2016, the numbers were in their favor. In 2020, it's only four years later. You're seeing more college educated, white people and more minorities, which is already closing that gap even further. By 2024, 2028, it's going to become increasingly difficult to run on white supremacy.

The United States is more equipped than ever before to tackle a pandemic, yet, with only 4% of the world’ population, the US makes up 20% of COVID-19 deaths in the world. We know that tools like distancing and mask-wearing can control the spread, while we create a vaccination. But just as scientists learned of the power of masks against infection spread, many Americans began to reject them. Why would Americans actively work against controlling the death toll of COVID-19? The answer is the most American thing ever.

Color-blind racism seems to be the most insidious strain of white supremacy to have taken hold in America. It is a reincarnation of the the same idea that brought slavery and Jim Crow — but this time it’s called “law and order”. The rhetorical strategy (now heavily used in the Trump 2020 re-election campaign) is weaponized through the criminal justice system to take the lives of thousands of Black people; all while making sure politicians and the white middle class never get their hands dirty. But, now, America is taking a closer look at the white-fear mongering that justified ‘The New Jim Crow’. Restructuring the criminal justice system and police brutality is a start, but without addressing color-blind racism, we will be back here in 40 years fighting against another brand of white supremacy.

In a ‘post-racial America’, color-blind rhetoric is crafted to continue white supremacy. And is used to create the current incarceration system through the War On Drugs in the 80s and 90s. This episode follows how politicians, media, and white resentment work together to put millions of Black people in the incarceration system. Hint: It’s all in what’s left unsaid.

The Black Lives Matter movement has consumed mainstream consciousness; bringing on a reckoning with police brutality. News outlets and social media have barraged the public with information, which only presents pieces of the bigger picture. So, while most agree that police brutality should end, the ‘how’ is not as clear. To answer that, we need to start at the beginning. This episode will lay out the historical context of police brutality; starting from America’s original sin.