Podcast
Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams
Hosted by Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams · EN
Let's face it, sometimes the world feels broken. We can see what needs fixing, yet more and more, it feels like the problems are too big and the bad guys are winning. But the truth is, they’re not. They’re just hoping we stop fighting.
Welcome to Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, a new podcast from Crooked Media and Democratic changemaker Stacey Abrams. Stacey knows better than anyone that societal shifts happen when a group of ordinary people decide that a problem is solvable, and are willing to pitch in and work towards the solution.
Each week, Stacey will break down the biggest issues we face into digestible, actionable items, introduce us to the warriors for good already working towards solutions, strategize, and share tangible ways to get involved. Because we can't fix everything, everywhere, all at once; but we can each do something, somewhere, soon. You can watch on Youtube or listen to new episodes every Tuesday.
92episodes
Episodes
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Kamala Harris Says Voters Are Done with the Status Quo
5d ago00:52:12Summary readyWhat is the future of the Democratic Party? How will redistricting shape voters’ power in the South? What are the latest primary results telling us about the political moment we’re in? Kamala D. Harris, 49th Vice President of the United States, joins Stacey to share what she’s hearing from voters on the ground as she travels through the South. They also talk about the new attitude Democrats need to win elections, fight back against Trump, and stop his authoritarian agenda.Learn & Do More: 1. BE CURIOUS: Sometimes it feels like we are overloaded with information, have a million articles open in tabs, and don’t know where to begin. Your homework is to pick one that piques your curiosity and sit down to read. And with news and reading on the decline, if you haven’t already subscribed to support your local newspaper, please consider doing so.The Ten Steps Campaign works with partner organizations across the country dedicated to uplifting their communities, and I would like to take the opportunity to rally support for their excellent work here today. Visit 10stepscampaign.org to find out what kind of democracy defender you are and get connected.2. SOLVE PROBLEMS: Run for Something Civics is a nonprofit organization that encourages young people to step up and run for office and helps support them with a free Future Candidates course. Visit runforsomethingcivics.net to sign up for training or to donate.3. DO GOOD: Above All is an organization dedicated to building a world where abortion care is affordable, available, and supported for everyone who needs it. Visit aboveall.org to learn more about their work and donate.
SummaryThe Battle for American Identity (w/ Ben Rhodes)
6d ago01:12:18Summary readyWhat can the great political speeches of the past teach us about the moment we’re living through today? Pod Save the World host and author of All We Say: The Battle for American Identity, Ben Rhodes joins Stacey Abrams to trace the history of civil rights in America through the words of some of the most influential voices across the political spectrum, from Martin Luther King Jr., Dolores Huerta, and Barack Obama to Alexander Stephens and Donald Trump. They also dig into the rise of modern authoritarianism, the latest in the Iran War, and how we can build community and find common ground in a time that feels increasingly fractured. Learn & Do More: BE CURIOUS: Pick up a copy of Ben Rhodes’ new book, All We Say: A History of the United States in Fifteen Speeches. SOLVE PROBLEMS: HeadCount is an organization that turns fans into voters by registering people at concerts, festivals, sporting events, and community gatherings anywhere you can turn a passion for culture into voting action. They need volunteers! Visit HeadCount.org to sign up to volunteer in your state or to donate. DO GOOD: With Monday’s massive earthquake in Colombia leading to casualties, as well as the recent devastating earthquake in Venezuela, it’s time to step up and help. Consider donating to World Central Kitchen, which provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Visit WCK.org to donate.
SummaryHow Trumpism Might Survive the Fall of Trump (w/ Eugene Daniels and Symone Sanders-Townsend)
2w ago00:59:55Summary readyTrump's second term has been defined by mounting corruption, but who, if anyone, is holding him accountable? MSNOW’s Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels join the show to discuss whether Republicans will ever push back against Trump's abuses of power, Todd Blanche's nomination, and the growing politicization of the Department of Justice. They also explain why the upcoming midterm elections could be the country's best chance to check authoritarianism, what it will take to build a durable pro-democracy majority, and why Americans should demand more from their government.Learn & Do More: BE CURIOUS: Subscribe to Eugene Daniels and Symone Sanders Townsend's podcast, Clock It wherever you get your podcasts. You can also catch Symone and Eugene in Texas this fall at "MS NOW Live: Together in Texas,” the network’s annual live event on September 26th. Tickets are on sale now at www.ms.now/together-in-texas-we-the-people-2026 SOLVE PROBLEMS: The midterm elections are just a few months away, and control of Congress will be on the ballot. Just as important are the state and local races that shape our daily lives. Learn about the candidates running in your community, find one you believe in, and sign up to volunteer. You can also connect with your local state party or civic organizations to learn more about ways to get involved. DO GOOD: Mississippi Votes is a youth-led organization that empowers young people through voter education, grassroots organizing, and community outreach. Visit msvotes.org to learn more, volunteer, or make a donation.
SummaryThere Actually Is a Plan: How Democrats Can Save Us and Keep Winning (w/ Ben Wikler)
3w ago01:09:59Summary readyAmerica can feel like it's spiraling out of control—but could a state like Wisconsin hold the blueprint for turning things around? Ben Wikler, former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and author of the new book This Is the Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy, joins Stacey Abrams to explain why the answer is yes. Drawing on Wisconsin's political battles, Wikler argues that Democrats can win back voters ahead of the midterms by learning from closely divided states that have successfully pushed back against Republicans. They discuss how Democrats can sharpen their messaging, the lasting impact of gerrymandering, whether it's finally time to abolish the Electoral College, and the power we all have to make a big difference by organizing locally.Learn & Do More: BE CURIOUS: Pick up a copy of Ben Wikler's This Is the Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy to learn more about his vision for building a future rooted in democracy, opportunity, and freedom for all. SOLVE PROBLEMS: Elections depend on poll workers, and many communities still need more. Power the Polls connects volunteers with local poll worker opportunities to help ensure safe, fair, and accessible elections. If you're interested in serving your community and earning some extra money while doing it visit http://powertothepolls.org to apply and help your neighbors vote. DO GOOD: As the new school year approaches, Operation Backpack, an initiative from Volunteers of America, is collecting donations to provide backpacks and school supplies for children experiencing homelessness, poverty, and other hardships. Your donation also supports essential services for children and families, including after-school programs and housing stability. You can also find volunteer opportunities in your area visit www.voa.org/operation-backpack-2026/ and consider inviting a few friends or neighbors to donate or volunteer alongside you.
SummaryThe Real(ish) History of America (w/ Heather Cox Richardson & Rebecca Nagle)
4w ago00:57:22Summary readyAmerica has an infamously imperfect past, but rather than confronting our demons, interpretations of our history have become a political football. This week, Stacey is joined by historian and author Heather Cox Richardson, and award winning journalist and member of the Cherokee nation, Rebecca Nagle. They talk about where America stands 250 years in, why erasing native history is so damaging, and how the way we frame our past shapes our civil discourse today. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Visit Heather Cox Richardson’s substack, “Letters from an American” for more excellent insight into American history. Also listen to Rebecca’s new podcast, “First America” and pick up a copy of her book, “By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight For Justice on Native Land”. Solve Problems: Consider donating to NDN Collective to support their mission of creating sustainable solutions on indigenous terms through organizing, activism, philanthropy, and more. And visit The Native American Rights Fund, an organization that holds government accountable and fights to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways through litigation. Do Good: A third servicemember has now died in the administration’s unjust and unconscionable war in Iran. Consider the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, to find meaningful ways to support military families.
SummaryWhy the Majority Needs the Minority to Save America with Kimberlé Crenshaw
Jul 1401:05:47Summary readyWhy do intersectionality and Critical Race Theory matter in today’s political climate? This week, Stacey sits down with civil rights advocate, Critical Race Theory scholar, and Columbia Law School professor Kimberlé Crenshaw to discuss how these frameworks help us make sense of issues ranging from the recent ICE killing in Houston, Texas, to the Trump administration’s attacks on the rights of marginalized communities. They also explore how today’s backlash against Critical Race Theory is tied to a broader effort to reshape American democracy, and explore how her own life shaped these groundbreaking ideas, as told in her new memoir, Backtalker: An American Memoir.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Pick up a copy of Kimberlé Crenshaw’s excellent new memoir, Backtalker: An American Memoir, as well as On Intersectionality: Selected Writings and Say Her Name: Black Women’s Stories of Police Violence and Public Silence. Solve Problems: We need more Black scholars like Kimberlé Crenshaw to help us understand our history, navigate our present, and shape a more just future. As programs that support students of color continue to be dismantled, consider supporting the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) or other organizations that create educational opportunities for the next generation of Black scholars. Do Good: As we saw in Houston, ICE activity resulting in violence, detention, and deportation has not gone away, it continues to escalate. Consider donating to your local immigrant detention center's commissary fund to help provide detainees with basic necessities. Each Step Home (eachstephome.org) is one organization doing this work. You can also support the Acacia Center for Justice (acaciajustice.org), which builds, strengthens, and expands immigrant legal defense programs for adults and children across the country.
SummaryWhy Art Might Save America - For Real
Jul 700:52:02Summary readyHow can art help save our democracy? The relationship between art and politics has shaped American history for generations. From challenging those in power to inspiring social movements, artists have long played a vital role in protecting and strengthening democracy. This week, Stacey sits down with actress, director, and activist Kathleen Turner and former mayor of Ithaca and President of People For the American Way, Svante Myrick, for a conversation about the Trump administration's attacks on media and artistic expression, the role celebrities and influencers can play in political mobilization, and People For the American Way's efforts to defend Black voting power amid a racial gerrymandering crisis.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Check out Colson Whitehead’s novel John Henry Days. The story tracks 120 years of American history - from the folk tale of the railroad worker to how America confronts and cloaks its challenges even now. Solve Problems: Visit People for the American Way’s website at peoplefor.org and check out their Art of Saving Democracy Action Kit to learn more about how to use art for social impact. Do Good: Record high temperatures nationwide are slowly easing up, but they are an important reminder to be vigilant about caring for vulnerable communities when extreme weather hits. Please check on your elderly friends and neighbors, particularly those living alone, to make sure they are safe. Learn more about cooling centers in your community where people without power can go.
SummaryObama's Library, Trump's UFC 250, and Two Very Different Americas
Jun 2301:23:13Summary readyThis week, guest host Melissa Murray, host of Crooked Media’s Strict Scrutiny podcast is joined by Erin Ryan, co-host of Crooked Media’s Hysteria. They juxtapose the Obama Presidential Center opening with Trump’s UFC event celebrating his 80th birthday, and talk about the two very different visions of our country that those events (and their attendants) represent. They also touch on Trump’s dismal approval ratings, the biggest takeaways from primary battles in states like New York and Georgia, the positive vibes at the World Cup, and why the right just can’t move on from attacking pride month. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.Learn & Do More: Be Curious: Listen to Strict Scrutiny and Hysteria, wherever you get your podcasts. Solve Problems: Don’t let the right twist your understanding of our founding documents. Educate yourself and those around you by picking up a copy of Melissa’s newest book, The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader. Do Good: Celebrate America’s 250th birthday by visiting constitutioncenter.org.
SummaryHow Christian Nationalism Threatens Democracy - Original Airdate 2025
Jun 1601:07:10Summary readyThis episode originally aired in 2025. Christian nationalism is an extremist, anti-democratic ideology rooted in the belief that the United States should be a nation for Christians to the exclusion of all others. In modern times, the Trump administration and its Republican allies have wielded this ideology as a weapon to divide Americans and implement an agenda via plans like the infamous Project 2025 that eviscerates the rights of immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community, questions the rights of women to vote, restores a freedom to discriminate against others and targets reproductive rights. This week, in response to a listener question asking what Christian nationalism has to do with the central tenets of Christianity, Stacey shares her own experience as a progressive, democratic Christian, pulling back the curtain on a core truth: the malice and hatred preached by right-wing religious leaders who shape our politics has nothing to do with Jesus’s actual teachings. She’s joined by Bishop William Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, and professor at Yale Divinity School and Father Greg Boyle, Jesuit priest, founder of Homeboy Industries, and author. Together, they break down the threat Christian nationalism poses to democracy and show how faith, at its best, can be a powerful force for justice and progress. This inspiring conversation has so much to offer all our listeners, whether they come from a Christian background, some other faith background, or no faith at all.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.Learn & Do More: BE CURIOUS: To learn more about progressive Christian philosophy, liberation theology is a good place to start: read “A Theology of Liberation” by Gustavo Gutierrez and “The Cross and the Lynching Tree” by James Cone. SOLVE PROBLEMS: Join secular or interfaith organizations that can oppose the march of Christian nationalism and reassert our faith pluralism. Check out the Interfaith Alliance at interfaithalliance.org, whose mission is to advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America. Look for similar groups where you live — but remember, belonging must be met with volume and action. DO GOOD: Visit homeboyindustries.org to learn how you can volunteer or donate to support their programs. Check out poorpeoplescampaign.org to get involved with a movement led by the poor and dedicated to supporting those in poverty across the country.
SummaryWhy Is Disability Still an Afterthought?
Jun 901:00:41Summary readyWhat does disability rights and representation really look like? While the Trump administration continues to decimate access to healthcare and dismantle civil rights, disabled Americans are often among those most affected and most overlooked. More than 70 million adults in the United States live with a disability, navigating barriers that extend far beyond health care. This week, Stacey is joined by Marlene Sallo, Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network, and disability rights advocate and motivational speaker Spencer West. They discuss the challenges facing the disability community, what many people get wrong about disability rights, and why building a more accessible and inclusive society is a social justice issue that impacts us all.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode dateLearn & Do More: Be Curious: Follow Spencer West on Instagram (@spencer2thewest) and expand your list of trusted creators, advocates, and journalists covering disability issues. Our guests also recommended The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: How To Build a Disability-Inclusive World by Tiffany Yu, and the books of the late activist and author Alice Wong. Finally, check out the Netflix documentary Crip Camp, which follows teens at a groundbreaking camp for young people with disabilities and their powerful journey as activists. Solve Problems: Visit NDRN.org to learn more about the issues impacting disabled communities and how you can contact your elected representatives to advocate for change. If you are disabled and need assistance, the National Disability Rights Network can help connect you with legal advocacy and support services. You can also support their work by making a donation. Do Good: Look for organizations in your community that are advancing disability rights and accessibility. For example, New Disabled South at https://www.newdisabledsouth.org/ hosts remote and accessible events focused on issues such as voting rights, immigration enforcement, and other policies that uniquely affect disabled communities. Find an organization near you, get involved, and support the work being done on the ground.
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