Civics & Coffee: Five Years of Civics & Coffee — Welcome to the New Era!

Podcast: Civics & Coffee: A History Podcast
Host: Alycia Asai
Episode: Five Years of Civics & Coffee: Welcome to the New Era!
Date: August 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This milestone episode marks the fifth anniversary of Civics & Coffee. Host Alycia Asai reflects on the podcast’s origins during the pandemic, shares gratitude for supporters, and unveils updates to the show’s branding and future direction. She offers insights on making history accessible, discusses community building in the history podcast space, launches a celebratory giveaway, and answers listener questions in a Q&A segment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin Story & Motivation

• Podcast Beginnings

  • The podcast launched in summer 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, presidential election, and nationwide protests over racial justice.
  • Alycia was “completely overwhelmed at first” given the high bar set by existing history podcasts.
  • Memorable Quote:

    “What the heck would I add to the conversation? How could I be different? Then it hit me. History and the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee.” — Alycia (03:19)

• Making History Approachable

  • The concept: short episodes exploring both well-known and overlooked topics in American history, “delivered in the time it takes to enjoy your morning cup of coffee.” (02:44)
  • Intention: offer digestible, accessible, and fun history storytelling.

2. Joining the Podcasting & History Community (05:35)

• Initial Nerves and Community Support

  • Alycia felt like an imposter at first but found the podcasting and history communities to be supportive and collaborative.
  • Learned technical skills on the fly, with gratitude for “Apple’s built-in recording software… pretty seamless. At least for a beginner like me.” (06:50)

• Shout-Outs and Collaborations

  • Special thanks to fellow podcasters and history creators who supported her early on, including Jerry from “Presidencies of the United States,” Philip Shackelford (The Modern Scholar Podcast), Rachel and Leah (History), Kenny Ryan (Abridged Presidential Histories), and Howard Dorey (Plotting through the Presidencies).
  • Notable Quote:

    “But I also want to send a big thank you to the friends and colleagues I’ve made along the way.” — Alycia (08:10)

3. Evolution: From Solo Episodes to Guest Interviews (10:43)

• Pivot to Interviews
  • Alycia initially found interviewing historians daunting. The turning point came unexpectedly after a tweet mentioning Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, which led to her agreeing to join the show.
  • The positive experience boosted Alycia’s confidence and led to more interviews, which have become one of her favorite parts of producing the show.
  • Memorable Moment:

    “To my utter shock, Dr. Chervinsky graciously responded she would be willing to come anytime and peeps, believe me when I tell you, I was gobsmacked, shocked, and a little terrified.” (12:20)

4. Personal Growth: Graduate School & Renewed Focus (14:18)

• Academic Milestone
  • Podcasting inspired Alycia to apply to graduate school, where she earned a Master’s degree researching women, labor, and welfare history.
  • She credits the show for helping her remain active in the historical community and shaping her commitment to public history.

5. Rebranding & “New Era” Announcement (16:32)

• Reason for Rebrand

  • Recognized “Civics & Coffee” didn’t fully reflect the podcast’s scope, especially now as a trained historian.
  • The new subtitle, “a history podcast”, clarifies the show’s purpose while retaining its identity.

• Production & Distribution Changes

  • New intro and outro, and a new trailer better articulating the show’s focus.
  • Launch of a YouTube channel with all past and future episodes; Alycia welcomes content feedback from listeners.
  • Format Update:
    • Interviews with historians and authors to be released on Tuesdays; narrative episodes remain on Saturdays.
    • Quote:

      “…Moving forward, historian and author interviews will be released on Tuesdays. This will allow the narrative to stay on track every Saturday…” (19:46)

6. Fifth Anniversary Giveaway (21:02)

• Interactive Celebration
  • Alycia is giving away a book by one of her past guests.
  • Listeners can enter through Patreon, sharing a favorite episode and tagging Alycia, or leaving a podcast review and sending it to her.
  • Deadline: August 16th; winner announced August 17th.

7. Listener Q&A Segment (22:43)

a. What’s a History Topic Not Covered in K–12 But Should Be?

• Alycia notes the lack of attention to Reconstruction and women’s roles in U.S. history from her own experience. She advocates for representation and integrating figures like Abigail Adams and women on battlefields into standard history curriculums.
• Quote:

  “I am a firm believer in the sentiment that representation matters, and I think we would see increased interest from kids about history if they learned about the people who looked like them.” — Alycia (23:40)

b. How Do You Stay Enthusiastic and Read So Much?

• Alycia’s enthusiasm is rooted in seeing history’s influence everywhere—from Social Security to daily life.
• She attributes her drive to time management, passion, and “an amazing support system,” most notably her husband.
• Memorable Quote:

  “History is everywhere, and I think that’s what keeps me engaged and enthused.” (25:36)
  “History is also my hobby. Some people go fly fishing, some kayak, and camp—I am a history dork through and through.” (26:56)

c. How Do You Meet Podcast Guests?

• Most guests find Alycia via outreach, recommendations, or editors’ pitches—she rarely cold calls.
• Conference connections also play a role.

d. Most Memorable Podcast Moment?

• Alycia names a podcasting panel with Philip Shackelford as a highlight for its engaging discussion about podcasting’s educational power.
• Quote:

  “It was such a delight to chat with academics and historians about the power of podcasting and how much of an educational tool it can be.” (30:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I believed, perhaps a bit naively, that I could build short and interesting episodes exploring American history and share stories people may have missed.” (04:13)
• “My time in graduate school was transformative and I left Sonoma State University with a deep appreciation for the quality of the training I received and a renewed commitment to remain part of the historical community.” (15:00)
• “You all inspire me every single day and I remain eternally grateful for your support.” (32:05)

Important Timestamps

• 00:01–03:20 — Reflections on starting the podcast during COVID-19 and defining the show’s framework
• 05:35–09:00 — Navigating podcasting, learning, and expressing gratitude to supporters/colleagues
• 10:43–13:30 — First guest interview and its impact
• 14:18–16:30 — Graduate school and personal growth
• 16:32–21:00 — Rebranding details and new show format
• 21:02–22:43 — Anniversary giveaway announcement
• 22:43–31:00 — Listener Q&A (curriculum, motivation, guests, memorable moments)
• 32:05–close — Final words of gratitude and call to subscribe

Summary & Tone

Alycia Asai’s reflective, conversational, and approachable style radiates throughout the episode. She is both candid about her initial fears and grateful for the mentorship and kindness found in the podcasting community. This fifth-anniversary episode affirms Civics & Coffee’s mission: making nuanced U.S. history accessible, relevant, and lively—always with warmth, humility, and a listener-first approach.