Podcast
How To Citizen with Baratunde
Hosted by iHeartPodcasts · EN
How To Citizen with Baratunde reimagines the word “citizen” as a verb and reminds us how to wield our collective power. So many of us want to do more in response to the problems we hear about constantly, but where and how to participate can leave us feeling overwhelmed and helpless. Voting, while critically important, simply isn’t enough. It takes more to make this experiment in self-governance work! Listen in to learn new perspectives and practices from people working to improve society for the many. Join writer, activist, and comedian Baratunde Thurston on a journey beyond politics as usual that will leave us all more hopeful, connected, and moved to act.
13episodes
Episodes
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A Tax Day Message about Layoffs With Consent
Apr 15, 202500:04:59Tap to summarizeIt’s Tax Day in the U.S., a moment when many of us think about how we fund collective life. So today’s story? It’s about layoffs — but not the kind we’ve come to expect. See the visuals for this story and all our Week of Citizening stories here:https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/this-tax-day-solidarity-and-consent We’re often told democracy is too slow or messy for hard moments. But this episode shows that it’s exactly in those moments that shared power matters most. This isn’t just a story about layoffs. It’s a rejection of the authoritarian reflex in boardrooms, governments, and beyond. It’s about choosing to citizen, even — and especially — when it’s hard. This story is not the teary CEO on Zoom. Not the cold memo. Not the decision handed down from above. This story is different. Kate “Sassy” Sassoon helped an organization in financial crisis involve everyone in the decision-making process. Together, they: Cut costs with consent Shared the burden of leadership Kept more people employed — and all people respected “They felt like complete, full humans. Seen. Heard. Valued.” — Kate Sign up to share and discover more stories like this: https://stories.howtocitizen.com Video Produced by: Tess Novotnoy Week of Citizening Collaborators: Baratunde Thurston, Jon Alexander, Shira Abramowitz, Elizabeth StewartSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Libraries Are Hubs for Citizening - Story 1
Apr 15, 202500:03:53Tap to summarizeWatch this first video story from the Week of Citizening on Instagram or LinkedIn: https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/1st-story-libraries-are-hubs-for?r=204q7 What if every library in the world was a hub for citizening—a space where people could come together, tell their own stories, and build new ones? It’s already happening. And Cossit Llibrary in downtown Memphis is leading the way. 🎙️ Meet Ena Esco — Innovator-in-Residence for podcast programming. In a city that’s majority Black and shaped by deep economic challenges, Ena is turning a traditional library into a platform for power. Inside this public library you’ll find: 📸 A podcast studio 🎥 A video + photo lab 🎭 A performance space All free. All open to the public. “We live in an era where a lot of people are being silenced. I’m proud to mentor folks and watch them realize: they can say what they truly want to say.” — Ena Esco This is what it looks like to practice power. To citizen. 🔗 Want more stories like this? Visit https://stories.howtocitizen.com Story produced by Tess Novotnoy This is part of the Week Of Citizening stories jointly amplified by How To Citizen, Jon Alexander, and Baratunde Thurston See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →BONUS: Baratunde On Peril and Promise of AI
May 25, 2023Tap to summarizeWelcome to a special bonus episode of How To Citizen. We are sharing Baratunde's appearance on the What Could Go Right? podcast, created by The Progress Network. Baratunde discusses technology, and specifically generative artificial intelligence, and how it might help or hinder human progress and how it aligns or deviates from our concept of citizen as a verb. As always, find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! Please show your support for the show by reviewing and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords and helps others like you find the show! How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at Puck. You can find him all over the internet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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