Kshama Sawant surprised political observers in Seattle, upsetting an incumbent with a campaign based on her support for a $15 minimum wage. Since taking office she has challenged the status quo and the politicians that support it. Mike and Kshama share their experiences of activists who became elected officials and the unwritten rules that are supposed to govern political behavior in a one-party town. Can you fight the power, represent average working people and win? Kshama has done it so far. Listen in as Mike and Kshama do their best to suppress their earnest lefty rhetoric to deliver an entertaining show.
Mike McGinn
Organizer, Climate Activist, Former Mayor
I started this podcast in 2014 because I wanted to highlight people I met when I was Mayor of Seattle. I hoped that hearing stories from people on the front lines of social change - how they got started, what they cared about - would inspire others to take action. If you go through the archives you'll find interviews with some some great people.
We're on hiatus right now, but I'm pretty sure we're coming back! And we did our best to make the prior episodes "evergreen" - not tied to topical events - so give one a try and see what you think.
A little background - the title is derived from the teachings of Marshall Ganz. Change ultimately comes from people sharing their stories to build a shared narrative of the world they want to see.
I hope you'll check out some of the prior shows, and, even better, get involved yourself in trying to change things for the better.