Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams
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.
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.
Episodes (54)
The Republican Dismantling of Public Education
As back-to-school season kicks off, the Trump Administration has gutted the Department of Education, and his Republican allies in Congress have followed suit by slashing funds for our public schools....
More Happier: Talking Romance Writing with Stacey Abrams and Lori Gottlieb
In this Roundtable discussion, we explore the role of romance in fiction and real life. Author and political leader Stacey Abrams explains how she weaves it into her suspense novels by focusing on...
How to Fight Back Against the Republicans’ Anti-Abortion Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism takes many forms - including stripping women of their rights. This summer marked three years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, eradicating the federal constitutional right to abortion...
Ezra Klein on Abundance and Reclaiming the Democratic Vision
In the Ten Steps to Autocracy, step four is convincing citizens that democracy just isn’t working. If democracy isn’t working, then people will be seduced by populist promises and grievance politics....
How Christian Nationalism Threatens Democracy
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...
How Trump’s War on Journalism Can End America
Donald Trump has been called many things: authoritarian, racist, liar, scam artist. Stacey Abrams is adding one more…aspiring autocrat. Inspired by Princeton professor Kim Scheppele, Stacey has...
How the Republican Megabill Hurts Everyone
On July 4th, Trump signed the devastating and dangerous Republican "Megabill" into law — a sweeping measure that targets the young and the vulnerable to further enrich the wealthy. But we’re all...
Buffy, Bad Bills, and Burning Questions with Stacey Abrams
In the very first edition of Assembly Required’s listener mailbag, Stacey Abrams tackles your wide-ranging, urgent questions—from politics to pop culture. She dives into MAGA’s Epstein-fueled outrage,...
How to Find the Funny in Times of Crisis (with Amber Ruffin)
Political humor is more than just a distraction. It’s where punchlines meet headlines and chaos turns into catharsis. It offers us moments of levity amid an overwhelming, anxiety-fueled news cycle. In...
How We Can Save Our National Story - One Park at a Time
National parks and public lands tell us who we are - and remind us of how we fit into the grander scheme of things. They give people the chance to connect with the awe-inspiring beauty of nature,...
The Danger of Trump’s Supreme Court
Late June marks the end of the Supreme Court term—a moment when some of the most consequential decisions in American life are handed down. At stake are rulings that could reshape democracy and...
ICE Raids, Military Force on American Soil, and the Fight for Justice in America
Last week, ICE stormed through Los Angeles, raiding Home Depots, warehouses, and schools in a cruel, targeted crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Those raids sparked a wave of protests as thousands...
The Future of Political Messaging Is Young and Online
Winning elections starts now, and that’s only the beginning. The way we get our news has always evolved, and today we face a fractured media landscape that makes it harder to reach people...
Who Should Reproduce? The Politics of Family Planning in the Trump Era
The U.S. birth rate is falling, and the Trump administration has a solution: Make. More. Babies. But instead of expanding support for families—through childcare, reproductive healthcare access, or...
How Project 2025 Is Rewriting America - Phase II
Project 2025 is no longer just a blueprint—it is rapidly in motion. Over the past four months, the Republicans have begun implementing its sweeping, 900+ page plan to transform America into a...
The Real Power of Protest: How We Fight Back and Win
There is nothing more toxic to tyranny than those willing to fight back. Across the country, every day Americans are exercising their First Amendment rights and raising their voice in protest against...
Rachel Maddow on Winning America’s Fight Against Fascism
In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, we’ve watched Republicans erode American democracy with alarming speed. While this political moment may feel unprecedented, it isn’t new. America has...
100 Days That Shook the World: How Trump and the GOP Broke America’s Role in Global Leadership
In just 100 days, Donald Trump and the Republican Party have upended the post WWII international order. From pulling out of the WHO to undermining international courts, backing away from NATO to...
How the Right’s War on Academic Freedom Hides a Darker Mission
One of the Republican Party’s most dangerous campaigns is their continued assault on academic freedom. Under the pretense of fighting antisemitism and dismantling “discriminatory” DEI policies,...
Breaking America's Economy: Unpacking Trump's Tariff War
Trump’s unhinged, unpredictable global trade war is causing chaos and confusion. In just one week, the President announced tariffs on the entire world, then paused some, upped others, and announced...
Lessons from Ryan Holiday: How to Stay Grounded in Turbulent Times
Whether your instinct now is fight or flight, many of us are searching for the way to navigate these turbulent times. In this episode, Stacey shares her practice of stoicism: an ancient philosophy...
The Rise of Bad Medicine and Anti-Vaxxers: Combatting Trump’s Health Agenda
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy's so-called assault on medical science is putting Americans at grave risk. Measles has resurfaced, HHS is losing tens of thousands of staff,...
Defying the Courts: Trump's Legal Battles and Our Fight for Justice
The Trump Administration is openly defying the courts, racking up over 100 federal lawsuits due to its tyrannical actions. Trump and his allies have continuously sidestepped and ignored federal judges...
How John Legend Learned To Forgive His Mother (From Your Mama's Kitchen)
Sharing another podcast we can’t get enough of: Your Mama’s Kitchen. It’s a show about cuisine and culture, ingredients and identities, and the meals and memories that make us who we are. Host Michele...
Why Trump’s Attack on Veterans Weakens America
Our nation’s veterans are being disproportionately impacted by the Trump administration’s assault on government agencies, from cuts to the VA, to job and funding reductions across the board. Not only...
Decoding Trump’s Address to Congress w/ Jen Psaki
Trump’s speech to a joint chamber of Congress was the longest in history, clocking in at nearly 100 minutes. Instead of providing viable solutions to problems like our affordability crisis or the...
Trump’s Crypto Presidency: What It Means For You
President Trump’s affinity for crypto currency has emerged as another vehicle for profit and peddling influence. On today’s episode, we break down the basics of crypto and how the industry...
Don’t Let Trump’s Cuts Destroy the Government That Works For You
Another week, another Trump admin scheme to cripple the government—this time by targeting the very workers who keep it running, from food inspectors to mail carriers to those serving in our military....
How Trump Is Selling Out America to Elon Musk
A league of unextraordinary gentlemen has taken over the White House. This week, Stacey breaks down how Donald Trump has allowed Elon Musk and his squad of young DOGE staffers to have unprecedented...
How To Fight Trump’s Anti-American Agenda on Immigration and Refugees
Trump's immigration crackdown is in full force. Three weeks in, he’s signed 10 executive orders targeting everyone from migrants attempting to cross the border to refugees seeking asylum from their...
Cory Booker On Winning the Messaging War Against Trump with Radical Empathy
President Donald Trump’s first 100 days are well underway, implementing ruthless and legally questionable executive orders, eviscerating American political norms, and filling government positions with...
Defeating Trump’s Chaos Playbook with Our New Age of Insistence
Donald Trump has been inaugurated for a second term as President, and the “blitzkrieg” of orders, insults and rhetoric has already begun. Stacey Abrams speaks to Melissa Murray, host of Crooked’s...
Why DEI Scares Trump and Project 2025 and Why It Should
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is being weaponized by Donald Trump and Project 2025 and right-wing activists. That's because DEI has been around since the start of the country, opening doors...
How to Save the Environment from Trump and Project 2025
In his first term, Donald Trump pulled out of the global Paris Climate Accords and rolled back over 100 regulations impacting the safety of our air, water, and environment at large. As we prepare for...
Do You See What I See? Building AI for All of Us
In the face of unbridled AI development and incoming President Trump’s close advisors who happen to be big investors in AI, it’s more important than ever to raise the alarm about areas of concern....
How to Combat Project 2025’s Dangerous Prescription for Public Health
Stacey speaks to Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist, epidemiologist and editor at large for public health at KFF Health News, about the threats to public health with the incoming...
How to Stand Up to Project 2025 and Save Public Education
Stacey talks to Kate Nazemi, a local education activist and parent, and Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the future of public education...
How We Can Take Democracy Back with Ballot Initiatives
Stacey talks to Rachel Sweet, who has successfully used ballot initiatives in tough states to change the rules. Most recently, she served as campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional...
How We Can Fix Hunger, Food Deserts, and a Broken System (with Chef Tom Colicchio)
Stacey talks to renowned chef, activist, and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio about why the United States has a food insecurity crisis despite being the richest country in the world — and why this issue...
Stacey’s Post-Election Message and The Power of Music
Stacey offers a reflection and a call to action to move beyond resistance and into insistence after the re-election of Donald Trump. Then she speaks with Grammy, Pulitzer, and MacArthur Genius Grant...
How Your Vote Can Combat Extreme Weather and Save the Planet
Stacey talks with meteorologist and veteran hurricane expert, John Morales, who describes how growing up in Puerto Rico led him to his career and how important it is to talk about extreme weather...
How To Fix America’s Maternal Health Crisis and Fight For Reproductive Freedom
Giving birth in the United States can be dangerous – but it doesn’t have to be. Stacey talks to Representative Jennifer McClellan of Virginia about the disparities in maternal health outcomes in the...
How Technology Is Transforming Art & Why We Should Care
Stacey sits down with artist KNA to discuss how artists are impacted by AI and other evolving technologies, how they can use them to fuel their creativity, as well as what next steps need to be taken...
The Future of Hollywood with Bryan Cranston
Stacey sits down with award-winning actor, producer and activist Bryan Cranston to talk about how the entertainment industry is evolving one year on since the writers’ and actors’ strikes, how...
The Fight for Voting Rights Across the Country
Stacey is joined by Mother Jones’ national voting rights correspondent and author, Ari Berman, to untangle threats to voting rights ahead of November’s election, what’s changed since the last...
The Right to Read and Fighting Book Bans with LeVar Burton
In honor of Banned Books Week, Stacey is joined by two guests: Her mom and former librarian, Reverend Carolyn Abrams, and actor, director, and literacy advocate, LeVar Burton. The trio discuss the...
The Rent is Too Damn High, But Renters Are Even More Powerful
If there’s power in numbers, then there are arguably few groups as powerful American tenants. Stacey is joined by founding director of the KC Tenants Union, Tara Raghuveer, to highlight the vast...
New Media and How Emerging Voices Are Shaping What We Know
Stacey is joined by journalist and author, Paola Ramos, and Washington Post TikTok host and producer, Joseph Ferguson, to explore how journalists and news organizations are meeting a dramatically...
United We Ball
College sports is a huge business. How can we make it more fair for the athletes themselves? Stacey is joined by WNBA forward Brianna Turner and former NFL defensive back Domonique Foxworth to talk...
Deepfakes, Lies, and How to Fight Disinformation
Disinformation touches all of us, and more often than we think. Stacey is joined by Esosa Osa, founder of Onyx Impact, to talk about how acute the issue is and how to stop bad information from...
Gen Z’s Fight for the Future
This election is in the hands of Gen Z, a cohort of young Americans that’s diverse, creative, and—often—skeptical. At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Stacey is joined by Rep. Maxwell...
Down with the Electoral College, Voting Alternatives Rise Up
In the debut episode of Assembly Required, Stacey takes on one of the most intractable problems in American politics: the unequal distribution of power created by the Electoral College. Could ranked...
Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams: Coming August 15th
Welcome to Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, a new podcast from Crooked Media and Democratic changemaker Stacey Abrams.
About this Podcast
Copyright
© Crooked Media. All Rights Reserved.
Language
en
Categories
Society & Culture