Midterm election voting concluded last week with vote counting still underway in some House districts. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Kelly Dittmar. Dittmar is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University–Camden, Director of Research, and Scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. She is the author of Navigating Gendered Terrain: Stereotypes and Strategy in Political Campaigns, as well as multiple book chapters on gender and American politics. Dittmar’s research focuses on gender and American political institutions, including Congress, with a particular focus on how gender informs campaigns and the impact of gender diversity among elites in policy and political decisions, priorities, and processes. At CAWP, Dittmar manages national research projects, helps to develop and implement CAWP’s research agenda, and contributes to CAWP reports, publications, and analyses. She also works with CAWP’s programs for women’s public leadership and has been an expert source and commentator for media outlets including MSNBC, NPR, Huffington Post, and The Washington Post.
On Monday, Biden met with Chinese President Xi to discuss U.S.-China relations in regards to Taiwan and the war in Ukraine. To discuss, we FEATURE Shanthi Kalathil. Kalathil is a Principal at MDO Advisors. She is an advisor, consultant and speaker on national security, democratic resilience, and strategic competition in the information age. Under President Biden, Kalathil served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights at the National Security Council, where she oversaw the organization of the inaugural Summit for Democracy and the development of the first U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption, among other initiatives. Before joining the Biden Administration, Kalathil was Director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. Her work focuses on China's global impact, the implications to international security of growing authoritarian influence and disinformation, and the role of media, communication and technology. Media includes: Voice of America, NPR, BBC.
Nearly 10 years after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, a memorial has opened in Newton, CT. To discuss, we FEATURE Shannon Watts. Watts is a mother of five who, prior to founding Moms Demand Action, was a stay-at-home mom and former communications executive. The day after the Sandy Hook tragedy, Watts started a Facebook group with the message that all Americans can and should do more to reduce gun violence. The online conversation turned into grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country, with more than three million supporters. Media includes: Time, The Washington Post, The New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, NPR.
Farmland prices have soared, hitting record highs and pushing out small farmers. To discuss, we FEATURE Jennifer Molidor. Molidor leads sustainable food campaigns for the Center for Biological Diversity, a national/international conservation organization with nearly 2 million members and supporters. Her work covers food production, procurement, policy, consumption, diet-climate links, agriculture, farming, plant-based foods, meat reduction, food waste, climate change, biodiversity loss, extinction crisis, school food, grocery stores, restaurants, catering, livestock grazing, and impacts on wildlife, watersheds and ecosystems. She writes reports, conducts research, designs and organizes campaigns, speaks for events and conferences. Media includes: USA Today, The Guardian, The Washington Post, NPR.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has become the second-highest debut of 2022. To discuss, we FEATURE Carla Hay, who has written about diversity in Hollywood for the Women's Media Center numerous times as well as writing WMC's Emmy's report. Hay has been a writer or editor for Paramount Media Networks, Shondaland, Culture Mix, AXS.com, Examiner.com, Lifetime, People, and Billboard. She has been interviewed on CNN, Access Hollywood, and CNBC, and has been a guest speaker at Columbia University and New York University. In addition, Hay has booked panelists and speakers for conferences presented by Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter. She is also a Tomatometer-approved critic at Rotten Tomatoes, a member of the Critics Choice Association, and a straight ally to the LGBTQ community.
President Biden's student loan forgiveness program has hit a road block after a federal judge concluded that the program was unlawful. To discuss, we FEATURE Angela Peoples, an organizer, political strategist and freedom fighter. Peoples got her start as a progressive advocate in 2006, fighting to stop an anti-affirmative action ballot initiative. She continued building student power and fighting for college access and affordability as Legislative Director of the United States Students Association and as Policy and Advocacy Manager of the Center for American Progress' youth organizing division. Angela also spent three years working to improve consumer protection laws for student loan borrowers and young consumers at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She is currently CEO and co-founder of The South, where she creates content that helps their audience live their politics, and to speak truth to power. Media includes: The Hill, MetroWeekly, The New York Times.
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP27, runs from November 6th to 18th. To discuss, we FEATURE Brenda Ekwurzel. Ekwurzel is a senior climate scientist and the director of climate science for the Climate & Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). In her role, she ensures that program analyses reflect robust and relevant climate science, and researches the influence of major carbon producers on rising global average temperatures and sea level. Dr. Ekwurzel is a co-author of the fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) Volume II. She presents frequently to a range of audiences on climate science, educating the public on practical, achievable solutions for climate change. Media includes: Good Morning America, USA Today, CNN, NPR.
WMC SheSource has a list of more environmental experts to discuss COP27.
November is American Indian Heritage month. To commemorate, we FEATURE Emma Robbins. Robbins is the Executive Director of the Navajo Water Project, which provides infrastructure for families to access clean running water in their homes on the Navajo Nation. The project is a part of the human rights nonprofit DigDeep. She is also a 2020 Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellow and a Diné artist, using her work to raise awareness about the need for clean water across all Native Nations. She splits her time between the Navajo Nation and Los Angeles, CA. Native American households face barriers to accessing running water - about 30% of families on the Navajo Nation don’t have access to clean running water. Robbins grew up on the reservation, in one of the areas with the largest concentrations of water poverty, and always knew the importance of water. She then went on to lead the Navajo Water Project. To date, the Navajo Water Project has installed running water in approximately 300 homes, and is continuing their work to ensure families on the Navajo Nation have access to safe water to drink and stay clean by delivering bottled and trucked water to homes during the COVID pandemic. Media includes: Democracy Now, Marie Claire, Nylon, Vox, NBC, NPR.
Liz Theran
