The partial government shutdown has entered its 32nd day and shows little sign of ending as President Trump claims "no cave" until he gets funding for a wall. Meanwhile, furloughed federal workers are struggling as they've gone a month without a paycheck. To discuss, we FEATURE Liz Kennedy. Kennedy is the Director of Democracy and Government Reform at the Center for American Progress. Previously, she served as counsel and campaign strategist at Demos, working on voting rights, money in politics, and corporate accountability. She worked to expand political participation by eliminating barriers to voting and empowering voters; to increase transparency and accountability for money in politics to fight corruption of democratic government; and to fulfill America’s promise of political equality. Media includes: MSNBC, CBS, Al Jazeera, The American Prospect, Salon, U.S. News & World Report.

The Supreme Court took no action on whether it will hear disputes over the Trump administration's plans to end DACA. As a result, DACA will continue. To discuss, we FEATURE Pamela Chomba. Chomba is a Dreamer and activist, born in Lima, Peru. She is the Northeast Organizing Director at FWD.us where she works with Congressional advocacy and elevates grassroot-driven organizations to fight for legislation that would protect Dreamers like her. Through story-sharing trainings and advocacy, Chomba mobilizes support for Dreamers in the Northeast to speak to Congress and demand a legislative process that will also grant a pathway to citizenship. Media includes: ThinkProgress, Bustle, CUNY TV. 

The Supreme Court has allowed President Trump to put restrictions on transgender troops serving in the military. To discuss, we FEATURE Rea Carey. Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, is one of the most prominent leaders in the U.S. LGBTQ rights movement. Through her leadership, she has advanced a vision of fairness and justice for LGBTQ people and their families that is broad, inclusive and unabashedly progressive. Media includes: USA Today, The New York Times, MSNBC, NPR. 

The Supreme Court has decided to hear a case involving gun owners petitioning New York City's strict rules on carrying a gun outside. The case will be the first Second Amendment case that the court has heard in nearly a decade. To discuss, we FEATURE Debbie Hines. Hines is a Washington, DC based trial attorney, legal analyst, former Baltimore prosecutor and member of the Supreme Court bar. She is an expert in criminal law, high profile criminal cases, gun control and gun laws, police brutality, death penalty, domestic violence and Supreme Court cases. She often addresses legal/political issues at the intersection of gender, race and class. Media includes: Al Jazeera, BET, C-SPAN, CBS, CCTV, MSNBC, PBS, Sky News, Fox 5 News.

Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards are out! To discuss the nominees, we FEATURE April Reign. As the creator of the viral hashtag-turned-movement, #OscarsSoWhite, Reign has been challenging the lack of representation of marginalized communities in Hollywood and beyond since 2015. Reign sustains a movement that has resulted in the most permanent systemic change ever seen in the over 80-year history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her name continues to be synonymous with this historic change, the results of which are reverberating throughout the entertainment industry and will do so for decades to come. Media includes: CNN, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Forbes, BBC World. 

Kamala Harris has announced that she will be running in the 2020 presidential election. She joins Democrats Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gillibrand, Julián Castro, Elizabeth Warren, and, others- who have all announced that they are running as well. To discuss, we FEATURE Atima Omara. An experienced political strategist, Omara is President Emeritus of the Young Democrats of America, Democratic National Committee (DNC) member from Virginia, and Chair of the Planned Parenthood Metro Washington Action Fund Board of Directors. She has worked for a Governor and as staff on over 8 federal, state, and local Democratic campaigns in Virginia and across the country. Her multi-faceted political experience includes campaign management, field organizing, fundraising, and paid communications for coordinated campaigns and independent expenditures. Media includes: Fox, CNN, PBS, BBC, ABC, NPR, The Washington Post.   

The Los Angeles teachers strike has entered its second week. While negotiations are underway and a deal might have been reached, union members still need to vote on it. To discuss, we FEATURE Wendy Puriefoy. Puriefoy is a nationally recognized expert on issues of school reform and civil society. She was the president of Public Education Network (PEN), the nation’s largest network of community-based school reform organizations, founded in 1991. Under her visionary leadership, PEN has grown into a national network of local education funds reaching more than 11 million children in 1,220 school districts and 18,000 schools nationwide. Extensive media experience.  

Officials in both China and the U.S. will be meeting in Washington to discuss a possible trade deal between the two countries. If no deal is agreed, President Trump has claimed that he will raise tariffs on Chinese goods. To discuss, we FEATURE Ann Lee. Lee is an internationally recognized leading authority on China’s economic relations and an adjunct professor of economics and finance at New York University. She consults with policymakers from Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. about U.S.-China relations, international finance and trade, and China’s political economy. Lee is also the author of What the U.S. Can Learn from China, an award winning international bestseller. Media includes: MSNBC, Bloomberg, ABC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, NPR, CCTV, BBC.

In a now viral video, students at Covington High School were seen surrounding a Native American elder singing at the Lincoln Memorial. Other videos showing a group of Hebrew Israelites later emerged. To discuss, we FEATURE Adrienne Jacqueline Keene. Keene is a Native scholar, writer, and blogger and is passionate about reframing how the world sees contemporary Native cultures. She is the creator and author of Native Appropriations, a blog discussing cultural appropriation and stereotypes of Native peoples in fashion, film, music, and other forms of pop culture. Media includes: The New York Times, NPR, CNN, Time, The Washington Post.