In yesterday's election, Democrats took control of both legislative chambers in Virginia. To discuss, we FEATURE Atima Omara. Omara is an award winning leader in politics and the progressive movement. With over a decade of experience working in politics and progressive non-profits engaging youth, women, and people of color in the political process and related progressive causes, Omara writes and speaks about national politics, candidates, and policy and culture issues including the Millennial vote and activism, feminism, women in politics, reproductive rights & justice, domestic violence,  and race & gender inequality. An experienced political strategist, Omara is President Emeritus of the Young Democrats of America, Democratic National Commitee (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. Media includes: The Washington Post, American Prospect, CNN, Fox, PBS, BBC.

More than 11,000 scientists from around the world have declared a "climate emergency"— this is happening as President Trump has started to withdraw the U.S. from the Paric climate accord. To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Barbara Buchner. Dr. Buchner is Executive Director of the widely renowned Climate Finance program at Climate Policy Initiative. She is the lead author on CPI's 'Global Landscape of Climate Finance' analyses, which has set the benchmark for climate finance tracking, and 'Climate Finance in 2013-14 and the USD 100 billion Goal' - a joint report with the OECD that played a seminal role in the lead up to the Paris Agreement. She also directs the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab), a public-private initiative that identifies cutting-edge climate finance instruments with the potential to drive investment at scale. Media includes: Reuters, Bloomberg News, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times.

An appeals court had ruled that President Trump's accounting firm must hand over his taxes. To discuss, we FEATURE Audrey Young. Young is the Washington National Tax Director for McGladrey, LLP.  She has been an estates and trusts and tax attorney for 14 years. Young concentrates her tax expertise in the areas of estates and trusts and gifts and individual income tax issues. She has published articles on estate planning and speaks on estate planning, probate and tax issues around the country. Young is an expert on tax policy and procedure and has participated in many tax institutes and conferences.  In 2014, she was cited as an expert in the Supreme Court case, Clark v. Rameker, (13-299), a case concerning IRAs and retirement planning and trusts. Media includes: The New York Times, Durham Morning Show, Chicago Tribune. 

After an American family was killed by a drug cartel in Mexico, President Trump has declared war on Mexican drug cartels. To discuss, we FEATURE Erika Guevara-Rosas. Guevara-Rosas is a feminist lawyer and human rights activist, who currently serves as the Americas Programme Director at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International.  She is responsible for leading the organization’s human rights work across the region.  Erika has more than fifteen years of international experience in the fields of human rights and social justice philanthropy. Extensive media experience. 

On Monday, Oklahoma released over 500 inmates by reclassifying felony crimes to misdemeanors. Oklahoma has the second highest incarceration rate of any state in the U.S. To discuss, we FEATURE MiAngel C. Cody. Cody is a federal lawyer and strategic communications counsel. She is also the Lead Counselor and Executive Director of the Decarceration Collective. Cody has won presidential clemency and freedom for five prisoners serving life sentences. She has defended hundreds of people in federal court. She has achieved a range of courtroom victories—from jury acquittals to significantly reduced sentences to successful federal appeals. Cody has testified at federal legislative briefings concerning transformative criminal justice. Media includes: Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Politico, CNN, MSNBC, PBS. 

The Environmental Protection Agency has relaxed its regulation on a rule aimed to limit toxic water pollution from coal plants. To discuss, we FEATURE Elin Betanzo, PE. Betanzo is the founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC, a small consulting firm working to improve access to safe drinking water through engineering and policy consulting. In August of 2015, Betanzo played a critical role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis by encouraging Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a Flint pediatrician, to conduct a study that discovered elevated lead levels in children living in Flint, Michigan. Betanzo continues to work on lead and drinking water policy at federal, state, and local levels. She has nearly 20 years of experience working on drinking water science, engineering, and policy issues. She worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water writing and implementing national drinking water regulations. Media includes: The Detroit News, Bridge Magazine, PBS. 

McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook was fired earlier this week for violating company policy by having a relationship with one of his employees. To discuss, we FEATURE Amy Epstein Gluck. Epstein Gluck serves as a trusted legal advisor to business owners and in-house counsel advising employers about workplace culture, compliance with anti-discrimination laws (Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, FLSA, etc.), HR policies, retaliation, and navigating #MeToo issues while complying with federal, state, and local employment laws with an eye toward preventing organizational problems, not just reacting to them. Epstein Gluck regularly conducts sexual harassment trainings for managers and employees and trains supervisors on how to recognize and respond to accommodation requests. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Business Insurance.

Apple has committed $2.5 billion dollars to address the California housing crisis. To discuss, we FEATURE Carla Javits. Javits is President and CEO of REDF (The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund), a pioneering venture philanthropy that invests in and advises employment social enterprises—purpose-driven, revenue-generating businesses that help people striving to overcome employment barriers get good jobs, keep those jobs, and build better lives. Before joining REDF, Carla was President and CEO of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a Program Analyst with the California Office of the Legislative Analyst, and Director of Policy and Planning for the San Francisco Department of Social Services. Media includes: The New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Hill. 

Residents in Kansas City, Missouri have voted to change the name of a street named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The streets name was only changed to the civil rights leader's name nine months ago. To discuss, we FEATURE Imani Perry. Perry is a Professor in the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University. She is an interdisciplinary scholar who studies race and African American culture using the tools provided by various disciplines including: law, literary and cultural studies, music, and the social sciences. She is the author of the book More Terrible, More Beautiful, The Embrace and Transcendence of Racial Inequality in the U.S as well as 2004’s Prophets of the Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop and has published numerous articles in the areas of law, cultural studies, and African American studies. Media includes: The New York Times, Huffington Post, CNN.