Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams - Season 1 / Year 2024

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 choice voting help give all Americans a more meaningful vote? Cynthia Richie Terrell, Executive Director of RepresentWomen and co-founder of FairVote, joins Stacey to make the case.

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 Frost, the first member of Gen Z to be elected to Congress, and influencer Haley Lickstein, a leading voice on civic engagement among young people, to talk about how they're working to get their peers involved.

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 spreading—online and even in your family's group chat.

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 about student athlete compensation, unionizing college teams, and the future of the NCAA.

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 altered landscape and the best way to navigate new media and the information maelstrom. 

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 political potential they're building through their organization in Kansas City and beyond.

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 transformative power of story and strategies to combat book banning.

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 presidential election, and how to push back to protect access this year and beyond.

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 Hollywood can sustain our thirst for content, as well as the livelihoods of the artists who make it.

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 to secure resources and protection for the arts in an increasingly digital world.

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 U.S. and policies to expand access to reproductive healthcare and affordable childcare. Then, Stacey welcomes ProPublica reporter Kavitha Surana to discuss her story on the deadly impact new state abortion bans are already having on pregnant people – and the importance of sharing these stories. 

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 effects. He explains the science of why storms are getting stronger, heatwaves are getting hotter, and droughts are becoming more frequent. Plus they discuss how your vote can help push policy makers to mitigate climate change and the most impactful actions we need to take to help our communities.

Stacey speaks with Grammy, Pulitzer, and MacArthur Genius Grant winning musician Rhiannon Giddens about the connection between politics and art. Giddens dives into the way categorization divides the music industry, the deep and multicultural history of the banjo, and how she has put her unique stamp on every genre from opera to folk music

Stacey speaks with historian Heather Cox Richardson to see what history can teach us about moving forward after Trump's reelection. They discuss strategies for countering disinformation, how Democratic leaders are preparing to use state's' rights to their advantage to challenge Trump's federal overreach, and how the era following Willliam McKinley's presidency can be a guide for progressives. Then, Stacey answers questions from the audience on how to get involved in politics, and how to respond to community in this post-election environment.

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 is especially pressing with an incoming Trump administration. They discuss what can be done to address the problem head on, including what Colicchio has learned from years of advocating for school lunches and solving for food deserts on Capitol Hill. Then, Stacey answers a listener question about what the potential appointment of Robert F. Kennedy will mean for the FDA, CDC, and America's health in general. 

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 Freedom, the coalition that passed abortion rights via a ballot measure in Missouri during the November elections. They discuss how ballot initiatives can be a tool for positive change, even in conservative states, and how to build coalitions at the state and local level to protect and expand our rights during a second Trump administration. Then, Stacey answers a listener question about the power of leading with compassion in difficult political moments – instead of reacting with only anger. 

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 during a second Trump Administration. They break down Project 2025's education policy prescriptions, the threats to the Department of Education, and what changes a President can and cannot make. Then, they discuss how to best get involved at the local level to make change in your community – from attending local school board meetings, to writing to your local representatives.

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 Trump Administration. They talk through Trump's appointees for the nation's top health and science agencies like RFK Jr, how to bring scientific thinking back to policy making, and how to differentiate between public health and individual healthcare. Then Stacey explains how to make change by "power-mapping" an issue, finding out who is responsible for the problem, who has jurisdiction over it, and who is already thinking and talking about solutions.

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.