Digital Politics With Karen Jagoda

Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, discusses the 2.5 Project, an initiative by BISC that provides early, flexible funding to support ballot initiatives focused on economic justice. Recent efforts in Nebraska and Missouri to support minimum wage and paid sick leave ballot initiatives yielded positive results, demonstrating the ability to frame the issues and collaborate with related efforts, such as reproductive rights measures. We talk about: The differences between political candidate campaigns and ballot initiatives Importance of local coalitions  Need for ongoing communication to drive civic engagement and education about the potential impact of ballot initiatives Ballot initiative trends and coordination across states #BallotInitiativeStrategyCenter #BISC #BallotInitiatives #Organizing #LocalOrganizers  Ballot.org

Jim Lardner, journalist, activist, and host of the podcast "Good Trouble," joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the "We Are Your Neighbor" Project, which aims to collect and promote personal stories of people impacted by the Trump administration's policies. The goal is to promote these types of stories in a non-ideological way to reach out to Trump supporters and others who may be reconsidering their political support.  Deepak and Jim talk about: The power of storytelling to connect voters across the political spectrum Growing number of people who are willing to share their stories publicly Encouraging more nuanced and empathetic discussions about local and national issues Serving as a resource for journalists and activists looking to better understand the real-world impacts of policy changes #WeAreYourNeighbors #TheDemLabs #FederalWorkers #FundingCuts #Healthcare #Immigrants #Storytelling #PoliticalResistance #Activism WeAreYourNeighbors.net TheDemLabs.org  

Bill Moyer, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore the value of creative activism and visual props in promoting causes and values. The metaphor of the backbone is a symbol of moral power and strength that voters are encouraged to draw on to protest, drive awareness, and mobilize to bring about change. The Backbone Campaign is supporting organizers nationwide to help them collaborate and effectively convey their messages.  Deepak and Bill talk about: The intersection of art and activism  Impact of large visual props and light projections Providing training, tools, and support to activists Need to drive conversations and build emotional connections                          #TheDemLabs #BackboneCampaign #Activism #GrassrootsActivism #Organizing #Protests #PoliticalProtests BackboneCampaign.org TheDemLabs.org  

Allen Carroll, cartographer and lead of the Story Maps team at Esri, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the power of maps and the visualization of GIS data to tell a compelling story. The StoryMaps platform combines multimedia elements to create richer and more engaging maps to spark empathy, raise awareness, and potentially inspire change.  Deepak and Allen talk about: Why maps and StoryMaps are a highly efficient and effective way to convey complex information The role of heroes in telling a story and humanizing data Using maps to advocate and educate Driving public engagement with maps and potential actions to be taken                              #TheDemLabs #Esri #StoryMaps #ArcGIS #GIS #Advocacy #CivicEngagement #Storytelling #Maps esri.com TheDemLabs.org  

Lucian K. Truscott IV, journalist, author, and screenwriter, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to shine a light on the challenges of writing about and reporting on current events, political voices, and cultural trends. Lucian started working for the Village Voice while still a cadet at West Point in the 1960s and comes from a long line of military leaders and political figures. He is currently covering politics on his Substack newsletter, Lucian Truscott. Note that this interview was recorded a few days before the US dropped bombs on Iran.  Deepak and Lucian talk about: Interviewing Abby Hoffman for Life Magazine and covering the Stonewall Riots Current and potential US military action against Iran How Lucian's experience as a graduate of West Point informs his view of the consequences of US involvement in conflicts His concern about hasty and ill-advised military and political decisions                                  #TheDemLabs #LucianKTruscott #MilitaryAction #PoliticalReporting #Attackson

Nicole Cushman joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to talk about Charley. This private, secure abortion focused AI chatbot was created in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The goal of this project is to provide personalized, accurate, up-to-date information about abortion services while protecting the privacy of those looking for resources.  Deepak and Nicole talk about: Abortion access in America Databases powering Charley to track changes in clinic locations and state-level abortion policies The power of combining healthcare experts, lawyers, and technology to provide a source for trustworthy information  How Charley the chatbot has been designed to be embedded in websites that reach the target audience for this information Privacy and security measures that include not collecting any personally identifiable information and deleting chat logs                                                         #TheDemLabs #AI #Chatbots #AbortionServices #ChatwithCharley #INeedanA #AbortionPill

Catherine Rowland, Legislative Affairs Director at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore the current budget reconciliation process in the US Congress. Regardless of the method, Catherine emphasizes that the voice of constituents can make a difference in the outcome and influence budget decisions.   Deepak and Catherine talk about: The reconciliation process and rules that determine what provisions can be included in the budget The priorities of the Big Beautiful Bill and the competing priorities and interests at play  Potential impact of significant budget cuts and shifting priorities  Importance of voter engagement and pressure on members of Congress #ProgressiveCaucusCenter #CongressionalBudget #BudgetReconciliation #Advocacy #CongressionalBudgetOffice ProgressiveCaucusCenter.org  TheDemLabs.org  

Gwenn Fulton from the Addition Project joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to explore how storytelling is a powerful way to translate personal experiences into public dialogue, building shared understanding and action around common challenges. Stories of the working class are particularly needed so that their concerns and aspirations are told in their own voices.  Deepak and Gwenn talk about: Effective storytelling balances facts with emotional expression to allow listeners to see themselves as part of the story How storytelling can drive grassroots organizing and mobilization Why narratives need to identify the heroes as well as the villains. How the Republicans are weaponizing storytelling to advance divisive narratives and how the Democrats are responding                                                            #AdditionProject #TheDemLabs #Storytelling #WorkingClass #SocialChange #Organizing #SocialJustice #ClassinAmerica AdditionProject.org  TheDemLabs.org

Anna Chu, Executive Director of We the Action, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the critical role lawyers play in defending the rule of law and supporting nonprofits during these challenging times.  The We the Action platform connects lawyers with organizations addressing the challenges both sides face in finding specific expertise and meaningful opportunities.  Deepak and Anna talk about Making it easier for lawyers to find nonprofits they can help Increasing need for legal support for nonprofits Working with unions to set up free legal counsel for Federal workers who have been laid off or fired   The responsibility of lawyers to serve the public good #WetheAction #TheDemLabs #Lawyers #Nonprofits #ProBonoLegalServices WeTheAction.org TheDemLabs.org    

Jennifer Appel, filmmaker, teacher, and activist, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the American Dream and the need to provide a more complete and accurate portrayal of the American experience. Jennifer uses storytelling, music, and visuals to give voice to diverse perspectives, including those of Indigenous people and veterans, to rally the country and heal the divisions in American society. She reminds us of the Hopi Indian quote, "The one who tells the story rules the world." Deepak and Jennifer talk about What drives Jennifer to use music and film to inspire change  What kind of change is needed in this increasingly materialistic society The unrealized potential of the American Dream The Country Club Culture  Bruce Springsteen #SomewhereIRead​ #JenAppelCreates #TraitorFilm #TraitorMovie #TraitorAStoryOfPatriots #IndieFilm #Patriotism #Democracy #Democrats #GOP #Republicans #MusicInFilm #BruceSpringsteen #TheBoss #SpringsteenSongs #BornToRun #SpringsteenNation #MusicHeals #Heali

Shasti Conrad is the Chair of the Washington State Democratic Party and Associate Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Her involvement in political organizing and activism taught her that campaigns must focus on economic messages to build coalitions that cut across partisan lines. This year, before the 2026 mid-terms, there is an opportunity to engage diverse constituents in person and online to test new messaging and strategies for reaching consensus and winning races. We talk about: Who is participating in the nationwide protests against the Trump administration Reaching out to Republicans and Independents to engage persuadable voters Focusing on down-ballot races and statewide races in 2025 Engaging younger voters #ShastiConrad #WADEMS #Voters #Persuasion #Protests #ProtestingTrump #Townhalls #DemocraticParty #Democrats WADems.org

Zach Adams, Senior Specialist in Client Partnerships for Politics and Public Affairs at VDX.tv, discusses the evolving landscape of political campaigns and the importance of ongoing engagement with voters beyond election day. Candidates and campaigns often fail to maintain relationships with voters, except for requests for contributions. Data analytics is one path to effectively target messages to engage and motivate the base and attract new supporters. We talk about: Moving beyond the transactional nature of voter engagement Why political ads need to be more emotionally evocative and strategically targeted to specific voter segments The need for campaigns to take a more holistic, coordinated approach to messaging, with traditional and digital channels working together  Expanding contextual targeting and leveraging influencers Data needs to be balanced with an understanding of the art and emotional impact of effective political ads #VDXTV #PoliticalAdvertising #PoliticalCampaigns #DigitalVoterOutreach #Poli

Michael D. Cohen is the CEO of the Cohen Research Group, a political public affairs and corporate research firm, and the author of Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections. He has written a new chapter for this well-received book that focuses on the power of AI and opportunities to apply it in political campaigns. Michael emphasizes the need to balance the use of AI with maintaining the authenticity and voice of the candidate.   We talk about: AI tools being used by campaigns to generate content ideas for fundraising emails and social posts Opportunities to use AI in campaigns to inform rapid responses to news and events Increased motivation to use AI tools to enable campaign teams to do more with fewer resources The increased adoption of AI tools by down-ballot campaigns, not just high-profile campaigns #CohenResearchGroup #PoliticalCampaigns #BookTok #Elections #AIinPoliticalCampaigns #AI #PoliticalConsultants #Voters CohenResearchGroup.com Mode

Robert Maxwell, Founder of ClinConnect, focuses on improving access to information about clinical trials and simplifying the path patients, doctors, and caregivers need to go through to find potentially life-saving trials. This clinical trial data is drawn directly from the clinicaltrials.gov database. The ClinConnect solution is updated more accurately and provides a user-friendly interface to explore possible trials, aid in applying to participate in a trial, and support participation.  The community of people concerned about science-based healthcare and the need for access to clinical trials is growing, and a voter cohort that cuts across traditional party lines. We talk about: Stakeholders in the drug development and testing environment Overcoming challenges of recruiting and retaining clinical trial participants How COVID-19 impacted willingness to participate in clinical trials How extending access drives more diverse participation in clinical trials  Protecting patient privacy and measures to ensure d

Mark Positano is the Head of Political at StackAdapt, a programmatic digital advertising buying platform. With a focus on advertising outside the "walled gardens" like Facebook and Google, StackAdapt uses AI and data analytics to optimize ad buying and targeting for political campaigns across a wide range of media properties and streaming platforms. We talked about: Getting beyond micro-targeting using a more nuanced approach to targeting voters Growth of political digital ad budgets outpacing growth of traditional ad budgets Digital ad buying strategies How response to digital ads can inform traditional ad strategies Metrics of success of a digital ad campaign #StackAdapt #PoliticalAdvertising #DigitalAdvertising #PoliticalMarketing #Midterms2026 #VoterTargeting #CTVAdvertising #AdMeasurement #ProgrammaticAdvertising StackAdapt.com

Desiree Matel-Anderson, Founder and Chief Wrangler of the Field Innovation Team joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss emergency preparation in an age of natural and man-made disasters, climate uncertainty, and overwhelmed government resources.  The key is to be prepared with a plan to respond with a critical thinking mindset to avoid emotional reactions and panic.  Deepak and Desiree talk about Need for innovative, flexible problem-solving in emergency situations Importance of local community involvement and preparedness for emergencies Emergencies within emergencies Solving problems in real-time Technology and emergency preparation and response #FieldInnovationTeam #TheDemLabs #EmergencyPrep #DisasterResponse FieldInnovationTeam.org TheDemLabs.org

Ben Katz, Chief Architect of ISPolitical, is concerned about the inadequate data and systems security measures political and advocacy organizations, political campaigns, and government organizations have in place. The first step is to audit current security practices and all the people who have access to the organization's databases, financial systems, and web administration. We talk about: Data access vulnerabilities File access levels and permissions Cloud services and backup strategies Verifying vendor security credentials How to improve security practices of smaller organizations Addressing the ongoing arms race between security measures and attackers #ISPolitical #Cybersecurity #Data #DataSecurity ISPolitical.com

Scott Goodstein is the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Campaigns and a digital pioneer. The results from the 2024 election indicate that the ground game needs a fresh review of how volunteers can be better deployed and how to find trusted messengers for a political campaign. The traditional ward and precinct system built relationships with voters over time. What's the new face of field operations? We talk about: The history of door-knocking in political campaigns Measuring the success of field operations Political text abuses Online fundraising traps How the Trump campaign and supporting SuperPACs reached voters #CatalystCampaigns #GroundGame #FieldOperations #Fundraising #PoliticalTexts #Voters #VoterOutreach CatalystCampaigns.com Myth of the Ground Game We've lost control of political text messaging  

John Hoffman, principal of Advocate for Access, has 20+ years of experience working with big pharma companies to promote advocating for patients and driving the move to provide access to drugs and therapies to a broader audience. Public/private health policy trends highlight the need to raise awareness about the science of medicine and the inequities in access to life-saving drugs and effective treatments for chronic conditions. We talk about: The role of social influencers in raising awareness about patient needs, promoting valuable information, and spreading disinformation How healthcare advocacy groups are influencing public and private policy decisions The rise of violent protests against healthcare inequities Stakeholders in the healthcare environment Health policies and healthcare disparities in the US The role pharmaceutical companies play in advocating for patients #AdvocateForAccess #HealthcareEquity #HealthcareInequity  #HealthcareAdvocates #PharmaceuticalCompanies #PatientAdvocacy #SocialInfluenc

Ryan Davis, the Co-Founder and COO of PeopleFirst, shares insights and analysis about the activities of influencers and content creators in the campaign leading up to the 2024 election. While celebrity influencers have large followings, the voices of local people sharing authentic content about all kinds of interests broke through the noise to reach key segments of voters. We talk about: The value of non-political content creators The trap of preaching to the choir of those who are already interested in the campaign Micro-influencers and the sweet spot for followers Gen Z engagement and building relationships Need for diverse voices to reach those looking for political information Political vs. Non-Political https://people1st.substack.com/p/meeting-in-the-middle-political-vs RFK/Trump used creators to break through https://disinfoagainstdemocrats.substack.com/p/how-trump-used-rfk-jr-to-harness Recent Webinar on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se2RsJ0Izio&t=1s Sign up for Webinar Invites https