We're all exhausted. That's why we need to hear about other peoples' work to regain, save, and promote democracy and freedom.

Sometimes I think that those of us who follow the news for every twist and turn, note every hint of fascism, keep up with every motion in all the Trump trials, and try to ignore the insistent presidential polling are continually beating ourselves about the head and shoulders about what’s at stake, what’s wrong with America in all the ways, and what could go wrong. Well, a lot of things can go wrong and some can go well. But generally, we’re talking to each other and not getting outside our bubbles of information, friendship, activism, and outlook. And the more we hear, the harder we rage, the more insular our conversations become.

This is not (just) a rant about any of that. It’s a reminder to myself about why I created Freedom Over Fascism podcast and newsletter. And that’s to highlight what ordinary people like us and others with bigger platforms are doing to galvanize other activists around the country. I’m trying to create a community for those of us who are over-vigilant and hyper-committed to democracy. Sometimes, I try to give us insight into something that’s opaque to me (and if it’s opaque to me, it is opaque to others as well, I’ve found).

For example, when I talked to Dr. Matthew Terry, senior scholar of Christian Nationalism at ICJS, (here), we learned that the flag of the green tree on a white field with the words “Appeal to Heaven” is a flag that, yes, George Washington flew, but much more importantly is a flag signifying the White Christian Nationalist call to arms and violence to try to bring down American Democracy. So now when we see pictures of it outside of Mike Johnson’s office, or tweeted by MAGA candidates for office, we know exactly what it means. We now have access to some of the code insurrectionists use with each other. We understand that when SCJ Sam Alito flies it along with an upside down flag, another insurrectionist symbol, he’s undermining American democracy with every comment from the bench, “legal” argument, and Supreme Court decision that he participates in.

That’s why it’s so so important for us to hear about the people who are fighting the fascist forces where they live. Wednesday, we’ll hear from Nancy Thompson, founder and director of Mothers Against Greg Abbot, about what life is like in Texas, the actions she’s taking, and the people she’s recruiting for democracy along the way. You saw up above a clip of our conversation. I hope you’ll listen to the episode itself. Nancy is one of the toughest fighters there are, and she’s in Texas, where fascism is already a fact of life. And talking to her was invigorating and inspiring for me, and I hope you too.

For every person I speak with on Freedom Over Fascism, there are tons more doing the work quietly and locally, and making a huge difference.

Later this week, I’m interviewing Mayor Zeb Smathers of Canton, NC, about his city, the importance of local action, and North Carolina’s push for democracy. I’m prepping conversations with a GenZ activist against gun violence, an organizer in Kentucky working for freedom in both rural areas and Appalachia, a healthcare analyst raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for candidates across the country, and an expert on extremism from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.

I hope you’ll keep listening, join the community, and keep up the fight, even when you need to take breaks.