- 47 minutes 52 secondsUnsticking Congress: Maya Kornberg
We discuss the myriad of ways to fix Congress, ranging from campaign finance reform and age limits to town hall meetings and stopping violence against members of Congress.
Maya's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
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Engage with your member of Congress!
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Share what matters for you and demand your member to take action
Maya Kornberg is senior research fellow at NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice and author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress.
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Read Stuck:
https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight
Sponsor:
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Maya Kornberg
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
7 May 2026, 9:00 am -
- 39 minutes 24 secondsThe Freedom of Dissent: Gal Beckerman
We discuss the radical idea that dissidence belongs to all of us. Living with truth is the starting point to being a citizen changemaker and to taking impactful civic action.
Gal's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
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Be in person
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Be deliberate about how you operate online
Gal Beckerman is a staff writer for The Atlantic and the author of How to Be a Dissident.
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Sponsor:
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
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Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Gal Beckerman
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
30 April 2026, 9:00 am -
- 44 minutes 11 secondsEveryone a Changemaker: Michael Zakaras
We discuss the vision of an everyone-a-changemaker society. Now is the moment to step up to protect healthy civil society in America by making the mechanisms and the rituals for participation in local politics more robust and more meaningful.
Michael's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Find a place to plug in at the local level
2) Go to a Civic Saturdays event near you
Michael Zakaras is the director of Ashoka US, the world's largest network of social entrepreneurs and a global leader in social innovation.
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Sponsor:
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Michael Zakaras
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
23 April 2026, 9:00 am - 41 minutes 54 secondsDoctor for the Senate: Abdul El-Sayed
We discuss why Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is running for Senate in Michigan and what kind of Senator he aspires to be. A public health expert with deep understanding of the healthcare system, Dr. El-Sayed believes that Medicare for All can be a realistic future.
Abdul's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Have an in-person conversation with someone you disagree with
2) Find the thing that you share in common
Abdul El-Sayed is a doctor, public health expert, and candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan. He's also the author of Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide.
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Learn about the campaign:
Read Medicare for All: A Citizen's Guide:
https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
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Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Abdul El-Sayed
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
16 April 2026, 9:00 am - 43 minutes 30 secondsThe Lost Cause Lie: Ann Bausum
We discuss the foundational lies of the Lost Cause, the organic nature of more recent lies, and the constant vigilance necessary to defend democracy.
Ann's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Pay attention to what your (or your children's) textbooks are saying
2) Speak up if there is a historical site near you that is being erased
Ann Bausum is an award-winning historian and the author of White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, Then Rewrote History.
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https://www.facebook.com/AnnBausum/
Read White Lies:
https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight
Sponsor:
Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.
Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Ann Bausum
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
9 April 2026, 9:00 am - 50 minutes 23 secondsSee Through Copaganda: Alec Karakatsanis
We discuss the main goals of copaganda: narrowing our conception of safety and threat, constantly warning us that those harms are increasing, and telling us that the solution to our fears is more investment in the punishment bureaucracy.
Alec's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Educate yourself on how copaganda works
2) Read the Copaganda book in a group!
Alec Karakatsanis is the founder and executive director of Civil Rights Corps and author of Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News.
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Read Copaganda:
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Sponsor:
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Get the right life insurance for you and save more than 50% on term life insurance at SelectQuote.com/HOPEFUL
Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guest: Alec Karakatsanis
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
2 April 2026, 9:13 am - 50 minutes 35 secondsThe Authoritarian Playbook: Yelena V. Litvinov & Tatyana Margolin
We discuss the building blocks of the authoritarian playbook, the strategy behind intersectional solidarity, and the power of knowing your neighbor.
Yelena & Tatyana's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Go local!
2) Get to know your neighbors
Yelena and Tatyana are co-founders of Stroika — an organization connecting and resourcing frontline anti-authoritarian movements worldwide.
Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:
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Follow Yelena on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvl/
Follow Tatyana on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmargolin/
Check out Stroika:
Sponsors:
Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Yelena V. Litvinov & Tatyana Margolin
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
26 March 2026, 9:00 am - 43 minutes 55 secondsEconomic Populists: Adam Green
We discuss the strategy for electing from-the-gut economic populists who exude outsider vibes and who acknowledge that our system is broken. They are often outsiders who believe in issues such as protecting social security and taxing billionaires, which are super majoritarian issues. Outsiders can win in blue, purple, and red states.
Adam's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Join effective groups like boldprogressives.org
2) Support a bold progressive candidate running for office
Adam Green is Co-Founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC).
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Sponsor:
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Adam Green
Executive Producer: Zack Travis
Executive Editor: Mila Atmos
19 March 2026, 9:00 am - 39 minutes 20 secondsSuperpower Showdown: Jane Perlez
We discuss the influence of the U.S.-China relationship on American democracy, on issues ranging from "garbage time" to soft power to geopolitical dominance of the South China Sea.
Jane's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
1) Visit China!
2) Read To Change China by Jonathan Spence and/or Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick
Jane Perlez is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, former New York Times Beijing bureau chief, and fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center. She's also the podcast host of Face-Off: The U.S. vs. China.
Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:
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Discover new ways to #BetheSpark:
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Listen to Face-Off:
https://www.belfercenter.org/face-us-vs-china
Sponsor:
Get the right life insurance for you and save more than 50% on term life insurance at SelectQuote.com/HOPEFUL
Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guest: Jane Perlez
Executive Producer: Mila Atmos
Producer: Zack Travis
12 March 2026, 12:30 am - 38 minutes 17 secondsThe Politics of Corruption: Tiffany Muller
We discuss the corrupting effect of the Citizens United decision on policymaking and elections.
Tiffany's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
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Go to town halls and hold your elected officials accountable
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Participate in phone banking or write postcards to get out the vote
Tiffany Muller is the President of End Citizens United, Let America Vote, and the End Citizens United/Let America Vote Action Fund. The organization's mission is to fix our democracy by getting big money out of politics and protecting the right to vote.
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Sponsor:
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Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Tiffany Muller
Executive Producer: Mila Atmos
Producer: Zack Travis
5 March 2026, 10:00 am -
- 39 minutes 49 secondsThe Offline Candidate: Carleigh Beriont
We discuss the power of showing up for local politics and the benefits of running an in-person campaign without relying on social media.
Carleigh's civic action toolkit recommendations are:
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Take an hour to attend a local government meeting
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Make a comment at that meeting!
Carleigh Beriont is a union organizer, vice chair of the Hampton Select Board, and is running for Congress in New Hampshire's First District.
Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:
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Discover new ways to #BetheSpark:
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Check out Carleigh's campaign:
https://www.carleighberiont.com/
Sponsor:
Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.
Early episodes for Patreon supporters:
https://patreon.com/futurehindsight
Credits:
Host: Mila Atmos
Guests: Carleigh Beriont
Executive Producer: Mila Atmos
Producer: Zack Travis
26 February 2026, 10:00 am -
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