LITA 5: Congressional Campaigns & War Crimes with Regent Wanda James

In this episode of Left in the Attic, hosts Deep and Ana discuss congressional campaigns, war crimes in Venezuela, the deployment of the National Guard in the US, and political inaction. They feature special guest CU Regent Wanda James, a notable advocate for social change, and the first Black woman to own a cannabis business in the US. Wanda, currently running for Congress in Colorado’s Congressional District 1, shares her background, her fight against systemic racism, and her tenure in various political landscapes. The conversation covers her efforts to rectify the impacts of the war on drugs on communities of color, the Colorado political scene, the challenges she has faced and overcome as a small business owner and naval officer, and her plans to address affordability, food insecurity, healthcare, and education. They also discuss Wanda's perspective as a former Naval officer on the recent events in Venezuela and the alarming trend of military deployment in US cities. The episode concludes with a call to action urging listeners to support community initiatives and holiday charity efforts.

Ana and Wanda mentioned the Black Santa Project: https://www.theblacksantaproject.org/

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:17 Special Guest Introduction: Wanda James

00:26 Funny Party Stories

02:14 Wanda James: Background and Achievements

07:09 Political Landscape and Campaign Challenges

17:09 War Crimes in Venezuela

21:47 US Intervention in Latin America

22:09 Trump's Controversial Actions

23:36 Military and Legal Perspectives

25:32 Federal Employees and Ethical Dilemmas

27:56 Media and Political Courage

33:19 ICE and Immigration Issues

36:05 Running for Office and Political Responsibility

43:58 Call to Action and Community Support

Meet Your Hosts

Ana Mitchell, Ph.D., is a former CDC scientist who was swept up in federal cuts and is now reinventing herself as a civic coach and creator. After a decade reducing disparities in health and education, she’s building Civically Fit to make civic engagement accessible, authentic, and sustainable. A proud Latina and Colorado native, Ana is focused on helping people build community and power through everyday civic action. According to Deep, Ana has a dating life that could probably be its own podcast segment.

Deep Singh Badhesha is an attorney, political strategist, and government affairs professional with over a decade of experience shaping political campaigns and policy in Colorado. A former public school math teacher, Colorado Supreme Court clerk, and senior policy analyst, he now works across campaigns, ballot initiatives, and legislative fights. He’s South Asian, a new dad, and a longtime organizer who believes community—not saviors—will rebuild the Left. He also has way too many hot takes on everything stemming from food and sports to politics.  

Links:

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