

Pod Save the People
Pod Save the People
On Pod Save The People, host DeRay Mckesson explores social justice, culture, politics – and the various ways they all collide – with cohosts Myles E. Johnson and Sharhonda Bossier.
Each Tuesday, the crew digs into the current events driving the political discourse – bringing cultural context, actionable insights, and a hot take or two – to help empower listeners to engage as thoughtful members of their communities…and their group chats.
Alongside special guests, the show uplifts overlooked news stories that impact people of color and amplifies underrepresented voices who are working to create meaningful change.
Each Tuesday, the crew digs into the current events driving the political discourse – bringing cultural context, actionable insights, and a hot take or two – to help empower listeners to engage as thoughtful members of their communities…and their group chats.
Alongside special guests, the show uplifts overlooked news stories that impact people of color and amplifies underrepresented voices who are working to create meaningful change.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 8, 2022 • 1h 26min
Enjoy the Light (with Dr. Rebecca Kavanagh)
DeRay, Myles, De'Ara and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including Black women Republicans in Congress, the correlation between Black women's health and retirement planning, a Native American adoption law in Supreme Court, and an unusual casting for Rihanna's Savage Fenty show. DeRay interviews Dr. Rebecca Kavanaugh about her recent Teen Vogue op-ed about the reemergence of the D.A.R.E. program in school districts across the nation. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/dare-program-back-schoolsNews:De’Ara https://19thnews.org/2022/11/jennifer-ruth-green-black-republican-congress/DeRay https://fortune.com/well/2022/11/02/for-black-women-health-plays-an-outsized-role-in-retirement-planning/Kaya https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/07/health/native-american-adoption-icwa.htmlMyles https://www.cnn.com/style/article/rihanna-savage-fenty-show-johnny-depp-cast-backlash/index.html

Nov 1, 2022 • 1h 9min
Every Little Counts (with Dr. Lawrence Brown)
DeRay, Myles, and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including an abortion pill network, higher mortality rate for Babies born to Black mothers who use fertility treatments die at far higher rates, fresh trial for Black Panther Mumia, and a thread of anti-Semitism from rapper Kanye West. DeRay interviews Dr. Lawrence T. Brown about his newest book The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America.News:Kaya https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/18/illegal-abortion-pill-network/De’Ara https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/26/ex-black-panther-mumia-abu-jamal-fresh-trial-amid-new-evidence?amp_js_v=0.1#webview=1&cap=swipeDeRay https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/babies-black-mothers-die-higher-rates-white-mothers-rcna52722Myles https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/30/entertainment/kanye-west-remarks/index.html

Oct 25, 2022 • 58min
Take A Chance
DeRay, De'Ara, Kaya, and Myles cover the under-reported news of the week - including the shortage of Black sperm donors, anti-colorism protests erupting throughout Mexico, housing rights for squatters, and racism within cardiac care. NewsKaya https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/10/20/black-sperm-donors/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_dmv7&wpsirc=nl_dmv7De’Ara https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-10-20/mexico-anti-racism-movement-protests-colorismDeRay https://t.co/KqSfuAof9OMyles https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/essex/police-fire/nj-woman-details-extremist-groups-attempt-to-drive-her-out-of-new-house-on-tiktok/811420/https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/maryland-couple-says-strangers-have-moved-the-home-they-just-bought-and-refuse-to-leave/65-c87072eb-65a1-4844-8fc5-160aa7bd69ad?fbclid=IwAR0m3YFGLQ28M6WAqqPQqDLdPf6S5HTywE3oSn9JWUESUmKwhjUZwucm3Oc#l9lw7ohibs77u28p6m

Oct 18, 2022 • 57min
Prepare for the Polls
DeRay, Myles, De'Ara and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including stock increases for companies hiring Black CEOs, a school board's attempt to hijack a Black student podcast, poor ventilation in nail salons impact on reproductive health, and Angelica Ross makes history on Broadway. News:De’Ara https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/10/12/black-ceo-appointments-market-reaction-study-diversity/Kaya https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/09/22/black-students-podcast-lawsuit/DeRay https://documentedny.com/2022/10/12/nail-salon-reproductive-health-baby-pregnant-ventilation/Myles https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/08/22/angelica-ross-chicago-broadway-history/

Oct 4, 2022 • 1h 5min
Choose Your Fight
DeRay, Myles, De'Ara and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including accountability for celebrities and online harassment, the predatory nature of the parent plus loan, single mothers forced to reveal sexual histories or forfeit welfare benefits and a case for leaving America to escape racism. News:Myles https://www.thedailybeast.com/nicki-minaj-fans-came-for-youtuber-kimberly-nicole-foster-so-shes-suing-themhttps://www.vice.com/en/article/4axq5b/can-you-sue-nicki-minaj-stans-for-harassmentDe’Ara https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/09/26/case-leaving-america-escape-racism/?request-id=ae2e66c2-489f-41ca-bda8-31ddb9ce5f48&pml=1Kaya https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/17/your-money/parent-plus-loans.html?searchResultPosition=3DeRay https://www.propublica.org/article/to-get-public-assistance-these-single-mothers-are-forced-to-share-intimate-details-about-their-families?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Sep 27, 2022 • 1h 6min
Marathon not a Sprint (with Jelani Anglin & Kim Belizaire)
DeRay, Myles, and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including non-profit hospitals exploit poor patients, the working class Black men who pioneered emergency medicine and the life and legacy of Pharoah Sanders. DeRay interviews Jelani Anglin and Kim Belizaire about their 24/7 emergency arrest hotline, Good Call NYC. News:Kaya https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/24/business/nonprofit-hospitals-poor-patients.htmlMyles https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/pharoah-sanders-obituary/DeRay https://time.com/6215072/first-paramedics-black-men-history/https://www.npr.org/2022/09/20/1124008613/how-working-class-black-men-in-pittsburgh-pioneered-emergency-medicine

Sep 20, 2022 • 1h 18min
Let it Go (with Baynard Woods)
DeRay, Myles, and De’Ara cover the underreported news of the week— including mismanaged funds within the Homeowner's Association, the Jackson, Mississippi water crisis, and pedophilic accusations against Tiffany Haddish. DeRay interviews author and journalist to chat his new book Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness. News:DeRay https://www.propublica.org/article/colorado-hoa-management-companies-investigationDe'Ara https://www.salon.com/2022/09/02/there-are-no-people-there-jacksons-water-crisis-explained/Myles https://www.thedailybeast.com/comedians-tiffany-haddish-and-aries-spears-accused-of-child-sexual-abusehttps://www.theroot.com/comedian-aries-spears-fat-shames-lizzo-and-gets-blast-1849466835

Sep 13, 2022 • 1h 17min
Do the BIG Thing
DeRay, De’Ara, Myles and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including private schools flushed with private money, pandemic impact on math and reading progress, the conservative evolution of rapper Jay Z, and Samuel Jackson's broadway debut. News:Myles https://www.nme.com/news/music/jay-z-hits-back-at-criticism-of-his-wealth-we-fucking-killed-ourselves-to-get-to-this-space-3303357De’Ara https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/newyork/news/samuel-l-jackson-the-piano-lesson-broadway-august-wilson-latanya-richardson-jackson/Kaya https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/us/national-test-scores-math-reading-pandemic.htmlDeRay https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/11/nyregion/hasidic-yeshivas-schools-new-york.html

Aug 30, 2022 • 1h 22min
Plan the Visit (with Dwayne Betts)
DeRay, De'Ara, Myles, and Kaya cover the underreported news of the week— including the first Black woman to compose music for NYC ballet, affirmative action's return to the Supreme Court, Torrance police officer's racists text messages exposed, and an unexpected motivator for Democrats voting in the November election. DeRay interviews activist and founder Dwayne Betts about his non-profit organization Freedom Reads. News:Myles https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/solange-knowles-becomes-first-black-woman-compose-music-nyc-ballet-rcna43412Kaya https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/26/us/affirmative-action-admissions-supreme-court.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShareDeRay https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-25/torrance-police-officers-racist-new-textsDe’Ara https://www.npr.org/sections/2022-live-primary-election-race-results/2022/08/24/1119243085/abortion-pat-ryan-new-york-florida-primary-takeaways

Aug 23, 2022 • 1h 33min
Stick Around for Friends (with J. David McSwane)
DeRay, Myles, Kaya and De’Ara cover the underreported news of the week— including U.S postal workers dying from heat stroke, Minneapolis plan to fire white teachers, Kanye West on Fox News, and artist Isaac Julien breathes new life into the Harlem Rennaisance. DeRay interviews award winning investigative reporter J.David McSwane about his new book Pandemic Inc.: Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick.NewsDeRay https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/20/business/ups-postal-workers-heat-stroke-deaths.htmlKaya https://thegrio.com/2022/08/19/the-whitelash-behind-minneapolis-plan-to-fire-white-teachers-explained/De’Ara https://news.artnet.com/art-world/isaac-julien-barnes-foundation-2160491Myles https://pitchfork.com/news/kanye-west-goes-on-fox-news-to-defend-selling-clothes-in-construction-bags/


