Left In The Attic

In this episode of Left in the Attic, hosts Ana and Deep delve into Colorado's political landscape with Representative Yara Zokaie from House District 52 in Fort Collins to discuss the personal and professional challenges of being an immigrant and the culture at the Colorado Capital. Rep. Zokaie shares her experience as a woman of color and young mom in politics. Topics range from anti-immigrant rhetoric, personal threats, to the intricacies of Colorado legislation, including paid leave and price gouging. They close out with a call to action, encouraging listeners to support local immigrant-owned businesses during the holiday season. Ana shares that a Colorado non-profit, Cocina Libre, is selling cookbooks to support immigrants across CO. Check out https://cocinalibre.co/ for more information. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Today's Topic00:24 Anna's Thanksgiving Trip to Mexico01:43 Yara's Thanksgiving Experience03:20 Deep's Thanksgiving and Birthday Traditions05:18 Introducing Representative Yara Zokaie06:11 Yara's Journey into Politics10:17 Challenges and Triumphs in Office16:51 The Controversy and Its Aftermath24:32 Political Turmoil and Bureaucracy26:34 Facing Adversity and Safety Concerns27:30 Encouraging Underrepresented Voices28:18 The Challenges of Legislative Work29:17 The Importance of Representation32:32 Debating Racial and Ethnic Data35:10 Changing Capitol Culture36:20 A Week in the Life of a Legislator40:42 Personal Reflections and Music Preferences44:54 Supporting Local BusinessesMeet Your HostsAna 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:Website: www.LeftInTheAttic.comInstagram: @leftintheatticpodTikTok: @left.in.the.atticEmail: LeftInTheAtticPod@gmail.comVoicemail: (303) 416-2846

In this episode of Left in the Attic hosts Ana and Deep dive into a detailed discussion on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and the potential for a new tax policy to reshape Colorado's future. They welcome special guest Chris deGruy Kennedy, head of the Bell Policy Center, who shares insights into the historical context and challenges posed by TABOR. Chris and the hosts explore the impact of TABOR on public services, education, and healthcare. They also delve into the strategic efforts to reform TABOR, emphasizing grassroots organizing and the need for public engagement. The discussion touches on the bipartisan effort to release the Epstein files and the broader implications of money and power in politics.Ana mentioned Next with Kyle Clark’s Word of Thanks micro-giving campaign found here: https://www.9news.com/thanks https://www.coloradogives.org/story/arapahoewordofthanks Chris mentioned these orgs to follow: https://bellpolicy.org/newsletter/ https://neweracolorado.org/join-the-movement/https://www.greateducation.org/advocates-network/00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement00:34 Parenting and Vaccination Discussion03:30 Dating and Social Media Apps04:54 Introduction to Chris and His Work08:14 Understanding TABOR: The Taxpayer Bill of Rights12:39 Challenges and Reforms in Colorado's Tax Policy16:00 Dark Money and Political Influence19:36 Future Plans for Colorado's Fiscal Policy23:01 Funding Crisis at Denver Health23:30 Proposed Tax Cuts and Funding Allocation24:13 Challenges in Political Campaigns25:39 Straightforward Proposal for Tax Reform28:15 Mobilizing for Change29:50 Ballot Measures and Signature Collection32:19 Coalition Efforts and Community Involvement36:25 Epstein Files and Political Courage44:40 Economic Accountability and Data Transparency47:43 Call to Action and Community SupportMeet Your HostsAna 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:Website: www.LeftInTheAttic.comInstagram: @leftintheatticpodTikTok: @left.in.the.atticEmail: LeftInTheAtticPod@gmail.comVoicemail: (303) 416-2846

In this episode of 'Left in the Attic,' hosts Ana and Deep delve into the direction of the Democratic Party, critiques of national Democrats' handling of the shutdown, and the ongoing housing crisis. They are joined by special guest, Rep. Javier Mabry, who shares his inspiring journey from homelessness to becoming a state lawmaker and champion for renters' rights. The discussion covers topics such as the potential relocation of the Bronco Stadium, the polarization within the Democratic Party, and the role of corporate influence in politics. Mabry also sheds light on his personal experiences and legislative efforts to address affordability and protect tenants. The episode closes with reflections on the importance of labor unions, collective bargaining, and a call to support ongoing unionization efforts at Starbucks.Meet Your HostsAna 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:Website: www.LeftInTheAttic.comInstagram: @leftintheatticpodTikTok: @left.in.the.atticEmail: LeftInTheAtticPod@gmail.comVoicemail: (303) 416-2846

Left in the Attic is a Colorado born podcast where two friends, Ana and Deep, discuss politics, power, community, and big life transitions while filming in an actual attic in Denver. Expect local and national headline debriefs, organizing stories, the chaos of life transitions (Ana in a career pivot & dating in Denver, Deep having a newborn), and guests who are doing the work in communities.Episode 1 kicks things off with Ana and Deep sharing who they are, how they met, what being high school teachers was like through Trump’s first election, and why they believe in the power of community amidst the crumbling of democracy. They unpack the recent elections in Colorado and nationwide, talk about school meals, gerrymandering, and money in politics. They close with a concrete call to action to support local food pantries and food banks (Food Bank of the Rockies, Feeding America, denvergov.org/Community/Support/Food/Food-Assistance).If you are politically heartbroken but still hungry for hope, this podcast is for you. Meet Your HostsAna 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: Website: www.LeftInTheAttic.comInstagram: @leftintheatticpod TikTok: @left.in.the.attic Email: LeftInTheAtticPod@gmail.comVoicemail: (303) 416-2846