Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams

Latinos are a growing and increasingly powerful part of America's electorate, with both parties fighting for their favor. While 48% of Latino voters chose Trump in 2024, recent polls show that many are having second thoughts. This week, Stacey is joined by Chuck Rocha, founder and president of Solidarity Strategies, and Clarissa Martinez de Castro, Vice President of the Latino Vote Initiative at Unidos US. They discuss common assumptions and misconceptions about the issues animating these voters, , how ICE and Trump's deportation policies are backfiring, and what it means for Democrats to authentically engage with diverse Latino communities on a wide variety of issues to win them back in 2026 and beyond.

This week, Stacey opens the show with the war the Trump administration launched against Iran, a complicated, deadly, and expensive undertaking that was chosen by the President without seeking congressional approval. Then, she turns her attention to the upcoming Academy Awards and examines the role the film and entertainment industry plays in America's current political and cultural moment. Stacey is joined by Sam Sanders, host of The Sam Sanders Show on KCRW, and Hunter Harris, host of the Lemme Say This podcast and author of the Hung Up column on Substack. They discuss the movies and moments with political messages this year, the way ownership will impact studio decisions in the future, and the art and performances that will stick with us for years to come.

More than a week into the war with Iran, the fallout continues to grow. The Trump administration's actions have taken civilian lives, thrown the middle east into chaos, and caused oil and gas prices to spike globally. This week, Stacey speaks to Mehdi Hasan, Editor-in-chief of ‪@zeteo‬ about the motivations behind the war, the importance of independent media in covering the conflict, and what history can teach us about foreign policy consequences that play out over decades.