Build the Change is a show about the people at the center of progress hosted by internationally renowned gender non-conforming writer and performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon. We're on a journey across the country, searching for stories about everyday people working together to build something bigger than themselves: Real change. From kelp farmers in Alaska, to LGBTQ students in Appalachia, to candidates in states with razor thin party margins, you'll see what it takes to build a grassroots movement for progressive change—and maybe get inspired to make some change of your own.
Created in partnership with ActBlue.
Living in a Blue state that isn't considered "up for grabs" in a presidential election can lead to feelings of powerlessness. Tom Hallock and a handful of his friends felt that way in 2016 — so they packed up and traveled out of state to get out the vote. Though that election didn't pan out the way Tom hoped, he realized he and his friends could bring the resources and enthusiasm of progressive areas to the people who really need them... at scale. That's how Force Multiplier was born. In the critical weeks before this historic election, Force Multiplier is mobilizing support for the candidates who need help the most.
23 Oct 2024
The Political Power of Swifties
After Kamala Harris launched her presidential campaign, identity-based groups started popping up and organizing calls to express support and raise money. One of those groups was Swifties4Kamala. While organizing around a common musical taste may seem unconventional, they’ve been able to harness their Swiftie power into political power, raising money and organizing calls with big names in politics and culture.
16 Oct 2024
Filling the Ballot in a Red State
You can find Democrats wherever you go in this country — north or south, urban or rural, on the coast or otherwise. Sometimes, they’re undecided voters. Sometimes, they’re staunch liberals fighting to find a foothold in a local government dominated by Republicans. In this episode, we’re taking a trip to Huntington, Indiana to learn about how one woman is taking action in a broadly conservative county to increase visibility and push for change — and how more Democrats in similar situations can do the same.
9 Oct 2024
The DNC Part 2: Influencing Change
In our second dispatch from the DNC, a group of influencers and changemakers share what first inspired them to step up and make change in their communities. You might have seen some of their posts cross your feed online! Each of them has a unique path to action – and whether it’s running for office, traveling the country to change minds, or even making memes, their stories show us there are countless ways to make a difference.
9 Oct 2024
The DNC Part 1: Busy Philipps
In our first of two episodes recorded at the DNC, Busy Philipps – the award-winning star of some of the most iconic TV shows from the 90s and early 2000s – tells a story about taking a risk and speaking up for the issue that mattered most to her… and how she started a viral movement in the process.
7 Oct 2024
Coming soon: A special season of Build the Change
Build the Change explores the diverse stories of advocates, nonprofits, politicians, parents, students, and more, who are fighting for progressive causes. Join us every week until the election for a special Build the Change season featuring incredible changemakers mobilizing Democratic support right now – including interviews recorded on the DNC floor. You’ll walk away with plenty of inspiration… and just maybe, a few new ideas for how to get involved and build the change yourself.
29 May 2024
The Disability Advocates
More and more, it feels like our country is offering its citizens the care they need to survive, but not to thrive. At the same time, we're witnessing an increase of attempts to repeal health coverage laws like the Affordable Care Act, and privatize programs like Medicaid. This has left the disability community at the forefront of the fight to protect and expand our governments’ care resources. So, what happens when you get tired of waiting around for change and you decide to take matters into your hands? We’ll hear from a disability justice advocate who decided to run for office to bring awareness to the care crisis. As well as a mother of a medically complex child who founded her own lobbying organization aiming to influence healthcare policies in Congress.
In our final episode of the season, we’re talking about care access, disability justice and the political power of the disability community.
Learn more about how you can build change at actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange)or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/actblueorg/?hl=en)and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@actblueorg).
22 May 2024
The Rise of Virtual Abortion Care
The United States’ system of abortion care is mired in stigma and resistant to change. However, between increasing evidence for the safety of medication abortion, lawsuits against the FDA, and the COVID-19 pandemic, a unique solution for more abortion freedom rose to prominence: virtual care. Despite such strides, gaps in access remain. And these new freedoms stand on the precipice of being stripped after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We’ll hear from a trio of healthcare providers, who discovered a major barrier to virtual abortion care and created an organization of their own to address it.
In this episode, we’re talking about how virtual abortion care rose to prominence, and what it will take to continue fighting for access to this essential.
15 May 2024
The Crisis Teams
In Minnesota, a landmark piece of legislation promised better resources for people experiencing mental health crises. Advocates worked hard to get Travis’ Law passed – it was named after a man killed by the police while in the midst of a mental health crisis. And it was written to ensure trained professionals would respond to these kinds of calls. But the work doesn’t stop there. Today, advocates say the law isn’t always being enforced. We’ll hear from families and organizations in Minnesota – and around the country – who are teaming up to keep their communities safe and supported during mental health crises.
In this episode, we’re talking about creating new systems to support mental health.
Learn more about how you can build change at actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange)or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/actblueorg/?hl=en)and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@actblueorg).
8 May 2024
The Farm Worker Speaks Out
Agricultural work is physically demanding, and that work gets even more exhausting during the summer months, which are getting hotter and hotter each year due to climate change. As a country, we depend on farm workers to keep us fed and nourished, but how they do that is often invisible to consumers. We’ll hear from a farm worker about her experiences in the field under the hot sun, and from an organization taking steps to guarantee better protections for farm workers like her.
In this episode, we’re talking about building change for farm workers.
Learn more about how you can build change at actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange) or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/actblueorg/?hl=en) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@actblueorg).
1 May 2024
The Changing Climate
The effects of climate change are already evident in communities across the U.S. To both mitigate and coexist with this new reality, indigenous leaders across the country are driving solutions that prioritize both people and the environment. We’ll travel to Alaska to hear how kelp farming is helping coastal communities and species adapt to climate change…and then to Hawai’i, where a Native-led organization combined indigenous knowledge and modern engineering to help prevent disastrous flooding. Plus, we’ll learn from the people working to elect more Native leaders in politics – and why that’s so vital.
In this episode, we’re looking to Indigenous communities to navigate climate change.
Learn more about how you can build change at actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange) or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/actblueorg/?hl=en) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@actblueorg).
24 Apr 2024
The Fight for Education
In rural Appalachia, being openly queer can be dangerous for kids. But a group of students in one small town knew they weren't getting the history education they wanted -- so they banded together with their favorite French teacher to bring an idea to life. From the perspective of that teacher and the student who started it all, this is the story of the Open Light club, and how students’ idea to teach themselves LGBTQ history after class grew into something so much bigger. They faced opposition they never expected... but created a community that would stick with them forever.
In this episode, we're talking about how young people can make change in their community -- and how the rest of us can support them.
Learn more about how you can build change at
actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange)
or follow us on Instagram and TikTok.
17 Apr 2024
The Drag Queen vs the State of Texas
Sometimes, joy, celebration, and community are the best tools we have to fight against hate. When the Texas Legislature attempted to criminalize drag in the state, one drag queen used those exact tools to mobilize her community. We’ll learn how they successfully fought back against the attempt to stifle not just their careers, but their modes of expression. Plus, we take a visit to a drag story hour in Brooklyn, New York to talk to the community of people joining forces to drown out the hate.
This episode we’re talking about building change in the LGBTQ community.
Learn more about how you can get involved at actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange)or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/actblueorg/?hl=en)and TikTok. (https://www.tiktok.com/@actblueorg)
17 Apr 2024
The Grassroots Campaign
Local candidates can transform the lives of thousands of people – for better or worse. Three stories take us through the journey of what it takes to win elections and serve in these positions. From discovering a problem and choosing to step up, to getting out the vote, to navigating precarious party margins and fighting for progress– community support is everything. And the same issues we see dominating the national conversation can often hinge on just a handful of votes.
In this episode, we're talking about building change in local and state office.
Learn more about how you can build change at actblue.com/buildthechange (http://actblue.com/buildthechange) or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/actblueorg/?hl=en) and TikTok. (https://www.tiktok.com/@actblueorg)
3 Apr 2024
Introducing: Build the Change
Across the country, everyday people are coming together to build something bigger than themselves: real change. But what does it take to make it happen? In Build the Change, host Alok Vaid-Menon explores the diverse stories of advocates, nonprofits, politicians, parents, students, and more, who are fighting for progressive causes. Join them on this journey across the country, and get inspired to build the change in your community.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.4 / 5
20 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
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