Standing Tall with Gloria Johnson is a bold and witty political podcast hosted by one of the South's most prolific civic leaders. Standing Tall is for people who want to understand what's happening and what they can do about it, told through Tennessee Representative Gloria Johnson’s characteristic no-holds-barred storytelling. Honest, unfiltered, and always entertaining, Representative Gloria Johnson cuts through the noise to break down the local, state, and national issues shaping listeners’ daily lives.
Each episode offers an inside look at government, the people influencing policy, culture and how it informs civic life, and the decisions impacting our communities. Through candid conversations with elected officials, organizers, advocates, and everyday Tennesseans, Standing Tall explores the challenges facing our democracy while highlighting the people working to strengthen it.
At a time when many feel disconnected from politics, Standing Tall aims to inform, inspire, and empower listeners to get involved, stay engaged, and help build a better future!
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! (https://rss.com/podcasts/standing-tall-with-gloria-johnson/voicemail)
When the first early vote numbers dropped in Knox County, I knew Tennessee was seeing something we’d never seen before. I’m recording this in my robe after a 5 a.m. bedtime on Election Night, and I have a lot to unpack.
I thank House District 90 for sending me back, then break down election night: why Tennessee is officially in play – how we did it without the national money Texas and Georgia get, and why I believe the most unapologetic progressives on the ballot came closest to winning or won.
I cover the close calls, the State House flips and races across the country. I also lay out what we have to demand from the new Democratic majorities: bold leadership, real accountability, and help with affordability and corruption.
We didn’t win everything, but we showed the country that Tennessee isn't as red as people thought.
27 Oct 2026
Rep. Vincent Dixie: Why We're Voting NO on the 3 Amendments
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! (https://rss.com/podcasts/standing-tall-with-gloria-johnson/voicemail)
Three constitutional amendments are on the Tennessee ballot, and Gloria and her colleague Rep. Vincent Dixie are voting NO on all three.
Rep. Dixie, who owns a bail bonding company and says so up front, explains how Amendment 1 would take away the right to bail for people accused of any of 73 felonies, what that could mean for county jails, taxpayers and families, and why due process matters.
They also break down Amendment 2, a ban on a state property tax Tennessee hasn't had in decades, and Amendment 3, a crime victims' rights amendment they say largely duplicates state law.
They close with why policy doesn't belong in the Constitution, and what voters should know before they head to the polls.
22 Oct 2026
Keshaun Pearson: A Righteous Way to be Frustrated
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! (https://rss.com/podcasts/standing-tall-with-gloria-johnson/voicemail)
Gloria sits down with KeShaun Pearson, the Memphis organizer who helped lead the fight against the Byhalia crude oil pipeline alongside his brother, Rep. Justin J. Pearson. KeShaun explains how losing both of his grandmothers to cancer turned the numbers into something personal, and how knocking on doors in the rain with flyers printed at FedEx grew into a movement.
They dig into Elon Musk's xAI data centers and gas turbines in Southwest Memphis, what it does to people's trust in government when corporations get tax breaks while the community gets silence, the chaotic Memphis City Council meeting over a data center moratorium, and the "performance of civility" used against protesters. They close on the redrawn Tennessee congressional map, the Nov. 3 election, and KeShaun's practical case for hope: do something.
NOTE: On Tuesday., October 20, the council rejected the 12-month moratorium on a 6-6 tie (one member absent) and instead passed a set of data center regulations (Ordinance 18, per Action News 5) Also on Oct. 20, a federal judge (U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker, per WREG) temporarily blocked the council from enforcing bans on six people, including KeShaun, for 14 days.
Keep up with the Pearsons:
KeShaun Pearson - https://www.instagram.com/keshaunpearson/ (https://www.instagram.com/keshaunpearson/)
Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP) https://www.instagram.com/memphiscap_org/ (https://www.instagram.com/memphiscap_org/)
Rep. Justin J. Pearson - TN House member (Memphis) and 2026 candidate for Congress in the redrawn District 9: https://www.instagram.com/justinjpearson (https://www.instagram.com/justinjpearson)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
16 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Contact Standing Tall with Gloria Johnson
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
