The Brown Girls Guide to Politics

About The Brown Girls Guide to Politics

About The Brown Girls Guide: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Power of Us The Brown Girls Guide is more than a podcast — it’s a movement. Created for women of color who want to stay informed, inspired, and connected, this show dives into the conversations that shape our lives. From breaking down politics and current events to exploring pop culture and lifestyle, we hold space for the issues and joys that matter most to us. Every episode brings a mix of candid commentary and powerful interviews with voices you’ll love — from trailblazers and thought leaders to everyday women whose stories remind us of our strength. If you’ve ever wanted to get politically involved and had no idea where to start, this is where you meet the women who did it, and hear the parts they don’t put in the press release. Our mission is simple: to celebrate the richness of our perspectives while keeping it real, fun, and unapologetically us. Because the world looks different through our lens — and it’s time everyone sees it. So whether you’re tuning in for insight, inspiration, or just a laugh with your new favorite guide, you’re in the right place. Welcome to The Brown Girls Guide. Produced by The BGG Media. Hosted by A'shanti F. Gholar, Founder of The Brown Girls Guide. Website: thebgguide.com

Publisher

The BGG Media

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Mar 2019

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

115 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026

   Our Bodies Are on the Ballot

   Episode Overview: Six days out, Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson joins A’shanti to break down why reproductive freedom is on the ballot again, from abortion measures in four states to the Medicaid cuts hitting birth control and STI care, and the three things to do before you vote. Credits Host: A’shanti F. Gholar Produced by Cinthia Pimentel, Ombie Productions Audio engineer: Kayden Wong The Brown Girls Guide to Politics is part of The BGG Media Next on The BGG: After Election Day, we come back with what actually happened: which women won, which barriers held, and where races were closer than the coverage told you. Then we get you ready for the conversations ahead, at family dinners, holiday gatherings, and everywhere politics pulls up a chair. Karen Finney joins A’shanti. Wednesday, November 18. Full Episode Overview: A lot of people thought we settled this in 2024. We did not. Four years after Dobbs, reproductive freedom is back on the ballot, and this time it is about more than abortion. In the season’s closing argument before Election Day, A’shanti welcomes back a friend of the show, Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Joining from the road in the final stretch of the midterms, Alexis explains how we got here, why voters in Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia will decide abortion measures this November, and why voting to protect your own state while sending opponents of reproductive freedom to Congress cancels out the chance at a national right. They also get into the care Planned Parenthood provides every day, from contraception and STI testing to wellness exams, and what happened when Medicaid patients lost the ability to use their coverage there. Alexis closes with three things every listener should do before casting a ballot, and a reminder of why they are working so hard to stop us: they understand our power. Our guest: Alexis McGill Johnson is president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a national reproductive health and rights advocacy organization that fights to ensure that vital health services are provided to 2.1 million people each year at nearly 600 Planned Parenthood health centers across the country. She is also the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a national nonprofit organization that is the country's most trusted name in sexual and reproductive health and rights. Since joining Planned Parenthood as a board member over a decade ago, Alexis has expanded Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s advocacy power and led the organization through challenges — from its exclusion from Title X to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. A thought leader on reproductive freedom, racial justice, and implicit bias, she is a frequent commentator in the press and keynote speaker, a founder of the Culture Group, and currently serves on the boards of Color of Change as well as the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights. In this episode Why reproductive freedom is still on the ballot after the 2024 ballot measures The abortion measures in Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia Why ballot measures alone cannot restore a national right, and why Congress matters How the Medicaid cut to Planned Parenthood is taking away birth control and STI care Three things to do before you vote, straight from Alexis Why joy and community belong in your voting plan What Do We Do? Three things to do before you vote, straight from Alexis. Know who you are voting for. Not just the top of the ticket. Your governor, attorney general, legislature, judges, and every ballot measure. Planned Parenthood Votes has endorsed candidates who will protect our care (link below). Make your plan, and plan to win big. Know your date, your place, and your backup. If you voted by mail, track your ballot and make sure it was received. Wide margins make wins harder to question. Bring your people, and bring the joy. Vote early if you can, and do not go alone. Community is part of the plan. Planned Parenthood Information: Website: https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/ (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/) Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorsed Candidates:  https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements (https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/endorsements) Instagram: instagram.com/alexismjpp (http://instagram.com/alexismjpp) https://www.instagram.com/ppact (https://www.instagram.com/ppact) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@plannedparenthoodaction (https://www.tiktok.com/@plannedparenthoodaction) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-mcgill-johnson-9328b459 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-mcgill-johnson-9328b459) Threads: https://www.threads.com/@alexismjpp (https://www.threads.com/@alexismjpp) https://www.threads.com/@ppact (https://www.threads.com/@ppact) Connect with The BGG Read the blog for weekly roundups, explainers, and election resources, and follow @thebgguide everywhere for clips from every episode. Blog | The BGG Blog | thebgguide.com/blog (https://www.thebgguide.com/blog) Instagram | @thebgguide | instagram.com/thebgguide (https://www.instagram.com/thebgguide/) X | @thebgguide | x.com/thebgguide (https://x.com/thebgguide) Facebook | @thebgguide | facebook.com/thebgguide (https://www.facebook.com/thebgguide) YouTube | The Brown Girls Guide | https://www.youtube.com/@thebgguide (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6pq5NTPfa4kL_rQ-_WCn5w) Newsletter | Get Updates | thebgguide.com/signup (https://www.thebgguide.com/signup) Pre-order How to Change Everything A’shanti’s book, How to Change Everything: What We Can Learn from the Women Reshaping Politics, publishes March 23, 2027, from The New Press, and pre-orders are open now. With a foreword by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, the book features fresh interviews with over 50 women reshaping politics. They include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Congresswomen Lateefah Simon, Emilia Sykes, and Nikema Williams; Stacey Abrams; Gloria Steinem; Alexis McGill Johnson; and Skye Perryman. Pre-orders count toward first week sales, so ordering now is one of the best ways to support the book. Pre-order: thebgguide.com/change-everything-book (https://www.thebgguide.com/change-everything-book)

2. 

   21 Oct 2026

   What's on the Ballot?

   EPISODE OVERVIEW: You researched the candidates. Then you hit the questions at the bottom of the ballot. A’shanti sits down with Chris Melody Fields Figueredo of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center to break down the ballot measures that will shape your life long after November 3. Next Week: Episode 3, "Our Bodies Are on the Ballot," drops Wednesday, October 28. It is the final episode before Election Day, and it is all about reproductive freedom. Ballot measures are on the ballot, and so are our bodies. The Brown Girls Guide to Politics is a production of The BGG Media. Hosted by A’shanti F. Gholar. This season is produced by Cinthia Pimentel of Ombie Productions. Our audio engineer is Kayden Wong. FULL EPISODE OVERVIEW: Thirteen days out from Election Day, A’shanti takes us inside the voting booth. You know your candidates. You know their policies. Then you reach the bottom of the ballot and find four lines of language written so you won't understand them. Too many voters skip those questions, and we live with the answers for the next ten years. This week, The BGG goes past who is on the ballot to what is on the ballot. A’shanti is joined by Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC), who has tracked ballot measures in every state for more than seven years. In this episode: The three big issue areas on 2026 ballots: democracy itself, economic justice, and bodily autonomy Why anti-tax measures could drain funding from public schools, parks, and fire stations Reproductive freedom measures in Idaho, Nevada, Virginia, and Missouri, and the wave of anti-trans measures across five states How lawmakers are raising signature thresholds and supermajority rules to make citizen-led measures harder to pass Why Florida's 2024 reproductive freedom measure won 57% of the vote and still failed Why winning on Election Day is not the end: implementation is where measures are being lost How to read a confusing ballot measure and figure out what a yes or a no really means About Our Guest Chris Melody Fields Figueredo has been BISC’s Executive Director since June 2018, bringing two decades of experience in advocacy, creating collaborative spaces, and movement building. She has devoted her career to social justice and ensuring our democracy works for “We the People.” She is the first queer woman of color to lead BISC, where she focuses on organizational vision, strategy, and fundraising. She believes ballot measures can be a tool for liberation, if we use them to build power, dismantle systems of oppression, and center the communities most impacted by the change we seek. Chris is Venezuelan-American, raised in Texas. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her daughter and border collie. What Do We Do? Three things to do before Election Day, Tuesday, November 3: Pull up your sample ballot. Your state or county election office has it. Read it all the way down, not just the names. Learn the measures. Start at ballot.org (https://ballot.org). Find out who wrote each measure, who is funding it, and what a yes would actually do. Tell at least three people what is on your ballot. Your group chat counts. Be that girl who lets everyone know what the measures are and how to vote to keep great laws in your state. Resources Mentioned Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) (https://ballot.org): ballot measure tracking and resources Vote411 (https://www.vote411.org): personalized ballot guide from the League of Women Voters, with your sample ballot by address Vote.gov (https://vote.gov): links to your state election office, where sample ballots are posted Community voter guides: Chris recommends plain language guides from state-based community organizations and your state's Progress Now affiliate Listen and follow The BGG Listen now: rebrand.ly/bggpodcast (https://rebrand.ly/bggpodcast) Watch on YouTube: The Brown Girls Guide to Politics (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6pq5NTPfa4kL_rQ-_WCn5w) Connect with The BGG Read the blog for weekly roundups, explainers, and election resources, and follow @thebgguide everywhere for clips from every episode. Blog | The BGG Blog | thebgguide.com/blog (https://www.thebgguide.com/blog) Instagram | @thebgguide | instagram.com/thebgguide (https://www.instagram.com/thebgguide/) X | @thebgguide | x.com/thebgguide (https://x.com/thebgguide) Facebook | @thebgguide | facebook.com/thebgguide (https://www.facebook.com/thebgguide) YouTube | The Brown Girls Guide | YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6pq5NTPfa4kL_rQ-_WCn5w) Newsletter | Get Updates | thebgguide.com/signup (https://www.thebgguide.com/signup) Pre-order How to Change Everything A’shanti’s book, How to Change Everything: What We Can Learn from the Women Reshaping Politics, publishes March 23, 2027 from The New Press, and pre-orders are open now. With a foreword by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, the book features fresh interviews with over 50 women reshaping politics. They include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Congresswomen Lateefah Simon, Emilia Sykes, and Nikema Williams; Stacey Abrams; Gloria Steinem; Alexis McGill Johnson; and Skye Perryman. Pre-orders count toward first-week sales, so ordering now is one of the best ways to support the book. Pre-order: thebgguide.com/change-everything-book (https://www.thebgguide.com/change-everything-book)

3. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Voting is Open. Now What?

   Episode 1 opens Season 12 with Ashley Shelton on what the gutting of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act means for voters this November, and how to protect your ballot anyway. The Brown Girls Guide to Politics is a production of The BGG Media. This season is produced by Cinthia Pimentel of Ombie Productions. Our audio engineer is Kayden Wong. About the episode: Before we talk about who is running, we have to talk about whether your vote is going to count. Season 12 of The Brown Girls Guide to Politics opens with the rules that changed this year. A’shanti is joined by Ashley Shelton, President and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. Ashley was a plaintiff in Robinson v. Landry, the case that gave Louisiana a second majority-Black congressional district. Her organization then intervened in Louisiana v. Callais, the case the Supreme Court used to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Ashley explains in plain language what Callais did, why it reaches every level of government, from Congress to the school board, and why the fight isn't over, with the case headed back to federal court in Shreveport on October 27. She makes the case that racism is expensive, that the confusion around voting this year is intentional, and that the only answer is unprecedented Black voter turnout. They also get into state voting rights acts, why electing a Congress that holds the line matters this November, and the voters we assume are already voting but are not. Ashley closes with her takeaways: check your status, know the law, pick how you vote, and never go to the polls alone. In this episode: How the Power Coalition organizes Louisiana voters year-round, from door knocking to a policy agenda built on deep listening Callais in plain language: from a fair map in Robinson v. Landry to the gutting of Section 2 Why Reconstruction-era amendments are now being used against the voters they were written to protect “Racism is expensive”: what packing Black voters into one district costs the people drawing the maps Why the confusion about voting this year is intentional, and how to tune out the headlines Early voting, voting by mail, and why to get your ballot in days ahead State voting rights acts, including Louisiana’s Senate Bill 365, and why representation is the heart of citizenship The redistricting fights to watch after the midterms Ashley’s takeaways, plus why you should bring the kids and get the sticker About the guest: Ashley Shelton, Founder, President and CEO: Ashley K. Shelton is the Founder, President and CEO of the Power Coalition, a statewide 501c3 table in Louisiana. The Power Coalition uses a broad-based strategy that combines community organizing, issue advocacy, and civic action all while increasing the capacity of community organizations throughout the state to build and sustain power. Mrs. Shelton has led both C3 and C4 strategies to move more than a million voters throughout the state of Louisiana having significant impact in elections in the major metros including New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport. Since our inception we have focused on moving infrequent voters of color, increasing voice and building people power. Our integrated voter engagement approach has changed policy at the municipal, state and federal levels as well as move infrequent voters of color to vote at the same levels as chronic voters in the communities where we run a full get out to vote program. What Do We Do? Three things listeners can do today, built from Ashley’s takeaways: Check your registration. Purges have hit voter rolls this year, so confirm your status and check it for the people you love. If you have a past conviction, look up your state’s rules, because you may be eligible. Pick how you vote and make a plan. Early, by mail, or on Election Day, choose your method and a backup. If you vote by mail, get your ballot in days ahead and drop it off in person if you can. Never go to the polls alone. Bring a friend, a neighbor, a cousin, and bring the kids so they see what voting looks like. Links and resources Power Coalition for Equity and Justice: powercoalition.org (https://powercoalition.org), with Louisiana sample ballots, constitutional amendment breakdowns, and early voting locations Follow the Power Coalition: @PowerCoEJ Election Protection hotline: 866 OUR VOTE (866 687 8683), for questions or problems while voting Your sample ballot and registration status: your state Secretary of State or local election office The BGG: thebgguide.com (https://thebgguide.com) Connect with The BGG Read the blog for weekly roundups, explainers, and election resources, and follow @thebgguide everywhere for clips from every episode. Blog | The BGG Blog | thebgguide.com/blog (https://www.thebgguide.com/blog) Instagram | @thebgguide | instagram.com/thebgguide (https://www.instagram.com/thebgguide/) X | @thebgguide | x.com/thebgguide (https://x.com/thebgguide) Facebook | @thebgguide | facebook.com/thebgguide (https://www.facebook.com/thebgguide) YouTube | The Brown Girls Guide | YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6pq5NTPfa4kL_rQ-_WCn5w) Newsletter | Get Updates | thebgguide.com/signup (https://www.thebgguide.com/signup) Pre-order How to Change Everything A’shanti’s book, How to Change Everything: What We Can Learn from the Women Reshaping Politics, publishes March 23, 2027 from The New Press, and pre-orders are open now. With a foreword by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, the book features fresh interviews with over 50 women reshaping politics. They include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congresswomen Lateefah Simon, Emilia Sykes, and Nikema Williams, Stacey Abrams, Gloria Steinem, Alexis McGill Johnson, and Skye Perryman. Pre-orders count toward first week sales, so ordering now is one of the best ways to support the book. Pre-order: thebgguide.com/change-everything-book (https://www.thebgguide.com/change-everything-book) Format: hardcover, ISBN 979-8-89385-071-0

Contact The Brown Girls Guide to Politics

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.