#TalkRadio – December 17: We Will Rise: Shaping A Winning Agenda for 2025-26

SPEAKERS:

Jonah Minkoff-Zern: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Campaign Co-Director, Public Citizen’s Democracy Campaign

Atty. Terry O’Neill: 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM ET
Current Board Secretary of the Transformative Justice Coalition; former President of the National Organization for Women (NOW); Former Host of the podcast What Equality Looks Like; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-o-neill-3076303/ 

Dr. Kylar Wiltz: 12:30 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Transformative Justice Coalition-certified Voting Rights Advocate & Alumni, September 2024 Class; Over the past six years, Dr. Kylar Wiltz has been able to pursue his educational aspirations at prestigious graduate and professional institutions that bear footprints in various corners of the United States, having earned Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees from Howard University, along with the Master of Public Administration (MPA)-Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree (double concentration program) from Eastern Illinois University. As a first generation physician with aims of becoming a surgeon, Dr. Wiltz’s greatest motivations are being able to tackle, dissect, and solve various facets of healthcare disparities domestically and globally, whilst serving as a community leader and mentor to those of the most significance to him. He understands and embraces the role and responsibility that his contribution to breaking such barriers serves for his family and for those who look similar to him.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison: (May come on at anytime)
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is an American politician and lawyer serving as the 30th Attorney General of Minnesota.  A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Elison was the U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2019. 

INTRODUCTION:

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “ “We Will Rise:Shaping A Winning Agenda for 2025-26”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and special guests Jonah Minkoff-Zern; Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (may be able to be on the show); Dr. Kylar Wiltz; and Atty. Terry O’Neill as they reprise TJC’s December 16th TeleTown Hall. 

This TeleTown Hall was held to have honest and bold talk and recommended actions, with Daryl Jones as Moderator, Keith Ellison as Opening Speaker, Kimberle Crenshaw bringing profound insights, Jonah Minkoff-Zern on organizing opposition, Dr. Kylar Wiltz, MD, MBA, MPA-MPP on GenZ Vote and looming healthcare battles and Marcus Arbery, father of hashtag#AhmaudArbery. The “We Will Rise!! Shaping A Winning Agenda for 2025-2026 in the Face of Adversity” December 16th National TeleTown Hall offered some “unconventional” perspectives on the election through the lens of how we best organize to Fight Forward to Win!  You can watch on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TJC.DC/videos/557741530388023 or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3P78pPsDP8.  

QUESTIONS:

Everyone:

• What was the highlight for you of last night’s national teletown Hall?
• Who do you consider the most egregious nominees and how do we organize to oppose them?
• What do you see as the impact of President Elect Trump and Vice President Elect J.D.Vance attending the Army v. Navy Football game this past weekend and inviting a White man, Daniel Perry, who was acquitted of killing a young Black man on a subway train in New York? 
• What is your thought on this being the most expensive Presidential campaign in American history, but there being a lack of campaign funding in the African American community?  What should be the message received and how does the community gain the financial resources it deserves? 
• There appears to be an over obsession with White voters by the Democratic Party, e.g. Soccer Moms, White Suburban Moms, White Working Class, and White Independents. Why do you think that there is this obsession with a sect of voters that did not support the Democratic Party? Yet there is so little attention given to its base of Black voters?
• How do you account for the six million difference between President Biden’s victory in 2020 and the lesser numbers of Vice President Harris voters in 2024?

Ending for each guest:

• How can our listeners get involved? What are the next steps?
• What are your one-minute final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?
• Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison 
• What advice do you offer to Progressive members in the Congress?
• Keith, how do we counter the concerted efforts of MAGA state attorney generals who are seeking to destroy the civil rights legal framework?

Terry O’Neill:

• What is the message that you want to share with other White women in this time, following the 2024 election performance?
• What, if anything, can we glean from this election performance by White women?
• What does the 2024 election indicate about racism, sexism, and misogynoir and how do we as a nation overcome this hurdle?
• In 7 of 10 states with Reproductive Freedom on the ballot, the measures were passed by the voters.  In one of those states, Florida, the measure would have passed, but the legislature increased the needed percentage to pass a constitutional amendment to 60%, rather than a simple majority vote.  However, in those same seven states, the Reproductive Freedom presidential candidate lost.  What do you think explains this split in the voting? Split voting was also seen across the nation in Senate, House and even state governor and other races? 

Jonah Minkoff Zern:

• Public Citizen has been front and center in the battle for voting rights in America. The incoming administration has shown an adversity to making it easier for American citizens to exercise their franchise.  In fact, the incoming President has issued a call for one day elections. How do we prepare for the incoming Administration and the flurry of issues that they are prioritizing?
• Why is opposition to the nomination of Kash Patel as FBI Director so important?

Dr. Kylar Wiltz:

• Black GenZ played a large role as community organizers and voter educators in the 2024 election.  Why do you think more acknowledgement has not been given to the role that Black GenZ played and how does this message get out regarding their successful efforts?
• You have worked to develop a program to encourage younger voters to get to the polls and learn of their voting status.  Can you share in information about your program?
• The incoming administration is set to nominate individuals to public health positions:  
  – Secretary of Health and Human Services – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
  – Center for Disease Control – Dave Weldon
  – NIH Director – Jay Bhattacharya
  – Health Deputy – Jim O’Neill
  – Surgeon General – Jeanette Nesheiwat
• Many of these nominees are opposed to vaccinations or hold other strange viewpoints on the Affordable Care Act and health coverage.
• What should people do that oppose these nominees?  Is there a medical danger that exists with having vaccination deniers in high federal health positions?
• Throughout  2023 and 2024, there was a concerted effort to mislead the  African American community, especially its  GenZ members who were heavily targeted, with deceptive disinformation and misinformation on social media to discourage voter turnout.  This campaign appeared to have been quite successful.  What can we do to best counter these disenfranchising practices?    

[TJC will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all Americans and will fight the implementation of Project 2025 and our future shows will continue to cover any hate crimes and how we effectively protect ourselves while advancing our agenda for justice.]

[Daryl and Barbara may share their favorite books and encourage people to donate towards TJC’s giveaways of banned books.]