WEBVTT - Take the Power Back 0:00:11.760 --> 0:00:15.040 Good morning, peeps, and welcome to wok ev Daily with 0:00:15.160 --> 0:00:19.479 Meet Your Girl Danielle Moody, recording from the Home Bunker. 0:00:22.239 --> 0:00:25.560 I really hope that this week will be better than 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:29.880 the last few weeks. I don't know about you, but 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:35.000 I walk into these Mondays these days extraordinarily exhausted and 0:00:35.440 --> 0:00:39.559 just depleted and wondering what fresh hell is going to 0:00:39.640 --> 0:00:43.400 be waiting for us at the end of another week. 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:47.520 But I will say this, I'm excited about today's conversation. 0:00:47.760 --> 0:00:51.400 We welcome back to the show Executive director Chris Melody 0:00:51.479 --> 0:00:55.840 Fields Figuredo from the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center to talk 0:00:55.880 --> 0:01:01.240 about some good things that are happening that we don't 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:05.559 hear a lot about, which are the ballot initiatives around 0:01:05.640 --> 0:01:09.240 abortion that folks are going to be voting on around 0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:12.560 the country this November. That they will not only be 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:18.040 voting for who is in control of the executive branch, 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:22.160 but also whether or not, in states that have banned 0:01:22.160 --> 0:01:26.040 abortion outright, if they will go back to a place 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:29.600 of bodily autonomy. And I think that it's really critical 0:01:29.640 --> 0:01:32.880 for us to understand the importance of ballot measures and 0:01:32.959 --> 0:01:37.839 why they matter. We've seen in such places like Ohio 0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:41.840 when it's Wisconsin and Kentucky, in places that put up 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:45.480 ballot initiatives which require a certain amount of signatures right 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:50.160 to be vetted and seen to restore abortion to the people. 0:01:51.080 --> 0:01:54.800 What the Supreme Court did you know a couple of 0:01:54.880 --> 0:01:58.480 years ago when they overturn Roe v. Wade was set 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:04.360 a fire this country and precedent and what we thought 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:09.720 to be true. They have been reimagining this country, one 0:02:09.760 --> 0:02:14.240 decision at a time, and ballot measures allow the people 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:19.480 to take some power back. And so in my conversation today, 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:24.720 we get into a conversation about the fundamentals around democracy, 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:29.680 why ballot initiatives matter, and what is at stake, as 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:33.000 if we all don't know each and every pressing day. 0:02:33.040 --> 0:02:35.359 Each day that we get closer to November, I tell 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:38.000 you that the not inside of my stomach grows by 0:02:38.040 --> 0:02:42.120 the day. But it's important for us to be able 0:02:42.160 --> 0:02:46.919 to find different ways of having these conversations with friends 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:53.000 and family and colleagues until November. People are, in my 0:02:53.120 --> 0:02:58.480 humble opinion, not really coming to a moment of reckoning, 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:02.280 like the people of France just did to unite against 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:06.960 Donald Trump and the far right, and this theocratic reimagining 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:09.840 of America that they want. So I hope that you 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:15.400 glean some hopefulness from the conversation with Chris, which is 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:16.480 coming up. 0:03:16.360 --> 0:03:20.400 Next, folks. 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:24.720 I am very happy to welcome back to WOKF Daily 0:03:24.760 --> 0:03:30.160 the executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, Chris 0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:35.720 Melody Fields Figuretto And we spoke back Chris in April, 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:38.320 where I don't know, I'd kind of like to go 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:42.200 backwards in time right now, and you were giving us 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:46.440 the rundown on all of the important ballot initiatives that 0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:50.720 are coming up, and we know that twenty twenty four 0:03:51.120 --> 0:03:54.920 November is going to be no different. Talk to us 0:03:55.000 --> 0:04:00.280 about abortion being on the ballot, not just the presidency, right, 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:03.040 but being on the ballot in multiple states. 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:08.080 Yeah, I mean a lot has changed since April. It 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:12.280 feels like every day, every week is different. But you know, 0:04:12.320 --> 0:04:15.160 I think there is hope for folks when it comes 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:19.200 to reproductive freedom on the ballot this year. Really, the 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:23.400 people kind of heard the Supreme Court, Okay, you're going 0:04:23.400 --> 0:04:25.640 to strike down an important protection. Then we're going to 0:04:25.680 --> 0:04:29.440 take power into our hands. And it's really showing across 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:32.240 the states how the people are harnessing the power of 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:35.919 direct democracy to advance reproductive freedom in a way that 0:04:36.040 --> 0:04:40.280 prioritizes the autonomy of pregnant people across the country, So 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:45.039 it could be as many as eleven states this November, 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:49.760 thanks to really hard work in the state's grassroots organizations 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:53.080 who have channeled their power to put abortion on the 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:56.880 ballot in November. And just last week it was a 0:04:57.040 --> 0:05:01.200 really big week in ballot measure wind. A number of 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:07.840 states Arizona, Nebraska, and Arkansas have put in their signatures 0:05:08.320 --> 0:05:12.000 to qualify for the November election, and one of the 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:17.400 really key highlights is how overwhelmingly the numbers have been 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:23.279 or these signatures. In many states like Arizona, they gathered 0:05:23.279 --> 0:05:27.000 more than double I mean, like more than eight hundred 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:31.320 and twenty thousand petitions to put abortion on the ballot 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:35.440 in Arizona, more than double what they need to qualify. 0:05:35.520 --> 0:05:39.760 That's one in five Arizonans. We're out there signing these 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:42.839 petitions to put it on the ballot. And that's really 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:46.840 been this really great story of how really this is 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:50.479 this big trend of how overwhelmingly people are out there 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:55.039 signing these petitions and with large volunteer numbers that should 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:58.560 be really exciting for folks who who want to believe 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:00.520 and things are possible in our democracy. 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:05.120 You know, Chris, I'm assuming that the ballots changed from 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:07.400 state to state, right, Like what it means to have 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:10.320 an initiative put up for a vote on the ballot. 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:13.120 Can you talk to us about some of the differences 0:06:13.200 --> 0:06:15.960 and how people have been able to get abortion. And 0:06:16.640 --> 0:06:19.279 I also want to dig into what we mean when 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:22.120 we're saying abortion is on the ballot, Like what specifically 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:24.320 are these ballot measures calling for. 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.279 Yeah, I mean a leven states with eleven different rules, 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:31.680 and some were actually referred by the state legislature, like 0:06:31.680 --> 0:06:35.320 in New York, in the Maryland, So it looks different 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.240 in every state. For those states that are doing the 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:43.839 citizen led process, so right going into their community gathering 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:47.760 these signatures signing the petitions, they're going to have different 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:51.320 rules of how many signatures they have to gather, where 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:54.839 in the state they have to gather signatures. And then 0:06:54.960 --> 0:06:58.159 there are other states like I mentioned before, that legislatures 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:01.520 can refer something to the so it doesn't go through 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:05.840 the citizen led process. Legislators in the states actually put 0:07:05.880 --> 0:07:08.400 the issue on the ballot. So in states like New 0:07:08.480 --> 0:07:12.200 York is a way more expansive look and does it 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:17.840 only include protections for pregnant people. It's more expansive, and 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:21.040 it's kind of an Equal Rights Amendment style ballot measure 0:07:21.040 --> 0:07:24.120 that includes abortion protections. And then you have a state 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:27.720 like Colorado that is not only codifying the rights to 0:07:27.760 --> 0:07:31.480 an abortion their state constitution, they're actually trying to overturn 0:07:31.600 --> 0:07:35.720 a law that prevents state funding or abortions, which is 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:40.440 so incredibly important when we talk about access, especially for 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:44.320 people living in poverty and are you know, have meditate 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:47.280 in order to pay for their health care. And then 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:51.600 you know, other states like a Missouri are only looking 0:07:51.600 --> 0:07:55.200 for an abortion protection into their constitution. They're looking at 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:58.160 other things, you know, looking at what the Supreme Court 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:03.040 decision was vent thinking about how the not just the funding, 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:06.600 but what are the other protections that are needed. 0:08:06.720 --> 0:08:07.960 So while it doesn't. 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:12.680 Specifically name IVF as a protection, the way it is 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:17.760 written would allow for protections like in vitroclertalization. 0:08:18.320 --> 0:08:20.200 And then by and large, the rest of the. 0:08:20.200 --> 0:08:28.640 States are looking at just affirmatively having constitutional protections around abortions. 0:08:30.880 --> 0:08:33.200 When we look at all of this and it does 0:08:33.679 --> 0:08:38.720 it makes me feel like democracy is working when we're 0:08:38.720 --> 0:08:42.080 talking about valid initiatives. It makes me feel as if 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:45.600 people are paying attention to what can and should be done. 0:08:45.960 --> 0:08:49.880 When you see what the Supreme Court's agenda is right, 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:52.520 which is to roll us back into the nineteenth century. 0:08:53.040 --> 0:08:55.200 And so in a lot of these places, one they're 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:58.400 looking to codify abortion, but they're looking it sounds like 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:04.680 to also expand rights to people understanding what is at stake. 0:09:05.080 --> 0:09:08.680 Let me ask you this most recently, Project twenty twenty five, 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:12.560 which I'm sure you're very familiar with the listeners of 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:14.760 this show are because I talk about it at nauseum 0:09:15.520 --> 0:09:19.080 plans to come in and gut every single agency, plans 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:24.760 to have nationwide abortion bands. If in fact, that houthscape 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:30.880 does come into reality, what does a ballot measure ensure 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:36.640 when you have that kind of authority coming in in 0:09:36.679 --> 0:09:38.080 the executive branch. 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:41.319 Well, this is why, Yes, we have the federal government, 0:09:41.360 --> 0:09:44.360 and then we also have states that govern laws as well, 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:48.640 and this is where it'll be really incredibly important. With 0:09:48.720 --> 0:09:53.960 those state constitutions that have these guaranteed protections, that is 0:09:54.000 --> 0:09:56.720 what is going to come into play in the event 0:09:56.920 --> 0:10:01.560 the worst happens, right, That is where those protections that 0:10:01.600 --> 0:10:06.280 are in state constitutions are really going to give people protections. 0:10:06.280 --> 0:10:09.280 And that is why you know, so many advocates in 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:12.880 the states have turned to the ballot measure process to 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:16.080 the failure in many ways of central government. 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:16.400 Right. 0:10:16.400 --> 0:10:18.960 If you think about what the Supreme Court is do, 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:22.560 has done, and is doing and will continue to do, 0:10:23.200 --> 0:10:27.160 that is so critical and why in many places, you know, 0:10:27.800 --> 0:10:32.160 a state like Arizona or Florida, right, which is pretty 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:36.040 much close to near total bands in their state. Those 0:10:36.040 --> 0:10:39.200 are deserts in that part of the country. Florida for 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:43.439 an example, there is no other state in the southeast 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:48.000 part of the country right now that can deliver abortions 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:53.120 that is eighty thousand patients a year. No one can 0:10:53.200 --> 0:10:56.520 take that on and that's why it's so critical for 0:10:56.920 --> 0:10:59.199 And listen, we're also talking about the global South when 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:02.160 we're talking about Florida too, right, we're talking about the 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:05.439 Caribbean as well. And that's why these are so important. 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:11.240 Is it guarantees those very specific protections and places where 0:11:11.520 --> 0:11:13.760 you know, you've seen these New York Times articles, these 0:11:13.840 --> 0:11:16.840 Washington Post, these other media stories coming out which I 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:20.240 think we talked about last time about Louisiana, where people 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:24.199 are traveling to states like from Texas, my home state, 0:11:24.559 --> 0:11:28.920 to a Colorado right to get an abortion, because just 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:33.079 having a band doesn't mean that important healthcare disappears. 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:36.280 You know, I guess one of my concerns and you 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:38.360 know this is I guess a fear for another day. 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:40.720 But you tell me if you think about it as well, 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:45.079 because while we have states rights right, we also see 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:48.720 the ways in which those states rights become limited when 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:50.960 you have a Supreme Court come in, for instance in 0:11:51.000 --> 0:11:54.680 New York and overturn our hundred year old gun policies 0:11:55.120 --> 0:11:59.280 to protect a very densely populated place. And you know, 0:11:59.320 --> 0:12:02.680 we saw, for instance, during the Trump administration the height 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:07.120 of COVID where Donald Trump was denying FEMA to different 0:12:07.160 --> 0:12:10.520 states and denying you know, New Yorkers the ability to 0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:13.920 get global entry for instance, to be able to sign 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:17.840 up for that when traveling globally. So when you think 0:12:17.880 --> 0:12:21.240 about these things and the ways in which the federal 0:12:21.360 --> 0:12:27.840 government can weaponize against the states, how do states do 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.600 you think like manage this, Like when they're putting these 0:12:30.640 --> 0:12:34.240 ballot initiatives together, the people are putting them together. Do 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:37.680 they still understand that there are ways that the federal 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:40.760 government can weaponize I think. 0:12:40.600 --> 0:12:43.280 People are acutely aware of that, and at the end 0:12:43.280 --> 0:12:46.320 of the day, they don't think government should interfere with 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:50.360 medical decisions, period. And that's true across the board, and 0:12:50.920 --> 0:12:54.560 it transcends partisan lines. I mean, if you look at 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:58.560 the states that have already stopped abortion bands at the 0:12:58.600 --> 0:13:03.920 ballot or have done firmative protections for reproductive healthcare, that 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:10.160 is Democrats, Republicans, and independents coming together overwhelmingly. And I 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:15.880 think what is interesting is in many ways it is 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:22.559 destigmatizing an issue across not just partisan lines, but community 0:13:22.679 --> 0:13:28.280 lines about what it means to have this healthcare decision made. 0:13:28.640 --> 0:13:31.920 You know, I've talked to folks in Arizona. I've I've 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:34.400 talked to folks in Florida, and you know, five of 0:13:34.440 --> 0:13:38.439 those states are going to have huge Latino populations, huge 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:42.600 black and brown populations that will make a decision. 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:44.040 I mean, if you look. 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:48.360 At states like Ohio, where black men and women were 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:52.040 critical last year in twenty twenty three for the reproductive 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:54.840 freedom about measure, if you look at where you know, 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:59.400 the stigmatization or Latinos being too catholic right to support 0:13:59.400 --> 0:14:04.040 reproductive health care, but actually isn't panning out in a 0:14:04.080 --> 0:14:07.360 majority of these states. And if anything, you know, by me, 0:14:08.280 --> 0:14:12.080 you know, by someone in someone's family sharing their abortion story, 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:15.480 you know, a younger generation, millennials and gen Z, that 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:18.960 is giving permission to older generations. You know, I'm on 0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:22.520 the custom gen X and in Millennia, you know, I'll 0:14:22.560 --> 0:14:26.280 say Genet's our younger posts, right, right, so some boomers, right, 0:14:26.320 --> 0:14:29.840 and that is giving permission to our abuelas rtias, our 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:32.520 aunties to say, you know what, this is actually also 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:36.120 true for me too, And I think that is what 0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:40.160 is happening, is like the people are saying the government 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:43.680 actually doesn't speak for me and what I need to do. 0:14:43.680 --> 0:14:47.560 Do you think that this abortion and also again just 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:50.360 you know, lifting up Project twenty twenty five and their 0:14:50.440 --> 0:14:54.760 desire to not only ban IVF but also contraception, is 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:57.720 this going to be in your mind like the single 0:14:57.800 --> 0:15:03.840 issue that get people to the polls as disarrayed as 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:07.760 Democrats seem right now, I think. 0:15:07.520 --> 0:15:10.800 People are motivated, and I actually don't think there are 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:13.800 these stories being told about voter apathy that are actually 0:15:13.840 --> 0:15:17.000 just untrue and I see it every day. Not only 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:19.880 was reproductive freedom and the amount of petitions that are 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:23.920 being turned in, the amount of volunteers that are being 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:27.760 a part of these efforts, It's also about the other 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:31.359 key issue that people care about right now. It's inflation too, 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:33.120 and you know, states are going to raise them. I 0:15:33.160 --> 0:15:35.520 mean they also have minimum wage and pay the lead 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:38.240 that are going to come out to about what we 0:15:38.360 --> 0:15:41.000 know and what we've been able to see pretty solidly 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:42.840 since twenty sixteen. 0:15:43.200 --> 0:15:44.720 Our issues are the driver. 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:49.880 Issues are the driving factor more than candidates in many 0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:55.840 states for voters. And I think, yes, abortion, no question 0:15:56.720 --> 0:15:59.400 is going to be a huge factor. 0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:01.600 Of hyps people go to the polls this year. 0:16:02.440 --> 0:16:06.920 But I think it's these other issues to like economic justice, 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:10.640 right like our democracy. You know, Ohio just last week 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:15.320 turned in petitions for redistricting over seven hundred thousand. So 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:19.840 I think, you know, people want to see progress, period 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:22.880 and if they're elected officials aren't going to do it, 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:24.520 They're going to do it for themselves. 0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:27.720 I mean, I think that it's heartening. One I agree 0:16:27.720 --> 0:16:29.960 with you in terms of the stories that come out 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:32.800 with regard to voter apathy. I think that we've been 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:36.880 hearing those same stories every election, right, every election cycle, 0:16:37.160 --> 0:16:39.160 we're told that people aren't going to come out and vote, 0:16:39.200 --> 0:16:41.120 that young people aren't going to vote, that black people 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:43.880 are moving to Trump, that Latino people are moving to Trump. 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:47.520 And on one hand, I'm here in New York, so 0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:50.720 I have a very skewed view of how people think 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:53.400 and what people are doing because of the bubble that 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:57.360 I live in in the city. But I wonder how 0:16:57.520 --> 0:17:01.640 much is needed to amplify, right, to help change the narrative, 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:04.880 to amplify just how engage voters are. 0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:09.960 We have to tell our stories period, Like we have to. 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:12.359 You know, it has been a bit. 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:16.280 Frustrating to look at the news up for many reasons, right, 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:19.800 But if I hear any more about the debate, I'm like, 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:23.280 that is actually not playing out in people's daily lines. 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:29.080 Like we you your podcasts, us who consume media, who 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.160 want sources. We have to go out there and tell 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:35.960 our stories. And I think the more we are out 0:17:35.960 --> 0:17:39.640 there and vocal. You know, I talked about the stigmatization 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:43.400 we're seeing in a lot of states around reproductive rights. 0:17:43.840 --> 0:17:45.320 People have to tell their stories. 0:17:45.960 --> 0:17:49.359 They have to say this is actually why I'm going 0:17:49.440 --> 0:17:53.200 to vote this is how it impacts me and my community. 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:57.960 And this is how out of touch these political extremits 0:17:58.160 --> 0:18:02.520 who are trying to strip Americans fundamental freedom. They are 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:07.400 so out of touch, and the people are responding by 0:18:08.040 --> 0:18:11.600 making sure that they have protections and they're protecting themselves. 0:18:14.760 --> 0:18:19.359 Do you think that the people who are running with 0:18:19.400 --> 0:18:23.600 the narrative the mainstream media, do you find that voters 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:26.360 these days? Where do you think that they're getting their 0:18:26.800 --> 0:18:30.840 information from? Like have they true? Like have they abandoned it? 0:18:30.920 --> 0:18:33.760 And they're like going back into community in the way 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:35.919 that you go door to door to get these valid 0:18:35.960 --> 0:18:40.760 initiatives passed. Like where are people your people like getting 0:18:41.000 --> 0:18:42.480 their information these days? 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:45.440 I think they're getting it from multiple places. But at 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:48.400 the end, I'm an organizer through and through, and at 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:51.800 the end of the day, people go to trusted resources, 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:56.400 and that means community and that can be your direct family, 0:18:56.800 --> 0:18:59.959 that can be your pastor that can be your name 0:19:00.240 --> 0:19:02.960 on the block, right, Like, there are a number of 0:19:03.160 --> 0:19:06.160 people that people turn to at the end of the day. 0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:09.960 And I think what's going to be really critical in 0:19:10.320 --> 0:19:14.560 these next four and a half months is people being 0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:18.720 tuned into those trusted sources because they are going too tricky. 0:19:19.600 --> 0:19:25.879 Misinformation and disinformation is absolutely real, and you need to 0:19:25.960 --> 0:19:29.560 go to not just read something on social media, not 0:19:29.680 --> 0:19:34.240 something that's already construed into your algorithm, go to multiple sources, 0:19:34.640 --> 0:19:37.760 but ultimately go to the people you no one trusts 0:19:37.800 --> 0:19:40.280 and say if it doesn't feel right, maybe. 0:19:40.000 --> 0:19:41.720 I need to do a little bit more inquiry. 0:19:42.560 --> 0:19:45.120 But there are whether it's the TV, whether there it's 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:48.320 the radio, whether it's your social media feed, or it's 0:19:48.440 --> 0:19:51.560 literally just talking to people you know out in your 0:19:51.560 --> 0:19:56.159 community about this. It's going to be so incredibly critical. 0:19:56.440 --> 0:19:58.919 And what we've already. 0:19:58.640 --> 0:20:03.200 Seen too with some of the misinformation and disinformation, especially 0:20:03.200 --> 0:20:06.679 for the petition gatherers, is the importance of being safe 0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:11.320 and protecting people in their safety because in states like Arkansas, 0:20:11.520 --> 0:20:16.240 some of those petition gatherners were docked, their private information 0:20:16.520 --> 0:20:19.720 was shared publicly, and their lives were threatened. This is 0:20:19.760 --> 0:20:23.560 going to continue to heighten as we get closer, and 0:20:23.640 --> 0:20:27.720 all I know is we protect ourselves right. Community protects 0:20:27.760 --> 0:20:30.440 you at the end of the day, and trusted sources 0:20:30.480 --> 0:20:31.840 like you are going to play such. 0:20:31.720 --> 0:20:34.280 A critical role in the coming months. 0:20:34.680 --> 0:20:37.600 Well, Chris, I thank you as always for the work 0:20:37.640 --> 0:20:39.760 that you were doing, for the messages that you are 0:20:39.760 --> 0:20:42.879 getting out, for the community that you are building to 0:20:42.920 --> 0:20:46.920 fight back against these oppressive forces. Please tell folks how 0:20:46.960 --> 0:20:48.720 they can get more information. 0:20:49.680 --> 0:20:52.840 Well, we have a fantastic research on our ballot dot 0:20:52.920 --> 0:20:55.760 org website. It's the ballot measure Hub. If you want 0:20:55.800 --> 0:20:58.320 to stay up to date with the latest, go on 0:20:58.440 --> 0:21:00.680 the Ballot Measure Hub. You can also signed up for 0:21:00.720 --> 0:21:04.199 our weekly newsletter which where we share more information. You 0:21:04.240 --> 0:21:07.840 can follow us on all the socials at Balanced Strategy. 0:21:07.880 --> 0:21:10.199 We make it pretty easy and that's where you can 0:21:10.200 --> 0:21:12.600 get it on more information. But I cannot like that 0:21:12.720 --> 0:21:16.960 Power Measure Hub like that is the place to find everything. 0:21:17.680 --> 0:21:20.840 Amazing, Chris, thank you so much as always for making 0:21:20.840 --> 0:21:24.439 the time for wok f Daily. Really really appreciate you. 0:21:24.760 --> 0:21:25.720 Thank you for having me. 0:21:30.640 --> 0:21:33.879 That is it for me today. Dear friends on wok 0:21:34.320 --> 0:21:38.359 F as always, Power to the people and to all 0:21:38.760 --> 0:21:42.640 the people. Power, get woke and stay woke as fuck.