The Fear Behind Our Lack of Empathy and Why We Turn Away from Poverty with Pat LaMarche
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Release Date: 01/15/2026
Lying is Not Journalism and the Difference Between Gonzo Journalism and Disinformation with Lauren Windsor
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Lauren Windsor, political journalist and documentarian, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to talk about gonzo journalism and the need to report on a story with integrity and commitment to the truth. She draws a sharp distinction between her work and that of people who use deceptive tactics to appeal to less media-savvy audiences and create a false narrative. Deepak and Lauren talk about: The value of undercover reporting to hold politicians accountable Rules of the road for activist journalists Advice for victims of deceptive video campaigns Lauren's...
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Powerful Apps Transform Complex Data Into Clear Visual Stories with Deepak Puri The Democracy Labs
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, shines a light on how free and low-cost apps can simplify political intrigue and complex social issues and be used to educate and motivate. Visualization tools for relationship mapping, accountability mapping, and crowdsourcing increase civic engagement, hold elected officials accountable, and counter disinformation and conspiracy theories. Deepak and I talk about: Relationship mapping tools such as Kumu.io which are effective for exposing hidden financial and personal connections between individuals and organizations Accountability maps...
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The Fear Behind Our Lack of Empathy and Why We Turn Away from Poverty with Pat LaMarche
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Pat LaMarche, broadcaster, journalist, advocate, and founder of the Homeless Remembrance Blanket project, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Pat uses her journalism skills to address the root causes of mental health disorders, homelessness, and substance abuse, to inform and drive change in public policy. Deepak and Pat talk about: The source of her dedication to writing about poverty and homelessness The lack of empathy for the poor and the need to translate complex information into stories that inform a general audience What...
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How Mobile Voting Could Drive Participation and Restore Faith in Democracy with Bradley Tusk
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Bradley Tusk is a political strategist, venture capitalist, philanthropist, podcaster, and author with a mission to promote and implement mobile voting in US elections. He points out that the most effective way to combat low voter turnout is to make it easier for people to vote and find out information about candidates and ballot initiatives. The Tusk Foundation has developed an open-source mobile voting platform that addresses security, authentication, and auditability, and it is being rolled out in 2026 in the US, starting with a local election in Anchorage, Alaska. We talk...
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Organizing for Living Wages in the Fight for Affordability with Saru Jayaraman One Fair Wage
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Saru Jayaraman, long-time activist and leader of One Fair Wage, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the historical origins of the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers in the US and the power of that community to drive higher wages. The movement has now expanded beyond tipped workers to a broader coalition fighting for a living wage for all. Saru emphasizes that any political platform that focuses on affordability must also include raising wages to be effective. Deepak and Saru talk about: Organizing restaurant workers dating back to the response to 9/11 How...
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How AI and Mobile Technology are Transforming Political Fundraising with Javan Van Gronigen Donately
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Javan Van Gronigen, Founder of Donately considers 2025 as a year of testing the water for peer-to-peer and crowdfunding for political and advocacy campaigns. AI is enabling organizations to create and deploy fundraising content more quickly and target specific audiences. Increasingly, digital tools are showing effectiveness for all donor levels, whether turning a small-dollar donor into a recurring one or engaging a major supporter. We talk about Digital outreach to mobile-first donors Common mistakes on donation pages, including overly complicated forms Value of fundraising appeals tied...
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Why Sexual Abuse Victims Must Come Forward to Protect Others with John Fitch The Fitch Law Firm
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
John Fitch, The Fitch Law Firm, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss the importance of victims reporting sexual abuse not only for their own justice but to break the cycle and prevent perpetrators from harming others. John warns that delayed reporting can lead to the loss of essential physical evidence, making the case harder to pursue. Deepak and John talk about: The staggering widespread prevalence of sexual abuse in small towns to big metropolitan cities Behavior of sexual predators Lifelong trauma victims endure Challenges victims face in seeking justice ...
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Network of Vetted Marketing Firms to Address Diverse Campaign Needs with CJAM The Marketing Connector
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Behdad Jamshidi is the Founder of CJAM The Marketing Connector, which has vetted over 1,000 marketing agencies to identify those most qualified to deliver on their promises. The idea of a single agency handling all political and advocacy campaign needs is no longer realistic, as there are an increasing number of channels to reach voters and supporters. We talk about: The vast majority of agencies are execution focused while clients often expect high-level strategic thinking Red flags of agencies noted during the vetting process and from their work with clients The need for constant testing...
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Deep Organizing and Mobilizing the Zohran Mamdani Volunteers with Ivan Pardo Solidarity Tech
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Ivan Pardo, Founder of Solidarity Tech used his organizing platform to successfully manage the over 100,000 volunteers for the campaign of Zohran Mamdani for Mayor of New York. This platform was originally designed to be multilingual from its inception to organize non-English-speaking rideshare drivers. While technology was key to the Mamdani success, the authenticity of the candidate and message discipline were key to connecting with volunteers and voters. We talk about: Deep organizing at scale focusing on getting volunteers to commit and show up for shifts, re-engage and recruit their...
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Combining Influencer Content with Paid Media Strategy with Nicole Dunger and Ryan Davis People First
Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda
Nicole Dunger, Vice President of Growth, and Ryan Davis, CEO of People First, highlight the value of integrating influencer content into paid media strategies, a practice becoming more common in the political and advocacy space. The use of micro-influencers is key for state and local races, and the paid amplification can promote authentic voices to hard-to-reach voters. Campaigns are planning their influencer strategies earlier in the campaign cycle and effectively using creator content to inform messaging to a broader audience. We talk about: The common practice of commercial brands to...
info_outlinePat LaMarche, broadcaster, journalist, advocate, and founder of the Homeless Remembrance Blanket project, joins Deepak Puri, CEO of The Democracy Labs, to discuss poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Pat uses her journalism skills to address the root causes of mental health disorders, homelessness, and substance abuse, to inform and drive change in public policy.
Deepak and Pat talk about:
- The source of her dedication to writing about poverty and homelessness
- The lack of empathy for the poor and the need to translate complex information into stories that inform a general audience
- What can be done to address the underlying issues of homelessness
- The potential for communities to make a difference
#TheDemLabs #MemorialBlanket #Homelessness #Poverty #PovertyAwareness #Journalism #EconomicJustice #Affordability #SocialJustice #OrganizingMatters #FoodInsecurity #MentalHealth #SubstanceAbuse #SocialImpact #VoicefortheVoiceless
