Detroit’s Activist Roots and the Fight for Justice: At Liberty Live with W. Kamau Bell
Let The Record ShowShow Notes
You may recognize W. Kamau Bell from his multi-Emmy award-winning docuseries United Shades of America, from his Substack Who’s With Me, or from his commercials for the ACLU. If you're a longtime supporter of the ACLU, you'll know Bell has worked with us for more than a decade as our Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice. We're excited to have him as our interim host for our At Liberty podcast, where he will host conversations with leaders, legal experts, artists, and storytellers dedicated to the fight for civil rights and civil liberties.
This episode is a conversation taped live earlier this month on a stop of ACLU’s Know Your Rights Bus Tour. On our tour, we hit the road with artists, influencers, advocates, and community members to host events in six cities to ensure voters know their rights and have a plan to vote. At our stop in Detroit, host W. Kamau Bell sat down with two prominent voices from Michigan's activist community: Loren Khogali, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan, and filmmaker Razi Jafri. Together, they explore the complexities of activism, democracy, and representation in Michigan — a state at the crossroads of pivotal social and political change.
This episode delves into the power of coalition building among Black, Arab, and Muslim American communities. Loren and Razi share their insights on being in a battleground state, how communities can leverage grassroots activism to impact national conversations, and the unique challenges and opportunities of engaging underrepresented voters.
More from Let The Record Show
Did you know that today’s justice system in the United States originated from a hiring dispute? This week, Matt and Shereen are taking us back to the early 1800s to explore the origins of judicial review — and all the gossip, intrigue, and spilled ink that brought us our modern U.S. courts.
On March 15, 2025, the Trump administration deported more than 100 people to a notoriously brutal prison in El Salvador — in defiance of a federal judge’s orders. They hadn’t been found guilty of being gang members. They never got their day in court. That blatant disregard for due process should concern us all.
Marbury v. Madison. Brown v. Board of Education. Obergefell v. Hodges.
‘Tis the season ... to stay ready. A busy Supreme Court term is already underway, with trans rights, redistricting, birthright citizenship, and more on the docket. And this week, Cecillia Wang is back to break it down with Kamau. Join us as we reflect on this year's civil liberties work, celebrate our wins, and prepare for the fight ahead.
This week, we’re showing thanks to everyone who's stepping up for our collective civil liberties, with a People Power potluck! And we’ve got a seat at the table for you. Our guest of honor is Maribel Hernández Rivera, the ACLU’s National Director of Immigrant Community Strategies. And we have three volunteers from the ACLU’s grassroots network People Power stopping by. Kathy joins us just around the 20-minute mark from Minnesota, Sophia around 40 minutes in from Colorado, and Terry at the hour mark from Tennessee. Listen in as they speak with Kamau about why and how they're advocating for immigrants’ rights, and what their hopes are for their communities—and yours—this giving season and beyond.