Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com

In this conversation, Nadine Smith traces her journey from investigative journalism to becoming one of the country’s leading civil rights advocates. Drawing from decades of experience, she explains how organizations like Color of Change work to shift systems of power, amplify marginalized voices, and respond to real-time political threats.

The discussion explores how modern civil rights battles extend beyond race to include LGBTQ rights, immigration, and broader questions of access, dignity, and government authority. Nadine outlines how legislation, messaging, and grassroots organizing interact—and why fear-based narratives are often used to divide communities and maintain control.

She also breaks down how advocacy efforts successfully stopped dozens of anti-LGBTQ bills in Florida, emphasizing the role of real people showing up in public spaces and engaging directly with decision-makers. The conversation moves into deeper territory, examining how narratives around identity, religion, and “cultural decline” are constructed and weaponized in politics.

Throughout the episode, Nadine returns to a core idea: that civil rights work is ultimately about community, accountability, and whether people are willing to act when others are being harmed. The discussion closes with a reflection on what it means to stand up for others in a system that often rewards silence.

Color of Change: https://colorofchange.org
Equality Florida: https://www.eqfl.org

Guest Bio:
Nadine Smith is a longtime civil rights leader and the incoming President and CEO of Color of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. She previously co-founded and led Equality Florida, building it into a nationally recognized model for grassroots advocacy focused on LGBTQ rights, voting access, and racial justice.

Smith has been a key figure in major civil rights efforts for decades, including co-chairing the 1993 March on Washington. Her work has influenced public policy, challenged discriminatory legislation, and mobilized communities at scale. With a background in journalism and organizing, she brings a systems-level perspective to how power operates in American society and how it can be challenged.

Support the show

🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?
👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com

📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:
faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore

❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/FaithfulPolitics

📩 Reach out to us:

• Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com
• Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com

📱 Follow & connect with us:

• Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik
• Instagram: faithful_politics
• Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast
• LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics

📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:
faithfulpolitics.substack.com

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com

What is actually happening inside Congress right now—and how does it affect everyday people?

In this episode, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan breaks down a wide range of issues shaping the current political moment, from rising healthcare costs and federal budget cuts to military action in Iran and ongoing debates over voting rights. She explains how expiring ACA tax credits are impacting families, why proposed budget changes could affect hospitals, education programs, and energy costs, and what constituents in Virginia’s 4th District are already experiencing.

The conversation also explores the War Powers Resolution and the limits of presidential authority in military conflicts, offering context for recent U.S. actions abroad. On voting rights, McClellan walks through the details of the SAVE Act and why it has become a point of contention.

The episode closes with a discussion on artificial intelligence—its risks, energy demands, and the challenge policymakers face in regulating it—and a reflection on America’s 250th anniversary and what it means for the future of the country.

GUEST BIO
Jennifer McClellan is the U.S. Representative for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District. She previously served nearly two decades in the Virginia General Assembly and, in 2023, became the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia. Her work focuses on healthcare, energy, technology, and voting rights.

Support the show

🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?
👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com

📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:
faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore

❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/FaithfulPolitics

📩 Reach out to us:

• Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com
• Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com

📱 Follow & connect with us:

• Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik
• Instagram: faithful_politics
• Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast
• LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics

📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:
faithfulpolitics.substack.com

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com

This conversation takes a direct look at one of the most debated claims in American politics: whether the United States was founded as a Christian nation. John Fea, a historian of early America, walks through how historians approach that question and why it often gets misunderstood in modern debates.

He explains that history isn’t just about facts—it’s about context, causation, and change over time. Using examples from the founding era, Fea shows how different states handled religion in public life, including religious tests for office and established churches. At the same time, he highlights how those systems evolved as the country became more democratic and more religiously diverse.

The conversation also unpacks common talking points like the Treaty of Tripoli and why it gets misused in today’s arguments. Fea makes clear that both sides often cherry-pick history to support present-day political agendas.

The episode closes with a practical takeaway: you don’t need America to be a “Christian nation” to live out faith in public life. The real question is how individuals bring their values into a pluralistic democracy without distorting the past to justify it.

Notable Resources Mentioned

• Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780664262495
• Why Study History?: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780801039652

Guest Bio

John Fea is a historian of early America and Professor of American History at Messiah University. His work focuses on the relationship between religion and public life in the United States, particularly during the founding era. He is the author of Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? and Why Study History?, where he explores how historical thinking can bring clarity to modern political and cultural debates.

Support the show

🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?
👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com

📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:
faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore

❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/FaithfulPolitics

📩 Reach out to us:

• Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com
• Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com

📱 Follow & connect with us:

• Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik
• Instagram: faithful_politics
• Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast
• LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics

📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:
faithfulpolitics.substack.com