Deep and Ana welcome former state representative, Chicano Studies professor, and longtime Chicano organizer Tim Hernandez into the attic for one of LITA's most direct conversations yet about working class politics, immigrant rights, and what actually keeps people safe when ICE shows up. Tim walks through his political awakening, his vacancy committee election as the youngest Colorado state representative in 180 years, the October 7 confrontation that went viral, and the dark money campaign that took his seat. They go deep on Colorado's Rapid Response Network, why ICE is already here every day (not coming someday), how to become a confirmer, and the case Tim makes for abolishing both ICE and citizenship itself. They break down Advance Colorado's Initiative 95, the ballot measure that would force local agencies to hand people over to ICE and roll back twenty years of immigrant protections, and unpack the petition canvasser conversation Ana had outside the rec center that captured exactly how the right is selling this.

Mentioned in this episode:

Colorado Rapid Response Network (call 1-844-864-8341 to report ICE activity, register for confirmer trainings): https://coloradorapidresponsenetwork.com

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC): https://coloradoimmigrant.org and https://www.instagram.com/co_immigrant/

Casa de Paz: https://casadepazcolorado.org and https://www.instagram.com/casadepazco/

COLOR Latina: https://www.colorlatina.org and https://www.instagram.com/color_latina/

Melat Kiros for Congress (LITA 6): https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LKCEtMGQ9YtYzH6qQgU53?si=Z0YVhCuJQyWz061YdEAJEQ

Melat Kiros on Hasan Piker Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCS63veWFHg

00:24 Show Intro and Guest

00:57 California Rally Recap

01:58 Who Is Hasan Piker

05:30 Digital Organizing Power

06:15 Puerto Rico

10:12 Rentell Sponsor Break

11:15 Meet Tim Hernandez

12:14 Tim Origin Story

14:41 From DACA Protest to DC

17:55 DPS Walkouts and Electoral Leap

21:21 Ceasefire Fallout and Wins

25:43 Dark Money Primary Defeat

28:32 Life After the Legislature

29:38 Politics Shaped by Struggle

30:21 Why Representation Matters

31:21 Democracy for Sale

32:35 Identity vs Class Politics

35:41 Organizer Not Activist

36:10 ICE in Colorado Daily

39:40 Rapid Response Hotline

42:15 How Confirmers Work

45:05 Organize Your Neighborhood

45:55 Initiative 95 Threat

49:41 Abolish ICE Argument

54:34 Vote No and Spread Word

57:40 Wrap Up and Outro

Meet Your Hosts

Ana Mitchell, Ph.D., is a former CDC scientist who was swept up in federal cuts and is now reinventing herself as a civic coach and creator. After a decade reducing disparities in health and education, she’s building Civically Fit (see civicallyfit.org) to make civic engagement accessible, authentic, and sustainable. A proud Latina and Colorado native, Ana is focused on helping people build community and power through everyday civic action.

Deep Singh Badhesha is an attorney, political strategist, and government affairs professional with over a decade of experience shaping political campaigns and policy in Colorado. A former public school math teacher, Colorado Supreme Court clerk, and senior policy analyst, he now works across campaigns, ballot initiatives, and legislative fights. He’s South Asian, a new dad, and a longtime organizer who believes community—not saviors—will rebuild the Left. He also has way too many hot takes on everything stemming from food and sports to politics.

Links:

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