Left Coast Podcast

Left Coast Podcast: Guaranteed Income with Michael Tubbs

The idea of a guaranteed income is simple, but the impacts are profound. What would it mean for our country and California’s working families? First, host Jane Kim talks with San Diego organizer Ben Mendoza about why San Diegans are done with the status quo and how a high-profile ICE raid jolted even affluent neighborhoods into paying attention, shifting local politics in real time. Then, Jane sits down with former Stockton mayor and current California lieutenant governor candidate Michael Tubbs. Tubbs pioneered the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the country and breaks down what it did in Stockton, what the data actually showed, and how California could scale versions of it for foster youth and families. He also talks candidly about growing up in poverty, why this policy is about dignity as much as dollars, and what statewide leadership should be doing next. If you like what you hear, follow the show in your podcast app, leave a rating, and send us questions for future episodes. Join our socials below. Follow Us: Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ZM7jRFQSAu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caworkingfamiliesparty/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/CAWFP Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CA_WFP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAWFP Website: https://workingfamilies.org/state/california/

Left Coast Podcast - A New Generation of Leaders

Across California and the country,a new generation of organizers and working class people are stepping up to lead. Host Jane Kim and comedian and organizer Nato Green unpack recent headlines and why voters are hungry for authenticity, not poll-tested slogans. They talk about retirements in Congress, the limits of consultant-driven politics, and how real movement energy translates into wins. Then Jane sits down with Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang, the eldest of 16 and daughter of Hmong refugees, who is challenging an 81-year-old incumbent in a seat held by the same family for nearly five decades. Mai shares the moment that pushed her to run, how growing up in South Sacramento shaped her urgency on health care, immigration, and affordability, and what it would mean to bring community organizer instincts to Washington. If you like what you hear, follow the show in your podcast app, leave a rating, and send us questions for future episodes. Join our socials below. Follow Us: Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ZM7jRFQSAu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caworkingfamiliesparty/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/CAWFP Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CA_WFP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAWFP Website: https://workingfamilies.org/state/california/

Left Coast Podcast: Medicare For All

Health care premiums are about to skyrocket — and the political dysfunction behind it shows a deeply broken system. In this episode, host Jane Kim sits down with registered nurse and organizer Syd Simpson (California Nurses Association, Harvey Milk Club) for a clear look inside the system: networks, surprise billing, procedure fees that patients skip to save money, and why insured families still walk out on needed scans. Syd explains what Medicare for All would change and how bedside realities collide with corporate insurance. Then Randy Villegas, a US congressional candidate from the Central Valley, goes deeper on Medicare for All and the politics around it. Randy shares his story as the son of Mexican immigrants who grew up on Medicaid and WIC, connects rising premiums and medical debt to life in CA-22, and lays out what would change for a working family on Day 1. He addresses cost, keeping your doctor, rural access, and why both major parties must break with Big Pharma and private insurance. If you like what you hear, follow the show in your podcast app, leave a rating, and send us questions for future episodes. Join our socials below. Follow Us: Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ZM7jRFQSAu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caworkingfamiliesparty/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/CAWFP Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CA_WFP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAWFP Website: https://workingfamilies.org/state/california/

Left Coast Podcast: Redistricting 101

Redistricting shapes the rules of the game before anyone even votes. The way maps are drawn decides whose voices are loudest and whether our communities have real power or get divided by district lines to keep the status quo in charge. In this episode, host Jane Kim sits down with redistricting expert Sam Sukaton for a breakdown of what redistricting is, how gerrymandering works, and why communities of interest and the Voting Rights Act matter. Then, hear from California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan as he dives deeper into lessons from California, what’s legal vs. simply unfair, and how people can get involved—through testimony, map feedback, and community organizing. If this episode helped clarify the basics, follow the show on your favorite podcast app, leave a rating, and send us your questions for future episodes. Join our socials below: Follow Us: Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ZM7jRFQSAu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caworkingfamiliesparty/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/CAWFP Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CA_WFP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAWFP Website: https://workingfamilies.org/state/california/