Episode 9: Congressman Bennie G. Thompson

Episode 14: Wendell Pierce

On this episode of “What Makes America Tick?” I sat down with actor, activist, and generational talent Wendell Pierce to discuss the intersection of arts and activism, growing up in the historical black neighborhood of Pontchartrain Park, and his recent performance as Othello at the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington, D.C.

Episode 13: Voting Rights & Redistricting Town Hall

Election day in Louisiana was drastically altered by the devastating SCOTUS decision in Louisiana v. Callais. But the fight is far from over. I recently held a town hall with Mayor Helena Moreno, the Orleans legislative delegation, and members of the New Orleans City Council, focused on voting rights and redistricting. On this special episode of “What Makes Americans Tick?,” you can listen to that conversation.

Episode 12: Alma C. Stewart Allen

On this episode of “What Makes America Tick?” I sat down with Alma C. Stewart Allen, President and Founder of Louisiana Health Equity. We discussed how we worked together to create Louisiana’s first-ever Office of Women’s Health and how we’re still working side-by-side to fight for justice and equity in health care.

Episode 11: Dan Gillison, NAMI

Mental health challenges affect everyone, but communities of color often face stigma and limited access to care. On this episode of “What Makes America Tick?,” I sat down with Dan Gillison, CEO of NAMI, to discuss access to mental health resources, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and the critical need for culturally competent care—an issue I’m working to address through the Mental Health Workforce Act.

Episode 10: Leader Hakeem Jeffries

On our Black History Month episode of “What Makes America Tick?”, I sat down with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to talk about what’s at stake for our democracy.We discussed attacks on voting rights as we await a key decision from the Supreme Court in Louisiana V Callais, ICE’s assault on our communities, and how we used a discharge petition to fight for extending ACA tax credits to protect affordable health care.