Protect The Vote & Your Peace & Election Day Recommendations
Recommendations for Vote Counting/Recounting Time Pass
It’s Election Day. We are here. Below are some resources to protect the vote, protect your peace along with some election/political pop culture recommendations for passing the time while votes are counted, challenged, and the world continues to burn.
Protect Your Peace
Prentiss Hemphill, with the Embodiment Institute, is offering a space to reflect and recharge on Wednesday. “We need spaces to name what our bodies are feeling, spaces to grieve and spaces to name what we’re longing for…No matter what happens on Election Day, our futures depend on the liberatory visions and courageous actions of people like you, moving together and creating possibilities for more safety, freedom, and dignity.” Register and take some time to recharge and prepare for the work ahead, because there will be much work to do.
Let Moo Deng take out all your extra energy and feelings!
Protect The Vote
If you or those you know have trouble voting, need to know where to vote, or are worried about your ballot for any reason - especially if your state is too close to call or you are worried you filled your ballot out incorrectly - please use these Voter Protection Hotlines for English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Urdu and Tagalog speakers.
Political / Campaign Time Pass Recommendations
Essays: Thoughtful and provocative essays and readings on US Elections and Movement Building in the latest issue of Hammer and Hope, a periodical rooted in Black culture and politics. I have learned so much from reading Hammer and Hope since it debuted in 2023. “It is a project rooted in the power of solidarity, the spirit of struggle, and the generative power of debate, all of which are vital parts of our movement toward freedom”
TV: Borgen (Netflix - Danish): I have watched this series (2010-2013, 2022) multiple times since it debuted, and love it so much that I often watch other Danish shows just because the same stars are in them. I have Danish Faves now! It’s about a minor party politician and her road (personal and professional) to becoming the Prime Minister of Denmark - the lead actress is so good. It’s also a good show about news media and corporate owners and ratings chasing.
TV: Total Control (Multiple - Australian): I really love this show (2019-2024) and the two leads, Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths, just take it another level. I know most Americans haven’t seen this show so I won’t spoil anything, but this political drama places these two powerhouse actors, and their characters, against and allied with each other throughout the 3 seasons. There’s intrigue, Australian parliamentary politics, a window into Aboriginal history, current life and political power, and some excellent Aussie humor.
TV: The Thick of It (Multiple - UK) and Movie: In the Loop (Multiple - UK): I loved this funny, smart, dry and biting (truly excellent insults) series (2005-2012) from the BBC and its follow up movie, In the Loop (2009), with the addition of the always great James Gandolfini. The creator then created Veep (see below).
![Amazon.com: The Thick of It - Complete Collection [DVD] [2020] : Peter Capaldi, Will Smith, Chris Addison, James Smith, Joanna Scanlan, Rebecca Front, ...](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aaa66bc-ea23-4a96-a374-702f9765f521_242x350.jpeg "Amazon.com: The Thick of It - Complete Collection [DVD] [2020] : Peter Capaldi, Will Smith, Chris Addison, James Smith, Joanna Scanlan, Rebecca Front, ...")
TV: Veep (Max): What else can be said about Veep (2012-2019) that hasn’t already been said? It’s cynical, jaded, has excellent insults, and has great performances, good laughs, and well worth it, not the least of which, for all the prescient moments it brought to us.
TV: West Wing (Hulu - US): A classic (1999-2006) for all the reasons - the cast is stellar, the feels are good, it’s a certain progressive point of view highly colored by the Aaron Sorkin (good and bad) of it all. And it’s best watched with the accompaniment of the more recent West Wing Weekly podcast which appreciates the best of the show and lifts up how the show also reflected an establishment, status quo and Aaron Sorkin point of view. West Wing star Joshua Malina (Will Bailey) and Hrishikesh Hirway are the hosts for each episode with many original cast guests. It’s great way to watch a good show with a new perspective.
See you on the other side.