No Kings, No Billionaires: Building a People-Powered Future
Episode Description
In this powerful episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon welcomes Maurice Mitchell, the National Director of the Working Families Party, for a conversation that dissects rising fascism through a compelling and relatable metaphor: the family cookout. Together, they explore what it means when someone seizes power simply because they can, and how everyday people can push back through collective action. From the failures of the liberal rulebook to the urgent need for a unified "no" coalition—and ultimately, a shared vision for liberation—this episode dives deep into how strategy, solidarity, and joy can fuel a multiracial working-class movement.
About Maurice
Maurice Mitchell is a nationally recognized political strategist and visionary leader in the Movement for Black Lives. Raised by Caribbean working-class parents, he began organizing as a teenager and never stopped. After working for several grassroots advocacy organizations in his home state, Maurice directed the NY State Civic Engagement Table. In the wake of the police murder of Mike Brown, he relocated to Ferguson and helped build the Movement for Black Lives. He went on to co-found and lead Blackbird, a movement anchor organization, and was a key organizer of the Movement for Black Lives convention in Cleveland in 2015. In 2018, Maurice took the helm of the Working Families Party (WFP) where he is applying his passion and experience to make WFP the political home for a multi-racial working-class movement.
About Ejeris
Ejeris is a political strategist passionate about strengthening liberation movements and building community safety. Ejeris serves as the Fascism Barometer's "movement meteorologist," exploring the impact of fascist movements on communities of color, queer and trans communities, and all marginalized people. Having worked for the past twenty-five years at the intersections of racial justice, LGBTQ liberation, anti-violence, transformative justice, and economic justice movements, Ejeris focuses on creating political and strategic experiments to strengthen social justice movements through the organization Ejerie Labs.
Resources
Reading
“Knowing Our Neighbors: A Crucial First Step to Organizing in Times of Despair” Carlin Rushing and Jade Brooks, Southerners on New Ground
Read more of Maurice Mitchell’s analysis in “Building Resilient Organizations: Toward Joy and Durable Power in a Time of Crisis”
“Building Governing Power To Make the World We Need,” Dan McGrath and Harmony Goldberg, The Forge
“Fusion voting, explained,” Cyrena Kokolis, Chris Parr, and Beau Tremitiere, Protect Democracy
“Multi-Member Districts Citizen Education Project: A Civics Education Project of the WA League of Women Voters,” League of Women Voters of Washington
“The American Public Must Resist Trump’s ‘Papers, Please’ Politics,” Tom Hartman, Common Dreams
Check out “Stories of Care and Control” by the Healing Histories Project for more information about the histories of medical experimentation and scientific racism.
“RFK Jr.'s Obsession With Autism Is A 'Dangerous' Form Of Ableism. Here's Why.” Brittany Wong, Huffington Post
“Guidance for Implementing the Alien Enemies Act,” Department of Justice March 14, 2025.
“The Alien Enemies Act, Explained: This detention and deportation power poses an alarming risk of abuse and rights violations in both wartime and peacetime.” Katherine Yon Ebright, Brennan Center for Justice
Watching
Learn more about how the Working Families Party is using the Block and Build Strategy
Catch up on the Working Families Party’s Mass Calls
Action
Join and take action with the Working Families Party!
Support the Movement for Black Lives!
Join the Women’s March for Securing Our Resistance—Infosecurity for Everyday Activists on April 29th
Donate to the Fascism Barometer and support us in continuing to create episodes and resources for you!
Join the May Day National Day of Action on May 1st
Sign the Petition “Tell Universities: Protect Students Rights, Reject Trump’s Orders” by MPower Change
Support the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights’ Campaign to End U.S. Military Funding to Israel, and Fund our Communities
Attend Siembra NC’s trainings, and download the toolkit!
Mutual aid network through the All of US Directory, a sortable database that seeks to make it possible for newly activated people to easily connect with organizing and mutual aid efforts.
Join a boycott, through Choose Democracy’s Boycott Central!
Attend Media Justice’s political education series WTF: The Rise of the Tech Broligarchy, a biweekly show examining the actions of the Tech Broligarchy, the implications of their agenda, and how to resist it.
Sign up to run for office with the Working Families Party.
Check out the resource hub!