We’re going back to the archives to revisit a conversation with Heather McGhee. Her book, The Sum of Us, called attention to the idea of “solidarity dividends”, the gains that are made when people come together across race to fight for justice. She joins us to talk about her new podcast, also called The Sum of Us, which features a different story of cross racial solidarity in each episode.

What happens when a community refuses to accept segregation—and organizes instead?
In this episode, we explore the 1931 Lemon Grove Incident, one of the first successful school desegregation cases in the U.S., through a conversation with author Maria Dolores Águila.
Her book A Sea of Lemon Trees brings this history to life through the eyes of 12-year-old Roberto Alvarez, a young person navigating identity, injustice, and courage.

Together, we reflect on the power of community, the importance of representation, and what it means to pass stories of resistance on to our kids—especially in a moment when history feels both urgent and unfinished.

School closures are often framed as inevitable—but what if they’re the result of deeper systemic choices?
This week, we talk with Dr. Mara Tieken about how closures disproportionately impact Black, Brown, and low-income communities—and why they rarely deliver the promised benefits. Together, we explore the idea of spatial injustice and what it means to see schools not just as buildings, but as the heart of our communities.
If schools are being closed in your community (or even if they’re not), this conversation invites us to ask: what do we owe each other—and all of our kids—when it comes to public education?