Heather McGhee and Adam Serwer on the Power of Protest

Guest Host Heather McGhee, author of the groundbreaking book “The Sum of Us” and expert in economic and social policy, is joined by The Atlantic's Adam Serwer! They discuss a number of issues facing the country, including the continued unrest in Minnesota and the No Kings protests happening nationwide. From the steps of the Supreme Court to the streets of Minneapolis, McGhee and Serwer explore how the struggle for Black freedom has historically paved the way for immigrant rights and why that "inheritance" is currently under its most aggressive attack in generations. Heather and Adam also examine the recent SCOTUS arguments on birthright citizenship and how this could create a whole new class of undocumented immigrants in this country, particularly Chinese immigrants. They also examine Adam's recent writing following the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson about what Rev. Jackson’s message meant to the movement. They dissect his 1980's vision of cross-racial, cross-class solidarity and explain why his "Patchwork Quilt" philosophy is more relevant today than ever. LEARN more about Heather McGhee: READ Adam Serwer's writing in The Atlantic: SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORS: Visit American Giant to get their Classic Full Zip Hoodie and other cold weather staples. Get 20% off your first order by entering the code FRANKEN at checkout! Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Get free shipping and 365-Day returns at

You can listen to Heather McGhee and Adam Serwer on the Power of Protest online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Heather McGhee and Adam Serwer on the Power of Protest is an episode from The Al Franken Podcast by Audioboom.

This episode is 48:44 long.

This episode was published on Apr 12, 2026.

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