Photo credit: Andreas Burgess
Imagine: In 1959, instead of allowing a swimming pool to be racially integrated, the city of Montgomery decided to drain it. In 2022, many would shake their heads at this past reality while relegating it in their minds to exactly that-the past. Yet this choice to restrict access for some, and therefore all, is still happening in America, especially at the policy level. This is something educator, activist, and author Heather McGhee has investigated throughout her career, and especially in her 2021 book The Sum of Us.
The Sum of Us is the story of my journey across the country that I took in search of answers to why it seems like we can't have nice things in America, Heather explained to For the Record. And by nice things, I mean universal childcare and paid family leave and clean air and clean water and good schools in every neighborhood. And what I discovered is that-more than any other single factor-racism in our politics and our policymaking that leads to a reluctance for people to come together across lines of race and find common solutions to our common problems is holding us back.
Heather is bringing this conversation to her podcast of the same name. Debuting today on Spotify, The Sum of Us will take listeners deep into local issues from the perspective of the individuals on the ground. As Heather spotlights communities across the country, she aims to emphasize togetherness, positivity, and hope. In an unjust world where racism has costs for all Americans, The Sum of Us inspires listeners to take a more collective approach to racism through the power of human stories, empathy, and solidarity.
We sat down with Heather to learn more about her new podcast.
How and why did you decide to create a podcast of The Sum of Us? At the end of my book, The Sum of Us, I talk about this idea of the Solidarity Dividend of gains that can be unlocked by us coming together across lines of race and rediscovering our collective power. It was an idea that I floated at the end of the book, and it resonated with so many readers. And frankly, it stayed in my mind as the country seemed to fall farther and farther apart-the political divisions, the fraying of the solidarity that we had seen at the beginning of the pandemic.
And so I wanted to hit the road again and really just focus on this idea of people coming together in communities, across their differences, really rebuilding the kind of America that our people deserve. I brought this idea to the Obamas' production company Higher Ground; the Pulitzer Award-winning Futuro studios, an incredible team of mostly producers and engineers and writers and editors of color; and Spotify. And they were all excited about it, too. So I've spent the last nine months on the road finding new stories of people coming together to win in their communities. And it's left me feeling optimistic, and I hope listeners will feel the same.
You mention your theory of the Solidarity Dividend. Can you explain it for our readers? Over the course of my journey, I chronicled the ways in which racism ultimately has a cost for everyone because it distorts our public policymaking, makes for bad economic decisions, and erodes the trust that we have in one another, which is necessary to support public goods and public solutions. And so the flip side of that is that, if we can come together across lines of race and see our own struggles in each other or have solidarity for each other's struggles, then we can unlock what I call Solidarity Dividends. And these are the gains that can only come through collective action. And in a multiracial society can really only come through multiracial, collective action. And these are things like cleaner air and water, better-funded schools, higher-paying jobs. Each of the episodes in the Some of Us podcast tackles a different solidarity dividend, something that's precious, that matters to us all, that people are able to accomplish by coming together.
What was the process of turning the book into a podcast like? What surprised you? The entire process surprised me. I had no idea what I was getting into. You know, the first part was that I really tossed the book up in the air. The Sum of Us podcast is not an adaptation of the book The Sum of Us. It's sort of a spinoff, a takeoff, another journey that's guided by the same principles: the need to come together across lines of race, the way that racism has a cost for everyone and a real inquiry into what builds empathy and solidarity. Those themes are the same in the book and in the podcast, but the stories are mostly completely new and different. There are two locations that are in the book-Lewiston, Maine, and Kansas City, Missouri-that are also in the podcast. But I take totally different angles on those stories. In fact, in Lewiston, it's an entirely different cast of characters. And the rest of what we cover are new stories that the incredible teams at Futuro and Higher Ground collaborated on and discovered and unearthed together. So it feels very different.
In the first episode, you share the example of Gary, a white man who, in 2016, professes to you on live TV that he wants to confront his racism and prejudices. You gave him some recommendations for where to begin. Do you think you would respond in the same way in 2022, keeping the events of the past two years in mind? If someone like Gary had called in today and said, I'm prejudiced and I want to change, so what can I do to become a better American? to be honest, I don't think my answer would change.
I think that the assumption might be that now in 2022, maybe a person like Gary should have already done the work. These issues have been alive. The history has been written, the books have been available. The causes have been there to join for centuries. So I
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
Photo credit: Andreas Burgess
