Navigating Politics with Navjot

This week I sat down with Rana Abdelhamid who is running for Congress in New York's 12th District against Representative Carolyn Maloney as a Justice Democrat-backed candidate. Rana talks about her experience growing up in New York City and experiencing the impact of hate-based violence. She describes what led her to run for Congress in the first place and the reforms we need to meet the current moment in history that we're facing with the possible ruling against Roe vs Wade and the rise of hate crimes against Muslim and Sikh Americans.  We also talk about the influence of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on America and whether or not that has made us safe or continues to put us at risk for those who continue to harm us. Please have a listen and follow, donate and volunteer for Rana at https://www.ranaforcongress.com/ Please make to rate and subscribe to Navigating Politics with Navjot and send us feedback at kauurepublic@gmail.com and subscribe to Kaur Republic Substack at https://bit.ly/3sDNFpA

In this week's episode, I sat down with Rishi Bagga to speak about his for the Florida House District 35. Florida has been in the news quite consistently with regards to the fight against critical race theory, the impact of Ron DeSantis on Disney, and the future of reproductive rights after the leak of a draft opinion by Justice Alito which would end federal constitutional protections for abortion in the United States. I sat down with him to understand why he wanted to run for public office in the first place and to get a better understanding of what the triggers are for people when it comes to representation and fighting back against Republicans as they continue their assault on the free press, protest and the fundamental values that we hold so near and dear. Rishi talks about his upbringing as a small business owner, former president of the Florida chapter of the South Asian Bar Association, and how his parents shaped his perspective on the struggles of taking up space, fighting for other people, and what it means to be a true public servant.  He also debunks the stereotypes that come with living in Florida and highlights the importance of Florida's role in influencing what happens in national politics.  You can learn more about Rishi through his website and join his team to bring back representation of the people in the Republican-dominated Florida House: https://rishibagga.com/ You can also subscribe to Kaur Republic Substack to get the latest on Punjabi Perspectives on American Issues: https://kaurrep.substack.com

This week on Navigating Politics with Navjot, I talk to Washington State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Manka Dhingra who was the first Sikh elected to any office within the United States. We talk about the influence of cannabis legislation and legalization, hate crime prevention, and how to prevent heat crimes in addition to learning from incidences that have happened in the past we also talk about the power of telling your stories and the influence it can have on driving advocacy legislation forward. We also discussed how Senator Dhingra is building the political bench for Sikhs within Washington State with the recruitment of Kent City Councilmember Satwinder Kaur's run for Washington State Senate and hosting interns from the Sikh American Legal Defense Fund. Senator Dhingra is running for re-election this year and needs your support. Please donate and volunteer for her reelection through her website: https://www.electmanka.com/ You can also support the election of Satwinder Kaur here: https://www.electsatwinder.com/ Subscribe to Kaur Republic Media Group through our Substack for more Punjabi Perspectives on American Issues: https://kaurrep.substack.com/

This week, I sit down with David Ocampo-Grajales and discuss how New Jersey is corrupt political system is influencing nepotism in politics and how democracy at large is a severe risk. With a conflict in Ukraine, the world has now understood what Russia has been wanting to do in Ukraine. I sit down with David to understand how he would approach the Ukraine conflict but also how he would serve as a leader for the residents of New Jersey's eighth congressional district. Now more than ever we need representatives who have our special interest in mind and not just a big-dollar donors. I also talk about the influence of hate crimes on Asian-Americans and pacific islanders and what we should be doing in order to address this crisis of hate crimes and hate violence. If you want to learn more about New Jersey's corrupt political system please also listen to my episode with Imani Oakley and how corrupt ballot design favors incumbent Democrats. You can follow and contribute to David's campaign here: https://www.ocampo2022.com/ Please, rate subscribe, and share this podcast with your friends and family. 

This week, we sat down with Kent City Councilmember Satwinder Kaur and talked about her run for City Council and making Kent, Washington her favorite place to live. We also talked about the influence of being a Sikh American woman and being in the public space as an elected official.  Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for more interviews! 

This week Navjot sits down with progressive Neal Walia who is running for Congress in Colorado's 1st Congressional District. As an Indian American and progressive Democrat, Neal talks about the influence his time working in government has helped him understand the needs on the ground in Colorado and the issues that his constituents feel aren't being addressed by the incumbent.  Find Neal Walia through his website: https://nealwaliaforcongress.com/  Please rate this podcast, subscribe and if you would like to submit questions for future shows reach out to me at kaurrepublic@gmail.com

This week, Navjot speaks to Victoria ViraSingh who is running against Don Beyer in Virginia's 8th Congressional District and is half Ecuadorian and half Punjabi. Victoria speaks to her unique experience in growing up between two communities and how it informed her fight to make sure that immigrants, small businesses, and higher education can be taken into the future.  We also discuss how Victoria's experience in working alongside her mom in her nail salon influenced her to network and learn about the community around her. You can follow Victoria here: https://www.victoriaforcongress.com/ Please leave a review, subscribe to our podcasts, and share with a friend!

Imani Oakley sits down with Navjot to talk about redistricting, corrupt ballot design, and how her opponent has a horrible attendance record in Congress.  Imani joins us as a progressive challenger who aims to be present in the lives of her constituents and help them navigate the many challenges we face in America. We also discuss the farmer's protest and the impact it has had on the lives of Punjabi Americans as they sought to get the Biden Admin to take harder stance against hindutva and the rise of fascism. Follow her campaign! Website: https://oakleyforcongress.com/ Please remember to rate, subscribe and share with your friends!

On this week's episode of the Navigating Politics with Navjot Podcast (formerly know as the Pretty Ugly Politics Podcast), I sit down with Ashwani Jain, who is running for Governor of Maryland with crowdsourced policies from everyday people like you and me. Ashwani has worked with the Obama administration and worked within the White House and in the Department of Health and Human Services. He brings his experience working in the Obama admin to the policies he is fighting for in his race for Governor. He is the son of Indian immigrants who are also small business owners and is a survivor of cancer.  We talk about the impact of CRT on the midterm 2022 elections in addition to the mental health challenges posed by campaigning, but also what working within the levers of government means for his campaign and how he wants to bring working-class people into the room where the decisions are being made. CORRECTION: The House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act but Senator Manchin has killed any chance of passing it in the U.S. Senate. You can find him here: Website: https://www.jainforgovernor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jainforgov/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JainForGov/ You can also follow the Navigating Politics with Navjot Podcast on Instagram and Twitter. Please rate, subscribe and share with your friends.

Pretty Ugly Politics is hosted by Navjot Pal Kaur and aims to highlight candidates running for public office in the 2022 Midterms and featurees activists and organizers who are fighting for change in their communities. We reflect voices who aren't conventional and hope you enjoy this episode.  Please leave a comment, subscribe, and share with your friends and family! Follow us on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast streaming sites:    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pretty-ugly-politics-a-kaur-republic-media-group-podcast/id1599002584   How you can find more information about Manpreet Kaur Singh: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/M.k.monica_Singh/  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/people/Manpreet-Singh/100074814371713/  Website: https://singhforjudge.com/  ACLU of Texas: https://www.aclutx.org/