The Fascism Barometer

Ejeris welcomes back movement strategist, organizer, and longtime friend Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson for a necessary and informative debrief of the 2026 midterm elections. Ash-Lee offers a clear-eyed assessment of what the results tell us about grassroots organizing, particularly from the perspectives of Black, Southern, and marginalized communities that have too often been ignored and written off. Despite historic election victories, the fascism barometer remains dangerously high. Ash-Lee and Ejeris discuss what it will take to protect election results, ensure every vote is counted, and why we must resist the temptation to mistake electoral success for lasting political power. This vital conversation makes clear that the future depends on how we organize. This is an all gas, no brakes moment!

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org. 

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this deeply personal Midnight Musings episode, Ejeris reflects on the recent death of their mother, and the ways her life helped shape the vision behind The Fascism Barometer.

Ejeris shares memories of growing up talking politics with their mother, watching her confront the cruelty and division of the current political moment, and carrying forward her belief that a more just world is possible. Ejeris also reflects on a question that has long guided their organizing: are we building movements that ordinary people can actually understand, and feel welcomed into?

This episode is a remembrance, a thank you, and a call to keep building the kind of movement that can bring more of us in.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Scholar, researcher, and former organizer Daniel HoSang joins Ejeris for a deeply clarifying conversation about how people can be drawn to movements that also target their communities. Daniel challenges the idea that shifts toward MAGA among communities of color are simply about misinformation or a political conversion. Instead, he points to a breakdown in civic life where people have lost connection to the institutions and communities that once helped them make sense of the world.

This conversation explores how we talk to the people in our lives being pulled toward MAGA, why shame does not work, and how rebuilding trust, connection, and collective life may be one of the most important strategies we have in the fight against rising fascism.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org. 

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this "Midnight Musing", Ejeris argues that opposing fascism can’t mean simply defending a status quo that is already failing so many people. It also requires looking inward at who progressive movements haven’t reached, who they’ve pushed away.  Ejeris imagines movements that listen as well as they speak, welcome people without requiring fluency in political language, create tangible change in people’s lives, and offer something more compelling than opposition alone. Because defeating fascism isn’t only about building a powerful “no.” It’s also about creating a “yes”. It's about creating a clear, welcoming, liberatory vision of what we want to build together.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris sits down with organizer, strategist, and Mijente co-founder Marisa Franco for a layered conversation about Latino communities, rising fascism and authoritarianism, and the political failures that brought us to this moment. Marisa breaks down why the debate over whether to call this fascism may matter less than whether movements can organize people around their needs, real consequences, and the futures they want to fight for.

Together, Ejeris and Marisa explore why MAGA and Trump’s “Mar-a-Lago politic” are resonating for some Latinos, the credibility crisis facing the Democratic Party, and shifts in Latino voting patterns. This conversation asks how we resist fascism without pretending “normal” was ever enough, and how we organize toward something people can actually believe in.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris sits down with organizer, sociologist, and United Vision for Idaho Executive Director Adrienne Evans for a powerful conversation about belonging, authoritarianism, and what it really takes to build a movement that can stop rising fascism. Drawing from more than 107,000 conversations across rural communities, Adrienne challenges the idea that people in rural and conservative areas are fixed, unreachable, or already lost. Instead, she makes the case that many people have been waiting for an invitation, for someone to ask what they think and feel, and for movements to stop ceding whole communities to the far right.

Together, Ejeris and Adrienne explore why belonging can be the strongest political force and how deep listening can open up transformation.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this bonus episode of Midnight Musings, Ejeris Dixon reflects on the emotional toll of living through escalating war, increasing violence, attacks on immigrant and Trans communities, and the growing repression of activists and organizers.

Fear, exhaustion, anxiety, and despair are not merely side effects of fascism. They are part of its strategy. A society that feels hopeless is less likely to resist, more likely to turn inward, and more vulnerable to the promise that one powerful leader can fix everything.

But despair does not have to be the end of the story. Ejeris argues that caring for ourselves and one another is essential to sustaining collective resistance. As instability grows, we must preserve the emotional and spiritual energy needed to organize, build power, and continue believing that fascism can be defeated.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris welcomes back researcher, strategist, and longtime movement advisor Tarso Ramos for a sobering and clarifying conversation about authoritarian consolidation, democratic renewal, and what it means to stay in the fight. Tarso and Ejeris explore why the barometer reads differently depending on the community you belong to and the dangers you face. Together, they examine the warning signs of rising fascism and an increasingly consolidated authoritarian state, the escalating attacks on targeted communities and social justice organizations, and the urgent need to shift from protest to challenge.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris Dixon sits down with organizer, strategist, and Carolina Federation co-director Sendolo Diaminah for a powerful conversation about what it takes to build a political home strong enough to confront the Far Right. Sendolo shares the story of how workplace organizing and a clear-eyed assessment of power led him to help build one of North Carolina’s most significant independent political organizations. Together, Ejeris and Sendolo explore voter suppression, the criminalization of mass participation, and why the fight against fascism requires movements that can organize and overwhelm systems designed to keep people from power.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Ejeris Dixon

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this episode of Midnight Musings, Ejeris Dixon pulls back the curtain on the years long journey that led to The Fascism Barometer. Reflecting on the aftermath of the 2016 election, Ejeris shares how studying fascism, organizing communities, and translating complex ideas into accessible tools became a deeply personal mission to protect the people they love. This intimate reflection is a reminder that courageous risks taken in service of our communities, are how people-powered movements are built.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this season three premiere of The Fascism Barometer, Ejeris Dixon sits down with legendary activist, writer, and strategist Linda Burnham for a clear-eyed conversation about what it will take to fight fascism in this moment and for the long haul. Drawing on more than six decades of movement work, Linda names the dangers of fascist targeting, the need to broaden anti-fascist alliances, and the importance of building real power across elections, culture, economics, and the streets. Together, Ejeris and Linda explore why movements must learn to collaborate beyond political comfort zones, think generationally, and bring each person’s unique gifts into the anti-fascist fight.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this episode of Midnight Musings, Ejeris Dixon unpacks a new White House memo that expands the definition of terrorism to target anti-fascists, Trans communities, Muslim communities, and resistance movements. This episode explores why solidarity, collective action, and refusing to “obey in advance” are essential as the Fascism Barometer keeps rising.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Ejeris Dixon

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris Dixon reflects on how fascism advances not all at once, but in deliberate “steps and stages.” Drawing from the words of Toni Morrison, Ejeris explores how the erosion of rights, from attacks on TPS protections and birthright citizenship to the weakening of the Voting Rights Act, creates the conditions for escalating violence and authoritarianism. Ejeris reminds us that resisting fascism requires collective action across communities, local organizing, and the belief that people power can still win.

In this episode of Midnight Musings, Ejeris Dixon cuts through the noise with a clear and urgent message: we are overcomplicating how to fight fascism.

At a moment when political analysis is everywhere, competing for attention and authority, Ejeris offers a different approach. Not a new framework. Not a multi-point plan. Just a reminder of what matters most.

We have one job.

Build a bigger, more powerful, more connected movement capable of defeating fascism.

Ejeris reminds us that movement building is not abstract, and not reserved for experts. It happens in everyday interactions, in conversations, in invitations, and in the choices we make about how we show up.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this episode of Midnight Musings, Ejeris connects the dots between fascism and war, naming a pattern that has repeated across history and is unfolding again in real time. What begins as internal hierarchy and scapegoating often escalates into global violence. And the consequences are measured in human lives.

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

The Fascism Barometer team presents a new series of bonus “mini-sodes” that we’re calling Midnight Musings. Ejeris Dixon invites us into a more unfiltered space at the intersection of newfound parenthood and political reflection. As fascism intensifies around the world and at home, Ejeris shares what it means to stay present to both care work and movement work at the same time.

These “movement appetizers” will be a regular thing, and might even continue after the launch of season three of The Fascism Barometer this June!

Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In our season finale, host Ejeris Dixon welcomes organizer, author, and strategist Alicia Garza back to finish the conversation on power, and what it takes to beat fascist politics. Alicia lays out a practical “recipe for liberation”: from deepening political education, to building community while rooting the work in love. She argues that while a small amount of people may be unmoved, the vast majority is persuadable. Also, Ejeris reflects on Season 2 of The Fascism Barometer, reminding us about what we've learned, and reviewing concrete action steps we can take to resist fascism and build a powerful resistance.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this incredibly timely episode, host Ejeris Dixon sits down with Darakshan Raja, founding Executive Director of Muslims for Just Futures. Raja talks about how post-9/11 policies laid the groundwork for today’s increasing fascism. She also explains how the framework of terrorism expanded government power, targeted organizations and communities, and justified the expansion of prisons, policing, and the military, from the use of Guantánamo to campus protest crackdowns. Importantly, Dixon and Raja focus on what to do now to refuse the legitimacy of “terror” frames, and strengthen support across communities and movements.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris Dixon welcomes back author and strategist Alicia Garza for a clear-eyed read of the moment. Garza breaks down how fascism weaponizes white supremacy and emergency politics to manufacture enemies, demand a strongman, and win consent, while reminding us that resistance is a long tradition in Black, immigrant, and trans communities.

Stay tuned for part two of this vital conversation, as Dixon and Garza will discuss concrete power-building moves to "keep the barometer at bay".

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Ejeris Dixon

Alicia Garza's book, The Purpose of Power

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Full Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org.

Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris Dixon welcomes abolitionist safety practitioner Che Johnson-Long and technologist-lawyer Ken Montenegro back to The Fascism Barometer for a grounded, practical guide to resisting in a fast-shifting landscape. They unpack how fascism feeds on panic and isolation—and how all of us can respond when we examine risk, create shared tools, and take care of each other. Homework includes: broaden trusted information sources, join an organization, and start an actual risk plan.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In the second half of this vital conversation, host Ejeris Dixon and movement strategist Tarso Ramos go beyond diagnosing the rise of fascism—they map out what we must do to resist it. From learning lessons of South Africa’s Freedom Charter and United Democratic Front to organizing a “bigger we” capable of defeating fascism and authoritarianism, Ramos shares both cautionary tales and hopeful strategies. This episode insists that there is no going back, and that the only path forward is through collective creativity, broad coalitions, and a relentless commitment to building power.

In part one of this wide-ranging two-part episode, Ejeris Dixon welcomes Tarso Ramos back to The Fascism Barometer. Ramos, a seasoned researcher of fascist, authoritarian, and supremacist movements, shares how his family’s escape from Brazil’s military dictatorship shaped his lifelong fight against fascism. He draws chilling parallels between past regimes and today’s U.S. political landscape, breaking down the accelerating pace of authoritarian consolidation and the critical 12–18 month window to resist it. This episode is both a warning and a blueprint for action.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this profound episode, Ejeris Dixon sits down with healing justice visionary Erica Woodland to explore how fascism is impacting our mental health and our capacity to organize. With a background in psychotherapy and decades of movement work, Erica discusses the emotional toll of surviving and resisting while fascism rises overwhelmingly. Ejeris and Erica grapple with what it really means to fight fascism without abandoning ourselves or each other.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Erica Woodland

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

What does the expansion of policing, imprisonment, and surveillance reveal about the rise of fascism? Host Ejeris Dixon sits down with long-time organizer, activist, and author Rachel Herzing to unpack the interlocking systems of state violence known as the prison industrial complex. Herzing, director of the Yarrow Institute and co-author of How to Abolish Prisons, connects the dots between rising fascist power, the racism and violence of the prison and policing system, the erosion of public dissent, and the work of preventing a police state.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

This edition of The Fascism Barometer finds host Ejeris Dixon sitting down with Cristina Jiménez Moreta—bestselling author, MacArthur Genius Fellow, and co-founder of United We Dream—for a timely conversation on how fascism shows up in the everyday lives of immigrant communities. Cristina reflects on her own journey from Ecuador to the U.S. and speaks to the experiences of immigrants who flee authoritarian and fascist regimes, only to be targeted in the United States. Cristina highlights the acts of resistance that everyday people are taking and the opportunities to build bigger, more visionary possibilities that this moment creates. This is not a theoretical conversation—it’s about real people, real histories, and real stakes.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Cristina Jiménez Moreta's critically acclaimed book, Dreaming of Home

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

Host Ejeris Dixon is joined by lifelong educator and organizer, Lumumba Bandele to unpack what fascism looks like through the lived experiences of Black communities in the U.S. — and why we must recognize its current and historic manifestations. From front porch conversations in Bed-Stuy to lessons learned from global solidarity movements, Lumumba offers grounded wisdom on the victories that Black communities have won against state repression, the power of storytelling, and how Black resistance has always been both local and global.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Lumumba Bandele

Connect with Ejeris Dixon

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this urgent episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon sits down with renowned activist and organizer Linda Sarsour for a powerful conversation on fascism, Palestinian liberation, and the meaning of true solidarity. With over two decades of movement work, Sarsour offers a masterclass on what it means to resist fascism, uplift human dignity, and defend communities under siege. Linda shares why the Palestinian liberation struggle is central to the anti-fascist fight—and how ordinary people can step into powerful roles in extraordinary ways.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Linda Sarsour

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this urgent and clarifying episode, Ejeris Dixon sits down with Shane Burley—journalist, scholar, author of Fascism Today: What it is and How to End It, and co-author of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism—to unpack what it means for social justice movements when fascists control the government, and what to expect of their next moves. They also discuss the dangerous manipulation of antisemitism in our current political moment. Together, they explore what the history of anti-fascism can teach us about these times, historical roots of antisemitism, how it's being weaponized to silence dissent—particularly pro-Palestinian voices—and the critical difference between antisemitism and anti-Zionism. This conversation is essential listening for anyone navigating the intersection of anti-Fascism, Jewish identity, Palestinian solidarity, and anti-war organizing.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Shane Burley

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon is joined by renowned activist, narrative strategist, and speaker Malkia Devich-Cyril for a wide-ranging conversation that connects the rise of fascism to collective grief, Black liberation, and the emotional landscape of organizing within repressive times.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Malkia Devich-Cyril and Movement Innovation Collaborative

Connect with Ejeris Dixon

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

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.

You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.

Connect with Maurice Mitchell and the Working Families Party

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Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Intro Music by Meklit Hadero

The Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.