What We're Reading & Watching: Back-to-School Edition

As summer winds down and students of all ages prepare for a new school year, we've created our very own back-to-school "curriculum." Here are SiX staffers recommendations for what to read or watch this fall.

Jump to:
📚 Nonfiction Books
🪄 Fiction Books
💭 Other Reads
📺 TV Shows
🎥 Films

What We're Reading

The Kidnapping Club Wall Street Slavery and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War

Nonfiction books

The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee
Decoding Greatness: The Hidden Strategy for Achieving Extraordinary Success by Ron Friedman
Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari
The Echoing Ida Collection edited by Cynthia R. Greenlee, Kemi Alabi, and Janna A. Zinzi
How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest by Zeynep Tufekci
On Gold Mountain by Lisa See
The Kidnapping Club: Wall Street, Slavery, and Resistance on the Eve of the Civil War by Jonathan Daniel Wells
The Bold World by Jodie Patterson
Denmark Vesey: The Buried Story of America's Largest Slave Rebellion and the Man Who Led It by David Robertson

Fiction Books

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
Memorial by Brian Washington

What We're Watching

TV

Generation Hustle (HBO Max)
This is Life with Lisa Ling (CNN)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
Blindspotting (Starz)
Amend: The Fight for America (Netflix)

Film

Tina (HBO)
Right to Harm
Gather
Mary J. Blige's My Life (Amazon Prime Video)
Remothering the Land (Patagonia)
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (HBO)
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption, and Conspiracy (Netflix)
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (Netflix)

Farewell Note from Executive Director Nick Rathod

As we gear up for a new year and our state legislative work gets underway, I wanted to give you some exciting news about our work as well as changes at SiX.

Four years ago, I was hired to build an organization to support progressive state legislators across the country. This critical infrastructure has eluded the progressive movement for generations, while conservatives have benefited enormously in investing locally, which has allowed them control of policy making, bench building, elections and redistricting across the states now for more than a decade.

Working with our amazing staff, board, funders, and partners over these last years we have been able to change this dynamic and impact progressive’s work in the states in countless ways. Our programs are helping legislators to be more effective at serving their constituencies, translating into stronger communication of progressive values and tangible policy results for millions of Americans. The spaces we provide for networking, like our annual conference, have allowed for a cross-pollination of ideas and the creation of a community of legislators across the country. And the strategic support we provide has armed legislators with the tools and information they need to defeat regressive policies and advance ones that are aimed at treating all Americans fairly and providing working families with security and opportunity.

The organization has also grown. This will be the first year that we will have full time staff on the ground in state capitals. We have also added to our already dynamic national team. Last year, we brought on Neha Patel as Chief Development and Strategy Officer and Leigh Warren as our first Chief Operating Officer. Both bring decades of experience in their fields and have had enormous impact in the organization. Vicki Simarano, a nationally known legislative strategist and campaign organizer, joined us to run our legislative operations, and veteran advocate Kelly Baden joined as our Director of Reproductive Rights. And last month, Ellen Moran joined SiX as a senior advisor to help us develop a strategic plan. Ellen brings over 20 years of experience running progressive campaigns and causes, and previously served as Executive Director of EMILY’s List.

Together, we have built a special organization that is poised for even greater impact in the coming years.

As proud as I am of this amazing progress, I have also been taking the time over the last several months to think about my own future. In the beginning of the new year, I informed the chair of our Board of Directors that I would be leaving as Executive Director of SiX. I am excited about opportunities to pursue consulting and take on a more diverse set of projects that will allow me to continue to contribute to the broader progressive movement. I’m also taking to heart the importance of engaging locally and will be fully exploring the best ways for me to serve my community and the Commonwealth of Virginia. And, I am especially looking forward to being present for my wife and three young children who have missed me as I traveled many, many days and nights these past years.

While this is bittersweet for me, I’m excited to see SiX’s work continue and grow. The SiX staff and Board of Directors are some of the most dedicated and passionate professionals I have ever worked with and they are committed to taking the organization to the next level.

As I transition out in the coming weeks, Ellen Moran will take on my responsibilities on an interim basis as a search for a new Executive Director begins. She will be working with our talented staff to run and manage this transition until a new Executive Director comes on board. As the 2018 state legislative sessions get underway, I couldn’t be more optimistic about our prospects to drive change in the states. Your continued support and partnership will be crucial as SiX moves forward.

I don’t have the words to fully express how grateful I am both personally and institutionally for your friendship and support. My sincerest thanks for all you have done – and will continue to do – for SiX.

Onward,

-Nick

SiX Expands with Addition of Chief Development and Strategy Officer, National Legislative Director, and State Directors in Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia

The State Innovation Exchange (SiX) is pleased to announce its continued growth this fall with the addition of eight new staff members, including Neha Patel as Chief Development and Strategy Officer and Victoria Simarano as National Legislative Director, positions that will help SiX deepen our ability to advance progressive policies in the states.

SiX is also proud to announce the addition of six new state directors in Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia. These new state director positions will greatly expand SiX’s capacity to support legislators directly, with the addition of permanent, on-the-ground staff members based in state capitols.

“SiX’s expansion into the states and the work these state directors will be doing is unprecedented in state policy making. The individuals joining SiX as state directors are among the best and brightest advocates in the country. Each brings years of work experience and relationships to their respective states. Their expertise will allow us to build on the foundation we’ve laid over the past few years and enable us to have greater capacity to provide tailored support to legislators and legislative staff who are working every day to improve the lives and well-being of their constituents,” SiX Executive Director Nick Rathod said.

Neha Patel, Chief Development and Strategy Officer

As SiX's Chief Development and Strategy Officer, Neha will be overseeing organizational strategic planning, developing fundraising growth strategies, building out SiX's development function, and serving as part of the organizational management team. Neha brings over 15 years of experience in strategy, business development, and partnership and program management. Neha previously worked with various domestic and international non-profit organizations and foundations, including FHI 360 and Open Society Foundations (OSF).

Victoria Simarano, National Legislative Director

As the National Legislative Director for SiX, Victoria will oversee a legislative team of more than a dozen staff, including SiX’s new state directors. Victoria brings over 20 years of experience working for social change across the governmental, conservation, university and political arenas as an organizer, executive director, and fundraiser. Victoria came to SiX from The Climate Reality Project, and previously worked for the Clinton Administration, WILD PAC, and the Sierra Club.

Joaquin Rios, Arizona State Director

Joaquin comes to SiX having most recently served as the Chief of Staff to Phoenix City Councilwoman Kate Gallego. Rios is a licensed attorney and has also worked as a Staff Attorney in the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services to low-income Arizonans, and practiced immigration law. Joaquin has also served a wide variety of roles on progressive political campaigns in Arizona.

David Oppenheim, Colorado State Director

Prior to joining SiX, David served two separate stints as the Chief of Staff to the Colorado House Majority office where he helped to craft and execute progressive legislative agendas. David was also previously a Principal at Hilltop Public Solutions, a leading public affairs and political consulting firm.

Danna Hayes, Maine State Director

Danna comes to SiX from the Maine Women’s Lobby and the Maine Women’s Policy Center, where she served as Director of Public Policy. Danna previously spent two years clerking in New Hampshire Superior Courts, and worked as a community organizer advocating for policy solutions to hunger and poverty with the Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative.

Tom Lenard, Michigan State Director

Prior to SiX, Tom served as Senior Advisor to Michigan Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich of Flint, Michigan. As such, he worked to help respond to the Flint water crisis, and led efforts to address the opioid epidemic, combat scrap metal theft, and push for paid sick leave. Prior to serving multiple roles in the state legislature, Tom worked in the Washington, D.C. offices of former Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and former Rep. John Dingell of Michigan.

Chris Kukla, North Carolina State Director

Chris joins SiX with over two decades of policy, political and organizing experience. Chris spent the last 15 years at the Center for Responsible Lending, a nonpartisan, non-profit policy and research organization dedicated to ending abusive lending practices, where he regularly counseled legislators, regulators and law enforcement agencies in North Carolina and across the country.

Meredith Smith, Virginia State Director

Meredith brings over a decade of work in the Virginia progressive community to her role as SiX’s Virginia State Director. Meredith most recently served as a legislative consultant for various members of the Virginia General Assembly, responsible for training, crafting legislative strategy and setting up the offices of new legislators and staff.

SiX Announces Addition of Leigh Warren as Chief Operating Officer

LKW headshot

SiX is thrilled to announce the hiring of Leigh Warren to serve as our Chief Operating Officer, marking the first time the organization will have a senior staff member fully dedicated to overseeing our human resources, finance and compliance, and IT functions. As SiX enters an important period of growth and expansion, Warren will be critical to ensuring that our internal operations keep pace.

Prior to joining SiX, Warren was the Chief Operating Officer at EMILY’s List, a political action committee that helps elect pro-choice Democratic women to office. Before joining EMILY’s List, she held a variety of roles, from scheduler for a Congressman to managing director of a national polling firm. She also served as the Operations Director for America Coming Together (ACT).

Warren played an integral role in helping build EMILY’s List into the powerful organization it is today, and SiX is incredibly fortunate to be welcoming her to our leadership team.

“I am thrilled to be joining SiX at such an important time of growth in the organization,” said Warren. “The work SiX is doing at the state level to ensure a more progressive America is critical, now more than ever. I look forward to working with the SiX team and our partners across the country to help support legislators who are committed to enacting policies that reflect progressive values.”

“Leigh’s reputation precedes her in progressive circles—she has been central to building some of the movement’s most effective institutions, including EMILY’s List,” said SiX Executive Director Nick Rathod. “I couldn’t be more excited to have someone of her stature and experience join SiX at this vital point in the organization’s growth. It’s game-changing for us organizationally and especially critical to helping us continue to build progressive power in state legislatures across the country.”

SiX Launches Reproductive Rights Program to be Led by State Policy and Advocacy Expert Kelly Baden

This week, SiX is excited to announce a new program—led by state policy and advocacy expert Kelly Baden—that will expand our capacity to help legislators advance and defend policies that safeguard reproductive rights at the state level.

As SiX’s first-ever Director of Reproductive Rights, Baden will work to fully integrate this critical issue into the work of the organization and its network of more than 2,000 state lawmakers across the country. This development marks the first time SiX we will have an in-house, issue-specific policy program.

"States remain a critical battleground for reproductive rights, even as hostility to reproductive autonomy increases in Washington. In fact, it's more important than ever that state leaders have everything they need to not just hold the line on our rights but also take bold steps forward in advancing reproductive health," said Baden. "Through this new program, SiX will work closely with national and state advocacy organizations that are already doing vital work in this space, with the ultimate goal of supporting legislators in all 50 states and ensuring they have the tools they need to be true champions for women’s health. This is a major step forward for both SiX and the progressive movement, and I am thrilled to be leading this effort."

Baden, who will be based in New York City, comes to SiX from the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she served as Director of State Advocacy. In that role, she worked directly with state advocates and legislators, helped build the capacity of local partners through the development of policy resources and trainings, and oversaw technical assistance to state partners fighting abortion restrictions. She also previously served as the Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships for the National Institute for Reproductive Health and NARAL Pro-Choice New York and a number of other reproductive rights organizations. Baden currently serves on the board of URGE (Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity), and in addition to appearing on national cable news, her expertise on reproductive rights policy has been featured in POLITICO, TIME, and the Associated Press.

"With the addition of Kelly to our team, SiX is gaining a nationally recognized reproductive rights expert—with a long history of collaboration and coalition building—to lead this new body of work," said SiX Executive Director Nick Rathod. "As a multi-issue organization, SiX has contributed to many different policy fights at the state level—from climate change, civil rights, and election reform to family economic issues like equal pay, paid leave, and higher wages. Under Kelly’s leadership, this new program will provide much-needed resources and support to progressive elected officials across the country, who are on the front lines fighting to advance and defend reproductive rights each and every day."

SiX Announces Expansion of Communications Team with Addition of National Press Secretary & Deputy Director for State Communications

As part of our ongoing work to support state lawmakers who are fighting to advance and defend progressive policies all across the country, SiX is thrilled to announce an expansion of our communications shop—with the addition of Press Secretary Karyn Bruggeman and Deputy Director for State Communications Katy Fleury.

Karyn Bruggeman, who is based in our Washington, D.C. office and manages our national press engagement strategy, comes to SiX from the National Journal, where she spent more than three years covering state and national politics—including the 2016 presidential election. During her time there, she appeared on national TV and radio outlets like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, BBC World News, and Sirius XM Radio to discuss her reporting. Prior to that, Bruggeman provided research support at the Atlas Project, a national political data and research shop.

Katy Fleury will be based in our Denver office and fills a new role within the organization. As Deputy Director for State Communications, she will provide strategic communications and messaging support to state legislators and their staff, work with state legislative caucuses to build and enhance their communications capacity, and help promote progressive policy victories and battles in all 50 states. She previously served as Deputy Communications Director for the Colorado House Democrats and worked on the policy and communications team of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

“Karyn and Katy will both play a vital role in taking our work in the states to the next level,” said SiX Executive Director Nick Rathod. “As SiX significantly expands our in-state presence and operations over the new few months—with permanent, on-the-ground staff being hired in at least a dozen states—and continues to build out our national office, we know that growing our strategic communications, media relations, and digital capacity will be central to that effort. As progressives continue the important and long overdue work of catching up to the massive political infrastructure that conservatives have built in the states, this expansion is a step in the right direction.”

Karyn Bruggeman Katy Fleury

SiX Welcomes Two New Staff Members: Press Secretary Margaret Ann Morgan and Deputy Director of Strategic Engagement Mandela Barnes

As the SiX staff continues to grow, we are thrilled to announce two new members of the team: Press Secretary Margaret Ann Morgan and Deputy Director of Strategic Engagement Mandela Barnes.

Barnes most recently served in the Wisconsin State Assembly. During his tenure there, he authored legislation to protect voting rights, provide small businesses with tax relief, safeguard children’s health, enhance public safety, encourage responsible gun ownership, and ban employment discrimination – along with a number of other policies. He served on the Committees on Corrections, Education, Jobs & the Economy, and Small Business Development and was also chairman of the legislature’s Black and Latino Caucus. Barnes is active in a number of organizations serving the Milwaukee area and has been recognized by NewDEAL as one of America’s top pro-growth progressive leaders.

Prior to joining SiX, Morgan served as press secretary for Correct The Record, a strategic research and rapid response team designed to defend Hillary Clinton from baseless attacks. There, she placed top surrogates on national networks during the 2016 campaign and assisted with rapid response communication. Morgan moved to Washington, D.C. after her time as a journalist in her home state of Mississippi, where she was the state’s top television reporter at WDAM in Hattiesburg, covering local and state politics and education policy.

Check out this POLITICO write-up on Morgan joining the SiX team.