Shadow Politics
Shadow Politics is a grass roots talk show giving a voice to the voiceless. For more than 200 years the people of the Nation's Capital have ironically been excluded from the national political conversation. With no voting member of either house of Congress, Washingtonians have lacked the representation they need to be equal and to have their voices heard. Shadow Politics will provide a platform for them, as well as the millions of others nationwide who feel politically disenfranchised and disconnected, to be included in a national dialog.
We need to start a new conversation in America, one that is more inclusive and diverse and one that will lead our great nation forward to meet the challenges of the 21st century. At Shadow Politics, we hope to get this conversation started by bringing Americans together to talk about issues important to them. We look forward to having you be part of the discussion so call in and join the conversation. America is calling and we're listening… Shadow Politics is about America hearing what you have to say. It's your chance to talk to an elected official who has spent more than 30 years in Washington politics. We believe that if we start a dialog and others add their voices we will create a chorus. Even if those other politicians in Washington don't hear you — Senator Brown will. He's on a mission to listen to what America has to say and use it to start a productive dialog to make our democracy stronger and more inclusive. If we are all part of the solution we can solve any problem.
Guest, Mark Thompson
The Rev. Mark Thompson spent half of his life as a political activist in Washington, DC, before relocating to New York City in 2010.
His civil rights/political organizing includes: the 1984 and 1988 Jesse Jackson presidential campaigns; the movement forcing Georgetown University to divest from apartheid South Africa in 1985; weekly civil disobedience on Capitol Hill — for which Mark was jailed for 20 days — that helped win the first-ever congressional vote on DC statehood in 1993; the Million Man March in 1995, which Mark emceed; every anniversary of the March on Washington, each of which Mark emceed; the 2004 Al Sharpton presidential campaign; the 2017 Women's March; and is on the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute for Politics, Policy and History at the University of the District of Columbia.
Radio and TV host, political analyst and commentator, UDC graduate, Mark was honored at the 104th Annual NAACP Convention in Orlando in July 2013 for “25 years of crusading journalism and outstanding leadership in furthering the work of civil and human rights.” Mark is a frequent analyst and commentator on cable news.
Mark anchored coverage of the dedication of the MLK Memorial. He broadcast Occupy Wall Street live, on location from New York's Zuccotti Park. His ministry, broadcasting and activism have taken him to the streets. He broadcast from Johannesburg and Soweto during the first-ever democratic elections in 1994 in South Africa, where he received the name, Matsimela Mapfumo, which means “firmly rooted soldier.” He has broadcast from every Democratic National Convention since 1992. For the past 10 years, Mark has been the only broadcaster to provide gavel-to-gavel coverage of the NAACP Annual Convention. He has also broadcast from the annual Women's March since 2017.
Mark talks politics, breaking news, social justice and human rights as the host of the award-winning "Make It Plain" daily podcast.
