Shadow Politics, January 18, 2026
Shadow Politics with Senator Michael D. Brown and Co-host Liberty Jones
Guest, Markus Bachelor - Running for U.S. shadow senator of the district of Columbia
In this episode: Hosts Former Senator Michael D Brown and Liberty Jones interview Markus Bachelor who is runningfor U.S. shadow senator of the district of Columbia. Bachelor discusses the necessity of D.C. statehood for self-determination and democracy, highlighting his long-term advocacy, past political experience, and urgency in addressing local government challenges, such as education and community stability issues.
Join us for an interesting discussion in Grassroots Politics in Washington D.C.
Guest, Markus Bachelor
Markus Batchelor is a proud native Washingtonian and dedicated justice advocate.
He made history when he was elected as the youngest-ever elected member of the
DC State Board of Education in 2016, where he represented Ward 8 and was elected
twice by his colleagues as the board’s Vice President.
Raised by a working-class family in Congress Heights and nurtured by a caring
Ward 8 community, he is a graduate of the DC public schools and attended The
George Washington University before pursuing public service.
Prior to his tenure on the State Board of Education, Markus served as an Advisory
Neighborhood Commissioner for Congress Heights and Washington Highlands,
where he worked to revitalize a fragmented community network, enhance city
services, and grow results-driven initiatives to tackle our most complex challenges.
Markus is a proud member of the Democratic Party and has also served as President
of the Ward 8 Democrats and as National Committeeman for the DC Young
Democrats.
Markus has spent his career working to lift up his community. He worked to bring
government closer to the people as a Ward 8 liaison in the Mayor's Office of
Community Relations and Services (MOCRS). He served at the Far Southeast Family
Strengthening Collaborative, a Ward 8-based nonprofit dedicated to creating a
healthy socioeconomic environment through which every child and family has an
opportunity to achieve their maximum potential and to lead a productive life.
Today, Markus is the National Political Director at People For the American Way, an
organization convening diverse Americans to defend freedom, justice, and
democracy for all of us.
In addition to his professional roles, Markus pays it forward, contributing to the
Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute (MBYLI), which he attended as a teen,
served as the District’s 51st Youth Mayor, and continues to mentor and train DC
youth.
Markus currently lives in Congress Heights with his 5-year-old rescued American Pit
Bull Terrier, Konny.
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.
