Beacon Podcast

This week on the podcast, Cate is joined by guest host and legislative strategist Gus Dunn-Hindle to break down the latest in Maine politics and local organizing, from Sanford’s new mobile home park rent cap ordinance to growing rent stabilization efforts across the state. They also discuss MPA’s member-led endorsement process, key endorsed candidates, and…The post Maine voters head into...

This week on the podcast Esther is joined by Andrea Paluso, Director of The Child Care for Every Family Network, and Charlotte Jacobs, community organizer and former program director of a childcare center. They share how both their experience as experts in the field and as parents has shaped their worldview on why free universal child care is crucial — and how we can…The post What it would take...

This week on the podcast, Esther is joined by union members and leaders from across Maine for a conversation about why organizing still matters and why more workers are getting involved. Jessie Hargrove, Maine Education Association president; Matthew McDonald, Maine Medical Center nurse and member of the Maine State Nurses Association; and Ally Loukas, pre-K…The post From hospitals to classrooms,...

This week on the podcast, Cate and Esther unpack the political and human consequences of Pres. Donald Trump’s threats of war crimes and the fragile ceasefire that followed, examining what it means for global alliances, moral leadership, and the growing financial burden on taxpayers. Closer to home, they break down key parts of Maine’s supplemental…The post What’s at stake with Trump’s war...

Maine’s housing crisis is hitting some of the state’s most overlooked communities: mobile home parks. In this episode, Cate and Esther take a closer look at how corporate ownership is negatively reshaping these parks, where more than one in five are now owned by out-of-state investors. Residents Juliette St. Amand and Marieke Giasson share what…The post The cost of staying: Maine mobile home park...

Ads in the U.S. Senate race are heating up! This week on the podcast, Esther and Cate break down Gov. Janet Mills’ newest attack ad on fellow Democratic candidate Graham Platner, and how words don’t always align with actions. The also take a look at the text messages between the Portland and South Portland police…The post How Janet Mills’ old-school ad attack missed the mark first appeared on...

Dr. Nirav Shah joins our host Cate Blackford on the podcast to discuss his run for Maine governor and how his background in public health as the former director of the Maine CDC shapes his approach to leadership. He talks about the importance of competent state governance, clear communication and rebuilding public trust. Shah outlines his plans…The post Nirav Shah on public health, housing and...

On our latest podcast episode, Esther and Cate look at what has been happening with ICE in Maine and how Mainers have been responding. Beth Weisberger, the owner of Gneiss Spice in Bethel, joins to share why she decided to close her business at the end of January for an anti-ICE strike. They also discuss…The post Why business is political and what to look out for in Maine’s budget hearings first...

On the podcast, Senior Organizing Director Esther Pew interviews Anat Shenker-Osorio, a linguistics and cognition expert, about how movements can more effectively mobilize folks to fight against fascism. Anat explains why simply debunking lies isn’t enough — and why replacing false narratives with truthful, values-driven stories is essential to activating people. She emphasizes the power…The post...

For the first podcast of the new year, Esther is joined by former podcast host Sen. Mike Tipping to preview the legislative session and talk about some priorities, including health care access, taxing the richest Mainers more fairly, and combating ICE’s terrifying tactics closer to home. They also talk about what’s been happening in Minnesota…The post ICE’s unpopularity, taxing the rich and MLK...