Episode 25
Improvisation in Music and Politics w/ Steven Olikara
Today’s guest is Steven Olikara, Founder and Senior Advisor of the Millennial Action Project (MAP), a national, nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to renewing American politics through post-partisan, Millennial leadership. In this role, Olikara activates young policymakers to bridge partisan divides and forge common ground on future-focused policy issues. He was the driving force behind establishing the bipartisan Congressional Future Caucus, the nation’s first Millennial-led caucus in the U.S. Congress. A nationally-recognized social entrepreneur, Olikara’s work has been featured on NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, Al Jazeera America, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, National Journal, POLITICO, USA Today, and more. Olikara has been named the Millennial of the Year, an Aspen Ideas Scholar, and one of the Most Influential Leaders Under 40 in Washington Life magazine.
In the intro, Mac, Lindsay, and David talk about dogecoin, and their own early artistic experiences that showed exactly who they would be when they grew up.
At 14:25, Steven joins the pod. Early arts experience that shaped him – seeing a rock band perform at an elementary science fair for the first time and convincing his parents to buy him a guitar (15:45); what he learned from making music that informs what it takes to organize politically (22:00); what it takes to set up spaces where people of different political views can show up and be vulnerable, and getting young political leaders on board with agreeing to be in conversation to break down these barriers (27:00); jazz as an example of artists leading societal change (41:00); repairing polarization and encouraging greater human connection in politics coming out of the pandemic (43:00); Steven’s turn as the Czar of Arts and Culture (49:00).
Finally, after we say goodbye to Steven, the end is the beginning: Pre-SNL Dogecoin and Elon Musk Easter Egg (59:17).
Links
Follow Steven Olikara: @StevenOlikara on Twitter and Instagram
Millennial Action Project: @MActionProject
Meeting in Middle America Podcast
Music Transitions:
“Lift You Up,” Steven Olikara and Michael Chang
“Different,” Steven Olikara
E225 Ephemera:
Dogecoin: Cryptocurrency as Community
