<![CDATA[The Arena: Breathe. Hope. Vote.]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/s/breathe-hope-votehttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0NuN!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20b3a6b0-6671-4936-af7d-5f40fd65c4db_1280x1280.pngThe Arena: Breathe. Hope. Vote.https://www.thearenasc.com/s/breathe-hope-voteSubstackWed, 13 May 2026 00:51:07 GMT<![CDATA[Hosts of the Black White and Blue Podcast Join Emily Mayer in a Special Crossover Podcast]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/hosts-of-the-black-white-and-bluehttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/hosts-of-the-black-white-and-blueFri, 20 Sep 2024 14:21:18 GMTThis week Emily Mayer joins Bill Kimler and Dr. Jumelle Brooks in a special crossover episode between The Arena’s Breathe. Hope. Vote. podcast and the Black White and Blue in the South hosted by Kimler and Dr. Brooks.

Bill Kimler and Dr. Jumelle Brooks are both Democratic candidates for the South Carolina House of Representatives. To learn more about Bill Kimler, visit kimlerforsc.com. To learn more about Dr. Jumelle Brooks, visit jumelleforsc.com.

A special thank you to the hosts of Black White and Blue in the South. Listen to Black White and Blue in the South on Spotify and visit their Linktree for more information.

]]><![CDATA[Inside the 'Banned Together' Documentary]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/inside-the-banned-together-documentaryhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/inside-the-banned-together-documentaryThu, 19 Sep 2024 16:38:57 GMTEmily Mayer sits down with the team and students behind the all-new documentary Banned Together. Banned Together documents the growing threat of book banning in the U.S. and follows three courageous students from Beaufort, South Carolina who fight back as 97 books are banned from their school libraries.

Pre-release screenings are scheduled in the next few days in Beaufort and Charleston. Tickets are free, but RSVPs are required.

Beaufort

Charleston

To learn more about the documentary, visit bannedtogetherdoc.com.

]]><![CDATA[Obviously Arming Teachers is a Terrible Idea with Dr. Michael O'Brien]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/obviously-arming-teachers-is-a-terriblehttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/obviously-arming-teachers-is-a-terribleFri, 13 Sep 2024 13:53:10 GMTEmily Mayer and Dr. Michael O'Brien address the topic of arming teachers in response to school shootings and debunk the claims made by Twitter trolls and discuss the failures of armed professionals in school shootings. They highlight the flaws in the idea of arming teachers, including the logistical challenges, lack of training, and potential for increased harm.

]]><![CDATA[Empowering Civic Engagement in SC with 'Be The Ones' Founder Cate Mayer]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/empowering-civic-engagement-in-schttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/empowering-civic-engagement-in-scFri, 06 Sep 2024 18:58:56 GMTEmily Mayer interviews Cate Mayer, founder of Be the Ones, a nonpartisan organization that works to identify and solve local civic information and participation gaps in the Southeast.

They discuss the genesis of Be the Ones and its focus on building local power and increasing civic engagement. They also talk about the barriers to participation and the importance of measuring success in different ways. Emily and Cate highlight the success of building a strong community and engaging elected officials in their events.

Learn more about Be the Ones by clicking here.

]]><![CDATA[Takeaways from the DNC with Democratic Consultant Sean McCawley]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/takeaways-from-the-dnc-with-democratichttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/takeaways-from-the-dnc-with-democraticFri, 30 Aug 2024 17:11:18 GMTEmily Mayer and Sean McCawley discuss their experiences at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They talk about their favorite moments, including the roll call and the performances by DJ Cassidy and Boys to Men. They also discuss the behind-the-scenes aspects of the convention, such as the teleprompters and the challenges of being in a crowded space. They highlight the efficiency of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's selfie line and many more experiences with other leaders in the Democratic Party.

]]><![CDATA[The State of SC Public Education with Lisa Ellis]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/the-state-of-sc-public-educationhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/the-state-of-sc-public-educationFri, 09 Aug 2024 19:58:24 GMTEmily Mayer interviews Lisa Ellis, former candidate for state superintendent of education, about various topics including the potential vice presidential teacher, the challenges of balancing teaching and running for office, the importance of local politics, the role of Gen Z in shaping the future, and the need for increased voter turnout. Lisa Ellis reflects on her experience running for office and highlights the powerful moments and support she received during her campaign. She discusses the importance of backing each other up and finding creative solutions to challenges. Lisa shares her standout moments on the trail and expresses her pride in the impact she made.

]]><![CDATA[Learning from the Experiences of Transgender Rights Advocates with David & Rebecca Bell]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/learning-from-the-experiences-ofhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/learning-from-the-experiences-ofFri, 02 Aug 2024 18:49:50 GMTEmily Mayer interviews David and Rebecca Bell about their experiences advocating for their transgender child and for transgender rights in South Carolina. They discuss their journey, the challenges they faced, and the impact of their advocacy work. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding and supporting transgender individuals, the need for gender-affirming care, and the role of grassroots movements in effecting change. They emphasize the importance of feeling supported and connected to others who are fighting the same fight.

]]><![CDATA[The Importance of Democratic Unity with Kelli Williams and Da'Vita Foushee]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/the-importance-of-democratic-unityhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/the-importance-of-democratic-unityFri, 26 Jul 2024 19:24:54 GMTIn this conversation, Emily Mayer, Kelli Williams, and Da’Vita Foushee discuss various topics related to South Carolina politics and the Democratic Party. They address voter apathy, lack of voter education, and the challenges of combating misinformation. They also discuss the narrative of President Biden stepping aside and Kamala Harris assuming the presidency.

Disclaimer: This episode was taped before Joe Biden announced he would not run for reelection.

]]><![CDATA[Shaping the Future of Politics with SC High School Democrats Leaders Annike Krovi and Evan Lawton]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/shaping-the-future-of-politics-withhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/shaping-the-future-of-politics-withFri, 19 Jul 2024 14:43:11 GMTEmily Mayer discusses various topics related to South Carolina politics and the current state of the Republican Party with Evan Lawton and Annika Krovi. They touch on President Biden's COVID diagnosis, Gen Z voters' opinions of Biden, the need for civil discourse, and the hypocrisy within the Republican Party.

They also discuss the potential VP pick of JD Vance and the backlash he received due to his mixed-race family. The conversation highlights the importance of young voters and their voices in shaping the future of politics.

Annika Krovi is one of the many Democrats attending the DNC who are paying their own way to the convention. To assist Annika with her expenses, consider a donation: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/krovi

]]><![CDATA[The Importance of Non-Violence in the Democratic Process with Veteran and State House Candidate Clemson Turregano]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/the-importance-of-non-violence-inhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/the-importance-of-non-violence-inMon, 15 Jul 2024 16:33:48 GMT Read more

]]><![CDATA[Gen Z Leadership with Sam Grant and Kyle Brantley]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/gen-z-leadership-with-sam-grant-andhttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/gen-z-leadership-with-sam-grant-andFri, 12 Jul 2024 14:44:49 GMTBreathe. Hope. Vote. host Emily Mayer sat down with South Carolina College Democrats leadership Sam Grant and Kyle Brantely to talk about where Democrats go after the debate, what their role is on college campuses, and how to get involved in College Democrats of South Carolina.

]]><![CDATA[A Brighter Vision for South Carolina with Dr. Octavia Amaechi]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/a-brighter-vision-for-south-carolinahttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/a-brighter-vision-for-south-carolinaFri, 28 Jun 2024 16:22:59 GMTDr. Octavia Amaechi, a family medicine physician and candidate for South Carolina State Senate District 12, highlights the extreme policies of her opponent and the harmful effects they have had on women while contrasting it with her bright vision for South Carolina's future if she's elected.

]]><![CDATA[Breathe. Hope. Vote. Podcast: Episode 1]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/breathe-hope-vote-podcast-episodehttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/breathe-hope-vote-podcast-episodeFri, 21 Jun 2024 18:49:37 GMT Read more

]]><![CDATA[Introducing the Breathe. Hope. Vote. Podcast]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/introducing-the-breathe-hope-votehttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/introducing-the-breathe-hope-voteFri, 21 Jun 2024 17:37:55 GMTNew to The Arena: Breathe. Hope. Vote. The podcast with thoughts and insight about S.C. legislation, candidates, and elections from Emily Mayer.

This week, Emily set the stage for the new podcast by welcoming her husband Phil Mayer to the pod. They talked about their reasons for moving to South Carolina, work and home life with Emily’s job as a full-time advocate, and what to look forward to on future pods.

Breathe. Hope. Vote. is an Arena production that publishes weekly. Check back next week for another episode!

]]><![CDATA[Video Interview: Mary Foster on SC Book Bans]]>https://www.thearenasc.com/p/video-interview-mary-foster-on-schttps://www.thearenasc.com/p/video-interview-mary-foster-on-scThu, 20 Jun 2024 16:20:41 GMT Read more

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