First Person: How the Left Is Cannibalizing Its Own Power
Ezra is out sick, so today, we're sharing an episode from the New York Times Opinion podcast, \u201cFirst Person.\u201d Each week, the host Lulu Garcia-Navarro sits down with people living through the headlines for intimate and surprising conversations that help us make sense of our complicated world. This episode features Maurice Mitchell, the head of the Working Families Party.\n\nMitchell has been an organizer for two decades, working in progressive politics and the Movement for Black Lives. In recent years, he\u2019s watched progressive organizations torn apart by internal battles in the wake of #MeToo and B.L.M. Now he is speaking out about how he sees purity politics and a misplaced focus on identity derailing the left.\n\nYou can find transcripts (posted midday) and more information for all episodes at nytimes.com/column/first-person.\n\nThe episode was produced by Wyatt Orme, with help from Derek Arthur. It was edited by Stephanie Joyce and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Sonia Herrero and Isaac Jones. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. The rest of the \u201cFirst Person\u201d team includes Anabel Bacon, Olivia Natt, Rhiannon Corby, Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Derek Arthur and Jillian Weinberger. Special thanks to Kristina Samulewski, Shannon Busta, Allison Benedikt, Annie-Rose Strasser and Katie Kingsbury.