On episode 150 of The Quarantine Tapes, guest host Walter Mosley is joined by Katrina vanden Heuvel. Editor and former publisher of The Nation, Katrina joins Walter for a discussion on optimism, politics, and change in the immediate aftermath of the January 6th events at the Capitol.Walter and Katrina talk about the Georgia elections and the change in the South. They also dig into the velocity of debate on social media, the need for understanding, and the U.S.’s role in the world. Katrina touches on the importance of balancing optimism and realism and the need for more joy on the left. Katrina vanden Heuvel is editorial director and publisher of The Nation, America’s leading source of progressive politics and culture. A frequent commentator on U.S. and international politics for ABC, MSNBC, CNN and PBS, her articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe and she writes a weekly column for The Washington Post. Vanden Heuvel is also the author of several books, including The Change I Believe In: Fighting for Progress in The Age of Obama.Vanden Heuvel has been recognized for her journalism and public service by organizations as diverse as Planned Parenthood, the National Women's Political Caucus, the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Community Change, the Norman Mailer Center, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill, American Rights at Work, Progressive Congress, and more. During her tenure, The Nation's journalism has been recognized for excellence by the National Magazine Awards, the Society of Professional Journalists, GLAAD, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Webby Awards, among others.Vanden Heuvel serves on the boards of The Institute for Policy Studies, The Campaign for America's Future, The Roosevelt Institute, The Women’s Media Center, and The Sidney Hillman Media Foundation.Walter Mosley is one of the most versatile and admired writers in America. He is the author of more than 60 critically-acclaimed books including the just released Elements of Fiction, a nonfiction book about the art of writing fiction; the novel John Woman,Down the River and Unto the Sea (which won an Edgar Award for “Best Novel”) and the bestselling mystery series featuring “Easy Rawlins.” His work has been translated into 25 languages and includes literary fiction, science fiction, political monographs, and a young adult novel. His short fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times and The Nation, among other publications. He is also a writer and an executive producer on the John Singleton FX show, “Snowfall.”In 2013 he was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame, and he is the winner of numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, The Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award, a Grammy®, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.Credits:Paul Holdengraber - Co-Creator, Host, OLA DirectorAnthony Audi - Co-Creator, Researcher, OLA DirectorAlejandro Cohen - Co-Creator, Producer, ComposerChristian Pitt - Production Coordinator Erin Cooney - Copy, ProductionDublab Team