Notes from America with Kai Wright
Apr 12, 2021 · 51 min · 9 segments
How did Americans come to think so poorly of government? And how did Joe Biden come to be the first modern president who’s even tried to change our minds? Kai talks with three change-makers about…
Anand GiridharadasGuestKai WrightHost
Liz KruegerGuest
Mari CopenyGuestBefore we get into the history and policy of it, though, I want to introduce you to somebody.
President Obama, you might remember, liked to talk about the letters he received from people and how he kept himself centered in the job by reading these letters from around the country.
Toward the end of his presidency, he got a letter from an eight-year-old living in Flint, Michigan, who was on her way to Washington, D.C. She was an activist, and she was traveling with a bunch of other activists to a congressional hearing about Flint's horrifying water crisis.
She wrote, quote, My mom said, chances are you will be too busy with more important things.
There is a lot of people coming on these buses, and even just a meeting from you and your wife would really lift people's spirits.
I would have been happy to see Mari in Washington.
But when something like this happens, a young girl shouldn't have to go to Washington to be heard.
I thought her President should come to Flint to meet with her.
And so as we thought about the role of government this week and the ways in which public opinion about government has developed over the years, we thought about this little girl who is still an activist and still demanding her government serve her in her community.
So I'm joined now by Mari Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint, though she's not quite so little anymore.
Before we get into the history and policy of it, though, I want to introduce you to somebody.
President Obama, you might remember, liked to talk about the letters he received from people and how he kept himself centered in the job by reading these letters from around the country.
Toward the end of his presidency, he got a letter from an eight-year-old living in Flint, Michigan, who was on her way to Washington, D.C. She was an activist, and she was traveling with a bunch of other activists to a congressional hearing about Flint's horrifying water crisis.
She wrote, quote, My mom said, chances are you will be too busy with more important things.
There is a lot of people coming on these buses, and even just a meeting from you and your wife would really lift people's spirits.
I would have been happy to see Mari in Washington.
But when something like this happens, a young girl shouldn't have to go to Washington to be heard.
I thought her President should come to Flint to meet with her.
And so as we thought about the role of government this week and the ways in which public opinion about government has developed over the years, we thought about this little girl who is still an activist and still demanding her government serve her in her community.
So I'm joined now by Mari Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint, though she's not quite so little anymore.
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