Wide Awake America features authors, thinkers, change-makers, and witnesses discussing the toughest social and political topics with an eye open to the way forward. Nadine Smith is a world-renowned activist bringing people together to build a future that includes us all.
Wide Awake America: Smart conversations on the fundamentals of democracy.
We are at a crossroads in America right now. The collision of the greying of America and the browning of America means an aging white population faces a generation of young Black, Brown, and Queer citizens ready for the full meaning of democracy.
Will the theocratic right grabs the reins of society? Will the Democratic majority find its way around the grip of the gerontocracy in time to preserve a livable climate? Are there paths back to healing spiritual lives and meaningful community in the face of toxic social media and an emboldened fascist movement?
Listen to the latest episodes
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In this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith interviews Britt Hartley, a spiritual director, author, and expert in modern secular spirituality. Britt, author of "No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools, No Faith Required," shares her journey from being raised Mormon to embracing a secular, science-driven approach to spirituality. -
Join host Nadine Smith on Wide Awake America as she welcomes Tracy McMillan, author of “The White Bonus: Five Families and the Cash Value of Racism in America.” Tracy, also known for her New York Times bestseller “The American Way of Eating,” delves into the financial advantages conferred by whiteness in America. Her latest book… -
In this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith welcomes Greg Olear, the Los Angeles Times bestselling author of Dirty Rubles: An Introduction to Trump Russia. His latest book, Rough Beast: Who Donald Trump Really Is, What He’ll Do If Re-elected, and Why Democracy Must Prevail, delves into the dangers posed by Trump’s potential… -
On this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith interviews Marci Shore, Yale University professor and author of The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution. Marcy discusses the 2013-2014 Ukrainian protests, known as the Revolution of Dignity, that led to Ukraine’s decisive break from Russian influence. Marci shares insights from her book, making… -
In this special episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith welcomes Maria Smilios, the author of The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis. This remarkable book sheds light on the courageous black nurses who risked their lives to desegregate New York City’s hospital system and played a pivotal… -
In this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith interviews Jessica Piper, a passionate advocate for rural communities and public schools in America. Jessica, a former American literature teacher for 16 years, ran for a house seat in Missouri’s first district in 2022. Despite losing that race, she continues her activism as the executive… -
In this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Rebecca Hall, a distinguished scholar, activist, and educator. Dr. Hall is the author of the graphic novel “Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts,” illustrated by Hugo Martinez. She holds degrees from Swarthmore College, Berkeley Law, and… -
In this episode of “Wide Awake America” on WMNF Tampa, host Nadine Smith speaks with Danaya Wright, a distinguished legal scholar and historian from the University of Florida. Professor Wright delves into the ongoing challenges to academic freedom in Florida, particularly under the current political climate influenced by Governor Ron DeSantis’s policies. She explores the…
Nadine Smith is the Executive Director of Equality Florida, the state's largest organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2022, she was named to the Time100, TIME's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world
An award-winning journalist turned organizer, Nadine was one of four national co-chairs of the 1993 March on Washington. She was part of the historic meeting between then - President Clinton - the first Oval Office meeting between a sitting President and LGBTQ community leaders. She served on the founding board of the International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organization.
She served on President Obama's National Finance Committee.
Nadine has been named one of the state's "Most Powerful and Influential Women" by the Florida Diversity Council. She has received the League of Women Voters' Woman of Distinction Award, and was named one of the 100 Most Influential Floridians by Influence Magazine.
