UNDISTRACTED with Brittany Packnett Cunningham

It’s been 10 days since the inauguration—10 days full of executive orders, immigration crackdowns, dismantled DEI initiatives and general panic. This shock and overwhelm is intentional, but if we’re going to make it through the next four years…we can’t traffic in hopelessness. This week, Brittany speaks with activist Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, to talk about collective action, whether we’ll ever get gun reform, an...

How do you make sense of a day that both honored Martin Luther King, Jr. and ushered in a president determined to demolish progress at warp speed? Brittany calls up two people equipped to do it: group chat members Dr. David J. Johns and Dr. Brittney Cooper. Together, they trace the origin of white obsession with “meritocracy,” the price the country has paid for the success of Barack Obama, the fact that more information does not eq...

Cori Bush is just one week out of Congress—so who better to tell us exactly what to expect over these next four years? In this episode, Brittany sits down with the activist and former legislator for an “exit interview” like no other: all about what her Republican colleagues really told her behind the scenes, why she still thinks public service is worth it, and what the new “radical Cori” will do next. Plus: a special report from en...

What do the election results and mass violence have in common? Among other things: men—angry American men whose path to radicalization seems to be moving faster and faster. Why is it happening? What can we do about it, both in our politics and in our own lives? And whose responsibility actually is it to fix all this? In this episode, Brittany speaks with journalists Anand Giridharadas and Liz Plank about the manosphere, who profits...

Happy New Year! To ring in 2025, Brittany calls up the group chat—Dr. David J. Johns and Dr. Brittney Cooper—to hear their resolutions (crafting, joy, and a little “intentional silence,” among other things). Then, she sits down with Rev. Neichelle Guidry, director of the Sisters Chapel at Spelman College. No matter what faith you practice, this is a conversation to tune into, about radical politics, the roar of conservative evangel...

Donald Trump has made his cabinet nominations, and many have something in common: allegations of sexual misconduct. Has disrespect toward women somehow become an actual job qualification? To make sense of the moment, Brittany sits down with Natasha Stoynoff, who says Donald Trump assaulted her when she was a reporter for People, and Eliza Cooney, who claims that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. groped her when she was a part-time nanny for hi...

We all have mamas! And some of us are mamas. So why are onscreen mamas so often so…plastic? This week, Brittany invites actor and comedian Ilana Glazer over to talk about how they’re pushing back on binary ideas of motherhood in their own work. Together they get into Glazer’s forthcoming Hulu stand-up special “Human Magic,” their own parenting joys, and why onscreen fathers are always Homer Simpson or Tony Soprano. Plus: Brittany b...

Everyone’s got an opinion about the media…and almost everyone has a complaint. But why, exactly? And what does the fractured nature of what we read and listen to cost us? This week, Brittany sits down with Semafor’s Max Tani, who breaks down how trust in the media has unraveled, what gender and race have to do with it, and the reason people are still fixating on why Kamala Harris didn’t go on Joe Rogan. Plus, this week’s UNtrending...

UNDISTRACTED celebrates its 100th episode! Brittany is joined by Alicia Garza, the activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Organization, to reflect on the past four years, the state of our movements, and to discuss how we can chart a path forward. Plus: Brittany talks about post-election news, including the state of Ohio’s Haitian migrant community, victories for the Working Families Party. And: a new report on school seg...

Who saw last week’s election results coming? Among others, this week’s guests—and they have a lot to say. As we approach the 100th episode of UNDISTRACTED, Brittany checks in with legendary abortion-rights activist Cecile Richards, who was our very first guest, about her new project Abortion in America, and what’s ahead for all our rights. Then, Brittany speaks with journalist Paola Ramos about the far-right shift of some Latino vo...

Just 36 hours after Americans elected Donald Trump — again — Brittany sat down with the people she most wanted to process this with: group chat regulars Dr. Brittney Cooper and Dr. David J. Johns. This is a conversation of righteous rage, deep disappointment, and total honesty. 

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As co-host of The View, Sunny Hostin spends her time working with and speaking to a bipartisan audience. So how’s that going? With a week to go before the election, Brittany and Sunny talk about dividing lines, political surprises, and Sunny’s epic clapbacks on behalf of Puerto Rico and the people she cares about. Plus: Brittany decodes this week’s UNtrending News—and not all of it’s about the election!

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Two years ago, Kaitlyn Joshua was desperately trying to obtain abortion care in Louisiana, which had enacted a severe ban after Dobbs. Today, she’s telling her story to anyone who will listen, in an effort to help turn the election. She took a pit stop to hang with Brittany and talk about her fight for reproductive justice in the South and the challenges women of color face in healthcare. And she knows: This is so much bigger than ...

With new accusations against Diddy dominating the headlines, Brittany sits down with Drew Dixon—who has shared her own powerful story of surviving abuse in the music industry. Together they get into the emotional toll of speaking out, the specific pushback Black women survivors face, and how Drew stopped living in “the fetal position” and reclaimed her life. It’s an inspiring vision of a brighter future for hip-hop and for our live...

Everybody watches women’s sports…it’s true! Brittany talks to iconic sports broadcaster and host of "The Making of a Rivalry" Cari Champion about what all these new eyes mean for the athletes, and the league. Plus: a new report on the mental health toll of anti-trans policies, the October 7 anniversary of the war in Gaza, and the Country Music Awards Beyoncé snub. 

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We’ve got company! This week Brittany is joined by the group chat to cover the week’s UNtrending news. Dr. Brittney Cooper and Dr. David Johns help us break down Hurricane Helene’s real impact…the latest on college free-speech moves…and the voter suppression tactics afoot in swing states. It’s a conversation full of our favorite cocktail: hard truths and hopeful solutions.

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On this week’s episode, Brittany sits down with Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, and Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman, who wrote a speech we never got to hear at the DNC. Maurice talks strategy, Ruwa gets us inspired, and they answer that pressing question: What do you say to folks who still want to vote third party? Plus, Brittany brings you this week’s UNtrending news.

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As Kamala Harris became the first Black and South Asian woman to receive a major party nomination for the presidency, Brittany sat down with Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Dr. Brittney Cooper at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They unpack the highs and lows of this political moment, plus talk about what it means to be a Black woman in power.

This episode of Undistracted was recorded live at “The Power Lounge” during the 202...

It’s our first episode back! And Brittany knew who she wanted to talk to: Ava DuVernay, the visionary director who excels in “big-sister wisdom.” They get into everything about the state of the world now, from the DNC (cookout energy!)...to the way DuVernay’s most recent film, Origin, reframes the world…to why DuVernay wishes Democrats would get “a little bit more bare-knuckle.” Plus, Brittany brings you the latest UNtrending news....