00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:39 Meet Joseph Erickson: Filmmaker and Educator
00:54 Teaching During the Pandemic
01:44 Critical Race Theory and Backlash
02:53 Threats and Challenges in Education
04:31 The Making of ‘Class Wars’
06:28 Voting in the 2024 Presidential Election
09:45 Reflections on the Election Results
14:29 The Future of Education Under Trump
19:18 Hopes and Fears for the Next Presidency
21:01 The Influence of Machismo and Media
00:00 Introduction: Understanding Different Perspectives
00:34 Personal Voting Reasons and Political Beliefs
01:20 Economic and Social Influences on Voting
04:22 The Role of Media and Propaganda
05:59 Free Speech and Its Implications
10:11 The Need for a New Social Contract
14:16 Conclusion: Moving Forward Together
Facing the Future: Education and Activism After the 2024 Election – Part 1
A conversation with filmmaker and educator Joseph
The 2024 election left millions disoriented, but for Joseph—a Portland-based filmmaker and educator—the results weren’t just political shockwaves; they were deeply personal. In this Record in Progress conversation with Louis Harris, Joseph revisits the journey of producing Class Wars, a film born from classrooms where lessons in race, history, and democracy often come under siege.
Critical race theory debates aren’t abstract for Joseph; they’ve been battlefield lines in his own profession. From facing backlash in parent meetings to receiving threats on his life, he describes the precarious balance of teaching truth while navigating fear. What emerges is not a story of resignation, but of resolve—education as both frontline and lifeline for democracy.
Echo chambers don’t just distort elections, they recast reality. Joseph traces how media cycles and orchestrated outrage hollow out public trust, leaving teachers and activists to fill in the civic void. The propaganda machine doesn’t simply shape opinions—it shapes safety, silencing educators who challenge the dominant narrative.
And yet, against this backdrop, Joseph’s story is not one of defeat. His film and his teaching point to a stubborn hope: that activism, storytelling, and solidarity can still disrupt cycles of fear. His vision is not naïve—it is radical in its insistence that young people deserve both knowledge and the chance to use it for liberation.
The 2024 results sharpened questions about who we trust, what we teach, and how much truth a democracy can handle. Joseph and Louis don’t linger on despair; instead, they push listeners to see education as activism, and activism as education. Each classroom, each screening, each conversation becomes a counterweight to authoritarian drift.
Witness the Stories: Films like Class Wars are civic textbooks—watch, share, discuss.
Support Educators: Defend those who risk their safety to teach with integrity.
Challenge Propaganda: Fact-check, question sources, and resist easy narratives.
Link Learning and Liberation: Education is not neutral; align it with justice.
Choose Active Citizenship: From school boards to community screenings, presence matters.
Louis Harris created Record in Progress to hold space where difficult stories spark necessary reflection. Joseph’s testimony makes clear: education is not just preparation for democracy—it is democracy in practice. Listen fully, reflect deeply, and take the next step in your own community.