Firestarters with Shannon Watts

Emily Amick on why civic engagement is the antidote to your doom spiral

July 9, 2026·24 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Emily Amick is a lawyer, journalist, and political analyst who served as counsel to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. She created @EmilyinYourPhone to give people her insider insight into the political process and help them find ways they can take action. Her first book DEMOCRACY IN RETROGRADE: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives was an instant New York Times bestseller.In this conversation, we discussed how reclaiming our place in democracy helps alleviate the doom spiral, how civic engagement can bring us together in community again, how we can begin to address the extremism in politics and the media, how to demystify the political system and help women overcome imposter syndrome, and what the antidote to modern loneliness is. Connect with Emily: Instagram | Website | SubstackIf you’re looking to unleash your potential, find your personal, professional, or political fire, and to connect with a community who is doing the same, click here to learn more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

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