"It can't just be about the things that affect us as individuals. It has to be broader."

There’s been a lot of talk lately about looking for a Joe Rogan of the left.

The whole thing is ridiculous… for so many reasons.

Instead of banking on a single, superstar personality to magically unite our movement, what we really need is to amplify the many voices of folks aligned with our values who are already creating great content online for large audiences.

That’s why I was so excited to welcome Jess Zander of You Can Do It Gardening to the podcast.

Jess is a Boston-based garden coach and consultant who launched You Can Do It Gardening in 2022 to help everyday people feel confident tackling their gardens—no matter their experience level. My wife is the green thumb in our household, but Jess’s content is super relatable and fun, even if you’re not a gardening aficionado. Jess is known for her no-nonsense, encouraging style. Think Mary Poppins—but for your garden.

So is Jess the Joe Rogan of the left? Of course not!

But she is a content creator with a large and engaged audience. And while she’s definitely not leading with politics, she’s also not shying away from her progressive values.

Throughout our conversation, we discussed:

• How she got started (not that long ago!)
• The types of content that's working for her
• The difference in response she sees across platforms
• How she would start now, if she were starting from scratch
• Why she’s public about her values, despite working in a non-political space
• Why she’s comfortable losing followers to speak her truths
• And so much more

As Jess puts it:

“It’s a business decision, but it’s also just a values decision… I don’t feel that this is the time to be silent. Silence is complicit.”

Find links, a transcript and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

"Every newsroom, whether they acknowledge it or not, is values-driven. The choice to cover something or not cover something, the choice to use a word in a headline or not, is a statement on your values and your mission. We are just more transparent about it."

RC Di Mezzo is a Democratic digital strategist with a decade of experience building online brands that connect directly with voters.

As Vice President of Brand & Social at Courier, he led the 2023 launch of @Couriernewsroom—a social-first, values-driven progressive newsroom that became the fastest-growing news brand in the US, reaching over 100 million weekly views and generating more than 3 billion social views throughout the 2024 cycle.

Courier’s rapid growth—from 1.8 to over 5 million subscribers in a year—has positioned it as a benchmark for both legacy and emerging digital news outlets.

This episode is especially timely: a recent Reuters/Oxford report reveals that 54% of Americans now get their news from social media, surpassing TV’s 50% for the first time.

While the right has spent years building creator-driven narrative ecosystems, the left has lagged—Courier Newsroom has emerged as our leading response, creating shareable, social-first content built for group chats and feeds.

🎧 What we covered:

• How Courier built a digital-first content machine for today’s social audience
• Why editorial and digital teams must work in lockstep—no silos
• Why context outperforms clickbait
• Creating content in the app without fancy 3rd-party editing tools
• Balancing national messaging with state-level storytelling
• Lessons from successful campaigns—from Gavin Newsom to Kamala Harris
• Why campaigns should invest in digital early
• Which social platform is Courier’s fastest-growing (hint: it's not TikTok!)

Plus: RC’s tips for campaigns and creators building momentum from day one.

If you want to unlock the digital tactics that drove billions of views, this is your behind-the-scenes guide. 🎙️

Find links, full video of our conversation and more at HelloMergeTag.com.

"Sell the brownie, not the recipe... So instead of taking your public policy out in public and thinking that that is a message, which it is not, you talk about the outcome of your policy."

Anat Shenker-Osorio is a political strategist, messaging consultant, and communications researcher renowned for helping progressive campaigns win by using more effective language.

She is the founder of ASO Communications, a firm that specializes in crafting compelling narratives for progressive causes. Anat is also an author, podcast host, and one of the most respected messaging experts on the left.

Recently, she released a concise yet impactful glossary titled Fascism and the English Language—a guide on how we should (and shouldn’t) discuss the authoritarian threats facing our country.

I invited her on the podcast to delve into that piece and to help all of us become better, more strategic, and more disciplined communicators.

Throughout our conversation, we explored the what, how, and why of Free America.

We discussed values, villains, and vision. We examined the importance of focusing on shared values and avoiding "zombie writing."

Anat renamed the so-called "Big, Beautiful Bill" the "MAGA Murder Budget."

We emphasized the strategy of highlighting outcomes (the brownie!) rather than processes (the recipe).

Additionally, we reviewed messaging from elected officials, identifying posts that missed the mark and discussing how they could be rewritten to be more effective.

You can listen to the episode where you stream podcasts, or watch it in full on YouTube.

Find links, full transcript and more at HelloMergeTag.com.