Deb Haaland — A Voice Like Mine: A Memoir - with Jonathan Capehart episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 20, 2026 · 1H 2M

Deb Haaland — A Voice Like Mine: A Memoir - with Jonathan Capehart

from Politics and Prose Presents · host Politics and Prose

New Mexico 2026 gubernatorial frontrunner, organizer, congresswoman, and former cabinet secretary Deb Haaland shares her story, offering a powerful and personal look at what it means to be “the first.”Nothing about Deb Haaland’s upbringing or family history set her up for a life of firsts: the first Native American woman elected to chair a state political party in the United States; one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress; the first Native American to serve in a presidential cabinet. Yet Haaland has embraced every opportunity, knowing that each step forward lifts up those who are too often left out of the conversation.A 35th-generation New Mexican and member of the Pueblo of Laguna, Haaland has lived a remarkable life shaped by poverty, alcoholism, and single parenthood. After a late but meteoric rise in politics, she stepped down from her cabinet position as Secretary of the Interior in January 2025 and is now running for Governor of New Mexico in the 2026 election.In A Voice Like Mine—titled after Haaland’s congressional campaign slogan, “Congress has never heard a voice like mine”—she shares the personal history that shaped her courage to organize, run for office, and lead. She tells the stories that have defined her life in politics and beyond, from her grandfather’s cornfield, where she learned the importance of hard work and care for the earth, to the oak-paneled halls of Washington, D.C. Throughout her journey, Haaland has drawn on her heritage in her activism and service, leading with humility, purpose, and a commitment to “leave the ladder down” for those who follow.Deb Haaland, a 35th-generation New Mexican who organized for President Obama, led the New Mexico State Democratic Party to victory and made an unprecedented run and win as one of the first Native women to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. She also made history as the first Native American appointed to a U.S. President's cabinet. Drawing on her experience as a military kid, a single mom, and a Pueblo woman, Deb has championed working families, fought to give underserved communities a voice, and taken action to address the climate crisis. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Haaland is in conversation with Jonathan Capehart, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who is co-host of the morning edition of “The Weekend” on MS NOW (7am - 10am) and the New York Times bestselling author of “Yet Here I Am: Lessons from A Black Man’s Search for Home.” At PBS, Capehart serves as a political analyst on “PBS News Hour” and is featured on the popular Friday segment “Brooks and Capehart.” Capehart is a former Associate Editor at The Washington Post, where he was an opinion writer for 18 years. Capehart was deputy editorial page editor of the New York Daily News (2002-2004) and served on its editorial board (1993-2000). They won the 1999 Pulitzer for Editorial Writing for their campaign to save the Apollo Theater. PURCHASE:https://politics-prose.com/book/9781250434227?ic_referral=nz1AMR-SbrqAXq-ilN5YuMIKA-u717DKMyFXxZnQqrMwMw5C9mR2iJrS8sFDljeAx8KiDvujEonO5fwcOTMOuCBE3Xu4a-nGF_IQG7C0n3dAPuHzgqxuoArTyutog855awHL8ZE

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 20, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Deb Haaland — A Voice Like Mine: A Memoir - with Jonathan Capehart

0:00 1:02:00

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Politics and Prose Presents?

This episode is 1 hour and 2 minutes long.

When was this Politics and Prose Presents episode published?

This episode was published on June 20, 2026.

Can I download this Politics and Prose Presents episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!