Join me and Michael Tubbs as we discuss his new memoir, The Deeper the Roots, A Memoir of Hope and Home. This astonishing memoir traces Michael’s upbringing in Stockton, CA at a time when it was one of the most violent cities in America through his scholarship to attend Stanford University and onto his becoming the youngest elected Mayor in California history at the age of 26. With candor and clarity, Michael unveils his compelling vision for America rooted in his experiences and offers a prescription for structural change.

Guest

Michael Tubbs

Michael Tubbs is the former mayor of Stockton, CA. After receiving a scholarship at Stanford University and an internship in the Obama White House, Tubbs tapped into his own power to evoke change in his hometown community. At age 26, he was elected as the city’s first Black mayor and the youngest mayor to serve in a major American city. His extraordinary political rise and humble beginnings were chronicled in the HBO documentary, Stockton On My Mind. During his time as mayor, Tubbs implemented innovative solutions for issues such as violent crime, poverty, workforce development and homelessness.

In his memoir, The Deeper the Roots, Tubbs details how his hometown raised him along with a group of dynamic women, his life-changing encounters with Alice Walker, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack Obama, the challenges of governing in the 21st century, and his blueprint for a more equitable country. Readers will go on a journey of how the son of a teenage mother and incarcerated father defied the odds to become the youngest mayor of a major city, and how he plans to reinvent himself after losing his bid for reelection in 2020. His fascinating story is one of hope, success, faith, and community.

Michael Tubbs said, “Growing up, I felt society destined my future for either prison or death, and that I will have to work hard to ‘defy expectations’ as a Black man in America. I was constantly told to not tell anyone about living two lives—the brainy bookworm and the kid with the newest Jordans. Once I started to navigate the world, I saw the importance of sharing my story. I wrote this book to let people know it doesn’t matter where you come from; you too can defy the odds.”

Michael currently serves as the founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income and a Special Advisor to California Governor Newsom on Economic Mobility. Tubbs has been a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics, The MIT Media Lab, and the Stanford Design School. He also has been recognized as one of Politico’s Top 50, Fortune’s 40 under 40, and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists. He lives with his partner, Anna Malakai Tubbs, and their two children.

Host

Michael Zeldin

Michael Zeldin is a well-known and highly-regarded TV and radio analyst/commentator.He has covered many high-profile matters, including the Clinton impeachment proceedings, the Gore v. Bush court challenges, Special Counsel Robert Muller’s investigation of interference in the 2016 presidential election, and the Trump impeachment proceedings.In 2019, Michael was a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he taught a study group on Independent Investigations of Presidents.Previously, Michael was a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice. He also served as Deputy Independent/ Independent Counsel, investigating allegations of tampering with presidential candidate Bill Clinton’s passport files, and as Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives, Foreign Affairs Committee, October Surprise Task Force, investigating the handling of the American hostage situation in Iran.Michael is a prolific writer and has published Op-ed pieces for CNN.com, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Hill, The Washington Times, and The Washington Post.