Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Christian Celeste Tate and Anum Qadir from The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, we welcome Michael Tubbs, who at the age of 26 became the youngest mayor of any major city in American history when he took the helm of his hometown of Stockton, California. The former Mayor is the founder of End Poverty in California, or EPIC, which works to eradicate poverty by elevating the voices of people experiencing it and the data-driven policies shown to work. He is also the founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. He is a Rosenburg Foundation Senior Fellow and also serves as the Special Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom for economic mobility.

Join this conversation as Michael takes us on a journey towards prosperity for all. He talks about how growing up in Stockton, California helped him to better serve his community, the challenges he faced as mayor, and candidly shares how failure has shaped his success.

This is Dreaming in Color.

Jump straight into:

(0:32) Introducing Michael Tubbs: Founder of End Poverty in California and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Rosenberg Foundation Senior Fellow and Special Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom

(4:43) Storytelling as the fuel for change and de-radicalizing narratives for the greater good.

(10:20) Challenging the narrative that exceptionalism is the key to success

(10:47) De-radicalizing the idea of guaranteed income for all.

(14:35) Challenging myth of meritocracy

(16:39) What are you willing to fail for? Overcoming failure and building courage.

(18:17) Defining your personal metric of success, finding your north star and knowing that your purpose doesn’t need to be tied to your position.

(23:48) Getting to know Michael Tubbs through rapid-fire questioning.

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Michael on Twitter and Instagram
• Learn more about Michael through his website
• Read Michael’s autobiography, The Deeper The Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home
• Learn more about End Poverty in California

Watch the trailer for Stockton on My Mind, the HBO documentary about Michael’s journey as the Mayor of Stockton, California