We’re back from hiatus with a deep-dive political conversation you’ve probably been craving. Atima is joined by returning guest Roshni Nedungadi, founding partner and Chief Research Officer at HIT Strategies, to break down what happened in the 2024 and 2025 elections, why turnout shifted among young voters and voters of color, and what it all means as we head into 2026.

This episode focuses on the big question: how do Democrats win when trust is low, costs are high, and voters are exhausted by chaos—and what does the data say voters actually need to hear to show up?

IN THIS EPISODE:

1. Why turnout dropped among Black, Latino, and AAPI voters in 2024—and what that meant for Democrats
2. HIT Strategies’ core framework: mobilize marginalized base voters vs. prioritizing persuadable moderates
3. The “what have you done for me lately?” question young voters kept asking—and why it mattered
4. Why cost of living (not abstract “the economy”) remains the dominant driver
5. What 2025 results suggested: broad movement toward Democrats in many places, including shifts even in rural areas
6. Why “vote against Trump” isn’t enough—and what voters want to vote for instead
7. What voters mean when they say they’re tired of empty promises and want real action
8. The role of authenticity: why messaging can’t just be “poll-tested paragraphs”
9. What issues are rising now: healthcare affordability and fears tied to racism/discrimination and safety
10. How to read polls critically (sample size, registered vs. likely voters, and why “women voters” stats often erase women of color)
11. What everyday people can do: talk to your networks and break through siloed information

If you’re trying to make sense of conflicting narratives—“the base is disengaged” vs. “Democrats are rebounding”—this episode helps you hold both truths at once. Roshni explains what the data shows about trust, turnout, and persuasion, and why the road to 2026 depends on rebuilding relationships with the voters who make up the Democratic coalition—especially young voters and voters of color.

Timestamps:

1. 00:00:00 — Atima welcomes listeners back from hiatus + introduces Roshni Gati (HIT Strategies) and the focus: what 2025 results mean for 2026
2. 00:03:00 — The 2024 turnout drop: Black, Latino, and AAPI turnout declines (and what that signaled for Democrats)
3. 00:07:00 — Why young voters of color disengaged in 2024: “Democrats have been in charge… what have you done for my life?”
4. 00:13:00 — 2025 election results + what drove wins in places like NYC and Virginia: affordability message discipline + different candidate styles
5. 00:21:00 — The big warning for 2026: it can’t only be “vote against Trump”—voters need something to vote for and want politicians who fight visible.
6. 00:33:55 -The danger of avoiding political conversations out of fear of discomfort or conflict
7. 00:34:20. - Why solidarity and community dialogue are critical to mobilization right now
8. 00:34:55 - What collective action actually looks like beyond voting: conversations, organizing, showing up

If you enjoyed the show and you want to join our community of other women of color who are embracing their voice head over to https://embracingyourvoicepod.com/

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Roshni is a founding partner and chief research officer of HIT Strategies. Roshni has led expansive, multi-phase research projects exploring how people across the United States feel about abortion access, gun control, mass incarceration, and other important issues on behalf of advocacy leaders such as Everytown for Gun Safety, NARAL, and Vera Institute for Justice. Roshni’s research seeks to find nuance in how Americans, particularly BIPOC individuals and low-propensity voters, conceptualize these issues at a time where division and partisanship run rampant. Roshni’s research on behalf of HIT Strategies ultimately is meant to lift up the voices of marginalized communities in the United States, one of the fastest-growing and oft-ignored voting blocks in American politics.

https://hitstrat.com/our-team/

Instagram: @hitstrategies

Also to learn more about Roshni's personal and professional journey. Check out the Ep 9 in this season 4.