Rania Batrice is a high-profile progressive political strategist and activist who has worked on numerous major campaigns, including those for Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders. Rania discusses the enduring dynamics of being a Texas-born Palestinian American, and how this identity has shaped her career fighting for Palestinian rights, climate change action, gun violence prevention, and women's rights. Rania talks about her come up as a senior director within Bernie Sander’s 2016 presidential campaign, and the present opportunity for truly authentic progressive candidates, as well as the younger generation, to step up and lead today’s Democratic movement.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

On this week’s solo episode of It’s Open, Ilana reviews some recent headlines on advancing technologies against the people’s will for all types of surveillance 🤮 She calls for the It’s Open community to kick off neighborly discussions by naming authoritarianism in order to de-normalize it, and to underline the risks around, as well as great promise of, our 2026 midterm elections in November. This is democracy strategy toward a United States truly for the people, by the people. And forreal: it is within reach.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

Meet Eliot Glazer, the multi-hyphenate comedian who writes, acts, sings, and is an uncle and brother (Ilana’s)! Join Ilana and Eliot as they discuss their childhood on Long Island, the ever evolving sibling relationship, nuances within the gay community, and Eliot’s work including his forthcoming book of essays, THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD GAY hitting shelves on August 11, 2026 and available to pre-order now!

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

This episode, Ilana is flying truly solo, filming alone because another blizzard blew through NYC! She talks about Zohran’s stellar leadership in the face of more climate anomalies, loving Florida despite its reputation, and shares the plan for Moms & Neighbors for Safe & Fair Midterm Elections 2026 — a super-charged coalition of already existing organizations that will sign up moms & neighbors all around the USA to work the polls this November.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsopenpod

Meet ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, who made history in 2024 as the first openly trans person to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ilana and Chase discuss his litigation in high-profile LGBTQ+ cases, the power of public opinion to preempt changes to human rights policy, and why queer people are the most free and the most fun!

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

Meet Peggy Flanagan, the inspiring Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota and current Democratic Primary candidate for the 2026 U.S. Senate. Join Ilana and the Lt. Gov as they discuss and process the continued violence and tragedies that have plagued Minneapolis and many other cities across the United States. We hear about the incredible moms of Minnesota organizing on the ground to protect families in need, the fabric of Native American culture that remains an integral part of Minnesota’s strong democracy, and Peggy’s historic 2026 Democratic run to become the next United States senator from MN.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

In this solo episode of IT’S OPEN, Ilana breaks down her first encounter with “people who ski.” Omg. Then, more soberly, we reckon with the rampant and devastating ICE killings & continued violence and human rights violations in Minnesota, and plant the seeds for an emerging campaign to organize moms & neighbors nationwide to ensure fair and safe midterm elections in November 2026.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

Ilana sits down with Kareem Rahma, creator and star of the social media sensation Subway Takes and the breakout show Keep The Meter Running. The two discuss Kareem’s multicultural upbringing and adventures across Egypt, Minnesota, and New York City, his pivot from being a business bro to manifesting his success as a comedian, how we must uplift the youth and their incredible ideas, and his love affair with becoming a girl-dad.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod