Keeping up with the issues and institutions that shape our region can be confusing. That’s where we come in. San Diego 101 is your guide to understanding the people and systems that govern the region so you can get involved in the decisions that impact your life. Learn more at sandiego101.org

Welcome to San Diego 101

We’re going to hit you with two stories about two men who suddenly had to figure out local government — after it completely changed their lives.

One became a political activist after spending months in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. The other became one of the youngest city councilmembers ever in San Diego after realizing how the city's government had left his community behind.

Here’s how they changed San Diego – and how you can, too.

Learn more at vosd.org/sd101

Your Role in Local Government

Warning: This episode mentions suicide and contains graphic descriptions of killings by police officers.

In light of several highly-publicized killings by police officers in recent years, more and more people have started demanding change to how law enforcement do their job and how they interact with society. Cops have the ability and authority to take life. So, who keeps them accountable? We'll explain that and what you need to know now about the state of law enforcement and police reform.

Learn more at sd101.org

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Who Polices the Police?

Throughout San Diego – and across the country – there are lots of meetings happening, in which communities are talking about voting – who shares their values, where they want their city council or congressional districts to be and how they can maximize the power of their vote.

This is because every 10 years all sorts of political entities from cities to school districts to state legislatures go through a process called redistricting.

In this episode, we're going to tell you how this works, why it's important and how normal people get involved in the process to wield political power.

San Diego 101: How Redistricting Shapes Your Community

&lt;p&gt;This week on the podcast, host Scott Lewis sat down with soccer star Landon Donovan and Warren Smith, who founded the United Soccer League team Sacramento Republic, to talk about the plan to bring a USL team to San Diego.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;That interview starts at 22:10&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Other talking points: President Trump met with Mayor Faulconer. A local graduation speech goes viral. A fee for vacant homes.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Subscribe to the team's newsletters at &lt;a href="https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/newsletters/"&gt;vosd.org/newsletters&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Talk to us on &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/voiceofsandiego"&gt;Twitter&lt;/a&gt;,&nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/VOSDPodcast/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;&nbsp;and &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/voiceofsandiego/"&gt;Instagram.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Soccer Legend Landon Donovan Talks Up His New Team

&lt;p&gt;This week on the podcast, Scott Lewis, Andrew Keatts and Sara Libby tackle a fire insurance conundrum, Rep. Duncan Hunter's text message history and a new hot button in the San Diego mayor's race.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;VOSD reporter Ry Rivard joins the show to talk about his story series on fire insurance at 23:50&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;See you at our next live show! You can get your tickets now at &lt;a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brews-and-news-with-voice-of-san-diego-journalists-july-10th-tickets-62944872809?aff=ebapi"&gt;voiceofsandiego.org/events&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Talk to us on &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/voiceofsandiego"&gt;Twitter&lt;/a&gt;,&nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/VOSDPodcast/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;&nbsp;and &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/voiceofsandiego/"&gt;Instagram.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

How Insurance Companies Are Tackling the 'New Normal' of Wildfire Risks

Voice of San Diego produces podcasts that cover the week’s news, our education system, the local elections, arts, culture, and more.