Around the Counter with Molly & En

Executive Summary In this episode of Around the Counter, Molly Jones sits down with En Canada of the Wasatch Assembly to demystify how global human rights conversations translate into concrete, local political action at home. En shares how their Palestinian, Black, and Irish heritage informs their organizing, offering a perspective on why U.S. funding in foreign conflicts creates a direct moral responsibility for everyday citizens. The conversation breaks down the origin story of the Wasatch Assembly, tracing how high-stakes public comment at Salt Lake City Council meetings evolved into a structured, grassroots effort aimed at improving material conditions for working Utahns. En unpacks the Wasatch Assembly’s 2026 priorities including ending homelessness sweeps, passing expanding housing plans, and utilizing property taxes for long-term affordable housing while candidly discussing the tension between grassroots advocates and local elected officials. This episode delivers a clear, jargon-free breakdown of how everyday neighbors can engage with city hall to shape housing, immigration, and community policy. Key Takeaways * Global Roots to Local Action: En Canada highlights how their Palestinian lineage and ancestral history shape their activism, emphasizing that federal military funding creates an obligation for local voters to demand accountability at home. * The Wasatch Assembly Model: Designed to turn temporary activism into sustainable political strategy, Wasatch Assembly uses a year-round, three-phase cycle powered by ranked-choice voting to establish community-driven policy agendas across Salt Lake County. * 2026 Housing & Homelessness Agenda: The Assembly’s top voter-backed municipal priorities focus on ending homelessness sweeps, expanding city housing options, and enacting property tax measures to fund permanent affordable housing over short-term shelter systems. * Council Dynamics & Civic Levers: The episode explores the friction between city council members and grassroots organizers, examining how public comment limits impacted community engagement and how weighted survey scorecards are now used to hold local politicians accountable. *Executive Summary and key takeaways generated by AI and edited by humans. Podcast is purely human. Thanks for pulling up a stool. Want to grab a glass and join the conversation? Here’s how: * Love it: Hit that heart button to show you like this post. * Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s piece. * Restack: Share this out to your personal feed to help us expand our reach. * Share the warmth: If this resonated, feel free to forward it to a friend. We can also be found on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aroundthecounter.substack.com