Join us for a special edition of Salon de Résistance on Thursday, October 29 at Black Iris with three of Virginia’s most influential political content creators: Amanda Nelson of Amanda’s Mild Takes, Kate Powell of Kate for the People, and former CIA operations officer and congressional candidate Adam Dunigan (VA-8), for a conversation about the November 3 midterms, what to expect in Virginia, and how the battle for political influence is fought in 2026.
This is a free event, open to the public. Doors at 6pm. Conversation at 7pm.
In the before times, political influence moved through relatively stable and predictive channels. Candidates spoke, newspapers and broadcast news reported. Engagement was limited, our attention was not monopolized. Our lifestyles hadn’t been politicized. Most importantly, elections were boring and we were none the wiser for it.
That version of America no longer exists. Today, elections are bloodsport. Campaign narratives move at the speed of algorithm. And the reach of a single content creator or political influencer can change the entire dynamic of an entire election cycle with a single 90 second video. Political education, organizing, fundraising, persuasion, outrage, misinformation/disinformation, and the decisions that shape our future are competing for the same few inches of screen time.
And just days before the 2026 midterms that matters. Because on November 3, Virginians will head to the polls and vote in every congressional district.
Political pundits, writers, and the chattering class always claim that each election is more important than the last. But in the age of Trump, authoritarianism, unrestricted war, corruption on a scale once thought impossible, masked agents of the state snatching people off our streets, AI jailbreaks, data centers ruining communities, surveillance, and a crippling affordability crisis, those warnings no longer feel like hyperbole.
The candidates have to respond. The outcomes of the midterms are real. The future feels as fragile and tenuous as it ever has.
We need to talk about it
For this edition of Salon de Résistance, we’re bringing together three of Virginia’s most prolific political communicators (combined social media numbers are incalculable): Amanda Nelson from Amanda’s Mild Takes, Kate Powell from Kate for the People, and former VA-8 congressional candidate and former CIA case-officer, Adam Dunigan.
Together, we’ll start locally. What races matter and why? What issues are driving voters this cycle? What are people misunderstanding about the ballot this year? We’ll also determine what the outcomes in Virginia can tell us about the political mood nationally.
We’ll also talk about the changing nature of political influence: post-midterms, what is the line between commentary, journalism, political organizing and what should we expect from our future candidates.
Your Guests
Amanda Nelson is the political content creator and digital organizer behind Amanda’s Mild Takes, where she uses history, political science, and civics to explain how power operates in the United States to an audience approaching two million people. She is also the founder of YALLvote, a coalition of Southern content creators working to organize voters across all 13 states in the region, and host of Executive Dysfunction, a podcast exploring the failures and foibles of American political leadership. Her Substack describes her mission as grounding readers in historical precedent and actionable political engagement.
Kate Powell is the creator of Kate for the People, where she combines political storytelling, advocacy, and civic education with a focus on helping ordinary citizens understand and engage with government. Outside her political media work, Powell is a nonprofit executive and fundraiser who holds a Master of Public Administration and the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential. Her current work includes conversations with candidates, advocacy organizations, and public officials across Virginia and beyond.
Adam Dunigan is a Marine Corps combat veteran, former CIA operations officer, and former candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District. After leaving the CIA and entering electoral politics publicly in 2026, Dunigan built a substantial digital following around national security, politics, and public service. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in Social Psychology from Park University.
Your Host
Landon Shroder, is the co-publisher and editor-at-large of RVA Magazine. He is also a foreign policy professional, journalist, and documentary filmmaker whose career has spanned over twenty years across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe in the energy, defense, and security sectors.
His documentary feature The Soft Revolution, on the federal firings under DOGE, is set to premiere next year, and his upcoming film Cosmic Echo, about the life and legacy of revolutionary jazz icon Lonnie Liston Smith is currently in production. A former producer and journalist for VICE, he has written extensively on conflict, culture, and politics for outlets including Fair Observer, War on the Rocks, World Policy Journal, Chatham House, and, of course, RVA Magazine. He has also been quoted extensively in The New York Times on conflict in the Middle East.
The Salon
Salon de Résistance unfolds in three movements: a convergence to begin, a conversation to spark, and a reflection to carry the ideas forward.
6:00pm: Convergence Drinks and shared conversation, set to vinyl flips.
7:00–8:30pm: Conversation A live interview then opening into questions and exchange with the room.
8:30pm: Reflection Space to connect with our guests, develop perspectives, and imagine what comes next.
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