What is The Preamble?
I’m Sharon McMahon, a lifelong teacher who is profoundly disinterested in telling you what to think. Instead, I would rather give you the history and context about an issue and help you understand how to think critically about it, so you can make educated choices for yourself.
On a random night in September 2020, I recorded a video in response to someone’s factually incorrect Facebook comment about the electoral college. I never intended for it to go anywhere, but here we are, millions of followers and multiple years later. You might know me from my account, @sharonsaysso, or my podcast, Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, but if this is our first time meeting, hello and welcome!
The Preamble is a daily newsletter that will help you feel more confident in your knowledge about how government and politics work in the United States. I hope you walk away feeling a renewed sense of purpose and hope.
This is a place to learn and have interesting discussions with people who think differently than you. If you’re looking for a newsletter that tells you what idiots the _________________ (fill in your preferred political group) are, you won’t find that here.
Because what the world needs is more contributors, not more critics. I know many of you probably feel a sense of cynicism, and like nothing in the world can or will change, but I’m here to tell you that it can, and that you’re a needed part of it.
Thanks for being here, and I can’t wait to see what we create, together.
Why subscribe?
I don’t have corporate backers or investors, my ability to do my work is dependent upon people like you. Your support means that my independent, nonpartisan content is available to everyone.
I want to keep as much of my content free as I possibly can. I want teachers and students to be able to learn from it, and for people who can’t afford to contribute to be able to freely access valuable information. If you believe in my work and can afford to chip in, I would be so grateful!
Free subscribers get:
My daily newsletter delivered to their inbox
Paid subscribers get:
My daily newsletter
The ability to comment on my newsletters and engage with my community
Deep dives on historic topics
Their questions answered in a weekly video
Founding members get all of the above, plus:
A personalized, signed copy of my book coming out in September (yes, that means you can ask me to write a special message to your mom or bestie, and I will do it!)
Access to pre-sales and VIP tickets to my in-person book tour events
A tote bag with The Small and the Mighty cover art
The satisfaction of knowing you are supporting, a nonpartisan, fact-based, independent content creator who is committed to trying to make a difference in the world
Who am I?
You might know me on Instagram as America’s Government Teacher, but Instagram (which now has more than 1.1 million followers) was just the beginning. My award-winning podcast, Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, is in the top 1% of all podcasts, with 1.2 million downloads a month. There, I talk to thought leaders, authors, historians, and politicians, and produce docuseries about fascinating topics you never learned about in school.
My first book is also set to drop in September 2024. On its first day of pre-orders, it went to number 1 on Amazon out of 30 million books. You can preorder The Small and the Mighty now.
I run one of the largest online book clubs, Governerd Insiders. Every season we read books together and talk to the authors themselves. The group also gets a private Instagram account, workshops, historic deep dives and discussions, and live zoom meetings.
There’s nothing that has been more rewarding than working with my community to raise more than $9 million for charity, for things like paying off medical debt, providing meals to people in disaster zones, helping terminally ill children, and supporting teachers around the country. I collaborate with several organizations like, World Central Kitchen, Undue Medical Debt, Go Fund Me, the National Kidney Foundation, and Convoy of Hope.
I’m also a founding partner of Starts With Us, an organization of more than three million people working to overcome extreme division. Starts With Us empowers Americans to use critical thinking and constructive communication to work through their differences. Other partners include Adam Grant and José Andrés.
