AMANDA NELSON
Amanda Nelson is an amateur historian and political content creator behind Amanda’s Mild Takes, a media brand that uses history, political science, and civics to explain how power actually operates in the United States. She publishes daily political analysis and action ideas for a engaged audience of over a million people who want historical context, not just headlines. She is also the founder of YALLvote, a coalition of Southern content creators working to flip state houses, and the host of Executive Dysfunction, a podcast about the screw ups and foibles of America’s political leaders throughout history.
YALLvote
YALLvote is the Southern Content Creator Collective calling attention to state legislative races that matter.
At YALLvote we empower, mentor, and connect Southern content creators to turn the South blue.
We support any creator willing to use their platform to talk about southern state legislative races. We connect them to candidates, help fund their work, and ensure they have the skills they need to grow their audiences.
The future of progressive politics runs through the South. And good politics requires good social media.
More Stuff
Amanda wanted to be Indiana Jones as a kid, but realized in college that she doesn't like dirt. Or running. Or stealing artifacts from indigenous people. She got the history degree anyway.
Since then, she has spent many years as a volunteer for various political organizations, including as an abortion clinic patient escort, Planned Parenthood of Virginia Young Professionals Board member, and the ACLU of Virginia. She currently serves with her local chapter of the Democratic Party and does weekly features highlighting candidates running for state and local offices across the country. Before doing political and history work, Amanda spent 10 years in book media as the Executive Editor of Book Riot and a few (awful) years in big tech. She lives in Virginia with her family and Rottweiler, Petunia. She was recently named a SXSW Visionary Voice of 2026.
Amanda’s Mild Takes
Contact Amanda
Interested in working together? Drop me a line.