Symone D. Sanders Townsend is an author, seasoned democratic strategist and co-host of MSNBC’s The Weekend



 

Symone rose to prominence in 2016 as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’s then-presidential campaign.  At 25, she became the youngest presidential press secretary on record and was named to Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of 16 young Americans shaping  the 2016 election.  At 29, she published her first book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America and served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.  At 31, Symone was appointed as a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration serving as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to Vice President Kamala Harris. With her White House appointment, Symone became the first Black woman to serve as a spokesperson to a Vice President. In 2022, she joined MSNBC to host “SYMONE” providing essential context on the most pressing issues facing Americans today.

Now,  Symone brings the depth of her experience to The Weekend where she and her co-hosts serve as the go-to source for viewers on headlines of the day.


 
 

“Don’t settle for what you think “they” will say yes to. Ask for what you want…what you know you have worked for.”