What If January 6 Happened Again? Exploring the Risks of Another Insurrection.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: What if January 6 happened again? Are we prepared for another post-election insurrection? “War Game” is a riveting political thriller that tackles this question head-on in what Rolling Stone calls, “the scariest documentary you’ll see this year.” “War Game” features a cast of senior officials war-gaming a constitutional crisis, including former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, playing a senior advisor to a newly elected President, Retired US Army Lieutenant General Jeffrey Buchanan and Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine Corps veteran and the CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. This time on Laura Flanders & Friends, Laura’s joined by Goldbeck who also produced the war game that is at the center of the film as well as the film’s directors, Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss, both of whom are award-winning filmmakers. Together they discuss why many Americans — disproportionately military veterans — have joined domestic extremist groups, and what can be done. What reforms to the Insurrection Act are necessary at this moment? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on Donald Trump’s appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden.“. . . Domestic extremist groups, particularly on the far Right, have been targeting veterans and military family members for recruitment . . . We've seen veterans and active duty military disproportionately represented in places like the January 6 insurrection in 2021, where one in five of the people who were charged in the insurrection were actually military veterans.” - Janessa Goldbeck"The notion that democracy is this sort of idyllic perfect thing that was once great and will be great again is a complete fabrication. Democracy has always been flawed, it's always been in process . . . There's got to be certain issues that we can all agree on, like the peaceful transfer of power.” - Tony Gerber“[In the war game], we see a healthy politics model, people who probably disagree on a lot of things politically, but actually agree on one important thing, which is safeguarding our democracy . . . I think modeling healthy politics is really valuable today. It's hard to look around and see how people are working together across partisan divides to get work done on Capitol Hill or in state houses.” - Jesse MossGuests:• Tony Gerber: Co-Director & Writer, War Game• Janessa Goldbeck: CEO, Vet Voice Foundation; Game Producer, War Game• Jesse Moss: Co-Director, Writer & Producer, War Game Music In the Middle:  “America at War (Freedom)” by DJ Pope featuring Voices of Freedom released on Yellorange Records.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Political Violence & MAGA Militancy: Strategies to Protect Democracy Watch / Podcast + Uncut Full Conversation•  Congressman Jamie Raskin On January 6th: After a Failed Coup, a Successful One?  Watch / Podcast + Uncut Full Conversation• Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection: Watch / Podcast  •  Graphic Artists Drawing Comix At The Margins:  Nate Powell and Mohammad Saba’aneh  Watch / Podcast Related Articles and Resources:• ‘War Game’ Is the Scariest Documentary You’ll See This Year, by David Fear,August 2, 2024, Rolling Stone•. The Posse Comitatus Act Explained, by Joseph Nunn, October 14, 2021, Brennan Center• Legal experts worry about presidential abuse of the Insurrection Act. Here’s Why, by Carrie Johnson, March 28, 2024, NPR-WAMU•  ‘Mischief and problems’:  rightwing activists ramp up drive to hand-count ballots, by Rachel Leingang, The Guardian  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

LAURA FLANDERS - COMMENTARY And one of those came to mind was in 1999, when V, then known as Eve Ensler of Vagina Monologues and V-Day and One Billion Rising fame, filled that 18,000 seat stadium, with women and their allies pledging themselves to stop violence against women and girls, to stop gender-based violence in our lifetime. Improbable? Unlikely? Unpredictable? You bet. They laced the whole place with red caution tape that read “rape-free zone.” Was it surprising? Yes, but it happened all the same, albeit with less media coverage. Other things have happened in the last few years that should surprise us and remind us of what we can accomplish when we decide to. We invested trillions of dollars in infrastructure rebuilding and creation of new jobs. We saw millions of people brought out of poverty thanks to an increase in the child tax credit. We saw pharmaceutical prices brought down. We saw investments in industries that will help reduce climate change. And we saw a pandemic stopped in its tracks, largely, by the very speedy creation of a vaccine. In our lifetime, too, I was reminded this past weekend at Madison Square Garden that we were celebrating the 100th anniversary of a public transportation system. The New York City subway, again the product of commitment, investment of public dollars for the public good. A surprise, perhaps, that we could ever accomplish such things. But we have. And we can do it again. So surprises, bad? Sure. Possible. Surprises, good? I'm putting my belief and confidence there. I think more good surprises are in store for us if we simply put our minds to it and maybe invest, invest a bit of our effort and our cash. Till the next time, I encourage you to spend the week as you will, but stay kind and stay curious. And join me back here next time when we convene a special all-star panel to reflect on Election Day. You can find all the information at our website. And don't forget, every week the podcast subscribers, the people that subscribe to our free podcasts receive the uncut version of every conversation. And believe you me. Much of the conversation that I'd love to bring to you ends up on the cutting room floor. So subscribe to the podcast. Subscribe to our channel right here on YouTube. And if you haven't told your friends about us, write a review or share with your pals. It's how we get out the word about this show. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Full Description:  What if January 6 happened again? Are we prepared for another post-election insurrection? “War Game” is a riveting political thriller that tackles this question head-on in what Rolling Stone calls, “the scariest documentary you’ll see this year.” “War Game” features a cast of senior officials war-gaming a constitutional crisis, including former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, playing a senior advisor to a newly elected President, Retired US Army Lieutenant General Jeffrey Buchanan and Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine Corps veteran and the CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. This time on Laura Flanders & Friends, Laura’s joined by Goldbeck who also produced the war game that is at the center of the film as well as the film’s directors, Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss, both of whom are award-winning filmmakers. Together they discuss why many Americans — disproportionately military veterans — have joined domestic extremist groups, and what can be done. What reforms to the Insurrection Act are necessary at this moment? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on Donald Trump’s appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden.“. . . Domestic extremist groups, particularly on the far Right, have been targeting veterans and military family members for recruitment . . . We've seen veterans and active duty military disproportionately represented in places like the January 6 insurrection in 2021, where one in five of the people who were charged in the insurrection were actually military veterans.” - Janessa Goldbeck“The notion that democracy is this sort of idyllic perfect thing that was once great and will be great again is a complete fabrication. Democracy has always been flawed, it's always been in process . . . There's got to be certain issues that we can all agree on, like the peaceful transfer of power.” - Tony Gerber“[In the war game], we see a healthy politics model, people who probably disagree on a lot of things politically, but actually agree on one important thing, which is safeguarding our democracy . . . I think modeling healthy politics is really valuable today. It's hard to look around and see how people are working together across partisan divides to get work done on Capitol Hill or in state houses.” - Jesse MossGuests:• Tony Gerber: Co-Director & Writer, War Game• Janessa Goldbeck: CEO, Vet Voice Foundation; Game Producer, War Game• Jesse Moss: Co-Director, Writer & Producer, War Game Watch the broadcast episode cut for time airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Political Violence & MAGA Militancy: Strategies to Protect Democracy Watch / Podcast + Uncut Full Conversation•  Congressman Jamie Raskin On January 6th: After a Failed Coup, a Successful One?  Watch / Podcast + Uncut Full Conversation• Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection: Watch / Podcast  •  Graphic Artists Drawing Comix At The Margins:  Nate Powell and Mohammad Saba’aneh  Watch / Podcast Related Articles and Resources:• ‘War Game’ Is the Scariest Documentary You’ll See This Year, by David Fear,August 2, 2024, Rolling Stone•. The Posse Comitatus Act Explained, by Joseph Nunn, October 14, 2021, Brennan Center• Legal experts worry about presidential abuse of the Insurrection Act. Here’s Why, by Carrie Johnson, March 28, 2024, NPR-WAMU•  ‘Mischief and problems’:  rightwing activists ramp up drive to hand-count ballots, by Rachel Leingang, The GuardianFull Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

As Election 2024 unfolds amid a collapsing media landscape, experts explore how BIPOC outlets are combating misinformation and seizing the opportunity to redefine news coverage¿Podrían las elecciones 2024 ser una oportunidad para que nuevos medios construyan poder? Únete a Laura Flanders y Kadia Tubman mientras exploran este tema con Imara Jones y Lara Witt.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: Election 2024 is happening in a media environment unlike any other. With legacy papers closing and digital media in crisis, too, election ads are filling the news vacuum with misinformation and lies. What is to be done? In this episode of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, co-hosts Laura Flanders and Kadia Tubman of the Scripps News Network examine the state of election media and ask, could this be a moment of opportunity for others to transform the news and build power? Our guest Lara Witt is the editor-in-chief of Prism and co-founder of the new Movement Media Alliance and Media Against Apartheid & Displacement. Joining us again is Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist Imara Jones, creator of TransLash Media, a cross-platform journalism project created to save trans lives and expose threats to democracy. The gripping new season of “The Anti-Trans Hate Machine” podcast dives into the extremist groups using transphobia to stoke political violence. Find out how BIPOC media are meeting this moment and working to cover the issues that mainstream media have largely ignored.“There's not one single trans analyst or contributor on any of the cable networks, even though trans issues are front and center as a mainstream political issue, not as a marginal political issue.” -  Imara Jones“. . . People are getting their political information from [campaign] ads because they're likely not getting it from a reliable source. Since August, we know it's been reported that Republicans have invested over $65 million in anti-trans TV ads alone, and some of those talking points in those ads are actually coming from dubious sources . . .” - Kadia Tubman“We very much are invested in ensuring that our communities are safe, that folks can live their lives as fully autonomous beings and mainstream media often just misses that or doesn't care . . .” - Lara Witt Guests:•  Imara Jones: CEO, TransLash Media;  Podcast- The Anti-Trans Hate Machine.•. Lara Witt: Editor-in-Chief, Prism.  Movement Media Alliance•. Kadia Tubman (Co-host): Disinformation Correspondent, Scripps News Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel   Music In the Middle:  “Propaganda” by Salami Rose Joe Louis feat. Brijean, from her album Akousmatakous released on Love Da Records.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•. Imara Jones: Countering The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, Watch / Podcast•. Democracy Under Siege: Battling Disinformation in the 2024 Election:  Watch / Podcast + Uncut Conversation•. Meet the BIPOC Press: Is Worker-Owned Media the Future of Journalism?: Watch / Podcast Related Articles and Resources:•  Columbia Journalism Review: The Decline of Local News Has Become a Campaign Problem, by Jake Lahut, September 24, 2024, Columbia Journalism Review• The Guardian: TV giant known for rightwing disinformation doubles down on its national news agenda, by Eric Berger, July 2, 2024, The Guardian• Right-wing propaganda infiltrates local news stations as 2024 Election ramps up, June 12, 2024, MSNBC•. TransLash Presents: Capturing The New York Times, July 20, 2024, TransLash Podcast•. This Election Season, We Need Tools for Media Literacy More Than Ever, by Lara Witt, Maya Schenwar, Aysha Khan, Joshua Potash, PRISM, June 8, 2024, TruthOut  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Full Description:  Election 2024 is happening in a media environment unlike any other. With legacy papers closing and digital media in crisis, too, election ads are filling the news vacuum with misinformation and lies. What is to be done? In this episode of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, co-hosts Laura Flanders and Kadia Tubman of the Scripps News Network examine the state of election media and ask, could this be a moment of opportunity for others to transform the news and build power? Our guest Lara Witt is the editor-in-chief of Prism and co-founder of the new Movement Media Alliance and Media Against Apartheid & Displacement. Joining us again is Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist Imara Jones, creator of TransLash Media, a cross-platform journalism project created to save trans lives and expose threats to democracy. The gripping new season of “The Anti-Trans Hate Machine” podcast dives into the extremist groups using transphobia to stoke political violence. Find out how BIPOC media are meeting this moment and working to cover the issues that mainstream media have largely ignored.“There's not one single trans analyst or contributor on any of the cable networks, even though trans issues are front and center as a mainstream political issue, not as a marginal political issue.” -  Imara Jones“. . . People are getting their political information from [campaign] ads because they're likely not getting it from a reliable source. Since August, we know it's been reported that Republicans have invested over $65 million in anti-trans TV ads alone, and some of those talking points in those ads are actually coming from dubious sources . . .” - Kadia Tubman“We very much are invested in ensuring that our communities are safe, that folks can live their lives as fully autonomous beings and mainstream media often just misses that or doesn't care . . .” - Lara WittGuests:•  Imara Jones: CEO, TransLash Media;  Podcast- The Anti-Trans Hate Machine.•. Lara Witt: Editor-in-Chief, Prism.  Movement Media Alliance•. Kadia Tubman (Co-host): Disinformation Correspondent, Scripps News Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•. Imara Jones: Countering The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, Watch / Podcast•. Democracy Under Siege: Battling Disinformation in the 2024 Election:  Watch / Podcast + Uncut Conversation•. Meet the BIPOC Press: Is Worker-Owned Media the Future of Journalism?: Watch / Podcast Related Articles and Resources:•  Columbia Journalism Review: The Decline of Local News Has Become a Campaign Problem, by Jake Lahut, September 24, 2024, Columbia Journalism Review• The Guardian: TV giant known for rightwing disinformation doubles down on its national news agenda, by Eric Berger, July 2, 2024, The Guardian• Right-wing propaganda infiltrates local news stations as 2024 Election ramps up, June 12, 2024, MSNBC•. TransLash Presents: Capturing The New York Times, July 20, 2024, TransLash Podcast•. This Election Season, We Need Tools for Media Literacy More Than Ever, by Lara Witt, Maya Schenwar, Aysha Khan, Joshua Potash, PRISM, June 8, 2024, TruthOut Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Delve into the fierce debate over abortion rights in the U.S. and how recent measures could alter the course of reproductive freedom.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: The 2022 Supreme Court ruling to overturn Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health dramatically changed the political scene. Still, just two years on, we are witnessing another watershed moment in the struggle for abortion rights. This Election Day, 10 states will vote on whether to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution. Since 2022, every ballot measure to protect abortion rights has passed while every measure to restrict or weaken those rights has failed. Meanwhile, extremist Republicans are pushing for a total national abortion ban and seem to have Trump on their side. He told Fox News just days ago that a national abortion ban is “off the table,” but “we’ll see what happens.” Joining us to share what’s at stake and what can be done are Nadine Smith, the director of Equality Florida who heads the state's largest organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Heidi L. Sieck is a Political Strategist & Founder of VOTEPROCHOICE that focuses on reproductive freedom at the state and local levels. And Renee Bracey Sherman, a reproductive justice advocate is the co-author of the just-released book, “LIBERATING ABORTION: Claiming Our History, Sharing Our Stories, and Building the Reproductive Future We Deserve.” Together they unpack how abortion, access to trans health, contraception and freedom from sterilization abuse are all part of the far Right’s agenda to control bodies. Could reproductive rights leap forward in 2024, not back? Plus a commentary from Laura.“. . . Just last month we had the Gender Liberation March in DC . . . We had a tent for banned books because as they're banning sex ed, as they're banning trans youth healthcare, trans healthcare and abortion, they're also banning books . . . It's the same people. They're just fighting about a different thing on a different day. And so when we come together, we'll be able to stand against them.” - Renee Bracey Sherman“We have to remember that this is an infrastructure investment issue . . . For decades, the money on the anti-choice side has been going to investments in these local infrastructure. We don't operate like that on the progressive and political Democratic side. Most of our investments are going into the federal infrastructure, and that is the problem.” - Heidi L. Sieck“The governor in Florida has been so extreme. He has sent investigators to people's homes for signing the petition that got the constitutional amendment on the ballot that would restore access to abortion in Florida . . . He's threatening television stations that run ads that are in support of the abortion ballot measure.” - Nadine SmithGuests:•  Renee Bracey Sherman: Co-Author Liberating Abortion; Founder & Co-Executive Director, WeTestify•  Heidi L. Sieck: Political Strategist & Founder, VOTEPROCHOICE•  Nadine Smith: Executive Director, Equality FloridaMusic In the Middle:  “Freedom And Progress” by Nicola Conte featuring Zara McFarlane from the album Umoja released on Far Out Recordings.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.Watch the episode at our YouTube channelRelated Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• Democrats Stave Off Disaster, For Now? YouTube / Podcast• Post Dobbs Crisis: Visions for Abortion Access & Radical Care: YouTube / Podcast• 50 Years After Roe, Is Reporting on Abortion Still Too White?: YouTube / Podcast Related Articles and Resources:• State Laws & Policies as of October 7, 2024:  State Bans on Abortion Throughout Pregnancy, By Buttmacher•  Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2024:  The ACLU is tracking 530 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S., ACLU.org• The Maga Legal Networks That Could Topple Planned Parenthood and Gut Women's Healthcare, by Melissa Segura, October 21, 2024,  The Guardian• Ron DeSantis accused of ‘intimidation campaign’ against abortion rights, by Joseph Contreras, September 29, 2024, The Guardian• Florida LGBTQ+ Rights Groups and Plaintiffs Reach Historic Settlement to Roll Back Key Discriminatory Provisions in “Don’t Say Gay” Law, Equality Florida *Recommended book:“LIBERATING ABORTION: Claiming Our History, Sharing Our Stories, and Building the Reproductive Future We Deserve” by Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone *Get the Book(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Full Description: The 2022 Supreme Court ruling to overturn Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health dramatically changed the political scene. Still, just two years on, we are witnessing another watershed moment in the struggle for abortion rights. This Election Day, 10 states will vote on whether to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution. Since 2022, every ballot measure to protect abortion rights has passed while every measure to restrict or weaken those rights has failed. Meanwhile, extremist Republicans are pushing for a total national abortion ban and seem to have Trump on their side. He told Fox News just days ago that a national abortion ban is “off the table,” but “we’ll see what happens.” Joining us to share what’s at stake and what can be done are Nadine Smith, the director of Equality Florida who heads the state's largest organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Heidi L. Sieck is a Political Strategist & Founder of VOTEPROCHOICE that focuses on reproductive freedom at the state and local levels. And Renee Bracey Sherman, a reproductive justice advocate is the co-author of the just-released book, “LIBERATING ABORTION: Claiming Our History, Sharing Our Stories, and Building the Reproductive Future We Deserve.” Together they unpack how abortion, access to trans health, contraception and freedom from sterilization abuse are all part of the far Right’s agenda to control bodies. Could reproductive rights leap forward in 2024, not back? Plus a commentary from Laura.“. . . Just last month we had the Gender Liberation March in DC . . . We had a tent for banned books because as they're banning sex ed, as they're banning trans youth healthcare, trans healthcare and abortion, they're also banning books . . . It's the same people. They're just fighting about a different thing on a different day. And so when we come together, we'll be able to stand against them.” - Renee Bracey Sherman“We have to remember that this is an infrastructure investment issue . . . For decades, the money on the anti-choice side has been going to investments in these local infrastructure. We don't operate like that on the progressive and political Democratic side. Most of our investments are going into the federal infrastructure, and that is the problem.” - Heidi L. Sieck“The governor in Florida has been so extreme. He has sent investigators to people's homes for signing the petition that got the constitutional amendment on the ballot that would restore access to abortion in Florida . . . He's threatening television stations that run ads that are in support of the abortion ballot measure.” - Nadine SmithGuests:•  Renee Bracey Sherman: Co-Author Liberating Abortion; Founder & Co-Executive Director, WeTestify•  Heidi L. Sieck: Political Strategist & Founder, VOTEPROCHOICE•  Nadine Smith: Executive Director, Equality FloridaFull Conversation Release:  While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode "From Ballots to Bodies: Abortion, Trans Rights & the Battle for Bodily Autonomy."     These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Watch the episode at our YouTube channelRelated Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• Democrats Stave Off Disaster, For Now? YouTube / Podcast• Post Dobbs Crisis: Visions for Abortion Access & Radical Care: YouTube / Podcast• 50 Years After Roe, Is Reporting on Abortion Still Too White?: YouTube / Podcast Related Articles and Resources:• State Laws & Policies as of October 7, 2024:  State Bans on Abortion Throughout Pregnancy, By Buttmacher•  Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2024:  The ACLU is tracking 530 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S., ACLU.org• The Maga Legal Networks That Could Topple Planned Parenthood and Gut Women's Healthcare, by Melissa Segura, October 21, 2024,  The Guardian• Ron DeSantis accused of ‘intimidation campaign’ against abortion rights, by Joseph Contreras, September 29, 2024, The Guardian• Florida LGBTQ+ Rights Groups and Plaintiffs Reach Historic Settlement to Roll Back Key Discriminatory Provisions in “Don’t Say Gay” Law, Equality Florida *Recommended book:“LIBERATING ABORTION: Claiming Our History, Sharing Our Stories, and Building the Reproductive Future We Deserve” by Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone *Get the Book(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Discover how the Left is envisioning a liberated future in today's political climate at the Socialism Conference, hosted by Haymarket Books, featuring key activists and organizers from diverse backgrounds.En el Socialismo Conferencia en Chicago, Laura Flanders y activistas discuten la abolición, descolonización e inmigración con un enfoque en estrategias más allá del ciclo electoral.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: Abolition, decolonization, immigration, Palestine — how is the Left thinking about the future in this perilous political moment? Socialists and activists showed up in the thousands to this year’s Socialism Conference, a four-day event packed with discussion of today’s most pressing issues and strategies for organizing. Laura Flanders & Friends was there, in Chicago (just days after the Democratic National Convention) for a live taping with three renowned organizers: Nick Estes, a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and author of “Our History is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance” and co-founder of The Red Nation, an organization dedicated to Native liberation; Rachel Herzing, an organizer, activist, and advocate fighting the violence of surveillance, policing and imprisonment and co-author of “How to Abolish Prisons: Lessons from the Movement Against Imprisonment”; and Harsha Walia, co-founder of No One Is Illegal, an anti-colonial migrant justice organization and author of the books “Undoing Border Imperialism” and “Border and Rule”. As you’ll hear, they’re not counting on politicians to step into office and grant their wishes. They’re focusing beyond the election cycle. Join us as we envision a liberated future and explore all that it takes to get there. Plus Laura’s commentary.“. . . Having Deb Haaland [serve as] the Secretary of Interior, has been good in the sense that we've gotten these really amazing reports on things that we've already known, that there was this massive systematic genocide of Native children . . . But at the same time, her department has overseen more oil and gas leases on federal lands than the Trump administration, and that's not an indictment of her as a person. That's an indictment of that department . . .” - Nick Estes“. . . We know every single fall in an election season that Black women get told we're the saviors of the entire world and everything relies on us, even though the rest of the time it's very happily that we're kind of left to die, quite literally. We are given this message on a regular basis, and I don't know what to say to people about that. The policies of the so-called United States are not life-affirming policies for Black people, for imprisoned people, and for people living as women.” - Rachel Herzing“I just think that the strongest counterforce to fascism and anti-colonialism is an organized Left. It is not a candidate . . . Sometimes I think we get fixated on what candidates will or won't do, and we don't think about the conditions that the Left can create to actually make those possibilities happen . . .” - Harsha WaliaGuests:•. Nick Estes (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe): Author, Our History is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, & The Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance•  Rachel Herzing: Co-Author, How to Abolish Prisons: Lessons from the Movement Against Imprisonment; Former Co-Director, Critical Resistance•. Harsha Walia: Author, Border and Rule & Undoing Border Imperialism; Co-Founder, No One Is Illegal Music In the Middle:  Iman Hussein remix of “Diane Charlamagne” by Lefto Early Bird, released on Brownswood Recordings.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear. Additional Credits: the crew for the socialism conference included Jordan Flaherty, Jonathan Klett, Baili Martin and Brooke Guntherie.  And special thanks to Anthony Arnove and Sean Larson from Haymarket Books  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donateFull Conversation from our episode "Trump, Netanyahu & the Weaponizing of Fear One Year After October 7":Israel’s far-right leaders, assisted by their allies in the U.S., have waged a year-long assault on Gaza in the name of “self-defense” after the attacks by Hamas on October 7 2023. Now Israel stands accused of genocide and war is breaking out across the region. Military conflict won’t make Jews — or any of us — more safe, so why do leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. president Donald Trump continue to get away with casting themselves as the “protectors” of Israel and the Jewish people? The Trump campaign is actually deeply allied with anti-semitic Christian Zionists whose investment in Israel is tied up with a belief in Biblical “End Times” when Jews convert or perish. In this report, (which was recorded before the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon,) we turn to Ben Lorber, a Senior Analyst at Political Research Associates and co-author of the book “Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism.” Also joining us are Phyllis Bennis, Director of the New Internationalism Project and fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington D.C. and the author of several books on the United Nations and the Middle East; and Yoav Peck, an organizational psychologist, Executive Director of Solidarity of Nations and Israeli peace activist based in Jerusalem. Together we unpack the links between Christian Zionism and Jewish Zionism, look at how trauma has become a political tool, and ask, how might any of us become less vulnerable to the weaponizing of our fears, with a commentary from Laura.“Real antisemitism is on the rise, but the problem is with all the attention being put on the false claim that criticizing Israel, demanding a ceasefire, demanding an end to genocide, standing with South Africa, asking the International Court of Justice to hold Israel accountable for genocide [is antisemitic]. Those things are not antisemitic. But if you put all your focus there, you're not out there ending the kind of real antisemitism that comes from the Right.” - Phyllis Bennis“It doesn't make us any safer to empower the state, to go after protesters in this way, and as a Jew it’s, especially galling to me that it's done in the name of Jewish safety . . . Taking away people's speech rights, deporting people in the name of keeping me safe doesn't keep me safe.” - Ben Lorber“People are traumatized and retraumatized and dwelling on October 7. The media is supporting it every day . . . But October 7 is a year ago, and where we are now is a completely different place. So now we have a major educational challenge ahead of us to get people to see the link between Israel's occupation of the Palestinians and the present situation.” - Yoav PeckGuests:• Phyllis Bennis: Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies & Director, New Internationalism Project; International Advisor, Jewish Voice for Peace• Ben Lorber: Senior Research Analyst, Political Research Associates; Co-Author, Safety through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism• Yoav Peck: Organizational Psychologist; Executive Director, Achvat Amim/Solidarity of Nations Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Fears Exploited: The Dangerous Alliances of Netanyahu and Trump with Religious Extremists.  As tensions escalate further in the Middle East, it's crucial to explore the unexpected alliances driving conflicts, as **I s r a e l ’ s f a r - r i g h t l e a d e r s** are fiercely defending their military actions under the banner of "self-defense" while leaving the safety of the Jewish people in question. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description:  Israel’s far-right leaders, assisted by their allies in the U.S., have waged a year-long assault on Gaza in the name of “self-defense” after the attacks by Hamas on October 7 2023. Now Israel stands accused of genocide and war is breaking out across the region. Military conflict won’t make Jews — or any of us — more safe, so why do leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. president Donald Trump continue to get away with casting themselves as the “protectors” of Israel and the Jewish people? The Trump campaign is actually deeply allied with anti-semitic Christian Zionists whose investment in Israel is tied up with a belief in Biblical “End Times” when Jews convert or perish. In this report, (which was recorded before the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon,) we turn to Ben Lorber, a Senior Analyst at Political Research Associates and co-author of the book “Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism.” Also joining us are Phyllis Bennis, Director of the New Internationalism Project and fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington D.C. and the author of several books on the United Nations and the Middle East; and Yoav Peck, an organizational psychologist, Executive Director of Solidarity of Nations and Israeli peace activist based in Jerusalem. Together we unpack the links between Christian Zionism and Jewish Zionism, look at how trauma has become a political tool, and ask, how might any of us become less vulnerable to the weaponizing of our fears, with a commentary from Laura.“Real antisemitism is on the rise, but the problem is with all the attention being put on the false claim that criticizing Israel, demanding a ceasefire, demanding an end to genocide, standing with South Africa, asking the International Court of Justice to hold Israel accountable for genocide [is antisemitic]. Those things are not antisemitic. But if you put all your focus there, you're not out there ending the kind of real antisemitism that comes from the Right.” - Phyllis Bennis“It doesn't make us any safer to empower the state, to go after protesters in this way, and as a Jew it’s, especially galling to me that it's done in the name of Jewish safety . . . Taking away people's speech rights, deporting people in the name of keeping me safe doesn't keep me safe.” - Ben Lorber“People are traumatized and retraumatized and dwelling on October 7. The media is supporting it every day . . . But October 7 is a year ago, and where we are now is a completely different place. So now we have a major educational challenge ahead of us to get people to see the link between Israel's occupation of the Palestinians and the present situation.” - Yoav PeckGuests:• Phyllis Bennis: Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies & Director, New Internationalism Project; International Advisor, Jewish Voice for Peace• Ben Lorber: Senior Research Analyst, Political Research Associates; Co-Author, Safety through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism• Yoav Peck: Organizational Psychologist; Executive Director, Achvat Amim/Solidarity of Nations Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Crystalized Greif” by Badawi from the album Protection released on UPA Recordings, Underground Producers Alliance.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode Reporting on Policing at the Polls & BIPOC Voter Suppression in 2024.  And was recorded on September 17th, 2024.  These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: Just this month, billionaire immigrant and Republican mega donor Elon Musk amplified a post that seemed to suggest that the system would work better if voting was restricted only to “high status men.” Voting should be simple, but we’re seeing more and more barriers — especially for BIPOC voters — this election. From purges of the rolls, to efforts to eliminate same-day voter registration, new voter-ID laws, and vigilante style “election integrity” watchdogs turning up at the polls, voters in many states and tribal nations face serious challenges they’re working hard to overcome. What’s it all mean for the candidates and, more importantly, the millions of eligible voters of color whose ability to cast their vote could ultimately decide the outcome of this election? For this episode of our monthly feature, Meet the BIPOC Press, Laura is joined by co-host Kadia Tubman of the Scripps News broadcast network, along with guests Chenjerai Kumanyika, NYU journalism professor and host of Empire City, a gripping new podcast on the origins of the NY police, and investigative journalist Christopher Lomahquahu of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism within the Cronkite School at Arizona State University. Together we investigate who gets to vote safely, and who is being excluded from participating in democracy. Will all who want to vote be able to?“. . . Voter disenfranchisement has been so consistent that we might as well go ahead and call it a principle of American so-called democracy. Even in the constitutional convention, we know that there were efforts to make sure that not everyone can vote.” - Chenjerai Kumanyika". . . It wasn't until a hundred years ago that Native Americans were granted citizenship in this country . . . With the [groups] Western Native Voice, Arizona Native Vote, other organizations that you're finding across these different states, they understand that history but it hasn't deterred them from looking ahead as far as what they can do to activate those other voters, especially the youth . . .” - Christopher Lomahquahu (Akimel O'odham/Hopi)“Whenever I report on or hear about election integrity or election security, the phrase ‘safe and secure’ seems to tag along. It's almost like it's replacing the term free and fair elections . . .” - Kadia TubmanGuests:• Chenjerai Kumanyika: Host, Empire City & NYU Professor• Christopher Lomahquahu (Akimel O'odham/Hopi): Investigative Reporter, ASU Howard Center for Investigative Journalism• Kadia Tubman: Disinformation Correspondent, Scripps News Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Elon Musk's controversial comment reignites debate on voter suppression and democracy amid new voting barriers.Description: Just this month, billionaire immigrant and Republican mega donor Elon Musk amplified a post that seemed to suggest that the system would work better if voting was restricted only to “high status men.” Voting should be simple, but we’re seeing more and more barriers — especially for BIPOC voters — this election. From purges of the rolls, to efforts to eliminate same-day voter registration, new voter-ID laws, and vigilante style “election integrity” watchdogs turning up at the polls, voters in many states and tribal nations face serious challenges they’re working hard to overcome. What’s it all mean for the candidates and, more importantly, the millions of eligible voters of color whose ability to cast their vote could ultimately decide the outcome of this election? For this episode of our monthly feature, Meet the BIPOC Press, Laura is joined by co-host Kadia Tubman of the Scripps News broadcast network, along with guests Chenjerai Kumanyika, NYU journalism professor and host of Empire City, a gripping new podcast on the origins of the NY police, and investigative journalist Christopher Lomahquahu of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism within the Cronkite School at Arizona State University. Together we investigate who gets to vote safely, and who is being excluded from participating in democracy. Will all who want to vote be able to?“. . . Voter disenfranchisement has been so consistent that we might as well go ahead and call it a principle of American so-called democracy. Even in the constitutional convention, we know that there were efforts to make sure that not everyone can vote.” - Chenjerai Kumanyika“. . . It wasn't until a hundred years ago that Native Americans were granted citizenship in this country . . . With the [groups] Western Native Voice, Arizona Native Vote, other organizations that you're finding across these different states, they understand that history but it hasn't deterred them from looking ahead as far as what they can do to activate those other voters, especially the youth . . .” - Christopher Lomahquahu (Akimel O'odham/Hopi)“Whenever I report on or hear about election integrity or election security, the phrase ‘safe and secure’ seems to tag along. It's almost like it's replacing the term free and fair elections . . .” - Kadia TubmanGuests:• Chenjerai Kumanyika: Host, Empire City & NYU Professor• Christopher Lomahquahu (Akimel O'odham/Hopi): Investigative Reporter, ASU Howard Center for Investigative Journalism• Kadia Tubman: Disinformation Correspondent, Scripps News Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more. Music In the Middle:  “Indifference” by Brkn Record featuring Antohony Joseph from his album The Architecture of Oppression Part 2 released on Barely Breaking Even Records, BBE.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.   Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

LGBTQ rights in North Carolina are under attack, but activists and organizers across the state are standing up to hate. In this conversation, Laura brings together featured guests in our award-winning series, “The Roots of the January 6th Insurrection” to hear their stories now leading up to the 2024 election. She first investigated LGBTQ backlash in the state in 2023, one year after a deadly power grid attack in Moore County. It coincided with a “Downtown Divas” drag show that had been harassed for months by anti-LGBTQ leaders. Now nearly two years after the attack, there are still no arrests. Plus, legislators and local leaders have introduced bans on books and gender affirming care for minors. On the heels of 2024 Durham Pride, we bring you this roundtable discussion featuring House of Coxx drag artists Stormie Daie and Naomi Dix; Dix is this year's grand marshall. Also featured are PFLAG Southern Pines founders Kristen Parker and Erica Street, and Street’s daughter, Alex Lafferty, a young trans activist, artist and composer. How are they creating safety and building community in this moment?These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donateGuests:• Erica Street, Mother of Alex Lafferty; Co-founder, PFLAG Southern Pines• Stormie Dai, Drag Artist; Member of Durham, NC, House of Coxx• Alex Lafferty, Daughter of Erica Street; High School Student & Youth Activist• Naomi Dix, Drag Artist, Activist & Member of Durham NC BIPOC Operated House of Coxx;  Co-Chair, Pride: Durham, NCGrand Marshall 2024 Durham Pride, • Kristen Parker, Co-Founder of PFLAG Southern Pines  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Josh Stein vs. Mark Robinson: The Fight for Rights in North Carolina's Upcoming Elections.  In-depth analysis of North Carolina’s political landscape reveals increasing threats to democracy and individual freedoms, with exclusive interviews by Laura including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein and activists on the frontline.  This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: North Carolina is a battleground state, and a petri dish for extremist policy and practice. Whether it's the right to vote, the right to read, or the right to decide the fate of one’s body, North Carolinians are on the frontlines. The state has banned gender-affirming care for minors; its MAGA Republican gubernatorial candidate is calling for death for LGBTQ people and a total abortion ban. Will Proud Boys show up at polling sites this November to intimidate voters? In this special report, Laura speaks with Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein, and correspondent Lewis Raven Wallace examines the agenda of his Trump-endorsed opponent, Lt. Governor Mark Robinson. Laura also checks in with organizers and activists from past episodes. Among those: Serena Sebring, Executive Director of Blueprint NC; Mab Segrest, Writer, Organizer & Consultant with Blueprint NC; Courtney Patterson, Eastern North Carolina Organizer at Blueprint NC; and LGBTQIA+ youth activist Alex Lafferty. As you’ll hear, North Carolina is a microcosm of this country. The question remains: where is the state headed this November and beyond?“There’s a lot of people I know, a lot of trans people who want to go on hormones but don’t have the ability to. And there are things coming up where they want to ban gender affirming care for not just minors but of any age, which is genocide. You can’t destroy an entire community and see that as legal.” - Alex Lafferty“I'm seriously afraid that [Proud Boys] will show up in these polling places . . . They feel empowered right now. They feel that they are above the law, so they will do things, make things, they'll take chances because they feel like they'll get away with it.” - Courtney Patterson“I think we use infrastructure and people in order to meet a threat that ultimately is countered by one thing, and that's massive turnout. The best thing that we can do to protect safety in North Carolina is register and turn out voters at a scale that is historic.” Serena Sebring“In 2024, state capture is possible at the national level because it's been petri dished in these other places like North Carolina . . . If they get it, they can do anything they want to. And so they get more and more extreme, more violent, more dangerous because they're unchecked.” - Mab Segrest“North Carolina really is a bit of a microcosm of this country. We're a 50/50 state, elections swing back and forth. We're on the front lines of a number of critical battles, whether it's people's right to vote or whether it's their right to exercise decisions about their own bodies through reproductive decisions . . . We're really on the front lines about protecting people's freedoms.” - Josh SteinGuests:• Alex Lafferty:   Trans Activist, Artist and Composer • Courtney Patterson: Eastern North Carolina Organizer, Blueprint NC• Serena Sebring: Executive Director, Blueprint NC• Mab Segrest: Writer, Organizer & Consultant, Blueprint NC• Josh Stein: Attorney General & Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Art meets climate action in South Australia! Learn how creativity and community have driven a pioneering green energy transition, with insights from influential voices like Susan Close and Ruth Mackenzie. Climate Week Special Report.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: South Australia has become a global leader in green energy transition, getting off fossil fuels faster, and to a greater extent than almost any other country. How did they do it, and what can we learn from them? In this report for Climate Week, Laura goes Down Under with her partner, Elizabeth Streb, and her extreme dance company, and discovers how the region’s culture and its many world-class festivals have helped pave the way for transformation. Helping to unpack it all is a range of impressive guests, including Susan Close, deputy premier of South Australia; Anoté Tong, the former President of the Micronesian island, the Republic of Kiribati; Ruth Mackenzie, former Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival, now Program Director of Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy within the South Australia state government; Rob Brookman, the co-founder of WOMADelaide, the capital’s premier outdoor festival; MacArthur “Genius” Award winner, Elizabeth Streb and the action heroes of her company STREB — and a WHALE. As you’ll hear, it’s taken politics, policy, science and culture to shift public practice in this extreme-weather-vulnerable area. Over the last decade, South Australia has faced massive storms, brush fires, and extreme heat that have put people, wildlife, and even the festival at risk. Now South Australia is leading the way and using art to help people envision a green future, but they can’t solve the climate crisis alone. In this Climate Week special, we ask, how can the rest of the world follow suit?“I'd say that WOMADelaide is creating a tiny version of the planet as you would like it to be . . . If you've listened to music from Iraq or if you've listened to music from Vietnam, or if you've listened to music from Palestine and Israel, it's more difficult to say those people, we don't understand them, so we can't deal with who they are.” - Rob Brookman“We don't get exempted from climate change because we've got a green electricity grid . . . It is globally caused and has to be globally solved. So part of what we do is not to boast about what we've done, but to hope that our leadership will show others that you too can do this. Come and learn from us.” - Susan Close, Deputy Premier, South Australia“We've got the arguments, we can tell you the facts, but people don't feel it . . . [Artists] reach into your head, into your heart, they dig in and then they motivate you to action. And of course if you can also motivate the artist in every single child in South Australia, then we really have a force to change the world.” - Ruth Mackenzie“For the [Adelaide] festival to go to young people and be like, ‘Hey, we want to hear from you. We want you to be a part of this. What works do you want to see? What works do you want to make and what do you want them to be about?’, is something that doesn't happen very often . . . Hopefully it'll mean we can get more people involved.” - Caitlin Moore, Artist, Activist“The science doesn't seem to be making an impact no matter how precise. Maybe the hard facts of science do not ring a bell as much as the emotional language of the arts . . . Maybe the arts can put it in a way that it touches the hearts of your political leadership.” - President Anoté TongGuests:• Rob Brookman: Co-Founder, WOMADelaide; Director, WOMADelaide Foundation• Susan Close: Deputy Premier, South Australia• Cassandre Joseph: Streb Co-Artistic Director & Action Hero• Ruth Mackenzie: Former Artistic Director, Adelaide Festival; Program Director Arts, Culture & Creative Industries Policy, South Australia Government• Caitlin Moore: Director of Create4Adelaide, Adelaide Festival• Elizabeth Streb: STREB Founder, Co-Artistic Director & Choreographer• Anoté Tong: Former President, Republic of Kiribati• Bart Van Peel: Chief Navigating Officer, Captain Boomer Collective Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Exploring the Unfinished Business of Occupy: How Far Have We Come in Closing the Wealth Gap? Insights from Experts and Activists, Including Marisa Holmes and Taifa Smith Butler.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: Were you one of the hundreds of thousands of people on the streets during the Occupy movement? For many the movement was a political awakening, as people rallied to end economic inequality and support democracy in response to the 2008 global financial crisis. On this 13th anniversary, how does the spirit of Occupy live on? And what progress — if any — has been made when it comes to the wealth gap? Joining us for that conversation is Marisa Holmes, author of the recently released book “Organizing Occupy Wall Street: This Is Just Practice” and director of “All Day All Week: An Occupy Wall Street Story” which looks at the takeover of Zuccotti Park in New York City in September 2011. Also joining us is Taifa Smith Butler, President of Demos, a public policy organization working to build a multiracial democracy and economy. Previously she was a leader at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Award-winning journalist Amir Khafagy returns to co-host this episode. Our guests explore the links between economic inequality and authoritarianism and ask how far we've come as a nation to create structural, policy and practice-based changes on the economic front. How can we create a people-led economy that will lead to collective power? All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“During Occupy, we really rejected representative politics because it seemed not responsive to people's needs . . . So we just thought, ‘We're going to do this ourselves’. We have to build alternatives ourselves from the bottom up through mutual aid networks . . . That's what I think is going to transform the economy . . .” - Marisa Holmes“Demos has always talked about the inextricable links of economic power and political power. As I think about where we are historically with the retraction of resources, with the threat of authoritarianism and fascism and this demographic shift that is happening in our nation and the inequality that continues to proliferate, if we do nothing, we'll be looking at apartheid in America.” - Taifa Smith ButlerGuests:• Taifa Smith Butler: President, Dēmos• Marisa Holmes: Author, Organizing Occupy Wall Street• Amir Khafagy: Journalist, Report for America Member, DocumentedFull Uncut Conversation - Listen, Available via our podcast feedFull Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.    Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode Solving Economic Inequality: An Occupy Movement for this Moment?  And was recorded on July 23rd, 2024.  These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Were you one of the hundreds of thousands of people on the streets during the Occupy movement? For many the movement was a political awakening, as people rallied to end economic inequality and support democracy in response to the 2008 global financial crisis. On this 13th anniversary, how does the spirit of Occupy live on? And what progress — if any — has been made when it comes to the wealth gap? Joining us for that conversation is Marisa Holmes, author of the recently released book “Organizing Occupy Wall Street: This Is Just Practice” and director of “All Day All Week: An Occupy Wall Street Story” which looks at the takeover of Zuccotti Park in New York City in September 2011. Also joining us is Taifa Smith Butler, President of Demos, a public policy organization working to build a multiracial democracy and economy. Previously she was a leader at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Award-winning journalist Amir Khafagy returns to co-host this episode. Our guests explore the links between economic inequality and authoritarianism and ask how far we've come as a nation to create structural, policy and practice-based changes on the economic front. How can we create a people-led economy that will lead to collective power? All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“During Occupy, we really rejected representative politics because it seemed not responsive to people's needs . . . So we just thought, ‘We're going to do this ourselves’. We have to build alternatives ourselves from the bottom up through mutual aid networks . . . That's what I think is going to transform the economy . . .” - Marisa Holmes“Demos has always talked about the inextricable links of economic power and political power. As I think about where we are historically with the retraction of resources, with the threat of authoritarianism and fascism and this demographic shift that is happening in our nation and the inequality that continues to proliferate, if we do nothing, we'll be looking at apartheid in America.” - Taifa Smith Butler Guests:• Taifa Smith Butler: President, Dēmos• Marisa Holmes: Author, Organizing Occupy Wall Street• Amir Khafagy: Journalist, Report for America Member, Documented Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: What risks do working people face this Labor Day? Workers continue to die on the job and struggle to protect worker safety, but the dangers for labor go beyond bad bosses. On the federal level, the far Right’s Project 2025 playbook has plans to gut unions, fire federal workers and limit the power of agencies like the National Labor Relations Board. In this special for Labor Day, Laura Flanders is joined by co-host Maximillian Alvarez, of The Real News Network and James Goodwin, Policy Director at the Center for Progressive Reform. The episode also includes a report from the School of Labor and Urban Studies at the City University in New York on the rise of construction worker deaths in New York City; and an excerpt of “'Death Star' State: The GOP's War on Democracy”, a report from The Real News Networks’ Marc Steiner on the Texas effort to overturn workers’ rights to mandatory worker water breaks. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on people as policy, and the late union organizer and author Jane McAlevey.“You do not need to be in a union to act like one, even in the most exploitative industries with the most dangerous working conditions. When workers know their rights and band together to exercise them, they can accomplish incredible things and drastically improve their lives.” - Maximillian Alvarez“The disparities between me and my bosses are going to be made even bigger. My coworkers who may not look like me, who may be queer or people of color are going to be fearful to speak out because they don't have recognized civil rights anymore . . . That's the dynamic that Project 2025 is trying to set up . . .” - James GoodwinGuests:• James Goodwin: Policy Director, Center for Progressive Reform• Maximillian Alvarez (Co-host): Editor-in-Chief, The Real News Network; Author, The Work of LivingFull Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.    Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Transformative Power of Art: Ai Weiwei’s Stand for Palestinian Rights and Global Issues.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description:  In his recent graphic memoir “ZODIAC: A Graphic Memoir”, the renowned artist Ai Weiwei writes that artists should “ignite stories”, “fight for freedom” and “help us hope.” Over his long and defiant career, he has used his art in a wide variety of media to do just that. His past works such as "Sunflower Seeds" and "Remembering" confronted issues of censorship and human rights abuses in China; in a recent show in London, he asked questions of an AI Chatbot for his project “Ai vs AI”, including “Is there hope for peace?” Earlier this year, he faced criticism for his expressions of support for Palestinian rights and had a show in London canceled. In this wide-ranging conversation with Laura Flanders, they discuss the role of the artist and ask why is “Power so afraid of art and poets?” As attacks on free speech, surveillance and displacement continue to impact so many of us, how do we keep the doors of our minds open to possibility? And how can art and artists help lead transformation? All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“I'm not this kind of very active activist. I'm just being forced to act . . . But I'm proud of doing that because that is the meaning of life, to give dignity to life itself . . .” - Ai Weiwei“The real fear for me is [if] we lost [the] ability to ask the question. We lost our memory, we lost our sense of caring compassion . . .” - Ai Weiwei"We [do] not encourage people to have free thinking and judgment and that is the ground to produce Nazis or hypocrites. And that can come to political disaster . . . We have this kind of censorship because people cannot freely express their feelings.” - Ai WeiweiGuest:  Ai Weiwei: Conceptual Artist, Filmmaker & Human Rights Activist; Author, ZODIAC, A Graphic MemoirFull Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Full Uncut Conversation (audio podcast)Music In the Middle:  LTJ Xperience remix of “Working On It” by Bread & Souls featuring Rich Medina produced by Mark De Clive Lowe courtesy of Mashi Beats.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Breaking Media Bubbles: Join Journalist Laura Flanders and her Guests in Discussing Movement Journalism, Climate Crisis, and Advocacy. While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is an episode from our monthly meet the biopic media series titled "BIPOC Press for the People: Bursting the Corporate Media Bubble," where we discussed the crisis in journalism and what journalists are doing to take matters into their own hands.    These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donate.  Description: It is a cliché to say that the richest corporate media operate inside a bubble of their own making, but it's largely true. Today’s guests are breathing new life into the world of journalism by covering people, places and perspectives beyond the conventional enclaves of power. On this month’s Meet the BIPOC Press, Laura Flanders is joined by Chenjerai Kumanyika, a professor at NYU and prolific audio journalist, host of podcasts including “Empire City” and “Uncivil”. Neesha Powell-Ingabire is Director of Popular Education at Press On, a Southern media collective dedicated to movement journalism, and the author of a new memoir, “Come By Here”. And Mary Annaïse Heglar is an essayist covering climate, podcaster, and author of the novel “Troubled Waters” and a book for children, “The World Is Ours To Cherish”. Together they discuss the campus encampments in solidarity with Palestine, intergenerational work to stop the climate crisis, the question of objectivity and context, and how movement journalism is — or isn’t — traditional journalism. How do we break media bubbles? Join us for that conversation.“Movement journalism is journalism that is in service of liberation . . . We are very intentional about historically oppressed communities. Folks from those communities should be doing reporting on those communities and building relationships with community members and organizers on the ground.” - Neesha Powell-Ingabire“. . . Look at the history of the Black press. We didn't have the luxury to report and somehow separate that from advocacy. When you have people reporting while slavery is still legal, all kinds of Black people are being targeted in various kinds of violence. We have a long tradition of advocacy journalism.” - Chenjerai Kumanyika“Nothing has made me feel less optimistic about climate change and our ability to stop it, to mitigate it, to deal with it than the genocide and Gaza. If we cannot come together to say that is wrong and that should stop, then I have so little faith in our ability to stop ecocide.” - Mary Annaïse Heglar Guests:•. Mary Annaïse Heglar: Author, Troubled Waters; Podcaster, Spill•. Chenjerai Kumanyika: Audio Journalist, Empire City, Uncivil & Seeing White; Assistant Professor Journalism, NYU•. Neesha Powell-Ingabire: Author, COME BY HERE: A Memoir in Essays from Georgia’s Geechee Coast; Director Popular Education, Press On Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Explore Angela Davis's insights on abolition, elections, creating systemic change, Palestine, June Jordan and more in a crucial discussion with Laura Flanders.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member or to make a one time donation go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description:  With so many urgent crises tugging at our hearts, from war, to climate, to discontent and violence, people want to know: How do we set priorities and do the right thing, especially as that relates to building a better world, and to an election that seems both problematic and the most important of our time? If anyone can ground us thoughtfully in this moment, with all of its challenges and all its potential, it’s renowned professor, activist, scholar and writer Angela Davis. In her writing, lecturing and many decades of activism, Davis has shown a unique ability to pull competing struggles into a single story — a story of systems and power. In this special first episode of "Laura Flanders & Friends" (formerly, The Laura Flanders Show), Laura is joined by Angela Davis, a leading voice in the movement for abolition and feminism who has lots to share about her evolution and how decades of activism are coming together in this moment. From Palestine to elections, to our carceral state and collective liberation, this kickoff conversation is packed with Davis’ insight and the teachings from her latest book “Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1”. What has Davis learned in her 80 years as a freedom fighter? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on the words of the late poet and essayist June Jordan, who writes, “I was born a Black woman/and now/I am become a Palestinian.”“When vast numbers of people come together to defend a vision of the future that they would like to see, this is how change happens. It doesn't happen because we elect a particular person to office.” - Angela Y. Davis“[In] Birmingham, Jewish people were the very first white people to support the struggle against racism . . . Here in the US and in other parts of the world, it's actually Jewish people, young Jewish people who are in the forefront of the struggle against Zionism.” -  Angela Y. DavisGuest:  Angela Y. Davis: Professor, Activist, Scholar & Writer; Author, Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1 Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Full Uncut Conversation (audio podcast)Music In the Middle:  State of the Nation by Bokani Dyer featuring Damani Nkosi from his full length album Sechaba released on Brownswood Records.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Uncover shocking narratives and examine the rise of politically motivated threats impacting various groups within the United States.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: Political violence is on the rise and has reached just about every corner of the country, whether it's confrontations on social media, at school board meetings or the chambers of Congress. Reuters reports that we've seen some 213 cases and 39 fatalities in the U.S. since January 6, 2021 — more than we've seen in decades. Women, people of color, Muslims, Jews, and LGBTQ people are among those most vulnerable, but the group seeing the fastest increase in reported incidents are conservatives who are perceived to be out of sync with the pro-Trump, MAGA line. While most Americans oppose political violence, it remains a growing threat to our democracy. What can be done? In this episode, co-hosts Laura Flanders and 22nd Century Initiative Director Scot Nakagawa convene an expert panel to define political violence and discuss how to protect one another and democracy itself. All that, plus Laura’s commentary on “Reveal, Reframe, Resist” and reporters’ roles.“As a child of a [Black] Panther, I saw inspiration in every action. Even when I saw my mother's friends being jailed for long periods of time or even killed by police terror . . . A lot of those folks went on to continue fighting against terror of the state and building community. I wanted to be a part of that . . .” - Sala Cyril“I undertook the study because political violence is a persistent problem in the United States that I think is a fundamental threat to our democracy. My view is that one of the greatest sources of power countering that threat is actually people in communities around the country.” - Hardy Merriman“Violence has greatly limited our ability to function as an inclusive, robust, multiracial democracy that in fact, we must deal with it . . . We need to believe we can win, and we need to think about who it is that we need on our side  . . .” - Scot Nakagawa“I can report anecdotally through different interactions with conservatives that they are experiencing political violence. I've been in attendance with secretaries of state, former Lieutenant governors. They all have stories of themselves or their families being on the receiving end of political violence . . .” - Maria J. StephanGuests:• Sala Cyril: Interim Executive Director, Vision Change Win; Organizer, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, NYC• Hardy Merriman: Author, Harnessing Our Power to End (HOPE) Political Violence; Expert, Democracy Movements• Scot Nakagawa (Co-host): Executive Director, 22nd Century Initiative & 22nd Century Conference• Maria J. Stephan: Co-Lead & Chief Organizer, The Horizons Project; Co-author with Erica Chenoweth, Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Intensity in Five” by Brkn Record featuring Antohony Joseph from his album The Architecture of Oppression Part 2 released on Barely Breaking Even Records.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Uncover shocking narratives and examine the rise of politically motivated threats impacting various groups within the United States.Description: Political violence is on the rise and has reached just about every corner of the country, whether it's confrontations on social media, at school board meetings or the chambers of Congress. Reuters reports that we've seen some 213 cases and 39 fatalities in the U.S. since January 6, 2021 — more than we've seen in decades. Women, people of color, Muslims, Jews, and LGBTQ people are among those most vulnerable, but the group seeing the fastest increase in reported incidents are conservatives who are perceived to be out of sync with the pro-Trump, MAGA line. While most Americans oppose political violence, it remains a growing threat to our democracy. What can be done? In this episode, co-hosts Laura Flanders and 22nd Century Initiative Director Scot Nakagawa convene an expert panel to define political violence and discuss how to protect one another and democracy itself. All that, plus Laura’s commentary on “Reveal, Reframe, Resist” and reporters’ roles. “As a child of a [Black] Panther, I saw inspiration in every action. Even when I saw my mother's friends being jailed for long periods of time or even killed by police terror . . . A lot of those folks went on to continue fighting against terror of the state and building community. I wanted to be a part of that . . .” - Sala Cyril“I undertook the study because political violence is a persistent problem in the United States that I think is a fundamental threat to our democracy. My view is that one of the greatest sources of power countering that threat is actually people in communities around the country.” - Hardy Merriman“Violence has greatly limited our ability to function as an inclusive, robust, multiracial democracy that in fact, we must deal with it . . . We need to believe we can win, and we need to think about who it is that we need on our side  . . .” - Scot Nakagawa“I can report anecdotally through different interactions with conservatives that they are experiencing political violence. I've been in attendance with secretaries of state, former Lieutenant governors. They all have stories of themselves or their families being on the receiving end of political violence . . .” - Maria J. StephanGuests:• Sala Cyril: Interim Executive Director, Vision Change Win; Organizer, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, NYC• Hardy Merriman: Author, Harnessing Our Power to End (HOPE) Political Violence; Expert, Democracy Movements• Scot Nakagawa (Co-host): Executive Director, 22nd Century Initiative & 22nd Century Conference• Maria J. Stephan: Co-Lead & Chief Organizer, The Horizons Project; Co-author with Erica Chenoweth, Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent ConflictFull Episode Notes are posted HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Highlighting union vs. worker-owned business models in media: Hear from journalists at Defector, Hell Gate, and more.Full Uncut Conversation:  While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is an episode from our monthly meet the biopic media series titled Is Worker-Owned Media the Future of Journalism? Where we discussed the crisis in journalism and what journalists are doing to take matters into their own hands.    These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription:  The business of media is in danger — but it sure isn’t dead. Many of the rising stars that were poised to “save journalism” like Vice and Buzzfeed have either entered bankruptcy or stopped reporting on news. There have been layoffs across the industry and many newsrooms have cut back on the resources available to journalists. But workers have also organized unions, including high-profile campaigns at Condé Nast and The New Yorker, and started worker-owned media like Hell Gate and Defector. This month on “Meet the BIPOC Press”, Laura Flanders is joined by three journalists who have lived through the struggles and are a part of the solutions. Alex Sujong Laughlin is a supervising producer and co-owner at Defector; Esther Wang is a worker-owner at Hell Gate; and Tammy Kim helped organize unions at Al Jazeera America and The New Yorker, where she is a contributing writer. How do they think about the future of journalism, and what difference does it make when journalists have the freedom to speak truth to power — especially when it comes to reporting on policing and Palestine? Guests:• Tammy Kim: Contributing Writer, The New Yorker• Alex Sujong Laughlin: Supervising Producer & Co-Owner, Defector Media• Esther Wang: Co-Founder, Hell Gate; Former Senior Political Reporter, Jezebel Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

"Unpacking Christian Nationalism: 'God & Country' Documentary Explores the Roots of Violence at the Capitol"This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!How does a religion that claims to be rooted in love and peace fire people up to commit violence, as at the Capitol on January 6, 2021? In a brand-new documentary, “God & Country”, producer Rob Reiner and director Dan Partland explore Christian Nationalism — a toxic brew of patriarchal White Nationalism and messianic faith. Based on the book “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism” by Katherine Stewart, “God & Country” exposes how Christian Nationalism poses a real and immediate threat, not only to the very idea of secular democracy but also to Christianity itself. Reiner is an Emmy-winning actor and acclaimed director, best known for his work on “All In The Family”, “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Princess Bride”. He is also a political activist dedicating his time to numerous social justice causes. Partland, a veteran documentary producer and director for film and television, is a five-time Emmy nominee with two Emmys for Best Nonfiction Series including American High on Fox. Whether you’re a Christian or a concerned citizen, this episode is a must-watch. Plus, a closing commentary from Laura on becoming actively engaged in our democracy.“If you believe the United States has a God-ordained role to play in human history as a Christian nation and democracy is taking us away from those principles, then you can justify doing anything to make sure that God's will is done. That's what I think you see happening on January 6th.” - Dan Partland“Christian nationalism . . . as this political movement is not the majority. It is far from the majority. What is scary is that because of the way our system works, a very virulent minority can control our politics and that's what they've done.” - Rob ReinerGuests:• Dan Partland: Director, God & Country• Rob Reiner: Producer, God & CountryFor the Full Uncut Conversation of this podcast, Listen HERE, or search wherever you get your podcasts.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Promised Land (Homage)” a rework by Barbara Tucker and The BCrew of the Joe Smooth Classic courtesy of B Star Music Group.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Journalists of color tackle the siloing of environmental issues and the urgency of Earth Day's ideals amidst corporate greenwashing efforts.Full Uncut Conversation:  While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our Meet the BIPOC Press series.  For this edition, we assembled journalists to discuss Corporate Greenwashing and the Hidden Environmental Impact of Corporate Actions, From Infrastructure Collapse to Global Conflicts.  These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.Note: This conversation took place April 2024.  It is as relevant as ever.  At the time of the release of this full conversation the world is experiencing the hottest days ever to occur on planet Earth.Description: Corporate greenwashing has hijacked Earth Day, but the ideas behind the holiday are more urgent than ever. There are environmental issues all around us — even within recent new stories like the Baltimore bridge collapse and the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Will the media be talking about the environmental impacts of mass military onslaught this year or the corporate polluters that will dodge taxes this season? In this installment of Meet the BIPOC Press, our monthly media roundtable featuring journalists of color, hear how the idea of the environment has been siloed and why it’s up to the media to undo that. Our guests are Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University; Francesca Fiorentini, host of The Bitchuation Room podcast and Maximilian Alvarez, Editor in Chief of The Real News Network. With Laura Flanders, they unpack whether Earth Day is still relevant and how the media can help make Earth Day intersectional. Guests:•. Maximillian Alvarez: Editor-in-Chief, The Real News Network; Author, The Work of Living•. Francesca Fiorentini: Host, The Bitchuation Room Podcast•. Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò: Associate Professor Philosophy, Georgetown University; Author, Reconsidering Reparations Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description: In a world where lies travel at the speed of light, truth struggles to keep up. From AI-generated deep fakes to lightning-fast social media rumors, disinformation is reshaping our reality. In the wake of Donald Trump's shooting, falsehoods flooded our feeds faster than facts. The problem of disinformation, the deliberate spread of false or misleading information, isn’t new, but the stakes are high in this critical election year. In this monthly installment of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we ask: Who are the targets of disinformation in the run up to the 2024 election and why? Joining Laura are Tamoa Calzadilla, the editor and chief of Factchequeado, a collaborative initiative to combat mis- and disinformation targeting Latino and Spanish-speaking communities. Esosa Osa is the founder of Onyx Impact and the former Deputy Executive Director of Fair Fight Action, the voting rights organization founded by Stacey Abrams. Esosa has just released the first report of its kind looking at disinformation specifically in Black online spaces. Kadia Tubman is a disinformation correspondent for Scripps News, a national broadcast news channel based in Atlanta. What is media and government’s role in halting the spread of disinformation? Our guests share what concerned citizens can do right now to protect fact-based reporting.Guests:•. Tamoa Calzadilla: Editor in Chief, Factchequeado•. Kadia Tubman: Journalist, Disinformation Correspondent•. Esosa Osa: Founder & CEO, Onyx Impact Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Jock-A-Mo” by Cha Wa with Single Lock Records, part of New Orleans’ Muscle Shoals.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and *podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our monthly meet the biopic press series.  In this episode titled “Democracy Under Siege:  Battling Disinformation in the 2024 Election,” Laura Flanders and Friends assembled a panel of journalists to discuss who are the targets of disinformation and why.    These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Become a member at https://LauraFlanders.org/donate*Half hour Abridged broadcast version to post July 31st, 2024Description:In a world where lies travel at the speed of light, truth struggles to keep up. From AI-generated deep fakes to lightning-fast social media rumors, disinformation is reshaping our reality. In the wake of Donald Trump's shooting, falsehoods flooded our feeds faster than facts. The problem of disinformation, the deliberate spread of false or misleading information, isn’t new, but the stakes are high in this critical election year. In this monthly installment of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we ask: Who are the targets of disinformation in the run up to the 2024 election and why? Joining Laura are Tamoa Calzadilla, the editor and chief of Factchequeado, a collaborative initiative to combat mis- and disinformation targeting Latino and Spanish-speaking communities. Esosa Osa is the founder of Onyx Impact and the former Deputy Executive Director of Fair Fight Action, the voting rights organization founded by Stacey Abrams. Esosa has just released the first report of its kind looking at disinformation specifically in Black online spaces. Kadia Tubman is a disinformation correspondent for Scripps News, a national broadcast news channel based in Atlanta. What is media and government’s role in halting the spread of disinformation? Our guests share what concerned citizens can do right now to protect fact-based reporting.Guests:•. Tamoa Calzadilla: Editor in Chief, Factchequeado•. Kadia Tubman: Journalist, Disinformation Correspondent•. Esosa Osa: Founder & CEO, Onyx Impact Full Episode Notes will be posted by Sunday, July 31st, 2024 on Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends. They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!Description:  Under the view of the iconic Hollywood Sign, a struggle is being waged over the future of policing and incarceration. Los Angeles is ground zero for fights over the job of District Attorney, Police Chief, and the size of prisons and jails. It recently became one of the only cities in the US to cancel construction of a jail. Activists have forced out two police chiefs, while conservatives have brought two recall petitions against the DA. Corporations that have profited from prison communications are now profiting on electronic monitoring. And in this election year, with criminal justice reform a major issue, how are activists pushing back against false narratives on crime? Looking at the fight inside and outside the system, Laura Flanders talks to activists and elected officials in Los Angeles. All this from the city where SWAT teams were invented, from the state where Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon launched their careers, and the nationwide boom in prison construction was born. Can today's Los Angeles change the script?Guests:• Melina Abdullah: Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter, Los Angeles• Mark-Anthony Clayton-Johnson: Co-Executive Director, Dignity & Power Now• Eunisses Hernandez: Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 1• Sheila Natt: Former Teen Ankle Monitor User• Anthony Robles: Youth & Community Organizer, Dignity & Power Now Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  ““Ain’t Nothing” by Brooklyn Funk Essentials from their album Stay Good.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear. Additional Credits:  Marco Amador, Producciones Cimarron;  Juan Vu, Editor  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

 As the Republican National Convention comes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Laura talks with award-winning reporter and author, Malaika Jabali, author of "It's Not You, It’s Capitalism: Why It’s Time to Break Up and How to Move On”. Wisconsin is one of the most racially unequal states in the country, with rising housing costs outpacing wages and one of the highest Black male incarceration rates in the nation. It’s also seen a precipitous decline in Black voting — for either party. Are these things connected? Back in 2020 Jabali went to Milwaukee to find out and made a short film “Left Out“ in which she spoke to Black elected officials as well as non-voters. In this episode of Laura Flanders & Friends we’ll revisit that film, hear Jabali’s advice for concerned Dems, and answers, when it comes to the RNC, what’s in it for Black Midwesterners? All that and a commentary from Laura. Jabali is the former Senior News and Politics Editor at Essence Magazine.“It's almost a cottage industry of trying to figure out what happened with the white working class . . . The other side of that is that you have a lot of Black non-voters. A lot of Black people are saying, ‘We don't have any options between the Republican and Democratic party’ . . . So they tend to stay home. It was me trying to understand what was going on behind the numbers. I barely saw any journalism about it.” - Malaika Jabali“. . . We have a propaganda machine through the US government, media, law and policy that made it illegal to be socialists . . . Martin Luther King, the Black Power Movement, the Black Panthers, they were surveilled for any hint of thinking about any anti-capitalist thought . . . What kind of system is that where it is so hell bent on freedom, but does not give you the freedom to think about other ideas and types of policies? I don't consider that very democratic.” - Malaika JabaliGuest:  Malaika Jabali: Journalist & Author, “It’s Not You, It’s Capitalism” Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Everything Must Change” by Milwaukee Jazz artist Jeannine Rivers.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode Breaking Up With Capitalism featuring Malaika Jabali, on Wisconsin's discouraged black voters. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.Description:  As the Republican National Convention comes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Laura talks with award-winning reporter and author, Malaika Jabali, author of "It's Not You, It’s Capitalism: Why It’s Time to Break Up and How to Move On”. Wisconsin is one of the most racially unequal states in the country, with rising housing costs outpacing wages and one of the highest Black male incarceration rates in the nation. It’s also seen a precipitous decline in Black voting — for either party. Are these things connected? Back in 2020 Jabali went to Milwaukee to find out and made a short film “Left Out“ in which she spoke to Black elected officials as well as non-voters. In this episode of Laura Flanders & Friends we’ll revisit that film, hear Jabali’s advice for concerned Dems, and answers, when it comes to the RNC, what’s in it for Black Midwesterners? All that and a commentary from Laura. Jabali is the former Senior News and Politics Editor at Essence Magazine.“It's almost a cottage industry of trying to figure out what happened with the white working class . . . The other side of that is that you have a lot of Black non-voters. A lot of Black people are saying, ‘We don't have any options between the Republican and Democratic party’ . . . So they tend to stay home. It was me trying to understand what was going on behind the numbers. I barely saw any journalism about it.” - Malaika Jabali“. . . We have a propaganda machine through the US government, media, law and policy that made it illegal to be socialists . . . Martin Luther King, the Black Power Movement, the Black Panthers, they were surveilled for any hint of thinking about any anti-capitalist thought . . . What kind of system is that where it is so hell bent on freedom, but does not give you the freedom to think about other ideas and types of policies? I don't consider that very democratic.” - Malaika JabaliGuest:  Malaika Jabali: Journalist & Author, “It’s Not You, It’s Capitalism”Full Episode Notes are posted HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! Thank you for your continued support! Not a member? What does it take to be politically outspoken in Hollywood? You may know Amanda Seales from her role on HBO’s “Insecure”, her stand-up comedy, her podcast and radio show or her viral videos on social media. She’s lost agents, her publicist, and has had speaking gigs retracted for her commitment to social justice. From Black women to Palestinians in Gaza, Seales uses her platform to speak honestly about harm done to others. She talks powerfully about her experiences with the dangers of fame and celebrity in Hollywood, neurodivergence, white supremacy and a whole lot more. In this conversation, Laura Flanders asks Amanda Seales about our progress as a country, what it means to be an “artistic intellectual” and about the educators who’ve helped her along the way. Hear why Seales is “divesting from celebrity” and taking backlash from her support for Palestinians as “a badge of honor”. Plus, go behind the scenes with Seales with the full, uncut conversation from this week’s show. Laura will tell you more.“. . . You are definitely expected to just take whatever gossip is said about you. You have to take it all on the chin because you've made this somehow unspoken exchange that having monetary gain and visibility means that you have to allow harm. And what I've decided is I am divesting from celebrity.” - Amanda Seales“I lost my agents, I lost my publicist, and I have definitely had speaking engagements and different gigs retracted because of my support of Palestine and my outward support of the ending of apartheid in Palestine. I got to tell you, I take it as a badge of honor. I do. It's good trouble, rest in peace to John Lewis. I am so honored for all those people.” - Amanda SealesGuests:  Amanda Seales, Artistic Intellectual Full Episode Notes are posted the Wednesday following the podcast release and are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Hope” by Shaun Escoffery from his forth coming expanded digital album release of In The Red Room coming out on Dome Records.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode "Amanda Seales Takes the Heat: Speaking Out About Gaza & Hollywood".  These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.What does it take to be politically outspoken in Hollywood? You may know Amanda Seales from her role on HBO’s “Insecure”, her stand-up comedy, her podcast and radio show or her viral videos on social media. She’s lost agents, her publicist, and has had speaking gigs retracted for her commitment to social justice. From Black women to Palestinians in Gaza, Seales uses her platform to speak honestly about harm done to others. She talks powerfully about her experiences with the dangers of fame and celebrity in Hollywood, neurodivergence, white supremacy and a whole lot more. In this conversation, Laura Flanders asks Amanda Seales about our progress as a country, what it means to be an “artistic intellectual” and about the educators who’ve helped her along the way. Hear why Seales is “divesting from celebrity” and taking backlash from her support for Palestinians as “a badge of honor”. Plus, go behind the scenes with Seales with the full, uncut conversation from this week’s show. Laura will tell you more.“. . . You are definitely expected to just take whatever gossip is said about you. You have to take it all on the chin because you've made this somehow unspoken exchange that having monetary gain and visibility means that you have to allow harm. And what I've decided is I am divesting from celebrity.” - Amanda Seales“I lost my agents, I lost my publicist, and I have definitely had speaking engagements and different gigs retracted because of my support of Palestine and my outward support of the ending of apartheid in Palestine. I got to tell you, I take it as a badge of honor. I do. It's good trouble, rest in peace to John Lewis. I am so honored for all those people.” - Amanda SealesGuests:  Amanda Seales, Artistic Intellectual Full Episode Notes are posted the Wednesday following the podcast release and are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! Thank you for your continued support! Not a member? The business of media is in danger — but it sure isn’t dead. Many of the rising stars that were poised to “save journalism” like Vice and Buzzfeed have either entered bankruptcy or stopped reporting on news. There have been layoffs across the industry and many newsrooms have cut back on the resources available to journalists. But workers have also organized unions, including high-profile campaigns at Condé Nast and The New Yorker, and started worker-owned media like Hell Gate and Defector. This month on “Meet the BIPOC Press”, Laura Flanders is joined by three journalists who have lived through the struggles and are a part of the solutions. Alex Sujong Laughlin is a supervising producer and co-owner at Defector; Esther Wang is a worker-owner at Hell Gate; and Tammy Kim helped organize unions at Al Jazeera America and The New Yorker, where she is a contributing writer. How do they think about the future of journalism, and what difference does it make when journalists have the freedom to speak truth to power — especially when it comes to reporting on policing and Palestine?“. . . One of the biggest reasons people mentioned wanting to work for Defector was actually citing the Palestine coverage because it was so refreshing for them to see journalists speaking frankly about their opinions about what's happening and not being beholden to really archaic rules of journalistic objectivity.” - Alex Sujong Laughlin“. . . In New York, Hellgate and other local news outlets were part of an initiative to get a new bill to support local news included as part of this year's budget . . . Much to our surprise, it actually was included. [It’s] a tax credit for smaller outlets and a way to support local news in an environment where Google and Facebook have killed off all of the revenue streams. Those kinds of initiatives give me hope.” - Esther Wang". . . I think I'm still intoxicated by the dream of journalism, of being able to call anybody, of becoming an instant expert on something and then learning something else. I also think the three of us all believe that there is still a social justice component in this work . . . The existence of Hell Gate [and] Defector . . . are evidence that we're going to figure it out, that some form of journalism is going to exist and that we'll keep doing it.” - Tammy KimGuests:• Tammy Kim: Contributing Writer, The New Yorker• Alex Sujong Laughlin: Supervising Producer & Co-Owner, Defector Media• Esther Wang: Co-Founder, Hell Gate; Former Senior Political Reporter, Jezebel Full Episode Notes are posted the Wednesday following the podcast release and are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  "Pleasure, Joy & Happiness by Galliano", released on Brownswood Records..  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode "How Do We Save Our Humanity?" featuring renowned artist Ai Weiwei.  These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  In his recent graphic memoir “ZODIAC: A Graphic Memoir”, the renowned artist Ai Weiwei writes that artists should “ignite stories”, “fight for freedom” and “help us hope.” Over his long and defiant career, he has used his art in a wide variety of media to do just that. His past works such as "Sunflower Seeds" and "Remembering" confronted issues of censorship and human rights abuses in China; in a recent show in London, he asked questions of an AI Chatbot for his project “Ai vs AI”, including “Is there hope for peace?” Earlier this year, he faced criticism for his expressions of support for Palestinian rights and had a show in London canceled. In this wide-ranging conversation with Laura Flanders, they discuss the role of the artist and ask why is “Power so afraid of art and poets?” As attacks on free speech, surveillance and displacement continue to impact so many of us, how do we keep the doors of our minds open to possibility? And how can art and artists help lead transformation? All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“I'm not this kind of very active activist. I'm just being forced to act . . . But I'm proud of doing that because that is the meaning of life, to give dignity to life itself . . .” - Ai Weiwei“The real fear for me is [if] we lost [the] ability to ask the question. We lost our memory, we lost our sense of caring compassion . . .” - Ai Weiwei“We [do] not encourage people to have free thinking and judgment and that is the ground to produce Nazis or hypocrites. And that can come to political disaster . . . We have this kind of censorship because people cannot freely express their feelings.” - Ai WeiweiGuest:  Ai Weiwei: Conceptual Artist, Filmmaker & Human Rights Activist; Author, ZODIAC, A Graphic Memoir Full Episode Notes are accessible to all at Patreon.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! Thank you for your continued support! Not a member? Political violence is on the rise and has reached just about every corner of the country, whether it's confrontations on social media, at school board meetings or the chambers of Congress. Reuters reports that we've seen some 213 cases and 39 fatalities in the U.S. since January 6, 2021 — more than we've seen in decades. Women, people of color, Muslims, Jews, and LGBTQ people are among those most vulnerable, but the group seeing the fastest increase in reported incidents are conservatives who are perceived to be out of sync with the pro-Trump, MAGA line. While most Americans oppose political violence, it remains a growing threat to our democracy. What can be done? In this episode, co-hosts Laura Flanders and 22nd Century Initiative Director Scot Nakagawa convene an expert panel to define political violence and discuss how to protect one another and democracy itself. All that, plus Laura’s commentary on “Reveal, Reframe, Resist” and reporters’ roles.“As a child of a [Black] Panther, I saw inspiration in every action. Even when I saw my mother's friends being jailed for long periods of time or even killed by police terror . . . A lot of those folks went on to continue fighting against terror of the state and building community. I wanted to be a part of that . . .” - Sala Cyril“I undertook the study because political violence is a persistent problem in the United States that I think is a fundamental threat to our democracy. My view is that one of the greatest sources of power countering that threat is actually people in communities around the country.” - Hardy Merriman“Violence has greatly limited our ability to function as an inclusive, robust, multiracial democracy that in fact, we must deal with it . . . We need to believe we can win, and we need to think about who it is that we need on our side  . . .” - Scot Nakagawa“I can report anecdotally through different interactions with conservatives that they are experiencing political violence. I've been in attendance with secretaries of state, former Lieutenant governors. They all have stories of themselves or their families being on the receiving end of political violence . . .” - Maria J. StephanGuests:• Sala Cyril: Interim Executive Director, Vision Change Win; Organizer, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, NYC• Hardy Merriman: Author, Harnessing Our Power to End (HOPE) Political Violence; Expert, Democracy Movements• Scot Nakagawa (Co-host): Executive Director, 22nd Century Initiative & 22nd Century Conference• Maria J. Stephan: Co-Lead & Chief Organizer, The Horizons Project; Co-author with Erica Chenoweth, Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict Full Episode Notes are posted the Wednesday following the podcast release and are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Intensity in Five” by Brkn Record featuring Antohony Joseph from his album The Architecture of Oppression Part 2 released on Barely Breaking Even Records, BBE.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode  featuring Stephanie Flanders, on A Trump Economy & What to Watch in The Ultimate Election Year. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.   Just in time for election season, Laura invites her sister Stephanie back to the program. Stephanie is the head of Economics and Government at Bloomberg News and head of Bloomberg Economics. Sixty-four countries (plus the European Union) — nearly half of the world’s population — are facing an election this year. Some are calling 2024 “The Ultimate Election Year”, but what should we look out for? Stephanie Flanders says now is the time journalists and voters are called upon to think about the long-term issues facing their country and the world, and consider what each candidate might propose. With Donald Trump, a lot is guesswork, but Bloomberg's been running the numbers on inflation and debt - both of which are predicted to go up under the former president. Meanwhile, what exactly is Bidenomics? “Voternomics”, the newly-rebooted “Stephanomics” podcast has just launched. It will be looking at the intersection of geopolitics and the economy. In this insightful one-on-one discussion taped at the CUNY TV studios in NYC, Stephanie and Laura Flanders talk economics, elections, and a little bit about tug-of-war.  All that, plus a commentary from Laura.  Laura Flanders & Friends becomes Laura Flanders & Family this time.Full Episode Notes are accessible to all at Patreon.   Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

JUNE 17th 7pm ET - MEMBER SUPPORTERS ARE INVITED TO A VIRTUAL EVENT WITH LAURA FLANDERS AND GUEST JOSH PAUL, FORMER STATE DEPT OFFICIAL.  Learn what we can do to end the genocide!If you’re a member supporter you will have just received an exclusive invitation to a rare insider briefing on US - Israel arms sales from former state department official , Josh Paul. Paul, as you may remember quit the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs after a long career last year over accelerated US  arms sales to Israel in violation of us Human Rights law.  He continues to call for a change in United States Policy and an end to the bloodshed and on June 17th he’ll be offering us an expert briefing on the concrete requests we can make of our elected officials. We all want to stop the stop the dying and killing and hostage taking., urgently.  Paul will help tell us how. You can find our award winning interview with Josh Paul from last year.  Listen to the podcast and/or watch the show at our YouTube channel.  And if you’re not yet a member, but want to attend the briefing, it’s not too late to make a donation at Lauraflanders.org, and we’ll send you an invitation to register for the event.  That briefing’s coming up June 17th — Don’t miss it. Episode Description:  Are you planning to vote in the presidential election? It’s quite possibly the most important election in our lifetimes — and yet some Americans may forgo voting this November. Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have serious problems. How do we square the contradictions when casting our vote, and how should we think about elections altogether? As National Director of the Working Families Party (WFP), Maurice “Moe” Mitchell is interacting with voters on the ground and supporting candidates who’ve come out for a ceasefire in Gaza. The WFP’s bottom-up, third party approach is winning. What is he seeing and what is his advice in this critical election year? For starters, he says “supporting a candidate is a chess move. It's not a valentine”. He joins Laura Flanders and returning co-host Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Senior Minister at Middle Church in New York City, to break it all down. All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“The Working Families Party is a political party that is building power for working class people of all races. We believe in a country for the many, not the few. We believe that in a democracy the people should govern, not corporations and the wealthy. And the way that we do it is we're building a bottom-up, third-party approach.” - Maurice “Moe” Mitchell“Some of us are not listening . . . [Trump] intends to join a fascist campaign . . . If we're thinking of the long game, we have to ask ourselves which of these candidates has the most propensity to help us build a movement for the 20 years that we need to, or for seven generations.” - Rev. Dr. Jacqui LewisGuests:•. Maurice Mitchell: National Director, Working Families Party•. Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (Co-host): Senior Minister of Public Theology & Transformation, Middle Church, NYC Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  Joaquin’s Sacred Dance remix of “Soul of the People” by Nicola Conte from the Umoja Remixed Album also commemorating Far Out Recordings 30th anniversary. And additional music included- "In and Out" and "Steppin" by Podington Bear  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

VIRTUAL EVENT WITH LAURA FLANDERS AND GUEST JOSH PAUL, FORMER STATE DEPT OFFICIALIf you’re a member supporter you will have just received an exclusive invitation to a rare insider briefing on US - Israel arms sales from former state department official , Josh Paul. Paul, as you may remember quit the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs after a long career last year over accelerated US  arms sales to Israel in violation of us Human Rights law.  He continues to call for a change in United States Policy and an end to the bloodshed and on June 17th he’ll be offering us an expert briefing on the concrete requests we can make of our elected officials. We all want to stop the stop the dying and killing and hostage taking., urgently.  Paul will help tell us how. You can find our award winning interview with Josh Paul from last year.  Listen to the podcast and/or watch the show at our YouTube channel.  And if you’re not yet a member, but want to attend the briefing, it’s not too late to make a donation at Lauraflanders.org, and we’ll send you an invitation to register for the event.  That briefing’s coming up June 17th — Don’t miss it. EPISODE DESCRIPTION:  Four years after the murder of George Floyd and the mass protests against policing that followed, corporate media claim that voters have turned on “defunding the police" — the movement to shift public resources away from policing and into other approaches to improving public health and safety. But what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to this issue, and where does the 'defund' movement stand? In this episode, three journalists reporting from the frontlines on matters of policing and prisons share what they see on the ground, within police departments, and in the media. Cerise Castle is a Los Angeles-based reporter who created “A Tradition of Violence”, a podcast about gangs inside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, based on an extensive investigation into more than five decades of terror, murder and abuse; Lewis Raven Wallace, of Durham, NC, is the author and creator of “The View from Somewhere”, a book and podcast about the problematic political history of journalistic objectivity, and the Abolition Journalism Fellow at Interrupting Criminalization, a multi movement resource hub for advocates, and Kelly Hayes is a Menominee author, organizer, educator and photographer from Chicago. She also hosts the Truthout podcast “Movement Memos" and is co-author (with Mariame Kaba) of the book “Let This Radicalize You”. What is the corporate media getting wrong about the defund movement? All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“I thought about my own vulnerability when doing this reporting. While I was still reporting my initial series on deputy gangs, I received several messages from people inside the department that they were in fear for my life . . . The repercussions have been very real for me, but it is not anything that would ever stop me from doing this work.” - Cerise Castle“When I look at what's happening in Palestine and I see the AI targeting that's being used to select targets for assassination at an inhuman pace, and when I look at the mass surveillance apparatus that Palestinian people are subjected to and most importantly the normalization of this mass annihilation of people, I see threats to all of us, things that we should all expect to be pervasive.” - Kelly Hayes“We have to some extent defunded the police here in the city of Durham and . . . moved money out of the police budget and into a whole new city department that is geared toward community safety through non-police responses . . . People can call an alternative number and have trained crisis responders show up . . . and come without police.” - Lewis Raven WallaceGuests:•. Cerise Castle: Journalist•. Kelly Hayes: Host, Movement Memos; Co-Author, Let This Radicalize You•. Lewis Raven Wallace: Author, The View from Somewhere; Abolition Media Fellow, Interrupting Criminalization Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “We Need Freedom” by Brkn Record aka Jake Ferguson featuring Jermain Jackman from his self released album The Architecture of Oppression Part 2 released on BBE, Barely Breaking Even Records. And additional music included- "In and Out" and "Steppin" by Podington Bear  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

JUNE 17TH 7PM - VIRTUAL EVENT WITH LAURA FLANDERS AND GUEST JOSH PAUL, FORMER STATE DEPT OFFICIAL -Donate today and you’ll receive an invitation to an exclusive, insider briefing with Josh Paul, the state department official who resigned last fall in protest of escalating U.S. arms sales to Israel, and has been advocating for change ever since. If you’re already a donor, check your email inbox for your invitation. If you’re not a donor, there’s still time to chip in and join us.Episode Description:  While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode Domestic Violence Survivor & Homeless Too? A CA Cohort Shows What Can Be Done. This July VOCA (the federal Victims of Crimes Act) which funds services for people who find themselves homeless due to domestic violence is slated to lose 45% of its funding.  In this episode we address what can be done.  For this, Laura is joined by two survivors of domestic violence-related homelessness, who are now policy advocates. Teniecka Drake is with Rainbow Services and Yenni Rivera Martinez, with the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. Also joining us is Krista Colon, Senior Director of Public Policy & Communications Strategies for the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Please consider becoming a monthly supporter for a few dollars a month… go to https://Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends Guests:• Krista Colón: Senior Director of Public Policy & Communications Strategies, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence • Teniecka Drake: Survivor Advocates Team, Rainbow Services• Yenni Rivera Martinez: Family System CES Coordinator, LAHSA (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority); Survivor Advocate, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence Full Episode Notes are accessible to all at https://Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

In a time of division, how do we create a sense of collective freedom? It’s a question that peace activist, artist and poet Genesis Be grapples with in all her work. Genesis Be has a new book out, People Not Things: Love Poems & Paintings for Humanity, and recently curated the Freedom Rising art show in Brooklyn, New York featuring work by incarcerated artists currently held by the Georgia Department of Corrections. She is the subject of the upcoming film “Mississippi Turning” about the successful years-long effort to remove the Confederate symbol from the state’s flag. In this episode taped at the CUNY studios in NYC, we turn to a poet and a preacher. Genesis Be joins Laura Flanders and co-host Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, the Senior Minister for Public Theology and Transformation at Middle Church, to discuss how to reject stigmas and advance liberation. Genesis Be painted in the studio — for her and us it was a first. “I did my protest about the confederate flag that went viral, I hung a noose around my neck and draped myself in a confederate flag . . . It was a very scary time for me because I got thrown into the fight to change the Mississippi State flag. There were a lot of death threats, but a lot of support during that time.” - Genesis Be “The word freedom is hijacked often by folks: freedom from having to change, freedom from having to admit the humanity of others, freedom from having to widen the tent, freedom from having to let go of their sense of exceptionalism . . . This [conference] was a gathering of like-minded folks sharing a dream of all of us belonging and all of us saving this democracy, interfaith, intergenerational.” - Rev. Dr. Jacqui LewisGuests:•. Genesis Be: Poet, Peace Activist, Artist; Author, People Not Things: Love Poems & Paintings for Humanity•. Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (Co-host): Senior Minister of Public Theology & Transformation, Middle Church, NYC Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  “Blind Lady Say (Be Love)” by Genesis Be;  "Steppin" and "The Gall" by Podington Bear. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

If you believe in big-picture media like ours, help us stay on-air through the year. People rely on our reporting and we are committed to keep going. Are you committed too? Make a contribution at our website today and do your part to give voters the news they need.  We’re in the midst of our May Day to Memorial Day membership drive.  We're asking you to join us in raising $25,000. Thanks for listening and thanks for your continued support. It is a cliché to say that the richest corporate media operate inside a bubble of their own making, but it's largely true. Today’s guests are breathing new life into the world of journalism by covering people, places and perspectives beyond the conventional enclaves of power. On this month’s Meet the BIPOC Press, Laura Flanders is joined by Chenjerai Kumanyika, a professor at NYU and prolific audio journalist, host of podcasts including “Empire City” and “Uncivil”. Neesha Powell-Ingabire is Director of Popular Education at Press On, a Southern media collective dedicated to movement journalism, and the author of a new memoir, “Come By Here”. And Mary Annaïse Heglar is an essayist covering climate, podcaster, and author of the novel “Troubled Waters” and a book for children, “The World Is Ours To Cherish”. Together they discuss the campus encampments in solidarity with Palestine, intergenerational work to stop the climate crisis, the question of objectivity and context, and how movement journalism is — or isn’t — traditional journalism. How do we break media bubbles? Join us for that conversation.“Movement journalism is journalism that is in service of liberation . . . We are very intentional about historically oppressed communities. Folks from those communities should be doing reporting on those communities and building relationships with community members and organizers on the ground.” - Neesha Powell-Ingabire“. . . Look at the history of the Black press. We didn't have the luxury to report and somehow separate that from advocacy. When you have people reporting while slavery is still legal, all kinds of Black people are being targeted in various kinds of violence. We have a long tradition of advocacy journalism.” - Chenjerai Kumanyika“Nothing has made me feel less optimistic about climate change and our ability to stop it, to mitigate it, to deal with it than the genocide and Gaza. If we cannot come together to say that is wrong and that should stop, then I have so little faith in our ability to stop ecocide.” - Mary Annaïse HeglarGuests:•. Mary Annaïse Heglar: Author, Troubled Waters; Podcaster, Spill•. Chenjerai Kumanyika: Audio Journalist, Empire City, Uncivil & Seeing White; Assistant Professor Journalism, NYU•. Neesha Powell-Ingabire: Author, COME BY HERE: A Memoir in Essays from Georgia’s Geechee Coast; Director Popular Education, Press On Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  Be The Change by Nation Beat from their latest album Archaic Humans released on Rope a Dope Records..  "Steppin" and "The Gall" by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  This May, we're asking you to join us in raising $25,000.  You can contribute by making a one-time donation or by making it monthly at Patreon. As Angela says, "when vast numbers of people come together . . . this is how change happens."  Please come together with us now!These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.Description: With so many urgent crises tugging at our hearts, from war, to climate, to discontent and violence, people want to know: How do we set priorities and do the right thing, especially as that relates to building a better world, and to an election that seems both problematic and the most important of our time? If anyone can ground us thoughtfully in this moment, with all of its challenges and all its potential, it’s renowned professor, activist, scholar and writer Angela Davis. In her writing, lecturing and many decades of activism, Davis has shown a unique ability to pull competing struggles into a single story — a story of systems and power. In this special first episode of "Laura Flanders & Friends" (formerly, The Laura Flanders Show), Laura is joined by Angela Davis, a leading voice in the movement for abolition and feminism who has lots to share about her evolution and how decades of activism are coming together in this moment. From Palestine to elections, to our carceral state and collective liberation, this kickoff conversation is packed with Davis’ insight and the teachings from her latest book “Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1”. What has Davis learned in her 80 years as a freedom fighter? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on the words of the late poet and essayist June Jordan, who writes, “I was born a Black woman/and now/I am become a Palestinian.” Guest:  Angela Y. Davis: Professor, Activist, Scholar & Writer; Author, Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1. Full Episode Notes are available as a post on our Patreon page. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends... Please share our posts:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

If you believe in big-picture media like ours, help us stay on-air through the year. People rely on our reporting and we are committed to keep going. Are you committed too? Make a contribution at our website today and do your part to give voters the news they need.  We’re in the midst of our May Day to Memorial Day membership drive.  We're asking you to join us in raising $25,000. Thanks for listening and thanks for your continued support. The war on women takes many forms — take homelessness for example. Experiencing intimate partner violence places a person at particular risk of homelessness. For those who do manage to escape, it’s confusing and often impossible to get help. What might make a difference? Some are calling for more gender-conscious policy. Organizations across California are coming together to address this issue, break down silos and bring survivors into decision-making. But their work is in danger. This July, VOCA (the federal Victims of Crimes Act), which funds everything from crisis hotlines to transitional housing, is slated to lose 45% of its funding. What can be done? Laura Flanders is joined by Teniecka Drake, a US Air Force veteran, and Yenni Rivera Martinez, two survivors of domestic violence-related homelessness who now work as advocates, and Krista Colón, the Senior Director of Public Policy for the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. How does housing policy need to change? And what difference does applying a gender lens make? And later in the show Laura shares some closing thoughts on the cruel punishment case involving a homeless woman that is currently before the Supreme Court.“The lack of housing for survivors and the struggles of survivors navigating the homelessness system is a commonality shared all across the state. [The HOME Cohort is] bringing folks together to work on shared solutions . . . They've produced tools for survivors . . .” - Krista Colón“See the person, not just the data. The data is attached to a person. In order to make the proper policies, you need to know who you're affecting, your constituents. You need to know who they are.” - Teniecka Drake"You don't end up with zero, you end up with negative because now you're borrowing money, especially once you have a baby. How do you get formula? How do you get diapers? How do you get clothing?” - Yenni Rivera MartinezGuests:• Krista Colón: Senior Director of Public Policy & Communications Strategies, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence • Teniecka Drake: Survivor Advocates Team, Rainbow Services• Yenni Rivera Martinez: Family System CES Coordinator, LAHSA (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority); Survivor Advocate, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence Correction: In the study referenced in the intro it is 17 percent of cis-women - and 8 percent of all individuals experiencing homelessness - not 35 percent - who reported also experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence. https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/sites/default/files/2024-01/IPV%20Report%202024.pdf Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle: Eric Kupper remix of “U Try Livin’ Pressure” by Black Guy White Guy and 808 BEACH featuring Anelisa Lamola related by The Red Hot Organization.  "Steppin" and "The Gall" by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation.  The following is from our episode Trust-Busting 2024: A Bipartisan Battle Against Monopoly Power where we look at the actions underway to tackle the problem of monopolies and the detrimental impact the concentration of power in this way can have on consumers, workers and the democratic project.  Laura’s guests are two experts who’ve been involved for decades in anti-trust action Stacy Mitchell, the Co-Executive Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance & Matt Stoller, Research Director for the American Economic Liberties Project. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.  Please consider becoming a monthly supporter for a few dollars a month… go to https://Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriendsGuests:•  Stacy Mitchell: Co-Executive Director, Institute for Local Self-Reliance•  Matt Stoller: Research Director, American Economic Liberties Project; Publisher, BIG & Author, Goliath: The Hundred Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy Full Episode Notes are accessible to all at https://Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

We’re in the midst of our May Day to Memorial Day membership drive.  We're asking you to join us in raising $25,000 - the cost to produce one episode.  Please contribute by making a one-time donation or make it monthly, goto lauraflanders.org/donate   As Angela says, "when vast numbers of people come together . . . this is how change happens."  Please come together with us now!  Thanks for listening and thanks for your continued support. Just in time for election season, Laura invites her sister Stephanie back to the program. Stephanie is the head of Economics and Government at Bloomberg News and head of Bloomberg Economics. Sixty-four countries (plus the European Union) — nearly half of the world’s population — are facing an election this year. Some are calling 2024 “The Ultimate Election Year”, but what should we look out for? Stephanie Flanders says now is the time journalists and voters are called upon to think about the long-term issues facing their country and the world, and consider what each candidate might propose. With Donald Trump, a lot is guesswork, but Bloomberg's been running the numbers on inflation and debt - both of which are predicted to go up under the former president. Meanwhile, what exactly is Bidenomics? “Voternomics”, the newly-rebooted “Stephanomics” podcast has just launched. It will be looking at the intersection of geopolitics and the economy. In this insightful one-on-one discussion taped at the CUNY TV studios in NYC, Stephanie and Laura Flanders talk economics, elections, and a little bit about tug-of-war.  All that, plus a commentary from Laura.  Laura Flanders & Friends becomes Laura Flanders & Family this time.“. . . This is an opportunity to be thinking about not just what a politician is saying, but what are the long-term issues facing this country, any country? Are those policy recommendations fit for purpose? . . . Elections are opportunities for voters and journalists to raise their eyes to the horizon a little bit.” - Stephanie Flanders“[With tariffs] the goal is to make domestically produced goods look more attractive and cheaper . . . We saw with the tariffs under the previous Trump administration — many of which have been continued under President Biden, we should remember — that the overall effect was to lose cost jobs and to add to inflation.” - Stephanie FlandersGuest:  Stephanie Flanders: Head of Economics and Government at Bloomberg Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle: "Wall of Indifference" by Raul Midon, from his album Lost & Found courtesy of the artist.  "Steppin" and "The Gall" by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

We’re in the midst of our May Day to Memorial Day membership drive.  We're asking you to join us in raising $25,000 - the cost to produce one episode.  Please contribute by making a one-time donation or make it monthly, goto lauraflanders.org/donate   As Angela says, "when vast numbers of people come together . . . this is how change happens."  Please come together with us now!  Thanks for listening and thanks for your continued support.When it comes to crime and migration, all sorts of politicians have justified mass detention and incarceration in the name of confronting a dangerous crisis. But what's real and what's fear mongering, and how can reformers counter the rhetoric to advance alternatives? In this episode, Laura Flanders and co-host Amir Khafagy speak with Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network, about her new book is “UNBUILD WALLS: Why Immigrant Justice Needs Abolition”, and Aron Thorn, Senior Attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project’s Beyond Borders Program about the road ahead. Texas Governor Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star program and the state-based deportation process proposed in his state's Senate Bill SB4 could set the tone for the country. Activists can do their best to call out abuses, but what is really needed is an entirely new approach. What difference would an abolitionist lens make?“I find it very troubling that we have economies that are solely dependent on the exploitation of immigrant labor. This country depends on the exploitation of immigrant labor, yet you're seeing all these draconian measures, especially in places like Texas and now New York . . .” - Amir Khafagy“There's been some minor reforms here and there . . . I don't want to dismiss that, but none of it's been at the scale that it needs to be. There needs to be a real investment that doesn't just let the Republicans dictate the debate . . .” - Silky Shah“It's fascinating to see my colleagues in New York grappling with some of the same really difficult questions that border Texans have grappled with for a really long time. What does it look like to give meaningful support to folks who are coming here and seeking a better life?” - Aron ThornGuests:• Amir Khafagy (Co-host): Journalist, Report for America Member, Documented• Silky Shah: Director, Detention Watch Network; Author, Unbuild Walls• Aron Thorn: Senior Attorney, Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP), Beyond Borders Program Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.Music In the Middle:  RUMTUM remix of “Mirage” by Captain Planet courtesy of Bastard Jazz Records..  "Steppin" and "The Gall" by Podington Bear.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Thanks for taking the time to listen to the full conversation from our episode “Post-Dobbs Crisis: Visions for Abortion Access & Radical Care.” These full uncut conversations are made possible thanks to our member supporters. We are an independent media organization that is dependent on our member supporters. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter for a few dollars a month…goto https://Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriendss There are more anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers than there are abortion clinics in the U.S., even in states like New York where abortion is legal. Fake clinics are feeding people disinformation, laws are criminalizing doctors and patients, and the climate of stigma and fear has only worsened since the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health in 2022. The Dobbs decision took away the constitutional right to abortion, abandoned almost fifty years of precedent, and paved the way for states to ban abortion entirely, as more than a dozen have. In this episode, Laura Flanders and co-host Adaku Utah explore the situation in a so-called safe haven (New York), and the frameworks for care that BIPOC reproductive justice activists — whose people have never been served well by the health system — are drawing on for strength and survival today. Our guests are Elizabeth Estrada, New York Field & Advocacy Manager at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice and Chelsea Williams-Diggs, Executive Director of the New York Abortion Access Fund. Join us to hear why community care and “chisme” are critical in this moment.Guests:• Elizabeth Estrada: NY Field & Advocacy Manager, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice• Adaku Utah: Senior Manager of Movement Building Programs, Building Movement Project; Organizer, Grassroots Strategist, Politicized Healer• Chelsea Williams-Diggs: Executive Director, New York Abortion Access FundChelsea Williams-Diggs: Executive Director, New York Abortion Access Fund Full Episode Notes are accessible to all at Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel