Laura Flanders and Friends: Solutions-Focused Progressive Perspectives on Politics, News, and Culture

Synopsis: The directors of CYCLE invite viewers to confront the eerie stillness that follows many cases of police brutality, where no footage, public pressure, or accountability exist, and instead, inspire collective change. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Would we know from our media that over 1,000 people are killed by police every year in the U.S.? The stories of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are exceptions, but for the victims we don’t hear about, there’s CYCLE. The newly-released investigative feature documentary from LionArt Media focuses on the 2019 killing of Ty’rese West, an 18-year-old Black teenager from Racine, Wisconsin who was shot to death after being pulled over by a Mount Pleasant police officer for riding a bicycle with no headlights. No videos were taken, the details of West’s death were withheld from the community and the subsequent police report. Made in close collaboration with West’s mother, Monique West, the film follows the story of Ty’rese’s death and the lawsuit that ensued. CYCLE is an invitation, “. . . to interrupt the silence that follows so many cases that never go viral — cases where there’s no footage, no public pressure, and no accountability,” say director Laura Dyan Kezman and co-director William Howell, both Racine natives. Dyan Kezman is an award-winning director, DP, and editor, and the founder of LionArt Media committed to telling bold, socially driven stories that examine justice, culture, and civic engagement. Howell is a cinematographer, editor, and director based in Milwaukee. He was the cinematographer of ‘The Rise and Fall of Coo Coo Cal’ and the director of the 2020 film ‘You Don’t Know Me’. Join the CYCLE directors and Laura Flanders for this powerful conversation on police accountability and community action, plus a commentary on the media quiet about Trump’s massive military build-up in the Caribbean. “. . . We started this film in 2019 with the intention of not making an angry film, but we didn't quite know what the film needed to be yet. Then COVID hit, Ahmaud Arbery was killed, and then Breonna Taylor was killed, and then George Floyd was killed . . . We felt it then, that this was something so much bigger than us in terms of us telling Tyrese's story in that moment.” - Laura Dyan Kezman “The call to action, that's when I see, more than anything, that we achieved our goal. People are not leaving these theaters angry . . . They're leaving and saying, what can we do? What can I do? What can we do together as people to help create this change?” - William Howell Guests: • William Howell: Co-Director & Producer, CYCLE • Laura Dyan Kezman: Director, Editor & Producer, CYCLE Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel November 9th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio November 12th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Police Violence Against Latinos: The Shocking Data We Now Know: Watch / Listen: Episode • Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”: Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • The Defund Movement in 2024: Frontline Reporters Separate Myth from Reality: Watch / Listen: Episode Related Articles and Resources: • ‘CYCLE’ comes home: Racine premiere unites community in a call for action, by Heather Asiyanbi and Grant Ritchey, July 21st, 2025, Racine County Eye • Mapping Police Violence: “Law enforcement agencies across the country are failing to provide us...

North Carolina leads a new wave of gerrymandering battles ahead of the 2026 midterms. Laura Flanders revisits how redistricting there reveals the national struggle over democracy and fair representation. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description [original release date May 7, 2023] As the 2026 midterm elections approach, North Carolina has once again become ground zero in the fight over American democracy. In this re-release of “Deciding the Fate of Democracy in North Carolina,” Laura Flanders and her guests revisit how extreme gerrymandering has reshaped political power and voter representation in one of the nation’s key swing states. North Carolina is now the first swing state to draw new congressional districts amid a nationwide push by both parties to lock in advantages before the next election. What’s at stake for democracy—not just in North Carolina, but across the country? Tune in as Laura Flanders & Friends explore the local stories behind this national struggle, and what it reveals about the future of fair representation in America. Guests: Hilary Harris Klein: Senior Counsel of Voting Rights, Southern Coalition for Social Justice Irving L. Joyner: Professor of Law, North Carolina Central University School of Law Serena Sebring: Executive Director, Blueprint NC Josh Stein: Attorney General, North Carolina Angela M. Thorpe: Executive Director, Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice Watch this episode on YouTube Full Show Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more to dive deeper. Music In the Middle: "Wings" by Terry Callier courtesy of Mr. Bongo Records. Additional music, 'Steppin' & 'Electric Car' by Podington Bear. "Unsilenced" by Ketsa. Original Sound Design by Jeannie Hopper. RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • The Forgotten Coup, January 6th & the Small Town Americans on the Frontlines of Democracy Watch / Download Podcast • Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection Watch / Download Podcast • North Carolina: Courageous Conversations in a Climate of Fear Watch / Download Podcast • Lisa Graves: The Extremist Revolutions & Democracy Hanging by a Thread Watch / Download Podcast • Democratizing Democracy: Redistricting by the People Watch / Download Podcast Related Articles and Resources: • North Carolinas Republicans Just Took Gerrymandering to a Whole New Level, by Laura Flanders, The Nation, Read Here • Moore vs. Harper Explained, by Eliza Sweren-Becker & Ethan Herenstein, The Brennan Center, Read Here • North Carolina Supreme Court delivers three sweeping blows to voting rights, opinion. by The Editorial Board, The News & Observer, Read Here • What Happens to Moore v. Harper after the latest North Carolina Supreme Court decision in the partisan gerrymandering case? by Derek Muller, ElectionLawBlog.org Read Here • The ‘Independent State Legislature Theory,’ Explained, by Ethan Herenstein & Thomas Wolf, The Brennan Center, read here Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends Patreon:...

Synopsis: The Trump administration’s aggressive use of ICE agents and National Guardsmen has sparked outrage among lawmakers like Rep. Pramila Jayapal and veteran activists such as Janessa Goldbeck; they join forces to discuss what can be done now. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: The U.S. military is sworn to serve the Constitution, but that’s getting complicated under Donald Trump. The President has deployed National Guard troops to half a dozen U.S. cities against the wishes of local officials and ICE agents are roaming around communities acting under unclear rules. Now the President is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act. What difference would that make? Laura’s guests are U.S. House Representative Pramila Jayapal and Marine veteran Janessa Goldbeck, who say it’s time to reject authoritarianism and uphold the Constitution. Congresswoman Jayapal is the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement and represents Washington State’s 7th Congressional District. She has been at the forefront of congressional oversight and opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Captain Goldbeck is CEO of Vet Voice, a national nonprofit that mobilizes veterans and military families to shape American democracy and defend the values they swore to protect. What can Congress, veterans and the general public do to stop the militarization of our cities? Join us for this powerful conversation, plus a commentary on the other times that the U.S. government has turned its military inward. “What law enforcement should be doing — of any kind, whether it's ICE, National Guard, whoever — is trying to deescalate. What we clearly see this set of military actors doing is escalate, right? When you crack down brutally, when you shoot a rubber bullet at a faith leader in Chicago, or when you violently push someone down to the ground, who by the way happens to be the father of three U.S. Marines . . . I think that is really an attempt to suppress any kind of dissent.” - Rep. Pramila Jayapal Guests: • Captain Janessa Goldbeck: Marine Corps Veteran; CEO, Vet Voice Foundation • Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal: D-WA, 7th Congressional District Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel November 3rd, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio November 6th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Another January 6 Insurrection? 'War Game' Film Asks if We’re Ready: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation • Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut • Inside the MAGA Movement: What Happens Now?: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • The Resistance Lab, grassroots trainings led by Pramila Jayapal and thought leaders from across the movement. • Pentagon orders states’ national guards to form ‘quick reaction forces’ for ‘crowd control’ by Aaron Glantz, October 29, 2025, The Guardian • Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal at No Kings protest Seattle: ‘We are the people’s movement that will save our democracy’, October 18, 2025 - Watch - King5.com •. We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days. by Nicole Foy & photography by Sarahbeth Maney, October 16, 2025, ProPublica • FAQ on Refusing Illegal Orders, by JMB, June 18, 2025, Military Law Task Force Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Music Credit: "Steppin" by Podington Bear, “Of Peace” by Galliano from the album Halfway Somewhere Expanded released on Brownswood Recordings and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member...

Synopsis- US Cities Under Siege: National Guard Deployed Despite Local Opposition: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Marine veteran Janessa Goldbeck join us to discuss the implications of Trump's actions and what Congress, veterans, and the public can do to stop the militarization of American cities. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: The U.S. military is sworn to serve the Constitution, but that’s getting complicated under Donald Trump. The President has deployed National Guard troops to half a dozen U.S. cities against the wishes of local officials and ICE agents are roaming around communities acting under unclear rules. Now the President is threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act. What difference would that make? Laura’s guests are U.S. House Representative Pramila Jayapal and Marine veteran Janessa Goldbeck, who say it’s time to reject authoritarianism and uphold the Constitution. Congresswoman Jayapal is the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement and represents Washington State’s 7th Congressional District. She has been at the forefront of congressional oversight and opposition to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Captain Goldbeck is CEO of Vet Voice, a national nonprofit that mobilizes veterans and military families to shape American democracy and defend the values they swore to protect. What can Congress, veterans and the general public do to stop the militarization of our cities? Join us for this powerful conversation, plus a commentary on the other times that the U.S. government has turned its military inward. “What we're seeing now is the president attempting to reshape the U.S. military into a tool of his own domestic political control . . . And then to deploy uniformed service members and the National Guard across the country against the wishes of local elected leaders . . . I feel a lot of sadness and frustration on behalf of those who are serving in uniform today who are being put into this very partisan political position by the United States president.” - Janessa Goldbeck “What law enforcement should be doing — of any kind, whether it's ICE, National Guard, whoever — is trying to deescalate. What we clearly see this set of military actors doing is escalate, right? When you crack down brutally, when you shoot a rubber bullet at a faith leader in Chicago, or when you violently push someone down to the ground, who by the way happens to be the father of three U.S. Marines . . . I think that is really an attempt to suppress any kind of dissent.” - Rep. Pramila Jayapal Guests: • Captain Janessa Goldbeck: Marine Corps Veteran; CEO, Vet Voice Foundation • Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal: D-WA, 7th Congressional District Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel November 3rd, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio November 6th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Another January 6 Insurrection? 'War Game' Film Asks if We’re Ready: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation • Community Safety in a Time of Insurrection: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut • Inside the MAGA Movement: What Happens Now?: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • The Resistance Lab, grassroots trainings led by Pramila Jayapal and thought leaders from across the movement. • Pentagon orders states’ national guards to form ‘quick reaction forces’ for...

What a Mamdani Win Would Mean for Local Communities**: As the mayoral race heats up, we examine how a Mamdani administration would impact working-class families in New York City, with a focus on affordable housing, policy prescriptions, and the potential shift in national politics, featuring insights from Laura Flanders and journalists working around the country for this month's Meet the BIPOC Press. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Wherever you are in the county, you’ve probably heard the name “Zohran Mamdani”. New York City’s mayoral race is a national story, and it’s hard to overstate the significance of the leading candidate in this moment. If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim-American and only the second Democratic Socialist Mayor of the largest city in the U.S. His victory, on a promise to make New York affordable for working people, would have implications for politics everywhere. The race is already garnering both excitement and anxiety. President Trump is threatening to withhold federal funding for New York City if Mamdani wins. From Chicago to Dearborn, Michigan, journalists are watching. In this installment of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, Laura Flanders speaks with Felipe De La Hoz, investigative immigration and policy reporter whose work has been featured in The Intercept, The Washington Post, New York Mag and The Nation; Osama Siblani, publisher and founder of The Arab American News, the largest Arab American newspaper in the U.S., and Asha Ransby-Sporn, organizer and writer for In These Times and co-founder of Black Youth Project 100, where she led the group's national organizing program. Join us as we explore what a Mamdani victory would signal for the nation. Guests: • Felipe De La Hoz: Immigration & Policy Reporter, Epicenter NYC • Asha Ransby-Sporn: Writer & Political Strategist; Columnist, In These Times • Osama Siblani: Publisher, The Arab American News Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel October 26th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio October 29th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. The full uncut conversation is also available to podcast subscribers. RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Farm Workers to Farm Owners- Watch / Listen: Episode • These Films Keep People Out of Prison- Watch / Listen: Episode • Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • Mamdani, Black Farmers, USDA & ICE: The Stories BIPOC Journalists Uncover- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • California City Residents Denounce Plan to Build State’s Largest Immigrant Detention Center, by ACoM, August 4, 2025, American Community Media • Dolores Huerta Leads Protest Against California’s Largest Planned ICE Detention Center, by Steve Virgen, CA Neighborhood Reporter, July 30, 2025, 23ABC News KERO • Forbes Power Women’s Summit 2025: Building What’s Next, September 25, 2025, Forbes • About el Teatro Campesino’s Luis Valdez, Founding Artistic Director Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Music Credit: "Libertango” by Stephan Wrembel’s from the ‘Django New Orleans II Hors Série’' courtesy of the artist, "Steppin" by Podington Bear and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development...

Synopsis: The mayoral candidate who's got the nation talking, Zohran Mamdani, is on track to make history as New York City's first Muslim-American and second Democratic Socialist mayor. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Wherever you are in the county, you’ve probably heard the name “Zohran Mamdani”. New York City’s mayoral race is a national story, and it’s hard to overstate the significance of the leading candidate in this moment. If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim-American and only the second Democratic Socialist Mayor of the largest city in the U.S. His victory, on a promise to make New York affordable for working people, would have implications for politics everywhere. The race is already garnering both excitement and anxiety. President Trump is threatening to withhold federal funding for New York City if Mamdani wins. From Chicago to Dearborn, Michigan, journalists are watching. In this installment of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, Laura Flanders speaks with Felipe De La Hoz, investigative immigration and policy reporter whose work has been featured in The Intercept, The Washington Post, New York Mag and The Nation; Osama Siblani, publisher and founder of The Arab American News, the largest Arab American newspaper in the U.S., and Asha Ransby-Sporn, organizer and writer for In These Times and co-founder of Black Youth Project 100, where she led the group's national organizing program. Join us as we explore what a Mamdani victory would signal for the nation. “. . . There's this sense that [Left-leaning candidates] have to essentially be apologizing for their policy prescriptions and their stances. Mamdani has not done that . . . For the most part, he very much embraces who he is and what his policy prescriptions are.” - Felipe De La Hoz “I hate giving labels. I don't look at Mandani as a progressive. I look at him as representing the anger and anguish of people who have been left behind with the political apparatus.” - Osama Siblani “More so than I am concerned with Black people being pulled to the Right or being pulled in by Trump . . . I think what we see are people who are disengaged and feel like our political system isn't going to deliver for them at all. Who feel let down by the establishment Democratic party that has sold all of us out for decades, and Black people have borne an enormous amount of the brunt of that impact.” - Asha Ransby-Sporn Guests: • Felipe De La Hoz: Immigration & Policy Reporter, Epicenter NYC • Asha Ransby-Sporn: Writer & Political Strategist; Columnist, In These Times • Osama Siblani: Publisher, The Arab American News Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel October 26th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio October 29th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Farm Workers to Farm Owners- Watch / Listen: Episode • These Films Keep People Out of Prison- Watch / Listen: Episode • Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • Mamdani, Black Farmers, USDA & ICE: The Stories BIPOC Journalists Uncover- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • California City Residents Denounce Plan to Build State’s Largest Immigrant Detention Center, by ACoM, August 4, 2025, American Community Media • Dolores Huerta Leads Protest Against California’s Largest Planned ICE Detention Center, by Steve Virgen, CA...

Synopsis: In a conversation that spans decades of activism, Ellen Gavin and Dolores Huerta join Laura Flanders to discuss the role of narratives in breaking down silos and fears, highlighting the impact of storytelling on building movements and inspiring courage in the face of adversity. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: People are taking to the streets and calling out fascism in bold, unique ways, but we’re not all there yet. If you need some encouragement, watch "The People, United" — a gripping short film about everyday Americans standing up to ICE and winning through nonviolent resistance. Created by Ellen Gavin and presented in collaboration with the Dolores Huerta Foundation and People for the American Way, the video is a powerful example of storytelling as an organizing tool. In this episode, lifelong activists and old friends Ellen Gavin and Dolores Huerta join Laura Flanders to explore how narratives help break through our silos and fears under this second Trump administration. Gavin's works as a writer, director and producer have brought millions of views to social justice storytelling; she is also founder of Gavin Creative Collab and founding artistic director of Brava! for Women in the Arts. Huerta is co-founder of the United Farm Workers with César Chávez and founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Still organizing at 95 years old, she is recognized as one of the most influential labor organizers of the twentieth century and coined the iconic rallying cry “Si Se Puede.” She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Find out how narratives shatter fear and build movements, plus a commentary from Laura. “. . . We want people to be on our team. We want people to be touched in a way that says, ‘I want to be that neighbor. I want to be that helper. I want to be that person who sees something and does something instead of reacts with fear.’ When they say that fear is contagious, and then they say, courage is contagious.” - Ellen Gavin “. . . In the farm, we didn't respond with violence . . . César [Chávez] fasted for 25 days and then 36 days . . . The other side, they want us to respond with violence, and we can respond with non-violence because they would like to have martial law for the whole country. So we've really got to have a lot of discipline now.” - Dolores Huerta Guests: • Ellen Gavin: Writer, Director, Producer: The People, United; Founder, Gavin Creative Collab • Dolores Huerta: Co-founder of the United Farm Workers; Founder & President, The Dolores Huerta Foundation Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episodes air on community radio (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: "Steppin" by Podington Bear, "Funk 4 Peace" by Fort Knox Five featuring Mustafa Akbar from their album Radio Free DC courtesy of Fort Knox Recordings, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Farm Workers to Farm Owners- Watch / Listen: Episode • These Films Keep People Out of Prison- Watch / Listen: Episode • Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • Mamdani, Black Farmers, USDA & ICE: The Stories BIPOC Journalists Uncover- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • California City Residents Denounce Plan to Build State’s Largest Immigrant Detention Center, by ACoM, August 4, 2025, American Community Media • Dolores Huerta Leads Protest Against California’s Largest Planned ICE...

Synopsis: In a conversation that spans decades of activism, Ellen Gavin and Dolores Huerta join Laura Flanders to discuss the role of narratives in breaking down silos and fears, highlighting the impact of storytelling on building movements and inspiring courage in the face of adversity. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: People are taking to the streets and calling out fascism in bold, unique ways, but we’re not all there yet. If you need some encouragement, watch "The People, United" — a gripping short film about everyday Americans standing up to ICE and winning through nonviolent resistance. Created by Ellen Gavin and presented in collaboration with the Dolores Huerta Foundation and People for the American Way, the video is a powerful example of storytelling as an organizing tool. In this episode, lifelong activists and old friends Ellen Gavin and Dolores Huerta join Laura Flanders to explore how narratives help break through our silos and fears under this second Trump administration. Gavin's works as a writer, director, producer have brought millions of views to social justice storytelling; she is also founder of Gavin Creative Collab and founding artistic director of Brava! for Women in the Arts. Huerta is co-founder of the United Farm Workers alongside César Chávez and founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Still organizing at 95 years old, she is recognized as one of the most influential labor organizers of the twentieth century and coined the iconic rallying cry “Si Se Puede.” She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Find out how narratives shatter fear and build movements, plus a commentary from Laura. “. . . We want people to be on our team. We want people to be touched in a way that says, ‘I want to be that neighbor. I want to be that helper. I want to be that person who sees something and does something instead of reacts with fear.’ When they say that fear is contagious, and then they say, courage is contagious.” - Ellen Gavin “. . . In the farm, we didn't respond with violence . . . César [Chávez] fasted for 25 days and then 36 days . . . The other side, they want us to respond with violence, and we can respond with non-violence because they would like to have martial law for the whole country. So we've really got to have a lot of discipline now.” - Dolores Huerta Guests: • Ellen Gavin: Writer, Director, Producer: The People, United; Founder, Gavin Creative Collab • Dolores Huerta: Co-founder of the United Farm Workers; Founder & President, The Dolores Huerta Foundation Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel October 19th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio October 22nd (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Music Credit: 'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Farm Workers to Farm Owners- Watch / Listen: Episode • These Films Keep People Out of Prison- Watch / Listen: Episode • Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • Mamdani, Black Farmers, USDA & ICE: The Stories BIPOC Journalists Uncover- Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • California City Residents Denounce Plan to Build State’s Largest Immigrant Detention Center, by ACoM, August 4, 2025, American Community Media • Dolores Huerta Leads...

REWIND FROM THE ARCHIVES: Lynne Martine Patton, a Trump aid and federal housing official responsible for the New York City region, said she'd move out of Trump Plaza and into public housing to bring attention to "inhuman conditions." In this 2018 commentary from Laura Flanders, she proposes an alternative to Patton's stunt and Trump's pro-privatization agenda. Fast forward to today, check out this week's podcast on the Trump Administration and HUD: Title: "Cuts, Shutdowns & Civil Rights Attacks: Federal Workers Fight Back" [episode cut & full uncut conversation] About 750,000 people are on unpaid leave as the U.S. government shutdown continues — but some of the most caring parts of the government's work have been shut down for months. Civil rights attorneys Palmer Heenan and Paul Osadebe recently signed a shocking complaint letter describing chaos within the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is responsible for protecting fair housing. “No one is asking for a leg up or an extra hand or whatever the case might be. We're just asking to get rid of discrimination. And so I hope the future will tell the story of people doing just that, coming together, going to Congress and saying, ‘These are our rights. You passed them into law decades ago. Fight for the rights that we have now.’” - Palmer Heenan “The thing that will actually get us through this is solidarity, recognizing what potential power we have as federal workers . . . [The administration wants] to create fear, which leads to silence, which lets things be dismantled without anyone standing up and fighting and saying, ‘This is illegal, this is wrong and this is harming people.’ It's up to federal workers, the ones in the building, to actually do that.” - Paul Osadebe Guests: • Palmer Heenan: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Member, AFGE 476 • Paul Osadebe: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Steward, AFGE 476 Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Synopsis- HUD in crisis- The Department of Housing and Urban Development has seen its staff slashed by 70% since Donald Trump took office, with civil rights cases being abandoned and political appointees allegedly overriding legal findings to allow discrimination. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: About 750,000 people are on unpaid leave as the U.S. government shutdown continues — but some of the most caring parts of the government's work have been shut down for months. Take the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for example. This is one of the only free resources available to Americans facing housing discrimination, but in a shocking complaint letter submitted to Senator Elizabeth Warren on September 22, 2025, civil rights attorneys Palmer Heenan, Paul Osadebe and two other whistleblowers describe an agency in crisis. Staff has been slashed by 70% since Donald Trump took office, civil rights cases have been abandoned, and political appointees are allegedly overriding legal findings to allow discrimination. Every layoff and budget cut by the Trump administration, both within HUD and across federal agencies, is part of a larger plan to create chaos, end civil rights protections, legalize segregation and exert unitary executive power. Heenan and Osadebe, members of the Federal Unionists Network (FUN), are calling on federal employees to uphold their oath to constitution and protect Americans. And they’ve paid the price: *both Heenan and Osadebe were fired by HUD in what has been called a "stunning act of illegal retaliation.” In this conversation, the two share their story, what it means for civil rights and how unions can fight for government accountability. “No one is asking for a leg up or an extra hand or whatever the case might be. We're just asking to get rid of discrimination. And so I hope the future will tell the story of people doing just that, coming together, going to Congress and saying, ‘These are our rights. You passed them into law decades ago. Fight for the rights that we have now.’” - Palmer Heenan “The thing that will actually get us through this is solidarity, recognizing what potential power we have as federal workers . . . [The administration wants] to create fear, which leads to silence, which lets things be dismantled without anyone standing up and fighting and saying, ‘This is illegal, this is wrong and this is harming people.’ It's up to federal workers, the ones in the building, to actually do that.” - Paul Osadebe Guests: • Palmer Heenan: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Member, AFGE 476 • Paul Osadebe: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Steward, AFGE 476 Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: "Steppin" by Podington Bear, “Place Delight” by Stephen Emmer featuring Mary Griffin, from the album Home Ground, released on Electric Fairytale Recordings, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper RESOURCES: Related Episodes: • Housing is a Human Right Watch / Listen • Frances Golden, “Rabble Rousers” & the NYC Housing Struggle that Won. Watch / Listen / Full,Uncut Conversation • Domestic Violence Survivor & Homeless Too? A CA Cohort Shows What Can Be Done. Watch/Listen / Full, Uncut Conversation • Deciding the Fate of Democracy in North Carolina: Watch/Listen Related Articles and Resources: • U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren announces receipt of official complaint from HUD whistleblowers, ‘If you buy a home or rent a home or want to…’ YouTube • US whistleblowers say they were fired for...

Synopsis: As concerns about rolled-back protections grow louder, whistleblowers at HUD have risked it all by going public with allegations that paint a stark picture of systematic regression on equality under the law. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Housing discrimination is illegal in the U.S., but every year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) receives thousands of complaints from individuals who believe they are not being treated fairly because of their race, religion, disability and other protected classes. HUD is one of the only free resources available to Americans facing housing discrimination, but a shocking new whistleblower complaint letter released on Monday, September 29, 2025 says the agency is in crisis. Staff was slashed by 70% since Donald Trump took office, some civil rights cases have been abandoned, and political appointees are allegedly overriding legal findings to allow discrimination. These are just some of the claims in the formal complaint letter, which has now been filed through U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office and taken to the press. In this conversation, Laura Flanders speaks to two of the four whistleblowers, HUD civil rights fair housing attorneys, to find out what this story means for civil rights and why they’re speaking out now. As fair housing hangs in the balance, Palmer Heenan and Paul Osadebe are organizing union members to uphold their oath to defend the constitution and protect Americans. Guests: • Palmer Heenan: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Member, AFGE 476 • Paul Osadebe: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Steward, AFGE 476 Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel September 12th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio September 15th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. RESOURCES: Related Episodes: • Housing is a Human Right Watch / Listen • Frances Golden, “Rabble Rousers” & the NYC Housing Struggle that Won. Watch / Listen / Full, Uncut Conversation • Domestic Violence Survivor & Homeless Too? A CA Cohort Shows What Can Be Done. Watch/Listen / Full, Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren announces receipt of official complaint from HUD whistleblowers, ‘If you buy a home or rent a home or want to…’ YouTube •. Trump appointees roll back rollback enforcement of fair housing laws, by Debra Kamin, September 22, 2025, New York Times • Federal Workers Are Organizing for Democracy- from the Inside Out, by Chris Does and Alissa Tafti, June 25, 2025, NP Quarterly • Save Public Services • Exclusive: Federal Whistleblowers Expose How Trump’s HUD is Abandoning Vulnerable Americans, by Maximillian Alvarez, September 22, 2025, The Real News Network • Trump’s housing department rolls back work to combat residential segregation, whistleblowers allege, by Shcris Stein, September 24, 2025, The Guardian Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: "Dusk & Glimmer" by Blue Dot Sessions. Original sound design by Jeannie Hopper CHAPTERS: Exposing Alarming Civil Rights Rollbacks at HUD 00:00:00 Senator Warren Exposes HUD's Attack on Civil Rights 00:01:50 Why HUD Whistleblowers Risked Careers to Speak Out 00:04:51 How Political Interference Dismantles Fair Housing Enforcement 00:08:24 Protecting Survivors: The Violence Against Women Act Team 00:14:24 Collective Action: Building Worker Power Through...

Synopsis, Laura's Commentary: As billionaires buy up our newsrooms and Congress defunds public media, the stakes for democracy couldn’t be higher. If we don’t reinvent and reinvest in independent media now, it may soon be too late. For the transcript of this commentary and more articles by Laura subscribe to Substack. Watch Laura's interview with Documented NY's Labor Reporter Amir Khafagy and Capital B's Rural Issues Reporter Aallyah Wright on Laura Flanders & Friends on YouTube, or PBS stations and hear their take on commercial coverage of the NYC Mayor's race and anti-Black rule changes at USDA, or listen to past commentaries and full uncut interviews through subscribing to this free podcast. Related Episode Information: Documented NY's Labor Reporter Amir Khafagy and Capital B's Rural Issues Reporter Aallyah Wright- Watch: YouTube Listen: Episode & Full Uncut Conversation available wherever you get your podcasts. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

“. . . [The Trump administration is] using Palestine. They are using the pretext of antisemitism and combating antisemitism to go after us because they know that this is the weakness of the Democratic party. When they go to the universities, they start with combating antisemitism, but then the second ask would be to abolish all DEI programs, to sanitize the history on slavery and the inception of America. And the list goes on and on and on.” - Mahmoud Khalil Description: Mahmoud Khalil was coming home from an Iftar dinner with his pregnant wife on March 8, 2025 when he was detained without a warrant and transported 1,500 miles to a Louisiana detention camp. A negotiator for the 2024 pro-Palestine student protests at Columbia University, Khalil was a legal permanent resident who’d committed no violence or crime; his abduction shocked the world. The Trump administration was seeking to expel Khalil, not for his acts, but for his otherwise legal “beliefs, statements and associations” which Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in short letter, would “compromise a compelling US foreign policy interest.” A New Jersey federal judge threw out that case and Khalil was released after 104 days in detention, but the backlash keeps on coming. In this courageous conversation, Mahmoud Khalil joins Laura Flanders to discuss the night of his terrifying detainment, the “Palestinian Exception” and the case brought against him by the Trump administration. They are alleging errors on his green card application and have ordered Khalil to be deported — possibly to Algeria or Syria where his life would be under threat. Despite the risks of deportation, Mahmoud Khalil continues to speak out, and he and his legal team have filed a civil rights lawsuit with the U.S. District Court of New Jersey against the Trump administration to challenge his arrest and detention by ICE. Join Khalil and Flanders as they ask why the question of Palestine is a test for U.S. democracy — and one we are failing. “People mistakenly think that what's happening is far from their doors. They think that this would never happen to them, because of their social status, because of their ethnicity or any of that. But what's happening around us should alarm us . . . It's not about that the U.S. is becoming authoritarian. It is authoritarianism now.” - Mahmoud Khalil Guest: Mahmoud Khalil, Human Rights Advocate UPDATE - since this interview was recorded- “The recent decision by a federal court in Massachusetts in the AAUP v. Rubio case confirms what Mahmoud has maintained all along: that Trump administration officials have acted in concert to suppress and silence anti-genocide, pro-Palestinian speech, in violation of the First Amendment. We look forward to the remedies that court will order and to pursuing Mahmoud’s own separate and ongoing federal court challenge to this unconstitutional policy.” -Ramzi Kassem, co-director of CLEAR, and one of the lawyers representing Mahmoud Khalil. Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel September 21st, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio September 24th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Music Credit: "Gazan Skies” by Ghost Producer Badawi from the album "Sonically Dismantling Western Imperialism” courtesy of Underground Producers Alliance (UPA), 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • UNCUT CONVERSATION from this episode with Mahmoud Khalil Listen • Behind the Barricades at Columbia...

Synopsis: Mahmoud Khalil examines why the question of Palestine is a test for U.S. democracy. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Mahmoud Khalil was coming home from an Iftar dinner with his pregnant wife on March 8, 2025 when he was detained without a warrant and transported 1,500 miles to a Louisiana detention camp. A negotiator for the 2024 pro-Palestine student protests at Columbia University, Khalil was a legal permanent resident who’d committed no violence or crime; his abduction shocked the world. The Trump administration was seeking to expel Khalil, not for his acts, but for his otherwise legal “beliefs, statements and associations” which Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in short letter, would “compromise a compelling US foreign policy interest.” A New Jersey federal judge threw out that case and Khalil was released after 104 days in detention, but the backlash keeps on coming. In this courageous conversation, Mahmoud Khalil joins Laura Flanders to discuss the night of his terrifying detainment, the “Palestinian Exception” and the case brought against him by the Trump administration. They are alleging errors on his green card application and have ordered Khalil to be deported — possibly to Algeria or Syria where his life would be under threat. Despite the risks of deportation, Mahmoud Khalil continues to speak out, and he and his legal team have filed a civil rights lawsuit with the U.S. District Court of New Jersey against the Trump administration to challenge his arrest and detention by ICE. Join Khalil and Flanders as they ask why the question of Palestine is a test for U.S. democracy — and one we are failing. “. . . [The Trump administration is] using Palestine. They are using the pretext of antisemitism and combating antisemitism to go after us because they know that this is the weakness of the Democratic party. When they go to the universities, they start with combating antisemitism, but then the second ask would be to abolish all DEI programs, to sanitize the history on slavery and the inception of America. And the list goes on and on and on.” - Mahmoud Khalil “People mistakenly think that what's happening is far from their doors. They think that this would never happen to them, because of their social status, because of their ethnicity or any of that. But what's happening around us should alarm us . . . It's not about that the U.S. is becoming authoritarian. It is authoritarianism now.” - Mahmoud Khalil Guest: Mahmoud Khalil, Human Rights Advocate UPDATE - since this interview was recorded- “The recent decision by a federal court in Massachusetts in the AAUP v. Rubio case confirms what Mahmoud has maintained all along: that Trump administration officials have acted in concert to suppress and silence anti-genocide, pro-Palestinian speech, in violation of the First Amendment. We look forward to the remedies that court will order and to pursuing Mahmoud’s own separate and ongoing federal court challenge to this unconstitutional policy.” -Ramzi Kassem, co-director of CLEAR, and one of the lawyers representing Mahmoud Khalil. Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel September 21st, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio September 24th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Music Credit: 'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Behind the Barricades at Columbia University: “The...

Laura speaks to organizers in western North Carolina one year after Hurricane Helene This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in September 2024, it came as a shock, hitting mountains, not coasts, and flooding rivers and communities with little experience of dealing with hurricanes. Helene quickly became one of the worst storms to ever hit the U.S., and in the absence of a quick response by state or federal government, other groups flooded in. Right-wing actors took advantage of the chaos, spreading rumors about looting and trying to boost their image. But it’s the mutual aid networks — some long standing, others new that responded with creative, effective strategies to distribute water, medicine and help communities rebuild. In this episode, Laura Flanders heads to some of the hardest-hit areas in western North Carolina and speaks with community activists to hear the lessons to be learned for the future. Amid Trump cuts to FEMA and the National Weather Service, the future for storm recovery in North Carolina is uncertain. But one thing's for sure — mutual aid support like Pansy Collective, Cherokee One Feather, Racial Justice Coalition (RJC), Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR) and Collaborativa La Milpa have the strategies and solutions we may all need for survival. “It takes the state a long time to mobilize, and that might continue to be true as FEMA gets defunded . . . It’s imperative that people fight to keep their disaster response funding, but until then, we need to know how to respond ourselves.” - RT “We were talking to the people that were staying in hotels because they had just lost everything and didn't know where they were going to get their next meal or their medicine. Talk to those people . . . We had those journalists, especially BIPOC journalists in Western North Carolina, making sure those stories were told.” - Brooklyn Brown (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) Guests: • Brooklyn Brown (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians): Reporter, Cherokee One Feather •. RT Pansy • Ayotunde Dixson: Racial Justice Coalition (RJC) • Janet Kent: Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR) • Tai Little: SEAC Village • Alan Luis Ramirez: Collaborativa La Milpa • Mab Segrest: Anti Racist Research Program, Blueprint NC Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio October 1st (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: “Dawn Summit" and "Thrum of Soil" by Blue Dot Sessions. Original sound design by Jeannie Hopper. Special thanks: Davyne Dial, General Manager: WPVM FM 103.7 - Community Radio for Asheville Mab Segrest Blueprint NC Additional crew: DL Anderson, Jon Laww RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Hurricane Helene 1 Year After, Survival Stories: Ayotunde Dixson, Tai Little: Listen: Exclusive Bonus Conversation • Community Action After Hurricane Helene: BIPOC Media Answers the Call: Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists: Watch / Listen: Episode • Collective Real Estate: Land Without Landlords?: Watch / Listen: Episode • A Co-op Story: People's Construction in Rockaway: Watch / Listen: Episode Related Articles and Resources: • Hurricane in the Mountains: What we can learn from Western North Carolina, A Blueprint NC Special Report, by May Segrest with Sofia Trovato, May 2025 • North Carolina government calculates Hurricane Helene damages, needs at least $53B, October 24, 2024, The AP • We Are The Relief: How Queer Appalachian...

Synopsis: As displacement pressures mount in the mountains 1 year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, residents face gentrification head-on. Hear from local voices on the frontlines of a growing crisis in our exclusive conversation. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: In this bonus conversation recorded live at radio station WPVM in Asheville, North Carolina, Laura speaks with two community organizers who were on the ground in Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. On the one-year anniversary of that deadly storm, they reflect on what it meant to face such an unprecedented disaster in the mountains — a place few imagined a hurricane could strike. From mutual aid networks to lessons in resilience, race, and class, they share how neighbors became first responders when government failed, and why mutual aid isn’t just a slogan but a lifeline. And what pressure are residents facing now, to combat gentrification in the wake of displacement? Released alongside our full, investigative report, Alone & Under Water: Learning from Hurricane Helene, this live conversation brings local voices and learned wisdom too listeners everywhere. Guests: • Ayotunde Dixson, Racial Justice Coalition (RJC) • Tai Little, SEAC Village Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel September 28th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio October 1st (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: Original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Special thanks: Davyne Dial, General Manager: WPVM FM 103.7 - Community Radio for Asheville Mab Segrest Blueprint NC Additional crew: DL Anderson, Jon Laww RESOURCES: Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Community Action After Hurricane Helene: BIPOC Media Answers the Call: Watch / Listen: Episode and Full Uncut Conversation • Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists: Watch / Listen: Episode • Collective Real Estate: Land Without Landlords?: Watch / Listen: Episode • A Co-op Story: People's Construction in Rockaway: Watch / Listen: Episode Related Articles and Resources: • Hurricane in the Mountains: What we can learn from Western North Carolina, A Blueprint NC Special Report, by May Segrest with Sofia Trovato, May 2025 • North Carolina government calculates Hurricane Helene damages, needs at least $53B, October 24, 2024, The AP • We Are The Relief: How Queer Appalachian Mutual Aid Showed Up After Helene, by Basil Vaughn Soper, October 22, 2024, Them.us • When the Hurricane-Relief Worker Turns Out To Be a Neo-Nazi, by Tawnell D. Hobbs, Jennifer Levitz and Joe Barrett, October 10, 2024, The Wall Street Journal • Hurricane Helene brews up storm of online falsehoods and threats, October 8, 2024, Institute for Strategic Dialogue • Extremists Co-Opt Hurricane Response to Blame Israel, Incite a Storm of Hateful Narratives, October 11, 2024, by Center on Extremism, ADL Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook:...

Synopsis: As concerns about rolled-back protections grow louder, whistleblowers at HUD have risked it all by going public with allegations that paint a stark picture of systematic regression on equality under the law. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Housing discrimination is illegal in the U.S., but every year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) receives thousands of complaints from individuals who believe they are not being treated fairly because of their race, religion, disability and other protected classes. HUD is one of the only free resources available to Americans facing housing discrimination, but a shocking new whistleblower complaint letter released on Monday, September 29, 2025 says the agency is in crisis. Staff was slashed by 70% since Donald Trump took office, some civil rights cases have been abandoned, and political appointees are allegedly overriding legal findings to allow discrimination. These are just some of the claims in the formal complaint letter, which has now been filed through U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office and taken to the press. In this conversation, Laura Flanders speaks to two of the four whistleblowers, HUD civil rights fair housing attorneys, to find out what this story means for civil rights and why they’re speaking out now. As fair housing hangs in the balance, Palmer Heenan and Paul Osadebe are organizing union members to uphold their oath to defend the constitution and protect Americans. Guests: • Palmer Heenan: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Member, AFGE 476 • Paul Osadebe: Attorney, HUD Whistleblower; Steward, AFGE 476 RESOURCES: Related Episodes: • Housing is a Human Right Watch / Listen • Frances Golden, “Rabble Rousers” & the NYC Housing Struggle that Won. Watch / Listen / Full, Uncut Conversation • Domestic Violence Survivor & Homeless Too? A CA Cohort Shows What Can Be Done. Watch/Listen / Full, Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren announces receipt of official complaint from HUD whistleblowers, ‘If you buy a home or rent a home or want to…’ YouTube •. Trump appointees roll back rollback enforcement of fair housing laws, by Debra Kamin, September 22, 2025, New York Times • Federal Workers Are Organizing for Democracy- from the Inside Out, by Chris Does and Alissa Tafti, June 25, 2025, NP Quarterly • Save Public Services • Exclusive: Federal Whistleblowers Expose How Trump’s HUD is Abandoning Vulnerable Americans, by Maximillian Alvarez, September 22, 2025, The Real News Network • Trump’s housing department rolls back work to combat residential segregation, whistleblowers allege, by Shcris Stein, September 24, 2025, The Guardian Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: "Dusk & Glimmer" by Blue Dot Sessions. Original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends ACCESSIBILITY - The...

Synopsis: With attacks on Critical Race Theory gaining momentum, Columbia & UCLA Law Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw joins Laura Flanders to dissect the fight for antiracism in America today. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Calling all white people: How many times in the last eight months have you heard the phrase “isn’t that illegal?” The problems with our legal system are more conspicuous than ever in 2025, but thought leaders like Kimberlé Crenshaw have been sounding the alarm for decades. Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum, Crenshaw is celebrating the organization's 30th anniversary and joining Laura Flanders in this episode to discuss the challenges ahead. For starters, the Supreme Court has recently legalized racial profiling for ICE deportations, the Trump administration is looking to remove so-called “improper ideology” from US institutions like the Smithsonian, and the president recently suggested domestic violence is not a real crime. Crenshaw is a leading scholar on Critical Race Theory, a Professor of Law at Columbia and UCLA Law Schools, and host of the podcast "Intersectionality Matters!" which is currently releasing a new episode of their series United States of Amnesia: The Real Histories of Critical Race Theory. Join Crenshaw and Flanders as they look at the AAPF’s role in advancing intersectional policies to address antiracism, and how they plan to continue that work in this critical moment. Plus, a commentary from Laura on rights and the Right. “To really stand behind this idea of making America great again, you've got to erase the memory of what America was . . . He's going after the history of enslavement. He's going after the history of genocide. He's saying that this kind of history is no longer appropriate for the federal government to officially recognize and historicize.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw “[Conservatives] believe race should not play a role in creating greater access to equality. They do believe race should play a role in deciding who should be surveilled. They do believe in race when it comes to who should be collected up, potentially put on buses and planes and sent out of this country.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw Guests: Kimberlé Crenshaw, Professor of Law, Columbia & UCLA Law Schools; Executive Director, African American Policy Forum Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel September 21st, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio September 24th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: “Courage Wolf” by Jordan McLean’s Musical Resistance or JMMR from his album 'Resistance is Fertile' released on Nublu Records, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Kimberlé Crenshaw & Soledad O’Brien Call Out the Media on Critical Race Theory: Watch / Listen: Episode, Uncut Conversation • Decades After Bloody Sunday, Is Trump Taking Civil Rights Back to Before Selma in ‘65?: Watch / Listen: Episode, Uncut Conversation • Juneteenth Special: To Confront Fascism, We Must Learn About Slavery and Colonialism: Watch Related Articles and Resources: • Under the Blacklight Live 2025 AAPF Event: Preemptive Alliances: Black Attorneys General On The Frontlines For Civil Rights. Watch • Intersectionality Matters! Podcast • US Supreme Court ‘effectively legalized racial profiling’, immigration experts warn, by Lauren Gambino, September 9, 2025, The Guardian • Supreme Court guts affirmative action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions, by Nina Totenberg, June 29, 2023, NPR • Trump Says Having ‘a Little Fight With the Wife’ Should Not Be a Crime, by Luke...

Synopsis: With attacks on Critical Race Theory gaining momentum, Columbia Law Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw joins Laura Flanders to dissect the fight for antiracism in America today. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Calling all white people: How many times in the last eight months have you heard the phrase “isn’t that illegal?” The problems with our legal system are more conspicuous than ever in 2025, but thought leaders like Kimberlé Crenshaw have been sounding the alarm for decades. Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum, Crenshaw is celebrating the organization's 30th anniversary and joining Laura Flanders in this episode to discuss the challenges ahead. For starters, the Supreme Court has recently legalized racial profiling for ICE deportations, the Trump administration is looking to remove so-called “improper ideology” from US institutions like the Smithsonian, and the president recently suggested domestic violence is not a real crime. Crenshaw is a leading scholar on Critical Race Theory, a Professor of Law at Columbia and UCLA Law Schools, and host of the podcast "Intersectionality Matters!" which is currently releasing a new episode of their series United States of Amnesia: The Real Histories of Critical Race Theory. Join Crenshaw and Flanders as they look at the AAPF’s role in advancing intersectional policies to address antiracism, and how they plan to continue that work in this critical moment. Plus, a commentary from Laura on rights and the Right. “To really stand behind this idea of making America great again, you've got to erase the memory of what America was . . . He's going after the history of enslavement. He's going after the history of genocide. He's saying that this kind of history is no longer appropriate for the federal government to officially recognize and historicize.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw “[Conservatives] believe race should not play a role in creating greater access to equality. They do believe race should play a role in deciding who should be surveilled. They do believe in race when it comes to who should be collected up, potentially put on buses and planes and sent out of this country.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw Guest: Kimberlé Crenshaw, Professor of Law, Columbia & UCLA Law Schools; Executive Director, African American Policy Forum Full 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel September 21st, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio September 24th (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends Music Credit: 'Dawn Smolders' by Bluedot Sessions, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper RESOURCES: *Recommended book: • On Intersectionality - Selected Writings by Kimberlé Crenshaw, 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.) Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Kimberlé Crenshaw & Soledad O’Brien Call Out the Media on Critical Race Theory: Watch / Listen: Episode, Uncut Conversation • Decades After Bloody Sunday, Is Trump Taking Civil Rights Back to Before Selma in ‘65?: Watch / Listen: Episode, Uncut Conversation • Juneteenth Special: To Confront Fascism, We Must Learn About Slavery and Colonialism: Watch Related Articles and Resources: • Under...

As the Federal Reserve convenes to discuss interest rates, revisit a timely podcast episode that dissects how central banks shape global development and whose interests they serve. Description: In the wake of the Feds meeting this week to decide whether to lower interest rates or not, we rewind to our episode “Storming the Federal Reserve” on the way central banks steer world development and for whom. Laura is joined by former Goldman Sachs manager Naomi Prins, and public ownership researcher Thomas Hanna. They believe that banking and development could look very different. This episode was originally released January 2019. “If you’re going to go the route of creating money to buy up all the subprime mortgages that were at risk at the crux of the crisis which effectively were more at risk because of how much they were manipulated by derivatives and other things throughout the financial system, you would have spent a fraction in a shorter period of time than what has been spent and continues to be spent on the subsidy to the financial system throughout the world.” Nomi Prins “Postal banking here in the United States has been popular amongst some senators to give the Post Office, which is a publicly owned enterprise, the ability to provide banking services which is common around the rest of the world.” Thomas Hanna Guests: • Nomi Prins - Former Director, Goldman Sachs and Author, Collusion: How Central Bankers Ruled the World • Thomas Hanna Research Director, The Democracy Collaborative and Author, Our Common Wealth: The Return of Public Ownership in the United States Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel The Show is listener and viewer supported. That's thanks to you! Please donate and become a member. RESOURCES: Related Episodes: •. Revolution at the Federal Reserve - Watch the Episode • Commonomics / New Economy Episodes - Playlist • A Public Banking for Public Good - Watch • Money: The Great Corrupter - David Harvey - Watch *Recommended books: • “Collusion: How Central Bankers Ruled the World” by Nomi Prins, Get the Book • “Permanent Distortion: How the Financial Markets Abandoned the Real Economy Forever by Nomi Prins, Get the Book • “Our Common Wealth: The Return of Public Ownership in the United States” by Thomas M. Hanna, 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.) Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel