Hudson Mohawk Magazine

More than 100 individuals protested on Earth Day against drones at the Hancock Air Base near Syracuse. The military is the greatest threat to the environment, including being the largest institutional user of fossil fuels. Pippa Bartolotti, from Delmar, of the Global Women United for Peace Against NATO, talks with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The UAlbany Student Association Senate passes a bill that creates a immigrant legal defense fund of $50,000 for immigrant undergrad students who are arrested by a federal immigration agency or law enforcement.

Today on Hudson Mohawk Magazine, we hear about why 19 climate activists were arrested at the state Capitol on Tuesday. Then, we get an update on the NY For All Act to protect immigrants by preventing collusion by local governments including the police with ICE In this week’s On the Brink, Rosemary Armao explores the latest misadventures of the Trump administration. After that, we have an interview with speech language pathologist Natalya Lakhtakia conducted by Skidmore students as a part of the Saratoga digital labor history archive. Finally, for Earth Day, we finish with an interview with Abby Martin about her film Earth’s Greatest Enemy. Hosts: Benno Greene; Mark Dunlea Engineer: Joan Eason

Eli Boonin-Vail is a Professor at UAlbany, scholar, and filmmaker who is exploring the relationship between incarceration and Hollywood cinema, His research has examined the portrayal of being incarcerated and how it affects public perspective, not only on the big screen, but in media as well. Additionally, his research extends beyond film analysis to explore the connections between race, musical labor, and misrepresentation.

Podcast host Rosemary Armao and opinion writer Jay Jaynowitz recently talked with an audience in Vermont about whether the US might follow the lead of Hungary in voting out an authoritarian-leaning leader, and how best to protest against that leader while he was still in power. Are we framing our public discourse in the right way, the two ask. Are we even asking the right questions about what our leaders should be doing. You can hear the whole discussion on the podcast Beyond the Brink and Fighting Back.

The New York for All Act would prohibit local governments and the police from colluding with ICE. We have a two-part segment. The first part has Iridian Lucas and Glo Martinez from the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement discussing a banner drop on Saturday, April 18 outside the SOMOS conference at the Empire State Plaza. Then at a rally at the Capitol on April 21, we hear from Senator Goundardes, Iridian, and Mr. Carr. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine

On Sunday, March 15, 2026, Hudson Mohawk Magazine's Roaming Labor Willie Terry interviewed Leon Van Dyke, founder and Community Organizer of the Albany "Brothers." In this Labor segment, Willie interviewed Leon about his interactions with the late Civil Rights Activist, the Rev. Jessie L. Jackson, and other civil rights leaders—part 1.

Climate activists were back at the State Capitol on April 21, with 19 being arrested after they compared Governor Hochul to Donald Trump due to her efforts to gut the CLCPA, the state’s climate law. We hear from Pete Sikora of NY Communities for Change; Eleanor from Germany; Cornell Professor Bob Howarth; and, Santosh Nandabalan from NYCC.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, First, Mark Dunlea talks with Eric Wood of NYPRIG about the proposed data center to be built in Albany NY. Then, we have two performers in studio to talk about their work taking place in the Corpus Festival at EMPAC. Later on, Moses Nagel talks with Scott Kellogg of the Radix Center about some ways for listeners to engage with Earth Day. After that, we hear about the “Are You Afraid of the Dark “comedy show happening at the Son of Egg. Finally, this week, Thom Francis welcomes Hudson Valley poet Cheryl A. Rice to the mic. Cheryl was featured at the Eight Poets event at The Fish Market. Co-hosts: Sina Basila Hickey and Caelan McPherson (also engineer)

EMPAC's Courpus Festival, curated by Tara Aisha Willis, takes place from April 23–25, 2026. Yanira Castro of the installation "Raft" and nibia pastrana santiago of the performance "preámbulo" came to Hudson Mohawk Magazine to speak about their works, how they are challenging the traditional audience participation, and the themes of power, responsibility, and colonialism in their work. They spoke with Sina Basila Hickey.

This week, Thom Francis welcomes Hudson Valley poet Cheryl A. Rice to the mic. Cheryl was featured at the Eight Poets event at The Fish Market on Saturday, October 11, 2025, where she was joined by writers from the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, online zines Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review, and Troy-based bookstore Paper Moon. +++++ On October 11, 2025, Trailer Park Quarterly and Hobo Camp Review, in partnership with Paper Moon and the Hudson Valley Writers Guild, presented an afternoon of poetry at The Fish Market in Troy. Eight poets read that day, including Cheryl A. Rice, who shared work from an upcoming collaboration with Jason Baldinger, along with other poems from her collections. Rice is the author of Love’s Compass and My Minnesota Boyhood, and co-author of Until the Words Came with Guy Reed. A Best of the Net nominee, she also founded the Sylvia Plath Bake-Off, a unique mix of poetry and baking. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals, and she has been a fixture in the Hudson Valley literary community for over forty years.

First, Mark Dunlea brings us coverage from the Green Party’s annual celebration, Earth Day to May Day. We hear Dr. Jill Stein speaking on various issues, including the current Iran war. Then, Elizabeth Press talks with Sasha Wortzel [wort-ZELL] about the upcoming screening of the documentary River of Grass at the Sanctuary for Independent Media and her workshop after the film. Later on, retired National Weather Service meteorologist Hugh Johnson to talk about Earth Day, Typhoon Sinlaku [Sin-la-koo], and this week’s weather. After that, we hear from Wen, an international student at UAlbany, who shares her migration story to the Capital District after having lived in China and Japan. Finally, Troy-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Delaney of The Belle Curves an alt-country/Americana band The Belle Curves joins us in the studio to talk about their latest album “Tides and Rain”. Co-Hosts: Sean Bernyk, Lennox Apudo Engineer: Kalix Sausville

NYPIRG is conducting a statewide bus tour to highlight the energy waste of AI data centers, which require a tremendous amount of energy, zapping electricity from the public grid. These energy hogs could lead to rising air pollution, industrial use of local clean water, and skyrocketing utility bills. Legislation calling for a moratorium on such data centers has been introduced. A data center is being proposed for the old Kenwood Convent / Doan Stuart school site in the South End of Albany. Eric Woods of Albany talks with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The EcoAction Committee of the Green Party of the United States held its annual Earth Day to May Day webinar on Monday April 13. Speakers were Jill Stein, the recent Green Presidential candidate, and Michael Johnson, Democracy Campaign Manager for Third Act. The event highlights the interconnection of issues such as climate change, economic inequality, war, racial injustice, immigrant rights, and democracy. We hear from Jill Stein, who focuses on the current war with Iran and its impact on energy, food, and nuclear weapons. and the need for a Green New Deal.

On April 22, 2026 as part of a collaboration with RPI and the iEAR Presents series, we will be screening the film River of Grass at the Sanctuary for Independent Media. We will be joined by the director, Sasha Wortzel for that screening. Sasha will also do a workshop on her documentary practice of community collaboration before the event. Today we air a discussion between Sasha Wortzel and our producer Elizabeth Press.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, First, Mark Dunlea continues his coverage on environmentalists push back against Governor Hochul’s climate cuts. Then, Erin Blanding talks to engineer and policy expert Dr. Shereka Banton about how their field has been impacted by social and environmental justice. After that, local artist Mundy joins us to talk about their upcoming performance at Song City. Finally, we’ll get into the spring spirit with a piece on gardening.

Local MC and Producer Mundy talks about his beginnings as an artist, how his music making process has evolved, and the message he leaves in his his music. He is one of the performers at Song City on May 12. Mundy spoke with Jacob Boston and Richard Sleeper.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, First, Andrea Cunliffe interviews Clyanna Lightbourn about the Democracy During Detention Act. Then, Willie Terry brings us to a panel discussion on the Role of the Black Church in the Freedom Struggle. Later on, Mark Dunlea speaks with author Andy Gittlitz about his book Metropolitan: New York Baseball, Class Struggle, and the People’s Team. After that, we have an interview with Erin Johanns of Love Your Block. Finally, Moses Nagel interviews Stephanie Loveless about her new book about Deep Listening.

Love Your Block is an Albany-based non profit that focuses on helping residents improve and strengthen their homes and communities. Erin Johanns, director of Love Your Block, joins Sina Basila Hickey and Marrow for an interview about her work with the non-profit and new projects in 2026.

The 2026 election year is possibly the most important election federally and locally. Clyanna Lightbourn, of the The League of Women Voters of New York, is leading the campaign for the Democracy During Detention Act. Hudson Mohawk Magazine's Andrea Cunliffe discusses how this act codifies the right to vote for detained citizens who remain eligible, and guarantees timely, effective access to at least one secure method of voter registration and balloting. This bipartisan election administration bill seeks to establish a statewide program for those who are detained but have not been convicted of a felony. DDDA seeks to improve the absentee balloting system for eligible citizens detained in jails. Due to a lack of cross agency collaboration to monitor voter participation and implement voter assistance programs, voter participation among individuals detained in local jails is low to nonexistent. This bill puts the Boards of Elections in charge of voting in jails the same way they run elections everywhere else in New York.