Laura Flanders and Friends

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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Goodwin Guests: • James Goodwin: Policy Director, Center for Progressive Reform • Maximillian Alvarez (Co-host): Editor-in-Chief, The Real News Network; Author, The Work of Living Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more. Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Weiwei Guest: Ai Weiwei: Conceptual Artist, Filmmaker & Human Rights Activist; Author, ZODIAC, A Graphic Memoir Full 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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. Davis Guest: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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. Stephan Guests: • 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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...

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. Stephan Guests: • 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 HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more. Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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/donate Description: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

"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 Reiner Guests: • Dan Partland: Director, God & Country • Rob Reiner: Producer, God & Country For 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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, 2024 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 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Jabali Guest: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Jabali Guest: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Seales Guests: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Seales Guests: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Kim 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 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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 Weiwei Guest: 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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

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. Stephan Guests: • 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, Sabrina Artel, David Neuman, Nat Needham, Rory O'Conner, Janet Hernandez, Sarah Miller, Jeannie Hopper, Nady Pina, Miracle Gatling, and Jordan Flaherty FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LFAndFriends 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