Laura Flanders and Friends: New Economy, Democracy, Labor, Solutions Journalism

Discover how Claude Cockburn's guerrilla journalism foresaw the rise of fascism in the 1930s and challenged mainstream media narratives. 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: Mainstream media has a lot to account for in 2024, but go back 90 years, and prestigious publications have often failed to see when things were so clearly wrong. In 1930s Germany, many journalists downplayed Adolf Hitler’s ascension to power, with the New York Times writing “There is no warrant for immediate alarm…The more violent parts of his alleged program he has himself in recent months been softening down or abandoning.” But one young British journalist who, seeing what was happening, quit his job with The London Times and founded The Week, a newsletter that became famous for its opposition to fascism and the Western powers that were enabling it. His name was Claud Cockburn, and he’s the subject of a newly-released biography by his son, Patrick Cockburn, “Believe Nothing Until It Is Officially Denied: Claud Cockburn and the Invention of Guerrilla Journalism,” out now via Verso Books. Patrick is an award-winning journalist himself, with a long expertise in the Middle East. And Patrick is Laura Flanders’ uncle; Claud is her grandfather. How did mainstream media miss what Claud knew about the rise of Nazis, and how did his guerilla journalism make an impact? And why is Claud’s story so relevant now? All that, plus a commentary from Laura. (anchor episode originally released November 15th, 2024) Guest: Patrick Cockburn, Journalist, and author including “Believe Nothing Until It Is Officially Denied: Claud Cockburn and the Invention of Guerrilla Journalism”, Verso Books. Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Stephanie Flanders on A Trump Economy & What to Watch in The Ultimate Election Year, Watch / Podcast: Abridged, Uncut Conversation • Arundhati Roy: Freedom, Fascism, Fiction and the Pandemic Portal, Watch / Podcast: Abridged, Uncut Conversation • Laura’s Commentary, F-Word: Bodies, Borders, Resistance, Rebirth: Arundhati Roy, Podcast • Patrick Cockburn on Syria, Watch Related Articles and Resources: • Opinion: Is Trump a fascist? Probably - but not like those of the 30s, by Patrick Cockburn, November 9 2024, iNews • Opinion: Netanyahu knows the US can’t restrain him now, by Patrick Cockburn, October 2, 2024, iNews • Most political disasters are overstated - not this one, by Patrick Cockburn, November 6, 2024, iNews Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more. Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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

Description: Mainstream media has a lot to account for in 2024, but go back 90 years, and prestigious publications have often failed to see when things were so clearly wrong. In 1930s Germany, many journalists downplayed Adolf Hitler’s ascension to power, with the New York Times writing “There is no warrant for immediate alarm…The more violent parts of his alleged program he has himself in recent months been softening down or abandoning.” But one young British journalist who, seeing what was happening, quit his job with The London Times and founded The Week, a newsletter that became famous for its opposition to fascism and the Western powers that were enabling it. His name was Claud Cockburn, and he’s the subject of a newly-released biography by his son, Patrick Cockburn, “Believe Nothing Until It Is Officially Denied: Claud Cockburn and the Invention of Guerrilla Journalism,” out now via Verso Books. Patrick is an award-winning journalist himself, with a long expertise in the Middle East. And Patrick is Laura Flanders’ uncle; Claud is her grandfather. How did mainstream media miss what Claud knew about the rise of Nazis, and how did his guerilla journalism make an impact? And why is Claud’s story so relevant now? All that, plus a commentary from Laura. (anchor episode originally released November 15th, 2024) Guest: Patrick Cockburn, Journalist, and author including “Believe Nothing Until It Is Officially Denied: Claud Cockburn and the Invention of Guerrilla Journalism”, Verso Books. Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Note- 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. The following is from our episode "Patrick & Claud Cockburn: A Legacy of Guerilla Journalism Against Media Complacency." These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Become a supporting member at https://LauraFlanders.org/Donate Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Stephanie Flanders on A Trump Economy & What to Watch in The Ultimate Election Year, Watch / Podcast: Abridged, Uncut Conversation • Arundhati Roy: Freedom, Fascism, Fiction and the Pandemic Portal, Watch / Podcast: Abridged, Uncut Conversation • Laura’s Commentary, F-Word: Bodies, Borders, Resistance, Rebirth: Arundhati Roy, Podcast • Patrick Cockburn on Syria, Watch Related Articles and Resources: • Opinion: Is Trump a fascist? Probably - but not like those of the 30s, by Patrick Cockburn, November 9 2024, iNews • Opinion: Netanyahu knows the US can’t restrain him now, by Patrick Cockburn, October 2, 2024, iNews • Most political disasters are overstated - not this one, by Patrick Cockburn, November 6, 2024, iNews Full Episode Notes are located HERE. They include related episodes, articles, and more. Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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

Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin outlines his strategy to hold the executive branch accountable and shares his concerns about Trump and Musk's actions in a candid conversation. 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: Amidst a hail of executive orders, lay-offs, and threats, Americans are witnessing both early compliance by some of the most powerful institutions in the country, and early resistance, in the courts, in workplaces and in the streets. So where is Congress? In this extended one-on-one interview with Maryland Congressman, Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House judiciary committee, lays out his plans for exerting oversight of the executive branch, and describes the Constitutional limits Trump and Musk are running up against. Raskin served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol back in 2021 and managed the second impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump. Drawing on history, and even the work of his father, political activist Marcus Raskin, Jamie Raskin says he’s “. . . ready to lead Democrats in our front-line defense of democracy and freedom." Plus, a commentary from Laura on art and courage. Guest: Jamie Raskin, Congressman Maryland’s 8th Congressional District; Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Oversight of the Executive Branch Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “Oh Lord” produced by Groove Junkies and Apex Prey, featuring Indeya & Reverend Murrell Garr courtesy of More House Records. And additional music included- "Steppin" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •. Corporate Prison Reform Will Not Keep Us Safe: A Report from Los Angeles: Watch / Listen- Podcast Episode •. Black Journalists on Police Violence: Reporting from the Ground Up: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode and Full Uncut Conversation •. Emergent Strategies for Abolition: Andrea J. Ritchie’s Toolkit for Activists: Watch / Listen- Podcast Episode Related Articles and Resources: •. A Top Democrat Speaks Out on How the Party Will Fight Trump, by Eugene Daniels, February 15, 2025, Politico • Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Jamie Raskin's Opening Statement at Subcommittee Hearing on Trump's Lawless, Pro-Corruption Agenda for the Justice Department. February 25, 2025, Democrat House Committee on the Judiciary • Raskin: ‘I’m with Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer’ and others saying ‘Watch Elon Musk’ by Ashleigh Fields, February 4, 2025, The Hill •. Techno-Fascism Comes to America: The historic parallels that help explain Elon Musk’s rampage on the federal government, by Kyle Chayka, Infinite Scroll Columnist, February 26, 2025, The New Yorker • Congressional Democrats denied entry to USAID building, by Andrew Solender, February 3, 2025, Axios Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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

As Trump and Musk push the limits of power, Rep. Jamie Raskin explains how Congress plans to exert oversight and defend democracy in an exclusive interview. 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: Amidst a hail of executive orders, lay-offs, and threats, Americans are witnessing both early compliance by some of the most powerful institutions in the country, and early resistance, in the courts, in workplaces and in the streets. So where is Congress? In this extended one-on-one interview with Maryland Congressman, Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House judiciary committee, lays out his plans for exerting oversight of the executive branch, and describes the Constitutional limits Trump and Musk are running up against. Raskin served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol back in 2021 and managed the second impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump. Drawing on history, and even the work of his father, political activist Marcus Raskin, Jamie Raskin says he’s “. . . ready to lead Democrats in our front-line defense of democracy and freedom." Plus, a commentary from Laura on art and courage. Guest: Jamie Raskin, Congressman Maryland’s 8th Congressional District; Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Oversight of the Executive Branch Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •. Corporate Prison Reform Will Not Keep Us Safe: A Report from Los Angeles: Watch / Listen- Podcast Episode •. Black Journalists on Police Violence: Reporting from the Ground Up: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode and Full Uncut Conversation •. Emergent Strategies for Abolition: Andrea J. Ritchie’s Toolkit for Activists: Watch / Listen- Podcast Episode Related Articles and Resources: •. A Top Democrat Speaks Out on How the Party Will Fight Trump, by Eugene Daniels, February 15, 2025, Politico • Raskin: ‘I’m with Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer’ and others saying ‘Watch Elon Musk’ by Ashleigh Fields, February 4, 2025, The Hill •. Techno-Fascism Comes to America: The historic parallels that help explain Elon Musk’s rampage on the federal government, by Kyle Chayka, Infinite Scroll Columnist, February 26, 2025, The New Yorker • Congressional Democrats denied entry to USAID building, by Andrew Solender, February 3, 2025, Axios Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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

La Raza Database Research Project is bringing awareness to police violence against Latinos. 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: You wouldn’t know it from the data, but Latinos are the second most likely demographic to be killed by law enforcement in the U.S, relative to their population. We only have these statistics now thanks to the work of La Raza Database Research Project, a group of volunteers in Southern California who are bringing awareness to systematic police violence against the Latino population. They estimate that almost 6,500 Latinos have been killed by police between 2000 and 2022 – but the data has been missing until this moment. In this unusual installment of our monthly “Meet the BIPOC Press” series, Laura and Senior Producer Jeremiah Cothren sit down with LF&F Social Justice Reporting Fellow, Roberto Camacho, who interviewed members of the Research Project to figure out why Latinos are so frequently misrepresented. Camacho also spoke with the mother and sister of César Antonio Rodriguez, a young man tragically killed by the Long Beach Police Dept in 2017 and misidentified in police records. Camacho is a Chicano multimedia journalist focusing on criminal justice reform, immigration and Chicano/Latino issues. He originally reported on this story for Palabra. Guests: • Ivette Xochiyotl Boyzo: Research Project Manager, La Raza Database • Roberto Camacho: Journalist; Social Justice Reporting Fellow, Laura Flanders & Friends • Jeremiah Cothren (Co-host): Senior Producer, Laura Flanders & Friends • Jesus M. Garcia: Research Project Statistician & Demographer, La Raza Database • Rosa Moreno: Mother of César Rodriguez • Priscilla Rodriguez: Sister of César Rodriguez Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “Rhythm of Your Dream” by Nation Beat from their album Archaic Humans released on Rope a Dope Records, Listen & Learn more. And additional music included- "Steppin" and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Corporate Prison Reform Will Not Keep Us Safe: A Report from Los Angeles, Watch / Listen • Black Journalists on Police Violence: Reporting from the Ground Up: Watch / Listen •. Emergent Strategies for Abolition: Andrea J. Ritchie’s Toolkit for Activists: Watch / Listen Related Articles and Resources: • Project Looks to Unfold True Count of Nations Killed by Police, by Keith Mizuguchi, July 2, 2024, KQED • La Raza Database Project Seeks a True Count of Latinos Killed by Police but Determingin identity Complicates Accurate Reporting, by Roberto Camacho, May 1, 2024, Palabra • San Diego community demands more from law enforcement than non-binding policies to increase police accountability, by Roberto Camacho, June 9, 2022, Prism Reports Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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 forest industry is booming in the American South, but communities like those in the Carolinas are raising concerns about the environmental and social costs. Discover their innovative solutions and what it means for sustainability. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Full Episode Description: The forest industry in the American South is booming, but at what cost? According to some government leaders, logging is bringing big economic gains to rural America. But in places like the Carolinas, frontline communities – and especially the low-income people of color and Indigenous people who live in the midst of all this — are telling a different story, and have solutions. With Trump’s increased tariffs on Canadian timber and wood products, deforestation is only going to speed up in America’s “wood basket.” Two Carolina-based organizations are converting a 300-acre former South Carolina plantation into the South’s first environmental justice training center: the Brittons Neck Community Forest. In this episode, Laura is joined by three guests spearheading the project. Lucia Ibarra and Danna Smith are from the Dogwood Alliance, an organization based in Asheville, North Carolina that mobilizes diverse voices to protect Southern forests and communities from destructive industrial logging. Reverend Leo Woodberry is a South Carolina-based faith leader & environmental activist. Together they’re showing the true value of forests in the US South, and what it means to remain climate resilient in the face of heavy industry. Plus, a commentary from Laura on what trees can teach us about gender identity. “. . . We will start beginning to develop case studies and highlight it to policy makers . . . We are going to expand upon these other communities and create other pathways to justice in using this model. And this will help to build a foundation, to create equitable policy that elevates people, ecosystem, the value of them over the industries that are greenwashing . . . - Lucia Ibarra “. . . This project is something that we like to refer to as restorative justice. We know that people labored on this land in slavery without compensation, and so for them to have the land now and be able to use it for recreational activities, et cetera, can help them to create an engine of economic development . . . We see that as restorative justice . . .” - Reverend Leo Woodberry “. . . Too often there's this narrative about logging for economic development . . . We needed to show the alternative, and how you can keep forest standing in a community in a way that actually benefits the community. That it’s good for climate, it's good for biodiversity, it's good for climate resiliency, and it's good for the local economy.” - Danna Smith Guests: • Lucia Ibarra: Director of Conservation, Dogwood Alliance • Danna Smith: Executive Director, Dogwood Alliance • Reverend Leo Woodberry: Pastor, Kingdom Living Temple & Executive Director, New Alpha Community Development Corporation Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “Meditation align with Nature’s Intelligence” by Divine Earth featuring Sirius B from her album Align with Nature’s Intelligence released on Brownswood Recordings. And additional music included- "Steppin" and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Jubilee Justice Regenerative Farming: Tackling Racism with Rice: Watch / Podcast: Episode & Related Commentary by Laura • Colette Pichon Battle on Climate Justice Reparations: Watch / Podcasts: Episode & Full Conversation • Climate Change Journalism: Moving Frontline Communities from the Sideline to the Center: Watch / Podcast: Episode Related Articles and Resources: • Duties on Canadian lumber have helped U.S. production grow while B.C. towns...

Synopsis: A new environmental justice training center is transforming a former South Carolina plantation into a hub of climate resilience and equity. Learn how local leaders are pioneering change in the US South's logging narrative. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Full Conversation: The forest industry in the American South is booming, but at what cost? According to some government leaders, logging is bringing big economic gains to rural America. But in places like the Carolinas, frontline communities – and especially the low-income people of color and Indigenous people who live in the midst of all this — are telling a different story, and have solutions. With Trump’s increased tariffs on Canadian timber and wood products, deforestation is only going to speed up in America’s “wood basket.” Two Carolina-based organizations are converting a 300-acre former South Carolina plantation into the South’s first environmental justice training center: the Brittons Neck Community Forest. In this episode, Laura is joined by three guests spearheading the project. Lucia Ibarra and Danna Smith are from the Dogwood Alliance, an organization based in Asheville, North Carolina that mobilizes diverse voices to protect Southern forests and communities from destructive industrial logging. Reverend Leo Woodberry is a South Carolina-based faith leader & environmental activist. Together they’re showing the true value of forests in the US South, and what it means to remain climate resilient in the face of heavy industry. Plus, a commentary from Laura on what trees can teach us about gender identity. “. . . We will start beginning to develop case studies and highlight it to policy makers . . . We are going to expand upon these other communities and create other pathways to justice in using this model. And this will help to build a foundation, to create equitable policy that elevates people, ecosystem, the value of them over the industries that are greenwashing . . . - Lucia Ibarra “. . . This project is something that we like to refer to as restorative justice. We know that people labored on this land in slavery without compensation, and so for them to have the land now and be able to use it for recreational activities, et cetera, can help them to create an engine of economic development . . . We see that as restorative justice . . .” - Reverend Leo Woodberry “. . . Too often there's this narrative about logging for economic development . . . We needed to show the alternative, and how you can keep forest standing in a community in a way that actually benefits the community. That it’s good for climate, it's good for biodiversity, it's good for climate resiliency, and it's good for the local economy.” - Danna Smith Guests: • Lucia Ibarra: Director of Conservation, Dogwood Alliance • Danna Smith: Executive Director, Dogwood Alliance • Reverend Leo Woodberry: Pastor, Kingdom Living Temple & Executive Director, New Alpha Community Development Corporation Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Jubilee Justice Regenerative Farming: Tackling Racism with Rice: Watch / Podcast: Episode & Related Commentary by Laura • Colette Pichon Battle on Climate Justice Reparations: Watch / Podcasts: Episode & Full Conversation • Climate Change Journalism: Moving Frontline Communities from the Sideline to the Center: Watch / Podcast: Episode Related Articles and Resources: • Duties on Canadian lumber have helped U.S. production grow while B.C. towns suffer. Now, Trump’s tariffs loom, by Andrew Kurjata, November 7, 2024, CBC News • Deforestation in the US South Is Four Times Greater Than Logging in South American Rainforests, by Danna Smith & Leo Woodberry, Truth Out • Impacts of Wood Pellets in the US, by Dogwood...

Episode Synopsis: What is the fate of Craigsville, Virginia after a prison closed in the small, rural town? We’re envisioning the future of Craigsville and investigating how decarcerating the economy can become a win for all. 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 happens to a small town when a prison shuts down? The Augusta Correctional Center employed many residents and brought business to Craigsville, Virginia, a two square-mile, 900-person town located in the Shenandoah Valley. But when the prison closed in the summer of 2024 with minimal warning and no time for planning, Craigsville residents and the town’s economy were hit hard. In this special report, Laura Flanders & Friends correspondents Chelsea Higgs Wise and Lewis Raven Wallace head to Craigsville to learn about how the town is struggling, possible solutions from locals, and the larger questions around our country’s prison industrial complex. How can small, rural communities be supported in a sustainable transition away from a carceral economy? Join us as we envision the future of Craigsville and investigate how decarcerating the economy can become a win for all. Chelsea Higgs Wise is a community organizer based in Richmond, Virginia whose work focuses on empowering Black communities economically and educationally. She is co-founder and director of Marijuana Justice, a Black-led organization established to repair the harms of the drug war. Durham, North Carolina-based Lewis Raven Wallace is an independent journalist, author, and the Abolition Journalism Fellow at Interrupting Criminalization. Plus, a commentary from Laura on what could happen to the Augusta Correctional Center under the Trump administration. “At one point there were 43 institutions in the Virginia Departments of Corrections . . . That number has dramatically decreased as a result of measures put in place, such as incentive credits, the juvenile parole bill, and other pieces of legislation that helped sentencing.” - Sincere Allah “What I would say is that building these prisons has not changed communities. It hasn't helped people inside. It hasn't helped create all these amazing jobs . . . Instead of investing $1.5 billion in our prisons, parole, probation, what if that was invested in communities?” - Margaret Breslau “Augusta Correctional opened in 1985. Probably at least half of the population here was working over there at that time. And it boosted the community greatly . . , boosted the town operational costs also. Kind of devastating for them to leave.” - Richard L. Fox “There's a gorgeous gym in [the prison] that is just full of equipment that these young people could very much get something out of. There's a beautiful library in there. There's two ball fields there. There's plenty of office space. It could be turned into a lot of things.” - Tracy Martin Correspondents: • Lewis Raven Wallace: Journalist & Activist, Durham, North Carolina • Chelsea Higgs Wise: Journalist & Policy Advocate, Richmond, Virginia Guests: • Sincere Allah: State Organizer, REFORM Alliance • Margaret Breslau: Co-Founder, Virginia Prison Justice Network • Pam L. Carter: Augusta County Board of Supervisors, Craigsville, Virginia • Richard L. Fox: Mayor, Craigville, Virginia • Tracy Martin: Fire Chief, Volunteer Fire Department, Craigsville Virginia • Sandy Oscar Sprouse: Owner, Grandma’s Busy Bee • Fred Sprouse: Superintendent of Maintenance, Craigsville, Virginia • David Swink: Cattle & Hay Farmer, Craigsville, Virginia • Catherine Moyers-Youell: Retired Teacher, Craigsville, Virginia • Bill Youell: Retired Chemical Engineer, Craigsville, Virginia • Claudette Wilcher: Pastor Bells Valley Worship Center, Craigsville, Virginia Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: ...

Beyond the flames, L.A. communities face long-term challenges from gentrification and loss. Join our "Meet the BIPOC Press" panel as local journalists explore the environmental and social impacts of recent fires. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Full Episode Description: In times of crisis, people need their questions answered, fast. As residents impacted by the recent Los Angeles fires return to their homes, are they receiving enough information about insurance and recovery dollars, or how to protect their health and wellbeing? At the time of this recording, the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton fires are still burning, with toxic air and water putting thousands at risk. On top of the immediate dangers, the loss of community and the threat of developers and gentrification will impact residents for years to come. How are the media reporting on communities dealing with this immeasurable loss and what is the path to recovery for the city? Kadia Tubman, Scripps News Disinformation Correspondent, returns to host our monthly “Meet the BIPOC Press” panel. Joining us from Los Angeles are two journalists to talk about the stories they’re covering on the ground. Cerise Castle reports on civil rights, criminal justice and climate. She wrote a groundbreaking exposé of deputy gangs inside the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department which we featured last year. She is exploring the environmental impact the fires have had in communities such as Altadena. Jacqueline García is a Senior Reporter at CALÓ News, focused on immigration, politics and issues affecting the Latino population. She is covering inspiring organizing among day laborers and immigrants. We’ll also see an excerpt from Castle’s most recent report for Capital & Main. Join us to hear what local BIPOC reporters want outside media to hear, as they respond to the Los Angeles fires. “. . . I am glad to see that there has been a course correction by both local and national media to bring these stories to the forefront, not just talking about high-income earners in the Palisades that have lost million-dollar homes, but talking about the babysitters, the grocery shopkeepers, the renters that were living in apartments that lost everything in the Eaton fire.” - Cerise Castle “. . . [Immigrants are] using this phrase of “el pueblo salva al pueblo,” which is people helping people . . . They said that this is what they're showing, that immigrants are also coming to work and they're showing their efforts and their passion for the community, and they want it to go back to as normal as possible.” - Jacqueline García Guests: • Cerise Castle: Journalist, Capital & Main • Jacqueline García: Senior Reporter, CALÓ News • Kadia Tubman: Disinformation Correspondent, Scripps News Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “Babylon Flamenco” by Gaudi from his album Bass, Dub, Sweat & Tears courtesy of Six Degrees Records. And additional music included- "Steppin" and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • The Defund Movement in 2024: Frontline Reporters Separate Myth from Reality: Watch / Audio Podcast • Colette Pichon Battle on Climate Justice Reparations: Watch / Audio Podcast: Episode &/or Full Conversation • BIPOC Media Answers the Call: Community Action After Hurricane Helene: Watch / Audio Podcast: Episode &/or Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • Day Laborers and Volunteers Clean After the Eaton Fire, by Jacqueline Garcia, January 10, 2025, CALÓ News •. Black Altadena Rebuilds after the Eaton Fire with Guidance from Octavia Butler, by Cerise Castle, January 24, 2025, Capital & Main • Governor Newsom announces commitments from major lenders to provide firestorm survivors with mortgage relief, January 18, 2025...

Residents returning to Los Angeles face critical questions on health, safety, and recovery following devastating fires – hear from frontline BIPOC journalists on the ground. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Full Conversation: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our supporting members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation. Laura passes the mic to Kadia Tubman of Scripps News to host this month’s meet the BIPOC press. In this episode we hear what BIPOC Media are telling about the Los Angeles Wildfires that the other media are not. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Episode Description: In times of crisis, people need their questions answered, fast. As residents impacted by the recent Los Angeles fires return to their homes, are they receiving enough information about insurance and recovery dollars, or how to protect their health and wellbeing? At the time of this recording, the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton fires are still burning, with toxic air and water putting thousands at risk. On top of the immediate dangers, the loss of community and the threat of developers and gentrification will impact residents for years to come. How are the media reporting on communities dealing with this immeasurable loss and what is the path to recovery for the city? Kadia Tubman, Scripps News Disinformation Correspondent, returns to host our monthly “Meet the BIPOC Press” panel. Joining us from Los Angeles are two journalists to talk about the stories they’re covering on the ground. Cerise Castle reports on civil rights, criminal justice and climate. She wrote a groundbreaking exposé of deputy gangs inside the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department which we featured last year. She is exploring the environmental impact the fires have had in communities such as Altadena. Jacqueline García is a Senior Reporter at CALÓ News, focused on immigration, politics and issues affecting the Latino population. She is covering inspiring organizing among day laborers and immigrants. We’ll also see an excerpt from Castle’s most recent report for Capital & Main. Join us to hear what local BIPOC reporters want outside media to hear, as they respond to the Los Angeles fires. “. . . I am glad to see that there has been a course correction by both local and national media to bring these stories to the forefront, not just talking about high-income earners in the Palisades that have lost million-dollar homes, but talking about the babysitters, the grocery shopkeepers, the renters that were living in apartments that lost everything in the Eaton fire.” - Cerise Castle “. . . [Immigrants are] using this phrase of “el pueblo salva al pueblo,” which is people helping people . . . They said that this is what they're showing, that immigrants are also coming to work and they're showing their efforts and their passion for the community, and they want it to go back to as normal as possible.” - Jacqueline García Guests: • Cerise Castle: Journalist, Capital & Main • Jacqueline García: Senior Reporter, CALÓ News • Kadia Tubman: Disinformation Correspondent, Scripps News Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • The Defund Movement in 2024: Frontline Reporters Separate Myth from Reality: Watch / Audio Podcast • Colette Pichon Battle on Climate Justice Reparations: Watch / Audio Podcast: Episode &/or Full Conversation • BIPOC Media Answers the Call: Community Action After Hurricane Helene: Watch / Audio Podcast: Episode &/or Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • Day Laborers and Volunteers Clean After the Eaton Fire, by Jacqueline Garcia, January 10, 2025, CALÓ News •. Black Altadena Rebuilds after the...

Explore the complex narrative behind Trump’s controversial pardons, as filmmaker Michael Premo discusses capturing the diverse faces of political extremism in 'Homegrown'. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Full Episode Description: Just hours after he took office, Donald Trump issued pardons for over 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. One of those pardoned was one of the subjects of a gripping documentary: Homegrown, from Storyline Media. Alongside two other members of the extremist group, the Proud Boys, filmmaker Michael Premo followed convicted felon, Christopher Quaglin, at home, on the road, and up the steps of the Capitol that day. In this conversation with Flanders, recorded just prior to Trump’s inauguration, Premo describes how the film came to be and what he found, including the surprising diversity within the Right-wing groups he followed. How do political ideas turn to political violence? What is the path forward? Join us for a timely conversation and, as always, Laura’s commentary. “I think what we're going to see is an escalation of the potential for violence . . . Project 2025 is a great example of the sort of broader consensus among the conservative movement around what to do once they regained power . . . People feel increasingly emboldened in a way that I think is somewhat similar to 2016, but there's a different sense of urgency.” - Michael Premo Guests: Michael Premo, Journalist & Filmmaker; Director & Producer, Homegrown Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: ‘Call Sender remix’ of “Lost In the Woods” by Project Gemini from their forthcoming Colours & Light courtesy of Mr. Bongo Records and thanks to Nurture Music. And additional music included- "Steppin" and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. *Note: This interview took place on January 15th, 2025 prior to the inauguration. Since the taping of this interview, Donald Trump issued pardons for over 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol storming shortly after taking office. Christopher Quaglin, a prominently featured subject in the documentary "Homegrown," was pardoned alongside other members of the extremist group, the Proud Boys. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Lisa Graves: The Extremist Revolution & Democracy Hanging by a Thread: Watch / Audio Podcast • Faith & Fascism: Rob Reiner & Dan Partland Tackle Christian Nationalism with “God & Country”: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Conversation • Another January 6 Insurrection? ‘War Game’ Film Asks if We’re Ready: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Conversation • Countering the Coup From the Grassroots Up: Watch / Download Podcast • Political Violence & MAGA Militancy: Strategies to Protect Democracy: Watch / Download Podcast • Idaho’s United Vision Project: Confronting Extremism in America’s Heartland: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • Police Must Do Better Against Far-Right Violence, byMike German & Beth Zasloff, January 8, 2025, Brennan Center • FBI seizes largest stockpile of explosives in its history from Virginia home, by WDBJ7 Staff, January 1, 2025, Isle of Wight, VA, WDBJ7 • Four years after the Capitol riot, its meaning and legacy are still debated, by Odette Yousef, January 6, 2025, WAMU - NPR News • Donald Trump Throws the Doors to the Patriot Wing Open, by Antonia Hitchens, January 25, 2025, The New Yorker Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram:...

Discover filmmaker Michael Premo's insights on political violence in his documentary about right-wing groups and their diversity, featuring pardoned Proud Boy Christopher Quaglin. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! About the LF&F Full Uncut Conversations: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our supporting members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation. The following is from our episode “Inside the MAGA Movement: What Happens Now?” with guest Michael Promo, a journalist and filmmaker who produced and directed the gripping documentary “Homegrown.” The film follows three members of the Proud Boys in the lead up to the January 6th insurrection. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. *Full Episode Description: Just hours after he took office, Donald Trump issued pardons for over 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. One of those pardoned was one of the subjects of a gripping documentary: Homegrown, from Storyline Media. Alongside two other members of the extremist group, the Proud Boys, filmmaker Michael Premo followed convicted felon, Christopher Quaglin, at home, on the road, and up the steps of the Capitol that day. In this conversation with Flanders, recorded just prior to Trump’s inauguration, Premo describes how the film came to be and what he found, including the surprising diversity within the Right-wing groups he followed. How do political ideas turn to political violence? What is the path forward? Join us for a timely conversation and, as always, Laura’s commentary. “I think what we're going to see is an escalation of the potential for violence . . . Project 2025 is a great example of the sort of broader consensus among the conservative movement around what to do once they regained power . . . People feel increasingly emboldened in a way that I think is somewhat similar to 2016, but there's a different sense of urgency.” - Michael Premo Guest: Michael Premo: Journalist & Filmmaker; Director & Producer, Homegrown Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon *Note: This interview took place on January 15th, 2025 prior to the inauguration. Since the taping of this interview, Donald Trump issued pardons for over 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol storming shortly after taking office. Christopher Quaglin, a prominently featured subject in the documentary "Homegrown," was pardoned alongside other members of the extremist group, the Proud Boys. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Lisa Graves: The Extremist Revolution & Democracy Hanging by a Thread: Watch / Audio Podcast • Faith & Fascism: Rob Reiner & Dan Partland Tackle Christian Nationalism with “God & Country”: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Conversation • Another January 6 Insurrection? ‘War Game’ Film Asks if We’re Ready: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Conversation • Countering the Coup From the Grassroots Up: Watch / Download Podcast • Political Violence & MAGA Militancy: Strategies to Protect Democracy: Watch / Download Podcast • Idaho’s United Vision Project: Confronting Extremism in America’s Heartland: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources: • Police Must Do Better Against Far-Right Violence, byMike German & Beth Zasloff, January 8, 2025, Brennan Center • FBI seizes largest stockpile of explosives in its history from Virginia home, by WDBJ7 Staff, January 1, 2025, Isle of Wight, VA, WDBJ7 • Four years after the Capitol riot, its meaning and legacy are still debated, by Odette Yousef, January 6, 2025, WAMU - NPR News Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with...

Explore the timely insights from activist Dean Spade on how reshaping our personal connections can bolster our fight for justice, as featured in his latest book, "Love in a F*cked Up World." This show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description: In a time of climate catastrophe, genocide, mass incarceration and political turmoil, people need to work together – better! That’s why lifelong activist Dean Spade has written “Love in a F*ed Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell, Together”. Which tools can help people and social justice movements face conflict and emerge stronger (rather than weaker)? Which stories do we tell ourselves that aren’t helping us think — or act — in our best interest? In this timely conversation, Spade shares tips on how we might get our interpersonal houses in order so that we’re better equipped to show up for others and the causes we care about. Spade is a lawyer, educator, and author of “Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)”, and “Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics and the Limits of the Law”. He’s the director of “Pinkwashing Exposed: Seattle Fights Back!”, and in 2002 he founded the Sylvia Rivera Law Project in New York City, a law collective that provides free legal services to trans and gender non-conforming people who are low income and/or people of color. He has useful things to say about romance too, which are worth bearing in mind, as the Valentine’s marketing crush hits, as Laura reflects in her commentary. “. . . Most of us are taking in all the bad news by ourselves through a screen . . . One of the best things we can do to support our own wellbeing through the overwhelm is be with others, joining any kind of project in our communities, a creative project, a mutual aid project . . .” - Dean Spade “The typical self-help genre is very focused on the individual. It doesn't contextualize the kinds of suffering that everyone's going through in a broader feminist analysis, anti-capitalist analysis, anti-racist analysis . . . If we understand that our individual suffering is a bunch of bigger scripts, . . . it can be a little bit freeing.” - Dean Spade Guest: Dean Spade: Author, Love In A F*ed-Up World: How To Build Relationships, Hook Up, And Raise Hell Together & Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) This show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “We are Rising” by activist, singer and songwriter, Taína Asili. She created the song for One Billion Rising’s 2020 global campaign.. And additional music included- "Steppin" and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • The New Transgender Movement: Race, Poverty, Gender, Policing, and Pinkwashing, Watch ​​• Emergent Strategies for Abolition: Andrea J. Ritchie’s Toolkit for Activists: Watch / Download Podcast • Mariame Kaba: Rooting Out Our Culture of Harm: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Uncut Conversation • adrienne maree brown: Pleasure Activism and Black Women’s Legacy of Joy, Watch (06:58) / Download Podcast: Full Uncut Conversation (37:20) Related Articles and Resources: • Our Best Option for Defending Ourselves From Trump’s Second Term Is Each Other, by Dean Spade, November 12, 2024, TruthOut • Checking in with Dean Spade (ep181), December 9, 2024, Gender Reveal Podcast •. “The Mask Is Off:” Dean Spade and Susan Stryker on Trans Resistance in Trump’s America, by Them, December 18, 2024, Them.us Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah...

In "Love in a F*cked Up World," Dean Spade shares insights on fostering relationships and activism in the face of global crises—find out more about his approach to solidarity now! 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 time of climate catastrophe, genocide, mass incarceration and political turmoil, people need to work together – better! That’s why lifelong activist Dean Spade has written “Love in a F*cked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell, Together”. Which tools can help people and social justice movements face conflict and emerge stronger (rather than weaker)? Which stories do we tell ourselves that aren’t helping us think — or act — in our best interest? In this timely conversation, Spade shares tips on how we might get our interpersonal houses in order so that we’re better equipped to show up for others and the causes we care about. Spade is a lawyer, educator, and author of “Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)”, and “Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics and the Limits of the Law”. He’s the director of “Pinkwashing Exposed: Seattle Fights Back!”, and in 2002 he founded the Sylvia Rivera Law Project in New York City, a law collective that provides free legal services to trans and gender non-conforming people who are low income and/or people of color. He has useful things to say about romance too, which are worth bearing in mind, as the Valentine’s marketing crush hits, as Laura reflects in her commentary. “. . . Most of us are taking in all the bad news by ourselves through a screen . . . One of the best things we can do to support our own wellbeing through the overwhelm is be with others, joining any kind of project in our communities, a creative project, a mutual aid project . . .” - Dean Spade “The typical self-help genre is very focused on the individual. It doesn't contextualize the kinds of suffering that everyone's going through in a broader feminist analysis, anti-capitalist analysis, anti-racist analysis . . . If we understand that our individual suffering is a bunch of bigger scripts, . . . it can be a little bit freeing.” - Dean Spade Guest: Dean Spade, Author, “Love In A F*cked-Up World: How To Build Relationships, Hook Up, And Raise Hell Together”, “Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)” and more. Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • The New Transgender Movement: Race, Poverty, Gender, Policing, and Pinkwashing, Watch ​​• Emergent Strategies for Abolition: Andrea J. Ritchie’s Toolkit for Activists: Watch / Download Podcast • Mariame Kaba: Rooting Out Our Culture of Harm: Watch / Download Podcast: Episode & Full Uncut Conversation • adrienne maree brown: Pleasure Activism and Black Women’s Legacy of Joy, Watch (06:58) / Download Podcast: Full Uncut Conversation (37:20) Related Articles and Resources: • Our Best Option for Defending Ourselves From Trump’s Second Term Is Each Other, by Dean Spade, November 12, 2024, TruthOut • Checking in with Dean Spade (ep181), December 9, 2024, Gender Reveal Podcast •. “The Mask Is Off:” Dean Spade and Susan Stryker on Trans Resistance in Trump’s America, by Them, December 18, 2024, Them.us Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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:...

Join us as we delve into the complex remembrance of Jimmy Carter, from his pivotal energy policies to international diplomacy, at his funeral reflections with diverse voices. This show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description: What is being left out of the conversation when it comes to Jimmy Carter, and why are many of his significant achievements under attack today? He created a national energy policy that married conservation with developing alternatives and getting off oil, passed the Superfund Act, created the Federal Department of Education and negotiated the Panama Canal treaty — a deal that Trump slammed earlier this week as he threatened to regain control of Panama. In this episode, Laura is on the ground in Georgia for Carter’s funeral events, and speaks with people who came from all around the country to pay their respects. How are Americans remembering the 39th president? Many obituaries have excluded the October Surprise by which the release of US hostages held in Iran was delayed until Ronald Reagan’s election day, and Carter’s critiques of Israeli violations of international law and his warning that cutting off non-violent options for Palestinians under Israel’s occupation would inevitably explode, making both Israel and the Palestinians less secure. What should we make of the notion that he “failed” during his presidency? Join us as we explore why Carter’s legacy is so relevant today. All that, plus a commentary from Laura. “Carter had established the US-China relationship and this year is the 45th anniversary of US-China relationship normalization. Over the past 40 years, he had the great policy to help the Chinese people, help China to develop, and that changed millions of people's life.” - Richard Li “[Jimmy Carter] was accused of being antisemitic. Imagine the president who removed Israel's largest enemy from the battlefield, Egypt, could be considered antisemitic is so beyond the pale. He was so committed to Israel's security, which he knew could only happen when the Palestinian people would have their state.” - Karin Ryan “There's different philosophies on how private sector and public sector labor unions are viewed, and each one of them is unique in how they work for their contracts. But overall, collective bargaining is an important thing. And I think the general consensus of everybody historically is that President Carter supported collective bargaining, and collective bargaining is what this country was founded on.” - Greg Waddle People Featured in This Episode: • Karin Ryan, the Senior Policy Advisor on Human Rights and Special Representative on Women and Girls at The Carter Center • Richard Li, Vice President, Chinese American Business Association of Atlanta • Greg Waddle, President, IATSE Local 479 Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: flashback to the Jimmy Carter Campaign Song “Why Not the Best” from 1976. And additional music included- "Steppin" and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Angela Davis: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Building a Better Future, Watch / Listen-Podcast- Episode, Full Conversation • Israel, Hamas & Universal Human Rights: Former UN Official Craig Mokhiber Describes Path Forward, Watch / Listen-Podcast- Episode, Full Conversation • How to Fortify Democracy in 2024, Watch / Listen-Podcast- Episode Related Articles and Resources: • Jimmy Carter Presidential Library video archives • Carterland, a documentary by Jim & Will Pattiz released in 2021, Learn More • Jimmy Carter Tribute website, Learn More Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat...

**Historic Change in Illinois: Cash Bail Eliminated Statewide** Explore the implications of the groundbreaking Pretrial Fairness Act as experts discuss its impact on racial equity and justice reform. This show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description: What happened when Illinois ended cash bail? As Laura’s guests explain, this deeply discriminatory and unjust system puts “a ransom on people’s heads,” disproportionately impacts Black and Brown people, and favors the wealthy who can buy their freedom while leaving the poor to languish in jail. Bail reform has faced tremendous pushback over the years, but Illinois implemented the first-of-its-kind Pretrial Fairness Act, ending cash bail statewide in 2023. The historic win didn’t happen overnight. In this episode some of those most involved explain what it took and describe the surprising results. Sharone R. Mitchell Jr., the Cook County Chief Public Defender was the lead policy expert for the Coalition to End Money Bond. Mitchell also heads the state’s largest public defender office. State Senator Robert Peters represents Illinois’ 13th District and was one of the main sponsors of the Pretrial Fairness Act. He chairs the Senate Labor Committee. Bryce Covert followed this important and under-covered story for The Nation magazine. What has Illinois to teach the nation? All that plus Laura’s commentary: Illinois has moved out of the Middle Ages. What’s holding the rest of the nation back? “I do think that there has been a severe backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement, to criminal justice reform that's pretty nationwide . . . That said, Illinois is out there doing this, and I think people are taking note . . . So as long as this stays in place and we have good data about the outcomes and people keep supporting it and don't give into the opposition that wants to push to roll it back, then we will have proof that this can happen, that this can work.” - Bryce Covert “Literally the hardest job I had was talking to mothers and grandmothers and partners about whether they should be paying this a thousand dollars for bond or a thousand dollars for rent. We were forcibly extracting money out of the people that needed it the most. And I'm so glad that we are now in a system where we realized that we can make these really important decisions without quite frankly putting ransoms on people's heads.” - Sharone R. Mitchell Jr. ". . . The president was involved in criminal behavior. Rudy Giuliani was involved in criminal behavior. They had no problem being able to either pay out or pay within the legal system. Working class people on the other hand, many of them who are innocent, many of them who are just trying to live their life or trying to move on, they can't. A billionaire who's able to game the court system and be able to get out has no business trying to lecture the working class of this country.” - Robert Peters Guests: • Bryce Covert: Contributor, The Nation • Sharone R. Mitchell Jr.: Chief Public Defender Cook County, Illinois • Robert Peters: Illinois State Senator, 13th District Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: Eric Kupper remix of “U Try Livin’” by Black Guy, White Guy and 808 Beach from the Red Hot and Free project released by the Red Hot Organization. And additional music included- "Steppin" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Corporate Prison Reform Will Not Keep Us Safe: A Report from Los Angeles: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode • Crime & Migration: An Abolitionist Plan for Immigration Justice: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode • D.A. Larry Krasner Facing Impeachment: Criminal Justice Reform in the Crosshairs: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode Related Articles and Resources: •...

Explore the history and impact of Illinois' decision to end cash bail statewide in 2023, featuring insights from key advocates and policymakers involved in this monumental change. 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 happened when Illinois ended cash bail? As Laura’s guests explain, this deeply discriminatory and unjust system puts “a ransom on people’s heads,” disproportionately impacts Black and Brown people, and favors the wealthy who can buy their freedom while leaving the poor to languish in jail. Bail reform has faced tremendous pushback over the years, but Illinois implemented the first-of-its-kind Pretrial Fairness Act, ending cash bail statewide in 2023. The historic win didn’t happen overnight. In this episode some of those most involved explain what it took and describe the surprising results. Sharone R. Mitchell Jr., the Cook County Chief Public Defender was the lead policy expert for the Coalition to End Money Bond. Mitchell also heads the state’s largest public defender office. State Senator Robert Peters represents Illinois’ 13th District and was one of the main sponsors of the Pretrial Fairness Act. He chairs the Senate Labor Committee. Bryce Covert followed this important and under-covered story for The Nation magazine. What has Illinois to teach the nation? All that plus Laura’s commentary: Illinois has moved out of the Middle Ages. What’s holding the rest of the nation back? Guests: • Bryce Covert: Contributor, The Nation • Sharone R. Mitchell Jr.: Chief Public Defender Cook County, Illinois • Robert Peters: Illinois State Senator, 13th District Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Corporate Prison Reform Will Not Keep Us Safe: A Report from Los Angeles: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode • Crime & Migration: An Abolitionist Plan for Immigration Justice: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode • D.A. Larry Krasner Facing Impeachment: Criminal Justice Reform in the Crosshairs: Watch / Listen: Podcast Episode Related Articles and Resources: • Illinois Has Put an End to the Injustice of Cash Bail, by Bryce Covert, December 2, 2024, The Nation • U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Releases Report: The Civil Rights Implications of Cash Bail, by U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, January 20, 2022, USCCR.org • Cash bail disproportionately impacts communities of color. Illinois is the first state to abolish it. By Claire Savage and Corey Williams, September 12, 2023, AP News Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. 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

Reflecting on the Occupy movement's 13th anniversary: A deep dive into its impact on democracy, economic inequality, and the ongoing fight against the wealth gap. (episode originally released September 11, 2024) This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description: Were you one of the hundreds of thousands of people on the streets during the Occupy movement? For many the movement was a political awakening, as people rallied to end economic inequality and support democracy in response to the 2008 global financial crisis. On this 13th anniversary, how does the spirit of Occupy live on? And what progress — if any — has been made when it comes to the wealth gap? Joining us for that conversation is Marisa Holmes, author of the recently released book “Organizing Occupy Wall Street: This Is Just Practice” and director of “All Day All Week: An Occupy Wall Street Story” which looks at the takeover of Zuccotti Park in New York City in September 2011. Also joining us is Taifa Smith Butler, President of Demos, a public policy organization working to build a multiracial democracy and economy. Previously she was a leader at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Award-winning journalist Amir Khafagy returns to co-host this episode. Our guests explore the links between economic inequality and authoritarianism and ask how far we've come as a nation to create structural, policy and practice-based changes on the economic front. How can we create a people-led economy that will lead to collective power? All that, plus a commentary from Laura. “During Occupy, we really rejected representative politics because it seemed not responsive to people's needs . . . So we just thought, ‘We're going to do this ourselves’. We have to build alternatives ourselves from the bottom up through mutual aid networks . . . That's what I think is going to transform the economy . . .” - Marisa Holmes “Demos has always talked about the inextricable links of economic power and political power. As I think about where we are historically with the retraction of resources, with the threat of authoritarianism and fascism and this demographic shift that is happening in our nation and the inequality that continues to proliferate, if we do nothing, we'll be looking at apartheid in America.” - Taifa Smith Butler Guests: • Taifa Smith Butler: President, Dēmos • Marisa Holmes: Author, Organizing Occupy Wall Street • Amir Khafagy: Journalist, Report for America Member, Documented Watch the episode cut airing on PBS stations across the country at our YouTube channel Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “Walk-in’” by The Pimps of Joytime featuring Roy Ayers from the Occupy This Album compilation. And additional music included- "Steppin" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • “Trust-Busting 2024 with Stacy Mitchell & Matt Stoller: A Bipartisan Battle Against Monopoly Power” Watch / Listen or Download Podcast• Debt, Democracy & Disarray: Astra Taylor on “The Age of Insecurity”. Watch / Listen or Download Podcast • Catastrophic Capitalism: Marjorie Kelly & Edgar Villanueva on “Wealth Supremacy” Watch / Listen or Download Podcast Related Articles and Resources: • Overview of Demos’ Economic Democracy Project & Case Studies, Read /Download Here • All Day All Week- An Occupy Wall Street Story made with the Occupy Wall Street Media Working Group, Watch Here • Rewind: As Obama's re-inauguration approaches, Americans celebrate other key anniversaries. But the promised land remains elusive, by Laura Flanders, The Guardian, Read Here Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram:...

Dive into compelling stories of triumph, art, and activism as key voices reflect on changing Mississippi's state flag history. (episode originally aired June 5, 2024) This show is made possible by you! Our year end goal is to raise $50,000, and we are half way there. To become a member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description: In a time of division, how do we create a sense of collective freedom? It’s a question that peace activist, artist and poet Genesis Be grapples with in all her work. Genesis Be has a new book out, People Not Things: Love Poems & Paintings for Humanity, and recently curated the Freedom Rising art show in Brooklyn, New York featuring work by incarcerated artists currently held by the Georgia Department of Corrections. She is the subject of the upcoming film “Mississippi Turning” about the successful years-long effort to remove the Confederate symbol from the state’s flag. In this episode taped at the CUNY studios in NYC, we turn to a poet and a preacher. Genesis Be joins Laura Flanders and co-host Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, the Senior Minister for Public Theology and Transformation at Middle Church, to discuss how to reject stigmas and advance liberation. Genesis Be painted in the studio — for her and us it was a first. “I did my protest about the confederate flag that went viral, I hung a noose around my neck and draped myself in a confederate flag . . . It was a very scary time for me because I got thrown into the fight to change the Mississippi State flag. There were a lot of death threats, but a lot of support during that time.” - Genesis Be “The word freedom is hijacked often by folks: freedom from having to change, freedom from having to admit the humanity of others, freedom from having to widen the tent, freedom from having to let go of their sense of exceptionalism . . . This [conference] was a gathering of like-minded folks sharing a dream of all of us belonging and all of us saving this democracy, interfaith, intergenerational.” - Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis Guests: • Genesis Be: Poet, Peace Activist, Artist; Author, People Not Things: Love Poems & Paintings for Humanity • Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis (Co-host): Senior Minister of Public Theology & Transformation, Middle Church, NYC. Author of several books including her latest Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: “Blind Lady Say (Be Love)” by Genesis Be, courtesy of the artist. And additional music included- "Steppin" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •. Prison Creative Arts Project: Imagination in the Face of Incarceration. Watch / Listen-Download Podcast and Full Conversation • How Radical Self-Love Can Heal the World. Watch / Listen-Download Podcast • Ask Angola Prison: What Difference Can a Play Make? Watch / Listen-Download Podcast and Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources: •. Documentary (released Fall 2024) “Mississippi Turning” Artist & activist Genesis Be, after her controversial protest against Mississippi's Confederate Heritage Month, heads down to her home state of Mississippi to have an honest discussion with people on both sides of the debate, including her childhood friend, a proud descendant of Confederate soldiers. Watch the Trailer •. “People Not Things” by Genesis Be, recordings of her poetry via Bandcamp •. Middle Church Freedom Rising Conference Learn More Here •. People Not Things Exhibit. Learn More Here Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends Instagram:...

Meet the New Leaders of California's 12th District:** Newly elected Democrat Lateefah Simon joins veteran Congresswoman Barbara Lee in a powerful conversation about minority representation and the fight for reproductive rights, housing, and immigration reform—how will they inspire change in a Republican-controlled Congress? This show is made possible by you! Our year end goal is to raise $50,000, and we are half way there. To become a member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description: If anyone can inspire the public about the role of the minority in Congress, the women of California’s 12th district can. In this charming conversation, newly-elected Democrat, Lateefah Simon, joins the indomitable veteran Barbara Lee, whose congressional seat Simon will be taking when the new Congress convenes. Republicans will control the House and Senate, the White House, and dominate the Supreme Court, but Simon says she’s fired up to “fight for what we’ve fought for” in the areas of reproductive rights, low and middle-income housing, public safety, immigration and more. And that’s no wonder. Simon’s following Lee — whose historic 26-year career in the legislature included often being in the minority, and once standing alone against granting the president unlimited war powers after 9/11. Like Lee, Simon began her activism as a single mother at Mills College, and that’s not all they have in common. Lee says Simon’s already made her proud. This episode will delight everyone interested in the role of African American women in politics, or how legacies are built and power is passed on. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on how not to stay tired. “Being a Black woman in America really gives us the experience and the lens to not be daunted with being a minority. We've been a minority in this country forever . . . I don't buy this fear. I don't buy into the fact that a lot of people talk about they're exhausted Black women. We always keep going and Lateefah keeps going. “ - Barbara Lee “We know what racism looks like. We know what the threats of deportation looks like. We have been here before, but I am so honored to be able to take on again, the ongoing journey that was led by Shirley Chisholm, Kamala D. Harris, and my mentor, professor and friend Barbara Lee. We are weary, clearly, but we're not weak.” - Lateefah Simon Guests: • Barbara Lee, Congresswoman, California 12th District • Lateefah Simon, Congresswoman-Elect, California 12th District Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle: "Be Love" by Alexis P. Suter Band, the title track from their album released on HipBone Records.. And additional music included- "Steppin" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Transportation is a Human Right. Watch / Download Podcast • To Save The Progressives: U.S. Reps Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan, Barbara Lee, Yvette Clark. Watch Related Articles and Resources: • Lateefah Simon, on Track to Be a New house Dem: “I’ve Never Shied Away From Any Fight”, by Samantha Michaels, November 6, 2024, Mother Jones • Shirley Chisolm’s Legacy Still Looms Large, Time Magazine • ‘The point is to be there for the fight’: incoming congresswoman arrives in D.C., Erika Ryan, Ari Shapiro, Patrick Jarenwattananon, November 25, 2024, NPR Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Erika Harley, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and 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:...