Better Future with Michael Mezz 008 – What the Left Can Learn From Minneapolis | Aru Shiney-Ajay
My guest is Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement. We spoke while Aru was on the ground in Minneapolis during an unprecedented wave of ICE raids that have shaken the city – and sparked a powerful, decentralized organizing response.
We go beyond the headlines to what’s actually working: neighborhood-level organizing, mutual aid networks, logistical disruption, and new strategies for building power. We also zoom out to reflect on what this moment means for the broader left: how movements can shift from defense to offense, and what lessons from Minneapolis can be applied elsewhere as people across the country (and the world) grapple with authoritarianism, repression, and political paralysis.
Join the Sunrise Movement and/or learn more about their work: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/
Follow Aru on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aru_sa/
Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Sunrise Movement on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisemvmt/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunrisemvmt
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
0:00 ICE targets mutual aid deliveries
0:44 Intro: Aru Shiney-Ajay
1:45 On the ground in Minneapolis
6:13 Organizing: What’s working?
13:40 Going on the offensive
20:58 Strikes & worker power
24:54 Lessons for the broader movement
34:12 How to get involved
37:22 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Aru Shiney-Ajay
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 008. Lots more on the way :)