In this discussion, historian Jon Wells and educator Mariame Kaba delve into the dark history of policing in 19th-century New York. They reveal how law enforcement was complicit in the kidnapping of Black individuals, turning a blind eye to injustice. The duo highlights the resistance efforts of figures like David Ruggles, who fought against slavery and systemic oppression. Kaba provides crucial context on the abolitionist movement, while Wells explores the violent legacies that shaped the NYPD's origins, urging a reexamination of community safety.

Discussions on libraries as political spaces, resistance against right-wing attacks, importance of public institutions for marginalized communities, grassroots activism in libraries, collective action against injustices like the Palestine genocide, challenges librarians face in political activism, societal issues explored through historical events and title choices, and empowering community engagement in library governance.

Mariame Kaba and Kelly Hayes discuss their book Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care, exploring topics such as disappointment in organizing, the power of relationships in activism, empathy in COVID organizing, defunding and resource allocation, collective survival, and building structures based on interdependence.