Laura Flanders and Friends: Solution Journalism on Democracy, Movements, Society and Culture

In a candid discussion with Laura, veteran union organizer Alex Han and U.S. Right Wing expert Tarso Ramos explore how workers are uniting against rising authoritarianism.- Watch the episode released on YouTube July 4th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 6th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode) and airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast July 9th.Description:  The United States is moving towards authoritarianism, but there is still a window of opportunity to reverse course. What could improve the chances of re-balancing power in the nation, and advancing towards that multiracial democracy that many still dream of? The answer is worker organizing, say Alex Han and Tarso Luís Ramos. "When we look at the history of U-turns from democratic backsliding to democratic revival, the success rate is about 50 percent," says Ramos. "Where there's active, vibrant union participation, the odds go up to about 80 percent." So what's holding Labor back? In early May of 2025, Laura sat down with Ramos and Han at a conference on “Labor in the Age of Authoritarian Politics”, held at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) in New York. Ramos is a leading expert on the U.S. Right Wing and former Executive Director of Political Research Associates. He now serves as Senior Advisor to Future Currents, a strategic planning group of social and economic justice leaders. Han has spent most of his adult life in the labor movement, as an organizer and elected president of a large Chicago local. In 2023, he became Executive Director of In These Times, the long-running Chicago-based progressive magazine. In the wake of mass layoffs and the abduction of Kilmar Abrego García, a union member wrongly exported to El Salvador and now held in Tennessee, can enough workers and their allies band together to make a difference?“I think of all of these times where I've shown up at a protest and I know every single person there. When that happens, I know we're not winning today.” - Alex Han“I think the coup that we did not prepare for was the force accelerator that most people experience as DOGE. It's the Musk and Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen set of actors . . . They're interested in ringing the profits out of the public sector, and they're interested in accelerating the demise of civilian governance altogether.” - Tarso Luís RamosGuests:Alex  Han: Executive Director, In These TimesTarso Luís Ramos: Senior Adviser, Political Research Associates; Senior Fellow, Future Currents SAVE THE DATE July 16th 7pm EDT - Virtual Member Event via Zoom:  Join Laura Flanders in conversation with FAIR Program Director and CounterSpin Host Janine Jackson about the future of public media, Bill Moyers' legacy and more.  Plus, you'll get the chance to ask questions and learn more about upcoming episodes of Laura Flanders & Friends! Check your email inbox for your invite, or make a contribution at lauraflanders.org/donate or make it monthly at Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends to receive a registration link. RESOURCES:Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•. Labor Movement v. Fascism: Worker Organizers & Labor Educators Are Under Attack [Special Report]  Watch  / Listen:  Episode• Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley:  Is It Doomsday for U.S. Democracy? - Watch / LISTEN: episode &/or full conversation•  Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor:  Are Ee Entering "End Times Fascism?"  - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation• Bernie Sanders & AOC:  "Fighting Oligarchy" with People Power [Special Report] - Watch / LISTEN: episode• Bernie Sanders "Fighting Oligarchy" LISTEN:  Full Uncut Conversation• 'God & Country': Rob Reiner & Dan Partland on the Rise of Christian Nationalism in U.S. Politics - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation Related Articles and Resources:In These Times magazinePolitical Research AssociatesFuture Currents  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

In a candid discussion with Laura, veteran union organizer Alex Han and U.S. Right Wing expert Tarso Ramos explore how workers are uniting against rising authoritarianism.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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.DESCRIPTION:  The United States is moving towards authoritarianism, but there is still a window of opportunity to reverse course. What could improve the chances of re-balancing power in the nation, and advancing towards that multiracial democracy that many still dream of? The answer is worker organizing, say Alex Han and Tarso Luís Ramos. "When we look at the history of U-turns from democratic backsliding to democratic revival, the success rate is about 50 percent," says Ramos. "Where there's active, vibrant union participation, the odds go up to about 80 percent." So what's holding Labor back? In early May of 2025, Laura sat down with Ramos and Han at a conference on “Labor in the Age of Authoritarian Politics”, held at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) in New York. Ramos is a leading expert on the U.S. Right Wing and former Executive Director of Political Research Associates. He now serves as Senior Advisor to Future Currents, a strategic planning group of social and economic justice leaders. Han has spent most of his adult life in the labor movement, as an organizer and elected president of a large Chicago local. In 2023, he became Executive Director of In These Times, the long-running Chicago-based progressive magazine. In the wake of mass layoffs and the abduction of Kilmar Abrego García, a union member wrongly exported to El Salvador and now held in Tennessee, can enough workers and their allies band together to make a difference?“I think of all of these times where I've shown up at a protest and I know every single person there. When that happens, I know we're not winning today.” - Alex Han“I think the coup that we did not prepare for was the force accelerator that most people experience as DOGE. It's the Musk and Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen set of actors . . . They're interested in ringing the profits out of the public sector, and they're interested in accelerating the demise of civilian governance altogether.” - Tarso Luís RamosGuests:Alex  Han: Executive Director, In These TimesTarso Luís Ramos: Senior Adviser, Political Research Associates; Senior Fellow, Future Currents SAVE THE DATE July 16th 7pm EDT - Virtual Member Event via Zoom:  Join Laura Flanders in conversation with FAIR Program Director and CounterSpin Host Janine Jackson about the future of public media, Bill Moyers' legacy and more.  Plus, you'll get the chance to ask questions and learn more about upcoming episodes of Laura Flanders & Friends! Check your email inbox for your invite, or make a contribution at lauraflanders.org/donate or make it monthly at Patreon.com/LauraFlandersandFriends to receive a registration link. RESOURCES:- Watch the episode released on YouTube July 4th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 6th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode) and airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast July 9th.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•. Labor Movement v. Fascism: Worker Organizers & Labor Educators Are Under Attack [Special Report]  Watch  / Listen:  Episode• Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley:  Is It Doomsday for U.S. Democracy? - Watch / LISTEN: episode &/or full conversation•  Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor:  Are Ee Entering "End Times Fascism?"  - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation• Bernie Sanders & AOC:  "Fighting Oligarchy" with People Power [Special Report] - Watch / LISTEN: episode• Bernie Sanders "Fighting Oligarchy" LISTEN:  Full Uncut Conversation• 'God & Country': Rob Reiner & Dan Partland on the Rise of Christian Nationalism in U.S. Politics - Watch / LISTEN:  episode &/or full conversation Related Articles and Resources:In These Times magazinePolitical Research AssociatesFuture Currents  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Reframing Media Narratives for Queer and Trans Liberation with Marsha P Johnson's Story.  How Artists and Activists Are Reframing Media Narratives for Queer Liberation.SAVE THE DATE July 16th 7pm EDT:  Laura hosts an online conversation just for our donors. It’s a chance to connect, ask questions, and hear what’s coming up behind the scenes. Make a one off donation or become a sustaining member by making it monthly go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Episode Description: Activist and artist Marsha P. Johnson was one of the key founders of the gay liberation movement after the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, but it’s taken years for her to receive recognition. On this special Pride Month edition of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we’re celebrating Marsha’s life and legacy with two activists carrying her story forward. A new biography from Penguin House, “Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson” by our guest, Tourmaline traces Marsha’s working-class beginnings to her work with sex workers and street activists, to her death in 1992. Qween Jean is a self-described “spiritual daughter” of Marsha and the founder of Black Trans Liberation. Explore how mainstream media coverage once excluded Marsha, and what’s changed since then. We also unpack the media’s coverage of transphobia and the recent ruling from Tennessee that restricts gender-affirming care for minors. In the face of extreme backlash and repression, how are artists and activists reframing media narratives for queer and trans liberation?“A lot of trans and queer people, especially here in New York City, that are asylum seekers that have had to leave other countries from persecution now find themselves in a place of purgatory . . . They can't even go to get a hormone shot because they're afraid. What if ICE is literally outside waiting for us?” - Qween Jean“Marsha knew that these conditions didn't get to determine how she felt about herself. No court, no Supreme Court, no police officer, no governor, no president . . . She was creating the conditions to remind herself and each other that we too get to feel beautiful and know our value firmly.” - TourmalineGuests:•  Qween Jean: Founder, Black Trans Liberation; Human Rights Activist & Costume Designer•  Tourmaline: Artist; Author, MARSHA: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson Watch the episode released on YouTube June 27th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 29th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast July 2nd. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. RESOURCES:*Recommended books:•  “Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson” by Tourmaline: Get the Book*•  “Revolution is Love: A Year of Black Trans Liberation”: Get the Book*(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.) Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Full Uncut Conversation:  Marsha P. Johnson’s Queer Legacy Lives On: Tourmaline & Qween Jean on Trans Liberation  LISTEN•  Special Report- Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists. Watch / Listen-Download•  Imara Jones: Countering The Anti-Trans Hate Machine:  Watch / Listen: Episode•  Holly Hughes & Esther Newton: How Queer Kinship Ties Help Us Survive: Watch / Listen:  Episode•  Beyond Disability Rights;  Disability Justice:  Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha Watch   Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

As an unapologetic advocate for trans and queer empowerment, Qween Jean carries forward Marsha P. Johnson’s spirit by confronting systemic barriers that continue to threaten vulnerable communities today.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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.SAVE THE DATE July 16th 7pm EDT:  Laura hosts an online conversation just for our donors. It’s a chance to connect, ask questions, and hear what’s coming up behind the scenes. Make a one off donation or become a sustaining member by making it monthly go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description: Activist and artist Marsha P. Johnson was one of the key founders of the gay liberation movement after the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, but it’s taken years for her to receive recognition. On this special Pride Month edition of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we’re celebrating Marsha’s life and legacy with two activists carrying her story forward. A new biography from Penguin House, “Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson” by our guest, Tourmaline traces Marsha’s working-class beginnings to her work with sex workers and street activists, to her death in 1992. Qween Jean is a self-described “spiritual daughter” of Marsha and the founder of Black Trans Liberation. Explore how mainstream media coverage once excluded Marsha, and what’s changed since then. We also unpack the media’s coverage of transphobia and the recent ruling from Tennessee that restricts gender-affirming care for minors. In the face of extreme backlash and repression, how are artists and activists reframing media narratives for queer and trans liberation?“A lot of trans and queer people, especially here in New York City, that are asylum seekers that have had to leave other countries from persecution now find themselves in a place of purgatory . . . They can't even go to get a hormone shot because they're afraid. What if ICE is literally outside waiting for us?” - Qween Jean“Marsha knew that these conditions didn't get to determine how she felt about herself. No court, no Supreme Court, no police officer, no governor, no president . . . She was creating the conditions to remind herself and each other that we too get to feel beautiful and know our value firmly.” - TourmalineGuests:•  Qween Jean: Founder, Black Trans Liberation; Human Rights Activist & Costume Designer•  Tourmaline: Artist; Author, MARSHA: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson Watch the episode released on YouTube June 27th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 29th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast July 2nd. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. RESOURCES:*Recommended books:•  “Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson” by Tourmaline: Get the Book*•  “Revolution is Love: A Year of Black Trans Liberation”: Get the Book*(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.) Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Special Report- Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists. Watch / Listen-Download•  Imara Jones: Countering The Anti-Trans Hate Machine:  Watch / Listen: Episode•  Holly Hughes & Esther Newton: How Queer Kinship Ties Help Us Survive: Watch / Listen:  Episode•  Beyond Disability Rights;  Disability Justice:  Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha WatchRelated Articles and Resources:•  Trans power is my sword and my shield:  Qween Jean at trans rights conference in Chennai, by Video Sigamany, November 10, 2024, The News Minute•  Thanks to Tourmaline, the Long-Awaited Biography of Marsha P. Johnson Is Here, by Journey Streams, May 20, 2025, Interview Magazine•  Stonewall 1979:  The Drag of Politics, by Steve Watson, Originally published:  June 15, 1979, The Village Voice  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

REWIND EPISODE FROM THE LF&F ARCHIVES (Synopsis)- From sabotaged performances in rural North Carolina to besieged Drag Story Hour events in diverse urban neighborhoods, the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights is being fought on multiple fronts, with activists, artists, and journalists joining forces to resist a surge in anti-queer hostility and promote a culture of acceptance and inclusivity. Stay informed and engaged! Don't miss out on our captivating weekly episodes that dive deep into the heart of our economy, culture, and politics from the past to the present. Please hit the podcast subscribe button if you've yet to subscribe. [The following episode was released June 2023 - [Full Episode Notes on Patreon]Description:  As Pride Month continues, we explore the activism of drag queens and trans individuals who bore the brunt of the violence during the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and are still targets of violence and vitriol today. State legislators, so far this year, have proposed and in some cases passed, hundreds of bills that seek to restrict drag culture and queer self-expression. Proud Boys have harassed and threatened Drag Story Hour events across the country, even in the diverse borough of Queens, NY. In this episode of The Laura Flanders Show's monthly feature, Meet the BIPOC Press, Laura and co-host Mitra Kalita (co-founder of URL Media) are joined from North Carolina by Naomi Dix, an influential drag artist whose show in rural Moore County was disrupted by a sabotage attack on an energy substation — an attack that left 45,000 households and businesses in the dark for five days in December 2022. We're also joined by reporter Sam Zachar, the producer of a two-part podcast series for Epicenter-NYC on NYC's Drag Story Hours — what they are, and what they're up against.“We never thought in a million years, especially drag artists of my generation, that we would have to be facing the same things and issues that our parents were telling us that they were having to face in the 50s and the 60s and the 70s and the 80s.” - Naomi Dix“What we're seeing is an overlapping of the identities that our communities represent, and the approach to how we combat these forces. It's really powerful when we can say the counter protestors outnumber those who don't want us here.” - Mitra Kalita“I think that Drag Story Hour as a whole gives us a great look and a microcosm of drag trans and queer worlds, because it represents how they're being attacked in terms of losing rights to exist safely, and the Proud Boys, specifically digging their heels into inflammatory, destructive and untruthful accusations against these communities.” - Sam ZacharGuests:•  Naomi Dix, Drag Artist, Activist & Member of Durham NC BIPOC Operated House of Coxx;  Co-Chair, Pride: Durham, NC  www.naomidix.com•  Sam Zachar, Reporter, Podcast Producer, Epicenter-NYC•  S. Mitra Kalita Co-Founder, URL Media;  Co-Founder, Epicenter-NYC Special Report- Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists. Watch / Listen-Download - December 2022, an attack on two electrical substations in Moore County, North Carolina left 45,000 households and businesses without power for up to five days. It was the biggest domestic terrorist attack on the electricity grid in the U.S. Did the sabotage attack have anything to do with LGBTQ harassment or the drag performance scheduled that night? SAVE THE DATE July 16th 7pm EDT:  Laura hosts an online conversation just for our donors. It’s a chance to connect, ask questions, and hear what’s coming up behind the scenes. Make a one off donation or become a sustaining member by making it monthly go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you!  RESOURCES:*Recommended book:“Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America” by Esther Newton, About the Book(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• Laverne Cox, Sam Feder: Trans Lives Depend on Owning Our Stories Watch / Listen-Download Podcast  • North Carolina: Courageous Conversations in a Climate of Fear  Watch / Listen-Download Podcast • Imara Jones: Countering The Anti-Trans Hate Machine  Watch / Listen-Download Podcast• F-Word, Laura Flanders’ Commentary:  Take Pride in Desire  Listen-Download PodcastRelated Articles and Resources:•  Why NYC Kids need storytellers in drag, by Samantha Zachar, Epicenter-NYC, Read Here and Listen to the 2 part Podcast series•  How New York City fights the Proud Boys: by being prouder, by Samantha Zachar, Epicenter-NYC, Read Here and Listen- 2 part Podcast series•  Not Even the Moore County Power Outages Could Stop Drag Queen Naomi Dix, by Kyle Ingram, Indyweek.com, Read Here•  Drag Story Hour NYC Learn More Here•  A Brief History of Drag Queen Story Hour by Sara Boboltz, Huffington Post, Read Here  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

In a powerful interview, author Sarah Schulman reflects on decades of activism, from fighting AIDS to advocating for Palestinian liberation, revealing key lessons learned along the way.SAVE THE DATE July 16th 7pm EDT:  Laura hosts an online conversation just for our donors. It’s a chance to connect, ask questions, and hear what’s coming up behind the scenes. Make a one off donation or become a sustaining member by making it monthly go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description: What is “solidarity” and what does it require? Giving up on perfection, for one thing, says Sarah Schulman, author of “Conflict is Not Abuse,” and so much more. Award-winning writer, teacher, playwright and activist, Schulman’s latest book is “The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity”, in which she reflects on years of experiments and learning, from the 1980s to today. In this episode, find out what role GRITtv, an earlier iteration of Flanders’ show, played in the movement for Palestinian liberation, and hear a discussion of the Harlem artist Alice Neel. Schulman sits on the advisory board of Jewish Voice for Peace. Her non-fiction books include “Conflict is Not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility, and the Duty of Repair” and “Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993”. Also in this episode, a commentary from Laura on the assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman, a strategic progressive who practiced solidarity.“When I confronted the Israeli occupation of Palestine, something resonated for me emotionally between that and the AIDS experience. What I felt was similar was that people who were endangered were being falsely depicted as dangerous.” - Sarah Schulman“Right now we're in the middle of a cataclysm of fascism and there's no quick fix. And we have to understand that the idea that you can go in and just fix it is a supremacy concept.” - Sarah SchulmanGuests:  Sarah Schulman, Writer & AIDS Historian; Author, The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Watch the special report released on YouTube June 20th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 22nd, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast June 25th.Full Uncut 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.  Full Episode Notes are located HERE. RESOURCES-Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Organizing for Ceasefire Through Policy & Protest: Meet the People of JVP & NY Assemblymember Mamdani:  Watch, Listen:  Full Conversation,  Episode• Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”:  Watch, Listen:  Full Conversation,  Episode•  GRITtv: Sarah Schulman: Emerging Palestinian Queer Movement: Watch Related Articles and Resources:•  ‘They’re Coming After All of Us.’  You Might as Well Tell the Truth. The longtime activist and writer Sarah Schulman on why now is the time to stand up to people you oppose. By Lydia Polgreen, Produced by Vishakha Darbha, April 10, 2025, The Opinion - New York Times•  The Vault:  ACT UP protesters tue up traffic in lower Manhattan in 1988, NY Eyewitness News ABC 7•  Jewish peace activists hold sit-in protest at Grand Central to demand ceasefire in Israel-Hamas conflict, October 27, 2023, PIX11 News-NY•  Alice Neel Documentary on the life and work of Alice Need (1900—1984), American portrait painter.  November 18, 2009, Official Trailer•  Jim Hubbard and Sarah Schulman Present, United In Anger, A History of ACT-UP, a film by Jim Hubbard. Learn More  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

As fascist threats escalate globally, activist and playwright Sarah Schulman argues that achieving real change requires embracing imperfection and rejecting "supremacy concepts" – listen as she explains what this means for social justice movements today.Description: What is “solidarity” and what does it require? Giving up on perfection, for one thing, says Sarah Schulman, author of “Conflict is Not Abuse,” and so much more. Award-winning writer, teacher, playwright and activist, Schulman’s latest book is “The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity”, in which she reflects on years of experiments and learning, from the 1980s to today. In this episode, find out what role GRITtv, an earlier iteration of Flanders’ show, played in the movement for Palestinian liberation, and hear a discussion of the Harlem artist Alice Neel. Schulman sits on the advisory board of Jewish Voice for Peace. Her non-fiction books include “Conflict is Not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility, and the Duty of Repair” and “Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993”. Also in this episode, a commentary from Laura on the assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman, a strategic progressive who practiced solidarity.“When I confronted the Israeli occupation of Palestine, something resonated for me emotionally between that and the AIDS experience. What I felt was similar was that people who were endangered were being falsely depicted as dangerous.” - Sarah Schulman“Right now we're in the middle of a cataclysm of fascism and there's no quick fix. And we have to understand that the idea that you can go in and just fix it is a supremacy concept.” - Sarah SchulmanGuests:  Sarah Schulman, Writer & AIDS Historian; Author, The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters.Watch the special report released on YouTube June 20th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 22nd, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast June 25th. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. RESOURCES-Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Organizing for Ceasefire Through Policy & Protest: Meet the People of JVP & NY Assemblymember Mamdani:  Watch, Listen:  Full Conversation,  Episode• Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”:  Watch, Listen:  Full Conversation,  Episode•  GRITtv: Sarah Schulman: Emerging Palestinian Queer Movement: Watch Related Articles and Resources:•  ‘They’re Coming After All of Us.’  You Might as Well Tell the Truth. The longtime activist and writer Sarah Schulman on why now is the time to stand up to people you oppose. By Lydia Polgreen, Produced by Vishakha Darbha, April 10, 2025, The Opinion - New York Times•  The Vault:  ACT UP protesters tue up traffic in lower Manhattan in 1988, NY Eyewitness News ABC 7•  Jewish peace activists hold sit-in protest at Grand Central to demand ceasefire in Israel-Hamas conflict, October 27, 2023, PIX11 News-NY•  Alice Neel Documentary on the life and work of Alice Need (1900—1984), American portrait painter.  November 18, 2009, Official Trailer•  Jim Hubbard and Sarah Schulman Present, United In Anger, A History of ACT-UP, a film by Jim Hubbard. Learn More  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

AUDIO EXCLUSIVE [this interview took place June 13, 2025]Back in 2024, the Los Angeles City Council passed a “sanctuary city” ordinance and said the city would not collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. “They are lying,” says Hamid Khan, an expert on the surveillance state and organizer with the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition. In this timely interview, Khan unpacks “fusion centers” where agencies like DHS, the FBI and local law enforcement work together to gather and share data on citizens — regardless of their criminal record. Long before Trump’s crackdown on immigration rights and the protests in Los Angeles, LAPD would have ICE in their headquarters, he shares. Join Khan and Flanders as they discuss shocking truths about police spying and surveillance, and why we must become aware and take action.Guest:  Hamid Khan: Organizer, Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, Board of Directors, Los Angeles  Community Action Network (LA CAN) RESOURCES:Related Episodes:• Hamid Khan:  The Surveillance-Industrial Complex WATCH•  What’s A Sanctuary with Jails? - Hamid Khan and Jennicet Gutiérrez (Community Organizer Familia Trans Queer Liberation Movement) WATCHRelated Articles:•  ‘This isn’t an isolated incident’:  Trump’s show of military force in LA was years in the making, by Rachel Leingang and Lauren Gambino, June 11, 2025, The Guardian•  Troops and marines deeply troubled by LA deployment:  ‘Morale is not great’ by Andrew Gumbel, June 12, 2025, The Guardian•  Trump can keep California National Guard deployed for now, appeals court says, by Caroline O’Donovan, Karin Brulliard, Mark German and Kelsey Ables, June 14, 2025, The Washington Post•  Appeals court questions judges’ ability to review Trump’s Los Angeles group deployment, by Dietrich Knauth and Daniel Wiessner, June 17, 2025, Reuters•  Immigration raids in Los Angeles hit small business owners:  ‘It’s worse than COVID’, by Tim Reid and Kristina Cooke, June 17, 2025, Reuters  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

 Laura's Extended Commentary aka The F-Word: Melissa Hortman’s murder was more than a tragedy—it was a political assassination aimed at a movement. This commentary honors her legacy as a coalition-builder behind Minnesota’s progressive gains and calls for courage, organizing, and solidarity in her wake.- The related episode featuring Sarah Schulman premieres on our YouTube channel June 20th 5pm ET where you are invited to join us to Watch the episode  live and chat with Laura in real time.  It premieres on PBS World Channel June 22nd, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode), and airing on community radio & available in the podcast feed June 25th.  The full uncut conversation is available June 20th 5pm in the podcast feed... please hit the subscribe button wherever you get your podcasts.For more articles by Laura subscribe to Substack  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Renowned actor, writer and director Liev Schreiber recently released “Meeting Zelenskyy”, a feature documentary in which he sits down with Ukraine’s embattled leader. In an extended conversation, Schreiber speaks actor-to-actor about Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s rise from entertainer to war time leader. In this exclusive interview with Laura Flanders, Schreiber discusses how the documentary came to be, how he personally became involved, and how technology could shape the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war. The film includes never-before-seen footage from Zelenskyy’s childhood and career. Join us for this historic conversation, plus a commentary from Laura.“I've always felt optimistic about this because [Ukraine is] on the side of truth. That's the kind of thing you can cover briefly, but it always comes out, it always surfaces. It's also the kind of thing that builds morale. It builds courage. It builds principle. They have that on their side, where the Russian military is struggling.” - Liev Schreiber“This was never about Ukraine for me. This was always about American values and democracy and what it is, where it comes from and what it means. I don't think those values and those principles are on display anywhere more clearly than in Ukraine.” - Liev Schreiber“I've always felt optimistic about this because [Ukraine is] on the side of truth. That's the kind of thing you can cover briefly, but it always comes out, it always surfaces. It's also the kind of thing that builds morale. It builds courage. It builds principle. They have that on their side, where the Russian military is struggling.” - Liev SchreiberGuest:  Liev Schreiber: Award-Winning Actor, Director & Writer; Co-Founder, BlueCheck Ukraine This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateWatch the special report released on YouTube June 13th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 15th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast June 18th.Full Episode Notes are located HERE. -RESOURCES-Related extended commentary from Laura is available to podcast subscribers [June 13, 2025] Full Uncut Conversation Released to Podcast Subscribers [June 13, 2025]: 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. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Winning War, Building Peace: Activists from Ukraine, Russia & The US Debate: Watch / Listen:  Episode and/or Full Conversation•  Masha Gessen & Jason Stanley: Is it Doomsday for U.S. Democracy?:  Watch / Listen:  Episode and/or Full Conversation•  Ai Weiwei: How Do We Save Our Humanity?: Watch / Listen:  Episode and/or Full Conversation Related Articles and Resources:•. ‘Kind of a Trojan hors’:  Ex-NATO commander reacts to drone attack deep inside Russia, June 2 2025, CNN report and Zelinskyy speaks in Vilnius• Ukraine war briefing:  Zelenskyy says troops contesting Russian advance in Sumy, by Warren Murray and agencies, June 12, 2025, The Guardian•  Pledge Ukraine, Starenki is a charitable organization devoted to issues of elderly people in Ukraine.  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O’Conner.  FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel