Laura Flanders and Friends: Solutions-Focused Progressive Perspectives on Politics, News, and Culture

Synopsis:  Only 17% of Americans think AI will have a positive impact over the next 20 years: Hear from labor-focused news platform More Perfect Union's Founder Faiz Shakir and NYer staff writer John Cassidy on who gets to decide how human and natural resources are distributed in the age of AI capitalism.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription:  An AI revolution is underway, but so is the resistance. People across the country are feeling the strain of the huge energy-sucking data processing centers that AI requires, and telling their elected officials to slow down or stop new big tech projects for firms like OpenAI, Amazon, Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Data from a 2025 Pew study shows that only 17 percent of Americans think AI will have a positive impact over the next 20 years. But it’s a David vs. Goliath battle. Today’s guests say AI expansion is not a red or blue issue; it’s about who gets to decide how human and natural resources are distributed, who controls the technology, and who stands to benefit. Faiz Shakir is the Founder and Executive Director of the labor-focused news platform More Perfect Union, and serves as a political advisor for Senator Bernie Sanders. John Cassidy, staff writer at the New Yorker, is the author of the recent book, “Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI”, in which he draws our attention back to the Luddites, the 18th century workers whose revolt deserves our closer attention. Plus, our correspondent’s coverage of a shocking scene at a public comment meeting in Wisconsin when a local woman was arrested and dragged away. If AI is the new face of capitalism, what is the new alternative?“Luddites, when I was growing up, was a term of abuse. It was people who were sort of antediluvians and didn't understand the modern world. . . . They understood the modern world as it was in their times perfectly, and they saw it was moving against them, and they saw that the political system wasn't coming to their defense.” - John Cassidy“. . . There's more and more pushback, which hopefully portends the possibility that a lot of these communities can strike better deals if they are going to have data centers. There's no reason why we can't be asking that the teachers are well paid, that the electricity rates don't go up, that we have decent affordable housing in those communities. That is all possible because we're playing with incredible amounts of dollars and deep-pocketed people . . . ” - Faiz ShakirGuests:•  John Cassidy: Staff Writer, The New Yorker; Author, Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI•  Faiz Shakir: Founder & Executive Director, More Perfect Union; Political Advisor & Former Campaign Manager, Senator Bernie Sanders Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays 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 February 4th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:*Recommended book:“Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI” by John Cassidy: *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.) Featured Clip Credit: America’s Dataland?  1st Amendment Under Attack:  There women arrested, produced by Johnathan Klett - Watch the full video Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor: Are We Entering “End Times Fascism”?: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation• Donna Haraway on Cyborgs, “Oddkin” & Resisting the Monoculture of the Mind: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation• The Lucas Plan at 50: A Radical Investment in Society, Not the War Machine:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversations- Brian Salisbury and Hilary Wainwright  Related Articles and Resources:• Small Towns Are Rising Up Against AI Data Centers, “We don’t want to be the next Data Center Alley,” by Joe Wilkins, May 4, 2025, Futurism• The AI Backlash Keeps Growing Stronger, by Reece Rogers, June 28, 2025, WIRED•  The Dangers of AI and Extreme Wealth Inequality, by David Atkins, January 5, 2026, Washington Monthly• At least four Wisconsin communities signed secrecy deals for billion-dollar data centers, by Tom Kertscher, January 26, 2026, Wisconsin Watch• Anti-data center protesters arrested during Port Washington meeting, by Claudia Levens, Jessie Opoien and Francesca Pica, December 3, 2025, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel•  How Sam Altman Outfoxed Elon Musk to Become Trump’s AI Buddy, by Keach Hagey, Dana Mattionili and Josh Dawsey, July 17, 2025, The Wall Street Journal•  Curtis Yarvin’s brave new world: we need a corporate dictatorship to replace a dying democracy’ by Boris Munoz, August 19, 2005, El Pais  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Description:  We’re bringing you back to an episode from early 2024, co-hosted by Laura Flanders and Scot Nakagawa, because the forces they examined then are not behind us. They are very much with us now.Political violence in the United States didn’t peak on January 6th. It metastasized. From threats against election workers and school board members, to attacks fueled by conspiracy, grievance, and organized extremism, the impact of violent political action continues to ripple through our communities — shaping who feels safe, who participates, and whose voices are pushed out of public life.In this conversation, Laura and Scot convene organizers, researchers, and frontline leaders to define what political violence really is — not just spectacular acts, but sustained intimidation — and to ask how democracy survives when fear becomes a political tool.You’ll hear from guests who have lived this reality, studied it, and resisted it — voices reminding us that while violence is meant to isolate and silence, community remains one of the strongest counterforces we have.As the current political climate continues to normalize threats and reward extremism, this episode feels less like history — and more like a guidepost.   “As a child of a [Black] Panther, I saw inspiration in every action. Even when I saw my mother's friends being jailed for long periods of time or even killed by police terror . . . A lot of those folks went on to continue fighting against terror of the state and building community. I wanted to be a part of that . . .” - Sala Cyril“Violence has greatly limited our ability to function as an inclusive, robust, multiracial democracy that in fact, we must deal with it . . . We need to believe we can win, and we need to think about who it is that we need on our side  . . .” - Scot Nakagawa“I can report anecdotally through different interactions with conservatives that they are experiencing political violence. I've been in attendance with secretaries of state, former Lieutenant governors. They all have stories of themselves or their families being on the receiving end of political violence . . .” - Maria J. StephanGuests:• Sala Cyril: Interim Executive Director, Vision Change Win; Organizer, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, NYC• Hardy Merriman: Author, Harnessing Our Power to End (HOPE) Political Violence; Expert, Democracy Movements• Scot Nakagawa (Co-host): Executive Director, 22nd Century Initiative & 22nd Century Conference• Maria J. Stephan: Co-Lead & Chief Organizer, The Horizons Project; Co-author with Erica Chenoweth, Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent ConflictThis show is made possible thanks to you!  To make a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member, go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. *Recommended book:“​Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict” by Erica Chenoweth & Maria J. Stephan: 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:•. Countering the Coup: From the Grassroots Up: Watch / Subscribe to the podcast•. Idaho’s United Vision Project: Confronting Extremism in America’s Heartland: Watch / Subscribe to the podcast•. Power Grids Under Attack: The Threat is Domestic Terrorism – Not Drag Artists: Watch / Subscribe to the podcastRelated Articles and Resources:• Combatting Authoritarianism:  The Skills and Infrastructure Needed to Organize Across Difference, by Maria J. Stephan and Julia Roig, Just Security Read Here•. Two-Thirds in US fear violence could follow election, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds, by Jason Lange and Andy Sullivan. Read Here• Authoritarianism: How You Know It When You See It.  What is Democracy? By Horizons Project, Learn More Here Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  A crime against journalism': Tune in as experts dissect corporate media's priorities - serving shareholders or informing voters?This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription:  Journalism is at an inflection point. Under a hail of lawsuits, firings, new hires, and mercenary mergers, the business of media is in shambles even as the need for reliable, truthful information to reach voters is greater than ever. Where does that leave journalists? In this episode, Laura and her guests discuss the money media’s dangerous denials and obfuscations, the problem with bothsidesism in a time of fascism, and the coverage of Renee Good’s killing in Minneapolis. Dean Obeidallah is a lawyer, writer, award-winning comedian and host of SiriusXM radio’s national daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show”. Joy Reid, formerly host of the award-winning ReidOut on MSNBC, is a best-selling author, and host of the Joy Reid Show on YouTube. The decline of legacy media isn’t all bad news — especially for those, like Palestinians and others, who were always shut out of it — and the rise of independent platforms, savvy media consumers and new mechanisms for collaboration just might usher in a new age of great journalism, just when we need it. Join Dean, Joy and Laura for this rich conversation on resistance, reporting, and survival.  [This conversation was recorded on January 14, 2026]“What I would like corporate media to understand, their job is not to make money for shareholders and executives to get bonuses, but serve the people, make them smarter, even if it means losing access. I know that's a lot to ask, but that's what I would like because an educated, informed electorate is the key to saving this republic.” - Dean Obeidallah“It is a crime against journalism for the editorial director of a news network to say our job is not to deliver the news, but to go viral. That's crazy.”- Joy ReidGuests:•  Dean Obeidallah: Host of SiriusXM radio's The Dean Obeidallah Show• Joy Reid: Host of The Joy Reid ShowWatch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays 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 January 28th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credits: “Life During Wartime” by Brooklyn Funk Essentials released on Dorado Records;  'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper'Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:*Recommended book:“Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America” by Joy-Ann Reid: *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:• Doxed, Stalked & Swatted: When the Far Right Goes After Journalists: Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut• Maysoon Zayid: Comedy of Resistance, Disability, Difference & Palestine:   Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut• Patrick & Claud Cockburn: A Legacy of Guerilla Journalism Against Media Complacency:  Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut• Masha Gessen & Jason Stanley: Is it Doomsday for U.S. Democracy?:  Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode CutRelated Articles and Resources:• ‘There was no warning’:  Joy Reid is speaking out about how she was fired from MSNBC, by Madeleine Marr, June 26, 2025, Miami Herald•  Dean Obeidallah - Substack•  ‘We Need to Be the News’:  Inside Bari Weiss’s Bumpy Revamp at CBS, by Michael M. Grynbaum and Benjamin Mullin, January 13, 2026, New York Times•  What would Edward R. Murrow think of CBS parent company caving in to Donald Trump? By Kevin Cullen, July 3, 2025, The Boston Globe•  Nattering nabobs of news criticism:  50 years ago today, Spiro Agnew laid out a blueprint for attacking the press, by Thomas Alan Schwartz, November 13, 2019, NiemanLab•  1964 Pulitzer Prize Winners - Journalism - Editorial Writing:  Hazel Brannon Smith of Lexington, The Pulitzer Prices•  MeidasTouch News - a pro-democracy news network.•  Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow, by Ernesto Londono, January 13, 2026, New York Times  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  Join a thought-provoking conversation with Laura, Dean Obeidallah, and Joy Reid as they dissect the media landscape's seismic shifts and explore how journalists can reclaim their role in serving the people.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: Journalism is at an inflection point. Under a hail of lawsuits, firings, new hires, and mercenary mergers, the business of media is in shambles even as the need for reliable, truthful information to reach voters is greater than ever. Where does that leave journalists? In this episode, Laura and her guests discuss the money media’s dangerous denials and obfuscations, the problem with bothsidesism in a time of fascism, and the coverage of Renee Good’s killing in Minneapolis. Dean Obeidallah is a lawyer, writer, award-winning comedian and host of SiriusXM radio’s national daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show”. Joy Reid, formerly host of the award-winning ReidOut on MSNBC, is a best-selling author, and host of the Joy Reid Show on YouTube. The decline of legacy media isn’t all bad news — especially for those, like Palestinians and others, who were always shut out of it — and the rise of independent platforms, savvy media consumers and new mechanisms for collaboration just might usher in a new age of great journalism, just when we need it. Join Dean, Joy and Laura for this rich conversation on resistance, reporting, and survival.“What I would like corporate media to understand, their job is not to make money for shareholders and executives to get bonuses, but serve the people, make them smarter, even if it means losing access. I know that's a lot to ask, but that's what I would like because an educated, informed electorate is the key to saving this republic.” - Dean Obeidallah“It is a crime against journalism for the editorial director of a news network to say our job is not to deliver the news, but to go viral. That's crazy.”- Joy ReidGuests:•  Dean Obeidallah: Host of SiriusXM radio's The Dean Obeidallah Show• Joy Reid: Host of The Joy Reid Show Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays 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 January 28th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:*Recommended book:“Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America” by Joy-Ann Reid: *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:• Doxed, Stalked & Swatted: When the Far Right Goes After Journalists: Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut• Maysoon Zayid: Comedy of Resistance, Disability, Difference & Palestine:   Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut• Patrick & Claud Cockburn: A Legacy of Guerilla Journalism Against Media Complacency:  Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Cut• Masha Gessen & Jason Stanley: Is it Doomsday for U.S. Democracy?:  Watch / Listen:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode CutRelated Articles and Resources:• ‘There was no warning’:  Joy Reid is speaking out about how she was fired from MSNBC, by Madeleine Marr, June 26, 2025, Miami Herald•  Dean Obeidallah - Substack•  ‘We Need to Be the News’:  Inside Bari Weiss’s Bumpy Revamp at CBS, by Michael M. Grynbaum and Benjamin Mullin, January 13, 2026, New York Times•  What would Edward R. Murrow think of CBS parent company caving in to Donald Trump? By Kevin Cullen, July 3, 2025, The Boston Globe•  Nattering nabobs of news criticism:  50 years ago today, Spiro Agnew laid out a blueprint for attacking the press, by Thomas Alan Schwartz, November 13, 2019, NiemanLab•  1964 Pulitzer Prize Winners - Journalism - Editorial Writing:  Hazel Brannon Smith of Lexington, The Pulitzer Prices•  MeidasTouch News - a pro-democracy news network.•  Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow, by Ernesto Londono, January 13, 2026, New York Times CHAPTERS:     Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  Together, Laura and Donna consider expansive questions: how do we understand ourselves in an age of artificial intelligence? And how do we resist the pull of authoritarian “mono-thought” — the demand for certainty, sameness, and simple answers in a complex world? This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: “Thinking requires action and passion,” says feminist philosopher and scholar, Donna Haraway in this unique conversation. In her 1985 essay “A Cyborg Manifesto” and 2003 work, “The Companion Species Manifesto”, Haraway challenged patriarchal, capitalist, binary, species-ist ways of looking at the world. It’s no surprise that people are looking to her work again now. Generative thinking, she tells Laura, requires “taking the risk to try a new pattern; to invent something that may very well fall apart in your collective hands but leaves threads to be picked up again.” In this episode, Haraway and Flanders sit down for an expansive conversation about what it means to be human in an age of AI and resisting what she calls authoritarian “mono-thought.” Plus, a commentary from Laura on staying in the present and “staying with the trouble.”“An individual is embedded deeply in worlds with other people, with other organisms, with living and non-living parts of the world. To be a self is to come to a thicker appreciation and accountability for the way we're embedded in the world and act in the world. That's what I mean by being a proper self.” - Donna HarawayGuest:  Donna Haraway, Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of California Santa Cruz, History of Consciousness Department; Author, A Cyborg Manifesto, When Species Meet, Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the ChthuluceneWatch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode cut airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast January 21st, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.Music Credit: Opolopo's 'No More Lies remix' of “We Rise” by Groove Junkies, Opolopo and Solara courtesy of More House Music;  'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper'Additional Credits:  Audio Clip- Donna Haraway lecturing at the Next Nature Museum for Friday Next, organized in collaboration with the Premium Erasmium Foundation, and recorded by Emily Cohen IbañezSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriendsRESOURCES:*Recommended book:“The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness” by Donna Haraway: *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:•  Pride Pioneers Holly Hughes & Esther Newton: How Queer Kinship Ties Help Us Survive: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut•  Survival Guide for Humans Learned from Marine Mammals with Alexis Pauline Gumbs:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation•  “Powerlands”: Indigenous Youth Fight Big Oil & Gas Worldwide:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources:•  Donna Haraway:  Story Telling for Earthly Survival by Fabrizo Terranova - Watch•  Making Oddkin:  Story Telling for Earthly Survival lecture at Yale - Watch•  You Are Cyborg by Hair Kunzru, February 1, 1997, WIRED•  Donna Haraway, Erasmus laureate 2025 at the Next Nature Museum, November 21, 2025, by Next Nature•  Rethinking Humanity with Donna Haraway:  A Cyborg Manifesto for the AI Age, August 18, 2025, Philosopheasy  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  A leading voice in feminist philosophy, Donna Haraway joins Laura for an incisive discussion on challenging patriarchal norms and cultivating a more inclusive understanding of humanity, one that prioritizes accountability and empathy in an increasingly complex world.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: “Thinking requires action and passion,” says feminist philosopher and scholar, Donna Haraway in this unique conversation. In her 1985 essay “A Cyborg Manifesto” and 2003 work, “The Companion Species Manifesto”, Haraway challenged patriarchal, capitalist, binary, species-ist ways of looking at the world. It’s no surprise that people are looking to her work again now. Generative thinking, she tells Laura, requires “taking the risk to try a new pattern; to invent something that may very well fall apart in your collective hands but leaves threads to be picked up again.” In this episode, Haraway and Flanders sit down for an expansive conversation about what it means to be human in an age of AI and resisting what she calls authoritarian “mono-thought.” Plus, a commentary from Laura on staying in the present and “staying with the trouble.”“An individual is embedded deeply in worlds with other people, with other organisms, with living and non-living parts of the world. To be a self is to come to a thicker appreciation and accountability for the way we're embedded in the world and act in the world. That's what I mean by being a proper self.” - Donna HarawayGuest:  Donna Haraway, Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of California Santa Cruz, History of Consciousness Department; Author, A Cyborg Manifesto, When Species Meet, Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the ChthuluceneWatch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays 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 January 21st, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriendsRESOURCES:*Recommended book:“The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People, and Significant Otherness” by Donna Haraway: *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:•  Pride Pioneers Holly Hughes & Esther Newton: How Queer Kinship Ties Help Us Survive: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut•  Survival Guide for Humans Learned from Marine Mammals with Alexis Pauline Gumbs:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation•  “Powerlands”: Indigenous Youth Fight Big Oil & Gas Worldwide:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation Related Articles and Resources:•  Donna Haraway:  Story Telling for Earthly Survival by Fabrizo Terranova - Watch•  Making Oddkin:  Story Telling for Earthly Survival lecture at Yale - Watch•  You Are Cyborg by Hair Kunzru, February 1, 1997, WIRED•  Donna Haraway, Erasmus laureate 2025 at the Next Nature Museum, November 21, 2025, by Next Nature•  Rethinking Humanity with Donna Haraway:  A Cyborg Manifesto for the AI Age, August 18, 2025, Philosopheasy CHAPTERS:Donna Haraway's Insights on Technology and Species00:00:00Why Haraway's Work Resonates: Thinking as a Collective Game00:02:29The Most Dangerous Story: Authoritarianism and Racial Capitalism00:05:27Beyond Binary: Understanding Technology's Dual Capacity for Good and Harm00:08:48From Isolated Individual to Networked Holo-Bion: Redefining the Self00:11:09Challenging Fixedness: The Diverse History of Humanity and Collective Life00:18:40Staying with the Trouble: Practicing Accountability and Making Kin00:22:25Finding Joy in Collective Action and Building Support Structures00:27:49The Power of Friendship and Non-Biological Kinship in Life and Work00:31:50Learning from Dogs: Agility and the Dance of Being with Others00:36:58From Local Action to AI: Revisiting the Cyborg Manifesto for Today's World00:42:57Affirmative Feminism and the Transformative Power of Compost00:48:31The Future is Now: Making Our Thick Present Livable & Show Outro00:53:06   Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis: In a powerful tribute to a fearless leader, friends and collaborators share stories of Alice Wong's unwavering commitment to centering disabled voices and challenging systemic inequality in all its forms.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: Alice Wong lived longer than she expected, but not long enough. The celebrated disability activist lived by the principle that disability justice is integral to all liberation movements, and centered disabled stories with the Disability Visibility Project. When Alice Wong died on November 14 at the age of 51, people across social movements shared their grief and awe for her work, such as her bestselling 2022 memoir, “Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life”. She has been called an oracle, visionary, unapologetic and fearless, and our guests, Wong’s dear friends and collaborators, are committed to lifting up her legacy. Sandy Ho is the Executive Director of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum and partner with Alice Wong and Mia Mingus in the Access is Love campaign. She was asked by Alice Wong to post her letter after she passed, where Wong writes “. . . our wisdom is incisive and unflinching.” Steven Thrasher is an acclaimed journalist, professor and author of “The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality & Disease Collide”. He was suspended from teaching classes after speaking out — as Wong also did — on Palestine. Join us as we celebrate Alice Wong and ask what is the work to be done when it comes to healthcare and civil rights for disabled people. Plus a commentary from Laura on imagining the next 100 years.“A lot of Alice's advocacy was focused around the systems that force disabled people to be at the margins . . . Whether it is the Black Lives Matter movement or the pandemic, we see the ways in which our society and political systems respond, and not in ways that prioritize those who are least privileged and have the least amount of power.” - Sandy Ho“I remember talking to [Alice Wong] about the ways she had been conditioned as a disabled Asian American woman to try to accept crumbs, to not complain, to be very docile. I thought that she was really brilliant in bridging together not just Asian American communities, but queer communities, LGBTQ communities, all the communities where your body is made to feel like it doesn't belong.” - Steven ThrasherGuests:• Sandy Ho: Executive Director, Disability & Philanthropy Forum• Steven Thrasher: Daniel Renberg Chair of Social Justice in Reporting, Northwestern University; Author, The Viral Underclass & The Overseer Class*Recommended books:“Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life” by Alice Wong, *Get the book“The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide” by Steven Thrasher, *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.) Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays 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 January 14th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credit:  Kibir La Alma rework of “Until Tomorrow Comes” by Marysia Osu from her full length remix ep ‘harp, beats & dreams,’ courtesy of Brownswood Recordings;  'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• “The Future is Disabled”: Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation• The New Disabled Population in Gaza: Comedian & Disability Advocate Maysoon Zayid:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation• Anita Cameron & Keith Jones on The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Civil Rights Milestone With Miles To Go:  Watch / Listen:  Episode CutRelated Articles and Resources:•  Disability Visibility Project, Founder:  Alice Wong•  DisabledWriters.com•  Access Is Love•  A Tribute to an Oracle, Alice Wong, by Rebecca Cokley, November 26, 2025, The Nation•  Trump Gutted AIDS Health. Care at the Worst Possible Time, by Steven W. Thrasher & Afeef Nessouli, December 1, 2025, The Intercept•  On Valentine’s Day, Let’s Recognize Why #AccessIsLove, by Alice Wong, February 14, 2019, Rooted In Rights•  Remembering Alice Wong:  Writer, Advocate, Friend, by Steven W. Thrasher, November 17, 2025, LitHub• Crips for eSims for Gaza, chuffed.org• Alice Wong Interview with Steven Thrasher with subtitles, Watch• Alice Wong, 2024 MacArthur Fellow, MacArthur Foundation  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  In a powerful tribute to a fearless leader, friends and collaborators share stories of Alice Wong's unwavering commitment to centering disabled voices and challenging systemic inequality in all its forms.This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donateDescription: Alice Wong lived longer than she expected, but not long enough. The celebrated disability activist lived by the principle that disability justice is integral to all liberation movements, and centered disabled stories with the Disability Visibility Project. When Alice Wong died on November 14 at the age of 51, people across social movements shared their grief and awe for her work, such as her bestselling 2022 memoir, “Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life”. She has been called an oracle, visionary, unapologetic and fearless, and our guests, Wong’s dear friends and collaborators, are committed to lifting up her legacy. Sandy Ho is the Executive Director of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum and partner with Alice Wong and Mia Mingus in the Access is Love campaign. She was asked by Alice Wong to post her letter after she passed, where Wong writes “. . . our wisdom is incisive and unflinching.” Steven Thrasher is an acclaimed journalist, professor and author of “The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality & Disease Collide”. He was suspended from teaching classes after speaking out — as Wong also did — on Palestine. Join us as we celebrate Alice Wong and ask what is the work to be done when it comes to healthcare and civil rights for disabled people. Plus a commentary from Laura on imagining the next 100 years.“A lot of Alice's advocacy was focused around the systems that force disabled people to be at the margins . . . Whether it is the Black Lives Matter movement or the pandemic, we see the ways in which our society and political systems respond, and not in ways that prioritize those who are least privileged and have the least amount of power.” - Sandy Ho“I remember talking to [Alice Wong] about the ways she had been conditioned as a disabled Asian American woman to try to accept crumbs, to not complain, to be very docile. I thought that she was really brilliant in bridging together not just Asian American communities, but queer communities, LGBTQ communities, all the communities where your body is made to feel like it doesn't belong.” - Steven ThrasherGuests:• Sandy Ho: Executive Director, Disability & Philanthropy Forum• Steven Thrasher: Daniel Renberg Chair of Social Justice in Reporting, Northwestern University; Author, The Viral Underclass & The Overseer Class *Recommended books:“Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life” by Alice Wong, *Get the book“The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide” by Steven Thrasher, *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.) Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays 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 January 14th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• “The Future is Disabled”: Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation• The New Disabled Population in Gaza: Comedian & Disability Advocate Maysoon Zayid:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation• Anita Cameron & Keith Jones on The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Civil Rights Milestone With Miles To Go:  Watch / Listen:  Episode CutRelated Articles and Resources:•  Disability Visibility Project, Founder:  Alice Wong•  DisabledWriters.com•  Access Is Love•  A Tribute to an Oracle, Alice Wong, by Rebecca Cokley, November 26, 2025, The Nation•  Trump Gutted AIDS Health. Care at the Worst Possible Time, by Steven W. Thrasher & Afeef Nessouli, December 1, 2025, The Intercept•  On Valentine’s Day, Let’s Recognize Why #AccessIsLove, by Alice Wong, February 14, 2019, Rooted In Rights•  Remembering Alice Wong:  Writer, Advocate, Friend, by Steven W. Thrasher, November 17, 2025, LitHub• Crips for eSims for Gaza, chuffed.org• Alice Wong Interview with Steven Thrasher with subtitles, Watch• Alice Wong, 2024 MacArthur Fellow, MacArthur Foundation CHAPTERS:  Remembering Alice Wong: A Visionary Activist's Profound Impact00:00:00How Sandy Ho and Steven Thrasher Connected with Alice00:02:09Alice Wong's Vision for Disability Justice and Bridging Movements00:06:16The Evolution of Disability Activism: From ADA to Disability Justice00:12:29Alice Wong's Fight Against Inaccessible Healthcare and Systemic Ableism00:15:17Navigating Political Attacks and the Complexities of Assisted Suicide00:19:55Imagining a World Budgeted for Access and Bodily Autonomy00:24:40Alice Wong's Unapologetic Humor and Generous Spirit00:29:39Sandy Ho Shares Alice Wong's Moving Posthumous Message00:34:16The Enduring Impact of the Disability Visibility Project00:38:38Reflecting on Activism's Future and Supporting Progressive Media00:42:54  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  In conversation with Laura Flanders, ecologist and activist Professor Robin Wall Kimmerer discusses how embracing ecological grief can be a powerful catalyst for change in restoring balance between humans and the Earth they inhabit.Make a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description:  When was the last time you listened to the plants? Plant ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer, a self-proclaimed “student of the plants,” has dedicated her life to helping people of all ages understand the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Her latest initiative “Plant Baby Plant” does exactly that, by mobilizing communities to restore plants while building collective power for the Earth. Kimmerer is a distinguished professor, MacArthur Fellow, mother and an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Her 2013 book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants” emerged as a surprise bestseller with almost three million copies sold across 20 languages. In this enlightening episode, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Laura Flanders explore how nature can inform our language, our economy, our movements and more. As you’ll hear, our survival depends on it. Plus, a commentary from Laura on what it took to separate people from nature. Hint: it wasn’t peaceful.“I think it is so important that we embrace ecological grief rather than look away . . . When we recognize that pain we feel for our relationships with the natural world is also the measure of our love for the living world. It's that love which is mirrored in the grief that makes you get back up and say, ‘Not on my watch.’” - Robin Wall Kimmerer“. . . We have to kind of decolonize our minds from this industrial revolution concept that the Earth belongs to us as a source of nothing more than belongings, natural resources that are our property . . . There is this notion in many Indigenous worldviews that human beings play a critical role in maintaining balance, that the way we take from the living world can actually be regenerative.” - Robin Wall KimmererGuest:  Robin Wall Kimmerer: Plant Ecologist, Writer, Professor; Founder, Plant Baby Plant; Author, Braiding Sweetgrass*Recommended book:Bookshop: “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World” by Robin Wall Kimmerer: Get the book*  And to accompany 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.)Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays at 11:30am 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 January 7th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.Related Podcast:  Full uncut conversation is available in the podcast feed.Music Credit: “Ode to Nature” by Hover Fly from the Climate Soundtrack Compilation produced by DJ’s for Climate Action, "Steppin" by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Survival Guide for Humans Learned from Marine Mammals with Alexis Pauline Gumbs:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation•  Ecology: The Infrastructure of the Future?: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut• Peter Linebaugh on International Workers' "May Day" Origins. Plus, Commentary: 19th Century Anarchist Lucy Parsons, Listen•  Yellowstone at 150: Can Indigenous Stewardship Save Our Parks?:  Watch / Listen:  Episode CutRelated Articles and Resources:•  Speaking of Nature:  Finding language that affirms our kinship with the natural world, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Orion Nature and Culture•  Watch:  Gifts of the Land:  A Guided Nature Tour with Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Commons KU• The Braiding Sweetgrass’ Author Wants Us to Give Thanks Everyday, by Alexander Alter, November 29, 2024, New York Times•  Fishing in a superfund site:  Onondaga Lake’s road to recovery, by Bee Kavanaugh, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, January 2, 2025, Planet Forward   Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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

Synopsis:  Plant ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer, a self-proclaimed “student of the plants,” has dedicated her life to helping people of all ages understand the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Her latest initiative “Plant Baby Plant” does exactly that, by mobilizing communities to restore plants while building collective power for the Earth.Make a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description: When was the last time you listened to the plants? Plant ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer, a self-proclaimed “student of the plants,” has dedicated her life to helping people of all ages understand the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Her latest initiative “Plant Baby Plant” does exactly that, by mobilizing communities to restore plants while building collective power for the Earth. Kimmerer is a distinguished professor, MacArthur Fellow, mother and an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Her 2013 book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants” emerged as a surprise bestseller with almost three million copies sold across 20 languages. In this enlightening episode, Robin Wall Kimmerer and Laura Flanders explore how nature can inform our language, our economy, our movements and more. As you’ll hear, our survival depends on it. Plus, a commentary from Laura on what it took to separate people from nature. Hint: it wasn’t peaceful.“. . . We have to kind of decolonize our minds from this industrial revolution concept that the Earth belongs to us as a source of nothing more than belongings, natural resources that are our property . . . There is this notion in many Indigenous worldviews that human beings play a critical role in maintaining balance, that the way we take from the living world can actually be regenerative.” - Robin Wall KimmererGuest:  Robin Wall Kimmerer,  Plant Ecologist, Writer, Professor; Founder, Plant Baby Plant; Author, Braiding Sweetgrass*Recommended book:Bookshop: “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World” by Robin Wall Kimmerer: Get the book*  And to accompany 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.)Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel December 4th, 2026 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 December 7th, 2026.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.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. Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Survival Guide for Humans Learned from Marine Mammals with Alexis Pauline Gumbs:  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation•  Ecology: The Infrastructure of the Future?: Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut• Peter Linebaugh on International Workers' "May Day" Origins. Plus, Commentary: 19th Century Anarchist Lucy Parsons, Listen•  Yellowstone at 150: Can Indigenous Stewardship Save Our Parks?:  Watch / Listen:  Episode CutRelated Articles and Resources:•  Speaking of Nature:  Finding language that affirms our kinship with the natural world, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Orion Nature and Culture•  Watch:  Gifts of the Land:  A Guided Nature Tour with Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Commons KU• The Braiding Sweetgrass’ Author Wants Us to Give Thanks Everyday, by Alexander Alter, November 29, 2024, New York Times•  Fishing in a superfund site:  Onondaga Lake’s road to recovery, by Bee Kavanaugh, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, January 2, 2025, Planet Forward CHAPTERS:Welcoming Robin Wall Kimmerer and Plant Baby Plant00:00:00Redefining Botany: Learning From, Not Just About, Plants00:02:02Integrating Indigenous Wisdom with Western Scientific Knowledge00:04:18Shifting Worldviews Through a Grammar of Animacy00:06:19Biomimicry: Learning Nature's Circular Economic Principles00:08:48Reclaiming Reciprocity: Nature's Gifts and Human Alienation00:11:02Decolonizing Our Minds: Humans as Healers for the Land00:14:09From Cultural Burning to Regenerative Yards: Acts of Resistance00:18:23Mobilizing Urban Communities with Plant Baby Plant Initiatives00:23:02The Power of Process: Success, Giving Back, and Challenging Misuse00:26:57Nature's True Laws: Cooperation, Mutualism, and Moss Wisdom00:29:59AI's Limits: Beyond Intellect to Holistic Indigenous Wisdom00:33:41Ecological Grief as a Catalyst for Love and Action00:36:40The Next Generation's Gift of Compassion and Imagination00:40:26Practices for a Regenerative Future: Gratitude and Remembering Kinship00:42:28  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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