Laura Flanders and Friends: Positive Independent Journalism for a Just World

Could a successful coup happen in the US? The ongoing Congressional hearings into the events of January 6 show that just a handful of election officials in several key states stood between Donald Trump and the overturning of the 2020 elections. While the insurrection unfolded, many Americans watched in shock, believing nothing like this had ever happened in United States history. But it has happened before — more than a century ago in Wilmington, North Carolina when an armed mob removed a democratically-elected government  by force, and turned a majority-Black town into a citadel of white supremacy. In this episode, we look at the parallels between that coup and the events in DC and visit the rural county of Columbus in the south west of North Carolina where a self-described former Oath Keeper acquired a massive arsenal of decommissioned military hardware in 2018 soon after taking office after a contested election. Laura also meets the residents and  leaders from across the state who are clear that the future of multi-racial democracy in America is being decided in out-of-the way towns like theirs. What do the rest of us need to know about what's happening there?Featured ‘Music in the Middle’ of the Podcast:  David Harness remix of “Roots” by Tedd Patterson presents Blackbone, courtesy of Black Vinyl Records. Read More & Listen HereGuests:Sonya Bennetone, Director, National Black Leadership Caucus Southeastern RegionRosa Bolden, Community OrganizerCarol Caldwell, Community OrganizerDeborah Dicks Maxwell, President, NAACP North CarolinaCedric Harrison, Founder, Wilmington in ColorLewis Hatcher, Former Sheriff, Columbus County, NCCurtis Hill, President, NAACP Columbus County, NCMarcus Norfleet, Former Commissioner Candidate, Columbus County, NCKeith Rivers, President, NAACP Pasquotank County, NCSerena Sebring, Executive Director, Blueprint NCMab Segrest, Writer, Organizer & Consultant Blueprint NCJeremy Simmons, Community Organizer Your support makes it possible for us to continue uplifting the hard work of community organizers like you heard today who’s work benefits us all.   It takes a lot to keep this reporting available to millions on public television, community radio and as a podcast.  Go to Patreon.com/theLFShow and join today as a monthly contributor, or go to  LauraFlanders.org/donate for more options.  Thanks for listening!  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

Is the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health a death sentence for women of color? The overturning of Roe v. Wade not only creates an abortion disaster for millions of Americans, it also exacerbates a maternal healthcare crisis that’s alreadly deadly for women of color. African American women are shockingly likely to die or almost die — in pregnancy and childbirth, New York Times contributor Linda Villarosa discovered, and that’s true regardless of their health, education and wealth. What’s their future now that more women will be forced to carry more babies to term against their will? Linda Villarosa’s new book is Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation. She’s also a professor at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York with a joint appointment at City College.“If we think of the end of Roe v. Wade, as the end of abortion only, that is way too limited. Abortion is not a single issue. Abortion is a constellation of having no access to abortion, it is about reproduction and even healthcare at this point, broadly and not narrowly.” -  Linda Villarosa“The Black feminist demand hasn't changed. It's those three elements: the right to have a child, the right not to have a child and the right — if you choose to have a child — to have a safe, healthy environment.” -  Linda VillarosaGuest:Linda Villarosa, Author, Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives & On the Health of Our Nation We are listener & viewer sponsored. Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow. Patreon Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION. The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast.  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

"Birth, earth, indigenous rule, even the “demos” of government itself… Kavanaugh and his crew seem to have something against bodies they can’t control, be they human or governmental." The F-Word is released bi-weekly featuring timely commentaries by Laura Flanders and guests. Flex your media muscles, become a monthly sustaining member for $3, $5, $12 at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow  Independent Media! Advertising free!  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

150 years after Congress established Yellowstone National Park, it remains the jewel of a system that comprises some 400 national parks. But for Indigenous Americans, the history is bitter. Thousands were forced to leave, families were massacred, and the Army was brought in to exclude Native Americans. Today, as droughts, floods and fires threaten the parks, many are calling for Indigenous control. Indigenizing the National Parks wouldn’t just be morally and legally right, but it just might be what saves the parks for future generations. Wes Martel of the Eastern Shoshone, and Valerie Grussing, Executive Director of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers — fill Laura in on a recent Inter-Tribal Gathering that examined this question. Should non-Indigenous people even go to Yellowstone? Laura asks, and what do Indigenous people want for the future?“We're in this together for reconciliation and healing. When one of us isn't whole, then none of us are whole. It impacts all of us — the healing that needs to happen to address generational trauma.” - Valerie Grussing“We must let people know we're still here. We're going to be here forever. And we want our rightful place in this, this country's economic and social picture.” - Wes MartelGuests:Valerie Grussing, Executive Director, National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation OfficersWes Martel, Eastern Shoshone/Northern Arapaho; Senior Wind River Conservation Associate, Greater Yellowstone Coalition-Ft. Washakie Office We are listener & viewer sponsored. Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow Patreon  Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION.  The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast.   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

Whether it’s Buffalo, NY, Uvalde, TX or Philadelphia, PA — we are witnessing an unprecedented wave of terror at the muzzle of a gun. But all mass shootings are not covered in the same way. What determines the nature of the coverage? And what is the media getting wrong — or right — on gun violence reporting? In this episode, Laura Flanders welcomes back Mitra Kalita and Sara Lomax-Reese of URL Media, a network of independently owned and operated Black and Brown media outlets, for this month’s “Meet the BIPOC Press.” Our returning guest Michelle García is a Texas-based journalist whose searing reporting in the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting honed in on the structures of militarization that devalue the lives of local residents.“I'm not here to humanize anybody. I'm here to understand what forces are dehumanizing people and to look that in the face.” - Michelle García“When you are surrounded by people, the adults, the politicians describing your home as a war zone, as unlivable and peddling images of violence —  does it not potentially normalize violence itself?” - Michelle GarcíaGuests:Michelle García, Journalist & AuthorS. Mitra Kalita (Co-Host), Co-Founder, URL MediaSara Lomax-Reese (Co-Host), Co-Founder, URL Media We are listener & viewer sponsored. Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow. Patreon Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION. The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast.  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

When the news broke of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, it was chilling to many people to learn that 40 percent of that small city’s budget was allocated to public safety - a budget allocation that utterly failed to keep the children and teachers at Robb Elementary school safe. What might have been a better way to spend that city’s precious funds? After Uvalde, and in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd, residents of many US cities asked that same question. They’re turning to a tool called participatory budgeting that gives residents and taxpayers real decision-making power over their cities’ budgets. It’s already spread to more than 7,000 cities around the world. This week, Laura speaks with Shari Davis and Kristania De Leon, co-directors of the Oakland and NYC based Participatory Budgeting Project, and Shaun Glaze, research director of the Black Brilliance Research Project in Seattle. Participatory budgeting makes a real difference, they say, and at a moment when US democracy itself is hanging by a thread, the experience of participating in budget-making is beginning to validate people’s belief in voting. Could this model bring power to people where they live?“Participatory budgeting is about transforming the relationship that people can have with government and with community-led decision making so that we make really good, fiscally responsible decisions that reflect community spending priorities.” - Shari Davis“How do we actually start to move in a way that allows us to meet our needs together, build relationships and see value in the collective?” - Kristania De Leon“Communities have this expertise. They know what they need. Let's make sure that we are honoring that expertise and turning that into action.” - Shaun GlazeGuests:Shari Davis, Co-Executive Director, Participatory Budgeting ProjectKristania De Leon, Co-Executive Director, Participatory Budgeting ProjectShaun Glaze, Research Director, Black Brilliance Research Project We are listener & viewer sponsored. Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow. Patreon  Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION.  The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast.   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

Low wages, precarious jobs, shuttered Main Streets and bleak futures — do towns have a way out of poverty that doesn't involve begging and bribing outside employers to invest?  From Cleveland, Ohio to Preston, England and Scotland, some local governments are experimenting with investing public resources locally in community-held businesses, and public health. They’re calling this approach Community Wealth Building, and it’s gaining traction around the world. Most recently, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has included money for Community Wealth Building in the Biden Administration's National Strategic Plan. In today’s episode, we explore the spreading of Community Wealth Building and its impact on the well-being of individuals and communities so far. How are these models working where others have failed, and is now the time to take Community Wealth Building to a whole new scale? “There's something in the spirit of this that frankly can appeal to both liberals and conservatives. It's really about making a place for our community, and making it a healthy place.” - Ted Howard“If we do not fix this issue . . . we're going to continue to see the kind of poverty, the disinvestment, the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and this is just unacceptable.” - India Pierce Lee“This is not just a small pilot project here and there. This is about rewiring the economic system for social, economic and ecological justice.” - Neil McInroyGuests:Ted Howard, Co-founder & President, The Democracy CollaborativeIndia Pierce Lee, Senior Vice President, Program at the Cleveland FoundationNeil McInroy, Advisor of Community Wealth Building, Scottish Government We are listener & viewer sponsored. Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow. Patreon  Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION.  The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast.   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

2022 will go down in history for the number of anti-trans bills introduced into state legislatures. Over 300 bills banning books, medical treatment, even access to the bathroom, have been introduced so far. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court seems poised to overturn Roe vs. Wade, allowing states to ban abortion. As extremists crank up the volume on hate — trans people, especially trans women of color, are facing an onslaught of violence. Today’s guest, Imara Jones, has been featured on the cover of Time Magazine and POLITICO’s 2021 “Recast Power List.” She’s the producer of a podcast mini-series called “The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality” and the creator of “TransLash Media”, a cross-platform journalism, personal storytelling, and narrative project, which seeks to shift the culture, create empathy and save trans lives. In this episode, Laura asks her what impacts these restrictions and increased control have on all of us.“We're already seeing doctors that treat trans people being targeted just like abortion doctors. That's a new thing that just happened this year.” - Imara Jones“There's an understanding by the people, the politicians, the organizations, and the billionaires that trans people will be the next fight in the gender wars, after what they anticipate, and have anticipated for over a year, to be their victory on abortion rights.” - Imara JonesGuests:Imara Jones: Founder and CEO, TransLash Media Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow. Patreon Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION. We are listener & viewer sponsored. The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast. Become a member at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow  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

Can you remember the last time when the challenges that inner city public school teachers face were the subject of a popular TV series? Abbott Elementary — which has just been renewed for a second season on ABC — does just that. The Philadelphia school on TV is fictional, but the challenges it faces are all too real. Closely based on the school that series creator (and star) Quinta Brunson attended, and especially her experiences with Ms. Abbott, her 6th grade teacher, the show combines art, education and activism. On this month’s Meet The BIPOC Press with URL Media, real-life educator Joyce Abbott joins acclaimed actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph from the series, to discuss what the show's success shows us about this moment, when educators, especially teachers of color, are leaving the profession in droves. Can a TV show help stem the tide, shift the culture and change policy? Among her many accolades, Ralph starred in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls. Is quality education for all, a dream? Laura Flanders and co-hosts Mitra Kalita and Sara Lomax-Reese don't think it should be.“The teachers, even though they get the school training, the college training, I don't think anything can prepare you for when you go into the classroom. We’re still in the pandemic, all the trauma with the civil unrest — it's a lot, and you have to be willing to invest a lot of time and a lot of energy.” - Joyce M. Abbott, Educator & Abbott Elementary Namesake“There is something going on in the psyche of America when we would rather preach injustice, when we would rather tell our children a skewed view of the world. Something is going on in America and the good people, the wise people, must rise up and do better for each other, for all of us to keep the dream of the great United States of America alive.” - Sheryl Lee Ralph, Actress & ActivistGuests:Joyce M. Abbott: Educator & Abbott Elementary NamesakeSheryl Lee Ralph: Actress & ActivistS. Mitra Kalita (Co-Host): CEO & Co-Founder, URL MediaSara Lomax-Reese (Co-Host): Co-Founder, URL Media Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow. Patreon Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION. We are listener & viewer sponsored. The show airs on 300+ Public Television households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast. Become a member at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow  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

Decades of discrimination have left millions of African Americans shut out of the housing market and at risk of being targeted by predatory lenders and exploitative loans. But capital collectives pool resources and reduce individual risk and can be a way for low-income Americans to buy into a home. One example is the East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative, in Oakland, CA which stepped in to do what developers would not, and make permanent housing available for low-income African Americans and other discriminated-against people of color. Can cooperation and shared stewardship be a route to realizing the “American Dream” that has been sold to so many, so effectively, for so long? Or do we need a different, shared dream to address the racial housing-wealth gap in the 21st century?Guests:Najaah Yasmine Daniels: Community Manager, Inclusive Capital CollectiveJessica Gordon-Nembhard: Ph.D. Professor, John Jay College City University of New YorkNoni D. Session: Co-Founder and Executive Director, East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative Full episode notes including related articles and LFShow episodes to watch and/or listen to are posted at Patreon HERE. Patreon Members receive access to the FULL UNCUT CONVERSATION.  We are listener & viewer sponsored.  The show airs on 300+ Public Television  households across the U.S., on over 40 community radio stations and as a podcast.  Become a member at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow  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