Groundings

Activist and musician Baba Bilal Sunni-Ali, of the Jamil Al-Amin Action Network, joins Groundings to discuss the life, legacy, and impact of current political prisoner Imam Jamil Al-Amin.Formerly known as H. Rap Brown, Imam Jamil Al-Amin was once one of the Amerika's most well-known Black revolutionary activists. A former member of SNCC, Jamil Al-Amin was framed for a crime in 2000, and despite a mountain of evidence showing his innocence, he's sat as a political prisoner ever since. Baba Bilal Sunni-Ali discusses the legal matters related to Al-Amin's case, the current movement to free him, and the impact he had on several communities, including Atlanta's West End neighborhood. To get involved and support the campaign to free Imam Jamil Al-Amin, check out: www.imamjamilactionnetwork.orgAlso, consider supporting the podcast at Patreon.com/HalfatlantaYou can access the clip you hear of Jamil Al-Amin speaking here. 

In this episode, we discuss the story of Sundiata Jawanza, who has been in prison since 1995 on a life sentence. Sundiata has spent the last 28 years working towards self-development and has become a beacon of hope for others in prison; he's a selfless advocate for prisoners' rights, is a peer counselor where he supports the mental health of fellow incarcerated people, and provides legal aid and education through his work as a founder of the organization Jailhouse Lawyers Speak. He has also served as the Imam, providing spiritual guidance to the entire prison Muslim population.Jay and Rock discuss the recent movement to free Sundiata, as his parole approaches, what his organizing and activism has looked like, who he is as a person, the role of jailhouse lawyers, and how the listeners can get involved to bring him home. Visit SundiataJawanza.com for more information and to get involved. Visit Patreon.com/Halfatlanta to support the podcast. 

In this episode, poet and activist Too Black joins to discuss the incredible story of the Pendleton 2. We dive into the details of the 1985 uprising at the Pendleton Correctional Facility and explore the factors that led to this critical event: racial tensions and a violent prison environment created by guards who were part of a KKK splinter group, the "Sons of Light," pushed John 'Balagoon' Cole and Christopher 'Naeem' Trotter to take a courageous stand against racist prison abuse.Too Black gives us a play-by-play of the day's events, highlighting the importance of unity among prisoners in making the rebellion, and we learn how Cole and Trotter managed to bring everyone together and prevent the situation from escalating into something much worse. We also discuss their decision to call Black radio stations and newspapers for help, warning them that their lives were in danger if they didn't intervene; examine the 14 demands  they issued which were eventually met; and why this event became known as "Indiana's Attica." Despite their heroic actions to save a Black man's life from racist prison guards, both Cole and Trotter remain incarcerated to this day. As we wrap up our conversation, we share resources for listeners who want to learn more about the Pendleton 2 and get involved in supporting their cause. Please visit Pendleton2.com to learn more, watch the new documentary, and get involved. Please consider supporting the podcast on Patreon at patreon.com/halfatlanta.

We sit down with Slank and Sunny Ture to discuss their new album, "Nation Time." Throughout the episode, we delve into the creative process behind "Nation Time," discussing the themes, concepts, and inspirations that shaped the album. We examine the samples used throughout the project, including speeches from influential figures like Amiri Baraka, Malcolm X, Tupac Shakur, and Edward Onaci. Additionally, we take a closer look at the album's bibliography and its connection to the politically conscious roots of hip-hop, with standout tracks like "Black Belt Thesis" and "Devil in the Details."Read the full Nation Time bibliography.Check out more music from the PushSoul Collective.Support the Groundings podcast on Patreon.Buy prints from Musa's shop, which helps support the podcast.

In this episode of Groundings, host Musa Springer is joined by Atlanta organizer Tunde Osazua as co-host; they sit down with local organizer and lawyer Kamau Franklin to discuss the ongoing struggle surrounding the development of Cop City in Atlanta. Kamau provides insightful analysis on the background and larger political context of Cop City, the response from organizers and residents, and what makes this specific movement so important.We dive into Cop City origins, Kamau explains that the idea of the facility started prior to the 2020 uprisings, but after the uprisings, it was brought forth and rushed to the public. The name "Cop City" was coined by local organizers and residents who saw the development as a form of repression and response to the uprisings. We then look at the many organizing efforts against Cop City, and Kamau emphasizes that the community has been active in opposing the development and has formed various coalitions to mobilize against it. This is the first time that 'domestic terrorism' charges have been used against protesters in this way, and it's also the first time an environmental activist, young Tortuguita, has been killed by polcie in the U.S. We talk about the incredibly damning legal and political implications of all this. Patreon.com/HalfAtlantaCommunity Movement Builders - Stop Cop City Intro audio by Big Twen#StopCopCity Week of Action11Alive audio clipAndre Dickens doesn't like being called a "sellout"Atlanta Mayor Sleeping During Cop City ForumFebruary 4th Statement from Tortuguita's FamilyOn James Baldwin and the Atlanta Child MurdersPigs Have Higher Rates of Domestic Violence Than Other Professions

Former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member, Jalil Muntaqim, discusses his revolutionary life and organizing for incarcerated people. The podcast explores the popularity of Black Panther imagery, the Mutual Aid for Veteran Black Panther Party Members fund, and the disregard for surviving Black Panthers. Other topics include the fight against white supremacy, the hypocrisy of political prisoners, and the global struggle against imperialism and white supremacy.

In this conversation from March 2022,  reproductive justice practitioner, organizer, researcher, and educator Jalessah Jackson speaks about decolonial feminism, a framework that forges material feminist solidarities through an examination of the relationship between gender and colonialism. We discuss the origins of this intellectual and organizing framework, its relationship to bourgeois and carceral feminisms, material international solidarity work, and the role of scholar-activism. Get into it! Check out the decolonial feminist collective at instagram.com/decolonialfeministcollective / The music you hear was produced by the homie JayOhAye , support them at www.jayohaye.com / Support Groundings on Patreon at patreon.com/Halfatlanta / Support ARC-Southeast at arc-southeast.org/ / 

Reproductive justice practitioner Jalessah Jackson and public health professional Debbie Billings join us to discuss the recent leak by SCOTUS, which showed they are prepared to overturn abortion rights in the U.S.We put this decision by SCOTUS into the overall political context, discussing how it relates to other fascist assaults on TLGBQ rights, and is part of a larger fascist 'backlash.' We also discuss maternal health internationally, why a people-centered human rights framework is vital, and the power of mutual aid and other grassroots organizing in the face of state violence.  ARC-SoutheastPalmetto State Abortion FundLas LIBRES: La Historia Después (Documentary)Accompaniment (Documentary)What Is People(s)-Centered Human Rights?Decolonial Feminist Collective

Dr. Horne’s books ‘The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism’ and ‘The Dawning of the Apocalypse’ are essential readings in understanding the original sins of empire, the worlds that settler colonialism precluded, and the apokalyptic transformation the world is experiencing today. Our conversation moves across subjects of colonial technology and weaponry, Africa's underdevelopment, and how our material conditions within empire are directly tied to the material conditions across the African continent and diaspora.Dr. Horne also candidly reflects on his own writing process, how he’s such a prolific and productive writer and activist, and the stakes of doing rigorous work as a peoples historian. Give it a listen and let us know your thoughts in the comments!Audio snippets heard in the episode:Kwame Ture on The History of Pan AfricanismWalter Rodney - Crisis in the Periphery: Africa and the Caribbean-If you enjoyed the episode, consider subscribing to Dev's Patreon [here] to support the show and get access to extras. Music by the comrade JayOhAye.  

Christian churches are found on virtually every corner across the African world, from the continent to its expansive diaspora, and their role in the affairs of Africans have long been called into question. How did a foreign religious practice gain so much influence across Africa, and why are millions of Africans devoutly following the religion even at the expense of their own indigenous practices? How do the legacies of enslavement and colonization inform Christian thinking, and how do these legacies influence the neo-colonialism of the African world today? How do other religious or spiritual practices, like Islam or Voudou, fit into this historical arc?Actor, director, and producer Onuora Abuah helps us make sense of all this and much more in this conversation. You can find Onuora's outstanding documentary work on YouTube here, or at KweliTV here. If you enjoyed the episode, consider subscribing to Dev's Patreon here to support the show. Music by the comrade JayOhAye.