Beyond Voting

Big Tech, Big Power, Big Consequences: A Deep Dive with Jathan Sadowski

Emily Williams — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:34:48 -0400

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming embedded in everything, from our workplaces to our government. But who really benefits from the world Silicon Valley is building?

In this super sized episode of Beyond Voting, host Emily Williams speaks with tech researcher and author, Jathan Sadowski about the growing power of Big Tech and the rise of what some call the “tech broligarchy.” They explore how social media captured our attention, how AI could reshape creativity and critical thinking, and why the deepening partnership between tech companies and government should concern anyone who cares about democracy.

This extended conversation connects the dots between technology, capitalism, and democracy. It also asks a critical question: who benefits from the world Silicon Valley is building?

We’d love to hear from you! Rate & review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others find us.

Join the conversation and follow our new IG account: @beyondvotingpodcast

Consider supporting Beyond Voting with a donation - https://givebutter.com/PhNlBi

Want more on AI & Tech from our guest, Jathan Sadowski? Listen to his podcast, This Machine Kills and visit more about our guest at https://jathansadowski.com.

We're Back, Again...and Beyond Voting Needs You!

Emily Williams — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 20:03:14 -0500

As Beyond Voting resumes season two, we’re entering a new chapter - fully independent and committed to continuing this work into season three and beyond.

Like so many independent media projects, the political and economic realities of this moment have reshaped how the show is funded and sustained, but our mission remains the same: to tell the truth, hold power accountable, and imagine what civic life can look like beyond the ballot box. With the show heading to SXSW, this moment feels especially urgent - we’re bringing these conversations into new rooms, new audiences, and new communities, and we need your support to make that possible.

If Beyond Voting has informed you, challenged you, or helped you feel less alone, or more activated in your community, we invite you to support the next iteration of the show. You can contribute to our crowdfunding campaign at https://givebutter.com/PhNlBi, follow us on Instagram @beyondvotingpodcast, and stay connected as we build what comes next together.

Every share, every dollar, and every signal of support truly matters.

Beyond Target: Can Boycotts Still Break Corporate Power? (with Earl Ofari Hutchinson & Nikki Porcher)

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:49:07 -0400

After Trump’s new executive orders dismantle federal DEI programs, corporations like Target follow suit, shuttering racial equity initiatives and cutting ties with Black-owned businesses. Communities respond with boycotts—but do they still work in an economy dominated by giants like Amazon and Google?

Host Emily Williams speaks with:

Nikki Porcher, founder of Buy From a Black Woman, about redirecting dollars to strengthen community resilience.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson, activist, political analyst, and author of The Myth of Black Capitalism, about the power and limits of boycotts, capitalism as a tool for liberation, and lessons from the Civil Rights Movement.

This episode digs into how organized economic resistance can still shake corporate power, the dangers of rolling back diversity initiatives, and why building intergenerational, cross-community solidarity is key to survival.

We’d love to hear from you! Rate & review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others find us.
And, join the conversation on IG @arcuscenter.

Follow our Guests:

Earl Ofari Hutchinson
http://www.thehutchinsonreport.net/
https://www.instagram.com/earlhutchinson

Nikki Porcher
https://www.buyfromablackwoman.org/

https://www.nikkiporcher.com/

https://www.instagram.com/nikkiporcher/

ICE, DOGE, and Democracy on the Brink (with Karen Attiah)

Emily Williams — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:00:30 -0400

Democracy in the U.S. is under siege. From ICE raids and mass deportations, to Elon Musk’s

“Department of Government Efficiency” dismantling federal protections, to attacks on education and the press—our institutions are unraveling at unprecedented speed.

In this episode, host Emily Williams sits down with award-winning journalist Karen Attiah (former Global Opinions Editor at The Washington Post) to unpack how we got here and what it will take to resist. Karen shares lessons from her “Resistance Summer School,” explores the dangers of authoritarianism cloaked in efficiency, and argues that radical empathy and education are essential tools for survival—and for building the democracy we deserve.

This is a sobering, urgent conversation about power, accountability, and what it will take to save ourselves.

Share this episode with a friend—because democracy is more than just voting.

We’d love to hear from you! Rate & review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others find us. And, join the conversation on IG @arcuscenter.

Follow Karen Attiah:
https://karenattiah.substack.com/
https://www.karenattiah.com/

https://bsky.app/profile/karenattiah.bsky.social

Season 2- Beyond Voting Returns!

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadershio — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 01:04:22 -0400

In Season 2, we’re taking a closer look at the state of American democracy as it shifts under President Trump’s second term. We dig into what’s changing, who’s paying attention, and how people are fighting back.

This season features conversations with incredible journalists, organizers, and community leaders, including:

Karen Attiah (Washington Post) on how a more organized administration is testing the rules of democracy.
Jenni Monet (Indigenous affairs and climate reporter) on the Arctic as both a political and environmental warning for the rest of the world.
Maurice Mitchell (Working Families Party) on how communities are building power through listening, organizing, and collective action.
A look at the efficacy of boycotts in 2025—what’s working, what isn’t, and how collective resistance is evolving.
Experts unpacking how AI and technology are reshaping privacy, energy, and governance in real time.

Throughout the season, you’ll also hear visions for a future rooted in care, radical imagination, and everyday people taking action to protect democracy- grounded in working-class solidarity and Indigenous leadership.

Because despite the present, it’s not too late to write our future.

Beyond Voting Season 2 launches October 2025. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts.

Democracy: The Illusion of Choice. Featuring Dr. Melina Abdullah and Madiba Denning

Emily Williams — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 10:45:00 -0500

Do not despair, we have the power to organize, build supportive communities, and challenge harmful policies.

In our special post election edition episode on Beyond Voting. We’re joined by two special guests, Madiba Dennie and Dr. Melina Abdullah. We did a legal lightning round with Madiba Dennie, Deputy Editor of BallsandStrikes.org, to explore how we got here and understand the legal challenges and issues that had such a profound effect on our elections across the country. We also spoke with 2024 VP Candidate, Dr. Melina Abdullah about her experience on the campaign trail with the Justice for All Party, we get her take on the outcome of the election, and learn what activists can do to further resist the deterioration of our rights.

So tell us, how will you embrace these next four years? Will you organize and be a part of the electoral strategy? Tell us on IG @arcus.center or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. And please visit us at …. https://arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Follow our guests:
Madiba Dennie, Deputy Editor of Balls and Strikes: https://ballsandstrikes.org/
Twitter: x.com/ballsstrikes
Madiba Dennie’s book, The Originalism Trap: How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We the People Can Take it Back

Dr. Melina Abdullah, 2024 VP Candidate - Justice For All Party

https://www.cornelwest2024.com/vp_melina_abdullah

IG: https://www.instagram.com/docmellymel/

Dr. Abdullah’s Book Recommendations:

The Miner's Canary: Enlisting Race, Resisting Power, Transforming Democracy
By Lani Guinier

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-miner-s-canary-enlisting-race-resisting-power-transforming-democracy-lani-guinier/10855954

Tyranny of the Majority: Fundamental Fairness in Representative Democracy

By Lani Guinier

https://bookshop.org/p/books/tyranny-of-the-majority-funamental-fairness-in-representative-democracy-lani-guinier/7851708?ean=9780029131695

Host/Writer: Emily Williams
Executive Producer: Keisha “TK” Dutes
Lead Producer/Writer: Kristen Bennett
Sound Designer & Engineer: Manny Faces
Marketing: Faybeo’n Mickens
Special thanks to The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership team: Quinton, Winter, Crimson, Tamara, and Kerria,
Additional music provided by Motion Array.

Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

Activism: Are We Ready For This Moment? Featuring Charlene Carruthers

Emily Williams — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:09:27 -0400

Have you lost your voice?

On the sixth episode of Beyond Voting, we dive deep with Charlene Carruthers, community organizer, writer, filmmaker, and Black Studies PhD candidate. Charlene is the founding national director of BYP 100, a Chicago -based social justice organization led by Black youth activists. Her work spans more than 20 years of community organizing across racial, gender,and economic justice movements. She is also the author of the 2018 bestselling book, Unapologetic: a Black, queer, and feminist mandate for radical movements. It provides a vision and a framework for young activists to build power, create a more radical and intersectional movement, and grow into the next generation of leaders and visionaries.

We spoke with Charlene today to help us understand what challenges activists face as part of today’s liberation struggles, how we find and build community, how we care for ourselves and others doing the work, and most importantly, how liberation is a global movement that is interconnected with the struggles of oppressed peoples around the world.

So tell us, how will you use your voice to fight for change? What action will you take to be a part of the change you want to see? Tell us on IG @arcus.center or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. And please visit us at arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Follow Charlene Carruthers :

Twitter: @CharleneCAC

IG:@CharleneCarruthers

Website: charlenecarruthers.com

Check out Charlene Carruther’s book, Unapologetic: a Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements

Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

The Supreme Court: Political Tool or Arbiter of Justice? Featuring Dr. Nicole Nguyen

Emily Williams — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 10:36:42 -0400

Is the Supreme Court for us or against us?

On the fifth episode of Beyond Voting, we dive deep with Dr. Nicole Nguyen, associate professor of criminology, law, & justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She’s also a feminist geographer whose research contributes to, and draws on, grassroots struggles challenging racialized policing, war and empire, particularly in collaboration with community organizations.

We spoke with Nicole about how the Supreme Court is meant to function versus how it actually does, why it’s facing a legitimacy crisis, how some of their recent rulings are already eroding our established rights, and how we as activists can hold the highest court in the land accountable.

So tell us, have you considered running for office in a local election? How can you advocate locally for the policies you’d like to see? Tell us on IG @arcus.center or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. And please visit us at …. https://arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Follow Dr Nicole Nyugen :

Twitter: @GeogNicole

Faculty webpage: uic.edu.

Check out Dr. Nicole book, Terrorism on Trial: Political Violence and Abolitionist Futures

Host/Writer: Emily Williams
Executive Producer: Keisha “TK” Dutes
Lead Producer/Writer: Kristen Bennett
Sound Designer & Engineer: Manny Faces
Marketing: Faybeo'n Mickens
Special thanks to The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership team: Quinton, Crimson, Tamara, Kerria, and Winter.
Additional music provided by Motion Array.

Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

Fascism: Modern Threat or Facade? Featuring Alberto Toscano

Emily Williams — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:56:28 -0400

Fascism: Modern threat or facade?

On the fourth episode of Beyond Voting, we dive deep with Alberto Toscano, critical theorist, professor in the School of Communications at Simon Fraser University, and also co-director of the Centre for Philosophy and Critical Theory at Goldsmiths, University of London.

We spoke with Alberto about what modern fascist movements look like, where we see real examples of anti-fascist resistance, and what we can learn - particularly from Black radical traditions- about how to fight back against the spread of new fascisms in the United States and beyond.

So tell us, have you fully confronted or accepted fascism as a reality? How do you plan to turn your ideas and principles into action? Tell us on IG @arcus.center or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. And please visit us at arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Check out Alberto Toscano’s latest book, Late Fascism: Race, Capitalism, and the Politics of Crisis

Check out these authors and topics Alberto mentioned in the conversation:
- The Politics of The Multi-Racial Right - Daniel Martinez Hosang & Joseph Lowndes
- When W.E.B DuBois Made a Laughing Stock of a White Supremacist - The New Yorker
- Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right - Lisa McGirr
- Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition - Cedric Robinson
- W.E.B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction: An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy,1860-1880
- Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1 - Angela Davis
- Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson

Host/Writer: Emily Williams
Executive Producer: Keisha “TK” Dutes
Lead Producer/Writer: Kristen Bennett
Sound Designer & Engineer: Manny Faces
Marketing: Faybeo'n Mickens
Special thanks to The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership team: Quinton, Winter, Crimson, Tamara, Kerria
Additional music provided by Motion Array.

Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

The Third Way Forward. Featuring Rosa Clemente

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 10:35:11 -0400

Have you ever considered a third party as an option?

On the third episode of Beyond Voting, we dive deeper with Rosa Clemente, a black Puerto Rican scholar, activist, journalist, organizer, and former vice presidential candidate alongside Cynthia McKinney on the Green Party ballot in 2008.

We spoke with Rosa after she had just interviewed third party presidential candidate with the Justice For All Party, Dr. Cornel West. So third-party campaigns were front and center in her mind.We spoke with her about her introduction to the Green party, how third party campaigns help influence policy, money and political viability, and her perspective on those who are weighing a historic vote for Kamala Harris against concerns about her policies.

So tell us, how are you going to take Rosa’s advice and engage in your local community to make a real impact. Are you going to organize in your community? Are you going to join a local activist group, to drive change from the ground up? Tell us on IG @arcus.center or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. And please visit us at …. arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Follow Rosa Clemente :
https://rosaclemente.net/
https://www.instagram.com/blackpuertoricanphd/?hl=en

Host/Writer: Emily Williams
Executive Producer: Keisha “TK” Dutes
Lead Producer/Writer: Kristen Bennett
Sound Designer & Engineer: Manny Faces
Marketing: Faybeo'n Mickens
Special thanks to The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership team: Quinton, Winter, Crimson, Tamara, and Kerria.
Additional music provided by Motion Array.
Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

The Uncommitted Movement: Another way to vote. Featuring Esam Boreay

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:58:12 -0400

Do you stay in the process or do you check out?

On the second episode of Beyond Voting, we dive deep with Esam Boraey, Egyptian-American political activist and academic, into what it looks like working within the confines of electoral politics, what it can do for us, and what its limitations are – through the lens of the Uncommitted Movement.

We spoke with Esam only a few days after the Democratic National Convention wrapped up its week-long festivities in Chicago. He shared his thoughts on his experience with the Uncommitted movement, tells us about their treatment by other DNC attendees during and after the protest, the impact Pro-Palestinian voices could have on the rest of the Harris-Walz campaign, and why he says he’s not ready to give up hope – and neither should you.

Tell us, how are the candidates' positions on Gaza influencing your vote? What are your thoughts on working within our current political binary to affect meaningful change? Leave us a comment on IG @arcuscenter or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. Please visit us at https://arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Follow Esam Boreay:
esamboraey@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/esamboraey/
https://www.facebook.com/esamboraey/

Host/Writer: Emily Williams
Executive Producer: Keisha “TK” Dutes
Lead Producer/Writer: Kristen Bennett
Sound Designer & Engineer: Manny Faces
Marketing: Faybeo'n Mickens
Special thanks to The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership team: Quinton, Winter, Crimson, Tamara, and Kerria.
Additional music provided by Motion Array.
Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

To Vote or Not to Vote? Featuring Feminista Jones

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 12:39:27 -0400

Are you voting between a rock and a hard place?

On this first episode of Beyond Voting, we get real about voting our values with Dr. Michelle Taylor, also known as Feminista Jones- the award-winning author of Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminists Are Changing the World from the Tweets to the Streets.

We spoke with her after the 2024 Democratic National Convention and took a critical look at where we find ourselves with Vice President Harris, our new Democratic nominee. She shared her thoughts on voting as harm reduction, the importance of developing a political consciousness, and the realities of holding elected officials accountable.

Let us know how you feel about voting in this year’s presidential election? What are your top concerns and how do you plan to make your voice heard? Tell us on IG @arcuscenter or drop it in your 5 star review of the show. And please visit us at arcuscenter.kzoo.edu

Check out some of the books recommended by Feminista Jones:
Reclaiming Our Space - Feminista Jones
A Pocket Guide to the U.S. Constitution (We picked this one to get you started.*)
Revolutionary Suicide - Dr. Huey P. Newton
Liberating Abortion - Renee Bracey Sherman & Regina Mahone
Torn Apart - Dorothy Roberts
Except For Palestine - Marc Lamont Hill & Mitchell Plitnick
Books by Dr. Molefi Asante Books by Angela Davis

Follow Feminista Jones:
https://www.feministajones.com/
https://www.youtube.com/feministajones
https://www.instagram.com/FeministaJones/

Credits
Host/Writer: Emily Williams
Executive Producer: Keisha “TK” Dutes
Lead Producer/Writer: Kristen Bennett
Sound Designer & Engineer: Manny Faces
Marketing: Faybeo’n Mickens
Special thanks to The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership team: Quinton, Crimson, Tamara, Kerria, Winter and Marti.
Additional music provided by Motion Array.Beyond Voting is a production of Philo’s Future Media.

Beyond Voting Coming September 24th

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:30:01 -0400

Are you ready to move beyond the ballot box and become a more engaged citizen?

Beyond Voting is rooted in our conviction that democracy requires more participation than just voting. It’s up to all of us to take action if we want to see real change.

Hosted by Emily Williams, Executive Director of The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College.

We’ll feature conversations with leaders, activists, and educators discussing the state of our country’s institutions, ongoing systems of oppression, and most importantly how we the people can take critical actions in pursuit of true equity and justice.

Subscribe to the Beyond Voting podcast today and join us as we explore the many ways we can make a difference in our communities.

Join us every Tuesday starting September 24th on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you get your podcasts.

Beyond Voting is produced by The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership & Philo’s Future Media. Trailer by Manny Faces Media.

New podcast from The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership!

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:42:39 -0400

Listen to the newest show from the Arcus Center!

On September 24th we’ll be dropping our new podcast, Beyond Voting, right here on this feed. And since you're already here- you don’t have to do anything but stay locked in!

If you’ve enjoyed our previous podcast, Radical Futures Now, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy our new show Beyond Voting. It’s a show about raising our consciousness, inspiring new leaders, and redesigning the democracy we deserve.

So, if you want to be part of that- listen to Beyond Voting – a limited series, starting September 24th/ right here and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow The Arcus Center on Instagram: @arcuscenter

Youth Organizing and Pan-Africian Philosophies with Aya Chebbi

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 14:26:05 -0400

Aya Chebbi discusses Pan-Africanism and Youth Organizing with us. Aya Chebbi is a diplomat, peacebuilder and activist. Aya is also a multi-award winning Pan-African feminist. Aya has transformed the youth participation space across Africa, specifically with building the Afrika Youth Movement which is one of Africa's largest youth-led movements.

Time Banking with Alice Bagley

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Mon, 17 May 2021 17:51:21 -0400

Alice Bagley shares about timebanking, urban farming and community-building through and through. Unity in Our Community Timebank is an organization in Southwest Detroit focused on sharing services and building community one hour at a time. Alice Beagley is currently organizing learning circles with Michigan Alliance Timebanking and farming at Fields of Plenty.

Interconnectedness and power in Hip Hop With Mazi Mutafa

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sun, 02 May 2021 14:50:04 -0400

Mazi Mutafa discusses the sacredness of the cypher, and the expansiveness of Hip Hop as a music and culture. Mazi Mutafa is the Executive Director of Words Beats & Life inc, a non-profit based in Washington, D.C. that teaches, convenes and presents Hip-Hop around the world. Mazi Mutafa began this organization as an after school program dedicated to creating transformative learning experiences in non-traditional classrooms, teaching the elements of Hip-Hop.

Statement on Atlanta with historical lens with Cat March

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:22:18 -0400

Cat March discusses the murders in Atlanta through a historical, gender and racial lens. Cat March (they/them) is a Gender Studies and English scholar. They have a personal passion for Asian American histories, especially Japanese internment camps in the United States. They are currently the student advisor at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College and finishing up their graduate program in higher education.

Statement on Atlanta and Leftist Asian-American Organizing With Mika Hernandez

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 21:01:56 -0400

Mika Hernandez discusses their feelings after the murders in Atlanta, and post-Atlanta organizing rooted in the Ohlone Land (Bay Area). Mika Hernandez (they + she) is a queer and non binary community organizer whose work is rooted in trans and queer liberation, abolition, transformative justice, and community care. They put this work into practice within their political and movement homes: Asians4BlackLives, APIENC, and the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective. Mika is currently enrolled in an herbal medicine program at Ancestral Apothecary.

The Impacts of Colonization on Spirituality and Family Structure - Baba Buntu

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 13:48:15 -0400

Dr. Baba Buntu speaks on building stronger relations within family structures and returning to ancient African. Dr. Buntu is an Activist Scholar and Founding Director of eBukhosini Solutions; a community-based company in Johannesburg, specializing in Afrikan-Centered Education. Dr. Buntu has founded a number of community interventions based on practical approaches to Black Consciousness and decolonial methods.

Community Surveys and Feminist Methodologies with Jaime Grant

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 19:00:43 -0400

Jaime Grant discusses community-based surveys, intersectional feminism, and the expansiveness of gender and sexuality. Jamie Grant is a lesbian writer and activist, and author of Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey and Great Sex: Mapping your Desire. She is currently working on a LGBTQ+ Women’s community survey that centers anyone who identifies as a woman and those who used to identify as a woman and would like to speak about their experience.
Co-hosted by Rhiki Swinton and Paige Chung: audio edited by Gilbert Daniel Bwette.

Community Care and Performative Allyship with Abeni Jones

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 14:47:14 -0400

CW: mentions of suicidality. Abeni Jones discusses with us her articles for Autostraddle and workshops regarding community care and avoiding performative allyship. Abeni Jones is currently Managing Editor at PushBlack, a non-profit media organization for Black Americans, using the power of narrative to educate and activate readers. She is also a writer for Autostraddle.

Detroit Organizing and Building the Grace Lee Boggs Center with Shae Howell

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sat, 06 Mar 2021 15:02:05 -0500

Shea Howell discusses everything Detroit. Shea has organized, as one of the founders of the Grace Lee Boggs Center, developing intergenerational relations, within the Council of Elders, and so much more. She is currently working in the water struggle in Detroit and celebrating the most recent win to pause the water bill during the covid-19 pandemic.

Resistencia de mujeres Afrocolombianas con Luz Marina Becerra

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:27:32 -0500

En este episodio de Futuros Radicales Ahora entramos en conversación con Luz Marina Becerra, lideresa de AFRODES y la COMADRE de AFRODES, sobre experiencias de lxs Afrocolombianxs, la opresión por parte del Estado, y su resistencia. Este episodio está presentado por Marcos Ferguson Morales, y editado por Marcos Ferguson Morales y Paige Chung

// In this episode of Radical Futures Now we discuss with Luz Marina Becerra, leader of AFRODES and la COMADRE de AFRODES, about the Afrocolombian experience, State oppression, and their resistance. This episode is cohosted by Marcos Ferguson Morales, and edited by Marcos Ferguson Morales and Paige Chung.

Up To Us: APIENC’s Community Survey with Samie & Yuan

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:19:14 -0500

Sammie Ablaza Wills and Yuan Wang discuss trans-centered organizing, community based participatory research, and solidarity.
APIENC is a grassroots organization building transgender, non-binary and queer API power in the Bay Area. APIENC recently conducted a community based participatory research called Up to Us that was conducted by and centered transgender API community members.

Hip-Hop Culture and Black Movements with Msia Clark Kibona

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:35:51 -0500

Hip-Hop is more than just a genre of music; it is a form of resistance and storytelling. Hip-Hop also plays an integral role in Black Movements. We speak with Msia Kibona Clark, Associate Professor of African cultural & feminist studies in the Department of African Studies at Howard University. Her work examines hip-hop in Africa’s importance as social commentary, especially around Pan Africanism and African feminist thought. Msia describes the parallels and differences of Hip-Hop culture in the states and on the continent. Co-hosted by Rhiki Swinton and Trevor Loduem-Jackson: audio edited by Gilbert Daniel Bwette.

We're Back! Season Two of Radical Futures Now

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:42:53 -0500

Welcome to Season 2 of Radical Futures Now. Get the inside scoop about our rebrand and the reasoning behind it. Listen and get to know the members of the Racial Futures Now team. Learn about our roles, passions, and why we love to do this work. Hear about what guests and topics we have in store for you.

Transmasculinity and Being a Transformer with Willy Wilkinson

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 08:00:56 -0400

The transgender movement has come a long way in the last six decades, from very little visibility and support to growing awareness and acceptance. We speak with Willy Wilkinson, author of the Lambda Literary Award-winning book Born on the Edge of Race and Gender: A Voice for Cultural Competency, about his journey coming out as a young trans child in the early sixties. Now a sought-after public health consultant who helps organizations and institutions develop LGBTQ-affirming services and systems, Willy describes his work in the LGBTQ movement, the challenges he and other transmasculine people of color face, and the trans superpower he discovered as a father of three. Co-hosted by Rhiki Swinton and Paige Chung; audio edited by Gilbert Daniel Bwette.

Movement Reflections and Pan-African from a Black Panther with Charlotte Hill O'Neil/ Mama C

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 01:41:20 -0400

As the Black Lives Matter uprisings continue, we look back at our history and invite Charlotte Hill O’neil Mama “C” to speak on her triumphs and journey as a former Black Panther. Currently at the United African Alliance Community Center in Tanzania, where Covid19 is not prevalent, Mama C is living her best life: writing her memoir Hard Head and spending time with the community. She shares her insights on the parallels between the Black Panther movement and Black Lives Matter movement today.

Check out more of Mama “C”’s work:
www.uaacc.net
soundcloud.com/mamac2011/

Facebook: Charlotte Hill O’Neal (Osotunde Fasuyi)
Youtube: Mama C aka Mama Charlotte O’Neal
Youtube: Osotunde Fasuyi Ola Osebikan

Emergent Strategies and Pleasure Activism with Adrienne Maree Brown

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 11:24:24 -0400

With American current socio-political climate, The Radical Zone podcast team had a conversation with Adrienne Maree Brown to discuss emergent strategies and pleasure activism.
In this episode, Adrienne breaks down their life's work in activism with various communities

Adrienne Maree Brown is the author of Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good,
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds and the co-editor of Octavia’s Brood: | Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements. She is the co-host of the How to Survive the End of the World and Octavia’s Parables podcasts. Adrienne is rooted in Detroit.

Learn more about Adrienne's work at;
http://adriennemareebrown.net/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/octavias-parables/id1519024926

Defunding Police & Black Lives Matter Organizing in Canada with Sandy Hudson

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 10:17:58 -0400

With everything on right during this pandemic of covid19, black people and people of color have to continue to fight for their rights and systemic injustice especially in America. In this BLM Mini series, we got a rare opportunity to talk with Toronto-based organizer of Black Lives Matter movement to share her thoughts about the contrast and similarities between Canada and United States Of America with regards to black people and systemic relations with the state.

Sandy Hudson is a Toronto-based organizer, communication specialist, political strategist, writer, and abolition activist a founder of the Black Lives Matter Movement presence in Canada,
The Co-founder of the Black Liberation Collective- Canada & Helped to found the Black Legal Action Center.
Learn about Sandy's movements at;
https://sandyandnora.com/
https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/
http://www.blackliberationcollective.org/

Grassroots Organizing & Student Activism with Majyck D

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 11:00:03 -0400

This time around, we take time out to focus on localized grass root organizing & activism. we talked to Majyck D in our #BLM mini series to understand how what has been happening in Kalamazoo Michigan lately. The Killing of George Floyd resulted in protests and demonstrations in cities across the nation, with Kalamazoo Michigan being one of those cities. We also learned about the relationship between Kalamazoo Public Schools and the community?
Discussed what measures are being considered to end police presence in Kalamazoo Public Schools and policing students in general.

Electoral Politics & Immigration Rights with Jason De Leon

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 01:09:20 -0400

The COVID-19 pandemic has made things complicated around the world, and America has been equally affected by this global health crisis and the impact it has had on society. The radical Zone Podcast brought back professor Jason De Leon to help us understand and decipher immigration rights and electoral politics in America.

In this episode, we dive deep into issues of diversity and differences between various minority groups in America in context of the political build up towards the upcoming national election. Jason De Leon also provides his professional thoughts and opinions about the re-opening of universities and other academic institutions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Listen to our previous episode with Jason as he discussed Migration & US/Mexico Border: >> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/migration-us-mexico-border-conversations-jason-leon/id1513423967?i=1000483587107

Learn About Jason's Work about the Undocumented Migration Project: https://undocumentedmigrationproject.org

The Land of Open Graves book:
https://www.amazon.com/Land-Open-Graves-California-Anthropology-dp-0520282752/dp/0520282752/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1594221687

Prison Resistance & Narrative Change with Amani Sawari

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 03:45:09 -0400

The Radical Zone Podcast team got an opportunity to have a conversation with a special guest Amani Sawari to participate in our Black Lives Matter mini series and discuss the recent Uprising and its relation to Mass Incarceration in America.

Amani Sawari is a writer, founder of the site sawarimi.org, coordinator for the Right2Vote Campaign, the Good Time Campaign to Repeal Truth In Sentencing and a 2019 Civil Rights Fellow with the Roddenberry Foundation. She graduated from the University of Washington with her Bachelor degree in both Media Communication Studies and Law, Economics & Public Policy in 2016. Her visionary publications, including the Right2Vote Report and Motivate Michigan newsletter, aid in distributing messages and building community among participants in the prison resistance movement on both sides of the wall.

Learn about Amani Sawari's advocacy works at https://http://sawarimi.org/jumpin

Learn more, take a listen, and be a part of this conversation.

Indigenous Uprisings and Cross Movement Building with Holly Bird

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 12:44:52 -0400

The Radical Zone team had the pleasure to speak with Holly Bird to bring us to speed on critical issues facing Ingenious Movements parallels to Black movements, COVID-19 and its impact on the Indigenous Community in America.

Hon. Bird graduated from DePaul University College of Law, where she served as the Native American Representative and President of the Latino Law Students Association.
Most notably, however, Hon. Bird founded and served as Vice-President, President, and President-Emeritus of the Illinois Native American Bar Association, and is credited for using her advocacy to remove offensive sports mascots from several Illinois schools. Hon. Bird has authored the publications: “Jumping Through Hoops: Traditional Healers and the Indian Health Care Act,” (1999) and “Making the Cross-Cultural Case; Educating the Judge about Race, Religion, and Ethnicity” (2004). In 2008, Hon. Bird was appointed as an Acting Chief Judge / Associate Judge for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, where she served until 2011. Bird maintains a private practice in Traverse City, concentrating in matters of Native American, family, juvenile, criminal, civil, traffic, real estate, probate, employment and business law.
Bird also served as the Civil Ground Coordinator for the Water Protectors Legal Collective, the leading legal service at the NoDAPL camp/protest in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She continues to volunteer for WPLC to date. She also founded and serves as the Executive Director for the MI Water Protectors Legal Task Force, a project of the National Lawyer’s.

Take a listen and be a part of this conversation

Movements & Master Narratives with Lisa Brock [BLM Series #1]

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 10:08:02 -0400

In this special Black Lives Matter mini series, we brought back one of our favorite radical intellectuals, activists and the acting Executive Director of the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College, Dr. Lisa Brock to help us decipher the following questions/comments:

1. What’s currently happening on the ground in Chicago?
2. Discuss current brutal killings Black people like George Floyd, Ahmad Arbury, Breonna Taylor, and countless others.
3. Shed light on the current racial climate, police brutality, and the criminal justice system.

Take a listen and be a part of this conversation of our #BLM mini series!

Migration & US/Mexico Border conversations with Jason De Leon

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 10:55:27 -0400

In this Episode, TRZ is so excited to tap into great wisdom of Jason De Leon on issues Immigration and Migration.
Jason De León is Professor of Anthropology and Chicana, Chicano, and Central American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is Executive Director of the Undocumented Migration Project, a 501 (c)(3) committed to documenting and raising awareness about the violent social process of clandestine migration through a combination of anthropological research, education, arts initiatives, and public outreach. De León is Head Curator of Hostile Terrain 94, a global participatory exhibition focused on memorializing those who have lost their lives while migrating to the United States through the Sonoran Desert of Arizona that will take place in 130 locations on six continents through the fall of 2021.
Learn About Jason's Work at; Undocumented Migration Project https://undocumentedmigrationproject.org
The Land of Open Graves Book
https://www.amazon.com/Land-Open-Graves-California-Anthropology-dp-0520282752/dp/0520282752/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1594221687

Babaluku in Conversation with The Radical Zone

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 07:56:07 -0400

In our second episode, The Radical Zone had a social distancing conversation with a Hip Hop movement builder Babaluku to decipher the effect of Covid19 in Africa as well the creatives around the world.

Silas Babaluku is the founder and executive director of The Foundation, creator of the Dynasty as well as an award-winning musician, producer, community youth activist and social entrepreneur. Being raised in Uganda and living in Canada during his late teens and early twenties has given Silas a unique and powerful perspective on how to effectively create positive and empowering global partnerships. Since 2005, Silas’ work through the Foundation has provided a platform for positive expression of thought and community building. As a part of the Bavubuka Foundation, Silas is responsible for creating Dynasty, which is an international platform that celebrates indigenous culture, socially conscious artists, and has birthed Uganda’s most popular Graphic tee movements. His work has created opportunities for youth to conceptualize, design and execute their own entrepreneurial visions with a bridge to a global audiences and markets.

Silas is the founder of Back To The Source, whose vision is to grow Indigenous Hip Hop Practitioners all over the continent who are dedicated to leading their communities through the journey of reconnecting to their authentic ancestral trans formative power. He has traveled extensively promoting hip hop as a powerful tool to teach leadership, build peace and strengthen relationships. His )Foundation was a 2015 finalist for the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership's Global Prize. Silas has been recognized and honored across both the African and North American continents as a musician, pioneer, social entrepreneur, youth leader and community activist.

Learn about Bavubuka Foundations Works down below;
https://bavubukacommunity.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/bavubuka/
https://www.facebook.com/babaluku.uganda
https://www.facebook.com/b2thesource/

Lisa Brock in conversation with TRZ

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 01:46:40 -0400

Radical Zone Podcast got in a social distancing sit down with Lisa Brock & now we bring you full conversation with;

Dr. Lisa Brock is currently the Academic Director of the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She is the senior editor of the Praxis Center, an online resource center for Scholars, Activists and Artists. She serves as a Trustee on the Davis Putter Scholarship fund for radical student activists. Since the early 1990s, Brock has been researching and writing on African-American solidarity with South Africa and Cuba liberation struggles and important issues in the African Diaspora History. She also teaches courses on Black History, and is working on a book project entitled: Enslavement and Resistance in Two Black Atlantic Port Cities, Charleston and Havana.

During her undergraduate career at Howard University, Lisa joined the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DC). This led her to become active in campaigns, including being the chairperson of the Terrence Johnson Defense Committee, which supported Terrence, a 15-year-old victim of Police Brutality in Maryland.

While getting her PhD at Northwestern University, she served in the leadership of the Chicago anti-apartheid movement and could be seen often on "Chicago Tonight". Because of her anti-apartheid work both in Mozambique and after, she was invited as an honored guest to the African National Congress’ Centennial Celebration in 2012.

Lisa and her husband, Otis Cunningham, became key coordinators of the Venceremitos Project which for many years sent children from the US to the Jose Marti Pioneer Camp in Cuba, which hosted thousands of children from over 40 countries each summer.

The Radical Zone Podcast

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership — Tue, 12 May 2020 12:21:07 -0400

The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership (ACSJL) is an initiative of Kalamazoo College whose mission is to develop and sustain leaders in human rights and social justice through education and capacity-building.
We envision a world where:
every person's life is equally valued,
the inherent dignity of all people is recognized,
the opportunity to develop one’s full potential is available to every person, and
systematic discrimination and structural inequities have been eradicated