Abolition Today

We're joined by NJ slavery abolitionists Dennis Febo and Antonne Henshaw to discuss abolitionist efforts in the state with SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 135. 

Antonne Henshaw, is a Rutgers Camden School of Criminal Justice Graduate School Student, The CEO and Founder of Transformative Justice Initiative Creator of “Meet Em at the Gate” one of TJI’s most notable initiatives and a Lead Credible Messenger in New Jersey.

Dennis Febo, MAH, is a speaker, community organizer, artist, abolitionist, and CEO and founder Guazabara Insights, LLC. Dennis also founded the New Jersey Credible Messenger movement and the the Amend the 13th movement in NJ, a lobbying strategy to remove the "exception clause" and add anti-slavery language to the New Jersey constitution. Mr. Febo is also a professor of graduate and undergraduate studies in Health Sciences at New Jersey City University.

As always, we'll also bring the words of our abolitionists ancestors back to life for a new generation in our Bridging The Gap segment.

Abolition Today is available for streaming on all major podcast platforms.

This week we're joined by political activist, former member of the Black Panther Party, and the Black Liberation Army who served 49 years in prison, 13th Forward Coalition member Jalil Muntaqim to discuss his trials, tribulation and journey that led him to Slavery Abolition.

Of course, we'll have powerful inspiring music, and as always we will bring the voices of the ancestors back to life for a new generation in our Bridging The Gap segment.

Continuing with our 2023 "New Breed" interviews, this week our returning guests are Jamilia Land and Samual Nathaniel Brown. 

They are two of the lead organizers for the "End Slavery In California Act". On Thursday, 2-16-23 at the CA Capitol they joined Assembly member Lori Wilson in hosting a press conference introducing the legislation. The act is an Assembly Constitutional Amendment that will remove involuntary servitude from the California State Constitution.

We'll listen to some of the press conference highlights and discuss the future and history of slavery in California as well as nationwide.

Jamilia is co-director of state operations for the Abolish Slavery National Network (ASNN) and a former board member of the March On Foundation. Samual is co founder of the Anti-Violence Safety and Accountability Project, (ASAP) and was the original author of the legislation. Written in his cell while incarcerated with a life sentence.

Of course we've got music and poetry to share featuring Tupac Shakur, Knox Brown, Anderson Paak, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

We'll also get back to our Bridging The Gap Segment with "A Warning To The American People From Frederick Douglass".

This week we're joined by members of 13th Forward to discuss the No Slavery in NY Act (S.225/A.3412). The New York anti-slavery bill. Our guests will be Jesse Koklas, Statewide Director for Ending Mass Incarceration at Citizen Action of NY. and Wilfredo Laracuente, 13th Forward Campaign Leader, Educator, and Formerly Incarcerated Advocate.

Of course we'll have powerful inspiring music, and as always we will bring the voices of the ancestors back to life for a new generation in our Bridging The Gap segment.

We continue introducing the class of 2024's slavery abolitionist state organizers. The New Breed.

This week we're joined by Amber Phelps of Abolish Slavery VA, and Ohio's Jeanna Kenney of EPIC - Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens

We'll also remember the late great Martin Luther King Jr. by sharing a few of his speeches you have probably never heard before.

As always, we'll close the program by bringing the voices of the abolitionist ancestors back to life for a new generation.

In our 2023 season premier we'll be introducing two of the new state organizers leading the way to abolish constitutional slavery in their states for the 2023 session. Michigan's Edmond Rushton and representing North Carolina, Abraham Syed. We'll also be joined by the lead organizer for the Abolish Slavery National Network, Savannah Eldrige.

We wrap up the year for our final live episode of 2023. We'll do a year in review, count our accomplishments, and look toward the New Breed with the class of 2024. The 16 states + DC who are set to shake the nation even more than we did in 2020, 2022, and 2023.

We want you to call in and join us (515) 605-9814. Tell us about your favorite episodes and tracks. Let's talk about the work and how far we've come in so little time. How far we've got to go.

Of course there's gonna be blazing hot music, amazing spoken word, and eye opening speeches.

We're taking out the year with a big bang and a deep bow.  Be sure to tune in and call in for this powerful evening with Yusuf & Max!

If we had a nickle for every time someone told us that no one would argue in favor of slavery today, we'd be half rich.

Good people often make the mistake of believing that if "you" can't think like that no-one else would either. Nah bruh. Let us tell you something.

On this front line we've heard pro-slavery arguments from state reps and influencers all across this country.

In Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Vermont, New jersey, Oregon, California, and more.

We're talking unbudging, shameless, hard core, feet planted firmly, arguments of all sorts. With nary a care that it was all said out loud in public.

We've heard it and counter-argued in person as public testimony. We've heard it on zoom meetings of official congressional and senate hearings, and we've heard it from people with mass media platforms that reach millions.

As a matter of fact, for this Sunday's episode of Abolition Today  we will present the 2023 pro-slavery perspective. Because there is one and it's hella loud and hella influential.

The next time you hear someone say nobody would argue in favor of keeping slavery legal, tell them Abolition Today said YES, they have, and they will.

We are joined by New Hampshire activist, abolitionist, and Organizer Ophelia Healing Justice and N.H. State Representative Amanda Bouldin.

Ophelia and Amanda represent the grass roots organizing and legislative efforts behind New Hampshire's push to create a constitutional amendment officially abolishing slavery in the state for the first time. It is said that N.H. abolished slavery in 1857. We'll show how that is not true at all. We've got the receipts.

As always, we will tie it all together with great music, spoken word, and bring the voices of the abolitionist ancestors back to life for a new generation.

In honor of the passing of John Knippel, treasurer of No Exceptions North Carolina, and his slavery abolitionist legacy, we will rebroadcast this episode where Max, Yusuf, and John were together in the Paul Cuffee Abolitionist Center, Sumter, SC.

 

We dug deeply into the term and practice of involuntary servitude. What it is, how it works, who it applies to, why it's even legal, and how it's simultaneously ILLEGAL for every other nation in the world except the US.

We were joined by slavery abolitionist Samual Nathaniel Brown. Original author of the California abolition act which he wrote while incarcerated. He's one of the lead advocates for ACA8. The 2023 California Abolition Act.  California and North Carolina are the only two states that abolished slavery in their state constitution but added an exception to protect the practice of involuntary servitude.  As always we ask why, then provide real answers.