AirGo

What a good time for a 250th episode! Dame and Kiss are joined by organizer and educator Jennifer Pagán, who was attacked and arrested alongside Damon last week, to break down this moment, the beautiful transformation we're witnessing, how we got here, and what the fight looks like moving forward.

Redistribute your wealth to the orgs and causes on the the Chicago Liberation Resource List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YwWvuScaYjqrKLdl_4AkvSKhQE0OCWHvJ-dRyZbQ_wE/edit?usp=sharing

Donate to the #LetUsBreathe Collective on Cashapp: $letusbreathe or paypal: [email protected]

photo by Evonee Castillo: https://www.instagram.com/evcvstillo/

Music from this week's show:

Feel - Kendrick Lamar

On this bonus episode of AirGo, we're excited to partner with the Rising Majority and the Movement for Black Lives to share the audio from Making Meaning of This Moment, an online conversation that took place this past Saturday 6/6/20. Let their wisdom direct your righteous anger to move the fight forward!

Participants

Angela Davis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis

Jamila Woods: https://twitter.com/jamilawoods

Timmy Châu of Dissenters: https://wearedissenters.org/

Ntanya Lee of Leftroots: https://leftroots.net/

Kayla Reed of Action STL: https://actionstl.org/

Karissa Lewis from the M4BL: https://m4bl.org/

Greisa Martinez of United We Dream: https://unitedwedream.org/

The Rising Majority: https://therisingmajority.com/

Recorded 6/6/20

Music from this episode:

Beautiful Death - Ab-Soul

Blk Girl Soldier - Jamila Woods

On 5/31/20, a series of Black organizers and protestors were assaulted and arrested by the Chicago Police Department at a protest on 53rd street in Hyde Park. As community members mobilized to get them out, we didn't know that our comrade Chris Thoughtpoet Brown was one of the people arrested, and didn't lift up his name in the calls to release our people. A day later, Chris went live on his IG, explained what happened, and shared his perspective on the moment. He's given us permission to use that audio for an episode of AirGo.

Donate to Chris on Cashapp: $thoughtpoet

Follow him on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtpoet77/

Redistribute your generational wealth to one of these resources in Chicago: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vREqtRHDjCg-NoJdq2a8o0R-O0DJdQjcYS5bSHap7Z66mJ1rf1ugybHAygLkMj0tn8qTzBjAlyO3LLE/pubhtml

A Note from Damon:

On 5/31/20, I was assaulted by the Chicago Police Department. I was slammed on my head on 53rd street, my face pressed to the pavement and officers pressed their knee on my neck similarly to what killed George Floyd. I’m banged and bruised up, but Jennifer and I are home and okay. I love my people and am grateful for all the support.

Follow AirGo for more resources and opportunities to contribute to the fight: http://instagram.com/airgoradio

Redistribute your generational wealth to one of these resources in Chicago: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YwWvuScaYjqrKLdl_4AkvSKhQE0OCWHvJ-dRyZbQ_wE/edit?usp=sharing

Recorded 6/1/20 in Chicago

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Since early April, we've been hopping on the line with front line workers in different spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home.

This episode's guest is Tempestt Hazel. Tempestt is the Arts Portfolio Program Officer at the Field Foundation, and the founder of art curatorial platform 60 Inches from Center. She talks about the shifts that COVID is demanding from philanthropy, how the sector is responding, how she's slowing down to take care of her people, and much more. Plus, she makes Daniel cry at the end, so stick around for that.

NOTE: Tempestt mentions a few great orgs here in Chicago that you might want to learn more about through their past AirGo episodes. Check them out:

LaSaia Wade of the Brave Space Alliance - https://airgoradio.com/airgo/2017/5/18/episode-90-lasaia-wade

Page May of Assata's Daughters - https://airgoradio.com/airgo/2016/9/14/episode-59-page-may-returns

Hoda Katebi of Blue Tin Production - https://airgoradio.com/airgo/2019/2/7/episode-174-hoda-katebi

Sadia Nawab of IMAN (Inner-City Muslim Action Network) - https://airgoradio.com/airgo/2017/7/20/episode-99-sadia-nawab

Anton Seals Jr. of Grow Greater Englewood - https://airgoradio.com/airgo/2020/5/21/episode-245

Music from this week's show:

Park - Isaiah Rashad

Each month this year, we're going to revisit an episode from the 200+ episodes in the AirGo Archives and bring that conversation back to the forefront. This month, we're revisiting our convo with author, urban planner, and policy maker Daniel Kay Hertz from 2016. Since we recorded this episode in Daniel's old apartment, DKH has become the Policy Director for the Chicago Department of Housing(!). He's also still a cutie-pie.

Follow DKH on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanielKayHertz

Rate and review AirGo on Apple Podcasts: geo.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/air…016530091?mt=2

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Since early April, we've been hopping on the line with front line workers in different spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home.

This episode heads to the East Coast to chop it up with Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Zohran is currently running for a NY State Assembly seat representing Astoria, Queens. He's been endorsed by DSA, and a wide swath of other progressive and to the root coalitions. He's also one of Kiss' oldest friends. Zohran talks about how he's shifted his campaign into a mutual aid project, the lessons he learned as a foreclosure prevention counselor, the shortcomings of representative politics, and his high school vice presidential campaign.

Support Zohran's campaign!: https://www.zohranforassembly.com/

Recorded 5/21/20 in Chicago

Music from this week's episode:

Park - Isaiah Rashad

Climate Changemakers is a 5-part podcast series, showcasing and celebrating leaders in equity work and climate action across Illinois, presented in celebration of the 20th anniversary of nonprofit organization Elevate Energy. This month's Climate Changemaker is Anton Seals, Jr. Anton is the Lead Steward of Grow Greater Englewood, a social enterprise focusing on building a equitable and resilient local food system that fosters protections of vacant land in divested communities and focuses on connecting those residents with community wealth building opportunities. In this wide-ranging conversation, Anton talks about the connections and unique challenges of reshaping Black Chicagoans' relationship to food, as well as how the structures and pathologies of power limit this transformative work.

Learn more about Grow Greater Englewood: growgreater.org

Learn about Elevate Energy and their 20th anniversary: www.elevateenergy.org/

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Since early April, we've been hopping on the line with front line workers in different spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home.

This week's guest is Emmy Colon. Emmy is a certified death doula–don't worry, she explains what that means, just in case you've never heard of it before. She describes what her work entails, how the rituals and industries around death are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, how grief as a collective process extends far beyond losing someone you love, and some thought processes that can help all of us understand how we may be grieving in this time.

Learn more about her work: https://www.formidablecg.com/

Connect with Emmy: https://www.instagram.com/la_zurda_chi/?hl=en

Recorded 5/19/20 in Chicago

Music from this week's show:

Park - Isaiah Rashad

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Over the next few weeks, we'll be hopping on the line with workers in the health care, educational, governmental, organizing, and prison abolition spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home.

This episode's guest is Zama, one of the founders and lead organizers of DCH1 Amazonians United. He and his comrades have been bringing together workers and fighting for better conditions in the Amazon Fulfillment Center on 28th and Western here in Chicago. He talks about how the work evolved, connecting with other Amazon worker groups around the world, and how they've been forced to push the fight forward during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Follow DCH1 Amazonians United: https://www.facebook.com/DCH1United/

Recorded 5/13/20 in Chicago

Music from this week's show:

Park - Isaiah Rashad