Coffee with Comrades

Dear listeners of Coffee with Comrades, with special regard to the wonderful folks who support this program on Patreon,

Hello!

I hope that the autumnal season has brought crisp, cool air and abundant joy to you and yours. I write to you today with a bittersweet sense of pride and melancholy to announce Coffee with Comrades is officially coming to an end.

Although I know I don’t “owe” anyone an explanation, I thought it wise—for both my own peace-of-mind and for the wonderful community that has sprung up around this show—to offer a bit of insight into my thought process on the matter and why I eventually came to this decision. 

Coffee with Comrades got its start in June of 2018. I had recently moved back to Orlando, FL and was hanging out with my friend, Bree. She said, “Pearson, y’know what? We should start a podcast and name it Coffee with Comrades!” and (for better or worse) that’s exactly what we did. Over the 5+ years this show has been online, a lot has changed. History has happened, carrying each of us with it inexorably. A global pandemic shuttered windows, closed doors, and swept us all into quarantine. A massive, anti-racist uprising rocked the U.S. Strikes were won. Wars ravaged.

Here at Coffee with Comrades, we have gone through multiple co-hosts. I met authors, musicians, artists, and the hosts of other podcasts and radio shows who I had long respected and finally got to befriend. I’ve broken bread with these folks, slept over at their homes, and turned to them for advice in times of need. I linked up with listeners all across the U.S. and became dear friends with many of them. We cultivated a joyful, wholesome, queer community on Discord where many have half-jokingly said, “I was cis when I got here!” In the end, if it weren’t for this silly little program, I would never have met my partner, Megan, and fallen in love. For a long, long time now, Coffee with Comrades has been an integral facet of my life.

I’m in a different place in 2023 than I was in 2018. I am a partner and a parent now. I am teaching full-time. Over the past year, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on how Coffee with Comrades factors into my life. As many of you know, I graduated in May ‘23 with a PhD in Literature, Media, and Culture. Bree and I started this show about the same time I got accepted to teach at Florida State University. With each passing year, that degree took more and more of a toll on my mental health. In the end, it got to a point where I loathed the very idea of reading—a pastime that once brought me inexpressible pleasure and euphoria. Although I am slowly starting to get that sense of enjoyment back when it comes to reading, I cannot help but notice that I am starting to feel a similar sense of frustration and, if I am honest, even contempt whenever I think about creating another episode of the podcast.

Cycles of burnout and frustration are, on the whole, pretty normal in community-organizing. For a time, I thought that was just what I was going through: the normal pattern of excitement, burnout, then new excitement once again. After all, this wouldn’t be the first time I went through that cycle working on Coffee with Comrades. On several occasions, I have taken breaks from the show to get back into the right mindset. This happened again fairly recently when Megan and I found out one of our dear friends had died. I put the show on hold so I could take care of my partner, our friends, and (importantly) take care of myself.

But during that time of contemplation and distance from the show, I felt a disconnect greater than any I had experienced before. I realized I didn’t want to go back to putting out episodes. I did eventually put out another episode (and I am happy with it!) But I was actually low-key dreading getting back into the swing again. As I have said before, putting together a podcast is an enormous amount of work. Booking guests, scheduling recording times, doing the pre-production, recording the actual show, editing the show, doing post-production, uploading everything to the internet, managing social media, etc. It all adds up to an extraordinary amount of effort and, increasingly, I am noticing the fact that it has taken away from the number one creative passion in my life: writing.

Writing stories, poems, and essays has been an enduring wellspring of joy throughout my life. I started writing stories when I was just seven years old and I have never stopped. But there have also been periods where I was more (or less) committed to my craftsmanship. Coffee with Comrades has been a creative project, to be sure. But it has also been one that has sapped my ability to concentrate more time and effort on other creative endeavors.

Even still, I recently released my second collection of poetry, Your Mind is the Cathedral Where I Finally Find god. But what that experience helped me remember was just how life-affirming it is for me to write. How much I need the deft and lyrical melody of the written word. How playing with language mirrored the experience of reuniting with lifelong friends after too long spent apart. I began to realize that I was neglecting what I am best at, ignoring or overlooking the skills I worked so hard to cultivate. Alas, there are only so many hours in the day for creativity amidst the drudgery of wage labor, the thrills of being a partner, and the dedication require to be a diligent, compassionate parent. 

To a certain extent, Coffee with Comrades began to feel like an obligation rather than a creative and political passion project. Gradually, it became increasingly evident that this dynamic was engendering a sense of anger and antipathy. I no longer wanted to put together episodes because I felt a strong need to address an injustice, uplift an important artistic project, or dive into political theory and action. I put together episodes because I hadto. Because Tuesday was coming up and I had to put out Content to feed the algorithm gods. Something, it seemed, was fundamentally broken and—try as I might—I couldn’t seem to fix the shattered fragments. 

Something, somewhere had to give.

Throughout its 5+ years, Coffee with Comrades has always centered the theme of militant joy. But, sad as it is to admit, this show is no longer bringing me joy. Instead of something that enhances my life and, by extension, the lives of others, Coffee with Comrades has become a toil, a drudgery. It has become work. This is antithetical to everything I cherish about anarchy. When I cast my gaze soberly upon all that I had wrought, I realized it was time to draw this chapter of my life to a close. In the end, in order to stay true to the principles I hold dear, it has come time for me to bid a fond farewell to this podcast and move on.

I know this announcement may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, especially those of you who may not be in the Coffee with Comrades Discord server or those of you who haven’t read between the lines of our on-again-off-again scheduling as of late. I am happy to answer any questions folks might have about the podcast in our Discord, Patreon, or via email. I also understand this announcement may be especially disappointing to recent subscribers on the Coffee with Comrades Patreon. If this is the case, please get in-touch! I’d like to have the opportunity to make amends. I have taken steps to ensure that Patreon will no longer charge anyone starting Nov. 1, 2023.

All that said, I am proud of the work I have done with this program. In the end, between formal/numbered episodes and bonus editions of the podcast, we have put forward over two hundred episodes of Coffee with Comrades. That legacy and that library live on for people to listen to and engage with and learn from. I know that the relationships I have made with friends, comrades, and fellow revolutionaries will continue onward into the future, come what may. I know that our struggle to transform the world into something more just, compassionate, and egalitarian endures so long as there is breath in our lungs and we continue to love and support one another.

As a media project, I hope that this program helped elevate important conversations with community-organizers, authors, musicians, artists, and revolutionaries over the 5+ years we were on air. Anarchy is a powerful political philosophy. I have seen it put into practice time and time again in the communities I have had the good fortune of inhabiting. I do not know what sort of ruptures will happen in the weeks, months, years, and decades ahead as the empire I write within continues to self-immolate, catching us all in the raging inferno. But I reckon solidarity, mutual aid, autonomy, liberation, and anti-authoritarianism are our only path out of the morass of social hierarchy. If anarchy proves to be triumphant—even if only in fits and starts, at first—then that is due entirely to the strength of the relationships we forge in the crucible of struggle.

To those of you who have supported this program over the years, I extend a tremendous and sincere thank you. Whether it was from financial contributions to our Patreon or just by telling a friend about Coffee with Comrades, I want you to know how meaningful it is to have been able to create something that resonated so powerfully with its audience. Even in a time of such marked turmoil and suffering, the friendships and camaraderie that I have experienced because of this show are truly inspiring and give me a sense of hope for the future of our world and all the critters who call it "home." 

Know that even though Coffee with Comrades has come to an end, I will continue to be there with you—either in spirit or, with any luck, in the streets—in the struggles ahead.

Stay wild out there, comrades.

Yours in depthless love and deathless solidarity,

Pearson

 

This week, I sat down with Marisa Holmes, one of the organizers behind Occupy Wall Street, to talk about her new book Organizing Occupy Wall Street: This is Just Practice.

• Follow Marisa on Twitter and Instagram and pick up a copy of her book. 
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.

CW: In this week's episode, we discuss anti-Semitic violence. Listener discretion is advised.

Today, Ami Weintraub (he/they) joins us to discuss his new book To the Ghosts Who Are Still Living. In this joyous and melancholic discussion, Ami and I explore the essay collection in detail, touching on anti-fascism, anti-semitism, Jewish identity in diaspora, and Ami's spiritual and ancestral affinity. 

• Pick up a copy of To the Ghosts Who Are Still Living today! 
• Check out Ami's website and follow them on Instagram. 
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.
• Pick up a copy of my second book of poetry, Your Mind is the Cathedral Where I Finally Find god.

On today’s episode of Coffee with Comrades, I am pleased to be joined by Chris Robé, a professor of film and media studies at Florida Atlantic University and the author of the new book Abolishing Surveillance: Digital Media Activism and State Repression.

• Follow Chris on Twitter and pre-order a copy of Abolishing Surveillance! 
• Check out Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair.
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.
• Pick up a copy of my second book of poetry, Your Mind is the Cathedral Where I Finally Find god.

This week, I sat down with some of the organizers behind Dual Power Gathering Midwest to discuss the weekend long event, the concept of dual power, building solidarity, and sharing knowledge with each other as we develop our greater movement affinity. Dual Power Gathering Midwest 2023 will take place in the traditional homelands of the Miami, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo, about thirty minutes south of downtown Chicago. A follow-up to the Dual Power Gathering at Indiana Dunes in 2022, this event is a regionally-focused attempt to bring folks together from across the Midwest to meet, spend time together, and discuss dual power strategies for the struggles of today and tomorrow.

• Find out more about DPG Midwest '23! 
• Check out Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair!
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.
• Pick up a copy of my second book of poetry, Your Mind is the Cathedral Where I Finally Find god.

This week, I was joined once again by Scott Branson to discuss the new anthology they helped edit for PM Press, Surviving the Future: Queer Abolitionist Strategies. Scott and I had a lovely conversation about queerness, futurity, healthcare, academia, and everything in between. 

• Purchase a copy of Surviving the Future: Queer Abolitionist Strategies today! 
• Follow Scott on Twitter and visit her website. 
• Check out this interview Scott did for The Final Straw with trans folks organizing in Missouri. 
• Check out Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair!
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.
• Pick up a copy of my second book of poetry, Your Mind is the Cathedral Where I Finally Find god. 

This week, we're sharing a recent conversation with some of the organizers behind the International Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason & All Longterm Anarchist Prisoners. 

• Check out June11.org and read this essay from CrimethInc. to learn more about the long-term struggles of anarchist prisoners.
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.

We spoke with Mixæl Laufer of Four Thieves Vinegar Collective. Check it out!

• Follow Mixæl on Twitter and visit Four Thieves Vinegar Collective's website!
• Check out our previous episodes with Mixæl, too: Episode 14, 21, and 171.
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Pick up a Coffee with Comrades t-shirt or coffee mug at our official merch store.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.

This week, I hung out with Brenton Lengel to talk about Issue #2 of Durruti: Shadow of the People, a comic exploring the life and times of revolutionary Spain's Buenaventura Durruti!

• Pick up a copy of the Durruti, Issue #2 special variant to benefit folks displaced by the war in Ukraine
• Follow Brenton on Twitter.
• Check out our previous dialogue with Brenton in Ep. 152 of Coffee with Comrades!
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.

This week, I sat down with Michael Löwy and David Campbell to talk about the book Michael co-wrote and David recently translated into English, Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist Anarchist Solidarity. The three of us got into a lovely dialogue about the recent uprisings in France against the neoliberal Macron regime, as well as the painstaking labor David undertook of translating this book into English by hand. Then, we dive into the book and talk about the principled points of solidarity and the potential areas of conflict between Anarchists and Marxists before contemplating what these struggles mean for today.

• Pre-order a copy of Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist Anarchist Solidarity today!
• Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Mastodon, Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website.
• Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network.
• Coffee with Comrades is an affiliate of the Firestorm Books & Café. Check out our reading recommendations!
• Our logo was designed by Nathanael Whale.

Note: 

A minor correction. David mentioned the anti-basin protest was at "Sainte Solite." It's actually Sainte Soline.