In this conversation, Ms. Carolyn Ruff — Chicago organizer, movement elder, and founder of Black Lives Matter Women of Faith — reflects on the murder of Laquan McDonald, her years in the orbit of Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rainbow PUSH, the importance of voting, and why so many young people have grown disillusioned with politics.We met Ms. Ruff at the  @NationalActionNetwork  convention in New York and knew immediately we wanted to hear more of her story. In this interview, she shares how she found her way into movement work, what she has learned from standing with families seeking justice, and why she believes too many politicians wear the label “Democrat” without truly serving the people.This conversation is part of our ongoing effort at DiscoDemocracy.fun to honor the wisdom of movement elders while also asking how that wisdom speaks to today’s digital, political, and moral chaos.
Topics include:Laquan McDonald and the fight for justiceRev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow PUSH, and movement historySonia Massey and standing with familieswhy young people must voteyouth disillusionment, Palestine, and political betrayal“fake Democrats” and the crisis of trusttrades, education, and practical hopeEditorial note: This edit includes photos, archival footage, and contextual clips added in post-production to help illustrate the stories and concerns discussed. Some of those materials were not viewed by Ms. Ruff during the interview itself.

READ THE FULL CONTEXT + RECEIPTS:

https://democracyfun.substack.com/p/in-the-pa-03-primary-street-and-griffith

In this episode of Disco Democracy.fun, Disco Brian and Disco Lindsay sit down with Sean Griffith, Democratic primary candidate for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District.

We talk about his grassroots campaign, the fight to get on the ballot, civil liberties, economic justice, Medicare/Medicaid for all, progressive politics, art, democracy, and what it means to actually show up for local voters.

The Pennsylvania primary is May 19.

Follow Disco Democracy:🎙️ DiscoDemocracy.fun📍 Philadelphia, PA Sean Griffith: Website: https://griffithforcongress.org/

In this conversation, we sit down with Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street to explore a question that’s been bothering us and a lot of people right now:Can Democrats actually compete with the algorithm?From the rise of the manosphere to the gravitational pull of platforms like YouTube and podcasts like Joe Rogan, politics is no longer solely a matter of policy. It’s about attention, culture, and what people choose to watch, listen to, and believe.We also get into:Why “just make better content” may not be enough.Whether politicians should go on shows like Joe Rogan.The role of music, culture, and artists in shaping political reality.Healthcare, the ACA, and what it actually feels like when coverage disappears.Tensions inside the Democratic coalition, including antisemitism and difficult conversations many people avoid.This interview was recorded just before recent political developments mentioned in the intro — and we’ve kept that context in for transparency.If you’re interested in how media, culture, and democracy are colliding in real time, this conversation is for you.If this resonates, subscribe and share — we’re building something new here.#Democracy #democraticprimary #algorithm #philadelphia #PA03

Jackson State University professor of English, author of “the Lyrics of Prince,” C. Leigh McInnis connects the literary genius and import of LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka) to the lyrical/musical genius and socio-political impact of Prince.

Two progressive Prince disciples nerd-out on the piercingly conscientious lyrics of the leader of the 1980s anti-Reagan Revolution, one of the pantheon of musicians who inspired the congressional Parental Music Resource Center (PMRC), which devised the policy of labeling albums with Parental Advisory Stickers.

Celebrating Prince’s trailblazing life of controversy, professor McInnis and I cut into as many pieces of the Prince pie as is possible during one podcast, using Prince as a lens to critically understand the 80s and 90s specifically, African American history more broadly, as well as the future of US race relations and how anti-racist whites can work to defeat systemic racism by understanding & supporting Black self-determination & Black sovereignty.

With the help of our Real People Panel, usfest bears the ugly truth of the verboten word Neoliberalism; we pay homage to the economist who gave 20th century capitalism the Queer Eye makeover the whole world loved, John Maynard Keynes!

Coming soon: USfest! Political discourse free of the tired talking points from the professional pundit class, infused with imagination, joy, & magic.