Fight Back! Radio

In July of 2021, the Chicago City Council passed the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) Ordinance, a ground breaking piece of legislation that gives real power back to the people of Chicago over the policing of their city. Anthony Driver was one of the key leaders that worked tirelessly to get this ordinance passed, and today he shares with us what their path to victory looked like, the new democratic structure of police accountability in Chicago, and their fight to continue forward.

If you live in Chicago, we encourage you to get involved with movement for police accountability in your city. You can find ways to get plugged in on the ECPS homepage.

Anthony is also the political director of the Chicago Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression, which you can find online on their website.

We thank you again for supporting the Tampa 4, including Chrisley Caprio, and we invite you to listen to our past interview with her on their student activist work in Tampa.

Fight Back! Radio is online at ⁠⁠fightbackradio.show⁠⁠, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

Marcia Howard, high school, English Teacher, vice president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59, and occupier of George Floyd Square takes a moment away from her classroom and occupying shift to sit down with us talk about police brutality, the strength of community, the role of unions, and the importance of solidarity.

Fight Back! Radio is online at ⁠fightbackradio.show⁠, and on the following socials:

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Happy International Women's Day from Fight Back! Radio!

We are honored to be joined by our guest today, Nouri Shabiba, who is on the national coordinating committee of the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN). Nouri lays out for us the road to Palestinian Liberation, past, present, and future, as well as the origins of Zionism, the resistance against it, and the signs of weakness its currently showing.

You can find the US Palestinian Community Network online on their website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Remember to celebrate International Women's Day! Fight Back! News has a list of local events being hosted in various cities.

Checkout out the Fight Back! News article on Alexandra Kollontai.

The AK-47 Podcast about Alexandra Kollontai is on Kristen Ghodsee's website.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

Today we're joined by our first returning guest, Carlos Montes, who we're having back on because there was simply too much to cover in just one interview. Those who listened to our first interview with Carlos will know him as an iconic leader of the Chicano National Movement, as well as the founder, spokesperson and minister of information for the Brown Berets. He was also a key leader of the 1968 Los Angeles High School walkouts, the Chicano Moratorium against the Viet Nam War, the mega-marches from 2006 and continues today as a leader of Centro Community Service Organization in Los Angeles. 

We encourage to listened to our first interview with Carlos if haven't already: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doxiLnZ2k8c&feature=youtu.be 

You can find Carlos online on his personal website, and you can find Centro CSO on all their sites:

We are also honored to have Angel Naranjo back on the show. Angel is a high school senior and leader of Chicago’s Little Village Lawndale High School Fight Back! organization. They share a bit about the oppression they and their fellow students are facing, and how they've been able to collectively struggle and fight back against it. 

You can connect with Chicago’s Little Village Lawndale High School Fight Back! organization on their Instagram, and read more about the walkout they organized on Fight Back! News.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

On January 7th, 2023, Memphis Police brutally assaulted Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old black man. This resulted in “his bones coming out of his skin” and difficulty breathing. Tyre Nichols died in the hospital three days later, on January 10th, after kidney failure and cardiac arrest because of the beating. The body cam footage is horrific and unwatchable. The 5 officers responsible for the death of Tyre Nichols have been fired by the Memphis Police Department and have rightfully been charged and indicted for the murder of Tyre Nichols. They now must be convicted.

We're joined today by Joe Iosbaker, who is the labor co-chair of the Chicago Alliance against Racism and Political Repression (CAARPR), and a 31+ year union member of SEIU Local 73. Through his wealth of experience in the labor movement, Joe stresses the criticality of labor's alliance with the Black Liberation movement, and specifically how they can work together to bring about Community Control of the Police.

You can read Fight Back! New's condemnation of Tyre Nichols's murderers on Fight Back! News.

Learn more about Chicago's Empowering Communities for Public Safety ordinance on CAARPR's website, and read their voter's guide to learn about the candidates.

Considering joining the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and helping the fight for a better world.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

Today we're joined by Tracey Schwerdtfeger who is a registered nurse in Milwaukee, and a member and steward of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Healthcare Professionals. She breaks down the horrific state of the healthcare industry, working conditions for healthcare workers, and the fight they're currently waging against the Ascension St. Francis medical center.

Join the fight by going to the rally demanding the reopening of St. Francis labor and delivery services. (6PM 1/25, at the Milwaukee City Hall).

You can find Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee online on their Facebook page.

This episode is dedicated to Charlene Mitchell, a prolific freedom fighter, communist, and leader in the Black Liberation Movement. Read about her legacy on Fight Back! News.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

We're kicking off 2023 with Brandon Johnson, previously a public school teacher, organizer for the Chicago Teacher's Union, current commissioner of the 1st District of Cook County, and current candidate for mayor of Chicago. Brandon lays down his strategy for victory, emphasizes the importance of organizing, and shares his goals for improving the city of Chicago.

You can find about more about his campaign and volunteer to get involved via their website.

If you live in Chicago, we encourage you to get involved in the elections for the police accountability councils.

Also, join the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression in their fight for community control of the police.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

Happy Holidays from Fight Back! Radio! Enjoy this recap on the year, including a highlight from one of our favorite interviews with Frank Chapman, Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and author of Marxist-Leninist Perspectives on Black Liberation and Socialism.

As we wrap up 2022, we want to thank all of you for joining us on our journey to share news and views from the people's struggle, and hope you will join our continued efforts in the new year. We have a world to win, so let's win it together.

Buy a copy of Frank's book: Marxist-Leninist Perspectives on Black Liberation and Socialism.

You can listen to the entire interview with Frank on Fight Back! Radio.

You can find the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression online at their website.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

Mick Kelly is the political secretory of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), the editor of Fight Back! News, a rank and file Teamster, and a lifelong revolutionary. Today he presents a summary of FRSO's Program, which is the organization's declaration of what this country’s working and oppressed peoples want and need, along with what it will take to get there.

You can read FRSO's program for free online, or order a physical copy on FRSO's website.

If you consider yourself a revolutionary, join the fight for a better world by joining the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Read the statement by FRSO's Labor Commission on the shameful actions made by Biden towards the rail workers on Fight Back! News.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News:

Greta Callahan is a teachers and the current president of the teacher chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Educational Support Professionals. Greta recalls what it's been like for her and her union to fight and organize during the trying times of the last two years, which includes responding to the murder of George Floyd in their city, fighting for the safety of their community during a pandemic, and holding a strike that made national headlines.

***POST SHOW NOTE: We wanted to mention the donation drive the MFT ran out of their union office the entire summer following the murder of George Floyd. It didn't make it into the interview, but it was really important for the community and city and definitely worth acknowledging.

You can find the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Educational Support Professionals online at their website.

Fight Back! News covered the strike in the following articles:

Check out the Fight Back! News article on the conditions for struggle and the call to fight after the 2022 midterm elections.

The video version of this interview is available on YouTube.

You can reach us by email at [email protected]

Fight Back! Radio is online at fightbackradio.show, and on the following socials:

And as always, check out Fight Back! News: