Hope Dies Last with Ryan Harvey

When Detroit-born singer and organizer Barbara Dane attended the 1967 Festival de la Cancion Politica in Havana it sparked a bold idea: she would launch a grassroots record label to curate music from the world's revolutionary anti-colonial movements. Thus was born Paredon Records. Forget everything you've learned about the protest music of the 1960's and tune in as Ryan and Riot-Folk alum turned public radio producer Mark Gunnery speak with Barbara about the vision behind Paredon, the incredible artists she collaborated with and her defiant journey as a blacklisted leftist musician in the Cold War.

Originally recorded in early April, Ryan is joined by activist academics Sam Agarwal and Smriti Upadhyay to discuss the historic farmers protests in India and the authoritarian government led by Narendra Modi. From overseeing anti-Muslim pogroms as the governor of Gujarat State in 2002 to becoming the country's Prime Minister in 2014, Modi is often labeled the Donald Trump of India. But the movement behind him has deep organizational roots and a complex network of civil society organizations, corporate financiers and social media giants aiding and abetting his regime. While the episode was recorded before the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India, it provides some of the context which might help explain this terrifying moment. Read Sam's recent Truthout piece here: https://truthout.org/articles/bidens-trade-policy-with-india-could-accelerate-global-climate-catastrophe/.

Ryan, Chris #2 from Anti-Flag, and members of Myanmar's infamous anarcho-punk band The Rebel Riot discuss the ongoing uprising against the February military coup and the history of punk politics in Myanmar.

Ryan is joined by musician Kareem Samara, actor Jordan Stephens and poet Analysis—all football players and fans— to discuss the movement against white supremacy among athletes and sports fans, the Premiere League's sanctioning of the taking of the knee, and what happens when protest tactics become too safe, predictable and routine.

Ten years ago, Egyptians took to the streets against a decades-old military dictatorship. But the initial success of the revolution faded, first with the entry of the Muslim Brother to power, and then with the military-coup that overthrew them. Today, Egyptians again live under military rule, and tens of thousands of activists, journalists, artists and other political prisoners linger in the country's most notorious prisons. In this episode, Ryan speaks with Saed, a participant in the revolution who was later held in Tora Prison, and scholar Vivienne Matthies-Boon, who has been researching the deep impact the revolution and subsequent repression have had on its participants.

Baltimore photojournalist Joe Giordano discusses his experience covering the fascist attack on the U.S. Capitol Building last week, as well as other recent far-right demonstrations.

Ryan is joined by Earther's climate journalist Dharna Noor to discuss the incoming Biden Administration's climate team.

Speaking of elections, let's talk about Bolivia. On October 18th, voters handed Luis Arce and the Movement for Socialism a historic majority. In doing so, they defeated a right-wing government that had held power since a coup last year forced President Evo Morales out of the country. Now, Evo's party is back, and they have a bigger mandate than ever. How did this victory come about, especially amidst massacres, mass arrests and vigilante violence against activists and lawmakers alike? Bolivian-based human rights lawyer Thomas Becker joins the show to tell the story.

British MP and socialist figurehead Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from the Labour Party Thursday over comments regarding public assumptions about anti-semitism complaints within the party.  In this episode, Ryan is joined by UK-based activist and Labour member Navid Somani to discuss Corbyn's suspension, the very real existence of anti-semitism within the party and how this situation should be understood in relation to the larger, ongoing push to delegitimize the left-flank of Labour.