Laura Flanders and Friends: Solutions-Focused Progressive Perspectives on Politics, News, and Culture

The following full uncut conversation is from our recent episode "Israel, Hamas & Universal Human Rights: Former UN Official Craig Mokhiber Describes Path Forward."  It is available here as a podcast thanks to generous contributions from listeners like you. Thank you.  Support the podcast by becoming a member => LauraFlanders.org/donate

Description: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations 75 years ago this December, as was the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. But that same year also saw the institutionalization of apartheid in South Africa, and the Palestine War or Nakba which displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs in the course of creating the state of Israel. What does it mean to commemorate this anniversary in a time of genocide and gross violation of human rights — particularly in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas? Until recently, Craig Mokhiber was the director in the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), where he had served since 1992. A specialist in international human rights law, policy, and methodology, he worked through genocides against Tutsis in Rwanda, Muslims in Bosnia, Yazidis in Iraq, and Rohingya in Myanmar. In his resignation letter, sent October 28th this year, he wrote, “Once again, we are seeing a genocide unfolding before our eyes, and the organization that we serve appears powerless to stop it.” Both Israel and Hamas have now been accused of committing gross violations of human rights in their current conflict, including acts of genocide. But what exactly is genocide? And what is the responsibility of the world to stop it? In this timely episode, Laura and Mokhiber explore the promise of the Universal Declaration and ask how we can honor this historic achievement while also acknowledging the hypocrisies of 1948 — and now. What can be learned from the South African experience that might offer a way forward for peace with justice for Israelis and Palestinians? All that and a commentary from Laura on what it takes for us to recognize one another's humanity.

Guest:  Craig Mokhiber: Human Rights Lawyer, Former Senior United Nations Official

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

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-Episode Rewind -

Description: "We cannot be both against occupation, and for it. We cannot be both for freedom, and against it. And we cannot be for a better world, while contributing to one that is materially worse,” writes Josh Paul in his letter of resignation. After 11 years in the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs — the entity most responsible for arms transfers to allies and partners — Paul quit October 18, over increased, “indeed expedited” arms sales to Israel. In this conversation, one of the first full-length interviews with Paul since his resignation, he sits down with Laura Flanders to discuss why he resigned, his concerns about how the weapons will be used, the unique way that Israel is treated when it comes to US arms sales and why the US approach to creating peace in the Middle East is clearly not working. US double standards and hypocrisy when it comes to human rights crimes, he says, are dangerous for all concerned. All that, plus a commentary from Laura on the war economy.

Guest:  Josh Paul: Former State Department Director, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Music In the Middle:  “Fear of an Equal Planet” by Warriors of the Dystotheque. And additional music included- "Steppin," "Beachhead," and "Ocean Point" by Podington Bear.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!

Description: Politics abhors a vacuum. Without credible explanations for the things that bewilder and exasperate us, people become susceptible to extremist conspiracy theories, hate and lies. So how does truth survive? In her brand new book, "Doppelgänger: A Trip into the Mirror World”, award-winning journalist Naomi Klein, (author of No Logo, The Shock Doctrine, et al), describes being confused with Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth, as Wolf morphed into a conspiracy-minded anti-vaxxer during the Covid pandemic. In an era of all important "personal brands", Klein became absorbed in the deep fake, double worlds surrounding and sometimes coming to represent her online. Right-wing conspiracies feed off Left-wing silences, she concludes. In this far-ranging interview from her home in British Columbia, Canada, Klein describes listening to hours and hours of conspiracist Steve Bannon's podcasts, and researching doppelgängers in history and literature, in order to uncover why we have shadow selves, and how disinformation and conspiracy theories gain power. Join Laura Flanders for this charming conversation as Naomi Klein challenges us to overcome divide-and-conquer individualism if we are ever to tackle our real-life, systemic crises. And Laura shares a few thoughts on learning from our elders about the pre-digital age.

Guest:  Naomi Klein: Journalist & Best-Selling Author, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, The Shock Doctrine, No Logo, This Changes Everything & On Fire

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Music In the Middle:  “Connections” featuring lyrics  by Reg E. Gaines and music by Calvin Gaines.  Additional music included- "Steppin," by Podington Bear.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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Description: A bold experiment is taking place among Black farmers in the Southeast — a story of hope in an area with a history of plantation slavery, land theft and white violence. The Jubilee Justice Black Farmers' Rice Project is pioneering regenerative farming practices as a means to address systemic racism and make repair. This innovative project combines restorative economics, regenerative agriculture, and asset ownership as the path to address the harm done to Black farmers, and the environmentally harmful methods of rice production. In this exclusive report from The Laura Flanders Show, Laura Flanders reports on-location from Alexandria, Louisiana, where she meets Jubilee Justice Co-Founder and President Konda Mason, veteran civil rights crusader Shirley Sherrod and the Black farmers at the center of this story. Through knowledge sharing, collaboration and community support, this project endeavors to bridge the racial divide and foster a future rooted in justice and healing. Join us to discover how Jubilee Justice helps repair the damage from long-term racism and plant the seeds for a healthful and healing future.

Guests:

Nwamaka Agbo: CEO, Kataly Foundation & Managing Director, Restorative Economies Fund

Donna Isaac: Farmer, Jubilee Justice Black Farmers Rice Project

Myles Gaines: Head of Innovation & Experimentation, Jubilee Justice Black Farmers Rice Project

Konda Mason: Founder & President, Jubilee Justice

Shirley Sherrod: Executive Director, Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education; Co-Founder, New Communities, Inc.; U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Equity Commission

Bernard Winn: Operations Specialist & Mill Manager, Jubilee Justice Black Farmers Rice Project

Caryl Levine and Ken Lee: Co-Founders & Co-CEOs, Lotus Foods; Partners with Jubilee Justice Black Farmers' Rice Project

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Music In the Middle:  “Freedom and Progress” by Nicole Conte featuring Zara McFarlane from his full length album Umoja released on Far Out Recordings.  Additional music included- "Steppin," by Podington Bear.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

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Description: Can we turn our insecurity into power? Consumer debt stands at $17.29 trillion and many Americans are drowning in debt, with the average household owning over $100 thousand. The climate crisis, threats to democracy, and global wars add more worry to our already stressful lives. In her new book out from House of Anansi Press, “The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart”, writer, filmmaker, organizer, and the 2023 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Massey Lecturer, Astra Taylor uses mythology. psychology and the history of capitalism to break down the different kinds of insecurities we face, and explore how our insecurities help capitalism flourish. Without it, the system would cease to function, she says. In her years of work as Co-Founder of the Debt Collective, which emerged from Occupy Wall Street, Taylor has used debt as a tool for bringing people together and organizing. She is the author of The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart, Democracy May Not Exist But We'll Miss It When It is Gone, and The People's Platform (winner of the American Book Award), and the director of What Is Democracy?, among other books and films. In this wide-ranging discussion, Astra Taylor and Laura Flanders discuss the history of capitalism, the rights of debtors, and what we can do to lessen insecurity and expand security both as individuals and as a society. All that, plus a commentary from Laura.

“There is a debate here about motivation and what motivates us, and we are constantly being told that if people are too secure, that society's going to collapse and that we can't afford to invest in other folks. And I really want to challenge that idea.” - Astra Taylor

“. . . When you start talking about [debt] with others, you realize you're actually in the same boat and you start coming together to demand change, to demand debt cancellation, to demand the provision of these public goods. Debt actually can become a source of power.” - Astra Taylor

Guest:  Astra Taylor: Co-Founder of the Debt Collective & Author, The Age of Insecurity

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Music In the Middle:  “Positivity” by Outside from their album Almost In courtesy of Dorado Records.  Additional music included- "Steppin," by Podington Bear.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

The following full uncut conversation is from our recent episode "Imagination in the Face of Incarceration."  It is available here as a podcast thanks to generous contributions from listeners like you. Thank you.  Become a member supporter at LauraFlanders.org/donate

Take Our Survey: Vote for your favorite LF Show episodes 

Description:  What difference can art make for people in prison? The state of Michigan spends $48,000 per prisoner every year — with little to no money going towards funding for prison education, art and rehabilitation programs. The Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) is an independent program of the University of Michigan that supports formerly incarcerated artists, facilitates creative arts workshops and even hosts an annual exhibition to showcase incarcerated artists’ work. PCAP was founded by William “Buzz” Alexander, the late husband of Janie Paul, the curator of PCAP and author of the book based on the project: “Making Art in Prison: Survival and Resistance”, out now via Hat and Beard Press. As you’ll hear in the program, the work of PCAP has built a vibrant community of artists inside and outside prison walls. Joining us for this conversation are Janie Paul and artist Yusef Qualls, known as Q. He was released from prison five months ago after being sentenced to life as a minor and serving 28 years. Danny Valentine is a formerly incarcerated artist also featured in the book, who credits PCAP for saving his life. What can incarcerated artists teach us about why humans make art and the power it holds? All that, plus a commentary from Laura on poets imagining Gaza.

Guests:

•  Janie Paul: Author, Making Art in Prison: Survival and Resistance; Emerita Professor of Art, University of Michigan; Curator, Prison Creative Arts Project

•  Q (Yusef Qualls): Former Juvenile Lifer & Incarcerated Artist

•  Danny Valentine: Formerly Incarcerated Artist

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you! Help us meet our year-end goal to raise $25,000, the cost of producing an episode. Please make a year-end donation => https://LauraFlanders.org/donate 

Take Our Survey: Vote for your favorite LF Show episodes HERE

Description: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations 75 years ago this December, as was the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. But that same year also saw the institutionalization of apartheid in South Africa, and the Palestine War or Nakba which displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs in the course of creating the state of Israel. What does it mean to commemorate this anniversary in a time of genocide and gross violation of human rights — particularly in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas? Until recently, Craig Mokhiber was the director in the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), where he had served since 1992. A specialist in international human rights law, policy, and methodology, he worked through genocides against Tutsis in Rwanda, Muslims in Bosnia, Yazidis in Iraq, and Rohingya in Myanmar. In his resignation letter, sent October 28th this year, he wrote, “Once again, we are seeing a genocide unfolding before our eyes, and the organization that we serve appears powerless to stop it.” Both Israel and Hamas have now been accused of committing gross violations of human rights in their current conflict, including acts of genocide. But what exactly is genocide? And what is the responsibility of the world to stop it? In this timely episode, Laura and Mokhiber explore the promise of the Universal Declaration and ask how we can honor this historic achievement while also acknowledging the hypocrisies of 1948 — and now. What can be learned from the South African experience that might offer a way forward for peace with justice for Israelis and Palestinians? All that and a commentary from Laura on what it takes for us to recognize one another's humanity.

“Israel is responsible for its own crimes. That responsibility does not extend to Jewish people around the world and certainly not to those who are standing up to say that this is not in their name.” - Craig Mokhiber

“We want to see justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators, but we want it to be done peacefully. And what are the peaceful means? We have legal action, we have political action, we have mass mobilizations, we have divestments, we have boycotts.” - Craig Mokhiber

Guest:  Craig Mokhiber: Human Rights Lawyer, Former Senior United Nations Official

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Music In the Middle:  Funk 4 Peace by Fort Knox Five from their album Radio Free DC courtesy of Fort Know Recordings.  Additional music included- "Steppin," by Podington Bear.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

The following full uncut conversation is from our recent episode "BIPOC Media on the Fight for Fair Wages — & Anti-racist Unions." It is available here as a podcast thanks to generous contributions from listeners like you. Thank you.  Become a member supporter at LauraFlanders.org/donate

Take Our Survey: Vote for your favorite LF Show episodes 

Description: From auto plants to Amazon warehouses, to Hollywood studios, pharmacies and hospitals, almost half a million workers have gone on strike so far this year. Many are celebrating this revival of labor power, but what does it mean for workers of color — often hardest hit — and least well treated even by traditional labor organizations? Worker rights and racial justice are linked, but mainstream media often fails to make the connection. In this “Meet the BIPOC Press” episode co-hosted by Laura Flanders and Sara Lomax, Co-founder of URL Media, we explore the diversity of today’s unionized workforce and their demands. What happens when media bring a race-smart angle to their reporting? Joining us are Queens, New York-based reporter Amir Khafagy, reporting on the intersection of labor and immigration at Documented; and News Editor Carolyn Copeland, who is tracking national labor coverage with her team at Prism.

“Whenever you're talking about unions, you're always talking about people of color because people of color are more likely to belong to a union . . . Union issues are always a racial justice issue.” - Carolyn Copeland

“We have this sense of the burly Trade Union white guy that sometimes votes Republican. But lately, what we've seen now is the trade unions have come to realize that the historical animosity they had, especially towards immigrant workers and Black and Latino workers, has actually hurt their movement.“ - Amir Khafagy

“There has been a generational concern in Philadelphia about the racial gap in access to union participation . . . A lot of Black and BIPOC workers have not been able to join some of the unions in Philadelphia, skilled trades, et cetera. And it's really created a racial hierarchy in the unions.” - Sara Lomax

Guests:

Carolyn Copeland: News Editor, Prism

Amir Khafagy:  Journalist, Report for America Member, Documented

Sara Lomax: Co-Founder, URL Media; President & CEO, WURD Radio

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

This show is made possible by you!  Help us meet our year-end goal to raise $25,000, the cost of producing an episode.   Please make a year-end donation => https://LauraFlanders.org/donate

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SPECIAL REPORT- On December 3, 2022, an attack on two electrical substations in Moore County, North Carolina left 45,000 households and businesses without power for up to five days. It was the biggest domestic terrorist attack on the electricity grid in U.S. history, but one year later, no arrests have been made and authorities have named no suspects other than to say that whoever did this “knew what they were doing.” In this installment of The Laura Flanders Show’s investigation into the local roots of the January 6 insurrection in one state, North Carolina, Laura speaks with the North Carolinians who were at a drag show in Moore County when the lights went out. “Downtown Divas” had been harassed for months by anti-LGBTQ leaders — did the sabotage attack have anything to do with that harassment or the drag performance scheduled that night? As legislators and local leaders continue to roll back LGBTQ rights, they remain largely silent about the real threats facing North Carolinians and the nation from domestic terrorists with their sights set on U.S. power grids. Why? This episode also looks at how the LGBTQ community in North Carolina is standing up to hate and creating safety — with Drag operatics — for all.

“When the lights went out, it didn't matter who was Black, who was Latino, who was Asian, who was a person of color, didn't matter if you were Catholic, if you were Baptist, if you were Christian. We were all in the same space, all in the same boat, which was that we didn't have any power.” - Naomi Dix

“[After the attack] I remember thinking, I have to start speaking more . . . I have to start sticking up for myself and the trans community more, because that's what prevents things like this.” - Alex Lafferty

“We aren't the villains in this situation. We have a right to exist and be performing and what I love about drag is the joy that we bring not only to LGBT people, but the whole community.” - Tori Grace Nichols

“We are talking about a great harm that happened here in North Carolina, but this is a national problem and not a new one . . . This is a domestic terrorist threat that people really need to be paying attention to.” - Serena Sebring

“. . . That show and that incident brought out two different sets of people. It brought out the lovers and it brought out the haters . . . Those haters have found a way to attack our youth through the school board and our communities.” - Erica Street

Guests:

• Naomi Dix: Drag Artist, Activist & Member of Durham NC BIPOC Operated House of Coxx; Co-Chair, Pride: Durham, NC

• Alex Lafferty: Daughter of Erica Street, High School Student & Youth Activist

• Tori Grace Nichols: Drag Artist & Cultural Organizer

• Serena Sebring: Executive Director, Blueprint North Carolina

• Erica Street: Mother of Alex Lafferty; Co-founder, PFLAG Southern Pines

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Music In the Middle:   “No One Else Has Your Magic” by Muva of Earth from her album Align with Nature’s Intelligence released on Brownswood Records.  Additional music by Podington Bear “Hearts Aflutter,” “Mont Blanc,” “Beachhead,” “Tender and Curious,”

Credits: 

Executive Producer: Laura Flanders, Field Producer: Brian Palmer, Supervising Producer: Sabrina Artel, Consulting Producer: Rory O’Connor, Development Director: Sarah Miller, Senior Video Editor: David Neumann, Creative Designer & Video Editor: Nat Needham, Audio Director: Jeannie Hopper, Communications Director: Janet Hernandez, LF Show Fellow: Maryia Kanavalenka. 

Our thanks to Jim Davis Kym Register  

Special thanks We deeply appreciate the Blueprint North Carolina staff whose collaborations have been key to the success of this award-winning and ground-breaking set of episodes. Blueprint North Carolina Staff Mab Segrest, Anti-Racist Research Program Director Serena Sebring, Executive Director Christina Davis McCoy, Organizing Coordinator Heather Ahn-Redding, Anti-Racist Research Associate D Juan Owens, Executive Security Lead Tori Grace Nichols, Research & Media Intern Jazmynne Cruz, Research Intern

🎧 LOOKING FOR UNCUT INTERVIEWS?  check our podcast feed the following week.  Thanks to our sustaining members and their monthly support.  This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support!

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Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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 The following full uncut conversation is from our recent episode "Colette Pichon Battle on Climate Justice Reparations." It is available here as a podcast thanks to generous contributions from listeners like you. Thank you.  Become a member supporter at LauraFlanders.org/donate

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What can we learn from the experiences of people living on the frontlines of climate catastrophe? “There’s beautiful resistance out there,” says Colette Pichon Battle. She is a Louisiana native who began her work in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 when she and so many others lost their homes. A leading voice in climate justice and Black liberation movements, Pichon Battle founded the Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy (GCCLP) that focused on equitable climate resilience in the Gulf South. Now she has expanded her vision into Taproot Earth, to include work in Appalachia, the global Black diaspora and geographies across the world with a focus on climate migration and Taproot's work around Global Climate Reparations. According to a 2022 report by the International Organization for Migration, in the US, anywhere from 4.2 to 13.1 million people could become victims of floods by the year 2100. It is the reality that Pichon Battle has been alerting us to for years — climate change isn’t looming,  it’s here. With suffocating orange wildfire smoke, deadly heat waves and drenching rain; with hurricanes, floods and landslides — we have crossed what some call the change horizon. Can it also be a liberation horizon? Colette believes it can. Today’s program is devoted to her evolving understanding of how the crises of climate, migration, capitalism and over-policing are connected, and what is our work to do. Plus a commentary from Laura.

“If we choose to be our best selves in this moment, if we choose to work through fear in this moment, if we choose courage and each other, we can actually stop not just the oppression of my people, but the oppression of yours.” - Colette Pichon Battle

“What I need is white allies learning about whatever ethnicity, whatever cultural tradition they come from, and how did they live with the land and how do we put those things together? . . . Why aren't we fighting together for the sake of this planet?” - Colette Pichon Battle

Guest:  Colette Pichon Battle, Esq.: Co-founder, Vision & Initiatives Partner for Taproot Earth

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel