Mutual aid is a concept and practice that has come up many times in the stories we tell on The Response — so we thought it would be helpful to devote an entire episode to exploring what mutual aid is with someone who is deeply immersed in it on the ground.

Joshua Potash — an anti-capitalist abolitionist based in New York City. Joshua co-founded Washington Square Park Mutual Aid which provides free food, clothing, and various supplies once a week in the New York City park. They also co-host events like film screenings, skill shares, and various trainings. The group was founded in response to NYPD violence with the aim of creating a counter-narrative and being a community hub for folks in the park and surrounding area.

In this episode, we explore some of the history and theory behind mutual aid and how it presents a counternarrative to capitalist ideology and a practical path away from it. We also learn about Joshua's work on the ground in New York City and discuss the concepts of municipalism, police abolition, and much more.

Episode credits:

• Host and editor: Robert Raymond
• Presenter and executive producer: Tom Llewellyn
• Theme Music: "Meet you on the other side" by Cultivate Beats

Additional Resources:

Joshua Potash on Twitter, Instagram, and Substack

Washington Square Park Mutual Aid

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The Response is a podcast series from Shareable.net exploring how communities are building collective resilience in the wake of disasters