Pittsburgh Liberation Radio

Nick sits down with Frank, a PSL member in Johnstown, PA, to discuss strategies for organizing the rural masses of Pennsylvania. This wide-ranging conversation touches on the history of Johnstown, the devastating effects of the neo-liberal era on Rust Belt communities, the effects of the Palestine solidarity movement, and how we connect our struggles across geographies. Ultimately, local conditions will dictate the specific organizational strategies employed, but what is clear that our point of unity is the class struggle.

Nick and Comrade Ty have a discussion on imperialism, popular resistance and self-determination in our contemporary context. We discuss how to apply and update foundational theory to concrete conditions in 2024, with the genocide in Gaza and the actions of regional anti-imperialist forces as a backdrop. Now, more than ever, it is clear that our role in the belly of the beast is to build a strong, effective anti-imperialist movement. Reject US/NATO interventions! No to imperialist demonization campaigns! Uphold people's right to resist and self-determination in the face of imperialist aggression!

Points of Unity: Lessons from Libya

In this episode, we cover the origins of zionism, the British Mandate period, the UN Division of Palestine, and the Nakba. Along the way, we attempt to expose the myths of zionism and lay a principled, historical foundation for our solidarity with Palestine. When this history is grasped, we can absolutely understand that Palestinians are justified in their resistance.

This is Part 1 of what we expect to be a 3 part series. Part 2 will cover zionist aggression and Palestinian Resistance in the Era of Global Class War (aka The Cold War). Part 3 will cover the time period from the Oslo Accords to the present day and the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

Prolific author, human rights lawyer and anti-imperialist activist Dan Kovalik joins us on the heels of a recent trip to the West Bank to help us shine a light on the ongoing Nakba in this “other” theater. His insights are essential to understanding the mass injustice across the whole of Palestine.

Despite naked apartheid, mass arrests and repression, and a genocide in Gaza, Dan relates how the Palestinians he met with still found time to take him around and invite him into their homes. The Palestinian people are a resilient, strong nation with outsized generosity and compassion. They too are worthy of a dignified life, free of zionist oppression. Free Palestine!

In this episode, Nick and Steph discuss the recent effort by Allegheny County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald, to re-open and privatize the currently shuttered Shuman Juvenile Detention Center. The conversation covers the history of Shuman, the lessons of the Kids For Cash scandal in Luzerne County, and the alternatives to child prisons that the Pittsburgh community is demanding.

Editor's Note: In the episode, we reference the open letter link in the show notes. We will update the episode description when it is finalized!

Additional Articles and Resources:

https://kidsforcashthemovie.com/wp-content/uploads/KidsforCash_DiscussionGuide.pdf

https://www.publicsource.org/allegheny-county-shuman-juvenile-detention-center-contract-adelphoi-beds/

https://www.publicsource.org/allegheny-county-council-lawsuit-shuman-center-juvenile-detention-adelphoi/

https://www.publicsource.org/private-juvenile-detention-allegheny-county-seeks-new-owner-for-closed-shuman-center/

In this episode, Steph and Nick sit down with Lisa, a key organizer with the Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership, and lifelong human rights activist. In this wide-ranging conversation we discuss the history of US-Cuban relations, the humanity and dignity US citizens share with Cubans, the project by the US to crush the Cuban Revolution by labeling them a "state sponsor of terror," and critically, how we can fight it.

Learn more about and get involved with the Pittsburgh Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership HERE!

In this episode, Nick and Kit sit down with their PSL comrade Pablo to discuss the history of US Imperialism in Puerto Rico, the state of the independence struggle, and Puerto Rico's deep connection with Cuban liberation struggles.

Nick and Kit sit down with Ed Blazina, a long-time, and currently striking, journalist with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Ed is also the 1st Vice President of the Newspaper Guild. In this episode we discuss the origins of the strike, the impact on the community as a result of the Post-Gazette's failure to take care of workers, and where it all currently stands.

The News Guild needs your help!

Email the Post-Gazette and tell them to accept the worker's demands now!

Subscribe to the Pittsburgh Union Progress and support local journalism

Donate to support the striking workers

Kit and Nick sit down with Sierra and Stephen from United Library Worker's to discuss the many victories the union has won for their workforce, which culminated in them receiving the Karen Silkwood Award for workplace safety. We also discuss how the ULW continues forging ties with other unions across the city to build solidarity and face the current political moment together.

Follow the ULW on Instagram

Contact the ULW: [email protected]

Nick and Kit sit down with Zak and Jen, organizers with the Staff Union of Pitt, to discuss SUP's years long effort to form the largest collective bargaining unit in Pennsylvania.

Learn more and support SUP here: https://www.pittstaffunion.org/