Sojourner Truth Radio

Today on Sojourner Truth, the latest on the coronavirus. Joining us to discuss the latest on the coronavirus is Dr. David Himmelstein, a Distinguished Professor of Public Health at the City University of New York, a lecturer in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a primary care doctor in The Bronx. Dr. Himmelstein co-founded Physicians for a National Health Program, a group whose 23,000 members advocate for Medicare for All.

Also, the response of mothers in East Los Angeles to the growing housing crisis. Our guest is Roberto Flores, an activist in and resident of East Los Angeles. He is associated with the Eastside Cafe. Also joining us is Martha Escudero, an impacted mother from the area.

Lastly, analysis of the recent Democratic Party presidential debate as part of our Sojourner Truth Election Watch. Our guest is Alan Minsky, the Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America. A lifelong activist, Alan worked as a progressive journalist for the past two decades.

Today on Sojourner Truth, our weekly roundtable.

Between 160 to 214 million people in the U.S. may get infected with the Coronavirus. The pandemic may last as long as a year and between 200,000 to 1.7 million people may die. This, as reported in The New York Times, is a worst-case scenario, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, controversy continues about the lack of tests across the United States. It seems as though a test used by the World Health Organization was available since the beginning of the epidemic, but the Donald Trump administration decided not to use it and instead use one developed within the country. This decision has been decried by many as costing lives and putting hundreds of thousands of people at greater risk. Some say that the United States decided to use a market approach, rather than looking at what was best for the public.

States of emergencies have been declared in California, New York, and other states. In New York, Broadway has been closed down and in California, Disneyland has also been shut down. There are multiple school and university closings and major sports events have been cancelled. We are all waking up to the reality of this pandemic.

Today, we also discuss International Womens Day South of the Border and the anti-Muslim carnage in India in the lead-up, during and following Trumps visit to India.

Our panelists are Laura Carlsen and Dr. Gerald Horne. Jackie Goldberg, a member of the Los Angeles School Board, was called into an emergency coronavirus meeting and was not able to join our discussion.

Today on Sojourner Truth, our weekly roundtable.

Between 160 to 214 million people in the U.S. may get infected with the Coronavirus. The pandemic may last as long as a year and between 200,000 to 1.7 million people may die. This, as reported in The New York Times, is a worst-case scenario, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, controversy continues about the lack of tests across the United States. It seems as though a test used by the World Health Organization was available since the beginning of the epidemic, but the Donald Trump administration decided not to use it and instead use one developed within the country. This decision has been decried by many as costing lives and putting hundreds of thousands of people at greater risk. Some say that the United States decided to use a market approach, rather than looking at what was best for the public.

States of emergencies have been declared in California, New York, and other states. In New York, Broadway has been closed down and in California, Disneyland has also been shut down. There are multiple school and university closings and major sports events have been cancelled. We are all waking up to the reality of this pandemic.

Today, we also discuss International Womens Day South of the Border and the anti-Muslim carnage in India in the lead-up, during and following Trumps visit to India.

Our panelists are Laura Carlsen and Dr. Gerald Horne. Jackie Goldberg, a member of the Los Angeles School Board, was called into an emergency coronavirus meeting and was not able to join our discussion.

Today on Sojourner Truth, our weekly roundtable.

Between 160 to 214 million people in the U.S. may get infected with the Coronavirus. The pandemic may last as long as a year and between 200,000 to 1.7 million people may die. This, as reported in The New York Times, is a worst-case scenario, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, controversy continues about the lack of tests across the United States. It seems as though a test used by the World Health Organization was available since the beginning of the epidemic, but the Donald Trump administration decided not to use it and instead use one developed within the country. This decision has been decried by many as costing lives and putting hundreds of thousands of people at greater risk. Some say that the United States decided to use a market approach, rather than looking at what was best for the public.

States of emergencies have been declared in California, New York, and other states. In New York, Broadway has been closed down and in California, Disneyland has also been shut down. There are multiple school and university closings and major sports events have been cancelled. We are all waking up to the reality of this pandemic.

Today, we also discuss International Womens Day South of the Border and the anti-Muslim carnage in India in the lead-up, during and following Trumps visit to India.

Our panelists are Laura Carlsen and Dr. Gerald Horne. Jackie Goldberg, a member of the Los Angeles School Board, was called into an emergency coronavirus meeting and was not able to join our discussion.

Today on Sojourner Truth, our weekly roundtable.

Between 160 to 214 million people in the U.S. may get infected with the Coronavirus. The pandemic may last as long as a year and between 200,000 to 1.7 million people may die. This, as reported in The New York Times, is a worst-case scenario, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, controversy continues about the lack of tests across the United States. It seems as though a test used by the World Health Organization was available since the beginning of the epidemic, but the Donald Trump administration decided not to use it and instead use one developed within the country. This decision has been decried by many as costing lives and putting hundreds of thousands of people at greater risk. Some say that the United States decided to use a market approach, rather than looking at what was best for the public.

States of emergencies have been declared in California, New York, and other states. In New York, Broadway has been closed down and in California, Disneyland has also been shut down. There are multiple school and university closings and major sports events have been cancelled. We are all waking up to the reality of this pandemic.

Today, we also discuss International Womens Day South of the Border and the anti-Muslim carnage in India in the lead-up, during and following Trumps visit to India.

Our panelists are Laura Carlsen and Dr. Gerald Horne. Jackie Goldberg, a member of the Los Angeles School Board, was called into an emergency coronavirus meeting and was not able to join our discussion.

Today on Sojourner Truth, we kick off our 2020 Election Watch series. We get updates and analysis from Alan Minsky, Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

Wednesday, March 11, marked the nine-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, triggering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. We speak with Arnie Gundersen, an energy advisor with almost 50 years of nuclear power engineering experience. He is the chief engineer of Fairewinds Energy Education and a former nuclear industry senior vice president. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in nuclear engineering, holds a nuclear safety patent, and was a licensed reactor operator. During his nuclear industry career, Arnie managed and coordinated projects at 70-nuclear power plants around the country.

For our weekly Earth Watch, we speak with Josey Tenorio Peyestewa, a Hopi descendant born in Third Mesa Hotevilla, Arizona and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is an Advocate for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. She organizes Prayer Runs through many states asking for justice for our sisters and brothers who have been murdered. Josey also raises awareness for our Missing Women and Men and Man Camps and Human Trafficking.

Today on Sojourner Truth, we kick off our 2020 Election Watch series. We get updates and analysis from Alan Minsky, Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

Wednesday, March 11, marked the nine-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, triggering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. We speak with Arnie Gundersen, an energy advisor with almost 50 years of nuclear power engineering experience. He is the chief engineer of Fairewinds Energy Education and a former nuclear industry senior vice president. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in nuclear engineering, holds a nuclear safety patent, and was a licensed reactor operator. During his nuclear industry career, Arnie managed and coordinated projects at 70-nuclear power plants around the country.

For our weekly Earth Watch, we speak with Josey Tenorio Peyestewa, a Hopi descendant born in Third Mesa Hotevilla, Arizona and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is an Advocate for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. She organizes Prayer Runs through many states asking for justice for our sisters and brothers who have been murdered. Josey also raises awareness for our Missing Women and Men and Man Camps and Human Trafficking.

Today on Sojourner Truth, we kick off our 2020 Election Watch series. We get updates and analysis from Alan Minsky, Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

Wednesday, March 11, marked the nine-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, triggering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. We speak with Arnie Gundersen, an energy advisor with almost 50 years of nuclear power engineering experience. He is the chief engineer of Fairewinds Energy Education and a former nuclear industry senior vice president. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in nuclear engineering, holds a nuclear safety patent, and was a licensed reactor operator. During his nuclear industry career, Arnie managed and coordinated projects at 70-nuclear power plants around the country.

For our weekly Earth Watch, we speak with Josey Tenorio Peyestewa, a Hopi descendant born in Third Mesa Hotevilla, Arizona and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is an Advocate for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. She organizes Prayer Runs through many states asking for justice for our sisters and brothers who have been murdered. Josey also raises awareness for our Missing Women and Men and Man Camps and Human Trafficking.

Today on Sojourner Truth, Part 2 of our International Women's Strike Los Angeles 2020 event. The event was held to mark International Women's Day. If you missed Part 1 of our special, you can find it by going to SoundCloud.com and searching for Sojourner Truth with Margaret Prescod.

On Saturday, March 7, hundreds of people converged in South Los Angeles to take part in the International Women's Strike Los Angeles. The event was held in solidarity with events happening around the world for International Women's Day. It included a rally, a feminism for the 99 percent dance party, an interactive performance piece, street art, music, healing and action areas. Women and girls in countries across the world " from Thailand to Poland, Kenya and Argentina " held events. The strike demanded action for our rights, living wages (including for mothers and other caregivers), an end to violence, murder and the forced disappearance of women, an end to war, and respect for the rights of Mother Earth. The Los Angeles International Women's Day events began in 2000. They were followed by a call from women in Ireland for a one-day strike. They approached the Wages for Housework Campaign, who agreed to take the events globally. Thus, the birth of the Global Women's Strike. Then in 2017, women in Argentina followed by women in Poland and other countries around the world, called for an International Women's Strike on International Women's Day. Since then, women in Los Angeles and in at least 50 countries have participated. In Los Angeles, the strike was planned by a cross-movement multiracial team of women representing diverse grassroots organizations and networks.

Today, as Part 2 of our special, you will hear more speeches and performances from the International Women's Strike held in South Los Angeles. First, you will hear from Dolores Huerta, a civil rights icon who presented this years Women Warrior honor to Susan Burton and Lawana Panther Mancina. Susan Burton is the founder of A New Way of Life, which provides housing and other support to formerly incarcerated women. Lawana Panther Mancina is the family member of one of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Lawana's son spoke on her behalf. Last year, in 2019, Dolores Huerta was the recipient of the Women Warrior honor. Afterwards, you will hear a statement delivered by Trudy Goodwin on behalf of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, known as BAJI. BAJI fights for immigrant rights and racial justice with African-Americans and Black immigrants across the U.S. Following that, you will hear statements delivered by Kenia Alcocer, Co-Chair of the California Poor People's Campaign, and La Mikia Castillo with Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. Following our Station Break and our weekly Earth Minute, you will hear more statements from Marwa Rifahie, a Civil Rights attorney speaking about the rights of Palestinian people, and Pat Alviso with Military Families Speak Out. That is followed by a touching poem delivered by Sabreen Adeeba. Finally, to close off, you will hear rare historic audio from the Pacifica Radio Archives featuring Audre Lorde, Coretta Scott King and Selma James.

Today on Sojourner Truth, you will hear Part 1 of our International Womens Day Los Angeles 2020 special.

On Saturday, March 7, hundreds of people gathered in South Los Angeles to participate in the International Womens Strike, marking International Womens Day. The event was held in solidarity with events happening globally for International Womens Day, which is marked annually on March 8. The event included a rally, a feminism for the 99 percent dance party, an interactive performance piece, street art, music, healing and action areas. In honor of International Womens Day, women and girls in dozens of countries around the world participated in the Fourth International Womens Strike. The strike demanded action for our rights, living wages (including for mothers and other caregivers), an end to violence, murder and the forced disappearance of women, an end to war, and respect for the rights of Mother Earth.

It was planned by a cross-movement multiracial team of women representing a range of grassroots organizations and networks. The planning group was convened by Global Womens Strike. The Los Angeles International Womens Day events began in 2000, when the Global Womens Strike organized events following a call from women in Ireland for a one-day strike. Then in 2017, women in Argentina followed by women in Poland and other countries around the world called for an International Womens Strike on March 8. Since then, women in Los Angeles and in at least 50 countries have participated.

On our program today, you will first hear from myself and Nancy Berlin of the International Womens Strike Los Angeles planning group. Then, you will hear from two young women: one Black, Thandiwe Abdullah, the other Latinx, Brittany Hewitt, reading the introduction to the platform of International Womens Strike U.S. Then you will hear from the multiracial group of women reading the platform. Readers include: Gina Belafonte, Guadalupe Chavez, Jacqueline Jay Johnson, Jodi Evans, Kenia Alcocer, Shany Ebadi and Sidney Ross-Risden. In the second half of our show, you will hear spoken word by Students Deserve and a speech by Linda Valdivia of the Mobile Workers Alliance. Linda discusses what its like to be a woman driver and how women drivers are organizing their workplaces. Then, a historic coming together of campaigners as well as family members who have lost loved ones in the serial murders of Black women in South Los Angeles and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. During this ceremony, relatives, loved ones and campaigners for impacted women joined the event to call for justice for the victims and to uplift them and their families.