Sojourner Truth Radio

Today, we discuss women of color's participation in the Women's March on Washington. Our guest is Kimberle Crenshaw, law professor at UCLA and Columbia Universities. We then hear speeches from the march itself, including the voices of Angela Davis, Linda Sarsour, Alicia Keys and Janelle Monae.

For this weeks Earth Watch, we speak to Jeff Ruch with Public Employees for Public Responsibility about the implications of Trumps crackdown on what Park Service employees can post on social media.

Today, Trump is touting job creation for U.S. workers and signed executive orders to move forward on both the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline. We speak with Kandi Mossett of the Indigenous Environmental Network.

The Trump administration has said it will take a tougher stand on China, saying the U.S. may block Chinas access to the islands it has built in the South China Sea. What is the context of Trumps threats and what are the implications? Historian and author Dr. Gerald Horne breaks it down.

We also discuss impact of repealing Obamacare. We first hear from Judy Cohen, who spoke out at a rally in support of healthcare as a right, called for by Our Revolution Then, we talk to Delana Oliver, a young Black small businesswoman based in Maryland.

With one day to go until Donald Trump is inaugurated as President of the United States, and two days until the much-anticipated Women's March on Washington, where do the civil rights movements of today stand? Margaret Prescod leads a discussion with three longtime racial, gender and criminal justice activists: Dorie Ladner, a veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who took part in the 1963 March on Washington; Barbara Ransby, a historian, author, activist and professor of African American and Women's Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Andrea James, a member of the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls.

Today we remember Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who would have been 88 years old on Sunday, January 15. We discuss the impact of King's legacy as modern movements for change are grappling with how to move forward in the age of Trump.

Our guests are Zoharah Simmons, former member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, now Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Florida; Peter Dreier, Professor at Occidental College, who has written on King, as well as on what activists, elected officials and the press can do to prepare for a Trump Presidency; and Julia Perkins and Lucas Benitez with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

We also bring you our weekly Earth Minute with Anne Petermann of the Global Justice Ecology Project.

On our weekly roundtable: the contrast between President Obama's farewell speech and Donald Trump's first press conference as President Elect.

Senate hearings for Trump's team continue, from Sessions to Tillerson to "Mad Dog" Mattis to Carson. What can we glean from what these men said and didn't say?

Also, there are fireworks regarding what the Russians may have on Trump: the so-called unsubstantiated reports. Trump and the U.S. intelligence chief have different stories about whether the reports are false or not. We discuss the role of BuzzFeed and Trump's explosive response.

There could be big implications to the increasingly heated rhetoric by Trump and his team against China, which include threats to Chinas interests in the South China Sea.

The Justice Department inspector generals office is opening an investigation to FBI Chief James Comey's infamous announcement, reopening concerns about Hillary Clinton's emails right before the election. What impact, if any, could this investigation have?

Our panelists are Jackie Goldberg, Laura Carlsen and Dr. Gerald Horne.

Today, we take a look at China, the U.S. economy and Donald Trump. What is Trump really after in his hostile relationship thus far with China? Is it only about keeping U.S. jobs from relocating to China? Will Trump get into an arms race with China? What are the impacts on the U.S. of China manipulating its currency? Are U.S. corporations really concerned about this? We discuss all of this and more with our guest, economist, journalist and author Mark Weisbrot.

Many are complaining that Jeff Sessions, Trump's pick for U.S. Attorney General, got a pass in yesterday's Senate hearing. How are civil rights and other movements mobilizing against Sessions and against Trump? Is it enough? We speak with African American pastor Reverend Graylan Hagler.

Trump famously tweeted last month: "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes." He then defended his tweet, saying, "Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all." Are we headed for an escalation of the nuclear arms race? Our guest is anti-nuclear peace activist Alice Slater. She is on the board of the Lawyers' Committee for Nuclear Policy. She works for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Today, the hearings for Trumps U.S. Attorney General pick begins in Congress. Jeff Sessions, a sitting U.S. Senator from Alabama, is being opposed by civil rights organizations that point to his abysmal record on civil rights, immigration and LGBTQ rights. Plus, last week, Donald Trump's transition team held an outreach meeting with civil rights leaders. What was the result? Civil and voting rights activist and journalist Barbara Arnwine joins us.

The confirmation of anti-public school candidate Betsy DeVos as Trumps pick for head of the Department of Education has been postponed for a week. DeVos is being opposed by those who support public education, question her position on campus sexual assault as well has her financial dealings. Our guest is Carol Burris, Executive Director of Network for Public Education.

Today, the hearings for Trumps U.S. Attorney General pick begins in Congress. Jeff Sessions, a sitting U.S. Senator from Alabama, is being opposed by civil rights organizations that point to his abysmal record on civil rights, immigration and LGBTQ rights. Plus, last week, Donald Trump's transition team held an outreach meeting with civil rights leaders. What was the result? Civil and voting rights activist and journalist Barbara Arnwine joins us.

The confirmation of anti-public school candidate Betsy DeVos as Trumps pick for head of the Department of Education has been postponed for a week. DeVos is being opposed by those who support public education, question her position on campus sexual assault as well has her financial dealings. Our guest is Carol Burris, Executive Director of Network for Public Education.

Our Weekly Roundtable is back! All are still grappling with the question: how exactly did Trump get elected? Is Russian hacking really the problem, since all the super-powers spy on each other?

The GOP moves to fast track Trump’s cabinet picks beginning on Tuesday, January 10 with the controversial selection for U.S. Attorney General: Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, who is known for racist views and actions. On the confirmation hearing schedule for January 11: Betsy DeVos, an enemy of public education, who has been tapped for Secretary of Education; and Elaine Chao, the wealthy wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Trump’s agenda is obvious, but what about the Democrats? Are Blue Dog Democrats winning the day, or is the Bernie faction of the party having an impact – and if so, how?

Meanwhile, cities and states are pushing back against Trump. Sanders, alongside Governor Cuomo of New York, announced a plan for free tuition for students attending State Universities and the City University of NY (CUNY). No such luck in California, as the UC Board is pushing for tuition increases. But the California legislature has made the unprecedented move to hire former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to push back against Trump’s policies. Are we seeing a flip of the script? States’ rights verus a right wing controlled federal government? It used to be the other way around.

On the global front, from Israel to China, Trump is functioning as though he is already the president – although via Twitter. He is cozying up with Russia. Is this a likely move to undermine China, given that China is now the world’s largest economy? He is also going after Mexico and Japan on the issue of trade and jobs fleeing the U.S. Plus, he is promising to remake the U.S. intelligence networks.

And how effective have been movements for change response thus far to Trump? – From the first post-election protests, the Women’s March on Washington, D.C., to the organized Left’s call to "Resist Fascism,” to the NAACP doing civil disobedience at the office of Obama’s pick for US Attorney General.