Sojourner Truth Radio

We are joined by civil rights icon Zoharah Simmons who will be discussing the response from educators and civil rights organizers to the rejection of an advanced placement course on African American studies for high school students last month by Florida's department of education, under the leadership of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Initially Florida tried to ban the course entirely, but after weeks of backlash and even a potential lawsuit the College Board released the official curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course in African American studies on Wednesday, the first day of Black History Month. However, critics point out that the newest iteration of the course is now missing several themes and voices from Black scholars that were originally presented in a pilot program already being taught at dozens of schools this year across the country.

Our Global Justice Ecology Project Earth Watch guest joining us to delve into a deeper discussion of carbon offset and its impact on climate change is researcher Jutta Kill, whose current research focuses on analyzing the role of carbon markets in the emergence of the Green Economy concept where natural complexity and diversity are transformed into "natural capital" – the re-defined "nature" of the Green Economy. Her recent writings explore how in the process, rules-based environmental legislation and fines for violation of environmental regulation are being replaced with incentive-based regulation and fees that buy the right to destroy or pollute.

Today on Sojourner Truth we begin by paying homage to the life of Tyre Nichols as civil rights leaders including: Reverend Al Sharpton, speak at his funeral on Wednesday, contextualizing the significance of his death at the hands of black police officers. We are joined by civil rights icon Zoharah Simmons who will be discussing the response from educators and civil rights organizers to the rejection of an advanced placement course on African American studies for high school students last month by Florida's department of education, under the leadership of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Initially Florida tried to ban the course entirely, but after weeks of backlash and even a potential lawsuit the College Board released the official curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course in African American studies on Wednesday, the first day of Black History Month. However, critics point out that the newest iteration of the course is now missing several themes and voices from Black scholars that were originally presented in a pilot program already being taught at dozens of schools this year across the country.

The month of January culminates in what is being proclaimed globally as the deadliest period of fighting between Israel and Palestine in years in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports Israel has killed at least 42 Palestinians in this month alone, including 8 children and an elderly woman. The deadliest Israeli raid in the West Bank took place on Thursday January 26, when Israeli forces raided the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, killing 10 people. It was the deadliest Israeli raid in the West Bank in two decades. We discuss these latest developments in the Israeli-Palestine conflict with Michael Kalmanovitz, founding member of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.

We will also hear our weekly Earth Minute segment from the Global Justice Ecology project on carbon offset realities for major U.S. corporations. Our Earth Watch guest joining us to delve into a deeper discussion of carbon offset and its impact on climate change is researcher Jutta Kill, whose current research focuses on analyzing the role of carbon markets in the emergence of the Green Economy concept where natural complexity and diversity are transformed into "natural capital" – the re-defined "nature" of the Green Economy. Her recent writings explore how in the process, rules-based environmental legislation and fines for violation of environmental regulation are being replaced with incentive-based regulation and fees that buy the right to destroy or pollute.

Today on Sojourner Truth, we kick off Black History Month hearing the words of James Baldwin and WEB Dubois.

Hakeem Jeffries is causing quite a stir in his new leadership position in the Democratic Party, so why are some worried about his positions on foreign policy, in particular controversy on his positions re the Israeli Palestinian conflict?

Our guest is Stephen Zunes Professor of politics at the University of San Francisco who will be elaborating on this.

And Anna Aurilio with the Federal Campaign Director of Economic Security Project Action joins host Margaret Prescod to discuss the latest on the expanded Child Tax Credit on Federal and State levels providing an update on the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and the movements for a guaranteed income and a basic income.

Today on Sojourner Truth we discuss the wrongful killing of Tyre Nichols, a 29 year old black man who was beaten up and tased by five black police officers and later died in the hospital.

According to the family attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, an independent autopsy was done by a forensic pathologist, which determined that Nichols died of “excessive bleeding caused by a severe beating.”

Police claim to have stopped Nichols for a traffic violation and that he became aggressive and tried to reach for one of the officers' guns, however video footage showed that police lied in their report.

Videos of the beating that involved five black officers who at one point laid on top of Nichols all at once, was released Friday January 27th, leading to widespread national protests and putting a national spotlight on Memphis,TN police and the wider conversation around systemic failures and racism in policing.

A 6th police officer, Preston Hemphill, who is white, has been let go from the police force as the investigation on the killing of Tyree Nichols continues.

Hemphill’s attorney confirmed he was the 3rd officer at the initial stop and the body cam footage was from his body cam. Hemphill’s body camera captures part of the initial confrontation with Nichols. In the video, Hemphill can be seen using a Taser on him. Later, a voice on the body cam that seems to be Hemphill’s says, “I hope they stomp his a--” after Nichols escaped.

The sheriff in Shelby County, Tenn., which includes Memphis, said two of his deputies were relieved of duty amid an internal investigation, citing “concerns” after they “appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols.” The Memphis Fire Department has also said it pulled two personnel from duty in response to the case and launched an internal investigation.

Days before Tyre Nichols passed three men were killed by the Los Angeles Police Department within 48 hours.

Our guests joining us for the hour to unpack the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols as well as the recent killing of three men by Los Angeles Police include: Ash-Lee Henderson, the first Black woman to serve as the co-executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center. Ash-Lee is an active participant in the Movement for Black Lives. Dr. Gerald Horne, Moores Professor of History and African-American Studies at the University of Houston, and organizer Mic Crenshaw. Mic Crenshaw is an independent hip hop artist, respected emcee, poet, educator and activist and the lead U.S. Organizer for the Afrikan Hip-Hop Caravan who uses Cultural Activism as a means to develop international solidarity related to Human Rights and Justice through Hip Hop and Popular Education.

Today on Sojourner Truth with host Margaret Prescod our Friday roundtable is back with our panelists: foreign correspondent Laura Carlsen, Los Angeles school board member Jackie Goldberg and historian Dr. Gerald Horne.

Only one month into 2023 and the nation is experiencing an uptick in state and gun violence. We begin with the recent police killing and brutality of a young black man in Memphis Tennessee, and as well as three back to back killings by police of black men in California. We are also facing a series of mass shootings happening in America in the month of January 2023.

We then turn our conversation to international affairs: the continued war between Ukraine and Russia. Russia launches over 50 missiles in response to Germany and the U.S. decision to send war tanks to Ukraine to continue militarized action vs Russia in what many experts refer to as the newest US ‘"proxy war." We also discuss the latest Israeli police attacks in Palestine and the ongoing protests in Peru since the replacement of President Pedro Castillo.

Today on Sojourner Truth with host Margaret Prescod we delve into the nurse protests going on around the country and internationally. Joining us to tell us more about the largest nurse strike in recent NY history at New York City hospitals Mount Sinai and Montefiore Medical Center is Mount Sinai Hospital Emergency Room registered nurse and union delegate Erin Hogan.

Is the CA desert tortoise going to make it to the 22nd Century? The desert tortoise that has been called the closest species to the dinosaur is at serious risk of becoming extinct, joining Sojourner Truth host Margaret Prescod to discuss the factors behind this growing extinction risk and what can be done, is naturalist educator Pat Flanagan. In her current position as Desert Naturalist at The 29 Palms Inn, Oasis of Mara, she educates an international audience on the local history going back 9,000 years and desert ecology.

Today on Sojourner Truth with host Margaret Prescod we delve into the nurse protests going on around the country and internationally. Joining us to tell us more about the largest nurse strike in recent NY history at New York City hospitals Mount Sinai and Montefiore Medical Center is Mount Sinai Hospital Emergency Room registered nurse and union delegate Erin Hogan.

And is the CA desert tortoise going to make it to the 22nd Century? The desert tortoise that has been called the closest species to the dinosaur is at serious risk of becoming extinct, joining us to discuss the factors behind this growing extinction risk and what can be done is naturalist educator Pat Flanagan. In her current position as Desert Naturalist at The 29 Palms Inn, Oasis of Mara, she educates an international audience on the local history going back 9,000 years and desert ecology.

As the Biden Administration approaches its halfway mark. We know that Blacks put this Administration in office just off of the South Carolina primary alone. But they expected to see something from the Biden Administration in the areas of: voting rights, reparations, and addressing white supremacist violence, yet very little if anything in these areas has come from the Biden Administration.

We are joined by two members of the Movement for Black Lives, Dr. Amara Enyia and Montague Simmons who will share their take on these shortcomings and what the Movement for Black Lives is doing to build the power to get these priorities accomplished, in spite of a conservative House.