I first became aware of James Hoff as the editor of the student newspaper, the Advocate, at the CUNY Graduate Center while both of us were working on our degrees in the mid-oughts. James shepherded the paper through a turbulent moment at CUNY, maintaining a radical voice that tirelessly defended the mainly working class student body against an often appalling administration. In this conversation we talk about his upbringing in California, his time spent traveling around the United States, and his eventual landing in New York City, where he teaches English and continues to promote working class politics (like the 15 Now movement) in publications like the Huffington Post and Inside Higher Ed.