Groundings

"the apocalypse" by Musa Springer, Protean Magazine, Nov. 3, 2020

Nick joins the show to provide a comprehensive and riveting breakdown of the struggles faced by Leonard Peltier, one of the longest held political prisoners in the world, incarcerated for almost five decades. We dive into  the history of the American Indian Movement (AIM), the blood counter-insurgency war waged by the U.S. government against AIM, the critical implications of Peltier's case, and the broader context of Indigenous resistance in the United States.In a recent article, Nick writes: "The way Leonard Peltier tells it, he was a criminal the day he was born — but not by choice. The seventy-eight-year-old Anishinaabe and Dakota elder says his “aboriginal sin” was being born Indian in a country founded on Indians’ forced disappearance."Nick Estes is an Indigenous organizer, journalist, and historian, and a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. He is a co-founder of The Red Nation and Red Media, and the author of Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tr

In this episode of the Groundings podcast, host Musa Springer talks with Dr. Akinyele Umoja, a scholar, activist, and author, about the notorious COINTELPRO program. This program was led by the FBI and local police departments, and was an all-out war on Black organizers. This episode delves into the history, consequences, and the struggle led by Black organizers to expose the violent program.Dr. Umoja provides a comprehensive understanding of the COINTELPRO program, its inception, and first-hand account of its impact on Black liberation movements in the US. The episode begins with a discussion about Assata Shakur, a prominent figure within the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army, and her experiences with COINTELPRO.Dr. Umoja shares his insights on the counterintelligence and counterinsurgency tactics used by the FBI to disrupt and neutralize Black nationalist movements, and how these tactics are relevant and still in use today. He also discusses the discovery of the COINTELPRO program and the su

Dr. Gerald Horne, the

Activist and musician Baba Bilal Sunni-Ali, of the Jamil Al-Amin Action Network, joins Groundings to discuss the life, legacy, and impact of current political prisoner Imam Jamil Al-Amin.Formerly known as H. Rap Brown, Imam Jamil Al-Amin was once one of the Amerika's most well-known Black revolutionary activists. A former member of SNCC, Jamil Al-Amin was framed for a crime in 2000, and despite a mountain of evidence showing his innocence, he's sat as a political prisoner ever since. Baba Bilal Sunni-Ali discusses the legal matters related to Al-Amin's case, the current movement to free him, and the impact he had on several communities, including Atlanta's West End neighborhood. To get involved and support the campaign to free Imam Jamil Al-Amin, check out: www.imamjamilactionnetwork.orgAlso, consider supporting the podcast at Patreon.com/HalfatlantaYou can access the clip you hear of Jamil Al-Amin speaking here. 

In this episode, we discuss the story of Sundiata Jawanza, who has been in prison since 1995 on a life sentence. Sundiata has spent the last 28 years working towards self-development and has become a beacon of hope for others in prison; he's a selfless advocate for prisoners' rights, is a peer counselor where he supports the mental health of fellow incarcerated people, and provides legal aid and education through his work as a founder of the organization Jailhouse Lawyers Speak. He has also served as the Imam, providing spiritual guidance to the entire prison Muslim population.Jay and Rock discuss the recent movement to free Sundiata, as his parole approaches, what his organizing and activism has looked like, who he is as a person, the role of jailhouse lawyers, and how the listeners can get involved to bring him home. Visit SundiataJawanza.com for more information and to get involved. Visit Patreon.com/Halfatlanta to support the podcast. 

In this episode, poet and activist Too Black joins to discuss the incredible story of the Pendleton 2. We dive into the details of the 1985 uprising at the Pendleton Correctional Facility and explore the factors that led to this critical event: racial tensions and a violent prison environment created by guards who were part of a KKK splinter group, the "Sons of Light," pushed John 'Balagoon' Cole and Christopher 'Naeem' Trotter to take a courageous stand against racist prison abuse.Too Black gives us a play-by-play of the day's events, highlighting the importance of unity among prisoners in making the rebellion, and we learn how Cole and Trotter managed to bring everyone together and prevent the situation from escalating into something much worse. We also discuss their decision to call Black radio stations and newspapers for help, warning them that their lives were in danger if they didn't intervene; examine the 14 demands  they issued which were eventually met; and why this event became known as "Indiana's A

We sit down with Slank and Sunny Ture to discuss their new album, "Nation Time." Throughout the episode, we delve into the creative process behind "Nation Time," discussing the themes, concepts, and inspirations that shaped the album. We examine the samples used throughout the project, including speeches from influential figures like Amiri Baraka, Malcolm X, Tupac Shakur, and Edward Onaci. Additionally, we take a closer look at the album's bibliography and its connection to the politically conscious roots of hip-hop, with standout tracks like "Black Belt Thesis" and "Devil in the Details."Read the full Nation Time bibliography.Check out more music from the PushSoul Collective.Support the Groundings podcast on Patreon.Buy prints from Musa's shop, which helps support the podcast.

In this episode of Groundings, host Musa Springer is joined by Atlanta organizer Tunde Osazua as co-host; they sit down with local organizer and lawyer Kamau Franklin to discuss the ongoing struggle surrounding the development of Cop City in Atlanta. Kamau provides insightful analysis on the background and larger political context of Cop City, the response from organizers and residents, and what makes this specific movement so important.We dive into Cop City origins, Kamau explains that the idea of the facility started prior to the 2020 uprisings, but after the uprisings, it was brought forth and rushed to the public. The name "Cop City" was coined by local organizers and residents who saw the development as a form of repression and response to the uprisings. We then look at the many organizing efforts against Cop City, and Kamau emphasizes that the community has been active in opposing the development and has formed various coalitions to mobilize against it. This is the first time that 'domestic terrorism' c

Just two months before his 20th birthday, Black Panther and Black Liberation Army members Jalil Muntaqim was captured by enemy forces along with Albert “Nuh” Washington, and made into one of the longest-held political prisoners in U.S. history.Muntaqim joins the show to discuss his revolutionary life, his long history of organizing for incarcerated people, and his own political incarceration. We also get into a crucial paradox: the imagery of the Black Panthers is very popular now, with capitalists like Beyonce and Marvel profiting from the aesthetics of the organization, while the actual lives of surviving Black Panthers themselves are disregarded. We also discuss the Mutual Aid for Veteran Black Panther Party Members fund that Muntaqim organized alongside Kamau Franklin, which helps give material support to veterans of the Black liberation struggle each month. [This episode was originally recorded in February, so some dates and time-sensitive mentions may be outdated.] Support the Mutual Aid for Veteran Bla

In this conversation from March 2022,  reproductive justice practitioner, organizer, researcher, and educator Jalessah Jackson speaks about decolonial feminism, a framework that forges material feminist solidarities through an examination of the relationship between gender and colonialism. We discuss the origins of this intellectual and organizing framework, its relationship to bourgeois and carceral feminisms, material international solidarity work, and the role of scholar-activism. Get into it! Check out the decolonial feminist collective at instagram.com/decolonialfeministcollective / The music you hear was produced by the homie JayOhAye , support them at www.jayohaye.com / Support Groundings on Patreon at patreon.com/Halfatlanta / Support ARC-Southeast at arc-southeast.org/ / 

Reproductive justice practitioner Jalessah Jackson and public health professional Debbie Billings join us to discuss the recent leak by SCOTUS, which showed they are prepared to overturn abortion rights in the U.S.We put this decision by SCOTUS into the overall political context, discussing how it relates to other fascist assaults on TLGBQ rights, and is part of a larger fascist 'backlash.' We also discuss maternal health internationally, why a people-centered human rights framework is vital, and the power of mutual aid and other grassroots organizing in the face of state violence.  ARC-SoutheastPalmetto State Abortion FundLas LIBRES: La Historia Después (Documentary)Accompaniment (Documentary)What Is People(s)-Centered Human Rights?Decolonial Feminist Collective

Dr. Horne’s books ‘The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism’ and ‘The Dawning of the Apocalypse’ are essential readings in understanding the original sins of empire, the worlds that settler colonialism precluded, and the apokalyptic transformation the world is experiencing today. Our conversation moves across subjects of colonial technology and weaponry, Africa's underdevelopment, and how our material conditions within empire are directly tied to the material conditions across the African continent and diaspora.Dr. Horne also candidly reflects on his own writing process, how he’s such a prolific and productive writer and activist, and the stakes of doing rigorous work as a peoples historian. Give it a listen and let us know your thoughts in the comments!Audio snippets heard in the episode:Kwame Ture on The History of Pan AfricanismWalter Rodney - Crisis in the Periphery: Africa and the Caribbean-If you enjoyed the episode, consider subscribing to Dev's Patreon [here] to support the show and get access to extras.

Christian churches are found on virtually every corner across the African world, from the continent to its expansive diaspora, and their role in the affairs of Africans have long been called into question. How did a foreign religious practice gain so much influence across Africa, and why are millions of Africans devoutly following the religion even at the expense of their own indigenous practices? How do the legacies of enslavement and colonization inform Christian thinking, and how do these legacies influence the neo-colonialism of the African world today? How do other religious or spiritual practices, like Islam or Voudou, fit into this historical arc?Actor, director, and producer Onuora Abuah helps us make sense of all this and much more in this conversation. You can find Onuora's outstanding documentary work on YouTube here, or at KweliTV here. If you enjoyed the episode, consider subscribing to Dev's Patreon here to support the show. Music by the comrade JayOhAye. 

From Claudia Jones and Safiya Bukhari, to Assata Shakur and Dr. Patricia Rodney, the impact of Black women radicals has created monumental shifts in the way we think, organize, and survive. In this episode we're joined by community organizer and writer Erica Caines and professor Charisse Burden-Stelly, who dive into a deep history of important Black communist women figures like Claudia Jones. We discuss what makes their work so important, why they have such lasting relevance, how we should engage their work, and why there's a battle going on to dissociate them from their communist politics. In the opening, you will hear an excerpt from a speech given by Shirley Graham Du Bois in 1970 at UCLA. You can listen to the full speech here. To support the podcast, consider becoming a monthly patron at Patreon.com/Halfatlanta. To support Erica Caines, consider becoming a monthly patron at Patreon.com/Rickii.Shout out to the homie JayOhAye for providing music for season 4 of Groundings; check out more of their work here

Armed uprisings across the Caribbean can often be portrayed as spontaneous and isolated events that were largely unsuccessful. In fact, these efforts have informed each other across time and can reshape how we think about imperial domination in Africa and across the Americas.  The Christmas Rebellion, sometimes called the Baptist Uprising, is the largest rebellion in Jamaica's history, and it reveals the importance of continued resistance and pushes us to rethink what we call ‘successful’ revolts by the enslaved. Writer and organizer Q. Anthony Omene joins us to discuss this and much more, in the first episode of Groundings season 4. You will also hear archival audio from Walter Rodney, which can be found in full here.Hosts:DarienDevSupport:Patreon.com/Halfatlanta

On this episode, we talk about the US blockade against Cuba, which we define as a weapon of economic, political, racist, colonial warfare against the Cuban people. We hear from Belly of the Beast producer Daniel Montero, who explains the main character behind these mysterious protests, and then we dive into some historical context. Finally, we discuss the blockade in detail, and Luna tells us some of the important documentary projects they're working on. Make sure you check out Belly of the Beast's work on YouTube here, and follow them on Twitter as well here. #EndTheBlockade #UnblockCuba #CubaSíBloqueoNo Music: "(DRILL) CUBAN DRILL - LATIN Brass Sax by Dios Mio Beats"

The entire world has witnessed israel's naked colonial violence in Sheikh Jarrah, Palestine, where countless Palestinians have been brutalized and forcefully removed from their homes. Palestinian writer and activist Mohammed el-Kurd joins the show to discuss the latest round of ethnic cleansing in his home neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, the many ways that Palestinians are resisting israel colonial domination, and why we're seeing unprecedented resistance from Palestinians.  We also discuss those who only support Palestinians when they appear to be 'perfect victims' but are quiet when they are resisting iraeli state violence, and how international media is complicit in ongoing israeli apartheid. Palestinian-American medical worker and community organizer Abu Shawarib joins as co-host. This is a special bonus episode of season 3 in collaboration with Mondoweiss, an independent website devoted to informing readers about developments in occupied Palestine and related US foreign policy.

Professor, writer, and activist Dr. Joy James joins the show to discuss her work around abolition. More specifically, we look at what Dr. James calls "academic abolitionism", the role that academics play in halting or co-opting revolutionary organizing, the current state of the prison abolition movement, and why it is revolutionary to start our political organizing with one simple question: what do Black children need?Felicia Denaud joins as co-host. The beat you hear was produced by JayOhAye, and you can hear more here. The painting on the cover art is "J.D. McClain’s Day in Court" (1970) by Jeff Donaldson.If you enjoyed the episode, consider supporting on Patreon here. 

Patricia Rodney, public health expert, researcher, activist, and wife of the late Dr. Walter Rodney, discusses her 1998 book, "The Caribbean State, Health Care, and Women: An Analysis of Barbados and Grenada." We talk about her analysis of Caribbean state healthcare as it relates to women, the Cuban healthcare system, and how her analysis remains incredibly relevant during our current pandemic. We then speak on her decades-long work in preserving Walter Rodney's legacies, as well as the trouble that sometimes comes along with that.