@lauraflanders.org
Catalytic interviews, field reports and commentary with host Laura Flanders. Now on PBS stations nationwide. Also available on community radio, YouTube and podcast platforms. New episodes every week at lauraflanders.org.
This week on LF&F, meet two artists and activists at the cutting edge of a burgeoning disability arts movement. Alice Sheppard is a wheelchair dancer and esteemed choreographer, and Jess Thom is a performer and comedian with Tourettes. Tune in on public television and radio.
People across U.S. are resisting authoritarianism in creative ways, and this is just the start. The folks at The People's Network for Land & Liberation (PNLL) say building a brighter future requires a vision of economic and social justice — and lots of practice. Listen wherever you get your podcasts
A civil war followed by decades of rule by the dictator Francisco Franco led Spain to respond to its authoritarian challenges by encouraging various cooperative efforts. In this episode from 2020, Laura travels to Spain to report on the growth of cooperative models. Tune in on public TV and radio.
History tells us that the probability of beating back authoritarianism skyrockets with worker organizing. Tarso Ramos, a longtime researcher on the far Right, and In These Times Executive Director Alex Han share more on the LF&F #podcast. Subscribe for conversations like these all month long.
Shares of liquefied natural gas production companies like Venture Global are skyrocketing amid the war on Iran, but LNG facilities pose major threats to people and the planet. In this episode, Laura speaks to Louisianans whose lives have been turned upside down by the expansion of LNG exports.
Louisiana is the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the US, and the construction of LNG plants is ramping up under the Trump administration. Hear what LNG plant expansion will look like in a region that is especially vulnerable to climate disasters. Tune in on public TV and radio this week
An AI revolution is underway, but so is the resistance. John Cassidy and Faiz Shakir say AI expansion is not a red or blue issue; it’s about who controls the technology and who stands to benefit. Listen wherever you get your podcasts and catch more conversations the labor movement all month long.
In the wake of #HurricaneHelene, community members Laura Flanders spoke to said the state and federal government were slow to respond; it was local organizers that raised funds and quickly distributed water, medicine and more. Tune in on public TV and radio and find Laura's commentary on Substack.
When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in September 2024, it came as a shock. But it was mutual aid networks that responded with creative, effective strategies to distribute water, medicine and help communities rebuild. Catch this special report on public television and radio this week.
Fifty years ago, workers at a UK military contractor were at risk of losing their jobs when they came together and drew up a plan to use their skills in a different way. The result was the history-making Lucas Plan, and you can learn all about it on this #MayDay! Tune in on public TV and radio.
This week on the LF&F #podcast, Laura speaks to Louisianans whose lives have been turned upside down by the petrochemical industry. Travis Dardar, a commercial fisherman, is a two-time climate refugee. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. #ClimateRefugee #Louisiana #LNG
People facing deportation in immigration court do not have the right to counsel. Not even children. And in a few days, federal funding towards free legal representation for unaccompanied children is set to expire. Read Laura Flanders' commentary on #Substack: bit.ly/3OwJji9 #Immigration #Deportation
Craigsville, Virginia’s local economy was hit hard when a maximum-security prison shut down last year. How can small, rural communities be supported as they transition away from a carceral economy? Check your local listings to watch this episode on public TV and radio, or visit us on YouTube.
There's no evidence to suggest that logging has led to significant economic development in the U.S. South. So why are many government leaders and agencies encouraging more wood production, despite deforestation and ecological damage Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Many of us are feeling the weight of ecological grief, but this moment is also full of possibilities. Alexis Pauline Gumbs' "Undrowned, Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals" proposes transformation — by exploring how dolphins, seals, whales do just that. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Up next on the Laura Flanders & Friends podcast: Earth Day! We're spotlighting conversations on climate justice, ecology and environmental activism all month long. Scroll to see the lineup of episodes and listen wherever you get your podcasts. #EarthDay #ClimateJustice #Activism
A new season of Laura Flanders & Friends kicks off this week! First up: a special conversation with artist Akinsanya Kambon. Catch the full conversation on public television and radio, YouTube and podcast platforms. #AkinsanyaKambon #Artist #BlackPantherParty
The acclaimed social critic and economic powerhouse Robert Reich says America is “coming up short”, by failing to deal with the underlying problems that led to Donald Trump’s rise to power. Tune in on public television and radio this week, or head to the 🔗 in bio. #RobertReich #WealthInequality
In this episode, former Labor Secretary @rbreich.bsky.social discusses two bullies tormenting US democracy: concentrated wealth and corporate power. Hear what one of America's most influential voices on economic inequality has to say about taking democracy back from the oligarchs: bit.ly/47HsKqO
@thirdworldnewsreel.bsky.social’s catalog of over 700 titles features social justice stories from all over the world. Executive Director JT Takagi says TWN is working hard to make sure these films are preserved — especially as social justice storytelling is being suppressed: bit.ly/3OTs7mv
When #ZohranMamdani launched his mayoral campaign with three pitches — universal childcare, free and fast buses, and a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments — it caught people’s attention, and not just in NYC. This week, catch our 2025 report on his campaign and what it signals for the nation.
Before there was Netflix or Amazon, filmmakers were able to get their work to audiences on their own terms. Filmmaker, artist and activist Tami Gold says we need to return to film production and distribution that are separate from corporate structures: bit.ly/3OTs7mv @thirdworldnewsreel.bsky.social
In this episode, hear about the "pillars strategy" to defeat authoritarianism. Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, Strategic Partnerships Director at @praeyesright.bsky.social, says the Christian church could take a stand against the weaponization of religion to advance authoritarianism: bit.ly/4kxY9Ai
In their first interview together, @indivisible.org’s @ezralevin.bsky.social & László Upor of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest share strategies against authoritarianism and why creativity is an important resistance tool. Tune in on public TV and radio ahead of #NoKings on March 28
Blair Evans has designed and launched more than half a dozen Fab Lab centers, MIT-backed initiatives that are bringing digital fabrication like 3D-printing and more to communities across the country. People are learning how to make the things they need, and are using what they have: bit.ly/4kX9DgV
The State Fiscal Sovereignty Act would give states the power to withhold funds for the federal government if it doesn't obey election law. "This is a rational, nonviolent response to the social agreement of the US constitution being violated so extremely," says @carmitage.bsky.social: bit.ly/4bGxTkX
The militarization of our cities will have consequences for years to come. @jayapal.house.gov and @janessagoldbeck.bsky.social share how members of the military, veterans and the public can stand up for their communities. Watch or listen on public TV and radio, or find us online: bit.ly/3LmGv50
The Butterfly Impact Fund has raised millions of dollars for organizations that are feeding people, creating jobs, and more. Manager David Cobb says they are plan on raising even more funds, "with the explicit purpose of dismantling this racist, sexist, and class-oppressive society: bit.ly/4kX9DgV
