On the first Wednesday of every month, I appear on Black Tower Radio to discuss my latest journalism or current events.
Trump is dismantling American democracy at a startling pace, but the American populace is also protesting in a way rarely seen in generations. Millions came out to support the Women’s March, and thousands mobilized to support refugees at airports.
Yet it’s understandable when experienced activists feel frustrated at seeing millions of people protesting issues that have been building for years. As many have observed, Obama deported millions of undocumented immigrants, and many anti-war, pro-human rights liberals seem to only take to the streets when a Republican is in office. In our discussion on Black Tower Radio, host Jake Fox expressed doubts at the movement building potential of the liberals in the streets, while I expressed hope that we could reach some of these newly activated protesters and turn them into activists willing to work for justice.
We also talked about guns and my complicated feelings toward them as someone who was raised strongly anti-gun but later moved to gun-loving Texas. And we touched on the imporance of hyper-local organizing, as a way to build movements and a new society from the ground up. Here in Austin, Texas, I’m a member of the Oh Shit! What Now? collective, which regularly offers free classes and skillshares for new activists.
This month’s show focused more on current events than my journalism, since I’m in the middle of transitioning from my job as a staff writer at MintPress News into working full-time as a freelance journalist. I’m working on a lot of exciting stories, and the support of my readers helps t
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