Small Black Birds: Recent Episodes
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Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, says the money she's paid to support Trump and other conservative causes doesn't influence her husband. But a quick glance at Clarence Thomas' voting record on some of the biggest issues says otherwise.
Censorship is on the rise in America, as more states ban books and pass laws to restrict what teachers can talk about from the country's troubled history. This mimics the dangerous approach of the Chinese government which blocks its citizens from accessing independent reports about current events or learning about their own country’s past. But brave artists like Badiucao are challenging the regime in ways that can't be erased.
We are all paying more for groceries these days. But what if the food you wanted wasn’t available at any price? As more people realize today’s food system is broken, more native communities want to regain control of their own food supply.
We are so indoctrinated with the idea that policing and caging people stops crime that it's difficult to imagine anything other than the police state. But if reducing harm is achieved by giving police unlimited powers and handing out long prison sentences, something America has done for decades, why don’t we have the safest society? Prison abolitionists like Mariame Kaba say there is a better way. And it starts with mutual aid.
See: Abolition is essential (Part1)
Rather than try to reform corrupt police departments and build more overcrowded prisons, prison abolitionists Mariame Kaba says its time to make them obsolete by redirecting the billions of dollars that now go to police and prisons toward things that actually improve people’s lives and reduce crime.
See: We keep each other safe (Part 2)
Seeking to halt the fossil fuel emissions responsible for so much damage, environmental justice activists are springing into action across the country to protest against dangerous projects like the Dakota Access pipeline. But rather than protecting their right to protest, federal and state governments are cracking down on those taking direct action against the country’s biggest polluters.
From helping Bob Dylan change the course of music at Newport to his iconic portrayal of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Theodore Bikel's contributions to music and theatre are undeniable. But his willingness to see the humanity in other people was his real gift.
Photo: Theodore Bikel, Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan in Greenwood, Mississippi 1963.
The US government’s use of the 1917 Espionage Act to prosecute Julian Assange is meant to intimidate whistleblowers from leaking information the government wants to keep hidden and silence journalists from reporting the truth.
A recent poll found nearly one out of two Americans didn't know Puerto Rico is a part of the United States. Even fewer realize the U.S. failed to deliver promised reconstruction assistance to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Years later, Puerto Rico is still waiting.
“Don't tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I'll tell you what they are.”
America spends over $700 billion every year on its military, and less than a tenth of that on education. William Barber II and the Poor People's Campaign challenges the national myths that keep millions of Americans of all backgrounds in poverty.
How did you respond to worst day of your life? A survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing found a way to help herself and others live their lives again.
Naomi Klein wants to change how you think about the climate crisis. The journalist, activist and mother believes we can seize this moment to transform our failed economic systems and build something radically better. But we have to act together.
It’s no secret our phones and apps keep tabs on where we go and what we do. How else would your phone’s GPS guide you to the doctor’s office or Fitbit count your steps? But the same tech that make our devices so convenient is also constantly tracking our movements and sharing that information with dozens of companies you've never heard of.
Through her efforts to prove one man’s innocence, WNBA's Maya Moore put a spotlight on the tremendous powers prosecutors use (and abuse) in our criminal justice system.
Inspired by the immenseness of the sky and sea, Zaria Forman conveys the beauty of our planet through her art and creativity. And by traveling to remote places like Antarctica and the Maldives to capture moments in nature both tranquil and turbulent, her stunning, hyper-realistic drawings help us understand the reality of rising waters.
When Aung San Suu Kyi led her party to victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years, it was hailed as a sea change moment for the people of Myanmar. But after failing to deliver economic improvements or rein in the country's powerful and independent military, former supporters accuse Suu Kyi of betraying her values. And now that the military has overthrown the government once again, many fear the country will slide back into isolation.
The late poet Maya Angelou, whose writings on identity and personal resilience continue to give us hope: “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated."
As the world's attention was distracted by the dangerous last gasps at power by a failed U.S. president, a young woman in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 5 years in jail for driving a car.
Amazon, the largest online retailer, had record sales during the pandemic. But when over half of the company's warehouses reported outbreaks, Amazon spent millions on spy tech and glitzy ad campaigns to quiet complaints that it hasn’t done enough to keep employees safe. In this episode you will hear voices of current and former Amazon warehouse employees who say the company puts profit ahead of worker safety.
It’s been more than two decades since South Africa's apartheid ended but many racist policies and systems persist. Frustration has given rise to a new generation of activists like Zulaikha Patel, who led a movement at 13 to challenge her school’s discriminatory hair policy...and won.
Over the past decade, the remains of nearly 2,000 people have been found in the Arizona desert, one of the busiest crossing points along the border. But Scott Warren and other volunteers with No More Deaths who conduct the searches for missing people know the actual number is much higher, and that is why they leave water and food in the desert. So why is the government criminalizing this life-saving work ?
Molly Crabapple's unique style of art, especially her works from Guantanamo prison and Occupy Wall Street, combines illustration and text in ways that challenge the idea that art is something you see rather than something you feel. But its her unrelenting opposition to outdated rules and systems that exploit people and treat art as commodity that make her one of the most important voices to listen to right now.
Even though the story of the Black 14 happened over 50 years ago, it will still seem familiar because many of the same circumstances and attitudes that these young men faced in 1969 have not changed.
Apologies for the audio quality in this episode!
When the International Olympic Committee changed its rules to prohibit athletes from raising their fists or taking a knee while on the medal podium, athletes risked having their winning results disqualified or being stripped of their Olympic medal. In this episode, three gold medalists share their stories and podium moments, and explain why the IOC should withdraw Rule 50 .
These women are among the best in the world at what they do and use their voice and platform to help everyone pursue their dreams.
[1:24] Ada Hegerberg: The world's best goal scorer has been embarrassing Europe's top goalies for years, but it wasn't until she stopped playing that people really took notice
[8:25] Bianca Valenti: Even for a pro surfer that rides 40 foot monster waves, challenging a male dominated sport to embrace women was no day at the beach
Unique trailblazers like these prove that when life doesn't go as planned it’s still possible to figure it out on the go. Their stories remind us that pursuing your own path, where one didn't exist before, doesn’t happen all at once. It takes one courageous step at a time.
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[1:04] Brittany Howard, the singer/songwriter for the genre bending Alabama Shakes opens up about how her sister inspired her to pursue her dreams
[5:37] Ry Cooder, a guitar virtuoso who unlocks hidden sounds and stories about the people and places all around us
[11:21] Charley Parkhurst, one of the most celebrated whips in California’s gold country proved you don't have to be like everyone else to be the best
Thank you to Mary K. Croft for her performance of The Secret of Charley Parkhurst
These larger than life characters sought to create a different world and relentlessly followed their convictions to make it a reality. Along the way, they transformed challenges into exploration, risk into reward, and fear into determination.
[1:07] Slick Rick: Hip Hop's original storyteller and the most sampled artist of all time. The Smithsonian exhibits his signature eye patch
[5:23] Dr. Oliver Sacks: As unique and idiosyncratic as his many clients, he explored the mysteries of music, memory and consciousness to unlock life's hidden meanings
[11:44] Marie Catherine Colvin: A journalist by profession, but a fire-eater at heart, she went to dangerous places to bear witness to the excessive cruelty of conflict and show us the human cost of war
smallblackbirdspodcast at gmail dot com
In city after city, Americans protesting the murder of George Floyd were met by militarized police using excessive force and firing rubber bullets and other projectiles. Three women blinded by police while at a protest describe what happened to them and why they continue to speak out against police violence.
[01:24] Linda Tirado, author and professional photographer covering protests following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police
[06:13] Nia Love, Sacramento resident joining with neighbors to protest police violence in her hometown
[10:22] Vanessa Dundon, a Navajo and mother of four serving as a Water Protector at Standing Rock
NOTE: The intro music is shorter in later episodes