Interdependent Study: Recent Episodes
Interdependent Study
Class is in session. Interdependent Study is about the learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation.
Interdependent Study is hosted by Damien Franze, an angry Black man from Baltimore who wears his heart on his sleeve, and Aaron Hood, an angry white man from Florida who is always thinking. We’re two friends who work in education and share a commitment to social justice.
We believe that we are always learning; always arriving. People constantly learn and unlearn by reflecting on their experiences. Interdependent Study is designed to be a community for this work.
The Lakota tribe continues to fight to protect their sacred land in the Black Hills to this day. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary Lakota Nation vs. United States, directed by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli, which chronicles the history and lived experiences of the Lakota tribe and Indigenous communities in the United States as well as their fight to reclaim control of the Black Hills of South Dakota and for Indigenous peoples’ rights and environmental justice, and what we learn and take away from this compelling film in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We need to do all we can to eliminate poverty in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Rise of Poverty Inc." by Anne Kim in The Atlantic, which explores how poverty and helping the poor has become big business in the United States, and “Places across the U.S. are testing no-strings cash as part of the social safety net" by Jennifer Ludden in NPR, which highlights basic income pilot programs and their impact on alleviating poverty in this country, and what we learn and take away from these pieces about how best to address the issue of poverty in our continued learning and work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The book Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea ends with the statement: “Solidarity is the only thing that can save us.” Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the second half of the book Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea by Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor, which surveys and analyzes how transformative solidarity has been used around the world as a strategy for organizing and fighting for social change throughout history and into the present day, and what we learn and take away from this incredible book in our continued learning and work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Transformative solidarity is a powerful strategy that can be helpful in our fight for social change. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the first half of the book Solidarity: The Past, Present, and Future of a World-Changing Idea by Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor, which surveys and analyzes how transformative solidarity has been used around the world as a strategy for organizing and fighting for social change throughout history and into the present day, and what we take away from this incredible book in our continued learning and work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must continue to fight for a public health system that centers abolition in its efforts for the health and well-being of all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “For the People’s Health” by Cristian Farias in Inquest, which analyzes how and why abolition and public health must go hand in hand and outlines some examples of abolitionist organizing for public health throughout history through the present day, and what we learn about abolition and public health in our continued work and fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The war in Sudan that’s been taking place for the past year is a crisis that is not getting enough news coverage. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Sudan’s conflict hits the 1-year mark, sparking fears of repeated atrocities” by Kate Bartlett in NPR and an episode of The Listening Post on Al Jazeera called “Sudan: A savage war and toxic information battle”, which provide information and insights about the year-long war and crisis taking place in Sudan as well as analyze the lack of news media coverage about the crisis, and what we learn about this war and what we can do to support the humanitarian efforts to help the people of Sudan in our continued fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There will be no justice for any of us unless there is justice for the Palestinian people. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Angela Davis: Standing with Palestinians” by Angela Davis in Hammer & Hope, which shares her brilliant reflections on the past 60+ years of the state of Israel and Palestine’s relationship with one another and the globe, as well as the movement and organizing work that has been done to fight for peace in that region and for justice for Palestinians, and what we learn and take away from this incredible piece in our continued work and fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website! Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must protect all of our rights, especially our right to protest, at all costs. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The War on Protest” by Adam Federman in In These Times, which analyzes the recent rise in political repression and the government’s criminalization of dissent, protest, and social movements, and what we learn and take away from this piece as pressing imperatives for our work and for our continued fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We all deserve to live in a world where we collectively have everything we need to live and thrive. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Practicing New Worlds: Abolition and Emergent Strategies by Andrea J. Ritchie, which analyzes the concept of emergent strategies and current abolitionist practices and explores how emergent strategies can help us to focus organizing efforts to create a world without the violence of policing, surveillance, prisons, and the criminal punishment system, and what we learn and take away from this incredible book in our continued fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Community-based public safety is essential to providing our communities and people with the resources they need to live and thrive. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the Healing and Justice Center’s 2023 Annual Report, which outlines the organization’s efforts to enact true community-based public safety initiatives in Miami, and what we learn from the Healing and Justice Center’s work in our continued learning and fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must have the courage to stand up for what’s right regarding Palestine. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Courage to Disagree” by Derecka Purnell in Hammer & Hope, which analyzes how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s words and beliefs have been used by leaders and politicians to advance their own social and political agendas, especially in regards to Israel and Palestine, and what we learn from this piece and Dr. King’s worldview in our continued learning and fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Here's a brief solo episode from Aaron where he discusses the targeted bombings of the World Central Kitchen staff members, the man-made famine, and continuing to take action for a ceasefire and for freedom for Palestinians.
Jewish Voice for Peace
A-15 Economic Blockade
World Central Kitchen
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must figure out what liberation could look like so everyone can live the life they deserve. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Rehearsals for Living by Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, which compiles letters written by the authors to each other analyzing the histories, lived experiences, and struggles of Black and Indigenous communities around the world and offering possibilities for abolition and more liberatory futures, and what we take away from this incredible book in our continued learning and unlearning work for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Patreon, Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
While there is a constant demand for civility in our society, we must understand the impact that civil disobedience can and should play in our fight for collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Limits of Civil Disobedience” by Keyvan Golsorkhi in Non-Profit Quarterly, which explores and analyzes the roles that civil and uncivil disobedience have played in our society and the need for protest and disruptive disobedience to fight injustice and dismantle oppression, and what we learn and take away from this piece in our continued learning and fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Understanding the perspectives of Black Americans on community safety, policing, and the criminal punishment system is paramount to the fight for abolition. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a report from the Movement for Black Lives and GenForward called “Perspectives on Community Safety from Black America”, which shares and analyzes the results of their national survey measuring Black people’s experiences with policing and incarceration and their feelings about alternatives to these systems, as well as how organizers should frame their work and efforts to reduce the power, influence, and reach of the prison industrial complex, and what we learn and take away from this report in our continued learning and unlearning work for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The Left’s fight against the Right in 2024 (and beyond) is a battle that must be won. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece from In These Times called “The Right is Prepared For This Moment. Are We?”, which features a conversation with Jamelle Bouie, Alex Han, Nancy MacLean, Tarso Luís Ramos, and Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò about the Left's role in fighting the Right in the context of the 2024 presidential election and beyond, and what we learn and take away from this conversation in our continued learning and fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
None of us are free until we are all free. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece titled “When Abolitionists Say ‘Free Them All,’ We Mean Palestine Too” by Nadine Naber in Truthout, which argues that the fight for abolition and the fight for Palestinian liberation are one and the same and the clear connections that exist between the systems and structures of incarceration, anti-migrant violence, and U.S. conquest, and what we learn and take away from this piece in our continued learning work and fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The ongoing fight against capitalism and white supremacism requires radical Black anarchism. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book The Nation on No Map: Black Anarchism and Abolition by William C. Anderson, which explores state power, abolition, and ideological tensions within the struggle for Black liberation while centering the politics of radical Black anarchism and Black autonomy, and what we learn from this outstanding book and analysis in our continued understanding of and work for abolition and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Racism, white supremacy, and anti-Blackness are baked into the fabric of this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Stamped From The Beginning”, which is based on Ibram X. Kendi’s book by the same name and explores the history of racist ideas and myths in the United States, and what we learn and take away from this incredible film in our continued learning work and pursuit of collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website! Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Abolitionist organizing must include a focus on abolishing family policing as part of its work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece called “No More Family Policing” by Eleanor J. Bader in Inquest, which explores family policing in the context of our criminal punishment, education, and social services systems, and what we learn from this incredible piece in our continued learning work and fight for abolition and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The power, reach, and legacy of Israel's military industrial complex is immense. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World by Antony Loewenstein, which presents and explores a historical summary of how Israel has developed a world-class military industrial complex and weapons industry with equipment and tools tested on occupied Palestinians, and what we learn from this compelling book in our continued work for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website! Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must build community resources, interventions, and support that do not rely on the carceral system. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a resource guide by Shira Hassan and Interrupting Criminalization called “Painting the Ocean & the Sky”, which provides guidance to abolitionist activists, organizers, and leaders on best practices for building collective community-based, non-carceral responses to crises, and what we learn from this incredible resource in our continued learning about abolition and work for collective liberation. Follow us on social media and visit our website! Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
It is important to understand the complexity of class and race and how they can interact in such a way that becomes a barrier to progress. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Black Class Matters” by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor in Hammer & Hope, which explores the intersections and implications of class and race for Black Americans in politics and life, and what we learn from this analysis in our continued learning work and fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The great migration in reverse theory is a compelling idea for Black Americans to consider. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary South to Black Power, which follows author and op-ed journalist Charles M. Blow as he explores the great migration in reverse theory as a strategy for Black Americans to move south and gain greater political power, and what we take away from this compelling documentary film in our continued learning work and fight for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
2023 is almost wrapped so it’s time for our last episode of the year! Listen as Aaron and Damien reflect on the past year of our podcast, and each share our top 5 moments from the show. Thank you for listening to Interdependent Study! We’ll see you in 2024!
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Our conversation about the many questions that abolitionist organizers need to answer in order to create the future we need continues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a ‘zine by Interrupting Criminalization called “Abolition & the State: Responses Vol. 1”, which engages abolitionists and scholars in sharing their reflections on the questions raised in Abolition & the State: A Discussion Tool, and what we continue to learn from this great resource in our continued learning and unlearning work for abolition, social justice, and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There are many questions that abolitionist organizers need to answer in order to create the future we need. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a discussion tool by Interrupting Criminalization called “Abolition & the State”, which provides questions and activities for abolitionist organizers to use to explore the possibilities for moving beyond existing systems, structures, and frameworks, and what we learn and take away from this incredible resource in our continued learning and unlearning work for abolition, social justice, and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Class struggle unionism can serve as a way to rebuild a powerful labor movement in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Class Struggle Unionism by Joe Burns, which shares the history and characteristics of unionism and outlines ideas common to class struggle unionism and how these ideas can create a more militant, democratic, and fighting labor movement, and what we learn and take away from this incredible book in our work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website! Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The vision and legacy of Reconstruction in this country continues today. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “How Black Americans Kept Reconstruction Alive” by Peniel E. Joseph in The Atlantic, which shares how Black Reconstructionists created and enacted a vision for a multiracial democracy that continues now through the work of abolitionist organizing and movements today, and what we learn and take away from this history and analysis for our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Abolitionist organizing work is taking place everywhere in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Abolition Everywhere” by Meghan Krausch in Inquest, which explores some of the abolitionist organizing taking place in Republican-controlled states and regions across the country, particularly in the south, and what we learn and take away from the incredible lessons shared about this organizing in our continued learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Abolitionist organizing for health justice is important and necessary work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Beyond Do No Harm: Health Justice and Abolition” by Maria Thomas in The Forge, which outlines the mission and recent work of the Beyond Do No Harm Network and introduces their 13 principles for health care providers to interrupt criminalization, and what we learn and take away from Maria Thomas’ reflections about the health justice organizing work as an essential part of abolitionist organizing in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Simply put, when one of us wins, we all win. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Insecurity Is a Feature, Not a Bug, of Capitalism. But It Can Spark Resistance.” by CJ Polychroniou in Truthout, which features a conversation between CJ Polychroniou and Astra Taylor about the notion of capitalism as an insecurity-producing machine and Taylor’s new book (The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart), and what we learn and can do with this insight and analysis in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
It is an atrocity that Black women and girls have been the victims of police and state violence since the beginning of time. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book #SayHerName: Black Women’s Stories of Police Violence and Public Silence by Kimberlé Crenshaw and the African American Policy Forum, which shares many of the stories of Black women who have been the target of police and state-sanctioned violence, provides an analysis for understanding their susceptibility to this violence, and outlines what we can do to fight against this violence for racial justice, and what we learn and take away from this incredible book that continues to fuel our work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
In its current form, it could be argued that the Supreme Court is a danger to democratic order. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss “The Supreme Court Shouldn’t Get The Last Word” by Braxton Brewington in Hammer & Hope, which is a thought piece that explores the current state of the Supreme Court, the dangers it presents to our society and our collective liberation, and what should be done to address it, and what all of us should do and demand regarding the Supreme Court in our continued fight for true social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Website, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There have been a myriad of victories and challenges in the organizing work for abolition over the years. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two pieces from The Forge’s State of Abolition issue, including “After the Uprising: In DC and Beyond” by Makia Green and “What Time Is It on the Clock of Abolitionist Organizing?” by Andrea J. Ritchie, which analyze the current conditions, challenges, and victories achieved by the modern abolitionist movement, and what we learn and can do to support the future of the movement and the continued fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The Stop Cop City movement continues to be important and necessary work in the fight against the unnecessary expansion of policing in Atlanta. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss “Cop City and the Silencing of Dissent” by US Representatives Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib in The Nation, which highlights recent developments in the Stop Cop City movement and the work being done by Atlanta and Georgia officials to suppress our right to dissent, and what we actually need for true public safety and must do to continue our fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The legacy of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) as an organization is an incredible and worthwhile history for all of us to know and understand. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the SNCC Digital Gateway, a documentary website and digital archive about the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the story of how SNCC fought for racial, economic, and political justice for Black people in the south (and beyond), and what we learn from this history and the present day applications of SNCC’s work and legacy that can help us in our continued learning and work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Our collective learning and unlearning work about our history is the only way to one day achieve freedom for all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Our History Has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies, edited by Colin Kaepernick, Robin D.G. Kelley, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, which features excerpts of writings from various scholars, feminists, abolitionists, organizers, and leaders who, through their work, teach us about Black history and culture, literature, political theory, feminism, abolition, sociology, gender studies, LGBTQ history, antiracism, and more, and what we learn from this incredible book and can do to fight back against the social and political forces working to discredit Black Studies and history and to continue our learning for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There is racism embedded in the most recent climate legislation in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Our Green Transition May Leave Black People Behind” by Rhiana Gunn-Wright in Hammer & Hope, which outlines the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and other recent climate legislation, and how these laws exist at and amplify the intersections of racism, white supremacy, and environmental justice, and what we learn and can do in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation. Follow us on social media and visit our website! Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The importance and power of unions cannot be overstated. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss “What You Need To Know About Gen Z’s Support for Unions” by Aurelia Glass for the Center for American Progress, and “Why labor’s surging popularity isn’t translating to union membership” by Emily Peck and Nathan Bomey in Axios, which highlight Generation Z’s support of unions, why unions are important, and the work necessary to curtail capitalism and corporate greed, and what we continue to learn about unions in our work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There is much we can continue to learn from James Baldwin and his analysis and perspective of America that remains applicable in our present day. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons For Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., which combines an exploration of Baldwin’s perspective on America with a new analysis of present day America, and what we learn and take away from this brilliant book in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
In so many ways, the U.S. is a morally bankrupt country, and it is important that we recognize and repair this as soon as possible. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Corporate Greed is a Moral Crisis. Working People Are Fighting Back.” by Rosalyn Pelles and William J. Barber II in In These Times, which examines the recent wave of organizing, union work, and strike activity this summer by workers across the country and the goals of the fight against corporate greed and unfair working conditions, and what we learn about and from this summer’s “hot labor summer” in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
It is important to recognize the ways that class is represented in the media and beyond. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the 2005 documentary “Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class” (based on the work of Pepi Leistyna and directed by Loretta Alper), which explores how class is represented in American television and media, as well as the intersections of class with race, gender, and sexuality, and how this analysis of how class is represented in the media influences our thinking and society, and what that means for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We agree with The Debt Collective that no one should have to go into debt trying to meet their basic needs. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay: The Case for Economic Disobedience and Debt Abolition by The Debt Collective, which outlines a vision and tangible strategies for solidarity and collective action for radical change and debt abolition, and what we learn from this incredible book and resource as we continue to push for all forms of abolition and fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Threads,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
The impact of the Supreme Court’s most recent rulings will be felt for years to come. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an interactive piece called “The Major Supreme Court Decisions in 2023” by Adam Liptak and Eli Murray in The New York Times, which outlines the Supreme Court’s most notable decisions this year as well as survey data of the public’s opinion on those rulings, and what the impact of these decisions will mean for our everyday lives and our collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We enjoyed this activity the first time so we’re doing it again! Listen as Aaron and Damien engage in a dialogue activity using The Skin Deep’s {THE AND} On Racism Edition tool and have a candid conversation about their personal thoughts and reflections on a wide range of social justice issues. We hope you enjoy it!
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Threads, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We need to be radical in our thinking and our work in order to achieve a better and more just world for all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba, which examines some of the lessons learned about organizing from experienced scholars, organizers, and movement leaders on the ground, and what we learn from this incredible resource about what is needed during this time of enduring crisis in order to take care of ourselves and each other and to best do the work of social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
James Baldwin’s work and influence as a writer and activist was profoundly important to the advancement of civil rights in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary I Am Not Your Negro (directed by Raoul Peck), which uses James Baldwin’s unfinished book Remember This House to explore the history of racism, race relations, and the civil rights movement in the United States through James Baldwin’s work and experiences, as well as his personal and professional reflections on three incredible leaders during the civil rights movement—Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X, and what we learn and take away from this incredible film and the life and legacy of James Baldwin for our continued work for social justice and collective liberation. Follow us on social media and visit our website! Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must do all we can to beat back authoritarianism across the country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article in The Forge called “What Does It Look Like When We Build Our Power and Fight the Right?” by Sandra Hinson, which summarizes a panel conversation with four leaders and organizers about the efforts of their organizations to fight against authoritarianism and the many lessons learned from their work, and what we learn and can do to join, support, and amplify their work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
The abolition of all forms of state violence is an imperative we must achieve. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Abolishing State Violence: A World Beyond Bombs, Borders, and Cages by Ray Acheson, which offers a sharp analysis of the connections that exist between policing, prisons, surveillance, borders, war, nuclear weapons, and capitalism, as well as the organizing activism for their abolition, and what we learn about these many forms of state violence and what we can do to support the ongoing movements for their abolition and for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
We’ve got a special episode this week! Listen as Aaron and Damien engage in a dialogue activity using The Skin Deep’s {THE AND} On Racism Edition tool and have a special conversation about their personal thoughts and reflections on a wide range of social justice issues.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
The persistence of police violence in this country necessitates the need for abolition and the fight for real community safety. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a report written by Andrea Ritchie for Interrupting Criminalization called “The Struggle Continues”, which analyzes the state of the organizing work of the #DefundPolice movement in this country, and how we need to fight for and invest in programs, services, and institutions that actually promote our collective liberation, safety and well-being.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
The homeless sweeps that are happening around the country are incredibly violent and traumatizing for unhoused people. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two pieces, including “Homeless ‘Sweeps’ Increase Mortality Rates of Unhoused People, Research Finds” by Zane McNeill in Truthout and a report called “Homelessness and Racial Disparities” by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and what we learn about these homeless sweeps and the current issues and trends related to homelessness in this country, as well as what our society should do to address the systems and conditions that fail people in order to hopefully bring an end to homelessness in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The FBI and U.S. government labeled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as “the most dangerous man in America”. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book The Radical King by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which is a collection of essays and speeches by Dr. King that showcase his revolutionary and radical vision for social justice in America and around the globe, his beliefs about nonviolent movement and organizing, and his fight against global imperialism (and more), and what we learn and take away from this incredible book and Dr. King’s legacy for our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
The rise is fascism in the United States will only enable and perpetuate white supremacy and nationalism. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece in Truthout called “US Fascism Is Spreading Under the Guise of ‘Patriotic Education’” by Henry A. Giroux, which examines and analyzes the history and connections between the state-sponsored attacks on Black people and marginalized communities and the war being waged against public and higher education in this country, and what we learn and can do about these growing threats from the right to our collective freedom.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
It is vitally important that we have conversations with children and young people to help them learn and unlearn the conditioning of policing and carceral punishment in our society. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the In Our Own Hands toolkit, which is a resource designed by Rania El Mugammar to help people engage in conversations about policing, prisons, and transformative justice in the lives of children, families, and the broader community, and how we can use this toolkit in our daily lives with young people and in our continued learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Across the country, 44 states have proposed over 380 anti-trans bills so far in 2023. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two articles, including “Florida GOP’s New Anti-Trans Bill Is So Extreme It Could Ban Treatment for Breast Cancer” by Tori Otten in The New Republic and “The anti-drag bills sweeping the U.S. are straight from history's playbook” by Manuela López Restrepo in NPR, and what we learn and can do about this concerning and dangerous anti-trans and anti-drag legislation in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
The Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta is important and necessary social justice work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two articles, including “The fight to Stop Cop City has decades-old roots” by Micah Herskind in Prism and “The Forest for the Trees” by David Peisner in The Bitter Southerner, and what we learn and can do about the Stop Cop City movement and its connections to exploitation, racial justice, gentrification, environmental justice, and the future of policing in Atlanta and beyond.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
Black radical resistance in response to the prison industrial complex, white supremacy, racism, violence, intolerance, oppression, and more continues to be necessary work for the liberation for all people. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book As Black as Resistance: Finding the Conditions for Liberation by Zoé Samudzi and William C. Anderson, which calls for a new form of transformative politics for Black (and collective) liberation, and what we can all take away from this unflinching resource for our continued learning and unlearning work for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,Website,Leave us a voice message,Merch store
We all deserve to find and move towards our north star. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss The Freedom Papers by The Dream Defenders, which is a tremendous resource and collection of dreams grounded in collective liberation that outlines a vision for a world that we all deserve, and how we can use these papers and wisdom in our daily lives and continued work for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We have to be committed to the work and to building movements, strategies, and our capacity in order to achieve our freedom dreams and collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece in Hammer & Hope called “After the Uprising, What Is To Be Done?”, featuring a conversation between Derecka Purnell, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor about the legacy of the protests and uprising during the summer of 2020, the growing threats from the right to our collective freedom, and where we go from here to get us to where we want and need to be.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Our freedom dreams for the world we need and want to see are dependent on healthy, strong, and resilient movements and organizations. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article called Building Resilient Organizations by Maurice Mitchell in The Forge, which identifies and analyzes some of the difficulties faced by social justice organizations and movements, and what organizers (and all of us) can do to reset and build capacity and resiliency for the work necessary to continue the pursuit of achieving our freedom dreams and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must do all we can to organize and fight against racism and fascism in our society. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an op-ed piece called “Ron DeSantis’ Attack on Black Studies Is Textbook Proto-Fascism” by Barbara Ransby in Truthout, which calls out and examines Governor DeSantis’ recent and ongoing racist and fascist efforts, and what we should do in Florida and beyond to combat these dangerous measures and embrace history, learning, and justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We should all be free to imagine, dream, and build the kind of world we deserve. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination (Twentieth Anniversary Edition) by Robin D.G. Kelley, and what we learn from this brilliant, wide-ranging exploration of the history of Black radicalism and movements around the world that we can apply to our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Police violence in this country is out of control and a real danger to all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece called “There Were Only 12 Days Last Year When Police Didn’t Kill Someone” by Sharon Zhang and another piece titled “After a Record Year for Police Violence, Is It Finally Time to Defund the Police?” by Sonali Kolhatkar in In These Times magazine, and what we need to do as a society regarding the future of policing to embrace true safety for all of us.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There are so many incredible lessons to learn from the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a documentary called “King in the Wilderness”, which features interviews of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s friends, family, and comrades and explores the final years of his life and work, and the impact that Dr. King’s life and legacy continue to have on our present-day work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The criminalization of people of color and the prevalence of anti-Blackness in this country have deep roots. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a report called “Criminalizing Blackness: An analysis of the impacts of the 1994 Crime Bill and 1996 Immigration Bill on Black people and Policy Recommendations to Address the Harms Caused” produced by the Movement for Black Lives alongside UndocuBlack, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and Law for Black Lives. This report explores how these laws have impacted the criminal punishment and immigration systems in this country, and what we can do to confront and dismantle their harms in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
2022 is coming to a close and it’s our last episode of the year! Listen as Aaron and Damien reflect on the past year of our podcast, and each of us share our top 5 moments from the show. Thank you for listening to Interdependent Study! We’ll see you in 2023!
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
With the World Cup now over, the story of wealth, power, and corruption in soccer is worth knowing and understanding. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece called “How the Story of Soccer Became the Story of Everything” by Tim Murphy in Mother Jones, which explores how extreme wealth, power, and corruption have played a role in soccer and had significant economic, social, and political implications beyond the sport, and what we can learn from this story that can impact our continued work for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There is still much work to be done post midterm elections to secure the best possible future for our democracy and society. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article titled “Democrats Can’t Be Counted On to Stop the MAGA Right, So Socialists Are Stepping Up” by Kristian Hernandez in In These Times magazine, which explores some of the victories during the midterm elections by Democrats and socialists, as well as the incredible campaigning and organizing that went into these outcomes, and where we need to go from here to take advantage of this momentum, protect U.S. democracy, and advance social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
It is vitally important to continue to learn about and reckon with our history. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an essay titled “Monuments to the Unthinkable” by Clint Smith in The Atlantic, which explores how Germany has accounted for and memorialized the history and horrors of the Holocaust, and what lessons America can learn from this example of responsible public memory to reckon with its history and continue its pursuit of social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The rise in the use of anti-transgender rhetoric in our society is troubling and dangerous to all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article called “Republicans in midterm races are embracing anti-trans rhetoric like never before” by Orion Rummler in The 19th*, which examines how Republicans and Republican candidates used this incendiary and dangerous language during the 2022 midterm election season, and what the implications could be and have been for the elections and for our continued fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There is so much to learn from the life, work, and legacy of Rosa Parks beyond her involvement in that historic bus boycott. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the new documentary “The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks'', which explores her incredible life, work, radical politics, and activism efforts, and the impact that Rosa Parks’ legacy continues to have on organizers today and our present day fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
Young voters—especially young voters of color—have undeniable power in upcoming midterm elections (and beyond) in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article titled “What Will Happen in Georgia? Millennial and Gen Z voters have serious power in the South” by Ronald Brownstein in The Atlantic, and what we learn and take away from how crucial these populations are to our elections, our democracy, and our continued fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The history and evolution of socialism in this country is connected to the history of social injustices and Black radicalism. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a lecture by Robin D.G. Kelley at Haymarket Books’ Socialism 2022 Conference titled “Freedom Dreams and the Socialist Project”, and what we learn about the history, power, and impact of socialism as a philosophy and movement that can help us in our continued pursuit of and work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
There is no doubt that politics exists in and gets used by the NFL in both powerful and harmful ways. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the new documentary “Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL'', which explores the role that politics plays in the NFL and the history, power, and impact of the NFL on our society, and share what we learn and take away from this incredible film that will influence our daily lives and our continued work for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The notion of whether or not prisons and the criminal punishment system should be radically reformed or completely abolished is worthy of rich and critical discussion. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book The Idea of Prison Abolition by Tommie Shelby, and consider what we might take away from this wide-ranging exploration of the movement for abolition in the United States, as well as where we go from here in our continued push towards abolition and our work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
The climate crisis is a social justice issue and one that will require education and action by all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss Part One of the anthology book All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, and what we learn about the ongoing climate crisis, climate movement work, and environmental policy, as well as what needs to happen to push us forward on the path towards environmental justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
White supremacy and racism are dangerous to all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien read and discuss “From Scarcity to Solidarity”, a new toolkit by Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ), which is designed to help white people learn about the Great Replacement Theory and other racist, scarcity-based ideologies and what they can do to engage in and with campaigns for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a voice message, Merch store
We must imagine and create conditions and a society that reduces and prevents harm and violence and advances true safety for everyone—a society that doesn’t include the prison industrial complex. Listen as Aaron and Damien explore and discuss “Beyond Criminal Courts: Divest and Defund”, a new digital collaborative project from Community Justice Exchange, Interrupting Criminalization, and Critical Resistance, which offers information and resources designed to help people learn about criminal courts and the criminal punishment system in this country, engage with abolitionist ideas and actions, and organize to divest and defund these systems.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The role and purpose of public education is under attack in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an opinion piece called “School Is for Making Citizens” by Heather C. McGhee and Victor Ray in The New York Times, and what recent attacks on public education have reminded us about the broad purpose of education on our democracy and society, and the need to continue to invest in education and fight for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
We shouldn’t be afraid to name and call out fascism when we see it. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two articles, including “Maybe US mainstream media should begin using the term ‘fascism’” by Robert Reich in The Guardian and “Fear of Fascism” by Tom Nichols in The Atlantic, and what we learn and take away from the calls to understand the various elements of fascism, as well as the impact of dangerous language and rhetoric in our society, and what that means for our continued fight for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
We’re ready for part two of this conversation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the second half of the documentary series “Exterminate All the Brutes”, which explores and analyzes the troubling history and tremendous impact of European colonialism throughout the world, and what the implications of this history are for our present day and for our learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The origins, history, and evolution of colonization, forced migration, genocide, slavery, war, and white supremacy shape our collective history and experiences to this day. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the first half of the documentary series “Exterminate All the Brutes”, which explores and analyzes the troubling history and tremendous impact of European colonialism throughout the world, and what the implications of this history are for our present day and for our learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The term “identity politics” has been co-opted and weaponized and is a victim of elite capture. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else) by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, and what we learn about the concept of elite capture, its impact on society, and what we should consider as we fight against it to build the world that we deserve.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
It’s time for part two of our conversation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the second half of a new resource binder called “So is this Actually an Abolitionist Proposal or Strategy?: A collection of resources to aid in evaluation and reflection” by Interrupting Criminalization, Project NIA, and Critical Resistance, which offers a variety of tools from a range of sources across the scope of movement work toward the abolition of the prison industrial complex. In this episode, we discuss the second four sections—Evaluating Candidates, Public Health, Schools, and Reproductive Justice—and how we can use this incredible resource guide in our work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Our learning and unlearning work on abolition and abolitionist organizing continues in this two-episode series. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the first half of a new resource binder called “So is this Actually an Abolitionist Proposal or Strategy?: A collection of resources to aid in evaluation and reflection” by Interrupting Criminalization, Project NIA, and Critical Resistance, which offers a variety of tools from a range of sources across the scope of movement work toward the abolition of the prison industrial complex. In this episode, we discuss the first four sections—Basic Principles, Policing & Crisis Response, Detentions & Imprisonment, and Courts & Prosecution—and how we can utilize what we learn from this incredible resource guide in our work for social justice and collective liberation. Follow us on social media and visit our website! Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
In the pre-Roe v. Wade era, a group of women risked their lives to support other women in need of abortions and reproducive healthcare. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “The Janes”, which tells the story of a Chicago-based organization that provided safe, affordable, illegal abortions and counseling to approximately 11,000 women in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and what this abolitionist organization inspires and teaches us about the work necessary for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Abortion and reproductive rights are fundamental human rights. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss various articles, including The Washington Post Editorial Board’s “The Supreme Court’s radical abortion ruling begins a dangerous new era” and Gwen Snyder’s “The Sinister Connection Between Abortion Rights, White Supremacy, and Covid” in Jezebel, and what this recent decision overturning Roe v. Wade means for all of us and our society moving forward.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The Electoral College is a flawed and vulnerable institution that played a dangerous role in what took place at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Kate Shaw in The Atlantic called “The Other Cause of January 6th”, and what we learn about the history and use of the Electoral College during our country’s elections and in the events leading up to the insurrection, and why we should abolish the institution and create a new election process.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Our learning and unlearning work about the prison industrial complex continues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the Chicago Prison Industrial Complex Teaching Collective’s “Prison Industrial Complex 101 Curriculum", which consists of a zine and workshop guide designed to engage and educate folks about the impact of the prison industrial complex on all of us and our society, and how we can use this incredible resource to support our continued work for abolition, social justice, and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Gun violence and the power and influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA) are troublesome and dangerous challenges facing our country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “The Price of Freedom”, which examines the gun violence epidemic in America and the role that the NRA has played in this crisis, and what we learn about the history, evolution, and power of the NRA and the fight for common sense gun reform in this country that compels our continued and necessary work for safety, liberation, and freedom for all of us.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
There’s so much to learn from Frederick Douglass. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches”, which showcases the life, words, and legacy of one of the country’s most famous anti-slavery activists, and what we learn from Frederick Douglass’ story, speeches, and work that can inspire us and our continued efforts in pursuit of abolition, social justice, and collective liberation. Follow us on social media and visit our website! Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The importance of having safe, thriving, and transformative schools requires that we actively work to end the school-to-prison pipeline. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education journal article by Erica R. Meiners called “Ending the School-to-Prison Pipeline/Building Abolition Futures”, and what this scholarly work offers us as we continue to learn about all facets of the school-to-prison pipeline and embrace and push for abolitionist ways to create a better and more just society for our children and communities.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Thirteen people were shot, ten of them killed at the grocery store in Buffalo, New York on Saturday, May 14, 2022 by an 18-year old avowed white supemacist. Eleven of those shot during this domestic terrorist attack were Black. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Keeanga Yamahtta-Taylor in The New Yorker called “American Racism and the Buffalo Shooting”, an article by Kathleen Belew in The Atlantic called “White Power, White Violence”, and an article by Ibram X. Kendi in The Atlantic called “The Double Terror of Being Black in America”, and reflect on what this horrific and tragic terrorist attack demands of all of us as we continue to work to dismantle white supremacy in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The calls to cancel student loan debt have been national news for years, and the work being done to demand the cancellation of student loan debt is only getting stronger. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a number of media related to this topic, including “Who Really Benefits From Student-Loan Forgiveness?” by Jerusalem Demsas in The Atlantic, “It’s not too late for Biden to become an anti-racist president” by Andre M. Perry and Carl Romer in The Boston Globe, “Republicans Admit Biden Can Cancel Student Debt” by David Dayen in The American Prospect, and more, and what makes canceling student loan debt, which impacts over 43 million Americans, a critical social justice issue that needs to be addressed.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Abolition feminism is guiding us towards the liberated future we all deserve. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Abolition. Feminism. Now. by Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica R. Meiners, and Beth E. Richie, and what we learn from their work to trace and analyze the historical genealogies of abolition, feminism, and abolition feminism, key internationalist learnings, and everyday practices to grow our collective and flourishing present and future.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
It is 2022 and lynching is finally a federal hate crime in the United States. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss media from NPR, USA Today, and Vox about the recent passing of the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, and reflect on the history of efforts to pass anti-lynching legislation, the impact of this law, and what this historic moment truly means for reckoning with our country’s history and our continued fight for abolition and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Our learning about the abolition of the prison industrial complex and the work necessary for transformative change continues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss Haymarket Books’ Abolishing Policing, Not Just the Police panel event featuring journalists and authors Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law, and moderated by abolitionist organizer Mariame Kaba. This incredible conversation highlights the need to resist alternatives to police and policing, and provides us with more education about and justification for embracing abolition of all forms of the prison industrial complex for a more just society.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
John Lewis, or “the boy from Troy” as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. nicknamed him, had a vision that “good trouble” could change the world. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble”, which chronicles the life, career, and legacy of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, and what we learn from his story, personal reflections, and work that can inspire us in our continued efforts for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
2021 saw the most anti-LGBT laws passed across the country ever, and 2022 is continuing that trend. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a number of media related to this legislation, including “The Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills of 2022, Explained” by James Factora and the Legislative Tracker: Anti-Transgender Legislation by the Freedom For All Americans campaign, and why this misguided and shameful legislation is harmful to LGBTQ+ folks and our society and derails our efforts for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The power and spirit of youth activism in this country is strong and inspiring. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Homeroom”, which follows Oakland High School’s class of 2020 as they navigate their final year of high school, applying to colleges, and the COVID-19 pandemic, all while working to eliminate the school district’s police force and organize for racial and social justice. We also discuss what we learn from this incredible group of students and their efforts in our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The recently proposed “discomfort” legislation in Florida—as well as legislation in other states across the country—is troubling on so many levels. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a number of articles related to this legislation, including “Florida seeks to block uncomfortable themes in schools. Its history is full of them.” featured in The Washington Post and “Florida could shield whites from ‘discomfort’ of racist past” featured in NBC News, and why this misguided legislation and panic around Critical Race Theory is bad and dangerous for our children and our society.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
There have been many attempts at police reforms in this country, but these reforms have not been enough to keep us all safe. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Ernest Owens in Rolling Stone called “After Amir Locke, Is Police Reform Even the Solution?”, and what we need to do to change the course of the conversation on police violence and the prison industrial complex in this country to move us towards collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The authors of Abolition. Feminism. Now. use the phrase “slow work in urgent times” to remind us that we must continue our collective movement and organizing work to address our most pressing challenges and get us to the place where we want to be. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss Haymarket Books’ Abolition. Feminism. Now. panel event featuring authors Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica R. Meiners, and Beth E. Richie, and moderated by Mariame Kaba. This wide-ranging and inspiring conversation teaches us about the power of abolition feminism, the continued work necessary to dismantle the prison industrial complex and push for collective liberation, and more.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
As we progress forward in our learning and movement work, it’s important to be grounded in the lessons of our ancestors and comrades who came before us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “What’s Next for Defund?” from In These Times magazine—a conversation between five organizers and police abolitionists reflecting on the movement work and successes of recent years and discussing where we need to go in 2022 and beyond—and what we can take away from their insights and lessons in our continued work towards abolition and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The wealth gap and socioeconomic imbalances in this country are significant social justice issues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Class Divide”, which explores the effects of hyper-gentrification and socioeconomic disparities on one neighborhood in Manhattan, and what this case study of the widening class divide in our country means in our continued work for collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The most pressing challenges in our society will require radical solutions and shedding individualism. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Remake the World: Essays, Reflections, Rebellions by Astra Taylor, and what her insights on humanity, democracy, politics, economic justice, higher education, technology, and more mean for envisioning a better and more justice society, as well as for our continued work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
It’s our 50th episode, y’all! Listen as Aaron and Damien reflect on the first year of our podcast, and each share our top 5 moments from the show. Thank you for listening to Interdependent Study! We’ll see you in 2022!
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The truth about fake news is that it is dangerous and has a real impact on real people. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News”, which examines the rise in the phenomenon of fake news in this country, and the ongoing threat that disinformation and conspiracy theories pose to all of us and the work of social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Naming the origins of the current attacks on critical race theory as white supremacist, as well as the ways in which white supremacy shows up in our society, is paramount in our antiracism and social justice work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Ibram X. Kendi in The Atlantic called “The Mantra of White Supremacy”, which outlines the power of white supremacy and white supremacist ideology and their impact throughout history and on our present day, and what we can and must do in our efforts to dismantle white supremacy.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Patriarchy shapes the expectations of men, gender norms, and our society in ways that make dismantling it an imperative for our collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien revisit The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks, and discuss additional reflections from this book on how patriarchy impacts all of us and what we individually and collectively need to do to embrace change.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Liberation for all is undoubtedly the prize. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground”, which pays tribute to the original documentary series that chronicled the civil rights movement and Black experience in America, and connects it to our present day liberation and movement work and ongoing fight for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The personal is political when it comes to the experiences of and fight for liberation for Black women. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective, edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, and what we can learn from the Combahee River Collective’s vision for Black feminism and Black women's liberation to apply to today’s struggles and our fight for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The reality is that the recent attacks on critical race theory are manufactured nonsense and not actually about critical race theory at all. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article from The New Yorker by Benjamin Wallace-Wells called “How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict Over Critical Race Theory”, which describes the efforts of Christopher Rufo to spark the ongoing conservative campaign against critical race theory, and how and why we must stay vigilant in our work to combat them and confront the real results of white supremacist, capitalist, imperialist patriarchy.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
There’s so much we need for our society to experience the kind of social transformation necessary for true liberation for all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an interview published on Public Books titled “‘There’s No There There’: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on the Future of the Left”, which features a wide-ranging conversation between Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Raychel Gadson about Dr. Taylor’s personal and professional journey, housing justice, politics, wealth, mutual aid organizing, and more, and what our society must do to meet the needs and improve the lives of people in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The world should know the name and legacy of Pauli Murray. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “My Name is Pauli Murray”, which looks at the personal and professional life of Pauli Murray, a non-binary Black poet, author, lawyer, activist, priest, and trailblazer who, despite being largely overlooked throughout history, has been instrumental in the advancement of social justice and human rights in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
“Assassinating the reality of the past assassinates the reality of the present (and creates a new simulated reality)”. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Ibram X. Kendi in The Atlantic called “The Second Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.”, which outlines the parallels between Dr. King’s physical assassination and the ongoing mischaracterization of who he was and of his work, and what we need to do to challenge these misguided efforts in our continued fight for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
In our collective push for abolition, we must keep disability issues and justice at the forefront of our work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece by Derecka Purnell called “Police Violence is a Disability Justice Issue” that was featured on the Boston Review website (and is an excerpt from her new book), which examines historical and recent examples of the experiences of disabled Black folks in this country, and reminds us of the importance of considering the intersections of ableism and state violence as we fight for disability justice alongside abolition.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Police foundations are private organizations that are bankrolling police departments and contributing to anti-Black violence in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a report from Color of Change and LittleSis called “Police Foundations: A Corporate-Sponsored Threat to Democracy and Black Lives”, which examines the history and influence of police foundations and corporate sponsors that enable police violence in this country, and what this all means in our continued fight for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Our collective vision for prison industrial complex abolition must be unwavering in order to break free from our society’s destructive carceral systems. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the film “Re-Visions of Abolition: From Critical Resistance to A New Way of Life”, which addresses the need for prison industrial complex abolition through the work of two incredible organizations and the lenses of several notable abolitionists, scholar activists, and formerly incarcerated women, and what we can envision for our collective future.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
There’s no doubt in our minds that abolition is the only way forward to embrace the positive change we need for our society. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Mariame Kaba, Dan Berger, and David Stein called “What Abolitionists Do”, which addresses some of the misguided critiques of prison industrial complex abolition, highlights the history of abolitionist movements, and shares some of the ways that current abolitionists are putting in work to get us away from the prison industrial complex.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Lawyer, author, and activist Bryan Stevenson said: "I know our system is capable of executing innocent people, of turning a blind eye.” Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary "True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality", which follows Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative's work to create greater fairness in the criminal punishment system, how racial injustice has affected our society, and what we should take away from this great film in our work for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The lies and misconceptions that were spun in the aftermath of the 2020 election are still having a negative effect on our country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a couple of articles from the Brennan Center for Justice, including “The For the People Act: Separating Fact from Fiction” and “Annotated Guide to the For the People Act of 2021” to understand the purpose of this important and milestone legislation and why it is necessary for our society and democracy.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The recent release of the 2020 Census data has sparked a renewed concern about gerrymandering and the threat it poses to our democracy. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by John Nichols on The Nation called “The Next Gerrymandering Nightmare Has Begun”, which highlights the role that gerrymandering could play in future elections and its implications on voting, representation, and social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Fred Hampton’s vision for justice, liberation, revolution, and freedom was powerful and bigger than all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the critically-acclaimed movie "Judas and the Black Messiah", the biographical drama film about the surveillance and untimely assassination of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party at the hands of the FBI and Chicago Police Department. This movie and Fred Hampton’s work provide us with many incredible lessons about our social justice and movement work today.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Our education on and discussions about police and government surveillance of journalists, activists, and organizers in this country continues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Wendi C. Thomas called “Police have been spying on Black reporters and activists for years. I know because I’m one of them.” This article reports on both the history and present day efforts of the Memphis Police Department to surveil and spy on journalists and activists and to infiltrate activist organizations, and what this means for the future of investigative journalism and the fight for social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
White supremacy is powerful, pervasive, and affects all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Tema Okun called “White Supremacy Culture - Still Here”, which defines white supremacy and white supremacy culture, and describes the various characteristics of white supremacy culture and the potential antidotes for the characteristics as we all engage in the work to recognize and dismantle white supremacy.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
One of the many lessons that Ta-Nehisi Coates has given us is the importance of listening with an open mind and an open heart. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss "Between the World and Me", the HBO adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ bestselling book by the same name, and what this dynamic and incredible film teaches us about humanity and the Black experience in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
We are collectively organizing and building a vision for our North Star. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the Movement for Black Lives' takeover issue of In These Times magazine which chronicles the work currently going on across the movement, and the many lessons we have learned and are taking away from it in our continued pursuit of social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
There is clear evidence and examples of government surveillance of organizers and activists in this country throughout history. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary "MLK/FBI", which exposes new information about the US government and the FBI's surveillance and harassment of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, and the significant campaign they engaged in to discredit him and the work he was doing for civil rights in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
“I think if you care about someone and you got a little love in your heart, there ain’t nothin' you can’t get through together.” Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the television comedy Ted Lasso, which features an American college football coach who is unexpectedly recruited to coach an English Premier League team despite having no experience in association football, and the many themes from the show that connect to social justice.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
SayHerName is a social movement that highlights the Black Women who have been victims of police brutality and anti-Black violence in the United States. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary "Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland", which shares the story of Sandra Bland’s tragic death in police custody back in July 2015 and the local and national protests and activism that followed her death, and what her story has meant in the context of social justice in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
It’s important to think about the ways in which our so-called universal rights in this country aren’t distributed equally. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Carol Anderson in The Guardian called "America’s Gun Obsession is Rooted in Slavery" and an interview featuring Carol Anderson on NPR's Fresh Air called "The Racist Roots Of The 2nd Amendment", and examine the connections that exist between this country's history and present day struggles with gun ownership and violence, the 2nd Amendment, white supremacy, and anti-Blackness.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The race riots and massacres in the early 20th century did not happen in a vacuum and teach us a lot about our country's history and present day. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary "Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer", which follows Washington Post reporter Deneen Brown and her efforts to investigate the discovery of a mass grave site made after the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, as well as the broader history and context of the violence and atrocities committed against Black communities throughout the country during the “Red Summer” and beyond.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The rise in conservative attacks on Critical Race Theory in our society is astounding and troubling. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a number of articles and media responding to the mounting attacks and critiques of Critical Race Theory, and the real and present dangers of these misguided efforts to social justice and our collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
At its core, the nature of modern policing is flawed and not in alignment with social justice and collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss The End of Policing by Alex Vitale, with a focus on how reforms to policing (and law enforcement and the criminal punishment system) are largely ineffective, often serve to continue or expand the reach of policing, and simply do not keep all of us and our communities safe.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
It's time for part two of our conversation about abolition. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the second half of We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba, and examine the idea of what justice could be beyond our current criminal punishment system, the principles of abolition, harm, and accountability, what should be centered in activism and organizing work, and how an abolitionist framework can help us envision a better world for all of us.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
While we've discussed abolition many times on the podcast, it's now time to dedicate two episodes to this important topic. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba, and the key takeaways from the first half of this book around prison-industrial complex abolition and a vision for social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
We've all engaged in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work and trainings, but is it effective? Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two articles on the DEI industry and its history and effectiveness, and examine a new approach to this work that emphasizes relational and culture change within organizations and may revolutionize this work.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Voter suppression is a violation of our basic rights and dangerous to our collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary "All In: The Fight for Democracy" featuring Stacey Abrams, which examines the history and present day conditions of voter suppression in this country, current work and activism to combat it, and steps each of us can take to stand against voter suppression.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Maryland has become the first state in the nation to repeal its Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a couple of articles from The Washington Post about the history and recent repeal of the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights in Maryland, police accountability, and the differences between reform and abolition in the conversation about policing and reimagining public safety.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
HB 1 is now the law of the land in Florida, and it is fundamentally wrong. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a handful of articles and media and react to the recent passing of HB 1, an anti-protest law that criminalizes peaceful protesting, silences dissent, demonstrates how established power structures fight back against movement work, and stands in direct opposition to our collective civil and human rights.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
It's been six years since Freddie Gray tragically died in police custody in Baltimore. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the HBO documentary “Baltimore Rising”, which follows activists, police officers, community leaders, and the city of Baltimore in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death, and showcases the peaceful protests and uprising that took place as the city (and the country) awaited the trial verdicts of the police officers involved in his death.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Amplifying the stories and humanity of people with disabilities will help to both change hearts, minds, and attitudes and push us along on the path towards liberation for all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary "Crip Camp", which spotlights a groundbreaking and transformative summer camp for teenagers with disabilities and showcases the beginnings of the disability rights movement in the United States.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
We firmly believe that reform is not enough---abolition is the only way that we will finally have safety and liberation for all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an opinion piece by The Washington Post's editorial board called "Reimagine Safety" and an article on the People’s World website called “Prison and police abolition: Re-imagining public safety and liberation” in a conversation about why we need to rethink public safety and law enforcement, what should be considered in the discussion of public safety, and examples of how we can reimagine safety in this country.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
We need to embrace a culture of healing to help address the crisis of masculinity in our society. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks and their own lived experiences to both address the ways that patriarchal culture harms all of us and examine masculinity and love.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
There are many parallels between this country's history and the work for social justice and collective liberation today. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the HBO documentary "The Soul of America". Based on Jon Meacham’s 2018 bestseller of the same name, the documentary examines America’s current political and social circumstances by exploring its past and the many lessons that can be learned from history.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Let's talk about cancel culture. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss adrienne maree brown's book We Will Not Cancel Us, which examines what cancel culture means and how it does and does not align with transformative justice, as well as provides a shared vision for a future beyond our current so-called justice system.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Is redemption possible for this country? Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the HBO special "Seeing America", which features a conversation between Megan Rapinoe, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Hasan Minhaj about the challenges we face as a nation, the Black Lives Matter movement, the pandemic, the 2020 election and American politics, and where we are and where they hope we are going as a nation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Reparations are a key step in this country's path towards equality, justice, and collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece in The New York Times Magazine by Nikole Hannah-Jones called "What is Owed" which makes the strong case for the need for reparations.
Learn more about H.R. 40, the federal bill that will establish a commission to examine the impacts of slavery and other racist laws and practices and recommend proposals to provide reparations for redress and repair, and send a message to your U.S. House Representative, on the ACLU website: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/reparations-slavery-now.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
Niceness isn't enough, and it sure ain't liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss three articles on the concept of whiteness and niceness, the harm that can be done by "nice white people" if their words and actions aren’t in alignment with anti-racism, and the importance of critical self-analysis to move towards social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website, Leave us a message, Merch store
The COVID-19 pandemic, racism, police violence, economic hardships, white supremacy, and social injustice were some of the unfortunate cornerstones of 2020. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss Marc Lamont Hill's book We Still Here and use it as a resource for how we might work towards an abolitionist future.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website
There is no debate that Black lives matter and that this country needs to do better by Black boys and men. Listen as Aaron and Damien talk about the documentary Black Boys, which illuminates the humanity and lived experiences of Black men and boys in America.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website
It's difficult to discuss the impact of the 2020 U.S. presidential election---and all of the events and years surrounding it---on our country and our everyday lives. With the 59th Presidential Inauguration behind us, listen as Aaron and Damien talk about the election, inauguration, insurrection, and more from the lenses of social justice and collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website
We are long overdue for a true reckoning with this country's history. Listen as Aaron and Damien explore The 1619 Project as a powerful tool for reframing American history and pushing us towards collective liberation.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website
We recorded a brief discussion on the coup from January 6th, 2021 that appears before this episode begins.
Finding a path towards healing and liberation amidst our individual and collective traumas can be a daunting process. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Kazu Haga from Waging Nonviolence and how to apply Haga's proposed actions as a guide in doing this work.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website
Much of the work of social justice is personal. Listen as Aaron and Damien share aspects of our identities to give you a sense of who we are and why the work of social justice and collective liberation is important to us.
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website
Our preview episode features clips of upcoming episodes to give you a sense of what Interdependent Study is all about. We hope you'll join us!
Follow us on social media and visit our website!
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Website