KNOCK.LA Podcast: Recent Episodes
KNOCK.LA
Knock is a journalism and commentary project by Ground Game LA, a community organization that fosters civic empowerment and political engagement.
What Is The Brown Act? https://knock-la.com/what-is-the-brown-act-372bc835da88/ By: Sophie Strauss Read by: Sophie Strauss
‘The Fence is Never Coming Down,’ and Other Things Urban Alchemy Told Us https://knock-la.com/urban-alchemy-los-angeles-unhoused-outreach-echo-park-lake-fence/ By: Jon Peltz Read by: Jon Peltz
After Complaints of Rampant Sexism, LAFD Gets First Woman in Charge https://knock-la.com/lafd-kristen-crowley-firefighters-sexism-discrimination/ By: Dua Anjum Read by: Dua Anjum
Willows Bridge Home Opening Shows How Temporary Housing Solutions Still Aren’t Enough https://knock-la.com/willows-bridge-home-opening-shows-how-temporary-housing-solutions-still-arent-enough-564471562d88/ By: Jon Peltz Read By: Jon Peltz
"Mayor Garcetti’s Chief of Homelessness Operations Moonlights as Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Event Planner" https://knock-la.com/mayor-eric-garcetti-jeffrey-katzenberg-homelessness/ By Jon Peltz Read By Jon Peltz
When A Billionaire Requests A Meeting https://knock-la.com/jeffrey-katzenberg-meeting-gil-cedillo-homeless-crisis/ By Jon Peltz Read By Jon Peltz
Metro is About to End Free Buses for All: Riders Are Fighting Back https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-metro-end-free-buses/ By Alison Vu Read By Alison Vu
Beyond Cathay Manor: The Interconnected Tenant Struggles of LA Chinatown https://knock-la.com/cathay-manor-tenant-struggles-of-la-chinatown/ By: Janis Yue and Amy Zhou Read By: Janis Yue
Trabajadores de la costura celebran victoria legislativa histórica https://knock-la.com/ley-para-proteger-trabajadores-de-la-costura/ By: Sarah Michelson Read by: Sarah Michelson
Garment Workers Celebrate Historic Legislative Win https://knock-la.com/legislation-for-garment-worker-protections/ By: Sarah Michelson Read By: Sarah Michelson
Spend the hour with Nolympics, grooving to the sounds of global capital’s five-ringed trojan horse.
Nolympics spends the hour with political scientist and former Team USA soccer player Jules Boykoff, plus “David O’Brien” crashes an International Olympic Committee press conference and “Ryan O’Malley” stuns IOC President Thomas Bach. CANCEL THE OLYMPICS.
Nothing About Us, Without Us https://knock-la.com/city-council-approves-anti-unhoused-camping-laws/ By: Halcyon Selfmade Read by: Halcyon Selfmade
Who Anti - Unhoused Legislation Harms https://knock-la.com/who-anti-unhoused-legislation-harms-86d137aa2d7b/ By: Halcyon Selfmade Read by: Halcyon Selfmade
Feinstein: ‘You’re Not Leading, We’re Not Leaving’ https://knock-la.com/feinstein-sunrise-youth-la-civilian-climate-corps/ By Skye Smith Read by Zach Gatto
Gig Workers In Limbo Amidst California's Reopening https://knock-la.com/gig-drivers-in-limbo-ubereats-california-reopening/ By Ivan Salinas Read by Ivan Salinas
Redistricting Is Happening Now, So Why is Nury Martinez Cancelling Meetings? https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-redistricting-nury-martinez/ By Erin Wisti Read by Zach Gatto
This week @nolympicsla takes us to Mexico City, home of the ‘68 Olympic games. We’ll hear about the Mexican government’s brutal crackdown on protests during the Tlatelolco massacre from an activist who witnessed it. Then, we’ll hear from Lance Wyman, who designed the branding for the games, reflecting on his participation in the event.
This week, we’re going to Rio, Brazil, site of the 2016 Olympics. We’ll hear music and stories of revolution from the 1960s all the way up until today, including the songs from the tropicalia movement and música popular brasileira. We’ll also reflect on the revolutionary work of organizers in Rio, like our anti-Olympics comrades and Marielle Franco, an organizer assassinated in 2018.
The Roci crew heads back to Eros as Miller leads a mission to destroy the station and the Protogen experiment, but things spin wildly out of control as Earth reckons with an existential threat.
"What a caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly"
This week @nolympicsla examines the links between the recent mass sweep at Echo Park Lake, gentrification, and the Olympics. Plus, a conversation between @echoparkriseup’s Ayman Ahmed and @groundgamela.
This week @nolympicsla dives into the new California Olympic and Paralympic Public Safety Command (COPPSC), a massive partnership containing virtually all levels of law enforcement, what this “unified command” means for Angelenos, and how we can fight back.
LA's housing crisis is getting deeper but there's no good solutions coming out of City Hall. We also chat about the 2022 races in LA and have a big announcement about the future of the Knock podcast.
This week Amanda Pantoja from Food and Water Watch joins us to talk about getting LA off fossil fuels, then we dive into the Echo Park Lake situation and listen to some very disturbing audio captured from local news helicopters.
Read Mitch's email: https://mailchi.mp/lacity/209-unhoused-individuals-at-echo-park-lake-now-housed
Photo Credit: Steve Lucero (IG stevelucero.la)
This week we cover a lot of police malfeasance, specifically featuring @cerisecastle talking about her new series on KNOCK.LA: A Tradition of Violence
Spend an hour with @nolympicsla for the final installment in the Rings of Hell series, as they tie up the loose ends and assess what lies ahead for the anti-Olympic Movement. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 11/28/18
This week we cover the penultimate episode of Season 1 as Eros goes into lock down and the malicious corporate experiment takes shape.
@nolympicsla debunk the feel good fuzzies of the LA84 Foundation, often perceived as a benign altruistic youth sports non-profit but which is – after some serious scrutiny – really an unaccountable non-profit who merely claims to promote social justice and the empowering of marginalized communities. In practice, they’re more active in whitewashing LA than they are in making it more equitable. They’re massive investors in real estate giants/slumlords like Blackstone and Oaktree Capital, and their work has been used to leverage the 2028 Olympics. To learn more about the LA84 Foundation, including a shocking look at their tax filings, check out the blog at nolympicsla.com. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 11/20/18
The Olympics pose monumental risks to everyone unfortunate enough to be in their orbit, and this is true especially for workers – from the workers who help make the games happen (construction, service industry, volunteers) to the athletes themselves. Labor exploitation and the Olympics are synonymous, and @nolympicsla has charted this history of rampant harm – everything from wage theft to psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse – in the modern Olympics, even the beloved 1984 games. This week NOlympics LA is joined by members of the @dsa_la Labor and Healthcare committees to explore how the Olympics are always sold as being “good for labor,” while the receipts show the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.
This week Rob Quan from @UnrigLA joins us to go in depth on LA's redistricting process and how things will change this year.
Get the tool kit here: bit.ly/3e9SpwF
Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust teach in: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tenant-opportunity-to-purchase-town-hall-tickets-142725105633
The crew is on the run in a stolen Martian warship, offered safe haven by Fred Johnson they make the call to head for Tycho Station. Detective Miller finally unravels the mystery of Julie Mao's disappearance, but loses everything in the process.
We chat with Erin Wisti about what's been going on at Echo Park Lake, cover some improving COVID numbers, and dig into the nascent recall campaign against LA DA George Gascon
Episode 4: “Rings of Hell IV: A Very Special Garcetti Episode” -- No one has pushed the #LA28 Olympic bid harder than Mayor Eric Garcetti, and the majority of Los Angeles residents don’t know who he is. Only in recent months has his negligence (and coziness with the LAPD) made him something of an infamous character to those now tapped into local politics, but his background in violent neoliberalism long predates the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 Uprising.
In this episode @nolympicsla answer the question, “Who is Eric Garcetti?” in a conversation taped in 2018, long before he offered Angelenos facing eviction a limited-time $20 discount on parking tickets. For a deep dive on Eric that predates headlines you may be familiar with, start here. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 10/18/18
Also, it bears noting Eric Garcetti spent one out of every three days in 2017 out of town, shaking hands and greasing deals for the Olympics-- he was so frequently MIA that @nolympicsla launched a website to track his whereabouts: WHERESGARCETTI.COM
Episode 3: “Rings of Hell III: The Movement Against The IOC” -- This week @nolympicsla explore Olympic resistance in both a city that was ravaged by the Games (Rio 2016) and a city that thwarted an Olympic bid (Boston 2024). Despite some local differences, the fight is against the same notoriously corrupt and unaccountable private institution: the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which creates heightened militarization, displacement, and authoritarianism in the name of extracting profit. The struggle against this form of neoliberal lotteryism is both a hyper-local and transnational one. Please enjoy a conversation with members of Rio on Watch, No Boston Olympics, and NOlympics LA. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 10/16/18
Did you know that LA isn’t a sanctuary city, in name or in spirit? Even if the city was a true sanctuary city with real protections, any Olympics on US soil poses huge risks for immigrants. That’s because #LA28 is designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE), which gives the Department of Homeland Security (ICE, CBP, NSA, all the bad dudes) the express ability to coordinate with local law enforcement. Sound like a terrible idea? It is! This week @nolympicsla are joined by members of the @dsa_la Immigration Justice Committee to discuss all the ways the current Democrat establishment in LA already fall short of their pseudo-progressive pro-immigrant messaging and how the NSSE – compounded with already wildly militarized local law enforcement – poses a nightmare for communities across the Southland. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 11/8/18
Episode 6: “Rings of Hell VI: The Humiliation of the Will” -- Hitler didn’t want the Olympics until Goebbels convinced him the 1936 Berlin Games could be a massive boom for Nazi propaganda. Then the Olympic torch relay was born. In this episode @nolympicsla explore how fascists have co-opted and manipulated the platform of mega sports through the annals of history – whether it’s Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco with soccer and the Olympics – or more recent despots or power-hungry individuals who use the games to enhance their power. It turns out the pageantry and bright shiny object-ness of mega sport gives bad people a tremendous amount of cover. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 10/31/18
For this episode @nolympicsla invited scholar and former Olympic athlete Jules Boykoff to call in and give us a broad look at how the modern Olympics came into being, how their power is structured, and how they’ve evolved over the decades, growing more insidious at every turn. The Olympic machine has been around since the late 1800s and operated as a sort of sideshow. To this day the IOC still feels like it’s being led by carnival barkers trying to hook the next gullible sucker, and this conversation tracks how they’ve managed to stay alive and where they’re potentially vulnerable. To learn more about Jules Boykoff check out julesboykoff.org. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 10/23/18
@nolympicsla look beyond the ceremonies and sports to see who benefits from hosting an Olympics: politicians, developers, cops, phony nonprofits, and corporate sponsors like Airbnb. To learn more about the new #LocksOnMyBlock campaign to fight displacement by Airbnb hotels check out nolympicsla.com/locks. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 10/11/18
@nolympicsla examines the not-so-glamorous reality and material consequences of the first corporate Olympic Games, Los Angeles 1984. ‘Rings of Hell’ segment originally produced with @knockdotla: 10/8/18
It's episodes 3 and 4 as the solar system hurtles towards war. Also we touch on recent developments around Joss Whedon and what that means for pop culture.
Today we're chatting weird lifestyle cults, lots of COVID coverage, and some recent policing developments
This week we talk to Trinidad Ruiz from LA Tenants Union (@justrinidad) about the Seeds of a Tenant Revolution, current tenant protections, and how we can work to keep everyone housed. We also cover COVID news, which is getting slightly less bleak, and more police misconduct.
To register for the LAFD CERT meeting about earthquake response: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/21721-step-by-step-community-response-to-an-earthquake-registration-137141853977
This week we talk episodes 1 (Dulcinea) and 2 (The Big Empty) while fleshing out the conflicts roiling the Sol system.
This week: - COVID and inequitable vaccine situation in LA - Bizarre approach to school re-opening from CM Buckets - Great KNOCK pieces from last week - Amy Wakeland. Yikes.
Welcome to Beltalouder for the People in Back, a critical analysis of The Expanse.
Hosts Bushido Squirrel, Chris Roth, and Logan Rapp will be looking at the politics, technology, and conflicts of the Sol system as humanity confronts a truly existential change.
Live on Twitch every Friday at 7:00 PM and in podcast form Saturday at 10:00 AM.
Anti-vaxxers shut down the nation's largest vaccination center earlier this week, and while the infection numbers are improving in LA we still have a long way to go. Also the Metro Board got its arm twisted into restoring some bus service, hooray!
Gavin Newsom lifts regional lock downs in California opening the way for outdoor dining and all sorts of dangerous stuff. Vaccine rates are still lagging. We also chat about Mitch Englander's jail sentence, Gil Cedillo's plan to buy an affordable housing complex, and LASD gangs.
Read more: https://knock.la Get involved: https://groundgamela.org
Links
LASD Deputies: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-15/guardado-shooting-la-deputies-under-criminal-investigation
Biden's Memo: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/extend-federal-support-to-governors-use-of-national-guard-to-respond-to-covid-19-and-to-increase-reimbursement-and-other-assistance-provided-to-states/
Host @vickbooz and @bushidosquirrel chat our new morning in America as we inaugurate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Mike Dickerson chats gig work and the fight for labor. Daniel Lee fills us in on his campaign and how we can build an equitable California.
For more on Daniel and to volunteer: https://danielwaynelee.com/
Follow: @knockdotla and @groundgamela Read more: https://knock.la Get involved: https://groundgamela.org
It's been a slightly less insurrectiony week, but not for a lack of trying. We'll cover the weekly COVID update, some very tasteless MLK tributes, and the latest news about corruption at City Council.
We had the privilege to sit down with some very accomplished defense attorneys to talk about the recent reforms that George Gascón has implemented at the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office.
Ace Katano, Anna Reitano, Meredith Gallen, and John Raphling joined us for a lively and dense discussion that covers everything from money bail to sentencing enhancements and capital punishment
This week is nearly all COVID, from the staggering numbers of infections and deaths in LA to the new orders for EMS providers to the abysmal failure of our local government to address the issue.
Make a comment to the LA County Board of Supervisors: http://bit.ly/SNSJan5
Read along, if you have the stomach for it...
Foster Farms workers: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-31/foster-farms-12th-coronavirus-worker-death
Airplanes: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-01-01/covid-19-airplane-sick-on-plane-cdc
Mercy in Portland: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-01-02/mercy-hospital-ship-in-portland-readers-want-it-back-in-l-a St. Vincents: https://2urbangirls.com/los-angeles-covid-19-surge-hospital-site-now-used-for-filming-location/
Homeless shelters overloaded: https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-01-03/homeless-shelters-coronavirus-surge-hospitals
Filmmakers urged to quit their bullshit: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-12-29/health-officials-encourage-filmmakers-to-pause-work-amid-covid-surge
Jesus Christ COVID SuperSpreader: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-30/activists-and-christian-singer-clash-over-maskless-outreach-on-skid-row
Politico piece: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/23/california-covid-surge-450315
This week we're talking COVID, LA City Council Committee assignments, a good LA Times OpEd, corruption in Sacramento, and the hell that is the gig economy
Read more: https://knock.la Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org
It's COVID. Just COVID. COVID is the only game in town. Please, stay home.
To Donate to POWER CHW: bit.ly/powerchw
No, seriously, stay home.
This week we're talking COVID (cause it's not slowing down), celebrate some new electeds in LA, and dive into a bunch of malfeasance at the LA County Sheriff's Department
Too much stuff went down today and this week, but we're gonna cover what we can: arrest at Getty House, COVID still raging, politicians still abdicating, tech bros surveilling
LASD video from: @Dopeslangjr_
Outreach Grid: https://www.ocregister.com/2020/12/04/finding-beds-and-services-for-the-homeless-theres-an-app-for-that/
This week we're talking COVID, Mayor Eric Garcetti's continued comedy of errors, lots of shady cop stuff, and directly respond to a Los Feliz Ledger article that hurls some very troubling implications at Nithya Raman and her staff
For info on LA County Quarantine Housing: 833-540-0473 https://covid19.lacounty.gov/medical/sheltering/
This week COVID is still a thing, way too big of a thing, LA Neighborhood Councils absolutely go wild, Dr. Sheriff Alex loses in court (AGAIN!), and Terry joins us to talk some LATimes ridiculousness
Read Lopez's recent column here (if you want...): https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-19/column-san-diego-mayor-kevin-faulconer-governor-gavin-newsom
Mutual Aid: https://mutualaidla.org Get Involved:m https://groundgamela.org Read More: https://knock.la
This week we're talking elections updates, COVID continues to surge in California and across the nation, Dr. Sheriff Alex finds his department getting slapped down by a judge, LAPD officers are mad at their chief, and we revisit a story from last week about a tragic death that has turned out to be much more complicated.
With COVID raging please take the time to visit https://MutualAidLA.org to get involved or make a donation
Follow us on social media: @groundgamela, @KNOCKdotLA, @bushidosquirrel, @christopherroth
This week we're joined by Tommy Kelly, an organizer with Ground Game LA and Street Watch LA, to talk about a recent conflict during an illegal encampment eviction, how landlords and cops work together to attack our unhoused neighbors, and what we can do to break that cycle.
Today we’re talking about the massive number of early votes coming in across the state of California, our usual coronavirus update, the sadly predictable overuse of force by the LAPD on revelers last weekend, more shit about the Sheriff, and a depressing update on one of the largest environmental disasters in California history that took place just south of downtown LA over the course of decades. And if we’re feeling energetic we might even talk about the absolute bullshit coming out of the Ryu campaign, as a treat.
This week we're talking election shenanigans, as well as COVID and wildfires, and chatting a bit about Elon Musk's new supervillain plans.
This week we're chatting election shenanigans, COVID, wildfires, and Elon Musk's new supervillain plans.
Today we’re talking about coronavirus, the utter failure that is/was Project Roomkey, a local hostile architecture saga that went viral, a massive Brown Act violation, and a very important vacancy tax report that was recently published.
After last night's events in Kenosha our latest episode became more prescient than we thought.
Be safe out there.
Shaun, Charlottesville: The True Alt-Right - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcoYKuoiUrY
This week we're talking LAPD malfeasance, COVID updates, and we chat with Alexandra Nagy of Food and Water Watch about the ongoing problems at Aliso Canyon.
Today we’re talking about the same shit as every week: Coronavirus updates, crooked Compton cops, a new (poorly reported) story from Bill of tampuccino fame, SoCal Gas SUING California, and some truly bizarre shitty landlord behavior.
Get Involved: http://bit.ly/JoinGGLA Read More: https://knock.la
Today we're talking about protests across the country over the past weeks and especially this past weekend, Coronavirus updates, shenanigans at the Board of Supervisors, a great KPCC AirTalk episode, and some updates on everyone's favorite corruption case at City Hall.
Get Involved: mutualaidla.org Get Active: groundgamela.org Read More: knock.la
Sources: Oregonian article: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/07/portland-protester-hit-in-head-by-munition-fired-by-federal-officer-recovering-but-still-suffering-from-brain-injury.html Seattle protests tweet thread (@SimoneReports): https://twitter.com/SimoneReports/status/1287197567772553216 Autin protest thread (@chadloder): https://twitter.com/chadloder/status/1287250063811416064 KPCC AirTalk's Thursday Round Table "What Protests Have Achieved, And What Activists And City Leaders Still Want To See Done": https://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/2020/07/23/21035/ Kohlhaas Huizar thread (@DotKohlhaas): https://twitter.com/DotKohlhaas/status/1286763259110932480
Upcoming event: UnrigLA and Ground Game's "Follow the Money at LA City Hall" event tweet: https://twitter.com/UnrigLA/status/1286805835247570944 Event RSVP: https://bit.ly/2WTsPTg
This week we're talking about the BLM LA and People's Budget hosted community town hall, more LAPD fall out from the CalGang Database scandal, and some changing of the guard in CA higher ed.
Pic shamelessly borrowed from @theglowingstars
This week we're seeing more COVID spikes, more LAPD malfeasance, and some action on housing bills in Sacramento.
Get Involved: https://mutualaidla.org Get Informed: https://KNOCK.LA
This week COVID-19 cases are spiking in California and across the nation, LAUSD is waffling on defunding school police, and organizer Albert Corado (@digitalurn) joins us to talk the People's Budget.
Get Involved: https://mutualaidla.org Get Informed: https://knock.la
This week: Coronavirus is spiking, statues are tumbling, and LA cops are still killing.
Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org Give Back: https://mutualaidla.org Read More: https://KNOCK.LA
Regular committee business and votes were edited out, public comments are presented in full.
Today we’re talking about what going on with Project Roomkey, what's happening with LA's budget, the latest Covid-19 updates, what's happening in LA's jails, and some new bus lanes coming to downtown.
Get Active: https://mutualaidla.org Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org Get Informed: https://knock.la
today we’re talking mostly about the recent meeting of the board of supes, but we’ve also got a couple of other updates for you all surrounding project roomkey, a local congressional race, massive unfolding corruption cases at City Hall, and of course an update on the corona virus situation.
Get Involved: https://mutualaidla.org Get Active: https://groundgamela.org
Sources:
Goats: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/200-escape-goats-run-amok-in-San-Jose-neighborhood-15267409.php
CA 25: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-05-12/christy-smith-mike-garcia-runoff-katie-hill-seat
County Board: https://laist.com/2020/05/12/los-angeles-county-extends-eviction-protections.php
LAPD violence: https://twitter.com/Jasmyne/status/1260280655633461248
Today we're talking about May Day actions around LA, Project Roomkey and its discontents, how to debunk Coronavirus conspiracy theories, and the very weird origins of the Epoch Times
Get Involved: https://mutualaidla.org Get Active: https://groundgamela.org
Sources:
Arrest at Garcetti's house: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-30/pastor-arrested-outside-mayor-garcettis-house-stalking-charge
Jackie Lacey's husband: https://www.essence.com/amp/news/david-lacey-black-lives-matter-la/#click=https://t.co/9hl2pAIDnz
Why you should rent strike: https://knock-la.com/why-you-should-rent-strike-los-angeles-latu-ba067d38392
Project Roomkey: https://twitter.com/RoomkeyTracker/status/1254108656993308673?s=20
Davon Brown at the Ritz: https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-lady-gagas-ex-model-seized-a-luxury-hotel-suite-in-los-angeles
People's City Council: https://twitter.com/PplsCityCouncil/status/1256429750567886849
today we’re going to be talking mostly about Coronavirus again, specifically what our city council is doing about it, and Garcetti's annual State of the City address.
Get Involved: mutualaidla.org
Also you can now check us out on Twitch Saturdays at 10:00 AM: https://twitch.tv/groundgamela
Sources: State of the City: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-19/garcetti-state-of-city-la-address-coronavirus
Coronavirus: https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/First-known-U-S-coronavirus-death-occurred-on-15217316.php
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-20/coronavirus-serology-testing-la-county
Today we’re talking mostly about Coronavirus and the response from our local elected officials, but we’ll touch on insulin prices, the next city council meeting, and the fact that we've produced exactly two years worth of podcasts...so that's nifty
Don't forget to tune in to Ground Game LA's first ever twitch show, it's gonna be good: https://www.twitch.tv/groundgamela
Visit https://mutualaidla.org
Sources Operation Gridlock: https://twitter.com/sahrasulaiman/status/1251300442601996289
Insulin Prices: https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/patient-advocate-speaks-out-on-eli-lillys-lowered-prices-650980/
Carrier Theodore Roosevelt: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-military-sympt-idUSKCN21Y2GB
Rent and Mortgage Cancellation: https://omar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-ilhan-omar-introduces-bill-cancel-all-rent-and-mortgage-payments-during
Today talking about Coronavirus again, of course, and the expanding impact that the stay at home order is having on folks across the city and all of California.
Mutual Aid LA: https://mutualaidla.org Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-mutual-aid-network
Project Mask LA: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-project-mask-la-supply-materials
Westside Friends: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-westside-friends-buy-neighbors-groceries
Get involved: https://GroundGameLA.org
Sources:
LA Times Covid-19 tracker: https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-coronavirus-cases-tracking-outbreak/
Students Deserve: https://www.schoolslastudentsdeserve.com/
Garcetti Covid update: https://laist.com/latest/post/20200401/coronavirus-los-angeles-city-garcetti-update-april-1
USNS Mercy: https://abc7.com/amp/usns-mercy-coronavirus-train-crash-derailment/6069395/#click=https://t.co/0daIUrDQTN
Today we’re talking about Coronavirus and the gross incompetence of so many of our elected officials in handling the crisis.
Mutual Aid LA: https://bit.ly/LACovid19 Donate: https://bit.ly/mutualaidLA
Sources
LA County Covid-19 stats: https://bit.lylacovid19
Englander: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-27/former-city-councilman-mitchell-englander-agrees-to-plead-guilty-in-corruption-case
Teen dies from Covid-19: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-teenager-death-california-health-insurance-care-emergency-room-covid-19-a9429946.html
Today we're talking about Coronavirus, some extraordinarily corrupt local officials, a deeply upsetting cop story out of Santa Monica and a quick update on the ongoing fight to stop neighborhood drilling in the city of Los Angeles.
Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: http://KNOCK.LA
Covid-19 Links
https://www.flattenthecurve.com/
https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2019.CERT_.Basic_.PM_FINAL_508c.pdf
LA Toolkit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d4fgYbzC4B1o1CQOIWbTxTUnE5VUIxv04EqeBjR2Fhc/mobilebasic
Unemployment resources: https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm
Sources
LAUSD; https://abc7.com/education/lausd-to-close-schools-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/6009768/
Mitch Englander court docs: https://twitter.com/dotkohlhaas/status/1237809878896234496?s=12
Mitch Englander: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-13/developers-businessman-mitchell-englander-hearing
Duncan Hunter: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-03-11/new-details-of-crime-by-former-rep-duncan-hunter-emerge-ahead-of-sentencing
Santa Monica: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-11/santa-monica-pays-42-6-million-to-child-abuse-victims-preyed-on-as-teens-in-police-activities-league
There was an election, what the hell happened?
Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Get Involved: https://www.groundgamela.org/ Read: http://KNOCK-LA.com
Sources: https://results.lavote.net/#year=2020&election=4085
Today we’re going to be talking about homelessness, housing costs, vacancy taxes, sexual harassment at USC and in the DA’s office. Oh yeah, and a HUGE fire at a refinery down in Carson.
Civics 101: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHfqLMn-YbQ
Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: https://KNOCK-LA.com
Sources
USC: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-27/regulators-slam-usc-handling-of-sex-abuse-as-shocking-and-reprehensible-order-federal-oversight
Refinery fire: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-25/large-fire-reported-at-carson-refinery
DA's office: https://witnessla.com/prosecutors-say-reporting-sexual-harassment-at-l-a-das-office-means-retaliation-jackie-lacey-says-not-true/
Housing costs: https://la.curbed.com/2020/2/21/21147207/housing-costs-los-angeles-economy
Statewide Vacancy Tax: https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article240480226.html
Today we’re talking about The Young Turks' unionization, CD 25 developments, LAPD playing fast and loose with license plate data, ICE playing fast and loose with the law, and chatting with our friend, organizer, and activist Ashley Bennett.
Echo Park Lake Organizing: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla-outreach
Sources
Echo Park Lake: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla-outreach
Katie Hill: https://theintercept.com/2020/02/21/fbi-arrests-hacker-linked-to-katie-hill-campaign/
Unaffordable LA: https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/los-angeles-least-affordable-housing-market-in-nation/
ICE: https://ktla.com/2020/02/19/ice-arrests-3-at-sonoma-county-courthouse-despite-new-state-law/
LAPD license plates: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/y3mb8b/california-police-have-been-illegally-sharing-license-plate-reader-data
Today we’re talking about voter guides, pedestrianization, cop shit, and talk Movement Politics with our friend, organizer, and activist Kendall Mayhew.
Get Involved: https://GroundGameLA.org Donate: https://patreon.com/KNOCK_LA Read: https://KNOCK-LA.com
Sources
Homes Guarantee in LA: https://la.curbed.com/2020/2/12/21133788/housing-right-social-public-los-angeles-bonin
Broadway: https://la.curbed.com/2020/2/12/21135509/broadway-cars-closed-street-los-angeles
LAPD lawsuit: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-11/black-lives-matter-leader-sues-city-ex-police-chief-beck
Today we’re going to be talking about some interesting developments in supportive housing proposal in CD13, a bunch of state level housing legislation that is still alive and had really managed to stay out of the spotlight while SB 50 was still around, a couple of other interesting housing stories, a quick update on a disgraced former Sheriff, a jail reform bill that y’all definitely need to be tracking and supporting, potential new voting rules, Garcetti getting to keep his job, and finally end up on a reason why Garcetti absolutely should not get to keep his job.
KNOCK.LA's VOTER GUIDE IS HERE<<<<<<<<<<< https://knock-la.com/the-knock-la-los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-for-the-march-2020-primary-7f2c3efc13cc
Get involved: https://GroundGameLA.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: https://KNOCK.LA
Sources
Housing Bills: https://la.curbed.com/2020/2/6/21125037/sb-50-other-laws-california
Party Registration bill: https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/02/06/last-minute-california-bill-could-boost-independent-votes-in-democratic-primary-9421189
London Breed: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/bay-area-affordable-housing.html
St. Vincent's: https://urbanize.la/post/la-city-councilmember-wants-convert-st-vincent-medical-center-supportive-housing
Garcetti recall: https://abc7.com/politics/garcetti-recall-effort-ends-after-organizers-fall-short-in-required-signatures/5908671/
Lee Baca: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-02-05/former-los-angeles-county-sheriff-lee-baca-is-now-a-prison-inmate-in-texas
Today we’re talking about national housing policy, state housing policy, the LAPD, some super local housing news, the DA race, and even more housing stuff
Get involved: https://groundgamela.org Read: https://KNOCK.LA Patreon: https://patreon.com/knock_la
Socials https://www.facebook.com/GroundGameLA/ https://twitter.com/groundgamela https://twitter.com/knockdotla https://twitter.com/bushidosquirrel https://twitter.com/christopherroth
Sources: Hillside Villa live stream: https://www.facebook.com/GroundGameLA/videos/523179764973190/ Cedillo Motion: http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2020/20-0148_mot_01-31-2020.pdf
DA Debate: https://laist.com/2020/01/30/los_angeles_district_attorney_da_debate_election_lacey_gascon_rossi.php https://twitter.com/Jasmyne/status/1222745796069580800
People's Housing Platform: https://www.curbed.com/2020/1/29/21112405/aoc-squad-peoples-housing-platform-congress-legislation-housing
Ellis Act Evictions: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-28/ellis-act-evictions-los-angeles-westside
Victor Valencia shooting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP_gcGdNp-U
We're sitting down with KTown for All organizers Sharon and Jane to look at NBC LA's "Streets of Shame" series and unpack this weird form of anti-homeless propaganda.
To learn more about KTown for All: http://ktownforall.org/
Become a patron: http://patreon.com/knock_la Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org
This week we're talking about the Point In Time count, new developments in the Metro Division scandal, Garcetti and Trump's plans for fixing the crisis on our streets, and the resistance to sweeps at Echo Park.
Get Involved: https://GroundGameLA.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: https://KNOCK.LA
Sources [coming shortly]
This week we discuss the murder of Victor Valencia by LAPD, encampment sweeps across LA, changes at LAHSA, and a deep dives into Moms4Housing and SB50
Get Involved: https://GroundGameLA.org Read: https://KNOCK.LA Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla
Sources
Nury Martinez: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-14/nury-martinez-los-angeles-city-council
LAHSA: https://la.curbed.com/2020/1/16/21066708/homeless-camps-tents-clean-sweeps
Wedgewood: https://theintercept.com/2020/01/17/moms-4-housing-eviction-wedgewood/
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/examining-wedgewood-a-look-at-the-home-flipping-giant-in-battle-with-homeless-mothers/2208119/
What happens when the New York Times sends a reporters to cover a fringe Trump festival filled with Islamophobes, racists, domestic terrorists, and gun hoarders?
Nothing good.
Read along here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/28/us/politics/trump-2020-trumpstock.html
To support our work https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla https://patreon.com/knock_la
This week we're talking about Rep. Duncan Hunter, SB 50's rebirth, developments in a new LAPD scandal, and a rash of sweeps across LA right before the Point In Time Count
Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Get involved: https://groundgamela.org Read: https://KNOCK.LA
Sources
Duncan Hunter: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-07/rep-duncan-hunter-resigns
SB 50: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/california/article239000628.html
LAPD Metro Division: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-06/dozens-of-lapd-officers-accused-of-portrayed-innocent-people-as-gang-members-falsifying-records
http://www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/news_view/66155
Moms for Housing: https://twitter.com/TweetBottNBC/status/1215722593073778688
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Judge-rules-homeless-mothers-must-leave-vacant-14965783.php
Sweeps: https://www.instagram.com/p/B7H8f-qBqO4/?igshid=1ap2r1ctn11hk
https://twitter.com/nithyavraman/status/1215332852146900992?s=21
Newsom homelessness plan: https://www.npr.org/2020/01/08/794687084/california-governor-pushes-1-4-billion-plan-to-tackle-homelessness
This week we're talking about LA District Attorney race, pollution from the Port of LA, more violence against the unhoused, and the stories that we think are going to matter most in the next year.
Get involved: https://GroundGameLA.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: https://KNOCK.LA
Sources
DA race: https://twitter.com/rachel4da/status/1209626690814533632
Fake bomb threat in Venice: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-03/device-made-to-look-like-explosive-discovered-outside-site-of-future-homeless-shelter-in-venice
Port of LA: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-03/port-ships-are-becoming-la-worst-polluters-regulators-plug-in
A Decade in Housing: https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/renting-america-housing-changed-past-decade/
Homes Guarantee: https://homesguarantee.com/
Oslo Vision Zero: https://www.curbed.com/2020/1/3/21048066/oslo-vision-zero-pedestrian-cyclist-deaths
Garcetti on Vision Zero: https://laist.com/2020/01/03/car_crash_accident_traffic_violence_language.php
Today we’re talking about the momentous Martin v. Boise decision from the Supreme Court, a bizarre and tactless interruption of a local Congressman’s Armenian Genocide recognition event, the ramping up of the LA County District Attorney race, and a quick note about People’s Action and the presidential primaries.
Get Involved: https://groundgamela.org Read: https://KNOCK.LA Become a patron: https://patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
Sources
People's Action: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/19/bernie-sanders-key-progressive-endorsement-087808
Death at City Hall: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/homeless-man-found-dead-outside-los-angeles-city-hall/2278546
Rossi statement on lawsuit: https://rachel4da.com/2019/12/18/rachel-rossi-for-district-attorney-statement-on-ballot-designation-challenge/
LA County Dems endorse Gascon: https://ktla.com/2019/12/10/l-a-county-democrats-endorse-george-gascon-over-incumbent-jackie-lacey-in-competitive-das-race/
Lacey Endorsements: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-21/san-francisco-mayor-and-city-attorney-endorse-jackie-lacey-snubbing-george-gascon
Trump plans on homelessness: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2019/12/trump-policy-homeless-executive-order-city-services-shelters/603670/
Adam Schiff disruption: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-12-14/adam-schiff-armenian-town-hall
Nithya Raman is running an unabashedly progressive campaign for LA City Council District 4. She came in to the studio to talk about her campaign, what kind of solutions she wants to push at City Hall, and the power of local organizing.
Ground Game LA has endorsed Nithya's campaign and you can get involved at https://NithyaForTheCity.com
Today we're talking about big changes at LAHSA, the finalized LA City Council ballots, a lawsuit filed by a Venice NIMBY group, some updates on a RevCom protest, and what the hell is going on is CA Congressional District 25.
(NB: after we recorded Bernie's campaign announced that he was rescinding his endorsement of Cenk)
Get involved: https://GroundGameLA.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: https://KNOCK.LA
Sources
Bernie and Cenk: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-12-12/bernie-sanders-endorses-cenk-uygur-young-turks
Protest arrest: https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/12/11/second-man-arrested-for-spraying-anti-trump-protesters-with-bear-repellent-at-santa-monica-pier/
Fight Back, Venice! lawsuit: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-12-05/homeless-lawsuit-los-angeles-venice
Today we're talking about corruption scandals roiling Southern California politics, the new City Council President, 85.02's renewal, LA's plan for bus shelters, and the death of the OC Weekly.
Get Involved: http://groundgamela.org Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla Read: http://KNOCK.LA
Sources ALEC Attacks: http://ALECAttacks.org
85.02: https://twitter.com/theglowingstars/status/1187166191950811136
ACCE study retracted: https://laist.com/2019/11/25/does_la_actually_have_more_vacant_units_than_homeless_people_our_mea_culpa.php
San Francisco Vacancies: https://sf.curbed.com/2019/12/3/20993251/san-francisco-bay-area-vacant-homes-per-homeless-count
Nury Martinez is new Council President: https://ktla.com/2019/12/03/nury-martinez-becomes-first-latina-to-be-elected-president-of-l-a-city-council/
CARE Teams: https://mynewsla.com/crime/2019/12/03/l-a-city-council-committee-puts-trash-cleanup-teams-on-notice/
OC Weekly: https://twitter.com/ocweekly/status/1199808043870908416?s=12
Today we're talking about some more fallout from the Camp Fires, a rash of punching down coverage from the LA Times and NBC LA, a potential "obligation to shelter" coming to California, and a new paper that shows how many vacant units in LA could be covered by a vacancy tax proposal.
Sources Cold Open audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83OUn8vMO9g&feature=emb_share&fbclid=IwAR0VCXTfdC4rnN5cdmX09iRI-JhvniqYavezPsWnrDZLTOME6OaM21A1dsY
Camp Fire: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/Long-Term-Wear-Found-on-PGE-Line-That-Sparked-Camp-Fire-565181442.html
LA's deadly streets: https://psmag.com/news/more-homeless-people-are-dying-of-hypothermia-in-los-angeles-than-in-new-york-could-climate-change-be-to-blame
Streets of Shame: https://twitter.com/nondblon/status/1194300746654797824
Vacant homes report: https://laist.com/2019/11/20/los-angeles-housing-vacancy-homeless.php?utm_campaign=LAist+Daily+11202019&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc_&utm_content=
This week we're talking about local elections across the country, PG&E's future, AirBnB policy changes, some big developments in the LA rental market, and how badly Aliso Canyon is poisoning an LA neighborhood.
To get involved: http://GroundGameLA.org To read: http://KNOCK.LA To donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla
Sources Local elections: https://ourfuture.org/20191106/turning-states-a-bolder-shade-of-blue
PG&E: https://www.kqed.org/news/11784972/22-mayors-want-pge-to-become-a-customer-owned-co-op
Aliso Canyon: https://laist.com/2019/11/05/aliso-canyon-porter-ranch-gas-leak-blowout-health-benzene-nordella.php
Aliso Canyon Slide Deck: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6540644-What-You-Should-Know-Aliso-Canyon-Blowout.html#document/p3/a534122
Herb Wesson: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-24/council-president-herb-wesson-son-koreatown-developer
CF 19-1362 (Affordable Housing): http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2019/19-1362_mot_11-05-2019.pdf
AirBnB: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-50276485
More AirBnB: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/43k7z3/nationwide-fake-host-scam-on-airbnb
CF 18-1245 (Homesharing): CF 19-1362 (Affordable Housing): http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2019/19-1362_mot_11-05-2019.pdf
Today we’re talking a bit about the fires and some updates around PG&E and we discuss the situation surrounding Katie Hill and then take a bit of a deep dive into two big District Attorney races, as well as looking at the new #CheckTheSheriff campaign.
Join: http://GroundGameLA.org Read: http://KNOCK.LA Contribute: http://patreon.com/knock_la
Sources (coming shortly)
This week we're mainly talking about the fires that are raging across the state, also some commentary on the new Check The Sheriff initiative, and Squirrel chats Rev Com and why they probably aren't helping.
Join: http://GroundGameLA.org Read: http://knock.la donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ggla
Sources:
Getty Fire: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-28/fire-along-interstate-405-near-getty-center
Anti-Rent Gouging Protections: https://www.lacounty.gov/emergency/
Kincaid Fire: https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/PG-E-says-high-voltage-lines-were-still-on-when-14560113.php
Rev Com Protest: https://ktla.com/2019/10/20/man-in-maga-hat-arrested-after-dousing-demonstrators-with-bear-spray-during-at-santa-monica-pier
More info on Conservation Camps/Inmate Fire Crews: https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/about-cdcr/
Today we’re talking about the Saddle Ridge Fire, PG&E being shitty about their bankruptcy, Jackie Lacey protests going strong at 2 years in, a followup on the random definitely-not-racial-profiling stops we discussed last week, an uptick in horrifying crimes against our unhoused neighbors, and we’ll finish things off on a lighter note with a return to the reading series about how to retire in your 30's.
To get involved: http://GroundGameLA.org To read more: http://KNOCK.LA
Sources:
Crimes against the unhoused: https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/homeless-crime/
LAPD "random stops": https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-13/after-times-investigation-lapd-to-make-major-changes-to-elite-metropolitan-division
PG&E rejects buyout: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pg-e-rejects-san-francisco-211304520.html
Saddle Ridge fire: https://www.lafd.org/news/saddle-ridge-brush-fire
Fire in the sewers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEPoEsqJAe8
Reading series: https://www.businessinsider.com/early-retirement-live-frugal-to-build-wealth-2019-10
This episode starts out with Scottie talking about his experience at the Congress of Neighborhoods, then we get into the nitty-gritty of implicit bias, how to handle approaching and being approached with grace. We touch on some psychology and get into some deep topics.
There are many orgs and people y'all may be interested in mentioned in this episode, so keep your ears open!
There is a slight technical difficulty and the last half hour of the episode has some audio issues, but don't keep you from listening till the end!
Be on the look out for Scottie's podcast Real Good Stuff! https://z-upload.facebook.com/realgoodstuffpodcast/
Today we're talking about the fires and power shut offs, landlords collective response to new rent caps in California, LAPD's predictive policing and racial disparities in searches, and a scandal at the LA County Assessor's office that may involve one of the board members.
Sources
For info about the Saddleridge fire: https://www.lafd.org/news/saddleridge-brush-fire
AB 1482: https://la.curbed.com/2019/8/1/20744755/assembly-bill-1482-rent-control-los-angeles-california
LA TNC regulations: https://twitter.com/dotkohlhaas/status/1181669322185269248?s=12
Assessor's office: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-08/connected-taxpayers-got-breaks-with-l-a-county-assessors-office-whistleblowers-allege
LAPD searches: https://ktla.com/2019/10/08/lapd-searches-blacks-and-latinos-more-but-theyre-less-likely-to-have-contraband-than-whites/
Today we're talking about Mike Feuer's latest moves, developments in the Stephon Clark shooting, Newsom's SB 1 veto, and LA getting some new trees.
Sources:
AB 857: https://cowboysonthecommons.org/2019/10/04/californias-new-public-banking-law-joy-and-cautious-optimism/
Trees for LA: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/10/los-angeles-green-new-deal-forest-officer/
LAX rideshares: https://abc7.com/travel/lax-to-end-curbside-pick-ups-by-rideshare-companies-taxis/5589730/
LA dismissing citations: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-02/homeless-housing-erase-citation-fine-fees
This is the first episode of a series with Beau Delight and Scottie Appleseed. In this episode we talk about podcasting, a million drops, unhoused folx, the concept of home, implicit bias, and much more. We have one of Scottie's students, Shavelle, on the couch joining us as well.
http://amilliondrops.org/
Today we’re going to be talking about more amicus briefs, the anti-anti-vax bil, developments in the shooting of Kenneth French and Ryan Twyman, and PG&E's settlement with insurance companies.
Read: http://KNOCK.LA Get involved: http://GroundGameLA.org
Sources
Martin v Boise: https://la.curbed.com/2019/9/25/20884172/boise-martin-city-los-angeles-homeless-sidewalks
Vaccines: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-21/sb276-california-vaccine-law-fight-gavin-newsom-legislature-how-it-happened
Kenneth French: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-25/costco-shooting-lapd-officer-wont-will-face-charges-in-killing-of-intellectually-disabled-man
On Friday, September 20th millions of people across the globe took the the streets to demand real action on climate. Bushido Squirrel went to the Phoenix action and Chris went to the Los Angeles action.
This is an audio montage of what we both found.
"Light Gets In" is borrowed from Sunrise Bay Area.
Today we’re talking about the Board of Supervisors siding with Trump on homelessness, the Police Commission providing cover for officers shooting another black man, an alleged serial sexual predator / murderer finally being arrested at his home in West Hollywood, and an international news media shoutout for a local organizing group that we and other members of Ground Game roll with.
Read: https://KNOCK.LA Get Involved: http://bit.ly/JoinGGLA Visit: https://GroundGameLA.org
Sources:
Martin v. Boisie: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-18/trump-housing-homeless-ben-carson-california-deregulation
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-17/la-county-supervisors-homeless-boise-case-amicus-brief-supreme-court-challenge
Ed Buck: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-19/source-ed-buck-to-face-federal-drug-charges-after-deaths-of-men-at-his-west-hollywood-home
Stop LAPD Spying: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/17/tech-climate-change-luddites-data
Today we're talking about the Crime Busters blow back, a big win for renewable energy, a big win for renters in LA County, some big wins in the Assembly and State Senate, and LAPD's new drone fleet.
To read more: https://KNOCK.LA To get involved: http://bit.ly/JoinGGLA https://GroundGameLA.org https://latenantsunion.org
Sources
Crime Busters Meeting: https://twitter.com/DotKohlhaas/status/1171221566488637440 https://twitter.com/AlpertReyes/status/1171213388598272000
Eland: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-09-10/ladwp-votes-on-eland-solar-contract
LA County Rent Caps: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-09-10/la-county-supes-to-vote-on-permanent-rent-control-for-unincorporated-areas
LAPD Drones: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-10/drones-are-now-a-permanent-part-of-the-lapds-arsenal
Daniel Johnston "True Love Will Find You In The End": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7lyfYzIw8
Today we’re talking about the fire up in Eagle Rock from two weeks ago, an update on the 41.18 kerfuffle, a continued ban on Community College parking for homeless students, regulatory capture on the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a new proposal to include homeless voices in decision making at City Hall, some more non-solutions for implementing Vision Zero in our city, and we’ll tie everything up with a fun story about FLYING CARS.
Read: https://KNOCK.LA Visit: hhtps://GroundGameLA.org LATU: https: https://latenantsunion.org/
Links Vision Zero: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-02/rainbow-halos-los-angeles-crash-victims
Personal flight: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/02/opinions/personal-human-flight-becomes-reality-gwen-lighter/index.html
41.18 Editorial: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-08-30/where-can-homeless-people-sleep-in-la
Eagle Rock Fire: https://www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhoods/eagle_rock/eagle-rock-fire-suspects-arrested/article_062c12e6-c8fd-11e9-bca7-53b8b0359451.html
Mike Bonin Lived Experience Commission: https://11thdistrict.com/news/mike-proposes-new-commission-composed-of-people-who-are-or-have-been-homeless/
Community College Safe Parking: https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2019/09/homeless-students-parking-lots-community-college-california/
Air Board: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-09-06/oil-refinery-acid-pollution-regulation
This is a part of the conversation I had with Rachael Rose Luckey that didn't make it into the last episode. Rachael and I had a wonderful conversation, both recorded and not during our recording day, and this is just a small piece of that.
As a reminder from the last episode Rachael Rose Luckey is the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council, however her views and opinions are her own and she is not speaking on behalf of the neighborhood council.
Today we’re talking about a whole lot of stuff. We’ve got an update on the Empty Homes Tax, and one on Andy Ngo. We’ve got some breaking housing news, and some Cops Y’all content, some ridiculous electrical vehicle rebate news, a charter school conspiracy to steal all of the LAUSD students away from our public schools, a tragic murder in Skid Row, and a damning and controversial audit of LAHSA to close things out for this week.
Climate Strike on 9/20: https://strikewithus.org/ LATU: https://latenantsunion.org/ Ground Game LA: https://groundgamela.org KNOCK.LA: https://KNOCK.LA
Sources
Dwayne Fields: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-27/homeless-man-burned-to-death-in-skid-row-area
LAHSA Audit: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-27/homeless-audit-lahsa-outreach-performance
LAHSA statement: https://www.lahsa.org/news?article=575-statement-on-los-angeles-controller-s-report-on-homeless-outreach
Sniper hoax: https://abc7.com/lancaster-deputy-confessed-to-fabricating-sniper-shooting-authorities-say/5491304/
R. Rex Parris statement: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Lancaster-Mayor-Speaks-After-Deputy-Admits-Sniper-Hoax_Los-Angeles-558265242.html
Charter school emails: http://michaelkohlhaas.org/wp/2019/08/28/top-secret-document-revelations-california-charter-schools-association-aims-to-have-100-of-california-students-in-charter-schools-by-2030-or-charter-like-public-schools-wha/
Today we’re talking about one of Los Angeles’ worst municipal codes getting an update to be EVEN WORSE, some serious Cops Y’all updates, a quick update on the empty homes tax motion at City Hall.
Stevante Clark at Sacramento City Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcukThRgSNA
Charlie's Newsweek piece: https://www.newsweek.com/sleeper-cell-socialists-could-steal-2020-election-finish-off-america-we-know-it-opinion-1455023
To find LATU's full schedule: https://latenantsunion.org/
Today we're going to be talking about some recent actions against the Ellis Act and evictions, the CD 12 special election results, some disturbing news out of the Sheriff's office, how LA is getting one less jail, and there finally some data that shows that e-scooters aren't the good for the environment.
To see the full schedule of LATU events: https://latenantsunion.org/
To see the full live stream of the Ellis Is Hellish protest: https://www.facebook.com/chris.roth.90014/videos/173014773744726/ https://www.facebook.com/chris.roth.90014/videos/173045587074978/
This episode, Beau Delight sits down with Rampart Village Neighborhood Council President Rachael Rose Luckey to talk about what's going on in the area, housing and homelessness, city planning, and activism.
Check out the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council site for info on the neighborhood, the council, and to see the calendar for meetings and events. RVNC.org
end song: Interlude by City of Orchestras
Today we're talking about organizing at the Kingswood apartments, Bernie's visit to Southern California and Chris's inside look at the working on the advance staff, HUD's change to the "public charge" rule, LA County's thinking on "right to shelter", and we tear into an NY Times editorial about Greta Thunberg.
To learn more about LA Tenants Union: https://latenantsunion.org/
Today we’re talking about car sleeping, transit CEQA calculations, a little more detail on the lawsuit against the city regarding 56.11, and a fun reading series about bus lanes.
This episode Beau Delight talks with Brian Averill, of the Venice Neighborhood Council, about housing in Venice, specifically focusing on Brian's own building The Ellison. Awesome conversation with Brian on the housing issue in Venice and what happens to parts of LA when long time citizens are displaced.
Disclaimer: The opinions spoken by Brian Averill are not in anyway a direct reflection on the views of the Venice Neighborhood Council
End song: Jaunt in the Park by Andy Kay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianaverillphotography Venice Neighborhood Council: https://www.venicenc.org/ POWER website: https://www.power-la.org/
So we're late this week, but we've got a note from Bernie to excuse the tardiness
Today we’re talking about Ktown for All suing the City of Los Angeles, NOlympics LA traveling to Tokyo, A bunch of updates about the cops, and some big climate wins we’ve seen lately.
"Cometh The Hour, Cometh The Man: A Profile of Boris Johnson": https://quillette.com/2019/07/23/cometh-the-hour-cometh-the-man-a-profile-of-boris-johnson/
Voting info for CA: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/political-parties/no-party-preference/
Today we’re going to be talking about gentrification and Prop 13.
City Lab "The Hidden Winners In Neighborhood Gentrification": https://www.citylab.com/equity/2019/07/gentrification-effects-neighborhood-data-economic-statistics/594064/
Today we’re talking about cop stuff (a town hall, another shooting, protest rules and yet another failure of Jackie Lacey to prosecute clear wrongdoing), climate stuff (the new wildfire liability bill, protestors getting paid, and a massive conflict of interest that was uncovered regarding fracking permits in the state), tenant stuff (hooray for [extraordinarily limited] rent control), and then a fun reading series about how the housing crisis is a mere figment of our collective imagination.
Correction: Court Watch LA training is July 18th, not 7/16 like I said
Court Watch LA Training: https://www.facebook.com/events/881453808889031/
Villanueva Town Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI0EsCswVzQ
Kevin Drum "Washington Can't Solve A Housing Crisis That Doesn't Exist": https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/07/washington-cant-solve-a-housing-crisis-that-doesnt-exist/
Andy Ngo got punched when he was harassing antifascists at a rally. I want to answer a simple question: should you punch Andy Ngo?
Audio Sources (in order): Joey Gibson Interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw14yw0XXLw
Joey Gibson interview on KGW - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oddm6_Hqao
Haley Adams at Him Too march - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVeDIrQjXA
Haley Adams and Ashton Whitty - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5deZNHIl8Pg
Jason Kessler getting yelled at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZL9JQk9JQc
Proud Boys at The Griffin - https://twitter.com/shutupandrosky/status/1018405822622126080
PPB on June 29th - https://twitter.com/Jimryan015/status/1145078848091856896
Andy Ngo at dance party - https://twitter.com/VicBergerIV/status/1147259553098022912
Andy Ngo on June 29th - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCty7a9o4Qs
Andy Ngo on CNN - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFoNpREtIds
Andy Ngo on Tucker Carlson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZD4sYkE6KE
Other sources: Eoin Lenihan's graph - http://archive.is/geMSx#selection-4753.0-4753.207
Quillette's Antifa article and Atomwaffen - https://newrepublic.com/article/154205/quillettes-antifa-journalists-list-couldve-gotten-killed
Occupy ICE PDX and Patriot Prayer - https://www.wweek.com/news/2018/07/25/police-police-sweep-out-occupy-ice-camp-after-alt-right-goons-show-up-to-taunt-the-few-remaining-protesters/
Andy Ngo doxxing DSA - https://twitter.com/alsoconnor/status/1145113751135240194
ADL 2018 Extremism Violence Report - https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/right-wing-extremism-linked-to-every-2018-extremist-murder-in-the-us-adl-finds
Proud Boys Manhattan Club violence - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/proud-boys-nypd-response-alleged-assault-gavin-mcinnes-metropolitan-republican-club-manhattan/
Proud Boy arrests in NYC - https://www.newsweek.com/proud-boys-gavin-mcinnes-metropolitan-club-fight-antifa-antifascist-street-1181811
Proud Boy threatens Portland Mayor - https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/01/25/proud-boy-threatens-portland-mayor-im-coming-you
Andy Ngo "Fired for Reporting the Truth" - https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/05/free-speech-islam-portland-state-vanguard-editor-fired-tweets/
The Vanguard editors respond - https://psuvanguard.com/in-response-to-fired-for-reporting-the-truth/
Sam Resnick ICE arrest - https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2018/07/3_arrested_outside_portland_ic.html
Sam Resnick history - https://olaasm.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/sexual-predator-alert-from-the-radical-womyns-circle/
Sam Resnick assault June 29th - https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/07/witness-says-bloody-attacks-in-portland-broke-out-after-one-man-came-to-his-aid.html
PPB Joey Gibson texts - https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2019/02/14/texts-between-portland-police-and-patriot-prayer-ringleader-joey-gibson-show-warm-exchange/
John Blum - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/elderly-man-beaten-in-portland/
Today we’re talking about the ILWU showing at City Hall today, some very scary news regarding hydrofluoric acid in both oil refineries and our air, updates around the Ben Carson’s proposed changes to some Housing and Urban Development Departmental rules surrounding mixed-status families, our recurring segment “Cops, you guys” and then a quick update on AB516 before we check out a couple articles in our new reading series.
Send a comment to HUD opposing their rule change: https://www.keep-families-together.org/
Sunrise Movement social media accounts to follow: Sunrise Movment -https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmt and https://www.instagram.com/sunrisemvmt/
Sunrise LA - https://twitter.com/Sunrise_Mvmt_LA and https://www.instagram.com/sunrise.losangeles/
Sunrise PHX - https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmtPHX and https://www.instagram.com/sunrisemovementphx/
Susan Shelley: https://www.ocregister.com/2019/06/26/politicians-like-mike-bonin-dont-understand-how-private-property-works/
SF Chronicle op-ed on public housing: https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Think-the-rent-is-too-high-Blame-immigration-laws-14057262.php
Today we're talking about the Ryan Twyman shooting, positive developments for Section 8 vouchers, California's plans for wildfire insurance, our new boring machines for the Purple Line, the Mayor of Beverly Hills and his very bad opinions on the housing crisis.
Occupy ICE LA Anniversary: https://www.facebook.com/events/319873248946638/
Housing Not Hotels canvas: https://nolympicsla.com/homes-not-hotels/
John Mirisch's essay: http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2019/06/no-density-doesnt-rhyme-with-sanity/
If you see ICE activity in your neighborhood here are some rapid response hotlines you can call: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F_-2DccenvfK4WnfDVm_kx12QThciqDk/view
This episode Beau Delight talks to LA artist/DJ/director and general bad ass boss Brittney Scott, otherwise known as B666s on Twitter, to talk about Community Meeting, End Overdose, Narcan, and Los Angeles Nightlife Alliance. Great conversation with Brittney and excited to see Community Meeting grow.
End Song: Gamers by Chloe Scallion aka Gay Felony TransMissions https://soundcloud.com/gayfelony
https://twitter.com/B666S https://www.endoverdose.net https://www.nightlifealliance.la
Today we're talking about a proposed vacancy tax in LA, numbers from the new CA state budget, parking laws in Los Angeles, Sheriff’s Deputies killing three black or brown men over the course of 24 hours, and the final Los Angeles Police Commission’s decision on the Trader Joe’s shootout from last summer.
Dr. Melina Abdullah on the "Cowboy Culture" of LAPD: https://thenorthstar.com/articles/cowboy-culture-on-the-rise-among-lapd
Chris Roth was a guest on Air Talk with Larry Mantle, where he debated LA City Council member Marqueece Harris-Dawson over AB 516
AB 516 would make it harder for cities to tow cars because of expired tags, parking tickets, or because the car has been parked too long
16,000 Angelenos live in the vehicles right now, but there are only a few hundred Safe Parking spaces available across the city
Until we are able to build safe, affordable housing for everyone in LA, we have to stop punishing people for not being rich
The real solution is housing, but the short term solution is to stop criminalizing our neighbors who are victims of the housing crisis
Originally aired on KPCC on June 12th, 2019
Today we’re talking about this week’s primary results from City Council District 12 special election, the county-wide LAUSD parcel tax, Measure EE, and the biggest story of the week: the 2019 Point in Time homeless count in Los Angeles County.
Photo stolen from Alissa Walker (@awalkerinLA on twitter)
"Capital City" by Samuel Stein: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2870-capital-city
Welcome to this special edition of the Weekly Knock Activism Wrap Up where Squirrel just yells at the news by my lonesome. Chris is up in San Francisco for the California Democratic Party Convention and he’ll tell us all about that next week. Don’t forget you can always head over to KNOCK.LA to see what we’ve been publishing, Ground Game LA has gotten a facelift so if you haven’t checked out the homepage you should definitely do that too. We’re on all your favorite social media sites too: @knockDOTla and @GroundGameLA. Last week I promised I was going to hit the Senate but that plan has changed a bit. I’ve got some updates on what’s been moving on bills in the Assembly and Senate.
Campaign Zero: https://policescorecard.org/
Today we’re talking about SB-50, again, cuts to LA Metro service, Alex Villanueva’s lackluster approach to actually kicking ICE out of the jails as promised, and a quick note about the LA Justice Fund before we do a dive into what has been happening in the State Assembly, which is, frankly, A LOT.
As I promised here's all the bills we discussed in the Assembly wrap up
AB 392: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB392
AB 927: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB927
AB 36: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB36
AB 891: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB891
AB 302: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB302
AB 289: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB289
AB 190: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB190
AB 409: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB409
AB 1328: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1328
AB 1460: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1460
AB 1481: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1481
AB 1482: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1482
AB 857: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB857
Today we’re talking about some housing bills, a new stadium proposal in Long Beach, an update on the Camp Fire investigation, bedbugs in LA jails, and an update on the illegal fences that have been cropping up in Koreatown and around LA.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/
48 Hills Article on Development: https://48hills.org/2019/05/new-study-challenges-wieners-approach-to-housing/
New intro music, SolidarityNET by AcornElectron: https://soundcloud.com/user-878216745/solidaritynet-1?in=user-878216745/sets/binarywave
Also apologies for Squirrel's audio quality this week, new audio setup, new issues, but will be back to full quality next week
Welcome to the first interview by Beau Delight! I interviewed Left in Los Angeles (LILA) members Moya and Pilar about their organization.
Find more information on LILA by following them on Twitter @LosOlvidadosLA
Follow Beau Delight on Twitter @DelightBeau
End song: Interlude by City of Orchestas
Today we’re talking about ride hailing drivers on strike, burning oil refineries in LA, a brief memoriam on the greatest City Hall scandal of 2018, and the looming release of the homelessness count.
As always you can email us at Podcast@groundgamela.org with ideas, comments, and tips
Apologies on a couple of errors in the edit, kind of rushed today.
Today (when we are recording) is May Day and we’re going to be talking about the rally that is still happening while we record this, as well as a brief primer on another important anniversary in Los Angeles history that happened this week, then we’ll dive into the Road to the Green New Deal Tour that happened on Friday, some bright news from Inglewood, and finish with a quick update on Bridge Housing and some related news out of City Hall.
NB: Squirrel said "conservatorship" but should have said "consent decree" when talking about LAPD
To see a video about the Road to a Green New Deal show in LA: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxArnezgG50/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
To read Bonin's motion on sweeps: http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2019/19-0450_mot_04-30-2019.pdf
Big announcement time! I, Bushido Squirrel, am leaving LA for a bit to take care of personal stuff in Arizona. I'm excited to announce that all around amazing human Beau Delight will be taking over the podcast.
Make sure to follow her on twitter: @DelightBeau
Thanks for an amazing time, I'm stoked to see where Beau takes us and I know y'all will have a great time.
I'll be back at some point, but until then: friendship is mutual aid, never stop fighting for a better world!
Today we’re talking about traffic fatalities, police use of force legislation, some major housing bills in the legislature, a quick update on public banking, and some more in the ongoing saga of our California utilities being...interesting.
NOlympics LA is making some bold moves in LA and across the globe. As the organizers prepare for their trip to Tokyo, to attend a conference with other Olympic resistance groups, Jonny Coleman and Professor David Goldblatt join me to talk about the 2028 bid, recent wins, and the future of the movement.
David Goldblatt is a visiting professor at Pitzer College and author of several books including "The Games: A Global History of the Olympics". Available from W.W. Norton: https://books.wwnorton.com/books/The-Games
And his forthcoming book "The Age of Football: The Global Game in the 21st Century" will be available February 2020.
Today we’re talking about what happened in the City Council chambers on Tuesday, along with a reshuffling of the structure of the City’s sustainability plans, Garcetti’s State of the City Address, and some (relatively) good news out of the LAPD for a change.
The Hillside Villa apartment complex in Chinatown has been operating under a housing covenant that guarantees affordable rent for tenants. Tom Botz and his daughter Chloe have other designs on the property. Covenants only last for 30 years and it is up to the landlord whether they want to renew. Despite receiving generous tax subsidies for decades the Botz family still wants to displace their tenants.
Adella and Mauricio are two tenants who have worked with the LA Tenants Union to fight massive rent increases and resist more displacement. Adella was also displaced from her neighborhood to make way for the Staples Center and again her home in threatened by greedy developers.
To read more about the Hillside Villa: https://knock-la.com/tom-botz-landlord-and-his-daughter-chloe-have-a-cruel-history-of-anti-children-building-c662ca2b850
To learn more about the LA Tenants Union: https://latenantsunion.org/en/
Today we’re talking about the LAPD pulling back on predictive policing, Sheriff Vellaneuva rehiring previously fired deputies, then a report in the LAist on a plan to spend $30m on homeless encampment sweeps and we'll finish up with a discussion of a letter posted by the Alliance For Community Transit that outlines a number of problems with SB50.
Today talking about a new homelessness campaign in the city, a quick update on the 2028 Olympics bid, the tragic death of Nipsey Hussle, a contentious idea regarding land use in Santa Monica, and some updates on the upcoming CD12 special election.
Green New Deal Road Tour: http://bit.ly/GNDLA
CD 12 Candidate Forum: https://www.facebook.com/events/274493273438129/278895402997916/
People Power Happy Hour: https://www.facebook.com/events/310323609647740/
Today we’re talking about transportation issues here in LA, from Lyft’s upcoming IPO, to the ride-share strike that happened this week, to congestion pricing studies, to Newsom’s transportation funding stick and the inherent dangers of being a pedestrian in LA.
The college admissions scandal has brought new scrutiny to academia, not just examining instances of outright corruption but looking at the built in inequality in education. Kendall Mayhew and Ace Katana sat down with me to have a discussion about our own educational experiences in private schools and colleges, as well as the class implications of this very strange scandal.
Check out Lower Ed by Tressie McMillan Cottom: https://thenewpress.com/books/lower-ed
and Kids These Days by Malcolm Harris: https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/malcolm-harris/kids-these-days/9781478992332/
Today we’re talking about wildfire culpability, Sheriff’s department shakeups, LAPD accountability, and a quick update on supportive housing production across the city.
Los Angeles has 99 neighborhood councils across the city that act as forums for the public and an advisory system for city government. Jon Deutsch, President of the Board of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council joins me to talk about the NC system and how LFNC has leveraged their power.
From building bridge housing to bringing needed traffic safety to Los Feliz we examine how neighborhoods are empowering themselves.
To see the full calendar of Neighborhood Elections: https://clerk.lacity.org/electiondayinfo
To learn more about the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council: https://losfeliznc.org/
Today we’re talking about Public Banking, CD12, Bridge Housing at not-Koreatown over in Lafayette Park, Stop LAPD Spying, the LAPD Use of Force Report, and some fantastic news at the state level regarding capital punishment, with special guest John Motter.
To read the use of force report on Eric Rivera click here: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5765368-LosAngelesPoliceEricRivera04202018OISFile.html
Today we're talking about the Mitchell case we covered last week, Tuesday’s election results, expanding news coverage on the purported highly illegal behavior by Customs and Border Patrol agents in and around San Diego, and the protests up in Sacramento resulting from a lack of prosecutions for Stephon Clark’s killers.
Los Angeles is in the midst of major changes to how it generates and uses electricity. In a recent announcement Mayor Eric Garcetti pledged to stop the re-powering of 3 gas plants and to put LA on the path to getting power only from renewable sources. This victory didn't come without a fight though; neighborhood groups and community organizers spent years developing these plans before finding real political traction.
Alex Nagy and Walker Foley, organizers with Food and Water Watch, join me to talk about how LA has a unique moment to lead the nation in sustainability. Monied interests still control our power grid, but their power is slipping under the weight of sustained community pressure.
To learn more about Food and Water Watch: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/ https://www.facebook.com/FoodWaterWatchCalifornia
To learn more about STAND LA: https://www.facebook.com/STANDLosAngeles/
Today we're talking about the disclosure of police misconduct records, developments in the Sunrise Movement and the Green New Deal, and some goings on at the City Ethics Commission that could have some serious repercussions in city politics.
Today we’re talking about a LADWP changing tack toward a more renewable energy future; former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca heading to federal jail; the LA County Board of Supervisors deciding to replace Men’s Central with a mental health facility; officials harassing journalists and activists at the US-Mexico border; and an unsurprising announcement in the 2020 Los Angeles City Council race.
Since the 1970's universities large and small have relied more and more on "contingent faculty". Contingent professors are not on a track to tenure and have much less stable job careers. Rather than getting robust benefits, offices full of research assistants, and the prestige of lifetime employment they face low pay, low benefits, and insecurity. Dr. Mary-Beth Brophy, a member of the Executive Committee on Contingent and Part Time Faculty Forum, joins me to talk about this model of employment and what educators are doing to organize to change this model.
To read MLA's "Worst Practices: How to Avoid Exploiting Contingent Faculty": https://profession.mla.org/worst-practices-how-to-avoid-exploiting-contingent-faculty/
Today talking about Professor Melina Abdullah’s charges being dropped, a developing CHP fraudulent overtime story, military war games here in LA, and a not-cop not-white white power character.
Today we’re talking about the PG&E bankruptcy filing and some personnel issues in both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department. There will absolutely be more to talk about regarding both of those departments in the coming weeks. Eric Garcetti made a major non-announcement and there are some developments in the case of Dr. Melina Abdullah.
For more KNOCK.LA coverage head over to https://knock.la and you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
LAPD's elite Metro Division is back in the news after another scandal involving "stop and frisk in cars" was reported by the LA Times. To the organizers at Stop LAPD spying this came as no surprise. They have spent years tracking the abuses and expansion of LAPD that always result in further criminalization and marginalization in vulnerable communities. Hamid Kahn and Jamie Garcia joined me to talk about this current scandal and how LAPD in collaboration with private companies and academics is working the expand the stalker state.
To learn more or get involved: https://stoplapdspying.org/
Today talking about the end of the teachers strike; the sticky situation surrounding transportation of marijuana around the state; e-scooters, rideshares and their impacts on transit; and a quick update on CD10 and the surprisingly coy politician with an unsurprising revelation in a campaign fundraising email.
To sign the color of change petition: https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/demand-los-angeles-city-attorney-mike-feuer-drop-all-charges-against-dr-melina-abdullah
If you want the news every Friday morning become a KNOCK patron: https://www.patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
New year free episode!
We’re talking about the LAUSD teachers going on strike next week, the coroner’s office removing yet another dead gay man from a local political donor’s home, the upcoming California Democratic Party’s Assembly Delegate elections, Google’s move into the West Side, and a reform package that was recently passed regarding public moneys in campaign financing.
For more info on the ADEM elections: https://www.adems.vote/
To read Jasmyne Cannick's work on the death of Gemmel Moore: https://knock-la.com/thanks-to-the-l-a-s-21d24a99234b
As United Teachers LA and LAUSD move towards the largest strike we've seen in decades student Norma Garcia joined me to talk about new ideas for high school history curriculum. Every year students travel to Sacramento for the Student Advisory Board on Education meeting to develop ideas to improve their education.
Norma helped develop plans to make high school history curriculum more inclusive so that students feel more directly connected to what they are learning.
If you want to learn more about SABE: https://www.casc.net/sabe
To read the proposal: https://www.scribd.com/document/397301519/History-Proposal-Proposal-SABE-2018-Google-Docs
For the last several months the caravans of migrants making their way to the US border has cycled in and out of the US news cycle. While national and international attention have waned local journalists and activists are still working at the border to bring relief and tell the stories of the people who are risking their lives for a chance at a new start. Journalist Ryanne Mena has dedicated herself to working on the border as this situation develops. As a young journalist she sat down to talk about her experience working on a story this large, what it's like to deal with US authorities, and how the people living in the shelters are fairing.
To read more of Ryanne's coverage: https://www.thecorsaironline.com/
The Sunrise Movement burst into the national consciousness after staging a successful action at Nancy Pelosi's office in Washington, DC that caught the attention of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. That same day she announced her platform for a Green New Deal and called for the creation of a select committee to develop the legislation. Since then hundreds of actions have been staged across the country and more than 30 Representatives have backed the call. Despite the pressure soon to be Speaker Pelosi has not firmly committed to achieving these goals, so activists in the Bay Area took action to target and shut down her San Francisco office. I was lucky enough to be a part of this protest and to document the voices of those putting their bodies on the line.
To learn more about the Green New Deal: https://ocasio2018.com/green-new-deal
To learn more about Sunrise Movement: https://SunriseMovement.org
The Shower of Hope is an initiative to bring hygiene and dignity to those caught out by LA's housing crisis. Executive Director Mel Tillekeratne joins me to talk about how the Shower of Hope has grown in the last few years and plans to expand even further. On the frontline of this crisis Mel and his volunteers serve hundreds of guests every week with showers, haircuts, hygiene kits, and access to services. But these capabilities have also been invaluable serving those affected by the Woolsey Fire. As both the cost of housing and the threat of climate change accelerate the Shower of Hope will be in even more demand.
To learn more about the Shower of Hope or volunteer: http://theshowerofhope.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/theshowerofhope
(Note: the cover photo is from the case that Mel and I discussed of the pregnant woman who was at first resistant to accepting help during her pregnancy)
Whoops, coming at you a bit late this week since we got sidetracked at the Movement Builders Conference in Las Vegas over the weekend.
We're covering the news this week following up on the election fraud scandal on Skid Row, discussing Mayor Eric Garcetti’s presidential ambitions, updates in the Sheriff’s race, Richelle Huizar dropping her bid for City Council, Mitch O’Farrell’s private email account, and a serious scandal for the head of the California Democratic Party. It’s been a heck of a couple of weeks since we last did this!
For the tenth and final episode of the Rings of Hell series, we have a full house of NOlympians to talk about everything that's happened in LA and in the crumbling Olympic empire since this series started a couple months ago. This includes the release of NOlympics' survey about the 2028 games, the LA84 Foundation's embarrassing "social justice" summit, the fall of the Huizars, the death of the Calgary's 2026 bid, and much, much more.
Tune in, please rate us on iTunes (http://bit.ly/GGLApodcast) tell your friends, and all that good stuff. We really appreciate you taking the time to dive deep into these subjects.
If you'd like to donate to Ground Game/KNOCK to fund more independent LA-focused journalism and podcasts like this, click here: https://www.patreon.com/KNOCK_LA.
If you'd like to organize with Ground Game(https://www.groundgamela.org), NOlympics(https://www.nolympicsla.com), or DSA-LA(https://www.dsa-la.org), drop us a line
Santa Susana is LA's dirty little secret. A former rocket testing site that developed weapons and nuclear technology, it is the site of the world's first nuclear meltdown, though that was kept secret for decades. The devastating Woolsey Fire appears to have started on this incredibly toxic site.
Audio taken from: Rocketdyne Navaho Engine Demostration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d20nKgRZhLA
L.A.'s Secret Meltdown; Simi Valley, CA(1959)Largest Nuclear Incident in U.S. history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVhtygifsuE
Aliso Canyon Media Clips for the Oct 14, 2017 Dr. Nordella Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtBafmiFHOc
Learn More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory
The Olympics pose monumental risks to everyone unfortunate enough to be in their orbit, and this is true especially for workers - either workers who help make the games happen (construction, service industry, volunteers) to the athletes themselves. Labor exploitation and the Olympics are synonymous, and we've charted this history of rampant harm - everything from wage theft to psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse - in the modern Olympics, even the beloved 1984 games.
For episode 8 of the Rings of Hell podcast, we're joined by members of DSA Los Angeles' Labor and Healthcare committees to explore how the Olympics are always sold as being "good for labor," while the receipts show the reality couldn't be further from the truth.
Holy smokes, the Ground Game Podcast is 1 year old!
So to celebrate we had the FBI raid LA City Hall and held an election.
We're covering the newest #TeamHuizar scandal and breaking down the election results.
Not sure what to do for next year's birthday, got any good ideas?
Did you know that LA isn't a sanctuary city, in name or in spirit? Even if we were a true sanctuary city with real protections, any Olympics on US soil poses huge risks for immigrants. That's because the LA 2028 Olympics is designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE), which gives the Department of Homeland Security (ICE, CBP, NSA, all the bad dudes) the express ability to coordinate with local law enforcement.
Sound like a terrible idea? It is!
For this episode of Rings of Hell, we are joined by members of DSA Los Angeles' Immigration Justice Committee to discuss all the ways our current Democrat establishment in LA already fall short of their pseudo-progressive pro-immigrant messaging and how the NSSE - compounded with our already wildly militarized local law enforcement - poses a nightmare for communities across the Southland.
Today we’re going to be talking a couple of lawsuits against Councilman Jose Huizar, a very concerning story about a potential planning department power grab, another NIMBY lawsuit that is aimed at stopping the City’s plans around the Expo Line, and a bit of uplifting news around a pilot program for accessory dwelling units as housing for the homeless being run at the County level.
For our sixth episode, we explore how fascists have co-opted and manipulated the platform of mega sports through the annals of history - whether it's Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco with soccer and the Olympics - or more recent despots or power-hungry individuals who use the games to enhance their power. It turns out the pageantry and bright shiny object-ness of mega sport gives bad people a tremendous amount of cover.
To learn more: NOlympicsLA.com or KNOCK.LA
For one year Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and allies have been protesting in front of Jackie Lacey's office. 52 weeks of protest, testimony, anger, and calls for justice.
This coalition is powerful. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck was forced to leave his post early because of community pressure over his department's deadly actions. Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 1421 which opens up police misconduct records to public scrutiny because state legislators listened to the community and chose to stand with our neighbors.
These actions will not be ending anytime soon. And until our police stop killing our neighbors and family members we will not be silent.
For this episode, we invited Olympic author and expert Jules Boykoff to call in and give us a broad look at how the modern Olympics came into being, how their power is structured, and how they've evolved over the decades, growing more insidious at every turn. The Olympic machine has been around since the late 1800s and operated as a sort of sideshow. To this day the IOC still feels like it's being led by carnival barkers trying to hook the next gullible sucker, and this conversation tracks how they've managed to stay alive and where they're potentially vulnerable.
To read more by Jules Boykoff: http://julesboykoff.org/
It's KNOCK.LA's 2nd voter guide run down!
But as a note, during recording this there was a shooting in front of the Ground Game office in Hollywood. The victim survived, but it was scary and trying. This event has colored a lot of my week and I wanted to talk about it at the top of the show.
NOlympics LA and KNOCK.LA’s 10 part podcast series on the negative effects of the LA Olympics continues with Episode 4, “The Eric Garcetti Podcast Special.”
In this episode, we unpack LA’s occasional Mayor, Eric Michael Garcetti, who has the worst kept secret in local politics (an upcoming presidential run), and explore MEG’s privilege, his hijacking of marginalized groups’ identities for political advancement, his fear of adversarial journalism, and what his true goals are. And we bring it all together by exploring how the Olympics is the cynical vanity project Garcetti’s using to try to make you forget he works for developers, police, and other elite interests.
So turn on, tune in, and drop out; it’s time for the MEGisode.
The movement against the Olympics is not limited to Los Angeles, of course. We’ve seen opposition organizations spring up from Denver to Hamburg, Tokyo to Turino, Calgary to Chicago and everywhere in between, as the International Olympic Committee repeats their pattern wherever find a city to reel in.
For this episode, we feature guests who were documenting the struggle in Rio in the lead up to the 2016 games and who were involved in No Boston’s successful fight to push out the 2024 bid. We reveal that, despite some local differences, we are all fighting the same fight against the IOC who helps create heightened militarization, displacement, and authoritarianism in the name of extracting profit. The struggle against this form of neoliberal lotteryism is both a hyper-local and transnational one.
Photo credit: Melito Junior/Mídia Ninja, republished with Creative Commons license.
To learn more about Rio: http://www.rioonwatch.org/
To learn more about Boston: https://www.nobostonolympics.org/
Ace Katana drops by to talk about recent developments in the criminal legal system here in California. The legislature has been busy rolling back some of the more draconian sentencing guidelines. SB 1421 also marks a historic change in state law, how will this affect defendants?
Ace is an LA County Public Defender and is on the negotiating team for the Public Defenders Union. With years of experience fueling his calls for prison abolition he leads us through a survey of where the criminal legal system is heading.
If you want to learn more about the LA County Public Defenders Union head over to: https://www.lapubdefunion.com/ or follow them on Twitter: @LApubdefunion
NOlympics Los Angeles and KNOCK.LA explore the impacts of hosting the Olympic Games.
The Olympic games are sold to cities around the world as an opportunity to revitalize and highlight their development. When a city wins a bid there is a predictable cycle of skyrocketing housing costs, increased policing, and an influx of incredible wealth. Far from bringing tourist dollars the games actually facilitate a transfer of wealth upwards. Neighborhoods are uprooted in favor of luxury development. Whole blocks are leveled to make room for new venues. Forests are literally clear cut for ski runs.
The International Olympic Committee is comprised of incredibly wealthy and powerful individuals. Local politicians and business leaders curry their favor to win lucrative contracts and opportunities to profit at the community's expense.
When we talk about the Olympics we need to look beyond the ceremonies and sports, we need to see who benefits and who loses across a city. The games are sold as a win for everyone to mask that they are designed only to benefit the wealthy few.
For more information: https://NOlympicsLA.com
NOlympics Los Angeles and KNOCK.LA explore the true legacy of the Olympic Games here in Los Angeles by dismantling the false narrative of 1984.
The 1984 Olympic Games are hailed as one of the most successful games ever staged. Los Angeles provided a host city experience complete with all the cosmopolitan luxury of Hollywood, all while shedding its reputation as a traffic nightmare and earning a profit. For Eric Garcetti and Casey Wasserman this apparent legacy of success is one of their major selling points for the 2028 Games.
But this rhetoric, which is found throughout the 2024 bid book and the marketing surrounding the games, is a shallow mask over the real legacy of 1984. Beneath the star studded Opening Ceremonies and lavish Olympic Village there is a narrative about displacement, policing, and inequality. An event like the Olympics does not slot easily into a city like Los Angeles. Even a normal day sees our streets and communities stretched to their breaking point. LAPD was essential in sweeping away unhoused people around the stadiums and party venues. International paramilitary forces were used to train officers and the department acquired an armored personnel carrier. These capabilities have not been abandoned, but rather LAPD has become more militarized as the city grows.
While there is some truth to the idea that 1984 Games turned a profit the full story is much more complicated. By relying on a new form of corporate sponsorship, private funding, and opaque accounting LA walked away with millions of dollars, except it's not public money. The '84 Foundation was created to hold and spend the money, deciding which neighborhoods would reap the windfall, and their largesse was not felt in underserved communities.
1984's legacy is central to understanding the drive towards 2028 and how we can resist these false memories to stop the games.
For more info: https://NOlympicsLA.com
Professor Adonia Lugo joins me to talk about her new book "Bicycle/Race" which explores the cultural anthropology of transportation, infrastructure, and race in Los Angeles. Beginning with the origins of development in the Los Angeles basin, tracing development with the freeways and the rise of car culture, Lugo paints a vivid picture of how we built a flawed infrastructure.
Cycling presents a unique way to explore and interact with your city, you are physically more present in your environment and, as such, more vulnerable. Who are our roads built to protect? Who's best served by improvements? How does gentrification build only to displace?
"Bike/Race" is available now from Microcosm Publishing You can buy the book here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/7833 To learn more about People for Mobility Justice: https://www.peopleformobilityjustice.org/home To follow Professor Lugo:http://www.urbanadonia.com/p/about_22.html
Every Friday Chris and Bushido Squirrel breakdown the news from around California. You can get this sent directly to your ears by becoming a KNOCK.LA patron, simply head over to Patreon.com/KNOCK_LA and toss us a dollar or two, tell your friends, help us build more cool stuff!
This week Chris and Bushido Squirrel breakdown a recent Supreme Court decision to not hear a case, look at the the bills that Jerry Brown signed and those that he didn't, talk more about Charter Amendment B, and welcome news of a new head of the LA County Office of the Public Defender.
It's Jerry Brown's swansong as Governor and what he chose to sign or ignore says a lot about where he thinks the state is going after he leaves.
Trinity Tran from Public Bank LA joins me to talk about the latest developments in public banking in LA, specifically a ballot measure to amend the LA City Charter. A Yes on Charter Amendment B vote will pave the way for Los Angeles and California to structure and create public banks.
While the vision of our public bank draws inspiration from many different public banking systems from around the world, Los Angeles is a unique city and we will need to work diligently with our elected representatives to create a viable bank.
November 6th will be here sooner than you think, tell your friends, your coworkers, your barista, your server, your elotero to vote Yes on Charter Amendment B.
To learn more: https://publicbankla.com/ Or you can follow them on twitter: @publicbankla
Skylar and Alexandra from Sunstock Solar Festival join me to talk about the upcoming event on October 20th, 2018 right here in Hollywood.
Sunstock is a festival committed to environmentalism, renewable energy, and zero waste. Music festivals have grown from occasional events into a year round industry in Southern California, but they are also synonymous with excess and waste. Why aren't larger events committed to reducing their footprint and educating their attendees? What does it take to bring that mindset to a large music festival?
Like I said Sunstock Solar Festival will be going down October 20th, 2018 right here in Hollywood, on Gramercy Place between Hollywood Blvd and Franklin Ave, it's free to everyone but if you can a $15 donation will help bring a solar roof install to a Safe Place for Youth, a Venice based non-profit.
If you want to make a donation: @SunstockSolFest on Venmo!
To learn more: http://sunstocksolarfestival.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/SunstockSolFest/
To hear Trapdoor Social: http://www.trapdoorsocial.com/
The Time's Up and Me Too movements have brought scrutiny to the incredibly unequal treatment that women in entertainment face. But for the most part the media has focused on big name celebrities and the careers of wealthy actors while ignoring the struggle of below the line workers. Below the line workers are the people who actually make everything happen. Despite Hollywood's long history of robust unions gender pay disparities are still rampant across the industry.
IATSE Local 871 represents over 2500 crafts covering a wide range of creative professionals. As one of the only majority female locals in the city they have taken it upon themselves to bring this issue to light and to pressure Hollywood producers to step up. Under the banner Reel Equity the union has studied pay rates and gender in the industry, coming to some very stark conclusions. Organizer Miranda Cristofani joins me to talk about the work that Reel Equity has been doing and what the fight will look like from here.
To sign the open letter: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/open-letter-for-reel-equity
To learn more about the 2018 Pay Equity Summit: https://womennmedia.com/event/pay-equity-summit/
To learn more about IATSE Local 871: https://www.ialocal871.org/
To read more about the August arrests of BLM LA activists: https://abc7.com/3-arrested-after-halting-police-commission-meeting/2310646/
Filmmaker Erica M. Hart joins me to talk about her latest project "Gray Area." After the 2016 election Erica was contacted by a man who had assaulted her years earlier, this opened the door to create a space for a trying and necessary conversation.
Through the lens of this short documentary we explore notions of consent, restorative justice, internet personality, and survivorship.
NB: We do discuss sex, sexuality, assault, and rape in very frank ways, not graphic, but if these are issues that you are sensitive to it's something to keep in mind.
To learn more about Gray Area you can check out Erica's article in The Advocate: https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2018/8/14/my-calm-conversation-man-who-sexually-assaulted-me
Or you can see her Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1463926962/gray-area
This week it's just Chris and Bushido Squirrel ranting about the news, and there's a lot to rant about. California is trying to "reform" the cash bail system in the worst possible way. The Ridley-Thomas dynasty keeps getting caught being corrupt. Disney is mad at Anaheim and is throwing a fit. AB84 is trying to reshape campaign finance in California in the worst ways. And lastly, Duncan Hunter is the vaping, gaming, millennial Congressional representative that you thought you couldn't dislike more. Duncan and his wife are facing a host of charges and the indictment is a strange trip through how much you can steal from your wealth defense contractor donors.
Costa-Hawkins, the 1995 law that froze rental control in California, is officially on the chopping block, come November voters will decide whether to allow cities and counties to expand rent control. Prop 10 made it to the ballot through the dedicated work of community organizers and neighbors collecting hundreds of thousands of signatures across the state.
The Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) was at the front of this effort. Rene Moya, the Housing Campaign Organizer with ACCE here in LA, joins me to talk about getting on the ballot, common arguments we will need to counter, and what the fight will look like once we repeal Costa-Hawkins.
To learn more about ACCE: https://www.acceaction.org/
To learn more about the Los Angeles Tenants Union: https://latenantsunion.org/en/
For more information on Prop 10: https://voteyesonprop10.org/
Congratulations to the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Union on becoming an officially recognized bargaining unit. Ace Katana joins me to talk about the efforts to unionize, what spurred it, and what they hope to gain.
The Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender is the largest criminal defense law firm in the world and the oldest public defender office in the US. Hundreds of attorneys handle thousands, if not tens of thousands, of cases a year. They are often the only hope their clients have to stay out of jail and to defend themselves against the power of the mass incarceral state.
Since first being proposed by Clara Shortridge Foltz at the World's Fair in 1893, cities and counties have adopted this model to provide representation to their residents. These efforts were further bolstered by Supreme Court decisions that affirmed a defendant's right to legal counsel. As more attention turns to the abuses of prosecutors and cops the necessity of this work becomes even more apparent.
To learn more about Clara Shortridge Foltz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Shortridge_Foltz
To see what the LA County Public Defenders Union is up to: https://www.lapubdefunion.com/ or follow them on Twitter: @LApubdefunion
To learn more about AFSCME Council 36: https://www.afscme36.org/
To visit KNOCK LA's Patreon: http://patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
Everything is on fire. This is the new normal for California and the western states. Currently there are nearly 100 fires burning across the US, some of the most destructive are growing here in California.
Global climate change has disrupted the natural cycles that we have grown accustomed to; every year bigger, more destructive fires tear through dry vegetation and raze towns to their foundations. Billions of dollars are required every year to fight, contain, evacuate and rebuild.
This is our new reality. How will we as a city, a county, a state respond to this new, constant danger?
*One correction: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection was founded in 1885, I said 1895
Audio from: KCRA Al Jazeera EuroNews CBS GMA KBCW
The Ellison is a more than century old apartment building in Venice that is one of the last affordable buildings in that area. While the Ellison has a rich history of tenants and owners the latest owner is doing everything in his power to force out rent stabilized long term tenants.
Lance J. Robbins is a notorious slumlord in Los Angeles, he boasts a long record with the city and was even prosecuted by former Mayor James Hahn. His newest scheme to turn an RSO apartment building into a hotel is bring misery to tenants, neighbors and guests.
To see pictures from The Ellison and get involved head over to: https://knock-la.com/welcome-to-the-hellison-c62390123ef6
To send a post card to the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office: https://goo.gl/forms/XUNpIallUPLTkfPi1
Also apologies for my audio quality on this episode, ran out of good mics in the studio and had to roll with a cheap on for myself
If you want to help us out so we can afford more good mics head over to Patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
Mayor Eric Garcetti is pinning his Presidential hopes on a successful bid for the 2028 Olympic Games, but a dedicated, and growing, group of Los Angeles organizers is rallying to stop him. The Olympics are sold to cities as essentially free by leveraging corporate sponsors to foot the bill: this is disingenuous. Rachel Reyes (@Rachel_Reyes) joined me at Ground Game HQ to talk about the hidden costs of the Olympics.
How will the games drive displacement? How will the unhoused be further criminalized? How much more money will we funnel to LAPD to arrest and harass our neighbors?
As the International Olympic Committee struggles to find host cities now is the time to fight back locally and to organize our neighbors to demand that our voices be heard.
To learn more and get involved: https://nolympicsla.com/ And follow @NolympicsLA on social media to keep up with the fight
Alissa Walker (@awalkerinLA) from Curbed.LA joins us at Ground Game HQ for a wide ranging discussion about the state of the city, the future of transportation, and how to make development more transparent.
Curbed is part of a growing movement for more local coverage. As Los Angeles journalism is roiled by buyouts, union busting, and cuts to staff more nimble organizations are establishing themselves as more than niche sources. Curbed has been especially committed to tracking development across the city and showing how effective this can be in setting the narrative.
You can check out more coverage from Curbed: https://la.curbed.com/
And for their Beginner's Guide to LA: https://la.curbed.com/2018/6/21/17456050/guide-la-tips-moving-renting-homes
Every Friday morning on the KNOCK-LA Patreon page Chris Roth breaks down the goings on around LA and the country. Want to know what's kicking in activist and organizing circles? Want to hear a better perspective on the week's events? Want to know where to go to get active and involved?
We've got you covered every week!
This segment is a Patreon exclusive, so if you want to hear more head over to Patreon.com/KNOCK_LA and toss us a dollar or two
You can also read more at KNOCK-LA.com
Jackson Hinkle is an 18 year old running for a seat on the San Clemente City Council as part of the group OC Students for City Council.
Orange County, California is a notoriously rich, conservative enclave. Some of the most conservative members of Congress hail from these districts and the area's wealth fills the coffers of GOP campaigns across the country. However, the OC also has a young population that is coming into its own. College students are organizing to win local office and bring more attention to the issues facing growing cities.
As the 2018 elections gets closer we are seeing a wave of youth energy erupting, come November we will find out how well that momentum has been harnassed.
To learn more about OC Students for City Council: https://www.ocstudents4citycouncil.org/ https://www.instagram.com/ocstudents4cc/
To learn more about Team Zissou: https://www.instagram.com/teamzissouglobal/
Sorry for the delay but I was "occupied" for the last week.
On June 23rd Ground Game LA assisted @LAAgainstICE in a direct action targeting the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. We blocked driveways and chanted at employees. We came to take over the driveway on Aliso St, the driveway that is usually used for detainee buses and vans. Since then we have kept a constant vigil and a lively community has grown.
I wanted to report on some of my experiences with this. It has been one of the hardest and most rewarding weeks of my life.
To learn more follow: @LAAgainstICE
To donate on Venmo: @LAAgainstICE and @AssistanceForTheResistance
Assistance for the Resistance is a community kitchen that helps keep activists and community members fed and hydrated, they have been a huge help to camp this week.
I sat down with Ankur Patel, former AD 45 candidate, and Shawnee Badger, Our Revolution Santa Clarita, to talk about the primaries and the path forward. Every loss is a win, every defeat is a chance to learn, with that in mind Ankur and Shawnee help me sketch out a path forward for progressives in Southern California.
What have we been weak on? Where have we been strong? How can we better organize our communities? How do we create electoral success out of those efforts?
Inspired by Gayle McLaughlin, the Los Angeles Progressive Alliance aims to bridge the divide between different groups to coordinate more successfully when it comes time to vote. Harnessing and directing the new progressive momentum is a huge task and as more radical young people get involved in politics it is time to create the kinds of new structures that we will need to carry us forward as we continue to win seats.
To learn more about the Los Angeles Progressive Alliance: https://www.progressivealliance.la/ or find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laprog.org/
To learn more about Our Revolution/DSA Santa Clarita: https://ourrevolution.com/groups/our-revolution-scv/ or find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourrevolutionscv/
The primaries are done and now that the dust has settled I sit down with Chris Roth, Ace Katana, and Richard King to run down the results. From the top of the ticket to the bottom of the ticket we've got you mostly covered.
To read more always head over to KNOCK-LA.com
Rachael Rose Luckey from the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council sat down with me for a fantastic conversation about local politics, the power each neighborhood has, and what her political journey has been like.
Rachael Rose Luckey is a progressive political activist, with special emphasis on the LGB/Trans Movements, living in Los Angeles. As Secretary of the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council, she is one of only sixteen openly Transgender Government Officials in the nation to currently hold elected office. She also participates on community advisory committees/working groups including LAPD, LA Care and the Westlake Community Plan Advisory Committee. (The views expressed are solely her own and do not represent the views of any political party, organization, government entity or candidate/elected official)
The biggest rent strike in Los Angeles history is happening now. After years of neglect and a sudden jump in rent Lisa Ehrlich is facing robust opposition from her tenants. Los Angeles Tenants Union has jumped in to support the strikers who are all working families. Maria and Sara sat down with Trinidad Ruiz and me to talk about their fight and how we can support their struggle.
To learn more about LA Tenants Union: https://latenantsunion.org/en/ https://latenantsunion.org/es/
To read our coverage of the rent strike: https://knock-la.com/the-biggest-rent-strike-in-la-history-burlington-tenants-vs-slumlord-attorney-lisa-ehrlich-52917abc79a8
KNOCK LA and Ground Game have some endorsements for the June 5th primary in California.
Wondering who to vote for, we have some suggestions.
For more visit: http://KNOCK-LA.com
And to support KNOCK LA's work: http://patreon.com/knock_la
Jeff Weiss sits down to talk about the campaign to boycott the LA Weekly and its new owners, the struggles of doing journalism in LA, the problems with billionaire owners, and why LA's widening inequality is destroying our best civic institutions.
The LA Weekly was bought out by a shadowy cabal of wealthy investors from Orange County and they immediately moved to fire almost the entire staff. Recent coverage in the paper has been sparse and poorly focused. Former writers, staffers, activists, and organizers have lead the charge to win back the paper by applying economic pressure through boycotts, pressuring advertisers, and building new media outlets in LA.
For more info check out: http://boycottlaweekly.com/
And if you are interested in helping us build our own independent media here in LA head over to: https://knock-la.com/
And if you're feeling generous you can toss us a couple bucks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
The Debt Collective was born out of Occupy Wall Street and has spent the last decade fighting the banks and collectors to protect consumers. We all carry debt, we're all shackled with interest and loans and obligations, we area all debtors, but we don't see ourselves as part of a collective. Debt atomizes consumers and makes it harder to build a stable financial life, fighting the collectors and banks on your own is an insurmountable task; but if we think of ourselves as a collective of debtors then we can find new ways to resist.
The Debt Collective has built a suite of tools that you can use to start disputing and discharging your debts, to check them out and get started visit: http://debtcollective.org/
And to contribute to KNOCK-LA's patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KNOCK_LA
Everyone In LA is a campaign to end homelessness and create sustainable solutions to our housing crisis. Tommy Newman is now Public Policy Director for the United Way, previously he helped with the successful Measure H and Measure HHH referendums. Los Angeles County has more than 60,000 unhoused residents and has seen the crisis grow year over year. Voters in LA authorized billions of dollars to be spent on permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and treatment; however, our city council is dragging their feet on implementing these solutions. Everyone In has conducted public polling to show how popular their platform is and is tracking the actions of every member of LA City Council. We can solve our housing crisis and stop the suffering that happen on LA's streets everyday, but only with commitment to bold solutions that are built on a foundation of radical hope.
To learn more about Everyone In LA: http://everyoneinla.org/ To track LA City Council: http://everyoneinla.org/supportive-housing-tracker/
And you can always check out http://KNOCK-LA.com for more local coverage
And if you want to drop Ground Game a couple bucks: https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/217641/sustaining-donations-for-ground-game-la
Los Angeles has seen a push towards building public transportation and active transportation infrastructure, but there has been a well funded opposition to these changes. Removing driving lanes, lowering driving speeds, and installing bike lanes are proven ways to decrease the number of road fatalities, and dedicated activists have been pushing the city to expand these initiatives. Roadblock, the man behind Wolfpack Hustle and the LA Marathon Crash Race joined me to talk about his work to make cycling safer and what it's been like to work with the city. As development continues we're going to find these conversations about how we plan our communities and how we interact with our neighborhoods front and center in LA political life.
If you want to know more check out: http://wolfpackhustle.com/
And for a great write up on the global impact of LA's cycling community: https://cyclingtips.com/2018/03/barely-controlled-chaos-the-life-and-death-of-the-wolfpack-marathon-crash-race/
KNOCK-LA now has a Patreon! If you want to support our work head over to: https://www.patreon.com/KNOCK_LA/
LA County Public Defender Holly Hancock is running for the open 60th Office on the LA County Superior Court. She swung by Ground Game HQ to talk about her campaign and the state of LA's criminal justice system. Holly has been a public defender in LA for 12 years working with a variety of clients facing jail sentences and other punishments, while jail realignment and changes to sentencing laws have brought some relief LA is still locking up it's own citizens at an extraordinary rate. Holly wants to bring her years of experience defending residents to the bench to help lead our justice system towards better outcomes for everyone in the community.
Trinity and David from Divest LA and Public Bank LA sat down to talk about the push for a public bank in the city of Los Angeles. After the meltdown in 2008 an incredible amount of malfeasance was uncovered, and almost none of it has been completely stopped. The Wells Fargo scandals, and there were many, spurred the city of Los Angeles to divest millions from Wells Fargo and showed the strength of community movements in pushing for definitive action. Activists driven by the struggle at Standing Rock have continued their push for financial reform. Faced with the idea that only large "too big to fail" banks were the only one capable of handling finances for the city they aimed higher by leading the push to create a public bank in the city of LA and supporting local movements across the country.
To learn more about public banking check out PublicBankingInstitute.org
and to learn more about Divest LA and Revolution LA head over to RevolutionLA.org
Kendall Mayhew continues our discussion about organizing by describing how you go about actually executing a campaign. How do you pick targets? How do you negotiate? What roadblocks will you face?
SB827 is currently the hot button issue in Los Angeles, YIMBYs versus NIMBYs, as it were. But perhaps there are better ways to understand and fix the housing crisis in Los Angeles as the cost of houses and apartments has skyrocketed in recent years leading to a surge in people without permanent or stable housing.
Researcher and DSA-LA member Jacob Woocher swings by the studio to talk about the housing crisis in LA. We cover how LA developed along incredibly racially and class segregated lines, how this has caused a massive housing shortage, and what LA is doing wrong. We also discuss alternative housing models and what a public investment in housing would look like.
We have a new musical intro provided by the band Minutes. Check out their track "Raise Our Fists" on their Bandcamp page: https://minutes.bandcamp.com/track/raise-our-fists-up
Also for more reading about the housing crisis in California and how the law enforcement is targeting our houseless neighbors check out our coverage on KNOCK-LA.com: https://knock-la.com/tagged/housing
Angelica Duenas is a Green Party candidate running for Congress in California's 29th district. She is a working mother with a strong commitment to affordable housing, healthcare, and strong unions.
To learn more visit: Angelica4Congress.com
Krista and Henry from Socialist Students at UCLA visited Ground Game HQ to talk about the upcoming UC Regents meeting. We discussed the tuition burden, the Regents' seeming apathy towards students, and how students are organizing to take back their campuses.
For more info you can visit SocialistStudents.net or check them out on Facebook.
The UC Regents will be meeting March 13th to March 15th on the UCLA campus.
Jon Pelzer is a progressive Congressional candidate running to replace Brad Sherman in California's 30th district. He is a small business owner who brings a strong commitment to universal healthcare, affordable housing, and economic justice. He joined me at Ground Game HQ to chat about the race and his hopes for a progressive wave election.
The primary vote will be held on June 5th, 2018. To learn more, make a contribution or get involved with his campaign please visit PelzerforCongress.com
Former City Council candidate Jessica Salans sits down to talk about running an insurgent campaign in Los Angeles. We chat about what it's like to run for such a powerful local position, how she took on more well financed opponents, and how she organized her campaign staff to drive up voter turnout.
Ace Katano sits down for the last of our conversations where we discuss the planning and logistics of large protests. Ground Game LA was part of both the LAX travel ban protests and the Impeachment March and Rally. We discuss how to get together a reliable team, how to keep everyone safe, how to deal with the police, and what you can expect to accomplish. Large protests are a powerful tool in our arsenal, but they present unique challenges. The best solution is to draw on the expertise in your community and to create coalitions with other progressive groups.
Ace Katano from the LA County Public Defenders Office sits down with us to discuss counter protest. What is a counter protest? What rights do you have? What are the risks? How do you deal with the police? How do you keep yourself and your comrades safe?
Counter protest is one of the best tools that we have to counter hateful, racist, and xenophobic speech, but it is risky and you need to know how to keep yourself and your comrades safe from violence and arrest.
Kendall Mayhew sits down to walk us through the story of Ana Cruz. Ana is a resident of public housing here in Los Angeles who is fighting eviction after her abusive husband left. This is an expansive walk through one case and the issues of housing, policing, bureaucratic incompetence and political intransigence.
Kendall Mayhew of POWER (People Organized for Westside Renewal) sits down to discuss the very basics of organizing. What is organizing? Who can do it? Why do we it? What can we achieve?
This is part 1 of a 3 part conversation and the inaugural episode of Ground Game Workshops.
Ground Game Workshops is a project of Ground Game Los Angeles.
Ankur Patel joined us in the Ground Game LA offices to talk about his candidacy for the California Assembly seat for District 45. Ankur is an experienced progressive with experience working in LAUSD. We chat about 2018 as a progressive wave election and get into the weeds on education policy and funding.
To learn more about Ankur and his campaign head over to his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ankur.mayur.patel
Today we're talking about Coronavirus and what it has been doing to the whole fucking world. An update on Bernie’s campaign, and a quick update on The Young Turks Union drive.
Get Involved: https://mutualaidla.org Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-mutual-aid-network
Outro Music by Tay Zonday featuring Lindsey Stirling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37eqoYbj1QM
Sources
LATimes Covid-19 Tracker: https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-coronavirus-cases-tracking-outbreak
TYT: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/10/union-campaign-that-roiled-the-young-turks-178996
April Rent: http://wsj.com/articles/nearly-a-third-of-u-s-renters-didnt-pay-april-rent-11586340000?ns=prod/accounts-wsj
Small biz impacted: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/43-of-small-businesses-say-theyll-be-forced-to-close-permanently-if-they-dont-get-help-soon-survey-says-2020-04-03
Nolympics: https://knock-la.com/why-we-need-to-cancel-tokyo-2020-and-then-la-2028-96ef698c6584
Lawsuit: https://apnews.com/b2b928df4c1c547758b61cd57d217faf