Ryan is joined by musician Kareem Samara, actor Jordan Stephens and poet Analysis—all football players and fans— to discuss the movement against white supremacy among athletes and sports fans, the Premiere League's sanctioning of the taking of the knee, and what happens when protest tactics become too safe, predictable and routine.
Ten years ago, Egyptians took to the streets against a decades-old military dictatorship. But the initial success of the revolution faded, first with the entry of the Muslim Brother to power, and then with the military-coup that overthrew them. Today, Egyptians again live under military rule, and tens of thousands of activists, journalists, artists and other political prisoners linger in the country's most notorious prisons. In this episode, Ryan speaks with Saed, a participant in the revolution who was later held in Tora Prison, and scholar Vivienne Matthies-Boon, who has been researching the deep impact the revolution and subsequent repression have had on its participants.
A conversation with exiled Egyptian artist Ganzeer. Part one of a two-part series reflecting on the 10th anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution.
Baltimore photojournalist Joe Giordano discusses his experience covering the fascist attack on the U.S. Capitol Building last week, as well as other recent far-right demonstrations.
Ryan is joined by Earther's climate journalist Dharna Noor to discuss the incoming Biden Administration's climate team.
Speaking of elections, let's talk about Bolivia. On October 18th, voters handed Luis Arce and the Movement for Socialism a historic majority. In doing so, they defeated a right-wing government that had held power since a coup last year forced President Evo Morales out of the country. Now, Evo's party is back, and they have a bigger mandate than ever. How did this victory come about, especially amidst massacres, mass arrests and vigilante violence against activists and lawmakers alike? Bolivian-based human rights lawyer Thomas Becker joins the show to tell the story.
British MP and socialist figurehead Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from the Labour Party Thursday over comments regarding public assumptions about anti-semitism complaints within the party. In this episode, Ryan is joined by UK-based activist and Labour member Navid Somani to discuss Corbyn's suspension, the very real existence of anti-semitism within the party and how this situation should be understood in relation to the larger, ongoing push to delegitimize the left-flank of Labour.
A week of unprecedented protests against Thailand’s military-government and monarchy have brought the country to a potential crossroads. A continuation of the student movement that brought tens of thousands to the streets in the early summer, the protests have been met with significant repression from police and a number of prominent activists – some who were living in exile in neighboring states – have died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
A year ago, student protests against increases in public transportation fares in Chile turned into a nationwide uprising against the economic policies introduced during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet — a regime brought to power in a CIA-backed coup on September 11, 1973. In this episode, Ryan speaks with Chilean activist Alan Ruckert about the violent rise and deepening crisis of neoliberalism in Chile and throughout the world.
Ryan speaks with a former medical volunteer who worked in the Moria refugee camp on Lesvos, Greece. The overcrowded camp housing primarily Afghan refugees was burned to the ground last week after two nights of fires tore through it, leaving more than 13,000 people on the streets. It is not yet known who is responsible for the fires, but police and fascist attacks have become a regular fixture of life for refugees on the island, as have riots against the conditions inside camps like Moria.
Ryan speaks with former student leader and human rights activist Johnson Yeung and Lausan 流傘 collective member Promise Li about the unprecedented multi-year uprising, China's political crackdown and how authoritarian "leftist" disinformation efforts are seeking to delegitimize the fight against police brutality and totalitarianism in Hong Kong.
Lebanese writer and activist Joey Ayoub joins Ryan by phone to discuss the recent explosion in Beirut, the political and economic crisis, and the widespread anti-government protests that have gripped the country since last year. Please donate to any of the groups listed here:
This week, Ryan takes a break from some heavy topics to chat with Rebel Beat Radio host Aaron Lakoff about the politics of punk rock and their shared love for Rancid.
For the last few years, there has been a quiet effort to organize an independent union at Amazon-owned Whole Foods. In this episode Ryan sits down with a member of Whole Worker to discuss what this effort has looked like and what is coming next.
Members of Las Cafeteras and Conjunto Bruja discuss music, cultural work and the Bernie Sanders campaign.
On the 17th anniversary of its start, Ryan sits down with four Iraq War veterans about what the US invasion and occupation looked like on the ground and why it still matters today. The four are all active members of the grassroots anti-war organization Veterans For Peace.
The Philippines has long been a center of American hegemonic power. US soldiers have been there since the 1898 US invasion, and it is home to one of the world's oldest anti-imperialist guerrilla insurgencies. Today the nation faces another crisis under fascistic president Rodrigo Duterte. Ryan sat down with activists from Malaya Movement, BAYAN and GABRIELLA, international groups working in solidarity with the National Democracy Movement in the Philippines.
Teachers in Baltimore have been organizing since 2015 to transform their union into a vehicle for radical social change. Last summer, they won. In this episode I sit down with the leadership team of the Baltimore Teachers Union to talk about the insurgent campaign that brought them to power and how they are building a member-driven, community-focused, politically-engaged union.
On the final episode of a 3-part series on the ongoing anti-government protests in Iraq, Ryan talks with one of their participants about daily life in the encampment at Baghdad's Tahrir Square and the historic significance of the uprising.
Part two of a series discussing the ongoing anti-government protests in Iraq and the impact of US-Iranian geopolitical violence on their vision for a new political culture. With Iraqi human rights activist Raed Jarrar and an anonymous participant of the protests in Baghdad.
Part one of a series focusing on the historic ongoing protests in Iraq, their demand for the entire government to step down, their vision for and creation of a new political culture, and the impact of US-Iranian geopolitical violence on the movement. With special guest, Baghdad-based journalist Pesha Magid.
A look at Clapton CFC, London’s collectively-owned, democratically-run, anti-fascist soccer team. I sat down with women's utility player Sophia and fan-owners Tommaso and Matthew to discuss the history of the project, their anti-capitalist political values and the grassroots fight against modern football.
On the 20th anniversary of the historic “Battle in Seattle” World Trade Organization protests, Ryan sat down with three participants of the protests -- one a key organizer of the civil disobedience that blockaded the city. As the world continues to battle against the same forces, this episode reflects on just how right neoliberalism’s critics were back in 1999.
In 2014 the Islamic State laid siege to a small city in Rojava, the Kurdish region of northern Syria. The battle for Kobane was a turning point for ISIS, as well as for the People's Protection Units, or YPG, who drove them away. With the victory came a call for international volunteers to join the YPG in their fight for the egalitarian vision of Democratic Confederalism. One volunteer, Guy Steward, sat down with Ryan to discuss the YPG's politics and the recent Turkish invasion of the region.
In the inaugural episode, Ryan sits down with London hiphop artist and activist Lowkey. Guest-hosted by Ryan’s musical partner, activist and composer Kareem Samara. The three discuss global politics, the Grenfell Fire tragedy and Lowkey's new album "Soundtrack to the Struggle 2."