National Radio Project

We bring you up to date on our most compelling and resonating stories of 2013. From pregnant women in prison who ve been mistreated; to the tomato fields of Florida, where the power of community radio helps workers take action; then out west, to a national forest in California, where wildfires are raising questions about fire management techniques. We ll also get updates on where those stories stand now.

Over 2 million Syrians have been displaced by that country’s ongoing civil war. Neighboring countries are overwhelmed with refugees. So where else to turn? Heading to more affluent nations isn’t so easy. On this edition, we meet refugees who’ve fled Syria to Turkey, Sweden, and Thailand. They’re trying to navigate a fragmented global refugee policy, in a time of extreme need.

Special thanks to our freelance reporters Dalia Mortada, Christopher Holmback, Julia Lundberg, Simba Russeau.

Featuring:

• Ahmad Dabbagh, Ayham Al Fares, Sania, Kais Badro, Syria refugees,
• Abu Sarah, Hassan Mohammad, Palestinian refugees from Syria.
• Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International Turkey researcher.
• Sanna Vestin, Swedish Network of Refugee Support Groups chairman.
• Gregor Noll, Lund University professor of international law.
• Anoop Sukumaran, Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network coordinator.
• Patra Jirawisan, Thai Committee for Refugees Foundation Policy & Research Officer.
• Mother Agnes Mariam, Mother Superior of St. James the Mangled Monastery in Qara, Syria.

• Host/Producer: Andrew Stelzer
• Producers: Nancy Lopez, Andrew Stelzer, George Lavender
• Contributing Producers: Dalia Mortada, Christopher Holmback, Julia Lundberg, Simba Russeau

What does it mean to be an ally in a political movement? From white Americans in the civil rights era, to Israelis in Palestine, to Latino-Americans working with the undocumented…how does one work to support another’s struggle?  On this edition, from Mississippi to Zimbabwe, a roundtable discussion on the do’s and don’ts of how to be an effective ally.

Featuring:   

Darria Hudson, racial justice activist and divinity student; Rumbidzai Dube, Zimbabwean human rights lawyer; Leehee Rothschild, Israeli activist and blogger; Ingrid Cruz, immigrants rights activist; Mary King, former member of SNCC and Peace University Professor

This conversation was recorded at the 2013 Narco News School of Authentic Journalism.

Years of campaigning for basic human rights for people caught up in America's criminal justice system may finally be paying off. 2013 saw significant changes from sentencing reform, to drug policy, to how people are treated behind bars. On this edition, we look at year victories in the struggle to bring humanity to the world’s largest prison industrial complex. Are these changes really a sign of progress? Or will the ‘tough on crime’ crowd rise once again for another crackdown?

Native American women experience the highest rates of violence of any other group in the United States. One in three native women have been victims of sexual assault and the murder rate of indigenous women is consistently higher than the national average. On this edition, Andrea Smith, author of “Conquest: Sexual Violence and Native American Genocide” explains the connection between violence against women, and the colonization of native lands and bodies.

Andrea Smith's presentation includes descriptions of racial and sexual violence, so please be forewarned.

While countries like Japan, Italy and Germany begin to phase out their use of nuclear energy, the US aims to build the first new nuclear power plant in nearly thirty years. We hear excerpts from the film The Atomic States of America , which chronicles the rise of nuclear energy, the high price some communities have paid for it, and how the U.S. is pushing to redefine nuclear as green to meet our energy demand.

Special thanks to Specialty Studios.

Featuring: 

Kelly McMasters , author of Shirley: A Memoir from an Atomic Town; David Lochbaum , nuclear engineer and senior member of Union of Concerned Scientists; Arnie Gunderson , nuclear engineer and former senior vice president of Nuclear Energy Services; Christine Todd Whitman , co-chair of CASEnergy Coalition, former New Jersey governor and administrator for the U.S Environmental Protection Agency; Eric Epstein , chair of Three Mile Island Alert; Neil Sheehan , spokesperson for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Paul Cataldo , NRC resident inspector for Indian Point Unit 3; Michelle Catts , NRC resident inspector for Indian Point Unit 2; Dr. Helen Caldicott , co-founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility; Randy and Lauren Snell ; Alec Baldwin, actor.

Spoken word. Its poetry…its hip-hop…and it’s increasingly, the chosen means of expression for today’s youth. On this edition we bring you the poets and students of Youth Speaks, from their annual event in honor of another master orator, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..

Special thanks to Youth Speaks.

Featuring:
James Kass, Youth Speaks founder & executive director; Talia Young, Dante Clark, Gretchen Carvahol, Prentice Powell, Justin Jodiatis, spoken word artists.

Americans eat out more than any other people. But the workers who put food on our restaurant tables are struggling to feed themselves and their families. On this edition, Saru Jayaraman, co-director of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United and author of "Behind the Kitchen Door" makes the case for bringing justice to restaurants and how ordinary diners can help.

Our world is generating more and more nuclear waste, but have no permanent place to dispose of it.  But the nation of Finland has a plan. They're building an underground cave, to hold thousands of tones of nuclear waste, for at least 100 thousand years.  On this edition, we hear excerpts of the film, “Into Eternity”, which explores the logistical and philosophical quandries around the construction of something that if it works, might very well outlast the entire human race.

Special thanks to Specialty Studios

We bring you voices from Pakistan of families destroyed by drone strikes.  And, we hear from Medea Benjamin and other activists working to build a global movement against this controversial military technology, which accelerated after 9/11.

Some call it “Paradise”, but Hawaii isn’t just a tourist getaway. Look beyond the resorts, and you’ll find a history of opposition to US occupation. From sacred sites, to indigenous language, Hawaiians are fighting hard to protect their traditions, and their future. On this edition we hear excerpts from the 2012 film by Catherine Bauknight “Hawaii: A Voice for Sovereignty,” which explores the history of Hawaii - from the beginning of the US occupation up to statehood and the present day.

It’s not just about Roe v Wade and the Supreme Court.  Local institutions can create restrictions that prevent women from exercising reproductive health choices, even with the law on their side. From Albuquerque to Portland to New York City, obstacles are surfacing in pharmacies, state legislatures, city councils and even medical schools.

Renowned biologist Sandra Steingraber has made fighting environmentally induced cancers her lifes work. Steingraber’s book, Living Downstream, has been turned into a movie chronicling a year in her life trying to create a world free of cancer causing toxics. On this edition, we hear excerpts of the documentary film, Living Downstream. Special thanks to The People’s Picture Company for allowing us to excerpt the film ‘Living Downstream’.

We profile women of La Via Campesina, the global peasant movement celebrating 20 years of grassroots activism, for sustainable farming, land rights and social justice. Canadian Nettie Wiebe fights to keep seeds in the hands of small farmers. From the US, Dina Hoff takes on climate change and trade agreements. Elizabeth Mpufo of Zimbabwe raises issues facing women. And Japan’s Ayumi Kinezuka shares the effects of the Fukishima nuclear disaster on her organic farm. This show was produced by the Women Rising Radio Project.

At overcrowded and underfunded public schools across the country high suspension rates are exacerbating existing achievement gaps. Often, chaos in the classroom is to blame, keeping students from concentrating on their classes. On this edition we’ll hear excerpts from Russell Long’s film “Room to Breathe” which takes us to a middle school in San Francisco, California, that began teaching mindfulness in the hopes of giving students the skills they need to focus on learning.

Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11.That day marked the end of one of Latin America’s longest democratic traditions, and brought on almost two decades of murder, disappearances, repression, and fear. This program was produced by the Freedom Archives

Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11.That day marked the end of one of Latin America’s longest democratic traditions, and brought on almost two decades of murder, disappearances, repression, and fear. This program was produced by the Freedom Archives

Have you ever wanted to run your own radio station? This October the FCC is opening a window in which anyone can apply for to create their own low-power FM radio station. It could result in thousands of new radio stations. We visit current LPFM stations, and find out how you can get involved.

50 years after the March on Washington, historians are still defining the legacy of the civil rights movement, and of Dr. Martin Luther King.   Syndicated columnist Reverend Byron Williams makes the case that 1963 was the pivotal year for American culture, but has been overlooked… until now.  On this edition, Williams speaks about his book, 1963: The Year of Hope & Hostility.

The struggles of undocumented youth in the US often fly under the radar of the mainstream media. But with the tools of creative expression and the power of social media, a new generation of young immigrants is making sure their voices are heard. From musical theater to political posters to videos on the web, young undocumented artists speak their truth.

Combat, chemicals, and corporations; a special program in honor of Agent Orange Day. We’ll look at the multigenerational legacy of Agent Orange -- a toxic defoliant used by the United States military in the jungles of Vietnam.

Unions are getting weaker and the general public no longer understands or supports organized labor says organizer and author Bill Fletcher Jr..  Progressive Radio’s Matthew Rothschild interviews Fletcher about why working Americans and unions have lost touch with one another, and what might be done to turn that around.

At the mall, online, and even within the US military. Interactive, realistic, pro-war video games have become part of American culture.  But anti-war protestors have found a way inside those games too.  And artists are finding ways to turn the virtual world, into a place where the military hero narrative can be questioned.  On this edition, We hear excerpts from the movie Returning Fire: Interventions in Video Game Culture, written and directed by Roger Stahl.

After serving time, finding food, a job and a place to live with a criminal record can become an almost impossible task.  On this edition, women building their own support network after being released from prison. We’ll hear "A New Way of Life and the New Underground Railroad," a documentary by Chris Moore-Backman.  

Tens of thousands are in solitary confinement in American prisons which according to the United Nations is torture.  Claire Schoen met nine former prisoners.

Its not just jobs and prosperity that draw immigrants to the United States.  Many Latin Americans were brought here, or forced to come by dangerous or deadly conditions-which the US often helped create.  On this edition, part two of “Harvest of Empire” a documentary film written and narrated by Democracy Now’s Juan Gonzalez.  Today, in excerpts from the film, Gonzalez traces the history of Nicaraguan and Salvadoran migration to the United States.

Its not just jobs and prosperity that draw immigrants to the United States.  Many Latin American’s were brought here, or forced to come by dangerous or deadly conditions.  And the US often had a role in creating those crises.  Over the next 2 weeks, we’ll hear “Harvest of Empire” a documentary film written and narrated by Democracy Now’s Juan Gonzalez.  Today, in part one, Gonzalez traces the history of Guatemalan, Dominican, and Mexican migration to the United States.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors are much more likely than their straight counterparts to be alone and isolated as they age. Housing and support for these elders is a growing need--and the issue is not confined to the United States. On this edition, we’ll visit Jakarta Indonesia, and Los Angeles, California, to hear stories of building housing and community for LGBTQ seniors.

Fathers…and mothers…on fatherhood and how it’s changing. Traditional ideas about what a dad is supposed to be are slowly disappearing, but what will take their place?

In the winter of 2012, flash mob round dances, demonstrations, hunger strikes, and blockades swept Canada. What began as a protest against new laws seen as curtailing environmental protections and infringing indigenous sovereignty, quickly grew into a movement for indigenous rights and environmental justice. On this edition, Sylvia McAdam, one of the founders of Idle No More, tells the story of the movement.

What’s the connection between the increase in chronic diseases, mental illness and drug addiction in our society today? On this edition, Dr. Gabor Mate talks about the relationship between mind and body health – and what the rise of capitalism has done to destroy both.

What does it mean to be an ally in a political movement? From white Americans in the civil rights era, to Israelis in Palestine, to Latino-Americans working with the undocumented…a roundtable discussion on the do’s and don’ts of how to be an effective ally.

How do we talk about race and racism in this country? Not as deeply as we should, according to filmmaker and educator Dr. Shakti Butler. On this edition, we hear excerpts from Dr. Butler’s film “Cracking the Codes”, and speak with her about using the medium of film to start conversations around the thorny issues of racial inequity.

As Burma transitions from dictatorship to democracy, hundreds of political prisoners have been freed after decades behind bars. On this edition, we hear from some of these freed political prisoners as they struggle to rebuild their lives, and test the emerging democracy.

After the Boston Marathon bombing, journalists scrambled to identify those responsible for the attack, and their motive. Rolling news and online message boards were filled with speculation, many pointing the finger at Muslims and Arabs. Does the media reinforce anti-Arab and anti-Muslim stereotypes?

The struggles of undocumented youth in the US often fly under the radar of the mainstream media. But with the tools of creative expression and the power of social media, a new generation of young immigrants is making sure their voices are heard. From musical theater to political posters to videos on the web, young undocumented artists speak their truth.

Special thanks to the Left Tilt Fund and the Berwick-Degel Family Foundation.  

Renowned Indian author Arundhati Roy says her country’s government has declared war on its own people. Her outspokenness earned her an invitation to spend time with Maoist rebels. On this edition, Arundhati Roy takes us into the jungles of India, as she reads excerpts from her new book ‘Walking with the Comrades’.

Special thanks to the Center for Place Culture and Politics at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center.

The growth of the ex-gay movement in the last two decades gave rise to hundreds of therapy programs aiming to change people’s sexual orientation. Many were explicitly religious, and claimed to be able to “pray away the gay”. But there’s a growing movement, led by survivors of ex-gay therapy, to disprove and ban these harmful practices for good. On this edition, stories of recovery from conversion therapy, and becoming ex- ex-gay.

When city budgets are cut, public transportation is often on the chopping block. And routes and lines serving those who need the service most, can be the first to go. But from New York to Argentina, an emerging ‘transportation justice’ movement is standing up for people’s right to ride.

Pregnant women in America’s prisons are being shackled to their beds; others are being sterilized. Correctional institutions claim the policies are for safety’s sake, but thousands of incarcerated people are fighting for control of their own reproductive health.  

The invasion and occupation of Iraq defined a generation; the world’s largest anti-war protest was followed by the 3rd longest war in US history. Ten years later, American troops have officially left Iraq, but the occupation and its effects continue. On this edition, we look back at the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For Iraqis, for the US military, and for the anti-war movement; how have things changed? And what, if anything, has the world learned?

With nuclear power back on the agenda, three prominent female activists tell their stories: Kaori Izumi was part of the grassroots campaign to shutdown Japan’s nuclear power plants, after the Fukushima disaster. Winona LaDuke, has spent much of her life working to oppose uranium mining on indigenous land. And Alice Slater is part of a global initiative to ban nuclear weapons. On this edition, is the anti-nuclear movement on the rise? This is a special collaboration with Lynn Feinerman and Crown Sephira Productions.

Inspired by the campaign to end South African apartheid, Palestinians are leading an international campaign to put economic and political pressure on Israel by boycotting Israeli products, divesting from Israeli companies and pushing for international sanctions on Israel. On this edition, Palestinian activist Omar Barghouti explains his people’s resistance, and the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

Author, radio host, and scientist David Suzuki has spent a lifetime working to protect the environment. But a generation later, he says activists like him have failed to shift the paradigm; more is needed to protect
the health of our species and our planet. On this edition, David Suzuki says we need to stop fighting, and use the laws of nature as a starting point for moving forward.

Richmond, California is one of the lowest-income communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s also one of the most toxic. On this edition, we’ll hear how community activists in this heavily polluted area are coming together to fight for environmental justice.

African-Americans have endured one of the most painful eras of American history – an era that has been normalized and justified not only by institutions that have been complicit with slavery but also by African-Americans themselves. Dr. Joy DeGruy is the author of “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing”, she argues that African-Americans suffer from a deep psychological trauma that has been passed on through generations.

Artists and creative people have always used culture as a tool for social change. On this edition, excerpts from a panel on racial justice, culture and politics featuring some of today’s most insightful and outspoken artists.  
Special thanks to Applied Research Center, Colorlines and the Facing Race Conference 2012

As we look for a solution to global energy problems and a way out of the limate crisis- some are turning to dams and hydroelectric power as a source of “green” energy. But at what cost? Massive dams are being built and considered all over the world, despite mounting concern over their economic, environmental and human impacts. On this edition, we’ll take a closer look at the damage caused by hydropower projects, and we’ll visit a community trying to keep their culture and homeland free from the destructive influence of river dams.

More than two  decades after the fall of the Berlin wall, what have we learned about barriers that separate people? In dozens of countries around the world, millions of people live beside border walls. These heavily militarized and closely watched areas can be dangerous places to be. On this edition, from Palestinian farmers struggling to make a living next to the Israeli wall, to shootings at the fence that divides the US and Mexico. Living in the shadow of the wall…

Corporations have the same rights as people. But do our communities and natural ecosystems have any rights? How about our bodies, cells and genetic material? Thomas Linzey and Katherine Davies argue that in order to defend our bodies and our environment, they must be given rights under the law.

Alixa and Naima are two poets who together make up Climbing PoeTree, an award winning performance duo. Mixing poetry and politics they seek to use their words to educate and inspire. On this edition, we hear performances by Climbing PoeTree and hear how their performances have evolved over the years.