American Self

Support Local Independent Media! American Self hosts a crossover episode with Riverwise Magazine, a community based magazine & podcast created by journalists, activists, organizers, educators, artists, parents, elders, youth and visionaries. Riverwise is dedicated to creating media that reflects and honors the local activism, disruption, resilience, visionary resistance and self determination within their community. They offer an honest and clear coverage of the stories impacting the people in the city of Detroit. At a time when mainstream media outlets offer skewed coverage, conflicting narratives and many times biased story telling, it is so important to turn towards and support independent media platforms! American Self is pleased to share this episode put out by the Riverwise Podcast. A conversation with PG Watkins, a nonbinary organizer, facilitator and organizational strategist from Detroit, who speaks powerfully and plainly about the realities of police brutality, the efficacy of Abolishing the police state, keeping real within the movement, and the effort to remember selfcare.

Tlingit woman, plant worker, and indigenous food sovereignty advocate, Kirsten Zoey Lynn Kirby joins American Self to share her philosophy of radical optimism, indigenization over decolonization, the future and past held within seeds, cultural erasure in America, and why she hates the word agriculture.

Queer Non-Binary Armenian American Weaver, Levon Kafafian joins American Self to talk about the history within our names, weaving the cultural self with the chosen self, revisioning heritage through intergenerational diaspora, America through Sci-fi, and critiguing the hell out of Star Trek.

Mike Zazaian joins American Self to talk about his Armenian heritage, being an American first, 10 years at Burning Man, radical vulnerability, and the absolute necessity of the arts in education.

This is a special episode. This is the first of a series of conversation with my mother. Anita Jones joins American Self to talk about the strength found in turning inward, the power of burning things, embracing ritual, and admitting naivete when facing one’s history.

Alan Franklin joins American Self to talk about the perceived divisiveness of the Black Lives Matter movement, immigrating to America in the height of adolescence, the privilege of Anarchist ideology, and growing old in the movement.

Ben Burch joins American Self to talk about becoming a pacifist via punk rock and conservative christianty, atheism in the wake of the 2016 election, discovering the radical politics within Christ's teachings, and where pacifism and Marxist ideology can meet in America.

Monica Isaac joins American Self to talk about confronting some issues around white allyship, breaking from communities that no longer serve you, critique as an act of love, and what it means when we talk about revolutionary violence.

Morgan Fett joins American Self to talk about what anti-capitalist policy can actually look like, addressing white supremacy, and the redemptive power of facing one's shame.

Sara Aldridge joins American Self to talk about staying positive in the face of adversity, using social media with grace, mixed life and voting even if it hurts.

Tyree De Loach joins American Self to talk about his spirituality, gender and the dissolution of America as we know it.

The plan this week was to release the first of the conversations recorded for this project. The nature of these conversations is more important now than ever. Most of them were recorded before the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police and before the powerful response that has engulfed our nation. In no way do I wish to diminish this incredibly vital moment nor do I wish to take away from the conversation that came before, so we will postpone their release for the time being. I was not prepared for the events of last week. I attended the protest on friday. I was overwhelmed and exhausted, I was riddled with anxiety and had to return home. Sitting in my car I felt helpless and weak, I felt like an imposter for leaving. Watching the incredibly powerful protesters stand tall in the face of this brutal, systemic injustice I felt as if I had failed. But the front lines are not the only arena in which to fight. I had to regroup and find my strength. I realized the front line may not be where my strength lies. Radical changes needs work in many arenas, across a multitude of fronts, utilizing an incredible array of abilities and powers. This is where I can help. I will not be silent, nor will I be silenced by a fear of not doing enough. I believe these conversations to be absolutely needed in our fight for sustainable reformation.