Indy Audio

This week on Indy News we speak with: —Sean Petty, a pediatric emergency room nurse at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. He is also an activist in the New York State Nurses Association, the union that represents 42,000 nurses in New York. In a March 18, 2020 interview with the Indypendent at the onset of the Covid pandemic in New York, Sean warned “I'm running out of words to describe how dangerous and scary all of this is.” With the Omicron variant sweeping across New York City and the country, he is alarmed once again. — Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls and VP Derrick Palmer to update us on the struggle to unionize Amazon workers. On Dec. 22, for the second time in three months, Staten Island Amazon workers hand-delivered signed cards to a National Labor Relations Board office in Brooklyn, petitioning that the board authorize a union vote. The refiling comes after six weeks of furious organizing by the Amazon Labor Union after withdrawing their first petition. This time, the union is targeting only the largest facility on Staten Island, JFK8. —Julia Thomas, author of “Rikers Island Transferees Now Held in Maximum Security Prison Where Drinking Water Tastes Like Sewage” from the recent Dec. issue of The Indypendent. Bedford hills, a maximum-security prison in Westchester is experiencing an influx of women and transgender and non-binary people — all held pre-trial — who are being transferred from Rikers Island. The controversial and inhumane transfers, which began in October, come after renewed calls to close Rikers and address the increasingly inhumane conditions on the penal colony.

This week on Indy News we speak with Julia Thomas, author of “Rikers Island Transferees Now Held in Maximum Security Prison Where Drinking Water Tastes Like Sewage” from the recent Dec. issue of The Indypendent. Bedford hills, a maximum-security prison in Westchester is experiencing an influx of women and transgender and non-binary people — all held pre-trial — who are being transferred from Rikers Island. The controversial and inhumane transfers, which began in October, come after renewed calls to close Rikers and address the increasingly inhumane conditions on the penal colony.

Indypendent field reporters Julia Thomas, Amba Guerguerian, Zion DeCoteau and Roman Broszkowski hit the streets on primary day to speak with NYC voters about how they feel about the city elections — an election during with ranked-choice voting is being implemented for the first time and almost every electable city official's seat is up for grabs.

The Indypednent's John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK, who was recently in Peru to observe the elections. The daughter of a former dictator is still trying to reverse her apparent defeat in the country's June 6 presidential run-off election. Keiko Fujimori is alleging fraud and trying to annul 500,000 votes in her contest against leftist Pedro Castillo, who appears to have won by a narrow margin. A victory for Castillo, a union leader and former school teacher who is the son of peasant farmers, would mark a significant shift to the left for Peru, which has long been a stronghold of neoliberalism.

The Indypendent's John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Alexa Avilés, a democratic socialist running for city council seat in District 38. A mother of two teen-age daughters and a member of her local community board, she has been slammed by her detractors as a “danger” to her community for supporting cuts to the NYPD's $6 billion annual budget. Some of New York's wealthiest men are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into races where the left is running strong candidates, like Avilés's.

The Indypendent's John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Ross Barkan, author and political columnist who has emerged one of the leading political commentators on state and local politics in New York. Ross gives his latest hot takes on the mayoral race, and his new book, 'The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, The Coronavirus, And The Fall Of New York.'

The Indy's John Tarleton and Julia Thomas intervew: —Alexa Avilés, a democratic socialist running for city council seat in District 38. A mother of two teen-age daughters and a member of her local community board, she has been slammed by her detractors as a “danger” to her community for supporting cuts to the NYPD's $6 billion annual budget. Some of New York's wealthiest men are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into races where the left is running strong candidates, like Avilés's. —Ross Barkan, author and political columnist who has emerged one of the leading political commentators on state and local politics in New York. Ross gives his latest hot takes on the mayoral race, and his new book, 'The Prince: Andrew Cuomo, The Coronavirus, And The Fall Of New York.' —Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK, who was recently in Peru to observe the elections. the daughter of a former dictator is still trying to reverse her apparent defeat in the country's June 6 presidential run-off election. Keiko Fujimori is alleging fraud and trying to annul 500,000 votes in her contest against leftist Pedro Castillo, who appears to have won by a narrow margin. A victory for Castillo, a union leader and former school teacher who is the son of peasant farmers, would mark a significant shift to the left for Peru, which has long been a stronghold of neoliberalism.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas discuss 12 Minnesota jurors finding Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who killed Goerge Floyd, guilty on all three accounts of murder. Then they interview Bob Gangi, head of the Police Reform Organizing Project and long-time criminal justice advocate, about racist and abusive policing and potential reforms.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Eileen Myles about, poet and community activist, about how residents of the Lower East Side are fighting to save the 58-acre East River Park from being demolished by the de Blasio administration.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Jake Jacobs, a middle school art teacher in the Bronx and a member of the Movement of Rank and File Educators, the leftwing social justice caucus in the United Federation of Teachers. They talk about what's happening in New York City's classrooms as public schools struggle to continue teaching 1.1 million students.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview NY State Senator Jessica Ramos of Queens about the newly enacted state budget which includes higher taxes on the rich for the first time in a decade, a $2.1 billion excluded workers fund, aid for distressed tenants, her thoughts on the NYC mayoral race and much more.

John Tarleton, Editor-in-Chief of The Indypendent newspaper, and Julia Thomas interview: —NY State Senator Jessica Ramos of Queens about the newly enacted state budget which includes higher taxes on the rich for the first time in a decade, a $2.1 billion excluded workers fund, aid for distressed tenants, her thoughts on the NYC mayoral race and much more. —Jake Jacobs, a middle school art teacher in the Bronx and a member of the Movement of Rank and File Educators, the leftwing social justice caucus in the United Federation of Teachers. They talk about what's happening in New York City's classrooms as public schools struggle to continue teaching 1.1 million students. —Eileen Myles about, poet and community activist, about how residents of the Lower East Side are fighting to save the 58-acre East River Park from being demolished by the de Blasio administration.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Lauren Gurley, a labor reporter for VICE who has extensively covered Amazon. She is covering the labor struggle that has been unfolding in Bessemer, Alabama, where nearly 6,000 Amazon workers voted on whether to form the first Amazon union shop in the United States. The company has poured millions into trying to convince its workers to reject the union.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Colleen Baublitz, a PhD candidate in the Earth and Environmental Sciences department at Columbia University, and a member of the Graduate Workers of Columbia union. Thousands of students with the Graduate Workers of Columbia union have been on strike since March 15 over demands for higher pay, expanded healthcare provisions, and workplace protections. This comes after two years of stalled contract negotiations.

John Tarleton, Editor-in-Chief of the Indypendent and the Indy's Julia Thomas interview: —Steven Wishnia, long-time reporter on the drug war and the author of 'The Cannabis Companion.' New York is on the verge of enacting historic legislation to legalize marijuana and create a legal market for it to be bought and sold. —Lauren Gurley, a labor reporter for Vice who has reported extensively on Amazon. She has been covering the labor struggle that has been unfolding in Bessemer, Alabama where nearly 6,000 Amazon workers voted on whether to form the first Amazon union shop in the US. The company has poured millions into trying to convince its workers to reject the union. —Colleen Baublitz, a PhD candidate at Columbia University and a member of the Graduate Workers of Columbia union. Thousands of students with the Graduate Workers of Columbia union have been on strike since March 15 over demands for higher pay, expanded healthcare provisions, and workplace protections after two years of stalled contract negotiations.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Steven Wishnia, long-time reporter on the drug war and author of 'The Cannabis Companion.' New York is on the verge of enacting historic legislation to legalize marijuana and create a legal market for it to be bought and sold.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Elizabeth Palley, a professor at Adelphi University who has written extensively on the policy and politics of child care in the United States. They talk about the American Rescue Plan that Joe Biden signed into law this past Thursday. The $1.9 trillion spending package provides assistance to American reeling from the pandemic that includes new provisions to help poor and middle class families with children.

John Tarleton and Julia Thomas interview Michael Hollingsworth about how Crown Heights residents are organizing to save the Associated Supermarket, a beloved neighborhood grocery store, as it faces a 30-day eviction notice from a luxury real estate developer. Hollingsworth is a candidate for City Council in District 35, one of the districts neighboring the Supermarket and a longtime housing justice advocate and the lead organizer for the Crown Heights Tenant Union.

John Tarleton, and Julia Thomas interview NY Assemblymember Marcela Mitanyes about the latest in Albany re: the multiple recent scandals around Gov. Cuomo and how the wrap up of budget negotiations is going. Mitanyes is part of a coalition of progressive groups from across the state is pushing a package of bills that would raise $50 billion in revenues from the rich to help pay for New York’s recovery from the pandemic and economic crisis.

John Tarleton, Editor-in-Chief of the Indypendent newspaper and co-host Julia Thomas interview: —NY Assemblymember Marcela Mitanyes about the latest in Albany re: the multiple recent scandals around Gov. Cuomo and how the wrap up of budget negotiations is going. Mitanyes is part of a coalition of progressive groups from across the state is pushing a package of bills that would raise $50 billion in revenues from the rich to help pay for New York’s recovery from the pandemic and economic crisis. —Michael Hollingsworth about how Crown Heights residents are organizing to save the Associated Supermarket, a beloved neighborhood grocery store, as it faces a 30-day eviction notice from a luxury real estate developer. Hollingsworth is a candidate for City Council in District 35, one of the districts neighboring the Supermarket and a longtime housing justice advocate and the lead organizer for the Crown Heights Tenant Union. —Elizabeth Palley, a professor at Adelphi University who has written extensively on the policy and politics of child care in the United States. They talk about the American Rescue Plan that Joe Biden signed into law this past Thursday. The $1.9 trillion spending package provides assistance to American reeling from the pandemic that includes new provisions to help poor and middle class families with children.