The Socialism From Below Podcast is a forum of socialists in the the US and abroad to talk about their local work, the lessons they've learned, and how their work connects to the broader struggle for a socialist society.
Colleen and Paul from the Democratic Socialists of America's Restaurant Organizing Project join us to discuss the opportunities and challenges they face organizing in the food service industry. We talk about the role the pandemic has played in shaping tactical and strategic choices, the need to create space for workers to chop it up about their … Continue reading The Restaurant Organizing Project: building power in the food service industry →
Our guest in this episode is Rose — a leftist black radical feminist and activist scholar from Minneapolis. She is a long time activist in Minneapolis and in recent years gotten involved with the struggle to abolish the police. We discussed police abolition, the relationship between abolition and socialism, and the development of the movement … Continue reading The Police Abolition Movement in Minneapolis →
Gabi, Jesse, and Jim — members of Kansas City DSA's Marx Reading Group — come on the podcast to discuss their approach to conducting their reading group, their attempts to read Capital, the importance of reading ‘theory', and the importance of reading it as a collective. We dig deep into the challenges of reading Marx … Continue reading We Read Capital and You Can Too — Kansas City DSA's Marx Reading Group →
Promise Li joins us to talk about his Hong Kong solidarity work, Lausan, and his approach to understanding the complexities of internationalism in the current period. We spend much of the interview digging deep into the specific case of the Hong Kong uprisings and the colonial and historical context they emerge from. We also explore … Continue reading Socialist Internationalism, Hong Kong Solidarity, Non-Campism, and Lausan →
Maral and Alex who are organizers and staff from the International Institute for Research and Education, an educational project of the Fourth International. We talk about the challenges of bringing a diverse group of socialist activists from different continents, overcoming ‘localism' and regional biases, drawing out theoretical lessons from our practice, and why they insist … Continue reading Internationalist Socialist Education at the IIRE →
In this episode we are joined by Gabriella a rank and file Teamster, UPS worker, and Teamsters for a Democratic Union steering committee member. In this episode we discuss rank and file union organizing, the challenges and opportunities the upcoming Teamsters election presents, and Teamsters for a Democratic Union. Follow Gabriella on Twitter @revivethestreijk for updates on … Continue reading Rank and File Trade Union Activity and the Upcoming Teamsters Election (Part 2) →
Joining us this week is Andy — a rank and file Teamster, public transit worker, member of the Tempest Magazine collective, and Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) member — and Hank — a rank and file Teamster, worker at UPS, and TDU member. In this episode we discuss rank and file union organizing, the … Continue reading Rank and File Trade Union Activity and the Upcoming Teamsters Election (Part 1) →
Joining us from Seattle are Jade and Megan, two members of Seattle DSA. Jade is also a member of the national Afrosocialist Socialist of Color Caucus (AfroSoc Caucus) and is also a co-chair of Seattle DSA's Anti-Racist Co-Conspirators Caucus (ARC). Megan is co-chair of SDSA Council district 3, co-chair of the Seattle AfroSoc caucus. We … Continue reading Anti-Racist Organizing and Restorative Justice in Seattle DSA →
This week we are joined by Luis of the Mexican socialist party the Partido Revolucionario de las y los Trabajadores. We talk about what the PRT is, the current political situation in Mexico, the Fourth International, and the meaning of “Trotskyism” in the 21st century. To learn more about PRT check out their website, Facebook, and Twitter. … Continue reading Partido Revolucionario de las y los Trabajadores, the political situation in Mexico, and the Fourth International in the 21st Century →
This week we are joined by Jetzel, Magda, and Mak who are all leaders in KC Tenants. We talk about how they use a diversity of tactics, the importance of organizing at the speed of trust, why socialists should organize tenants, and some pro tips for those of us who are new to tenant organizing. … Continue reading Tenant Organizing in Kansas City →
This week we are joined by Jhon a member of the National Bank Employees Union in Colombia and an organizer involved with the latest round of protests in Colombia. We talk about the neoliberal agenda that has sparked this series of protests, the state's response, the role of narco trafficking paramilitaries, and the power of … Continue reading The 2021 Colombian Protests →
This week we are joined by Natalia Chaves from the Brazilian socialist organization Subverta to talk about Bancada Feminista do PSOL the socialist feminist collective candidacy as well as democratizing electoral campaigns, ensuring accountability to social movements, trans inclusion and queer representation in the socialist feminist movement, and ecosocialism. Find out more about Subverta on … Continue reading Subverta, Bancada Feminista, and Expanding Brazilian Democracy →
This week we are joined by Vini Almeida who is a member of the Brazilian socialist organization Comuna. We talk about the challenges socialists face when working to build a democratic and multi-tendency socialist organization, electoral politics, supporters of the new right, and the political effects of the pandemic. Throughout we draw connections between the … Continue reading Comuna, PSOL, Bolsonaro, and the Pandemic in Brazil →