What the Folk

We've missed you, What the Folk fam! On this episode, instead of having a guest, we decided to take the chance to catch up with each other on life, the universe, and everything. We discuss dealing with personal disappointment and tragedy, and keeping a healthy perspective in the face of the ongoing climate apocalypse. And of course, new music! This one features a fun and timely tune by Ned and Wendy the Band, which we are sure you will love as much as we do. Ned and Wendy the Band: nedandwendytheband.com “Vulnerable” music video: https://youtu.be/rPkSSdZNV3E

On this episode of What the Folk, our guest is Michael McPhearson, the executive director of online news publication the South Seattle Emerald, the former executive director of Veterans for Peace, and a longtime activist for racial and social justice within and outside of the US. This interview covers empathy as a radical act, the challenges of fostering solidarity across differences, and the necessity of localized independent media. Afterwards, Joy and Sarah reflect on their own solidarity and communication challenges, as well as how freaking tired they are because who isn't these days. Treat yo'self to a nap, dear listeners – after you listen to this episode. Featured music on this episode is “I Don't Know Much About Star Wars” by Joy Damiani GET INVOLVED Veterans for Peace https://www.veteransforpeace.org/ South Seattle Emerald https://southseattleemerald.com/category/news/ FOLLOW MICHAEL Michael's Medium https://mtmcphearson.medium.com/ MTM Daily https://mtmdaily.com/ Michael's Twitter https://twitter.com/MTMcPhearson

On this episode, our guest is Stephanie Atkinson, an Army veteran and war resister who now works with nonprofits Veterans for Peace and Courage to Resist to bring the truth about military recruitment to heavily-recruited high school students. Besides sharing her inspiring personal story, we discuss everything from military “feminism” to our favorite dystopian fashion (spoiler alert: Blade Runner ftw). Featured music on this episode is “If You Ain't Cheatin' You Ain't Tryin'” and “Just A Little Cog” by Joy Damiani GET INVOLVED Veterans for Peace https://www.veteransforpeace.org/ Courage to Resist https://couragetoresist.org/ Truth in Recruitment https://truthinrecruitment.org/ READ STEPHANIE'S WRITING https://wri-irg.org/en/story/2011/proud-deserter LEARN MORE Shoshana Jackson https://www.msnbc.com/podcast/shoshana-johnson-was-america-s-first-black-female-prisoner-war-n1283841 Jessica Lynch https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/20/us/jessica-lynch-where-is-she-now/index.html Lynndie England https://www.marieclaire.com/politics/news/a170/lynndie-england-1/ Book: Bananas, Beaches, and Bases by Cynthia Enloe https://bookshop.org/p/books/bananas-beaches-and-bases-making-feminist-sense-of-international-politics-cynthia-enloe/6561808?ean=9780520279995

We've missed you, What the Folk fam! We took a hiatus to get our respective and collective shit together, and now here we are, back and weirder than ever. In this, our 42nd episode, we cover – well, Life, the Universe, and Everything. Since it led us to discuss relationships, political corruption, the patriarchy, and cats – just to name a few hot topics – Joy's theory is that the Ultimate Question is "how's your apocalypse going?" Plus! Hear Sarah's original poem, "Bad Timing," and Joy's songs "Love Yourself!" and "Happy Ever After" – all inspired by the endlessly exciting and complicated theme of Love, during this Valentine's week. Featured music: "Love Yourself!" and "Happy Ever After" by Joy Damiani https://joydamiani.bandcamp.com/track/love-yourself-feat-jules-indelicato https://joydamiani.bandcamp.com/track/happy-ever-after References: https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/i-was-embarrassed-humiliated-reporter-says-of-east-palestine-arrest/ https://www.newsweek.com/ohio-train-derailment-could-become-full-blown-ecological-crisis-1781148

Hello, What the Folk fam, we've missed you! We've had a lot of reasons we've been away but one majorly exciting reason is that JOY WROTE A BOOK! What's also exciting is that friend of the pod Samantha Hart is joining us again for this episode to help illuminate the 14-year writing journey behind If You Ain't Cheatin' You Ain't Trying – as well as Sarah's English major-y opinionating on art, political messaging, and, of course, M*A*S*H. Featured music is “If You Ain't Cheatin' You Ain't Trying” and “Yellow Ribbon” by Joy Damiani (released under Emily Yates) SUPPORT JOY'S KICKSTARTER https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joydamiani/if-you-aint-cheatin-you-aint-tryin-a-military-memoir/community PREORDER JOY'S BOOK Coming soon! FOLLOW JOY http://joydamiani.com/

Russian history scholar and political scientist Michael Iasilli joins us to discuss, what else, the war in Ukraine. Besides giving us a fascinating tour through Russian and Ukrainian history, Iasilli also has a lot to say about avoiding xenophobia against Russians during this time. Naturally, your hosts and Michael got along swimmingly because we all agree that we have much more in common with the regular people in other countries than we do with our respective governments. Afterward, Joy and Sarah riff on the idea of finding common ground, living in a world of multiple truths, and discuss the latest infuriating developments in the Assange extradition case. Featured music is “Soul Creature,” “Staircase,” and “Scary Days” by Michael Anthonia FOLLOW MICHAEL'S WORK https://www.maiasilli.com/ MICHAEL'S MUSIC Instagram: Michaelanthonia_music Facebook: @realmichaelanthonia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/14D2f50WgDvuTLVEVzOAhk?si=X1iwTHp_TTWUiIWgOkp9gg FURTHER READING In reference to the data on Russian citizens' displeasure with Putin's war: see “FBK” (a sociological survey in Russia: https://navalny.com/p/6615/?fbclid=IwAR3h2PzC3w1X2or27-6WjXg_WgGNNwZg2OihGpfYm27otGwvaWskQFhmUik On racism in Ukraine refugee policy https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/black-ukraine-refugees-racism-discrimination-russian-invasion/ HISTORY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS The Affirmative Action Empire: Nations and Nationalism in the Soviet Union by Terry Martin Red Nations: The Nationalities Experience in and after the USSR by Jeremy Smith Russia in Flames by Laura Engelstein Red Famine: Stalin's War in Ukraine by Anne Applebaum

The fabulous Lauren Flynn returns to the pod! We talk about the inspiration for her awesome new band, Buried Blonde, trust and intuition in the creative process, why artists are essential workers and grappling with death at the Cheesecake Factory. Afterwards, Joy and Sarah discuss the lessons they have learned during the pandemic, Colonel Bruce Hampton, and how to have a non-monogamous relationship with yourself. Featured music is “Like a Scar” and “Perfect Machine” by Buried Blonde, and “Good Riddance Fake Bitches” by Joy Damiani, courtesy of the artists. FOLLOW BURIED BLONDE https://www.buriedblonde.com/

We're baaaack! Again! Thank you, dear listeners, for being understanding about our (sometimes variable) apocalypse release schedule. We are rewarding your patience with a fantastic episode featuring Nicole Foerster, an advocate for psilocybin mushrooms as a treatment for cluster headaches, a mental health professional, and a proponent for the full decriminalization of entheogenic plants and fungi. In this episode, we talk about their work as director of Decriminalize Nature Colorado which recently submitted a ballot proposal to decriminalize entheogens in the 2022 Colorado statewide election, why decriminalization offers a more intentional and just model for psychedelic access, and the emerging models for holistically supporting mental health. Afterward, Joy and Sarah wander through strange metaphors as they reflect on these strangely psychedelic times in the Society of the Spectacle. GET INVOLVED Decriminalize Nature Colorado https://www.facebook.com/decrimnaturecolorado/ Insta: @decrimnaturecolorado https://www.instagram.com/decrimnaturecolorado/?hl=en Decriminalize Nature (national) https://decriminalizenature.org/ FEATURED MUSIC “All the Same” by FaceKiss https://facekiss.bandcamp.com/ “Hey Moon” and “Peter Pan” by Ray Diess https://open.spotify.com/artist/2k9ZPxMCH5vm2E7KHBwmfD https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ray-diess/1553592537 RECOMMENDED READING AND RESOURCES Your Healing is Killing Me https://bookshop.org/books/your-healing-is-killing-me/9780991418398 Our Right to Drugs https://bookshop.org/books/our-right-to-drugs-the-case-for-a-free-market/9780815603337 The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmaking of Psychiatry https://bookshop.org/books/the-book-of-woe-the-dsm-and-the-unmaking-of-psychiatry-9798200063345/9798200063345 Psychiatric Survivors https://www.psychiatricsurvivors.net/ Mad in America https://www.madinamerica.com/ Students for Sensible Drug Policy https://ssdp.org/ SPORE: Society for Psychedelic Outreach, Reform, and Education https://www.thespore.org/ Unlimited Sciences https://unlimitedsciences.org/

How do we enter into dialogue across differences, especially in a world where we are actively discouraged to do so by the powers that be? That question is not only at the heart of Corey Nathan's work on his podcast Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other, but also a principle we put into practice during this episode. Corey and your folking hosts come from different (at times, vastly different) perspectives but we navigate thorny subjects such as religion, democracy, and cancel culture without losing our shared goal of unfucking the world – or our senses of humor. This episode is praxis-y af, y'all! Afterwards, Joy and Sarah dive further into the ideas of dialogue, curiosity, and building shared spaces in our “this AND that” reality. We would like to wish our What the Folk fam a safe and, hopefully, joyous New Year. Or at least a year where the silver linings stay in view. Onwards to 2022! Featured music is “It's All Right to Not Be Okay” and “Brains in Meat Suits” by Joy Damiani. FOLLOW COREY'S PODCAST Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other @TPandRPod on all the socials https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/Yedrl1sr7igl

Happy holidays What the Folk Fam! Our gift to you – not sure you asked for it, but you shall receive – is a whole hour of Sarah and Joy's stoney shenanigans! Joy has a new single and accompanying video, “It's All Right to Not Be Okay,” dropping on December 21st. We dive into the therapeutic and combat-sport inspirations for the song and vid, as well as the challenges of trying to get your work noticed as an independent solo artist in the algorithm wilderness. This mini-interview is sandwiched with talk of Assange, abortion rights, creating utopia, and Sarah's rather embarrassing amount of basic Matrix references. Wishing a safe and cozy holiday season to all, whatever you may or may not be celebrating. FOLLOW JOY AND GET THE PRE-SAVE LINK FOR THE NEW SINGLE https://joydamiani.com/ IG: @joydamianimusic FB: facebook.com/trynottobeadick Featured music by Joy Damiani: “Please Don't F With Me (This Xmas)”: https://joydamiani.bandcamp.com/track/please-dont-f-with-me-this-xmas “(No Such Thing As) Bad Words”: https://joydamiani.bandcamp.com/track/no-such-thing-as-bad-words

The power of vulnerability and going with the flow are at the top of the conversation menu with guest Samantha Hart, author of a new memoir, Blind Pony: As True A Story As I Can Tell, about her unconventional journey from traumatized teenage runaway to creative force in the Hollywood music and film industry. Sam shares her thoughts on independent marketing, self-publishing, and disrupting the book industry, and Joy and Sarah follow up with a healthy discussion about intuition, the 100th Monkey, and whether life is a paradox, or we are just high. Listen to the end for a sneak peek of Joy's new single! FOLLOW SAMANTHA and buy her book at www.samanthahart.net FEATURED MUSIC: “It's All Right (To Not Be Okay)” by Joy Damiani

As part of our extended Veteran's Day of Our Discontent celebration (er, we'll call it that, sure), Joy sits down with fellow writer, musician, and veteran Rosa del Duca to discuss the various strategies they have both undertaken to unfuck their minds from the Army's fuckery. As a conscientious objector, Rosa's journey through the star spangled unlearning is an especially enlightening and inspiring one. Stay tuned after the convo to discover the reason for Sarah's mysterious absence, hear the gals try some “light banter” (goes about as well as you'd expect), and come up with a million dollar Kickstarter idea. Well, technically, Frank Herbert came up with the actual idea in Dune but we came up with the idea to crowdfund it -- and, no, it's not the spice melange. But, if anyone has the spice hookup, hit us up. Featured songs are: “Orion,” “Painting the Roses Red,” and “White Lies” by Hunters, courtesy of the artist. FOLLOW ROSA (and buy her book!) https://www.rosadelduca.com/

This episode features the incredible, and incredibly real, Jenny Pacanowski, founder/director of Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving, in a conversation that explores moving beyond organizations that serve as trauma-swaps, the challenge of incorporating ritual into collective spaces, and much more. After singing the praises of Jenny's ever-evolving, holistic approach to community-building, Joy and Sarah discuss art as a container for complex reality, the facade of “apolitical” organizations, and preferable ways to acknowledge vets on Veterans Day -- featuring appearances by some basic Howard Zinn quotes and, as per usual, weird accents. Featured poetry is “Combat Dick” by Jenny Pacanowski. Featured music is “Try Not to Be a Dick” and “Smoke Break” by Joy Damiani (released under Emily Yates). FOLLOW JENNY https://www.womenveteransempowered.org/ https://www.jennywarriorpoet.com/

The fabulous Lola Jean Darling returns for this episode! We go on a journey through the NOLA mutual aid response post-Hurricane Ida, discuss why adaptability is better than planning, consider how to turn anxiety into art — and even find time to casually side-eye René Descartes. Extra laughs and extra realness abound in this one. Afterward, Joy and Sarah dive into their shared fed-up-ness with the vaccine discourse and their shared loathing of comic sans font, while wrestling with various issues of human nuance. If you stay till the end, you will be rewarded with some questionable Canadian accents too! FOLLOW LOLA Insta: @lolajeandoesart Bandcamp: lolajeandarling.bandcamp.com NOLA MUTUAL AID Lex Lindell: Venmo @Lex-lex *indicate mutual aid* Bayou Disaster Kitchen: Venmo @SusiQ-Beck *indicate disaster kitchen* Lola & Onishona: Venmo/Cash App @theloladarling, PayPal: theloladarling@gmail.com *indicate Lola or Ona* FEATURED MUSIC: “Waves” and “The Years” by Lola Jean Darling, courtesy of the artist

For this joint, we're joined by anthropologist and filmmaker Marty Otañez to dive into under-discussed labor issues in cannabis, using digital storytelling to disrupt academia, and how anthropology can inform public policy. There's a lot of hope in this episode, as well as lots of drug discourse, which is truly our favorite type of discourse. Afterward, Joy and Sarah discuss the shouldn't-be-that-surprising revelations about Facebook, ponder whether algorithms have sentience yet, and generally do an awesome job navigating the English language. FOLLOW MARTY: Twitter @otanezm https://twitter.com/otanezm GETTING HIGH ON ANTHROPOLOGY https://fsandgreen.org/ NALOXONE CHAMPIONS https://clas.ucdenver.edu/anthropology/naloxone-champions CANNABIS WORKERS' UNION https://www.ufcw.org/who-we-represent/cannabis/ RECOMMENDED RESOURCES The Women of Weed https://maryjanesfilm.com/ Breaking the Grass Ceiling: Women, Weed & Business https://bookshop.org/books/breaking-the-grass-ceiling-women-weed-business/9781541096592 FEATURED MUSIC: “In a Major Key” by Joy Damiani (released under Emily Yates)

We're baaaaack! Our couple weeks off turned into three months but what is time during the apocalypse anyway? For our triumphant return to your earholes we are joined by Crash Barbosa, a recording artist and activist based out of L.A. We dive into his horrifying, politically motivated arrest story, mental health activism, unlearning systematic oppression from the inside, and why you should always call authority figures by their first names. Afterward, Joy and Sarah discuss their respective breaks, look back at 9/11 and Occupy Wall Street, and pay tribute to Norm Macdonald by discussing the right-on class politics of “Dirty Work.” Note to self: you won't want to miss this episode! FOLLOW CRASH @ crashbarbosa on Twitter and Instagram FEATURED MUSIC: “Activism” and “Solidarity” by Crash Barbosa

carla bergman, co-author, with Nick Montgomery, of Joyful Militancy, joins us for this episode. We dive into the writing process of this inspiring, must-read book, as well as how we resist our own radically rigid tendencies, why joy and melancholy often skip hand-in-hand, and why we should let the youth lead us. We hope you leave this convo with a full cup since we certainly did! Afterward, Joy and Sarah talk about revolution as a way of being and how to break out of our self-imposed cages. We're taking a vacation break but will be back with more Folkery in July! Thanks for putting up with all our puns and made-up words for a whole year (wow!!), we love you! JOYFUL MILITANCY https://joyfulmilitancy.com/ FOLLOW CARLA http://joyfulthreadsproductions.com/ @ joyfulcarla on the socials FEATURED MUSIC: “I've Always Loved the Monsters” by Time, Maudlin Magpie & A Thousand Vows, and “Love Yourself” by Joy Damiani (released under Emily Yates), courtesy of the artists. CHECK OUT OUR FEATURED ARTISTS https://thisistime.bandcamp.com/album/nighthawks-at-mccoys http://joydamiani.com/

Why do all the research and rhetoric around drug use focus on the small percentage of problematic users, leaving the vast majority of drug users out of the conversation? Why are we so shitty at talking about pleasure in America? Why don’t more people take their cats camping? Dr. Ingrid Walker is here to help us tackle these questions, as we explore drugs, pleasure, trauma, menopause, and bad portrayals of getting high in popular culture. After the interview, Joy and Sarah talk about sex for a hot minute. Note: We would like to apologize to rock n roll for its exclusion from this episode. FOLLOW INGRID https://ingridkwalker.com/ Ingrid’s Ted Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p4zw4_qgUw High: Drugs, Desire, and a Nation of Users https://bookshop.org/books/high-drugs-desire-and-a-nation-of-users/9780295742328 FEATURED MUSIC: “Dreaming Awake” and “The Waking World” by Lola Darling, and “miseraine” by Lauren Flynn, courtesy of the artists. LOLA DARLING https://lolajeandarling.bandcamp.com/album/dream-queen https://www.instagram.com/lolajeandoesart/?hl=en LAUREN FLYNN https://www.laurenflynnwastaken.com/ https://laurenflynn.bandcamp.com/album/outside-one-girl

Tarot! Cats! Comedy! Material vs cultural approaches to politics! Horror stories of the weirdest Warren stans! This conversation with the fabulous Kate Willett has it all. High witch vibes all around. Afterward, Sarah and Joy touch on Terence McKenna, white feminism, Palestine, and BDSM as they go down the leftist stoner chick rabbit holes you’ve come to know and love from this podcast. FOLLOW KATE https://katewillett.com/ Kate’s article referenced in the interview https://www.elle.com/life-love/a30551979/bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all/

Our guest on this episode is the well-traveled, well-spoken, and unapologetically outspoken musician Mark Rubin. From co-founding the influential Americana trickster band The Bad Livers to being a leader in the contemporary klezmer scene, Mark’s storied career strands weave together perfectly in this latest release, The Triumph of Assimilation. We talk about the new album, his experiences as a Southern Jew, the intersectional fascism reboot, cultural appropriation do-nots, and Yiddish songwriter/poet Mordechai Gebirtig. Featured music is “It’s Burning,” “A Day of Revenge“,”Royal Street Shuffle” and, just in time for Revenge of the 5th, “The Dark Side Has Doughnuts,” by Mark Rubin, courtesy of the artist. FOLLOW MARK AND PRE-ORDER HIS NEW ALBUM https://www.jewofoklahoma.com/ LEARN MORE ABOUT MORDECHAI GEBIRTIG At Home with Mordechai Gebirtig https://ingeveb.org/texts-and-translations/at-home-with-mordecai-gebirtig "Our Town is Burning" and "A Beam of Sunlight" https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/language-literature-culture/yiddish-translation/our-town-burning-and-beam-sunlight Mordechai Gebirtig Memorial (link is to English translated page from original Polish) https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pl&u=https://mordechaj-gebirtig.pl/&prev=search&pto=aue Wiki Page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Gebirtig P.S. SARAH AND JOY WERE REMEMBERING THAT THING ABOUT THE COLOR BLUE CORRECTLY! https://www.iflscience.com/brain/when-did-humans-start-see-color-blue/

We’re back to the folking interviews with this joyful frolic featuring Katy Frame and Marie Cecile Anderson, aka musical comedy duo Reformed Whores! We talk about our respective pandemic life changes, how to lean into fear, visions for a future artistic utopia, and the intensely triggering power of poop. Afterwards, Sarah and Joy reflect further on more metaphorical shit, such as cyclical time and Sarah’s recent conscious uncoupling with her long-term partner. Featured music is “Girls Poop Too,” “Birth Control,” and “Drunk Dial” by Reformed Whores, courtesy of the artist. https://www.reformedwhores.com/

Part deux of our monster M*A*S*H-athon conversation starts by tackling gender issues in the show and ends up with an imagined future for Hawkeye that involves hanging out with Timothy Leary and becoming an anti-war activist. In between, we cover sexism in the military, Freudian psychology, and nerd out about the show’s groundbreaking use of creative narrative devices. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of anti-imperialism chat too! Music for this episode is covers of “Suicide is Painless” (Johnny Mandel/Michael Altman) and “You’re the Enemy” by Emily Yates (available for stream/download at https://warriorsongs.org/track/1564039/you-re-the-enemy) READING RECS Korean Americans urge Biden to officially end the 70-year Korean War https://www.nknews.org/2021/03/korean-americans-urge-biden-to-officially-end-the-70-year-korean-war M*A*S*H' Finale, 35 Years Later: Untold Stories of One of TV's Most Important Shows https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/mash-oral-history-untold-stories-one-tvs-important-shows-1086322 30 Surprising Facts About ‘M*A*S*H https://www.history101.com/30-surprising-facts-about-mash/ Why the Real Hawkeye Pierce Hates M*A*S*H https://www.history.com/news/why-the-real-life-hawkeye-pierce-hated-mash Color Photos from Actual M*A*S*H Units https://www.considerable.com/entertainment/retronaut/the-real-mash/ Korean War History Site https://koreanwarlegacy.org/chapters/ Uncovering the Hidden History of the Korean War (Jacobin) https://jacobinmag.com/2020/06/korean-war-seventieth-anniversary-north-korea-south The Korean War: Forgotten, Unknown and Unfinished (Truthout) https://truthout.org/articles/the-korean-war-forgotten-unknown-and-unfinished/

Attention all personnel, we’re doing something a little different for the next two episodes. In early January, Sarah was sucked into the antiwar brilliance of ‘70s T.V. comedy M*A*S*H -- and inspired Joy to come along for the binge-watching ride. Fresh off being emotionally devastated by the famous final episode, Sarah and Joy sit down to tackle the big questions: How, in the ever-living fuck, was this unapologetically anti-imperialist show so insanely popular in America? And why, in 2021, are we STILL not heeding its overtly anti-war message? This conversation also provides insight into Joy’s deployment experience and (potentially) illuminates some of Sarah’s questionable decisions. Stay tuned for part two! Featuring covers of “Suicide is Painless” (Johnny Mandel/Michael Altman) and “I Bombed Korea” (Cake) performed by Joy Damiani. READING RECS Korean Americans urge Biden to officially end the 70-year Korean War https://www.nknews.org/2021/03/korean-americans-urge-biden-to-officially-end-the-70-year-korean-war M*A*S*H' Finale, 35 Years Later: Untold Stories of One of TV's Most Important Shows https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/mash-oral-history-untold-stories-one-tvs-important-shows-1086322 30 Surprising Facts About ‘M*A*S*H https://www.history101.com/30-surprising-facts-about-mash/ Why the Real Hawkeye Pierce Hates M*A*S*H https://www.history.com/news/why-the-real-life-hawkeye-pierce-hated-mash Color Photos from Actual M*A*S*H Units https://www.considerable.com/entertainment/retronaut/the-real-mash/ Korean War History Site https://koreanwarlegacy.org/chapters/ Uncovering the Hidden History of the Korean War (Jacobin) https://jacobinmag.com/2020/06/korean-war-seventieth-anniversary-north-korea-south The Korean War: Forgotten, Unknown and Unfinished (Truthout) https://truthout.org/articles/the-korean-war-forgotten-unknown-and-unfinished/

The endearingly profane anti-folk pioneer and artistic rabble-rouser Ed Hamell, aka Hamell on Trial, joins us for this one, and helps us make a large announcement that we’re excited to share with you! We were able to squeeze in almost two hours of his tour stories (featuring the likes of fellow anti-folk legends Ani DiFranco and Kimya Dawson), shared Syracuse roots, and good-natured political debate, so settle in and get ready to spend some quality time with this truly wholesome anti-folkery. Later in the show, we get into WTF is anti-folk, anyway, and note the looming 18th anniversary of the Iraq War. Featured songs are “Values,” “Social Distancing,” and “Gonna” by Hamell on Trial, courtesy of the artist. Follow Hamell On Trial: https://www.hamellontrial.org/home Instagram (for Hamell’s art): @hamelltv

We’re joined by Carla Gover, a musician, dancer and activist whose work is informed by her deep Appalachian roots. We talk about breaking regional stereotypes, building connections across different communities, the wealth extraction that underlies Eastern Kentucky’s problems, and the importance of learning “granny skills,” especially during the pandemic. Afterwards, Sarah and the artist-soon-to-be-formerly-known as Emily discuss liberal snobbery towards the South, the Texas freeze, and get a preview of one of your What the Folk hosts' new moniker! We also give a shout out to our What the Folk Fam, as we have now officially dubbed thee, our lovely listeners. Featured music is “I'm a Snowflake” and “Dangerous Women” by Carla Gover, courtesy of the artists Follow Carla https://carlagover.com/home TEXAS MUTUAL AID DIRECTORY https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rdMnbzYxfXFrG1DefGqN3R1zu_lan2fml2bEYRpMcRQ/edit?fbclid=IwAR3xlYn52Aqfe2VsKYWOIi7x7fzaNzWEhB_QzYHxE_N1in6EzTTgSL4kxNk

We are joined this week by SLC-based musician Talia Keys and her partner Melahn Atkinson. Besides offering a whole host of amazing livestream events in these strange times, Talia and Melahn have also been working with the houseless community in Salt Lake City. This interview covers a lot of ground: showing up for ALL your neighbors, being an out-and-proud radical in Utah, running Rock Camp SLC during the pandemic, and giving so few fucks you incur the wrath of bigots. Afterwards, Sarah and Emily read an update from Talia about the destruction of Camp Last Hope and talk about how our system conspires to keep folks houseless. Featured music is “We’re Here” and “Guns Out” by Talia Keys & The Love, courtesy of the artists FOLLOW TALIA https://taliakeys.com/ SUPPORT CAMP LAST HOPE *Venmo: @ blacklivesforhumanitymovement *FB: https://www.facebook.com/BlackLivesforHumanityMovement SARAH INSTA ACCOUNT RECS *All My Homies Hate Michael Hancock @ allmyhomeshatemichaelhancok *Denver WOM @ wallofmomden *Sacramento Homeless Union @ sacramento.homeless.union

We’re kicking off the first week in February with an extra What the Folk Wednesday drop! We sat with the newest poet laureate of San Francisco, Tongo Eisen-Martin, to talk about poetry as a tool for radicalization, the gentrification of American cities, how the current political moment we’re in is a rerun and how to reclaim our consciousness from the inherent violence of the colonial project. Afterwards, Emily and Sarah ruminate on what the folk they learned from this incredibly thought-provoking interview. All featured poetry by Tongo Eisen-Martin, courtesy of the artist. Follow Tongo on Twitter and Instagram: @ _Tongogara_

Comedian Ron Placone joins us for this joint! We talk about Ron’s journey into stand-up comedy, digital rights issues, pushing back against the current of corporate media, and, of course, cats cats cats. Lightening the collective mood while taking on the heavy stuff is the vibe here. Afterwards, Emily and Sarah talk about the first feels around the Biden administration, Democrats Democrating and bad neolib “feminist” readings of Bernie memes. FOLLOW RON https://www.ronplacone.com/ GET INVOLVED https://peoplesparty.org/ https://www.fightforthefuture.org/ Featured music is “Love Me I’m a Liberal” and “Bezos is Surveilling Your Town” by Ron Placone, and “I Miss You” by Emily Yates, courtesy of the artists. Ron Placone is a comedian. He appears regularly on The Jimmy Dore Show and has been seen on CrossTalk, TMZ, FreeSpeechTV, The Young Turks, Redacted Tonight and more. His debut album, “Agnostic Holiday” is in rotation on SiriusXM. He hosts the YouTube show/podcast, Get Your News On With Ron.

**Content Warning: discussion of sexual assault and cult violence** In the last days of 2020, we got up early, brewed some coffee, and sat down (er, Zoomed) with Maya Azucena, singer-songwriter and cultural ambassador, who has been riding out the pandemic in Turkey. Maya’s inspiring, infectious -- and highly danceable -- music has taken her on a worldwide outreach journey, and we hope you enjoy coming along for the ride as much as we did. We talk about the power of personal storytelling to connect across differences, how to have a global artistic career, and what it really means to be fearless. Afterwards, you can hear Emily and Sarah discuss their respective hair journeys and then switch to the much lighter topic of the riot at the Capitol. If you feel the analysis of last Wednesday’s events has lacked certain insights, as well as fashion critique and a (hopefully mostly accurate) summary of what happened at Jonestown as it relates to the ongoing Q phenomenon (and cults in general), have we got the commentary for you. FOLLOW MAYA http://mayaazucena.com/ Featured music is “Fearless,” “You Matter” and “Prettiest” by Maya Azucena, courtesy of the artist. GUEST BIO Maya Azucena, a magnetically inspirational woman, is known for making music that uplifts the soul. Among several awards for her music and humanitarian outreach, Azucena garnered a Grammy Certificate for contributing her 4-octave range and soul-stylings to a feature performance with Stephen Marley on Best Reggae Album of the Year, “Mind Control.” Critically acclaimed, Brooklyn-native Maya is an avid independent touring artist and songwriter performing globally. Recent concerts include a 17-country tour of Europe in February 2019; Java Jazz Fest (Indonesia), CapeTown Jazz Fest (South Africa), Port Au Prince International Jazz Fest (Haiti), Rio Das Ostras Blues & Jazz Fest (Brazil), Moscow International House of Music (Russia), Pula Arena (Croatia), Delhi International Arts Festival (India), Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles), Blue Note Hawaii, Blue Note New York, and Essence Fest in New Orleans alongside the likes of Beyonce, Jill Scott and Maxwell. For the last 3 summers, Azucena has done concert residencies at Bodrum Marina Yacht Club in Turkey, as well as luxury resorts including Lujo Hotel, Regnum Carya Golf Club, and Six Sense Kaplankaya. Maya performed an exclusive concert with her Turkish orchestra, singing her original songs arranged for Çukurova State Symphony of Adana. She was also included in Istanbul’s 2017 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, performing her song “Fearless” for the finale of Çigdem Akin’s runway show. Maya collaborates extensively on stage and recordings with both national and international stars. Her collaborations have included Marcus Miller, Brass Against, Jason Miles, DJ Spinna, DJ Logic, Fitz and the Tantrums, Vernon Reid, and Bob Sinclair. Maya is well known for her humanitarian outlook and projects around The Globe which include special focus on Women’s & Youth Empowerment and Domestic/Sexual Violence. Based on a personal commitment to help the world through her talent, most of Maya’s songs are anthems that lend a voice to self-worth, empowerment, overcoming obstacles, and stepping into our “fearless” selves

We deep dive with Dr. Serena Chopra, a multitalented and multifaceted teacher and artist. Join us for a fascinating and thought-provoking conversation about the different approaches to time, what we mean when we describe something as “queer,” turning our personal trauma into collective defense, and the role of mysticism in creating what comes next. It’s not just about examining the structures we live in, we also have to turn those structures on their heads to approach them differently. We hope you leave this conversation with the same sky-eyed perspective we did. Afterwards, Sarah is all jazzed up on Aquarius vibes and Emily talks about energy, because we’re both kind of hippies. Featured poem is “Seduction After the Great Plains” by Dr. Serena Chopra. Featured music is “Love Yourself” and “The Only Point” by our own Emily Yates - a preview of her about-to-drop new album, Notes to Self and Others. All tracks appear courtesy of the artists. GUEST BIO Dr. Serena Chopra https://www.serenachopra.com/ Dr. Serena Chopra is a teacher, writer, dancer, filmmaker, soundscape designer and a visual and performance artist. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Denver, an MFA from the University of Colorado at Boulder and was a Kundiman Fellow, a 2011-2013 Redline artist in Residence, a 2016-2017 Fulbright Scholar (Bangalore, India), and received a month-long artist residency at Understudy Denver for September 2020. She has two books, This Human (Coconut Books 2013) and Ic (Horse Less Press 2017), as well as two films, Dogana/Chapti (2018, winner of ArtHyve’s Archives as Muse Film grant, Official Selection at Frameline43, Oregon Documentary Film Festival, Seattle Queer Film Festival, Nahia Film Festival and Cinema Diverse) and Mother Ghosting (2018). She is an 8-year company member with Evolving Doors Dance and was recently a featured artist in Harper’s Bazaar (India) as well as in the Denver Westword’s “100 Colorado Creatives.” She has recent publications in Foglifter, Sink and Matters of Feminist Practice (Belladonna). Serena is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Seattle University. EMILY DICKINSON POEM READ IN EPISODE “The Brain is Wider Than the Sky” https://www.bartleby.com/113/1126.html BOOKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity by José Esteban Muñoz https://bookshop.org/books/cruising-utopia-the-then-and-there-of-queer-futurity/9781479874569 The Undercommons: Fugitive Planning & Black Study by Stefano Harney & Fred Moten https://bookshop.org/books/the-undercommons-fugitive-planning-black-study/9781570272677 A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia by Gilles Deleuze https://bookshop.org/books/a-thousand-plateaus-capitalism-and-schizophrenia/9780816614028 Queer Phenomenology: Orientations, Objects, Others by Sarah Ahmed https://bookshop.org/books/queer-phenomenology-orientations-objects-others-9780822339144/9780822339144 Les Guerilleres by Monique Wittig https://bookshop.org/books/les-guerilleres/9780252074820 The Portable Kristeva by Julia Kristeva https://bookshop.org/books/the-portable-kristeva/9780231126298 Occasional Work and Seven Walks from the Office for Soft Architecture by Lisa Robertson https://bookshop.org/books/occasional-work-and-seven-walks-from-the-office-for-soft-architecture-third-edition-revised/9781552452325 Your Healing Is Killing Me by Virginia Grise https://bookshop.org/books/your-healing-is-killing-me/9780991418398 Ideal Suggestions: Essays in Divinatory Poetics by Selah Saterstrom https://bookshop.org/books/ideal-suggestions-essays-in-divinatory-poetics/9780996922913

Happy episode 15 of What the Folk! In this episode we are joined by historian, writer and educator, Dr. Matthew Heidtmann. We talk about the importance of teaching history, making academia accessible to a wider audience, and all those great myths of imperialism and exceptionalism that we swim in as Americans. History may not repeat, but it definitely rhymes. Then afterwards, Emily and Sarah talk about pandemic politics and gendered culture...but also about Finding Nemo and small town Colorado restaurant drama. Featured music is “Foreign Policy Folk Song” by our own Emily Yates. Matthew Heidtmann is an historian, educator, writer, and union organizer. He got his PhD in History from Stony Brook University, and he is currently an Adjunct Professor of History at Suffolk County Community College, in Long Island, NY. His research focuses on American progressivism, conservatism, and capitalism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He occasionally writes about topics relating to history, politics, and political culture, and his writing has appeared in ROAR Magazine, Truthout, and even in The Washington Post. You can follow Dr. Heidtmann at https://matthewheidtmann.com/ Twitter: @ East_Coast_Matt

The lovely and hilarious Baruch Porras-Hernadez is in the house with big sparkly Aquarius energy. We talk about his journey from actor to performance poet and comedian, healing familial toxic masculinity, and how to joyfully make a living as an artist. We also get some pointers on Zoom theater as we hear about how he staged his solo show, “Love in the Time of Piñatas,” in his bedroom. And there’s a special sneak peak at the team of Queer Latinx superheroes that will be coming soon to save the world! And if that’s not enough excitement and intrigue for you, stick around for Sarah and Emily’s thoughts on pandemic braining and how, er, hopeful (?) they are now that good ole Uncle Joe is for realsies the prez. KEEP UP with BARUCH https://baruchporrashernandez.wordpress.com/ Twitter: @ baruchisonfire Instagram: baruchporrashernandez Featured poems are “The Trees, They Hate the Birds the Most” and “Oh the Places You Will Go, Fearing for Your Life, While People Do Drugs” by Baruch Porras-Hernadez, courtesy of the artist. GUEST BIO Baruch Porras-Hernandez is a writer, performer, organizer, professional MC/Host, curator, stand up comedian, and the author of the chapbooks “I Miss You, Delicate” and “Lovers of the Deep Fried Circle” both with Sibling Rivalry Press. He had the honor of touring with the legendary Sister Spit Queer poetry tour in 2019, is a is a two-time winner of Literary Death Match, a regular host of literary shows for KQED, and was named a Writer to Watch in 2016 by 7×7 Magazine. His poetry can be found with Write Bloody Publishing, The Tusk, Foglifter, Assaracus and many more. He has been an artist in residence at The Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep, a Lambda Literary Fellow in Poetry, and Playwriting. He’s been featured in shows with The Rumpus, Writers with Drinks, has performed several times with Radar Productions, LitQuake, and Quiet Lightning. His solo show “Love in the Time of Piñatas” got a clapping man from the SF Chronicle and was performed to sold-out houses at Epic Party Theatre in December of 2019. He is the head organizer of ¿Donde Esta Mi Gente? a Latinx literary performance series, he is an immigrant originally from Mexico, and is currently the lead artist in a multidisciplinary project that will create new Queer Latino Superheroes with MACLA, which stands for Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana in San Jose. He lives in San Francisco.

On this episode we are joined by Dr. Tracy Ferrell from CU Boulder. We discuss the challenges and opportunities around labor organizing in academia, the campus experience under Covid, and her research around immigration and medical marijuana patients. We also talk about the power of stories to inspire empathy and break down borders. After the interview, Emily envisions a self-sustaining system and Sarah attempts to quote Ram Dass and Jason Molina with questionable accuracy. Oh yeah, and I guess there was an election or something? Soooo we hope you enjoy profanity. UNITED CAMPUS WORKERS COLORADO https://www.ucwcolorado.org/ DR. FERRELL’S BOOK https://toplightbooks.com/product/migrating-for-medical-marijuana/ Featured songs are “Bastille” and “Riverboat” by The Red Tack, and "The System Isn't Broken" by our own Emily Yates, courtesy of the artists. CHECK OUT THE RED TACK https://www.facebook.com/TedTheRedTack/ GUEST BIO: Tracy Ferrell, Ph.D., is on the faculty of the program for writing and rhetoric at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her research and teaching interests include Latin American literature and culture, Mexico and U.S. border issues, immigration, and drug policy/the drug war. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Happy (?) day after election day! We recorded this episode in October, so we made some bad predictions with our guest, musician Melody Walker, mostly involving aliens. We also talk about Front Country’s fantastic new album, Impossible World, which is out now for your ears’ enjoyment. But that’s just for starters in this lively and insightful discussion, which includes performative class and inclusion in country music, the potential futures of the music industry in a post-Covid world, self-accountability, and a pitch for a Christopher Guest-style comedy about paranoid militias. Good vibes all around! Featured songs are “Amerikan Dream” and “Broken Record” by Front Country, courtesy of the artist. CHECK OUT MELODY AND FRONT COUNTRY’S MUSIC! https://www.melodywalker.com/ https://www.frontcountryband.com/ GUEST BIO: “‘Lead singer and songwriter for progressive bluegrass band Front Country, Melody Walker is an outspoken force in bluegrass. She routinely calls out the sexism, racism and injustice she sees in the world, a difficult thing to do in an industry still run by many conservative elements.’ - Paste Magazine Melody is originally from Northern California and now lives in Nashville.

***AUDIO NOTE: There was an issue with Sarah’s track, sorry for the fuzz!*** CONTENT WARNING: DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT We’re joined by Alex Scott, a 7th generation Oklahoman, a former public school teacher, an active community organizer, and candidate for Oklahoma State Senate. In 2018, she became the youngest member to ever serve on the Norman, OK City Council, ousting a well-funded incumbent on a shoestring budget and grassroots power. We discuss the importance of getting involved locally, the terrifying pushback she has received for her actions, and how she got ripped off a flagpole at a certain Tulsa rally for someone who shall remain unnamed (see episode 1A for more on that). Follow Alex on Twitter: @ RealAlexScott Then afterwards Emily and Sarah discuss their husky, wildfire smoke soaked voices, riff more on the idea of local action, and Sarah uses the word “magic” a whole bunch. Featured music is "When the Zombies Come” by our own Emily Yates. GET INVOLVED: Donate to Alex and follow her campaign: https://www.scott4okstatesenate.com/ GUEST BIO Alex is a 7th generation Oklahoman, a former public school teacher, and an active community organizer. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Classical Studies and a Master's of Public Administration. She began her career teaching Latin at Moore Public Schools, where she realized how our state severely under funds not only our education system, but also our public services as a whole. Her frustration inspired her to get involved with the Oklahoma Education Association. Scott was trained at the NEA's annual leadership summit to be an advocate and activist for educational policy changes, and applied her training through canvassing, conducting listening tours, and lobbying legislators. While she was financially unable to continue teaching, Alex continued serving her community as the CD4 Chair for the Oklahoma Democratic Party. In 2018, she became the youngest Norman City Council member to ever serve, ousting a well-funded incumbent on a shoestring budget and grassroots power. Serving on the council equipped her with sound budgeting practices and a passion for helping her community. Scott witnessed firsthand our state's tendency to preempt municipal legislation and strip them of their authority, and believes this practice must be stopped. She is ready to Change the Oklahoma Standard by restoring balance back to our budget and back to our people.

Happy Episode 10 of What the Folk! We’re joined by the fabulous and multi-talented Lola Darling for a conversation about how art can heal and how to live your life as an act of resistance. We also get a preview of her new musical oracle project! From Lola’s struggle to claim her own identity to Covid on the reservations, from Kerrville Folk Festival to Mardi Gras, this episode is an emotionally honest and eye-opening journey. Featured music is "Breath," "Nothing," and "Daughter" by Lola Darling, courtesy of the artist. Episode Image credit: Amy Jo Wisehart https://www.amyjowisehart.com/ SUPPORT LOLA’S NEWLY LAUNCHED PATREON: www.patreon.com/LolaArts LOLA’S MUSIC: https://www.bandlab.com/lolaohoyochitto https://greatbiglilloladarling.bandcamp.com/releases GUEST BIO Lola Darling is an indigenous woman (Chahta-Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians) from the Pearl River Reservation. She currently lives in Bulbancha (New Orleans, LA) creating art in different mediums.

On this episode, we are taking a trip with Clayton Ickes, president of Psychedelic Club. We talk about our tendency to see psychedelics as a “savior,” what a legit psychedelic renaissance would look like, and wrestle with thorny issues of colonization and privilege vis-à-vis movements around drug liberation. Oh, and there’s some light discussion of Japanese death cults. Afterwards, Emily and Sarah break down our weird tendency to make people into saviors, specifically in regards to RGB (fare thee well), and discuss how easy it is to make a reasonable, nuanced point that is well received on social media. https://www.psychedeliclub.com/ Featured music is “Travels” by Summer Alicia, courtesy of the artist. Check her out on all the streaming platforms and on Instagram @ susummasummz GUEST BIO Clayton Ickes is a grateful and passionate voice of lived experience. Harm reductionist, MDMA study night attendant, and former SSDP chapter leader, his goal is to become an above ground provider of psychedelic medicine. He is also a wilderness therapy guide, writer, and van-living traveler. You can check out his adventures and creations at https://www.avandoned.com/

On this special bonus episode we are discussing the extradition hearing of Julian Assange with our friends Lee Camp and returning What the Folk champion Eleanor Goldfield. This episode is entirely focused on the case, so should be a good primer for anyone who is wondering, “Why, with all the things going on in the world, should I also give a shit about this?” Make sure to check out Lee and Eleanor's pod, Common Censored! GET INVOLVED Assange Defense https://assangedefense.org/ Article Sarah references: https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2019/04/20/debunking-all-the-assange-smears/ MUSIC "Free Assange" (spoken word by Eleanor Goldfield), "Land of the Free" (Emily Yates), courtesy of the artists. GUEST BIOS Lee Camp is the head writer and host of the national TV show Redacted Tonight with Lee Camp on RT America. He’s a former contributor to The Onion, former staff humor writer for the Huffington Post, and his web series “Moment of Clarity” has been viewed by millions. He’s toured the country and the world with his fierce brand of standup comedy, and George Carlin’s daughter Kelly said he’s one of the few comics keeping her father’s torch lit. Bill Hicks’s brother Steve said Lee is one of only a handful with Bill’s “message and passion.” Keep up with Lee here: https://leecamp.com/about/ Eleanor Goldfield is the founder and host of the show and podcast Act Out! and the co-host of the podcast Common Censored along with Lee Camp. Her current work focuses on more long-form and in-depth pieces, the first iteration of these being a film on West Virginia’s coal and fracking country. As a journalist, her articles and photographs cover people and topics which are censored or misrepresented. Artistically, Eleanor works in a variety of mediums and her performances blend music, spoken word and visual projections. Keep up with Eleanor’s projects here: https://www.artkillingapathy.com/

Join us for an enlightening discussion with Brittany DeBarros, Organizing Director of About Face: Veterans Against the War. We talk about her journey from soldier to activist, how to address oppressive patterns in movement building, what happens when we win, and how to hold multiple truths at once. We also touch on the joys of task forces and the musical “Hamilton.” Stick around if you want to hear Emily and Sarah reflect further on the idea of imperial privilege -- unless you’re a fan of Colin Powell, but, in that case, I’m not sure why you’re even listening to this podcast. https://aboutfaceveterans.org/ Featured music is "J.R.O.T.C." by Brittney Chantele, courtesy of the artist. https://www.brittneychantele.com/ Brittany came to About Face: Veterans Against the War with a diverse mix of business, military and non-profit leadership experiences that cemented her deep passion and commitment to intersectional movement building work. She deployed to Afghanistan for a year in 2012 and has worked on economic and racial liberation issues in various capacities since she returned. She is particularly passionate about leveraging her experience as a Psychological Operations Officer to center narrative and behavior change in campaign strategy. She is based in NYC. Book Recommendation: The Militarization of Indian Country https://bookshop.org/books/the-militarization-of-indian-country/9781938065002

Settle in for this deep dive with songwriter, musician, yoga teacher, activist, writer and all-around conscious renaissance woman Lauren Flynn. This interview covers a lot of territory -- how to live your activism, how to deal with narcissists, and how to turn trauma into passive aggressive country songs, to name just a few highlights. It’s all about working on the internal to affect the external. After the interview, stay tuned if you want to hear a classic Emily Army story and hear Sarah reference Robert Anton Wilson because she’s heady like that. LAUREN’S NEW EP! (streaming everywhere, but please support her on Bandcamp if you can) https://laurenflynn.bandcamp.com/album/outside-one-girl FOLLOW LAUREN: http://www.LaurenMakesMusics.com/ Instagram @ sorceressofnow Yoga Instagram @ yoga.with.lauren Featured music is “Supply and Demand" and “Wire” by Lauren Flynn, courtesy of the artist. GUEST BIO Lauren is a musician, activist, three-time natural disaster survivor and former pro-wrestler who has spent the last 15 years healing from corporate America. In her third year of sobriety, she currently lives in the PNW where she is recording her first full-length album, teaching yoga and writing about her journey.

We are joined by journalist, performance artist, activist and general doer of amazing shit Eleanor Goldfield! Settle in for this great conversation about mutual aid, her new (and excellent) documentary Hard Road of Hope, and how we keep up our creativity and hope in these troubling times. After the interview, stay tuned for Emily and Sarah’s thoughts on imagining a better world, especially if you enjoy subtle metaphors that describe national politics as a hit-and-run car accident and counter-hegemonic resistance as “poking at holes” (Seriously, are we not doing phrasing anymore?) HARD ROAD OF HOPE https://hardroadofhope.com/ MUTUAL AID DISASTER RELIEF https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/ MUTUAL AID HUB https://www.mutualaidhub.org/ Featured music is “Sick, Tired & Wasted" by Rooftop Revolutionaries, courtesy of the artist. GUEST BIO Eleanor Goldfield is the founder and host of the show and podcast Act Out! and the co-host of the podcast Common Censored along with Lee Camp. Her current work focuses on more long-form and in-depth pieces, the first iteration of these being a film on West Virginia’s coal and fracking country. As a journalist, her articles and photographs cover people and topics which are censored or misrepresented. Artistically, Eleanor works in a variety of mediums and her performances blend music, spoken word and visual projections. Keep up with Eleanor’s projects here: https://www.artkillingapathy.com/ Follow Eleanor on Twitter and Instagram [@]activisteleanor

Episode Four: Dancing on the Ruins with Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson We sit down with the awesome Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Co-Executive Director of the legendary Highlander Center, for an inspiring and motivating talk about movement building, solidarity economics, liberation practices and real deal education. This interview had us practicing our dance moves to shimmy on the ruins of the old world, so you don’t want to miss it if you’re needing some fuel for your fire. Then Emily gives a post-PDX protest report, and she and Sarah discuss ways to “get in where you fit in” to support M4BL. P.S. We’d suggest a What the Folk drinking game where you take a shot every time Sarah says the word “consciousness” -- but that would likely render you unconscious. THE HIGHLANDER CENTER https://www.highlandercenter.org/ MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES https://m4bl.org/ GUEST BIO Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson is a 33 year old, Affrilachian (Black Appalachian), working class woman, born and raised in Southeast Tennessee. She is the Co-Executive Director of the Highlander Research & Education Center in New Market, TN. She has served as president of the Black Affairs Association at East Tennessee State University and the Rho Upsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is a long-time activist working around issues of mountaintop removal mining, and environmental racism in central and southern Appalachia, and has served on the National Council of the Student Environmental Action Coalition. She is an active participant in the Movement for Black Lives and is on the governance council of the Southern Movement Assembly. You can follow Ash on Twitter @hendersonaw0604 MUSIC Featured music: 2019 performances of “If You Want a Revolution" and “Don't Know Much About Star Wars” by our own Emily Yates. You can check out the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkHVqdjgqN4&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ny6AWs7_kU&feature=youtu.be DONATE TO GROUPS IN PORTLAND PDX Protest Bail Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/pdx-protest-bail-fund Black Portland Youth Movement https://www.gofundme.com/f/21o0at70w0?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link-tip Rosehip Medics http://www.rosehipmedics.org/donate/

Emily sits down with Krystal Twobulls (Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne), veteran and executive director of Voices of the Sacred, in Lame Deer, Montana. Voices of the Sacred’s mission is to develop the next generation of healthy organizers from Native Youth and Native Veterans. We talk about what healthy organizing means, global solidarity across liberation movements, and Krystal’s journey from serving in the army to serving her community. Then Emily and Sarah wrestle with technical difficulties and America’s general ahistorical consciousness. Featured music is "Creation" by Nataanii Means, courtesy of the artist. https://soundcloud.com/nataanii-means Get Involved: https://www.voicesofthesacred.org/ https://aboutfaceveterans.org/ Krystal was just arrested at the direct action at Mount Rushmore, this interview was recorded before those protests. She’s out and doing well, but you can support the Black Hills Legal Defense Fund here: https://bhlegalfund.org/

We are joined by Dr. Carol Conzelman for a mind-expanding conversation about the history of the drug war in the United States, her work studying coca and democracy in Bolivia, how to encourage critical thinking about drugs, and our human need to explore inner space. Then Emily and Sarah have a chat that starts with studying the habits of the common American wook and ends with a discussion of the apocalypse, per usual. Featured music is “Drugs R Bad” by What the Folk’s very own Emily Yates http://emilyyatesmusic.com/ ______________________________________________________________ Guest Bio: Dr. Caroline Conzelman is a cultural anthropologist and Senior Instructor at the University of Colorado Boulder with the Global Studies Residential Academic Program and the International Affairs Program. She directs a Study Abroad program in Bolivia and teaches courses on democracy, drug policy, globalization, sustainability, Latin America, and community engagement. She is Faculty Adviser for Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the Psychedelic Club, and Slow Food Youth. Since 2014, she has organized—together with students and colleagues—an all-day symposium to promote public education on ancient uses of cannabis and psychedelic plants and their modern political, economic, and therapeutic relevance. Since 1995, Conzelman has been a Volunteer Team Leader with the international grassroots development organization Global Volunteers, coordinating service learning programs in Jamaica, Ecuador, Italy, Tanzania, Ireland, and Cuba; she also served on their Board of Directors (seven years). Currently she is president of the international Board of Directors for the Andean Information Network out of Cochabamba, Bolivia. Carol can be reached at conzelma@colorado.edu _____________________________________________________________ Carol’s book recommendations: War and Drugs by The Role of Military Conflict in the Development of Substance Abuse By Dessa Bergen-Cico https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10260413-war-and-drugs From Chocolate to Morphine: Everything You Need to Know About Mind-Altering Drugs By Andrew Weil https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/110490.From_Chocolate_to_Morphine?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=1vJUQcV46m&rank=1 Organizations to follow and support: Drug Policy Alliance https://www.drugpolicy.org/ Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies https://maps.org/ Erowid https://www.erowid.org/ Transnational Institute https://www.tni.org/en International Drug Policy Consortium https://idpc.net/ Washington Office for Latin America (WOLA) https://www.wola.org/ Institute for Policy Studies https://ips-dc.org/

Ep. 2 will be out soon! In the meantime, as a follow up to Ep. 1, Emily sits down with her fellow Vets for Peace/About Face Vets after their direct action at the Trump rally in Tulsa on June 20th to reflect on what service now means to them during the current (and hopefully-finally-jfc-it-better-be victorious) iteration of the long fight for racial justice. Included in this conversation are Stephen Funk, Ollie, Emily Yates, Krystal Twobulls, and Jade Daniels. Episode title is in reference to an apropos JJ Cale song that would have been cool to include except copyright, with special nods to the late great Jeff Austin, who did a smoking cover of it. Photo credit: Frank Deck http://frankdeck.com/ https://www.veteransforpeace.org/ https://aboutfaceveterans.org/ https://grassrootsglobaljusticealliance.org https://voicesofthesacred.org https://unifytulsa.org

Our first episode! We are joined by Garett Reppenhagen, executive director of Veterans for Peace. You can learn more and get involved here: https://www.veteransforpeace.org/ We recorded this interview a couple days after the murder of George Floyd. Stay tuned after the interview to hear Emily and Sarah talk about shadow work, jumping timelines, and how no one is behind the wheel of the America bus. **Sound note: Sorry about the buzzing sound in spots, we're new at this!** Featured music is by two veterans, “Support the Troops” by the dearly-missed Jacob George http://www.jacobdavidgeorge.org/ and “The Golden Opportunity Outro” by Brittney Chantele https://www.brittneychantele.com/ Guest Bio: Garett Reppenhagen is the son of a Vietnam Veteran and grandson of two World War II Veterans. He served in the U.S. Army as a Cavalry/Scout Sniper in the 1st Infantry Division. Garett completed a deployment in Kosovo on a 9-month peace-keeping mission and a combat tour in Baquaba, Iraq. Garett gained an Honorable Discharge in May of 2005 and began working as a veterans advocate and a dedicated activist. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Iraq Veterans Against the War, worked in Washington, DC, as a lobbyist and as Vice President of Public Relations for the Nobel Prize winning Veterans For America, as a Program Director for Veterans Green Jobs and was the Rocky Mountain Director for Vet Voice Foundation. Garett lives in Colorado where he serves as the Executive Director for Veterans For Peace. Follow Garett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SirGarett

The pod is almost ready for launch! We’ll be live June 15th! In the meantime, here’s a tiny taste.