When We Fight, We Win!: The Podcast

In this episode of Sounds of Resistance, we feature Emil Martínez-Roldán “El Hijo de Borikén”, rapper, sonero, singer, and composer with musician, producer, and rapper Anibal "El S." Vidal Quintero, synergizing their talents into El Hijo de Borikén. Feel energized by this vibrant and authentic conversation, where two worlds collide creating powerful music with a message.The episode was recorded LIVE on April 5th at Casa Taller Cangrejera, San Juan, PR.

“The U.S. Penitentiary is the largest Indian Reservation in the United States of America.” - Leonard Peltier (Anishinabe & Dakota) Indigenous activists and allies have been on the frontlines to #FreeLeonardPeltier – for over 47 years. Leonard Peltier is a writer, activist, fine artist, humanitarian, and political prisoner, wrongfully convicted of a crime that he did not commit. We speak with the co-director of the International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, Carol Gokee - who movingly uplifts the truth behind Leonard Peltier's case and encourages folks to actively engage in the fight for his freedom. Indigenous communities throughout the course of US history have been targets of government-sanctioned violence. In this heartfelt episode, we weave together what Leonard Peltier's freedom means to Indigenous communities: – Indigenous liberation, prison abolition, #LandBack, the history of the genocidal initiates known as the Residential Boarding schools, and understanding the long-standing detrimental impact of colonization that Indigenous communities still face today. We hear Leonard's own voice and music from his nephew. Together, we must continue in the fight to demand Leonard Peltier's freedom and to push President Joe Biden to grant clemency to FREE LEONARD PELTIER!   Please contact The White House at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ and demand that Joe Biden grant clemency to Leonard Peltier. Tweet at @POTUS @whitehouse @OfficialFBOP (Bureau of Prisons) and @PeltierHQ (International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee) to #FreeLeonardPeltier every day because #WhenWeFightWeWin #CuandoLuchamosGanamos   #RiseUpForPeltier #FreeLeonardPeltier    Sounds in the episode by DJ Free Leonard.

"Inside these prison walls, love is really the closest thing that you have to freedom." - Comrade Pitt Panther, Prison Radio Correspondent. This episode focuses on the work of Prison Radio and the #LoveNotPhear campaign to free journalist, author and activist Mumia Abu-Jamal. We hear from organizers and family members of incarcerated people, and incarcerated folks themselves, mobilizing movements for freedom. Founder and Legal Director Noelle Hanrahan shares the origins of Prison Radio and gives an update on Mumia's case; Jamal Hart Jr. speaks on his experience growing up seeing his grandfather, Mumia in prison, and Mike Africa Jr. articulates the philosophy and motivation behind the #LoveNotPhear campaign. #MumiaAbuJamal #PrisonRadio #LoveNotPhear #MikeAfricaJr #JamalHartJr #NoelleHanrahan #PittPanther #prisonabolition #PICAbolition #abolition #massincarceration #OntheEveofAbolition #AgitArte #whenwefightwewinpodcast #whenwefightwewin #podcast

In this episode of Sounds of Resistance, we feature Lizbeth Román, an independent queer artist from Puerto Rico whose bohemian, spiritual, and poetic energy distinguishes her music. In this lively and honest conversation, we will hear more about her art, transfeminist politics, colonialism in Puerto Rico, and the role of music in the fight for social change. The episode was recorded LIVE on January 20th at Casa Taller Cangrejera, San Juan, PR.

What does the future of housing organizing look like? There's an ongoing global housing crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, disproportionately affecting the working class and communities of color. This episode features City Life | Vida Urbana (CLVU), a 49 year old organization fighting for housing justice and building peoples' power in Boston, statewide, and nationally. We first hear from the co-director Mike Leyba. Mike is a writer who co-builds counter-hegemonic narratives for the working class. And then we hear from a young organizer, Kim Landaverde. Kim is a CLVU intern who helped her immigrant parents stay in their home during the pandemic, when the landlord was going to "evict" them for lack of payment.  It is from this organization, City Life | Vida Urbana, that we first heard the chant, “When We Fight, We Win!”

When We Fight, We Win! is a biweekly podcast. Every other week we reveal some stories behind the fight and the wins! We're here for everyone ready to get a switch flipped in their brain, for everyone is prepared to go from being an organizer in theory to a transformative one in practice. Every organizer started somewhere! Greg Jobin-Leeds and Dey Hernández of AgitArte co-authored When We Fight, We Win! in 2016. Now they are co-hosting and releasing this podcast series that brings the book's ideas, art, and words to life.   

Despite the current climate change scenario, gas pipeline projects continue to move forward in the US. Enbridge's Line 3 “replacement” pipeline in Anishinaabe territory is the latest development that has triggered a new struggle against fossil fuel dependency. The Indigenous-led camp resistance in Northern Minnesota is committed to protecting and honoring the land and water. In this episode, we interview Water Protector, Amber Morning Star Byars, who has been at the frontlines of Line 3 and the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Amber shares her Indigenous cosmovision and how remembering our ancestral ways of being will protect the Earth from climate chaos and save us from our own extinction. #WaterProtectors #ResistLine3 #ClimateChange #WhenWeFightWeWin

Today, we take you to our Season 3 Launch Event back in October when we had a virtual roundtable about climate justice and just recovery with Vanessa Uriarte from Amigxs del MAR in Puerto Rico and Monique Verdin, a Citizen of the United Houma Nation. The show was broadcasted LIVE from our space (Casa Taller Cangrejera) in Santurce, Puerto Rico. The conversation was facilitated by our resident wordsmith and co-director of AgitArte, Jorge Diaz.

What would you do if you inherited 25 million dollars at age 21? This episode is about Sam Jacobs and a network of donors who use lessons and inspiration from social movements to reclaim a new narrative around philanthropy. Traditionally funders hold onto power, hoard money in private foundations and donor-advised funds and control giving based on the funders own views and priorities. Because of Occupy Wall Street and the Movement for Black Lives, a new narrative about wealth and philanthropy is emerging. Radical philanthropists are changing the face of philanthropy and redistributing their wealth. They believe that ‘those closest to the pain, need to be closest to the power!'*   As a member of Resource Generation and Solidiare - Sam Jacobs, National Organizer for Donor Relations at The Right to the City Alliance, focuses his philanthropic giving on the re-distribution of his personal inheritance and getting others to join this path. Sam intentionally re-allocates his funds to prioritize movement organizations that are spearheading initiatives that protect our communities and the planet.   Sam not only prioritizes funding social movements but puts those on the frontlines in control of the dollars. Why are folks in the 1% joining this shift? Listen to Episode 3! #philanthropy #wealthredistribution #redistribution #funduslikeyouwantustowin #funders #m4bl #occupy #giving #whenwefightwewin 

In this episode, we return to New Orleans to speak with Lakeesha Harris of Women With A Vision about sex worker organizing and the decriminalization of consensual sex work. We look at the history of prostitution and sex work in the US, recent victories in shifting culture and policies around sex work, the struggle against sex trafficking narratives, and decriminalization as a labor and abolitionist struggle. Throughout the episode, we hear from sex workers who testified in support of HB67 to decriminalize sex work in Louisiana, the first time such a bill has been heard by the Louisiana state legislature.  #DeepSouthDecrim #HB67 #sexworkiswork #sexworkdecriminalization #prisonabolition #AgitArte #WhenWeFightWeWin!  

Living less than ten years away from the severe effects of climate change, we look at the sea-level rise and what it means for coastal communities of color. From San Juan to Miami, we explore what is known as 'climate gentrification,' some of the events driving climate refugees from the Caribbean to the US, disaster policing, and mutual aid through an intersectional lens. This episode features Vanessa Uriarte, a Caribbean environmentalist + member of Amigxs del Mar, and Valencia Gunder, organizer of Smile Trust + the Red, Black, and Green New Deal.

Listen to Angela Kinlaw from the New Orleans People’s Assembly FULL INTERVIEW and the Residents of Gordon Plaza on “From Dante’s Inferno to Gordon Plaza.”Following the dream of breaking the cycle of generational wealth, this Black working-class community of first-time homebuyers discovered that the City of New Orleans built the houses over a toxic landfill and never remediated the soil. The residents have contended all kinds of health issues and have the second-highest sustained rates of cancer in the entire state of Louisiana. For over 40 years, the community has been in the struggle against environmental racism. The organized residents, along with solidarity groups, demand a fully funded relocation NOW! It is urgent in the face of the global pandemic, and the only way to treat the land and the people with dignity is to allow the healing process to begin.>>>SUBSCRIBE to our podcast to get more stories on social movements, communities in resistance, and learn from culture organizers and freedom fighters. When We Fight, We Win!: The Podcast is available on Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Apple, and Google podcasts.#FullyFundedRelocationForGordonPlaza #GordonPlaza #EnvironmentalRacism #WhenWeFightWeWin #BlackLivesMatter #EarthDay #NewOrleansPeoplesAssembly #NewOrleans

In this episode, we explore the US's student debt crisis and its intersections with class, race, and gender. Millions of college graduates have a debt burden, which takes on an emotional, mental, and physical toll. Every day, more and more adults can't improve their quality of life because going to college was an expense out of proportion. The Debt Collective is organizing to demand the cancellation of all student debt. We interviewed two Black university graduates: Armen Henderson, a physician with over $600,000 in debt, and Lauren Horner, organizer of the Debt Collective. Armen and Lauren are debt strikers; they are not paying their debt and are demanding free college for all. #WhenWeFightWeWin #CuandoLuchamosGanamos #AgitArteMedia #PRArt #CancelStudentDebt #CancelaDeudaEstudiantil #FreeCollegeForAll #CommunityOrganizing #racialequity #racialjustice

We regret to inform that today’s Sounds of Resistance live performance has been postponed. New date for this event coming soon.

Elizam Escobar was an artist, painter, poet, and member of the FALN (Armed Forces for National Liberation). He was arrested with 10 other Puerto Rican freedom fighters in a van in Chicago, Illinois on April 4th, 1980. They were all charged with seditious conspiracy. In this episode, we interview his lawyer, longtime friend and one of the leaders in the campaign to Free All Puerto Rican Political Prisoners, Jan Susler. Jan shares with us the story of the struggle of Elizam and his comrades from their arrest to their liberation in 1999. This episode is the first that explores the legacy of a revolutionary that fought in all fronts for freedom. Elizam died on January 15th, 2021 after a battle with cancer. #WhenWeFightWeWin #CuandoLuchamosGanamos #AgitArteMedia #PRArt #CommunityOrganizing #racialequity #ElizamEscobar #AbolishPolice #DefundPolice #racialjustice #criminaljustice #politicalprisoners #FreeAllPuertoricanPoliticalPrisoners

How do we make this world safe for Black people? The US is inciting a war on poor and working-class communities -- through law enforcement -- that is deeply racialized and deeply gendered. Policing and mass control maintain the hegemony, while patriarchy plays out in how we respond to harm through violence and punishment. Abolition through a Black feminist lens offers a radical approach to address violence and harm in our communities.   In this episode we listen to Gina Clayton-Johnson, Director of Essie Justice Group and co-creator of The BREATHE Act. The BREATHE Act is a federal bill that builds a society of community care and safety to replace the current systems of domination and control. Gina speaks about political isolation, sisterhood and community safety in the face of the oppressive systems that fuel mass control and mass incarceration. She insists in centering the experiences of women and gender non conforming people, particularly of color, in the analysis and data around state and police violence.    SUBSCRIBE to our podcast to get more stories on social movements, and learn from freedom fighters. When We Fight, We Win!: The Podcast is available on Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Apple and Google podcasts.    #AbolishThePolice #BlackLivesMatter #DefundPolice #DefundCages #DefendBlackLife #blacklivesmatter #breonnataylor #justiceforbreonnataylor #BreonnaTaylor #M4BL #Movement4BlackLives #BlackLove #TheBreatheAct 

In this two-part episode, we devote our conversation to the importance of Abolishing the Police in all of its forms. A world without cops is a step toward living in a safe, inclusive, accountable, and thriving society. Part One focuses on the importance of abolishing police at universities. We go to Los Angeles, where back in June 2020, the LAPD used the Jackie Robinson Stadium as a field jail to detain Black Lives Matter activists. All of this happened during protests demanding justice after the recent killing of George Floyd by police officers. Meanwhile, students, faculty, and staff at the University of California are organizing to get #CopsOffCampus by Fall 2021. We interview activist Oceana Gilliam, and UCLA professor Ananya Roy.

Do you want social movements to win? Ash-lee Woodard Henderson of the legendary Highlander Center guides us and philanthropy institutions to consider what will be required. We delve into funders and foundations' role and address the tangible steps it will take for our social movements to win. Ash-lee speaks to the recently developed Southern Power Fund, the part of funders within the context of movement organizations, and how we can work together to build our beloved community.

In this two-part episode we explore the problematic and controversial role of philanthropy inside social movements. In this first part we feature Vini Bhansali, Executive Director of the Solidaire Network, a community of donor organizers mobilizing critical resources to the frontlines of intersectional movements for racial, gender and climate justice. This episode offers a critical view into how non- profits are funded, and explores ways to transcend from philanthropy to the redistribution of wealth. We question the insufficient response of philanthropy to “fund social movements so we can win”, a As Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson proclaims in Part 2.. Woodard Henderson is co-director of the legendary Highlander Research and Education Center. Come back in two weeks for part 2 of this episode.

In Episode #10 ‘Indigenous Mutual Aid + COVID-19 Response w/ Klee Jones Benally of IndigenousMutualAid.org’ Dey and Greg speak with Indigenous anarchist Klee Benally. Klee brings his perspective working with Diné Navajo Nation explaining how COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted his and other Native communities. Looking for ways to support our Indigenous communities? Check-out this episode to learn more about the work Klee is doing on the ground and what Indigenous Mutual Aid is working on. 

WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN!: THE PODCAST SEASON 2, Episode o2: #EstadoDeEmergencia: Organizing to End Gender-based Violence in PR In our second episode, we interview Black feminist lawyer and activist, Zoán Tanís Dávila Roldán of La Colectiva Feminista en Construcción about the #EstadoDeEmergencia campaign. As multi-pronged attacks and femicides have risen alarmingly after Hurricane María and most recently, during the Covid19 pandemic towards women, Transgender women, and girls of color - especially from low-income, Black, immigrant, LGBTQ and Indigenous communities- Puerto Rican feminists have urged the government to declare Puerto Rico in a “state of emergency”. In this patriarchal and heteronormative society, the majority of the cases of crimes driven by gender-based violence remain in impunity. Globally, numbers continue to rise exponentially and feminist social movements such as #MeToo, #NotOneMore, #Nos QueremosVivas have proven the urgency of this matter.

In our final webcast Episode #11, “'Let's Get Free Ya'll' Formations at the Intersections with #MaryHooks of Southerners On New Ground (SONG) and The Movement for Black Lives” we sat-down with the Mary Hooks. Mary hooks is a long-time activist and Atalnta organizer, her presence in the movement doesn’t go unnoticed. What does #BlackLivesMatter mean in the wake of COVID-19? Mary explains the work that both SONG and the Movement for Black Lives are taking the lead on in the fight for our liberation.

We delve deep into the most recent elections in Puerto Rico, in which progressive candidates gained historical support, and in which a referendum about the islands annexation to the US was held. Oscar López Rivera, shows us how the electoral system in Puerto Rico is built on a colonial system designed by and for the dominant elite and Washington. It is the U.S. Congress and a federally appointed Fiscal Control Board who have authority over Puerto Rican affairs. So, do elected politicians really have power?For decades the U.S. Government has gained notoriety for intervening in foreign elections -- in the Americas and around the globe. So, what does that mean for Puerto Rico? A colony where the U.S. holds absolute power. Can elections have any credibility in Puerto Rico? Oscar López Rivera has been fighting for Puerto Rico’s independence for his whole life. He was released in 2017 alongside whistleblower Chelsea Manning, after serving a sentence of 36 years as a political prisoner.

Today, 98% of farmland in the entire United States is white-owned. That is the lowest it has been in history. What does this mean for communities of color now?  We talk to Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm, which heals ancestral wounds and works to end racism and injustice in the food system. Much of the formerly owned Black and brown land was stolen, and is still owned by the descendants of white families. Soul Fire teaches BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) folks how to farm and reconnect with the earth and their ancestors.  Leah provides powerful insights on how we can decolonize the land and our minds. From land reparations to acknowledging social disparities to access to culturally appropriate food, she takes us on a journey of healing.  Please listen to this critical episode and check out how to get involved. Learn more about their Reparations Map for Black-Indigenous Farmers here. And check out Leah’s book, Farming While Black, a love song for the earth and her peoples.

According to Jitu Brown, the organizer’s job is to create a space where people can begin to actually envision what they want to see, then create the experiences where people begin to win. The continued closures of our public schools and high-stakes testing illustrate the institutionalized racism that is embedded in our educational system. Jitu reflects on his work as National Director of Journey for Justice Alliance (J4J), which defends public education against school closings, turnarounds, phase-outs, and charter expansion. To combat institutionalized racism present in public schools, J4J has begun organizing campaigns at the local and federal level for sustainable community schools, calling for 25,000 by 2025.

We reflect on the role of art and cultural strategy in movement building, and how imagining creative processes outside the dominant narratives supports intersectional and vibrant social justice movements, which allow us to be free! The absence of headlines in mainstream media about violence against trans people, as well as their lived experiences, has challenged both Micah and Kemi to follow in the footsteps of their trailblazing elders, who remind us of our transcendent power and brilliance as Black, Indigenous, Queer, trans + gender non-conforming people. They have learned how to integrate a model of collaborative and solidarity practice, which honors the lives of our trans and Queer family. We will also learn about the Trans Day of Resilience, hosted by Forward Together, and how you can support the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation with two incredible artists working with folks on the ground. Artwork by José Hernández Díaz of AgitArte. Music by Blue Dot Sessions and by Rev. Sekou.

Let the music transform you. Featuring Albino Mbie, award-winning singer/songwriter whose music is a unique blend of Afro/Mozambique-pop and jazz; and Taina Asili (w/Gaetano), NYC-based Puerto Rican singer, filmmaker and activist, who performs an energetic fusion of Afro-Latin, reggae and rock. Also with DJ Cano Cangrejo.

We are all grieving in some way right now, and the usual way we mourn - gathering - is not possible. We talk to death doula and healer Luana Morales of Hands of Gaia Reiki, who tells us some of the ways in which her work has shifted, and shares tips on how to grieve during this time. Music by Cano Cangrejo.

With millions out of work due to the pandemic, more people than ever are vulnerable to housing instability, as well as losing the biggest asset they've ever owned. How have housing rights shifted during this time? Hear from Paige Kümm of Right To The City Alliance on you can join the fight to #CancelRent, #CancelMortgages and guarantee homes for all.

Need a moment to heal your soul? Our first episode of live music is just what you need. Hear the incredible and soothing sounds of Nikita 雅涵 Tu-Bryant, Banjineh “Optimus” Brown and Agustín Muñoz Ríos and let the music transform you.

Do you know who can't practice social distancing and disinfect everything they touch? Incarcerated people. Now imagine the helplessness you'd feel if that was your loved one. We are joined by Ayana Aubourg and Vanessa Ly of Families for Justice as Healing and  Sisters Unchained, a prison abolition organization that works with young women dealing with parental incarceration. They tell us about how this trauma is made worse by COVID-19, and how you can keep this movement alive during the pandemic.

Undocumented people are more likely to contract COVID-19 and suffer the economically from the pandemic. We talk to Patricia Montes, Executive Director of Centro Presente, to learn how we can all support and act in solidarity with this community. Music by Cano Cangrejo.

How can we stand together to ensure the educational future of the next generation? Listen to the voices of AgitArte, the Federation of Teachers of Puerto Rico, Journey for Justice Alliance, and the Alliance for Quality Education as they worked together to convene The Transnational Encounter to Defend Public Education. This forum was held to explore how solidarity between two nations is imperative in working towards creating a strong public education system. Art by AgitArte. Music by Blue Dot Sessions and by Rev. Sekou.

Are Jews white? Why would the Jewish community choose to stand up for immigrant communities? Stosh Cotler of Bend the Arc shares with us the lessons that she’s learned as a leader in the modern Jewish resistance movement. Art by AgitArte. Music by Blue Dot Sessions and by Rev. Sekou.

How was the largest student immigrant movement in the US built? What are the deep-rooted issues and adversity that immigrants face in the USA today? We interview Cristina Jiménez, an Ecuadoran immigrant activist who co-founded United We Dream. Jorge Díaz explores the word 'Undocumented'. Music: "Ultima-Thule" and "Slate-Tracker" by Blue Dot Sessions and "Resist" by Rev. Sekou

How do you speak the truth with grace? Radical musician, theologian, and activist Rev. Sekou speaks about how he learned to fight white supremacy and institutional racism, and how his music helps transcend boundaries his organizing work can't do alone. 

Introducing a new podcast from the authors of the book, When We Fight, We Win! Twenty-First Social Movements and the Activists that are Transforming our World. Hosts Dey Hernandez and Greg Jobin-Leeds interview the people at the heart of today's leading social movements. Their stories celebrate the fights and the wins, and inspire listeners to stand up, be fierce, and let the work transform them.  "Throughput" by Blue Dot Sessions. "Resist" by Rev. Sekou.