Working Class Heroes Podcast

Another mini-episode focused on the struggles of New York Taxi Drivers. Julian Guerrero speaks with Seydou Ouattara, an Uber driver since 2016 who moved to New York from the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)to pursue a career as an accountant in the US but who became active around the struggles of New York City Taxi Drivers. Seydou speaks to Julian about his working conditions, how he became active with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, and what taxi drivers are demanding from the city and state of New York. Musical credit: J. Cole - H u n g e r o n H i l l s i d e Souls of Mischief - Cab Fare

When UPS fired 10 part time workers at a warehouse in Laurelton, Queens, it sparked a wave of protests from Teamsters Local 804 and union activists across New York City.

We're back for a May 1st Special episode to commemorate International Worker's Day! Happy May Day! For our May Day special, we're looking at the struggles of Delivery Workers in New York City - we speak with Katya and Juan Carlos, two delivery workers affiliated with Los Deliveristas Unidos, an up-and-coming Delivery worker organization. Katya is a Spanish-only speaker so Lupita Romero helped interpret this segment with us. Lea Ramirez and Julian Guerrero take on the debate around worker misclassification by Uber, Lyft, Doordash, and other App-based companies explaining how this issue is creating a second-class status for working people across the globe. Outro song - La Cumbia de la Bicicleta by David Aguilar

April 23rd 2021 marks one year of our series, Coronavirus and Class Struggle, on famed Lefty community radio station, NYC's WBAI 99.5 FM. A few members of the Working Class Heroes Collective, Khadija Mehter, Lea Ramirez, and Julian Guerrero, reflect on one year of producing 32 episodes of interviews, reporting, and discussions on working-class struggles based in New York City. They discuss what they learned, how important support for independent media is needed to report on ongoing struggles, and what lies ahead for the Working Class Heroes Collective. Musical credit: Busta Rhymes - Slow Flow Sault - Wildfires Anderson .Paak - Yada Yada Fashawn - Born in Amerikkka Run The Jewels Feat Santa Fe Klan - Ooh La La Vic Mensa. Chance the Rapper, Wyclef Jean - Shelter

On this week's show, we speak with two people dedicated to shutting down Guantanamo Bay Detention Center and all detention centers that hold prisoners of the US empire. Khadija Mehter speaks with former Guantanamo detainee, Mansoor Adayfi, who was incarcerated for over 14 years without a trial or a charge, as well as Maha Hilal, co-director of Justice for Muslims Collective, an organizer with Witness Against Torture, and a council member of School of the Americas Watch. This is our last show for our Coronavirus & Class Struggle series on WBAI. We'll be taking a break from producing radio shows on WBAI for a few months as we figure out how to move forward in this tough media landscape. You can reach out to us through our social media platforms and check back here on Soundcloud for any future content we release. We'll see y'all soon and as always, in solidarity, The Working Class Heroes Collective

On this week's episode of Working Class Heroes Radio, we speak with Jasmine and Kali of Southern Solidarity, an organization dedicated to liberation, mutual aid, and the cause of unhoused people, mainly in New Orleans and now, right here in New York City. They spoke to Lupita about their efforts, what role they see mutual aid can play in the struggle for liberation, and how people can take up the cause of unhoused people. Khadija Mehter and Mel Gonzalez host the show and also break down the rising number of undocumented immigrants who are unhoused and at risk of evictions in the wake of the pandemic. Outro song - MIS featuring Toots Hilbert - Rebel

On this week's show of Working Class Heroes Radio, Julian Guerrero speaks with restaurant workers, Natalia Tylim and Gary Inman, both members of the Democratic Socialists of America and organizers with the Restaurant Organizing Project. They'll be speaking with us about the struggles of the Restaurant Industry, especially with regard to the ongoing pandemic and their efforts to organize better work conditions through the Restaurant Organizing Project. Lupita Romero and Danny Katch host the show and speak with Stella Becerril, the organizer of the Street Vendors Project about the recent victories as well as the continued struggles of street vendors as essential workers who have been continuing to serve the public. Outro track by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

On this week's show of Working Class Heroes radio, we speak with Prakash Churaman, the young Guyanese immigrant from Queens who spent 6 years incarcerated without a fair trial. Now that Prakash is out on bail, Julian Guerrero asks him about his experience with the criminal justice system, how he's coping with being back home and what his struggle for freedom from the Queens District Attorney's grip might entail. Lupita Romero and Mel Gonzalez host the show, lay out our latest headlines, and break down the issue of pre-trial detainment in New York City's criminal justice system with the help of Carl Hamad-Lipscombe, director of advocacy and policy at the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund. Outro song - Sorrow, Tears and Blood - Ari Lennox GoldLink *Minor Correction* - the Prisoner's Rights activist, David Rothenberg's last name, was mispronounced.

On this week's show of Working Class Heroes Radio, we speak with Aaron Petcoff, a software engineer, member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and a volunteer with the Tech Workers Coalition. Lea Ramirez speaks with Aaron about the current role of the tech industry in the U.S., Tech workers' efforts to unionize, as well as the potential for the Tech Labor movement under the new Biden administration.  Khadija Mehter and Mel Gonzalez host the show and discuss Covid19 and New York State's response to it, including disparities in vaccination distribution and the problems with vaccine registration technology today. Outro song - Poderoso by Navy Blue

From budget cuts to Trump's attempts to the sabotage mail-in voting system, Postal workers are fighting to save the US Postal Service. On this week's show of Working Class Heroes Radio, Julian Guerrero speaks with city letter carrier, Frank Couget, about the struggles that Postal workers have been fighting throughout the Trump administration. Khadija Mehter and Mel Gonzalez host the show, give us our latest headlines and talk about President Biden's first 100 days in office and what kind of president he will be to working-class people. Dariela Maradiaga calls in to speak about her brother's pending deportation, (Javier Castillo Maradiaga), and how ICE is ignoring Biden's moratorium on deportations. Outro song - William Moore - Phil Ochs

On this week’s show of Working Class Heroes Radio, we speak with Chris Smalls, a former Amazon worker who was fired after organizing a walkout to protest the violation of COVID-19 safety standards in the warehouse by Amazon management. Lea Ramirez and Danny Katch talk with Chris about his experience, what conditions were like for Amazon workers, and what led him to help found the Congress of Essential Workers. Lupita and Julian also break down the new Tax the Rich campaign in New York by a coalition of progressive organizations. This episode is a collaboration with Law at the Margins, which uses social media as a platform that aims to "highlight the ways that our laws and legal institutions expand or limits the rights and social justice aspirations of people and communities.” You can check out their work at LawAtTheMargins.com Outro song - Manu Chao - ALGUNDIAVACAER

On this week's episode of Working Class Heroes Radio, we discussed the ongoing hunger strike of over 140 people across immigrant detention centers in New Jersey, who are fighting for their lives, demanding immediate release from indefinite detention as Covid19 cases rise in prisons. Lupita Romero spoke with Marcial Morales, who was formerly detained at Bergen County Detention Center in New Jersey, as well as, Mary A., whose fiance is still detained at the Hudson County Detention Center. They speak about the terrible conditions inside the detention centers and how people are striking for their freedom.

On this week's episode of Working Class Heroes Radio, we speak with organizers from the Frack Outta Brooklyn Coalition and the No North Brooklyn Pipeline campaign about their efforts to stop the construction of a liquefied natural gas pipeline under Brooklyn by National Grid, a London based energy company that is asking New York State to help pay for its completion. Khadija and Danny give us this week's headlines and take a special on the ground report from Lupita and Mel on the ongoing struggle in New Jersey to shut down the Bergen County Detention Center. Julian speaks with Monique Roberts, a tenant organizer at Housing Organizers for People Empowerment (HOPE), Pati Ankalli, a member of Mi Casa Resiste and the Frack Outta Brooklyn Coalition, which is a Black, Indigenous and people of color-led coalition fighting the pipeline and Fabian Rogers, also a tenant organizer with HOPE as well as with the Brownsville Resident Green Committee. Outro song is Big Big Trouble by Nicole Bus

On this week's show, we speak with members of the revolutionary indigenous organization, The Red Nation as well as a member of the Shinnecock Nation about the struggles of indigenous people in New York, focusing specifically on the struggle waged by the Shinnecock Nation against the settler state of New York. Mel and Julian discuss the plan by a fracking company to build a pipeline through North Brooklyn. Khadija talks with Lou Cornum, the chairperson of the East Coast Freedom Council of The Red Nation, and Savannah, also a member of the Red Nation, as well as Tela Troge, a member of the Shinnecock Nation.

On this week's show, Mel Gonzalez speaks with NYC delivery worker, Miguel, about their job conditions, treatment from the employer and the recent hit and run deaths of delivery workers. Lupita Romero and Julian Guerrero also discuss another segment of the informal labor force, the NYC Street Vendors, and their struggle to address police harassment and the City Council's inaction on street vending reform. Lastly, Khadija Mehter and Danny Katch give us some of the latest headlines from around the world and country.

In this week's episode, Danny Katch speaks with Victor Pate, a formally incarcerated organizer with the campaign for alternatives to isolated confinement about the fight to end the horrific practice of solitary confinement inside New York prisons. Mel Gonzalez and Julian Guerrero discuss some of the election results and bring you some local headlines while Lupita Romero and Khadija Mehter talk about the two communities who don't get participate in elections.

On this week’s show of Working Class Heroes Radio, we continue our story of Prakash Churaman, a young man locked up for six years without a fair trial or a guilty verdict, who’s fighting to prove his innocence from within the Rikers Island Jail Complex. In part two, Julian talks about how Prakash has built his support group, his issues with the judge on his trial, and how six years behind bars have affected Prakash. To help Prakash Churaman: Sign his petition here: https://bit.ly/3dFenVP Donate to his fundraiser here: https://bit.ly/3o8xwEr Closing song - I Shall Be Released by Nina Simone

On this week’s show of Working Class Heroes Radio, we report on the story of Prakash Churaman, a young man locked up for six years without a fair trial or a guilty verdict, who’s fighting to prove his innocence from within the Rikers Island Jail Complex. Locked up since he was 15 years old, Churaman has spent six years growing up behind bars. Julian talks about what he’s been through, the charges against him and why he’s not had a fair trial in what will be a two part story. Part two of Can't be a Victim to the System: The Prakash Churaman Story will air on NYC's WBAI 99.5 fm on October 31st at 6pm and released on our podcast platforms on November 2nd. To help Prakash Churaman: Sign his petition here: https://bit.ly/3dFenVP Donate to his fundraiser here: https://bit.ly/3o8xwEr

On this week's show, Lupita and Mel host, Khadija and Danny bring us a special edition of our weekly headlines, given Trump's diagnosis of Covid19, Lupita and Mel break down some of Puerto Rico's most recent events. Finally, Julian speaks with Paul Figueroa, a San Juan City Council candidate and member of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, about the upcoming vote on statehood in November. We'll be discussing colonialism, democracy, the no vote campaign, and what vision the Independence Party has for Puerto Rico's future.

On this week's show - school is back in session and the city’s failure to address health and safety concerns has already propelled the spread of Covid infections in school buildings. Bill de Blasio has insisted that schools will reopen without giving them funding for ventilation or enough teachers. This week Khadija and Mel host the show and break down school safety before and during the pandemic, Lupita and Julian give us some headlines and Danny speaks with therapist Marilena Marchetti and Paraprofessional Trina Davis about how they and other educators are fighting to keep students safe from their own mayor. Important note: In our live show, we misgendered the student leader but we edited the segment to address our error for the podcast release of the show.

On this week's show, we focus on the anti-displacement work against the large scale developments of Industry City in Sunset Park and the waterfront in Flushing. Khadija and Lupita host and address NYC's richest residents, Yanny and Danny lay out some of the latest headlines and Mel spoke with organizers Kimberly Morales and Seonae Byeon on their efforts to push back against these development plans, the upcoming city council votes to approve rezoning requests, and what’s at stake for communities in these neighborhoods.

On this week's show, Lupita and Mel report on struggles tenants are waging against abusive landlords and courts trying to restart the eviction mill in New York City. Julian speaks with tenant and activist Ginger Ging-Dwan Boyd who dealt first hand with a landlord who broke into her home and tried to illegally lock her out of her apartment. Ginger tells us how she's confronted her landlord and organized her fellow tenant neighbors into a tenants association.

After a short break, we're back with a new show and few lined up for the next couple of weeks. On this week's show, Khadija and Danny give us a summary of recent headlines, Lupita and Mel talk about excluded workers and their fight for pandemic relief and recognition of their rights, Julian and Yanny work on part two of the fight by legal workers to keep the communities from being exposed to the second wave of Covid19 infections - this time, the fight comes to their own workplaces as managers at legal aid organizations push to get legal workers back into their offices.

For this week's episode, we're changing things up a bit. Lupita and Mel host our regular radio show while Julian introduces an ongoing investigation on the reopening of New York City Courts. Julian and Yanny speak to legal workers about their resistance to reopening the court systems in the middle of a pandemic while laying out the important players behind the push to reopen. Musical credit for the correspondent section: 9th Wonder

We're back after a two-week break. We've been working on a few stories for a while and are happy to have it ready for everyone now. Lea and Carlos take up the incident on Dyckman Street in Inwood, North Manhattan when a group of mostly Dominican men patrolled the neighborhood looking for scare away looters and chased out Black youth protesters while using racial slurs. The incident raised debates about anti-Blackness in the Latino community and solidarity. To go deeper into these topics, Lea spoke with Madel Hidalgo and Kleaver Cruz, two Dominican activists, about the incident, the roots of Dominican anti-Blackness, and its intersections with Queer identity. Musical credit: Intro: “Hero” Michael Kiwanuka Headline: “Somos Sur” Ana Tijoux/Shadia Mansour “Tounen Nan Vim” Bachata Haiti “Me gritaron Negra” Victoria Santa Cruz “Yana Baca” Susanna Baca Outro Song: “Pa Qué” Ana Tijoux feat. PJ Sin Suela

Occupy City Hall encampment has brought hundreds of people demanding to defund and abolish the NYPD to take over a plaza next to city hall. The encampment began on June 23rd, growing to its peak on the eve of the NYC City Council budget vote, and continuing until now. For this show, Yanny and Mel spoke with community activist Tatiana Hill and Khalil Sulker, a member of the Afro-Socialist Caucus of the DSA, about the lessons, challenges, and successes of the occupation and about the next steps in the fight to defund the NYPD. Occupy City Hall is entering its third week as it transitions into Abolition Park. In this transitional moment questions about the future of Abolition Park are being debated now that the budget negotiations are over. Join us as we take a journey inside the occupation at City Hall Park.

Protests against police violence have coalesced in recent weeks into a movement to defund the NYPD and transfer needed resources to education and other vital services. While activists are disappointed with the budget passed this past week by the City Council, the struggle continues. This week Lupita and Danny speak with Ronnie Almonte, a member of the Movement of Rank and File Educators, a social justice caucus inside the United Federation of Teachers. Ronnie will talk to us what this current moment can mean for the long fight against racism in New York City's public education system. Lupita and Danny also run down some headlines from the past week - including the physical attack by a stranger on our last guest, Robert Cuffy, while at the Defund the NYPD & Abolisht he Police march on June 29th. If you'd like to help Robert with any medical costs or want to donate in solidarity, you can send him funds via Cash App at $rhaphiikii.

Working Class Heroes Radio is back after a week off! Well, it's more like we moved from a half-hour show on Thursdays to a full hour radio program live on WBAI 99.5fm on Saturday nights at 6 pm. On this week's show, Julian and Carlos speak with Robert Cuffy, founder of the Socialist Workers Alliance of Guyana, a DC37 Union member and a member of the Afrosocialist and Socialist of Color Caucus of the DSA. Robert speaks with us about the role organized labor can play in the Black Lives Matter uprising across the U.S., the demand to expel police unions out of the labor movement, and how the Black freedom struggle can generate broader social movements in the United States. We also get a brief live report of the Occupy City Hall encampment from our correspondent, Lea Ramirez. Make sure to download and subscribe to our weekly show. You can also check out WCHRadio.org to view photos and listen to our past episodes.

Last week's show is a little late due to technical issues on the live show. The remote work set up is taking us a bit longer to adjust to but we're going to keep working at it until we get it right. Carlos and Mel speak with Josie, an organizer with Take Back the Bronx, an organization of Bronxites who are organizing for community control, to discuss the looting that unfolded in the Bronx and Queens, the tensions it created in the movement and try to answer the question, who is really looting in the Bronx? Music Credit: Michael Kiwanuka - Hero Boogie Down Productions - South Bronx Pig Feet - Kamasi Washington, Denzel Curry, G Perico, Daylyt Kimberly Jones - David Jones Media

America is burning and it smells like justice. In the short time since we aired our last episode, protests in Minneapolis over the police murder of George Floyd have spread across the country and a new chapter in the struggle against anti-Black racism has begun. This week's show Working Class Heroes Radio, Lupita and Julian will kick off a new series about police oppression with an interview with Bianca Cunningham, a participant in last weekend's protests in Brooklyn and a member of the AfroSocialist and Socialists of Color Caucus in the Democratic Socialists of America. We had time for one caller over WBAI's live radio format at the end. Musical credit: Michael Kiwanuka - Hero J Dilla - F**k the Police The Coup - Guillotine Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder - In every Ghetto

Forgive the hiccups! This is our first remote show live on the WBAI 99.5 fm's community radio station - we promise to get better as we get more comfortable with the technicalities of remote streaming radio shows. On this week's show, Yanny Guzman and Danny Katch speak with the Erin Neff, a housing attorney in New York City and organizer with the Housing Justice For All Coalition, about how rent strikes have helped win the housing laws we have today and argue for why they are necessary again in this unprecedented economic crisis under Covid19. We take a few callers at the end. Musical credit: Michael Kiwanuka - Hero Wu Tang Clan - 7th Chamber Part 2 Rent Party - Booker T. Jones Spoken word piece: “This is Home” by Deandre Evans, William Hartfield-Peoples, & Donte Clark

Tonight's show continues our month long series on the way the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting New York City tenants. On this week's show, Lea Ramirez speaks with the Jasmin Sanchez, longtime NYCHA tenant and organizer about how NYCHA is reacting to the pandemic, what long term disinvestment does to the public housing community and how NYCHA tenants are organizing to make sure they aren't forgotten. If you have any thoughts about this show or if you're a NYCHA tenant with a story of your own to share with us, give us a call at (929) 352-0134. Leave us a voicemail. You never know, it might make it on the air later on. Music credit: Acid - Ray Barretto His-story poetry - Hervé Alexandre, Stony Tony, Hattress Hero - Michael Kiwanuka 7th Chamber Part 2 - Wu Tang Clan

This show continues our month long series on the way the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting New York City tenants. On this week's show, Brenda Leon speaks with the Alvaro Franco, tenant organizer for the NorthWest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition about mass non-compliance, fighting for emergency repairs and the creative ways tenants are responding to the Covid19 pandemic to support the most vulnerable in their buildings. If you have any thoughts about how to support tenants or if you're a NYC tenant with a story of your own to share with us, give us a call at (929) 352-0134. Leave us a voicemail. You never know, it might make it on the air later on. Music credit: Whitey On The Moon - Gil Scott-Heron Hero - Michael Kiwanuka 7th Chamber Part 2 - Wu Tang Clan

This show kicks off a month long series on the way the Coronavirus pandemic is affecting New York City tenants. On this week's show, Julian Guerrero speaks with the South Bronx Tenants Movement's main tenant organizer, Manny Pardilla, about the housing crisis plaguing the Bronx before the Coronavirus pandemic hit, their ongoing rent strike to save the South Bronx from widespread landlord neglect and why the Bronx is a ticking time bomb. Music credit: In Every Ghetto - Talib Kweli, 9th Wonder, Rapsody Glamour Life - Big Punisher Hero - Michael Kiwanuka 7th Chamber Part 2 - Wu Tang Clan

This week's episode of Coronavirus and Class War focuses on the efforts of everyday people in making Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)for front line workers. PPE is running dangerously low in hospitals across the United States due to years of austerity politics and a profit driven healthcare system. Lupita speaks with Isabelle Barter, a member of Medics and Makers, about her organization's efforts to fill the supply gap of PPE with their 3D Printers and why major corporations aren't putting their factories to mass produce PPE. Music credit: Michael Kiwanuka, Ana Tijoux, Calle 13, Lupe Fiasco, Cambio

Tune in to hear what working at Trader Joe's in a pandemic has been like for essential workers. Between struggles with management for protective equipment and tensions with customers, these supermarket workers are fighting to survive. Our new series Coronavirus & Class War airs every Thursday at 7:30pm ET on WBAI 99.5 FM New York. If you have any thoughts about how to support supermarket workers or if you're a supermarket worker with a story of your own to share with us, give us a call at (929) 352-0134. Leave us a voicemail. You never know, it might make it on the air later on. Musical credit: Michael Kiwanuka - Hero Wu-tang Clan - 7th Chamber Part 2 Las Cafeteras - Trabajador Trabajadora

This is a bonus story about an issue that plagues the New York City Taxi Industry: Taxi Ride Service Refusals. Every year hundreds of passengers are refused service across the city. Service refusals primarily affect people with disabilities and communities in the outer boroughs who are disproportionately Black/People of Color. The Taxi and Limousine Commission’s latest campaign against taxi ride service refusals asks passengers to report drivers to 311 - but has this approach worked in the past? Julian and Yanny break it down by looking at the last time a taxi ride refusal caused a stir - when the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Carmen Yulin Cruz and then City Council Speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, fought two yellow cab drivers. Tune in as we speak to one of the drivers, who for the first time ever, speaks about how it all went down. Make sure to visit the website for the fully translated transcription to follow along for the parts in Spanish. (http://bit.ly/2TNCQim) Audio Mixing and Assistance: Kyle Kerley & Carlos Perez Music credit: Talib Kweli, Geto Boys, Jay-Z, Lord Finesse, Pete Rock, Nas, Lucho Bermudez, The Temptations.

In episode one, Carlos and Julian reported on the crisis in the New York City Taxi Industry. They told us about what taxi drivers consider a war over the future of the industry. This is a war between Taxi drivers and app companies like Uber and Lyft. Immigrant communities are on the forefront of this war making up a majority of the driver workforce. On October 1st of 2018, another immigrant driver committed suicide. Fausto Luna, was the first Uber driver to commit suicide following the suicides of several black and yellow car drivers. Luna was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and an Uber driver since 2013. New York City Taxi drivers haven’t always been immigrants but beginning in the 1980’s, the taxi labor force dramatically shifted from a largely native born workforce to one where less than 10% are native born. Even though New York City has always had a large immigrant community, they have largely been seen by the city’s elite as a community to exploit, scapegoat or use and abuse for their own selfish gains. In this episode, Carlos and Julian are reporting back on the challenges these immigrant Taxi drivers face in their fight against Uber, Lyft, and the TLC. Music Credit: Respiration - BlackStar Fuck the Police - NWA New York State of Mind - Nas Road to Zion - Damian Marley & Nas Ballad Of the Black Gold - Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek

Welcome, everyone, to the Working Class Heroes Podcast. I’m your host Lupita Romero and this is Episode One. “In 1984 I joined the Air-force and went through basic training. My basic training photo I had given to Douglas, as soon I had left basic I sent a 5x7 copy of my photo. He had kept it with him and had it displayed on a fireplace mantle piece all the time. All this time...During that last week of spending time with him packing his home. Amongst our conversations after telling him it’s not too late. I said listen Doug, you’re going to go through this experience but I don’t want you to do it alone I want you to have me with you. During the process of packing the fireplace where he kept a few other photos of family members, I had packed those photos in a box and left him just that one and I said this one, I want you to keep. I want you to keep it with you so that you know you’re not alone. That I’m there with you and I’ll always be with you. He did.” That was George Schifter talking about his brother, Douglas. Douglas Schifter was a long time taxi driver who for years wrote about the dire situation the industry found itself in. He had a regular column in one of the taxi industry newspapers, the Black Car News. He committed suicide early Monday morning, February 5th, right in front of City Hall. Douglas Schifter was the first recorded casualty in a war backed by Wall Street investors and led by app companies like Uber and Lyft. It’s a war over the streets, taxi fares and over who will own the New York Taxi Industry. Caught in the crossfire are more than a hundred thousand taxi drivers. A few of these drivers have made the ultimate sacrifice. “He took all of his possessions and a box of zip-loc bags, and the shotgun. He got dressed up in a custom tailored shirt and pants and his best shoes and took the shotgun, box of shells. And his tablet, drivers license, ID card and some money and my picture. He drove up to city hall with everything in a zip-loc bag except for the shotgun and the shells he proceeded to clear off the top of his head. Just drove up and did it. But he was not alone. He knew I was there with him. He knows I’m still there with him. I miss him. I think of him just about everyday." This story is part one in a series dedicated to stepping onto the frontlines of this struggle, reporting on how this war began, why its gone so long, who’s involved and what taxi drivers are doing to win the war. in June, four months after Douglas Schifter committed suicide, drivers are holding a vigil on 86th street and East End avenue for the fifth driver to commit suicide...Carlos Perez and Julian Guerrero are reporting back…. Music Credits: Nas - Street's Disciple Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us.

Welcome to Episode Zero of the new, narrative-investigative podcast series - Working Class Heroes. Lupita Romero and Julian Guerrero, of the Muckrakers Union, speak about the upcoming Working Class Heroes podcast in an interview with Lea Ramirez. Subscribe to our soundcloud or itunes podcasts accounts and take quick look of our sample website before it goes live with the first episode mid-July 2018 (https://bit.ly/2lWZJz7) Music: The Guillotine by The Coup