Podcast appearances and mentions of andy shallal

Ralph welcomes Andy Shallal of Busboys and Poets to discuss his new memoir, “A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets.” Then, Ralph speaks to business consultant and activist Bennett Freeman about why Big Business isn't standing up to the Trump Administration.Andy Shallal is an activist, artist and social entrepreneur. Mr. Shallal is the founder and proprietor of Busboys and Poets restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area, which feature prominent speakers, poets and authors and provide a venue for social and political activism. He is also co-founder of The Peace Cafe and a member of the board of trustees for The Institute for Policy Studies. He is the author of the new book A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets.I've called Andy Shallal “democracy's restaurateur”, and he really fits the bill.Ralph NaderActivism is the best antidote to depression. It's really hard to be able to sit back—and especially now with social media and everything else that's right at your fingertips, to be able to watch the little babies being snipered and their limbs being chopped up. And it just feels so, so horrific. And the only way you can really be able to make sense of it—if there's any way to make sense of it—is to continue to fight for a better world.Andy ShallalSince, of course, October 7th opened up a whole new thing for activists and really exposed in a very stark way the myth of “Western civilization,” the idea of how obvious the lies and the deceit that's been happening, and the power of the military industrial complex that we've been warned about over the years I think [a new understanding is] taking shape right now, and we're starting to understand it more and more. And as I think we are trying to free Gaza and free Palestine, at the same time I think Gaza and Palestine are freeing us to be able to understand our system better.Andy ShallalOne of the things that I find is necessary for movements to be sustained is to have joy. You've got to have opportunities for joy. You got to have opportunities for people to actually have fun together, really feel like they're part of a community. Because a lot of times, the work we do isn't—well, it's soul-sucking work, you know, and you need to have those opportunities to be able to refuel and re-energize.Andy ShallalBennett Freeman is principal of Bennett Freeman Associates, where he advises multinational corporations, international institutions, and NGOs on policy and strategy related to human rights and labour rights. Mr. Freeman was founding chair of the advisory board for Global Witness (an investigative, campaigning organisation that challenges the power of climate-wrecking companies). He was also founding trustee of the Institute for Human Rights and Business, co-founder of the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark, and co-founder of the Global Network Initiative. He served on the governing board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute, as well as the board of Oxfam America. Mr. Freeman was the lead author of “Shared Space Under Pressure: Business Support for Civic Freedoms and Human Rights Defenders.”[Ralph,] you correctly characterize the silence and obeisance of much of corporate America (not least the tech CEOs) so far this year. I would use another pair of words as well to characterize their stance, which I think during the campaign last year in 2024 was: complacency, [and] I think the complacency now has become complicity in a dramatic, historic, democratic backsliding in the United States with the erosion of rule of law and our constitutional democracy.Bennett FreemanAt the end of the day, I'm much more interested in democratic governance based on rule of law and fair elections than I am in what corporate America has to say. But they have a stake now. And I think that those of us who have tried to promote corporate responsibility (and in Ralph's case and many others, to impose corporate accountability) have to continue this work. And we've got to engage corporate America without illusions, but with still aspirations to try to get them back to support—in a nonpartisan or bipartisan way—the fundamentals of what our country is supposed to be about.Bennett FreemanNews 10/10/25* Two polls came out this past week which reveal key data points about Americans' views on Israel. First, a Washington Post poll of American Jews, published October 6th and covering September 2-9th, shows that 61% say Israel has committed “war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.” This nearly two-thirds majority should put the lie to the canard that American Jews monolithically support Israel's actions in Gaza. They don't. Furthermore, 39% say Israel has committed “Genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.” Some contend these numbers might be higher if the question was worded slightly differently, for example asking in the present tense whether Israel is committing genocide, rather than in the past tense. Regardless, while this result is slightly less than a majority, it certainly proves that a substantial share of American Jews do believe that Isreal is guilty of the crime of genocide. Astute politicians should take note.* Another survey that shrewd pols should consider is the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project (IMEU) poll released October 3rd. In this poll, 43% of respondents identified “U.S. foreign policy and relations with Israel” as an issue that will play a role in their 2026 Democratic primary vote. As for more ambitious Democrats, 71% said they would be more likely to vote for “A candidate for president who voted to withhold weapons to Israel,” compared to just 10% who said the same about “A candidate who voted against withholding weapons to Israel.” The numbers are cut and dried.* Last week, CBS confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu “directly approved military operations on two vessels,” in the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid to Gaza. According to this report, Netanyahu ordered Israeli forces to “[launch] drones from a submarine and [drop] incendiary devices onto the boats that were moored outside the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said.” As this report notes, “Under international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict, the use of incendiary weapons against a civilian population or civilian objects is prohibited in all circumstances.” Put simply, this attack amounted to a war crime. In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla wrote “Confirmation of Israeli involvement…simply lay[s] bare a pattern of arrogance and impunity so grotesque that it cannot escape eventual reckoning.” The flotilla was intercepted off the coast of Gaza last week and over 400 activists were detained in Israeli custody. Many have alleged mistreatment, with Turkish activist Ersin Çelik claiming guards “dragged [Greta Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag.”* Unfortunately, this is the last news critical of Israel we can expect to see from CBS for a long time. On October 6th, CNN reported that Paramount will officially acquire The Free Press for $150 million and appoint its founder, Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News. This position was created specifically for Weiss. According to Paramount, in this role, Weiss will “shape editorial priorities, champion core values across platforms, and lead innovation in how the organization reports and delivers the news.” In an interview with Democracy Now!, journalist David Klion of the Nation and Jewish Currents, said Weiss, “has presented herself as a champion of free speech…But in reality, she has a 20-year history of suppressing speech that she finds objectionable, especially when it's speech championing the rights of Palestinians and criticizing the state of Israel.”* Meanwhile in Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum called for the immediate repatriation of the six Mexican nationals among the Gaza aid flotilla participants following their detention by Israeli forces, per Mexico News Daily. Following a speech by the Mexican president, the foreign ministry wrote that Mexican Embassy officials had gone to Ashdod, where the activists were being held, to “directly verify the conditions on the ground, request consular access, and ensure that … [the] safety and integrity [of the Mexicans] is respected, in accordance with applicable international law.” Notably, President Trump has made no such moves to publicly demand the return of, or even lawful treatment of, the Americans on board these vessels. Perhaps this is a contributing factor to Sheinbaum's stunning 78% approval in a recent El País poll, which shows her not just overwhelmingly popular among her own party's base but even among those registered to competing parties. According to this poll, 73% of PAN members, 72% of PRI members, 70% of MC members, and 59% of voters with no party preference approve of her performance in office. These numbers are frankly unimaginable in America, but so are the achievements Sheinbaum has delivered in her short time in power.* Turning to Congress, Representatives Mark Pocan, Pramila Jayapal and Jared Huffman have authored a letter expressing “grave concerns,” regarding President Trump's executive order designating “Antifa” as a Domestic Terrorist Organization, calling for the order and accompanying memorandum, known as NSPM-7 to be “immediately rescinded,” according to the related press release. In the letter, the members warn “the sweeping language and broad authority in these directives pose serious constitutional, statutory, and civil liberties risks, especially if used to target political dissent, protest, or ideological speech.” The members also note that the memo “characterizes ‘anti-capitalism' as a hallmark of violent behavior without explaining the term…[allowing] officials to potentially treat Americans as domestic terrorists for something as routine as organizing a local boycott or operating an employee-owned business.” Perhaps most critically, they write “These actions are illegal, and…We stand ready to take legislative action should you fail,” to rescind the order.* In St. Louis, former Congresswoman Cori Bush is running to take back her seat. Bush, who came to prominence as an activist during the 2014 Ferguson protests and eventually primaried 10-term incumbent Congressman Lacy Clay, was ousted in a close 2024 primary by prosecutor Wesley Bell. According to POLITICO, Bell received $8 million dollars from AIPAC during that campaign; the pro-Israel PAC had identified Bush, along with former Congressman Jamaal Bowman, as key targets because of their pro-Palestine positions.* Of course, for the time being, Congressional deadlock is keeping the federal government in a shutdown. One symptom of this shutdown surfaced in Los Angeles this week, when dozens of flights into and out of Hollywood Burbank Airport were delayed or canceled because its air traffic control tower was temporarily unstaffed, the LA Times reports. Staffing shortages also caused delays at Newark Liberty International Airport, Denver International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. This report added that the Federal Aviation Administration “warned of more disruption at airports due to staff shortages as a result of the government shutdown.” Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said in a joint press conference with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, “We need to bring this shutdown to a close, so that the [FAA] and the committed aviation safety professionals can put this distraction behind us and completely focus on their vital work…We do not have the luxury of time.”* More troubling signs are emerging in the economy as well. For months now, analysts have warned that the U.S. is not just on the brink of a recession, but rather already in one – it is just being masked by the massive speculative bubble of AI. Back in August, Axios reported that “excitement over artificial intelligence…is clouding recessionary signals in more cyclical corners of the market,” citing longer lengths of unemployment and slower hiring. Now, the AI bubble is reaching epic proportions. According to the Financial Times, “AI spending by companies now accounts for a 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year,” while the Financial Post reports AI companies have accounted for 80 per cent of the gains in U.S. stocks so far in 2025. Given the market's reliance on AI speculation, the economic damage if that bubble bursts whilst the economy is on such unstable footing could be catastrophic.* Finally, for some good news, a new California law is aiming to regulate the noise level of advertisements on streaming services. The Guardian reports the new legislation, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, “forces the powerful streaming platforms to comply with existing regulations that have barred television broadcasters from bombarding the eardrums of viewers with overly loud commercials since 2010.” According to this story, the bill was sponsored by State Senator Tom Umberg, whose newborn child was consistently awoken by overloud ads. As the Guardian notes, “Since so many of the streaming platforms are based in California, the new state bill could set a national standard and lower volumes across the country.” Rest assured industry will strike back at this law somehow, but it remains to be seen how they will argue for their right to blast ads at consumers at outrageous volumes.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Andy Shallal's new memoir chronicles his arrival in the U.S. from Iraq, his entry into the restaurant business, and his founding of the iconic local restaurant chain Busboys and Poets.

DC Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker and Busboys and Poets Founder and CEO Andy Shallal talk about the Council's first vote on the FY26 Budget, including discussions around Initiative 82 and the tipped minimum wage. Andy shares his insights as the owner of Busboys and Poets, which has 8 locations in the DMV (5 in the District). They also reflect on the state of the RFK Redevelopment deal. Councilmember Parker discusses his proposal for a capital gains surchage to address growing economic inequality in DC, and shares his thoughts on the Council funding part of Initiative 83 to bring ranked choice voting to the District. Communications Director Melissa Littlepage gives highlights from the latest edition of the Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. Read at ward5.us/news and subscribe at ward5.us/newsletter.

This week on Talk World Radio we're speaking with Andy Shallal about his new book, A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets. See https://orbooks.com/catalog/A-seat-at-the-table

"White people are comfortable anywhere," says restaurateur Andy Shallal. "In order for a Black person to walk into a space, there need to be signals that say, 'You're welcome.'" In this week's show we decode those signals, which include the decor and music, the staff and other customers, and more. These codes tell you what kind of place a restaurant is, and whether it's for you. So what happens when a restaurant uses these signals to bring certain people in, and keep others out? This week we visit three very different restaurants in Washington D.C. to talk with the owners and customers about the different signals these places send, and what those codes can tell us about larger questions of race and culture. This episode is co-hosted by writer and reporter Kat Chow, formerly of the NPR podcast and blog Code Switch.This episode originally aired on October 9, 2016, and was repeated on May 20, 2020. It was produced by Dan Pashman and Anne Saini. Edited by Rebecca Carroll, Lee Hill, and Arwa Gunja. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell. This update was produced by Gianna Palmer. Publishing by Shantel Holder and transcription by Emily Nguyen.Every other Friday, we reach into our deep freezer and reheat an episode to serve up to you. We're calling these our Reheats. If you have a show you want reheated, send us an email or voice memo at hello@sporkful.com, and include your name, your location, which episode, and why.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.Right now, Sporkful listeners can get three months free of the SiriusXM app by going to siriusxm.com/sporkful. Get all your favorite podcasts, more than 200 ad-free music channels curated by genre and era, and live sports coverage with the SiriusXM app.

Join us for our latest episode as we celebrate the visionary journey of Andy Shallal, founder of Busboys and Poets. From personal challenges to trailblazing activism, Andy's story embodies resilience and community empowerment. Discover how Andy's first restaurant venture with his dad laid the foundation for Busboys and Poets, a cultural hub fostering vital discussions on race, activism, and societal change.

Ralph has a new book out, The Rebellious CEO: 12 Leaders Who Did It Right and in this episode, we profile three of them, Andy Shallal, owner of the restaurant “Busboys and Poets,” John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group, and Robert Townsend, iconoclastic CEO of Avis Rent-a-Car and author of the classic business book “Up The Organization!” Mr. Shallal joins us in person while financial advisor and Boglehead, Rick Ferri, talks to us about the late John Bogle and Robert Townsend Jr. explains the origins of his father's philosophy. Plus, Ralph gives us an update and a call to action on Gaza.Click on the link to order your copy of The Rebellious CEO.Andy Shallal is an activist, artist and social entrepreneur. Mr. Shallal is the founder and proprietor of Busboys and Poets restaurants in the Washington DC area, which feature prominent speakers, poets and authors and provide a venue for social and political activism. He is co-founder of The Peace Cafe, a member of the board of trustees for The Institute for Policy Studies, and a member of the advisory council for the American Museum of Peace.The whole idea of this book The Rebellious CEO is to show that these CEOs reverse the business model. They didn't just have a vision and say, “We're gonna squeeze workers and consumers and environmental indifference to maximize the profits.” No, they started out saying, “We're gonna treat the workers well. We're gonna treat the consumers well. We're gonna confront the environment. We're gonna speak out against injustice.” And they all made money. Every one of them in the book said they always paid attention to profits because without profits they couldn't do all the things they wanted to do.Ralph Nader, author of “The Rebellious CEO”It becomes very personal. And when it's personal, it's hard to separate yourself from the business. So everything that happens in the business, it's not a one -off, it's about me. If the business is treating my employees badly, it means Andy Shallal is treating his people badly. That's a very personal way [of looking at it] and it's a way for I think a lot of these folks that you write about in the book to kind of stay on mission and say, “This is my name. This is my legacy. This is my entire being that is on the line.”Andy ShallalUnderstanding those dynamics and how race plays out in this country and how people interpret and see race is really a very important part of our training— to make sure that people do not fall into the trap of saying, “I don't see race,” because race sees you. And unless you are proactive in how you deal with people as they walk through the door, you're gonna probably make mistakes.Andy ShallalRick Ferri has worked for 35 years as a financial adviser and he is the host of the Bogleheads on Investing podcast. Mr. Ferri was a pioneer in low-fee investment advice and portfolio management using ETFs and index funds, he has authored 7 investment books and hundreds of articles published in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and several professional journals, and he is the former president of the John C Bogle Center for Financial Literacy.[John Bogle] was very determined. He believed in giving investors a fair shake on Wall Street. He believed that we should get our fair share of market returns. He believed that there was a conflict of interest in the investment industry between the people who owned the investment companies and the investors in those companies—the people who bought the mutual funds. And he said, "You cannot serve two masters."Rick FerriThat's our mission—to build a world of well-informed, capable, and empowered investors. And that's what the Bogle Center and the Bogleheads are all about.Rick FerriRobert Townsend, Jr. is the son of Robert Townsend, who was president of Avis Rent A Car from 1962 to 1965 and was the author of the best-selling and iconoclastic business manual Up the Organization: How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits.[Robert Townsend, Sr.] was definitely iconically an iconoclast, but I don't think he saw himself that way. He didn't just believe in partnership. He saw that—and teamwork— were the only things to accomplish. So he found, just through serendipity or synchronicity, partners everywhere he looked.Robert Townsend, Jr.[Robert Townsend, Sr.] embarked on a new career of consulting…He would come back from consulting with somebody or other, finding out, “All they wanted was me to tell them they were doing it right. And nothing I said actually made any difference.”Robert Townsend, Jr.In Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. The tide seems to finally be shifting in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza. Democracy Now! Reports “British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a ‘sustainable ceasefire' in a joint article in The Sunday Times. The pair said efforts should be focused on a two-state solution after the assault comes to an end. The U.K. and Germany had previously declined to call for a ceasefire and abstained from voting last week on the U.N. General Assembly's ceasefire resolution. Also on Sunday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called for an ‘immediate and durable truce' while meeting with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Tel Aviv, saying ‘too many civilians are being killed' in Gaza. This comes as U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel earlier today, where he is expected to focus talks on transitioning to a ‘lower intensity' war.'”2. Many wonder why these countries are changing their position so abruptly. One explanation could be the efficacy of the Red Sea blockade enforced by the Yemeni Houthis. Thus far, five of the largest shipping firms in the world, including CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and MSC, along with Evergreen and BP, have “paused or suspended their services in the Red Sea,” due to Houthi attacks, per the Economist. Collectively, these firms represent over 60% of global shipping. In response, the United States has announced its intention to form a naval bloc to combat the Houthis, risking further escalation in the region.3. Haaretz reports that Al Jazeera is “preparing a legal file to send to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over what it called the ‘assassination' of one of its cameramen in Gaza.” The ICC complaint focuses on a cameraman, Samer Abu Daqqa, who was “killed by a drone strike on Friday [December 15th] while reporting on the earlier bombing of a school used as a shelter for displaced people in the southern Gaza Strip,” but will “also encompass recurrent attacks on the Network's crews working and operating in the occupied Palestinian territories and instances of incitement against them." The Committee to Protect Journalists reports at least 64 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 7th.4. On Sunday, Pope Francis decried the murder of two Palestinian Christian women who had taken refuge in a church complex in Gaza, Reuters reports. The Pope mourned that "Unarmed civilians are the objects of bombings and shootings. And this happened even inside the Holy Family parish complex, where there are no terrorists, but families, children, people who are sick or disabled, nuns…Some would say 'It is war. It is terrorism.' Yes, it is war. It is terrorism."5. According to NBC Bay Area, “At least hundreds of union members rallied at Oakland City Hall Saturday to call for a ceasefire… The ‘Labor for Palestine' rally brought out members from 14 unions across the Bay Area [including longshore workers, teachers, electricians, and nurses]. In addition to the call for the cease-fire, a statement put out by organizers said it also wanted the U.S. to stop providing military aid to Israel and ‘an end to Israel's occupation.' Organizers also said the rally was the first such labor-led rally in the U.S. this year.”6. AP reports Tesla is recalling “nearly all vehicles sold in [the] US,”  following a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, regarding “a series of crashes [some deadly] that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use.” Dillon Angulo, a driver who suffered brain trauma and broken bones in one such crash, said “This technology is not safe, we have to get it off the road…The government has to do something about it. We can't be experimenting like this.”7. Upon taking office, one of President Biden's stated foreign policy goals was to overturn Trump's designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terror. Yet, according to the Intercept “in a private briefing last week on Capitol Hill, State Department official Eric Jacobstein stunned members of Congress by telling them that the department has not even begun the review process.” As the article notes, “The terror designation makes it difficult for Cubans to do international business, crushing an already fragile economy. The U.S. hard-line approach to Cuba has coincided with a surge in desperate migration, with Cubans now making up a substantial portion of the migrants arriving at the southern border. Nearly 425,000 Cubans have fled for the United States in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, shattering previous records. Instead of moving to stem the flow by focusing on root causes in Cuba, the Biden White House has been signaling support in recent days for Republican-backed border policies.”8. In Chile, voters have rejected a far-right proposed new constitution, per PBS. As the article notes, this vote “came more than a year after Chileans resoundingly rejected a proposed constitution written by a left-leaning convention and one that many characterized as one of the world's most progressive charters.” The new, right-wing draft was characterized as even more conservative than the Pinochet-era constitution it sought to replace as it would have “deepened free-market principles, reduced state intervention and might have limited some women's rights.” As ex-president Michele Bachelet, who campaigned against the new draft constitution said “I prefer something bad to something worse.”9. In Argentina, radical right-wing President Javier Milei has announced a crackdown on civil society, “calling on armed forces to break strikes, arrest protesters, ‘protect' children from families that bring them to demo[nstration]s, and form a new national registry of all agitating organisations,” per Progressive International's David Adler. While unsurprising, this clearly flies in the face of Milei's purported ‘anarcho-capitalist' principles.10. Finally, did Southwest Airlines cancel or significantly delay your flight during the holiday season last year? If so, you could be entitled to a $75 voucher as part of the Department of Transportation's record $140 million settlement with the airline, per the Hill. Under the settlement, which the Department of Transportation claims is the largest ever penalty against an airline for violating consumer protection laws, the airline is required to establish a $90 million compensation system to be used for passengers affected by “controllable cancellations and significant delays,” in addition to paying $35 million to the federal government. Last December's Southwest “meltdown” included “more than 16,900 flights…canceled or delayed…affect[ing] more than 2 million passengers around the holidays.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

This is our Christmas special! Interview full of depth with an authentic human being, activist, an artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. Andy Shallal the CEO and founder of Busboys and Poets, restaurant that unites and educates communities. Andy moved to the United States from Iraq with his family in 1966. He graduated from Catholic University of America and later enrolled in Howard University medical school. Shallal earned his MBA from the University of Maryland. Shallal worked as researcher in medical immunology at the National Institute of Health. In this episode, you will learn: 1. What early experiences shaped the way Andy approaches entrepreneurship and life in general 2. What Andy learned from his sherpa on the way to his climb of Everest 3. Impact he made by running for Washington DC mayor position in 2014 and lessons learned 4. What were the early day challenges of Busboys and Poets 5. How he invests and what criteria are used for his portfolio 6. Andy's decision about involving family members in his business 7. Who Andy finds inspiring and what plans he has for the future

Alicia Garza's and Angela Davis's brilliance could not be contained to just a single podcast episode! Yes, you must first hear this episode of Lady Don't Take No to hear Alicia and Angela talk all things abolition, the #jacksonbacklash and much more. We now present to you this bonus episode featuring the excellent audience questions from that evening. This may be a bonus, but it's also a #mustlisten! Special thanks to Andy Shallal for welcoming us at Busboys and Poets. Thank you to to Robert Ventura, Alisha Byrd, and Ronald Young, Jr. for their live technical magic. We appreciate you!Lady Don't Take No on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookAlicia Garza on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube * Do you have a question for Lady's Love Notes? Seeking advice on love/romance/relationships? CLICK HERE to send Lady Garza your question, and she may read it on the show! This pod is supported by the Black Futures LabProduction by Phil SurkisTheme music: "Lady Don't Tek No" by LatyrxAlicia Garza founded the Black Futures Lab to make Black communities powerful in politics. She is the co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter and the Black Lives Matter Global Network, an international organizing project to end state violence and oppression against Black people. Garza serves as the Strategy & Partnerships Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She is the co-founder of Supermajority, a new home for women's activism. Alicia was recently named to TIME's Annual TIME100 List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, alongside her BLM co-founders Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart (Penguin Random House),  and she warns you -- hashtags don't start movements. People do.  

Alicia sits down with author and living legend Angela Davis in this very special live edition of Lady Don't Take No. Alicia and Angela cover all things abolition, fascism, and much more in this extraordinary conversation. They were recorded on September 6th, 2022 at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C. Plus, Alicia delivers all the news you can use in her weekly roundup. Watch this feed for a bonus episode with even more from this magical evening with Alicia and Angela!Special thanks to Andy Shallal for welcoming us at Busboys and Poets. Thank you to to Robert Ventura, Alisha Byrd, and Ronald Young, Jr. for their live technical magic. We appreciate you!Lady Don't Take No on Twitter, Instagram & FacebookAlicia Garza on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube * Do you have a question for Lady's Love Notes? Seeking advice on love/romance/relationships? CLICK HERE to send Lady Garza your question, and she may read it on the show! This pod is supported by the Black Futures LabProduction by Phil SurkisTheme music: "Lady Don't Tek No" by LatyrxAlicia Garza founded the Black Futures Lab to make Black communities powerful in politics. She is the co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter and the Black Lives Matter Global Network, an international organizing project to end state violence and oppression against Black people. Garza serves as the Strategy & Partnerships Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She is the co-founder of Supermajority, a new home for women's activism. Alicia was recently named to TIME's Annual TIME100 List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, alongside her BLM co-founders Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart (Penguin Random House),  and she warns you -- hashtags don't start movements. People do. 

In less than two weeks, the American Library Association's 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition will take place in Washington, D.C.—the first in-person Annual Conference since the pandemic began. In Episode 72, we're gearing up to be together again in the nation's capital. First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress and 2003–2004 ALA president. Hayden shares her favorite places to eat in Washington, D.C., as well as museums and exhibits that conference attendees should try to see when they're in town. Next, ALA staffers share their top tips for attending Annual. Finally, Sallyann Price, American Libraries associate editor, chats with Andy Shallal, founder of Busboys and Poets, a local restaurant where art, culture, and politics intersect—along with community and good food.

Andy Shallal is an Iraqi-American artist, activist and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder/CEO of the Washington, D.C., area restaurant, bookstore, performance venue Busboys and Poets and local philanthropist. He is also known for hiring artists in the D.C. area to paint murals around the city during lockdown to brighten up the streets and make people smile.Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted… a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul… a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide.Through creating such a space, Andy hopes to inspire social change and begin to transform the D.C. community and the world.In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Andy takes us on the journey of how Busboys and Poets came to be, and discusses the importance of creative expression, especially in times like these.We also discuss Andy’s time running for mayor of D.C in an effort to seriously address the systemic issues of racism, health care, and education. Finally, we discuss the current political and cultural climate and get Andy’s take on the way forward.We hope this episode inspires you to consider how you can create change in your local community!For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcastConnect with Andy Shallal & Busboys and PoetsWebsiteFacebookFollow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi:Donate to the production of this podcastInstagram Facebook  Produced by: Dana DrahosEdited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine AnTheme music by: Qais EssarArtwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits:Philip Daniel Zach- Unwanted TearsPhilip Daniel Zach- AugustPhilip Daniel Zach- TraptDearGravity- Chimera

Few industries have been hit harder by the pandemic than restaurants. In this episode, we turn to Andy Shallal, who was appointed by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser to sit on a task force that looks at what the city needs to do during and after the pandemic to reopen. Shallal owns one of the city’s most beloved restaurant chains, Busboys and Poets, and has distinct thoughts about what the future holds for independent eateries and what it will take for this industry to get off life support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"White people are comfortable anywhere," says restaurateur Andy Shallal. "In order for a black person to walk into a space, there need to be signals that say, 'You're welcome.'" In this week's show we decode those signals, which include the decor and music, the staff and other customers, and more. These codes tell you what kind of place a restaurant is, and whether it's for you. So what happens when a restaurant uses these signals to bring certain people in, and keep others out? This week we visit three very different restaurants in Washington D.C. to talk with the owners and customers about the different signals these places send, and what those codes can tell us about larger questions of race and culture. This episode is co-hosted by writer and reporter Kat Chow, formerly of the NPR podcast and blog Code Switch. Note: This episode first aired four years ago. We know that many of us can’t go to restaurants right now, but we think the questions it raises are bigger than restaurants, and remain very relevant today. Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

May Day 2020 culminates of a week of action in the midst of massive unemployment in the United States, and often dangerous working conditions during the COVID-19 crisis. We go to the streets of DC to hear from workers and activists who say this day marks the launch of a new era for the U.S. labor movement. Voices: April Goggans, Deborah Washington, Brian Becker, Sean Blackmon, Yasmin Zhara and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard. And as the District of Columbia, like other states, looks to reopen the economy, the fate of thousands of workers and small businesses hangs in the balance. We speak to Andy Shallal, activist, artist and owner of seven Busboys and Poets restaurants and event spaces in the DMV. Plus headlines. The show is made possible only by our volunteer energy, our resolve to keep the people's voices on the air, and by support from our listeners. In this new era of fake corporate news, we have to be and support our own media! Please click here or click on the Support-Donate tab on this website to subscribe for as little as $3 a month. We are so grateful for this small but growing amount of monthly crowdsource funding on Patreon. You can also give a one-time donation on PayPal. Thank you!

"Food is bait."  - Andy Shallal This week, Candace and Tom welcome Andy Shallal, the founder of Busboys and Poets, to Howard County.  Busboys and Poets is described as "a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted – a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul – a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide."  What should we expect in the newest restaurant?  Why do art, culture, and food mix so well?  Why does Andy Shallal hate Seinfeld?  This won't be an episode you'll want to miss. Thank you to our friends at Howard Hughes in Downtown Columbia for hosting?

On this episode of Bootstrapped, we interviewed Andy Shallal, MBA ’19, founder and CEO of Busboys and Poets. Shallal founded the iconic restaurant chain in 2005, where it started from a restaurant/events venue/coffee shop/bar/bookstore in D.C. and expanded to eight locations today across the DMV. After years of operating his business, Shallal returned to school through Maryland Smith’s Executive MBA program, where he acquired newfound tools to help his empire soar. Shallal sits down with the Bootstrapped hosts to discuss his motivations for starting Busboys and Poets, how his passion for democracy became the bedrock of the business, and the challenges he’s faced in building Busboys and Poets to what is is today and what it can soon become.

Host Francis Lam meets up with restaurateur and activist Andy Shallal to talk about how he makes choices, from the decor to the menu, to make a restaurant that appeals to both black and white diners. We meet Jorge Muñoz Zapata, aka The Angel of Queens; since 2004, he has been feeding people on the same corner in Queens every night, funded only by food donations and money from his own pocket. Step inside the glorious Peacock Room with Lee Glazer of the Smithsonian Institution to learn the story behind one of the world's most elegant and adorned dining rooms. And Lisa McManus of America's Test Kitchen takes on picnic food with a review of the best in pie and cake carriers. Francis talks with listeners about how to cook with the outer leaves and stalks of vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage - and how to use the scraps of lemon - instead of composting them.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 7, 2017 (originally aired)March 30, 2018 (rebroadcast)July 6, 2018 (rebroadcast)

https://onthegroundshow.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/1.OTG-JAN5-2018-RE-BROADCAST-DISTSMALL.mp3 Voices from the Peoples Tribunal on the Iraq War. The tribunal was sponsored by Code Pink Dec. 1-2, 2016 in Washington DC at the University of the District of Columbia Law School. The first day focused on the lies used to invade Iraq. The tribunal is an ongoing project that can be reached, joined and viewed in full at www.iraqtribunal.org Ray McGovern, Vijay Prashad, Rep. Barbara Lee,Medea Benjamin, Andy Shallal and more. On The Ground"Voices of Resistance from the Nations Capital (www.onthegroundshow.org) is a weekly show that brings alternative news from DC. We cover social justice activism and activists, those who are in the DC area and those who come to DC from across the nation or from across the globe to speak truth to power. Esther Iverem, creator, executive producer and host, is an award-winning journalist, poet, visual artist and activist. Her most recent book is Olokun of the Galaxy (Seeing Black Press) distributed by Ingram.

Today, we are honored to welcome Andy Shallal to the America Meditating Radio Show as we feature Inspiring Leaders in the Washington, D.C. Area.  Andy Shallal, is an Iraqi-American artist, activist and restaurateur. He is best known as the proprietor of the Washington, D.C. area restaurants, bookstore, performance venue Busboys and Poets and Eatonville Restaurant and as a local philanthropist. Busboys and Poets is now located in six distinctive neighborhoods in the Washington Metropolitan area and is a community resource for artists, activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers. Andy has also founded or co-founded several peace and justice organizations and holds leadership positions in numerous others.  He has received numerous awards including the Mayor's Arts Award, the Mayor's Environmental Award, United Nations Human Rights Community Award, as well as leadership awards in employment and sustainable business practices and was named Man of the Year by the Washington Peace Center. Visit www.busboysandpoets.com Get the Off the Grid Into the Heart CD by Sister Jenna. Like America Meditating, Download our FREE Pause for Peace app.  

We speak with two guests who are working to transform their cities into places that support their populations rather than exploiting them and pushing them to the edges. Andy Shallal, artist, activist and owner of the Bus Boys and Poets bookstore restaurants is running for mayor in Washington, DC. He advocates for policies that bring greater community engagement and empower communities through education, employment support and affordable housing. Dean John H. Morris, Jr is head of the Department of Urban Planning and Community Development at Sojourner-Douglass College in Baltimore, MD. He is working with the local community to recreate local neighborhoods so they are places that build and sustain homeownership and local businesses through a grass roots democratized economy. For more information, visit ClearingtheFOGRadio.org.

Mr. Shallal says at the local level is where you can make a change. It's very hard to expect change on the national level. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced March 28, 2014.

On Reality Asserts Itself, Mr. Shallal says we went from No Child Left Behind under the Bush era to no kid left untested, then to no teacher left unstressed, and our schools are still doing very poorly. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced March 27, 2014.

On Reality Asserts Itself, Mr. Shallal tells Paul Jay how speaking out against war led to his passion about schools. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced March 26, 2014.

Mr. Shallal, owner of Busboys and Poets restaurants and candidate for DC mayor, tells Paul Jay that after coming to America as a child, the shocking death of MLK led him to discover how much race permeates everything. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced March 25, 2014.