Podcast appearances and mentions of Angela Davis

When the world feels heavy, we look for small escapes.For some, that means tuning out the headlines to binge a new show or watch a must-see film.MPR News host Angela Davis talks with NPR's TV and media critic and a Twin Cities entertainment writer about what they're watching — and the hottest shows and movies right now.Guests:Eric Deggans is the TV critic, media analyst and guest host at National Public Radio.  He is also the Knight Professor of Journalism and Media Ethics at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. Lily Osler is an entertainment writer based in the Twin Cities. Her writing has been published in the New Yorker, Racket and Reactor. She is also the managing editor of Episodes, a newsletter and pop-culture blog. 

President Donald Trump took the national stage Tuesday night for his State of the Union address at a pivotal moment for his presidency and for his party.MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what the president said — and didn't say — with a historian, a political scientist and our listeners. Guests: Yohuru Williams is a distinguished university chair, professor of history and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas.Whitney Court is a professor of political science and chair of political science at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.    

Americans say staying informed is essential to participating in civic life — especially when it comes to voting. But a new Pew Research Center study finds that many people also feel overwhelmed by the news, are distrustful of what they see and are increasingly selective about what they pay attention to.So what does that mean for local journalism?MPR News host Angela Davis talks about how newsrooms are trying to adapt to changes in news consumption with the editor of the Minnesota Star Tribune.Guest: Kathleen Hennessey is the editor and senior vice president of the Minnesota Star Tribune. Prior to her current role, she was deputy politics editor for the New York Times. Before that, she led the regional politics team for the Associated Press. She covered the White House during President Barack Obama's second term for the LA Times and the Associated Press and was the White House editor and deputy bureau chief for the Associated Press during President Donald Trump's first term.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

February is Black History Month! A time to honor the leadership, scholarship, and activism of African Americans whose contributions have shaped our nation. In this episode of the Advancing Women Podcast, we center and celebrate the Black women whose intellectual and political leadership fundamentally transformed feminism and continue to shape the ongoing work of gender equity. Too often, the history of the women's movement highlights figures like Stanton and Anthony while overlooking the central role Black women played in abolition, suffrage, civil rights, and feminist thought. Long before the term intersectionality was coined, Black women were living and articulating the layered realities of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. We begin with the powerful words of Sojourner Truth and her 1851 “Ain't I a Woman?” speech, and we explore the evolution of the feminist movement through its three waves. We examine how Black feminist thought reshaped and expanded mainstream feminism during the 1960s and 1970s. We honor leaders such as: bell hooks, who defined feminism as “a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” Audre Lorde, who reminded us, “I am not free while any woman is unfree.” Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, whose legacy of being “Unbought and Unbossed” redefined feminist leadership. Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term intersectionality and warned that when movements fail to be intersectional, the most vulnerable fall through the cracks. Angela Davis, whose lifelong commitment to justice reminds us that equity work is not a moment…it's a movement. Maya Angelou, whose words call us forward: “Take up the battle. It is yours.” This episode examines why Black feminism is foundational to inclusive leadership, and why intersectionality is essential to advancing women. If we are not intersectional, we are not advancing all women. If we are not advancing all women, we are not advancing women! This conversation is about honoring legacy, not just in February, but always. It is about recognizing that the unfinished work of equity requires courage, scholarship, service, and collective responsibility. Because together, we rise. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a colleague, a student, or a friend. The work of advancing women requires all of us. Let's Connect: ·        Instagram: @AdvancingWomenPodcast  ·        Facebook: Advancing Women Podcast  ·        LinkedIn: Dr. Kimberly DeSimone 

The immigration enforcement surge has taken an economic toll on many Minnesota communities, especially in the Twin Cities. As workers and customers stay home, some restaurants, construction firms and other businesses that employ immigrants are struggling to stay open. Minneapolis officials estimate the city lost more than $200 million in economic activity in a single month. And, when spending contracts this quickly, the impact ripples through industries far beyond those directly touched by immigration enforcement.MPR News host Angela Davis takes a look at the economic impact of ICE, proposals from local and state governments to support struggling businesses and how to move forward. Guests:Chris Farrell is the senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace. Neil Linscheid is a state specialist in entrepreneurship and expert in community economics for University of Minnesota Extension. He works alongside local leaders to develop practical, community-centered strategies that build and drive long-term economic health. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.  

The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus is one of the oldest and largest gay choruses in the country. For 45 years, it's built a sense of community among its singers and has spread joy and awareness in the broader community. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the artistic director and chorus members about the choir's history and how music can heal and bring people together through hard times. Guests: Gerald Gurss has been the artistic director of the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus since 2018. He is also a composer and has served as artistic director and founder of choruses in North Carolina.  Carlos Saldaña sings tenor with the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus. He joined the chorus in 2013 and has also served in several roles, including as a member of the board of directors.  Mikal Nabors is a tenor with the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus. He joined the chorus in 2011 after singing with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.  

More federal funding for public health is on the chopping block. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what the cuts could mean for Minnesota and why a federal judge stepped in to temporarily block them. 

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter about his eight years in City Hall, the lessons he's learned and what's next.Guest:Melvin Carter III served as mayor of St. Paul for eight years. Elected in 2017 and reelected in 2021, he was the city's first African American mayor. Prior to his election as mayor, he served as St. Paul City Council member for Ward 1, representing the neighborhood he grew up in. He is the founding board chair of the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood and served as the director of the Minnesota Office of Early Learning. He has roots that go back four generations in St. Paul. His father was a St. Paul police officer and his mother was a teacher and Ramsey County commissioner.

This isn't just another episode.This is a cultural moment.In Season 12, Episode 6: An intimate, unfiltered, deeply human conversation with global freedom fighter, scholar, and icon Angela Davis at The Wilmington Library.And no — this isn't a recycled history lesson.It's legacy meeting laughter.It's revolution meeting reflection.It's wisdom poured neat.THE WINE OF THE DAY: PAPI CHARDONNAY FROM CHILE VINTAGE OF 2023.CREDITS TO: THE WILMINGTON LIBRARY.The Wilmington Library created space for Angela Davis to speak beyond the headlines — about:The emotional cost of lifelong activismThe evolution of resistance in the digital ageWhat solidarity really means in 2026Cancel culture, capitalism, and the courage to stay radicalThe power of joy as a revolutionary actYou'll hear stories you've never heard.You'll feel challenged.You'll laugh.You might even rethink everything you thought you knew.This episode bridges generations — from civil rights veterans to today's organizers, creatives, and culture shapers trying to make sense of a divided world.And here's the truth:Episodes like this don't happen often.If you believe in powerful conversations.If you crave substance without stiffness.If you want to grow while you sip.This is your podcast.Subscribe now and join the community that refuses surface-level dialogue. We drink good wine. We share great laughs. And we host legendary conversations that actually matter.Season 12 is different.Episode 6 is historic.Press play — and be part of it.

In celebration of Black History Month, we're reposting Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay's  interview with Dana A. Williams, author of TONI AT RANDOM: The Iconic Writer's Legendary Editorship. It was was originally posted on July 3, 2025.In the interview, Dr. Williams discussed Toni Morrison's path to becoming a book editor, some of the Black writers she edited at Random House including Angela Davis and Toni Cade Bambara, and what inspired her to write the book.Dana A. Williams is Professor of African American Literature in the Department of English and Dean of the Graduate School at Howard University. She is former president of the College Language Association and the Modern Languages Association and is the author of In the Light of Likeness—Transformed: The Literary Art of Leon Forrest. Diverse Voices Book Review Social Media: Facebook - @diversevoicesbookreview Instagram - @diverse_voices_book_review 

The immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota is ending, said Tom Homan, the border czar for President Donald Trump.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday he'll back an aid package to support state businesses, especially immigrant-owned business, hurt by the surge of federal immigration agents in Minnesota over the past two months.Walz told reporters he'll propose a $10 million emergency fund, similar to an effort during the COVID-19 pandemic, that would offer forgivable loans targeted at small businesses.During this special coverage following the announcement from Homan, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with guests about the impact of the immigration surge on the community. Plus we'll hear live coverage of Gov. Walz's announcement and comments regarding the federal immigration actions.Guests:Michael Lansing is a professor of history of Augsburg University who has studied the history of policing in Minneapolis.Brian Bakst is the MPR News politics editor.Dana Ferguson is a politics reporter for MPR News.Zachary Aaker is an immigration attorney at Martin Law in Bloomington, Minn.Zena Stenvik is the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public School District.Brenda Lewis is the superintendent of Fridley Public Schools.

Dr. Robert Ganung, chaplain and teacher at Taft School, joins Rick to explore how deep contemplative practice can ground a life of service, justice, and education. Drawing from Celtic Christianity, Buddhism, Vedanta, and the civil rights tradition, Robert shares how daily meditation, interspiritual study, and a sense of the sacred in all beings inform his work with students and his view of a world in crisis yet ripe for awakening. They discuss non-duality and interconnection, inner practice as fuel for action, the impact of mystical experiences, near-death research, and living with love and courage amid social and planetary upheaval. The Rev. Dr. Robert Ganung is an ordained minister, educator, and school chaplain whose life and work have been shaped by a deep engagement with both Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. He holds a doctorate from the Boston University School of Theology, where his dissertation explored how the mindfulness and meditation practices taught by the Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh can enrich and nourish the spiritual lives of Christians. That work grew out of years of personal practice and study, including retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as a lifelong interest in contemplative spirituality. For more than four decades, Dr. Ganung has served at the intersection of education, ministry, and social justice. He is currently Chaplain at The Taft School in Connecticut, where he also teaches philosophy, ethics, world religions, and global studies, and where he has brought an extraordinary range of voices into the community—among them Cornel West, Bill McKibben, Ibram X. Kendi, Angela Davis, Tibetan monks, and many others addressing spirituality, human rights, environmental justice, and the moral challenges of our time. Earlier in his career, he served as chaplain and teacher at Milton Academy, Punahou School in Hawai‘i, and Cardigan Mountain School. During these years, he also served as a minister in the United Methodist and United Church of Christ congregations in New England and Hawai‘i. Dr. Ganung's spiritual formation has been deeply influenced by the Christian mystical tradition—figures such as Howard Thurman, Bede Griffiths, Richard Rohr, & John O'Donohue—as well as by Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, and interfaith dialogue. Introduced to Hindu philosophy and Sufism as an undergraduate philosophy major at Boston University, he later engaged Siddha Yoga and Advaita teachings, while continuing to explore how contemplative practice leads naturally toward nonviolence, compassion, and justice in the world. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group, Interview recorded February 7, 2026

Names removed from mailboxes. Businesses shuttered. More packages from online retailers. These are just a few of the changes mail carriers say they've noticed since President Donald Trump's administration sent a surge of federal immigration agents to Minnesota in early December.MPR News host Angela Davis hears from mail carriers about how ICE activity is affecting their work and the people they serve, and how their familiar routes feel different.Guests:Artis Curiskis is a reporter and producer for the Center for Investigative Reporting — a nonprofit, independent, investigative newsroom that produces the radio show “Reveal,” the print magazine Mother Jones and the podcast “More To The Story.” You can hear his recent report about the changes mail carriers are noticing on their routes here: How Minneapolis Taught America to Fight Back.Luke Ferguson is a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier who delivers along a Minneapolis route ten blocks from where he grew up.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

The federal immigration enforcement actions have brought a sense of fear and uncertainty to many communities in Minnesota. Many people — especially immigrants and their families — are feeling unrelenting stress. Others are feeling anxious and exhausted as their workplaces, schools and neighborhoods navigate sudden changes and loss. Coming up at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, MPR News host Angela Davis talks about how to live through a crisis — how to process grief, protect yourself when anger is everywhere and cope when you feel overwhelmed without resorting to “toxic positivity.”

Construction always slows during winter in Minnesota. But this year, federal immigration crackdowns are causing an even bigger slowdown in the industry.Builders and remodelers who rely on immigrant labor say enforcement activity is making it harder to keep crews on the job. Many immigrant workers are staying home out of fear — worried about being detained, questioned and harassed by immigration officers. And when crews aren't available, projects drag on and costs rise.  MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a homebuilder and a labor organizer about the impact of federal immigration enforcement on workers, businesses and the construction industry. Plus, MPR News senior economics contributor Chris Farrell shares the latest economic news headlines. Guests: Dave Remick is the owner and president of McDonald Construction, a smaller, custom homebuilding company based in Burnsville, Minn. with projects throughout the greater Twin Cities.  Patricio Cambias is an organizer with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha, an organization working to protect worker rights and improve conditions for non-unionized workers in the construction industry in the Twin Cities metro area. 

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism. A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography of one of the most important revolutionary figures of the twentieth century in the United States. Martin Sostre (1923–2015) was a Black Puerto Rican from East Harlem who became a politicized prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, winning cases in the early 1960s that helped secure the constitutional rights of incarcerated people. He opened one of the country's first radical Black bookstores and was scapegoated and framed by police and the FBI following the Buffalo rebellion of 1967. He was sentenced by an all-white jury to thirty-one to forty-one years. Throughout his nine-year imprisonment, Sostre transformed himself and the revolutionary movements he was a part of, eventually identifying as a revolutionary anarchist and laying the foundation for contemporary Black anarchism. During that time, he engaged in principled resistance to strip frisks for which he was beaten eleven times, raising awareness about the routinized sexual assault of imprisoned people. The decade-long Free Martin Sostre movement was one of the greatest and most improbable defense campaign victories of the Black Power era, alongside those to liberate Angela Davis and Huey Newton. Although Sostre receded from public view after his release in 1976, he lived another four decades of committed struggle as a tenant organizer and youth mentor in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his long life, Martin Sostre was a jailhouse lawyer, revolutionary bookseller, yogi, mentor and teacher, anti-rape organizer, housing justice activist, and original political thinker. The variety of strategies he used and terrains on which he struggled emphasize the necessity and possibility of multi-faceted and continuous struggle against all forms of oppression in pursuit of an egalitarian society founded on the principles of “maximum human freedom, spirituality, and love.” Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism. A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography of one of the most important revolutionary figures of the twentieth century in the United States. Martin Sostre (1923–2015) was a Black Puerto Rican from East Harlem who became a politicized prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, winning cases in the early 1960s that helped secure the constitutional rights of incarcerated people. He opened one of the country's first radical Black bookstores and was scapegoated and framed by police and the FBI following the Buffalo rebellion of 1967. He was sentenced by an all-white jury to thirty-one to forty-one years. Throughout his nine-year imprisonment, Sostre transformed himself and the revolutionary movements he was a part of, eventually identifying as a revolutionary anarchist and laying the foundation for contemporary Black anarchism. During that time, he engaged in principled resistance to strip frisks for which he was beaten eleven times, raising awareness about the routinized sexual assault of imprisoned people. The decade-long Free Martin Sostre movement was one of the greatest and most improbable defense campaign victories of the Black Power era, alongside those to liberate Angela Davis and Huey Newton. Although Sostre receded from public view after his release in 1976, he lived another four decades of committed struggle as a tenant organizer and youth mentor in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his long life, Martin Sostre was a jailhouse lawyer, revolutionary bookseller, yogi, mentor and teacher, anti-rape organizer, housing justice activist, and original political thinker. The variety of strategies he used and terrains on which he struggled emphasize the necessity and possibility of multi-faceted and continuous struggle against all forms of oppression in pursuit of an egalitarian society founded on the principles of “maximum human freedom, spirituality, and love.” Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism. A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography of one of the most important revolutionary figures of the twentieth century in the United States. Martin Sostre (1923–2015) was a Black Puerto Rican from East Harlem who became a politicized prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, winning cases in the early 1960s that helped secure the constitutional rights of incarcerated people. He opened one of the country's first radical Black bookstores and was scapegoated and framed by police and the FBI following the Buffalo rebellion of 1967. He was sentenced by an all-white jury to thirty-one to forty-one years. Throughout his nine-year imprisonment, Sostre transformed himself and the revolutionary movements he was a part of, eventually identifying as a revolutionary anarchist and laying the foundation for contemporary Black anarchism. During that time, he engaged in principled resistance to strip frisks for which he was beaten eleven times, raising awareness about the routinized sexual assault of imprisoned people. The decade-long Free Martin Sostre movement was one of the greatest and most improbable defense campaign victories of the Black Power era, alongside those to liberate Angela Davis and Huey Newton. Although Sostre receded from public view after his release in 1976, he lived another four decades of committed struggle as a tenant organizer and youth mentor in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his long life, Martin Sostre was a jailhouse lawyer, revolutionary bookseller, yogi, mentor and teacher, anti-rape organizer, housing justice activist, and original political thinker. The variety of strategies he used and terrains on which he struggled emphasize the necessity and possibility of multi-faceted and continuous struggle against all forms of oppression in pursuit of an egalitarian society founded on the principles of “maximum human freedom, spirituality, and love.” Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism. A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography of one of the most important revolutionary figures of the twentieth century in the United States. Martin Sostre (1923–2015) was a Black Puerto Rican from East Harlem who became a politicized prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, winning cases in the early 1960s that helped secure the constitutional rights of incarcerated people. He opened one of the country's first radical Black bookstores and was scapegoated and framed by police and the FBI following the Buffalo rebellion of 1967. He was sentenced by an all-white jury to thirty-one to forty-one years. Throughout his nine-year imprisonment, Sostre transformed himself and the revolutionary movements he was a part of, eventually identifying as a revolutionary anarchist and laying the foundation for contemporary Black anarchism. During that time, he engaged in principled resistance to strip frisks for which he was beaten eleven times, raising awareness about the routinized sexual assault of imprisoned people. The decade-long Free Martin Sostre movement was one of the greatest and most improbable defense campaign victories of the Black Power era, alongside those to liberate Angela Davis and Huey Newton. Although Sostre receded from public view after his release in 1976, he lived another four decades of committed struggle as a tenant organizer and youth mentor in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his long life, Martin Sostre was a jailhouse lawyer, revolutionary bookseller, yogi, mentor and teacher, anti-rape organizer, housing justice activist, and original political thinker. The variety of strategies he used and terrains on which he struggled emphasize the necessity and possibility of multi-faceted and continuous struggle against all forms of oppression in pursuit of an egalitarian society founded on the principles of “maximum human freedom, spirituality, and love.” Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism. A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography of one of the most important revolutionary figures of the twentieth century in the United States. Martin Sostre (1923–2015) was a Black Puerto Rican from East Harlem who became a politicized prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, winning cases in the early 1960s that helped secure the constitutional rights of incarcerated people. He opened one of the country's first radical Black bookstores and was scapegoated and framed by police and the FBI following the Buffalo rebellion of 1967. He was sentenced by an all-white jury to thirty-one to forty-one years. Throughout his nine-year imprisonment, Sostre transformed himself and the revolutionary movements he was a part of, eventually identifying as a revolutionary anarchist and laying the foundation for contemporary Black anarchism. During that time, he engaged in principled resistance to strip frisks for which he was beaten eleven times, raising awareness about the routinized sexual assault of imprisoned people. The decade-long Free Martin Sostre movement was one of the greatest and most improbable defense campaign victories of the Black Power era, alongside those to liberate Angela Davis and Huey Newton. Although Sostre receded from public view after his release in 1976, he lived another four decades of committed struggle as a tenant organizer and youth mentor in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his long life, Martin Sostre was a jailhouse lawyer, revolutionary bookseller, yogi, mentor and teacher, anti-rape organizer, housing justice activist, and original political thinker. The variety of strategies he used and terrains on which he struggled emphasize the necessity and possibility of multi-faceted and continuous struggle against all forms of oppression in pursuit of an egalitarian society founded on the principles of “maximum human freedom, spirituality, and love.” Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism. A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography of one of the most important revolutionary figures of the twentieth century in the United States. Martin Sostre (1923–2015) was a Black Puerto Rican from East Harlem who became a politicized prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, winning cases in the early 1960s that helped secure the constitutional rights of incarcerated people. He opened one of the country's first radical Black bookstores and was scapegoated and framed by police and the FBI following the Buffalo rebellion of 1967. He was sentenced by an all-white jury to thirty-one to forty-one years. Throughout his nine-year imprisonment, Sostre transformed himself and the revolutionary movements he was a part of, eventually identifying as a revolutionary anarchist and laying the foundation for contemporary Black anarchism. During that time, he engaged in principled resistance to strip frisks for which he was beaten eleven times, raising awareness about the routinized sexual assault of imprisoned people. The decade-long Free Martin Sostre movement was one of the greatest and most improbable defense campaign victories of the Black Power era, alongside those to liberate Angela Davis and Huey Newton. Although Sostre receded from public view after his release in 1976, he lived another four decades of committed struggle as a tenant organizer and youth mentor in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his long life, Martin Sostre was a jailhouse lawyer, revolutionary bookseller, yogi, mentor and teacher, anti-rape organizer, housing justice activist, and original political thinker. The variety of strategies he used and terrains on which he struggled emphasize the necessity and possibility of multi-faceted and continuous struggle against all forms of oppression in pursuit of an egalitarian society founded on the principles of “maximum human freedom, spirituality, and love.” Host: Michael Stauch is an associate professor of history at the University of Toledo and the author of Wildcat of the Streets: Detroit in the Age of Community Policing, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many people, the federal immigration activity in Minnesota creates fear and raises urgent questions about safety and belonging. For others, it's a call to witness, document and respond. Artists are often among the first to translate historic moments like this — to give shape to emotions that can feel overwhelming or hard to name. Through poetry, visual art, murals, performance, and music, they help communities process what's happening in real time. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a poet, a ceramic artist and a graphic artist about what they're seeing, feeling and creating in this moment.Guests:Junauda Petrus is the Poet Laureate for the city of Minneapolis. She is an author, playwright, filmmaker and co-founder of the experimental artist collective, Free Black Dirt. She is the author of the award-winning young adult novel, “The Stars and the Blackness Between Them,” and the children's book, “Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers?”   Terresa Hardaway is the owner and creative director of Blackbird Revolt, a social justice-based design studio in Minneapolis. She's an associate professor of graphic design and the director of Design Justice in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. She is also the owner of Black Garnet Books in St. Paul. Sayge Carroll is an artist and co-founder of Mudluk Pottery Studio in Minneapolis.  

Federal immigration enforcement has entered a new era. ICE agents are now deploying facial recognition software, social media monitoring, and other digital tools to identify immigrants and surveil protesters. MPR News host Catharine Richert and her guests take a hard look at how these technologies work, where the law draws the line, and what the expansion of digital surveillance means for privacy for all of us. If you've ever wondered how much your digital footprint can reveal, join us for tonight's conversation.Guests:William McGeveran is the dean of the University of Minnesota Law School where he teaches data privacy.Shubhanjana Das is a reporter with the Sahan Journal. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.   

Federal immigration enforcement is fueling a growing rent crisis. Many immigrant workers — even those with legal authorization — fear leaving home due to increased enforcement, while others are losing income as workplaces cut hours or shut down. Without paychecks, rent and other bills go unpaid.Advocates report a surge in calls to tenant hotlines and emergency assistance programs, particularly in immigrant communities, and some leaders are calling for a temporary ban on evicting tenants. MPR News host Angela Davis discusses how immigration enforcement is upending people's livelihoods and how communities are responding.

fWotD Episode 3197: Rosa Parks Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Wednesday, 4 February 2026, is Rosa Parks.Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American civil rights activist. She is best known for her 1955 refusal to move from her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in defiance of Jim Crow racial segregation laws, which sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. She is sometimes known as the "mother of the civil rights movement".Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, Parks grew up under Jim Crow segregation. She later moved to Montgomery and joined the city's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1943, serving as the organization's secretary. Despite policies designed to disenfranchise Black citizens, Parks successfully registered to vote after three separate attempts between 1943 and 1945. She investigated cases and organized campaigns around cases of racial and sexual violence in her capacity as NAACP secretary, including those of Recy Taylor and Jeremiah Reeves, laying the groundwork for future civil rights campaigns.Custom in Montgomery required Black passengers to surrender their seats in the front of the bus to accommodate white riders. The rows in the back were designated for Black riders. Before Parks's refusal to move, several Black Montgomerians had refused to do so, including 15-year-old high school student Claudette Colvin, leading to arrests. When Parks was arrested in 1955, local leaders were searching for a person who would be a good legal test case against segregation. She was deemed a suitable candidate, and the Women's Political Council (WPC) organized a one-day bus boycott on the day of her trial. The boycott was widespread. Many Black Montgomerians refused to ride the buses that day. After Parks was found guilty of violating state law, the boycott was extended indefinitely, with the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) organizing its own community transportation network to sustain it. Parks and other boycott leaders faced harassment, ostracization, and various legal obstacles. The boycott lasted for 381 days, finally concluding after segregation on buses was deemed unconstitutional in the court case Browder v. Gayle.After the boycott ended, Parks experienced financial hardship and health problems due, in part, to her participation. In 1957, she relocated to Detroit, Michigan. She continued to advocate for civil rights, supporting people such as John Conyers, Joanne Little, Gary Tyler, Angela Davis, Joe Madison, and Nelson Mandela. She was also a supporter of the Black power movement and an anti-apartheid activist, participating in protests and conferences as part of the Free South Africa Movement. In 1987, she co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development with Elaine Eason Steele. After Parks's death in 2005, she was honored with public viewings and memorial services in three cities: in Montgomery; in Washington, D. C., where she lay in state at the United States Capitol rotunda; and in Detroit, where she was ultimately interred at Woodlawn Cemetery. Parks received many awards and honors, both throughout her life and posthumously. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Congressional Gold Medal, and was the first Black American to be memorialized in the National Statuary Hall.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:06 UTC on Wednesday, 4 February 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Rosa Parks on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Aditi.

Over the past month, federal immigration enforcement has focused on the city of Minneapolis. Their presence and aggressive tactics have forced city leaders to navigate complex questions about authority, cooperation, and the role of local government.  At the center of that conversation is the city's community safety commissioner, Todd Barnette.He oversees the Minneapolis Police Department along with the city's fire department, 911 services, emergency management and neighborhood safety programs — with the goal of improving communication, accountability, equity, and service delivery.MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Barnette about leadership, reform, and the path forward.Guest:Todd Barnette is the community safety commissioner for the city of Minneapolis. Before his current role, he served 17 years as a judge in the Hennepin County District Court, including terms as presiding judge of drug court, presiding judge of the criminal division, and chief judge, where he was the first person of color to hold the position. He is also an adjunct faculty member and mentor at the University of St. Thomas Law School. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Minnesota school superintendents about how the surge in federal immigration activity is affecting student attendance, learning, and safety — and what it means for families and schools. Guests:Brenda Lewis is the superintendent of Fridley Public Schools.Christine Tucci Osorio is the superintendent for School District 622 which includes North St. Paul, Maplewood and Oakdale.

Hey friend — pour your shot and get cozy. We chat about Angela Davis's incredible journey, pause to remember the Challenger anniversary, and ride the Super Bowl and sports buzz, all while swapping stories about chilly Florida nights and an outdoor NHL spectacle in Tampa. No lectures here — just friendly late-night conversation, memories, and a few laughs. Come hang out like we're right there on the couch.

Businesses across Minnesota are feeling the strain as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown moves into its seventh week.Immigrant-owned businesses — and companies that rely on immigrant workers — have been hit especially hard. Employers say many workers are staying home, worried about being stopped or detained by immigration officers. At the same time, customers are also staying away, as fear and tension ripple through communities following the recent killings of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good. The result? Short-staffing, reduced hours, lost revenue — and a lot of uncertainty about what comes next. MPR News guest host Chris Farrell looks at how this surge in enforcement is disrupting business as usual and what people can do to support their local shops and restaurants.Guests: R.T. Rybak is the president and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation, which just announced plans to distribute $3.5 million to businesses hurt by the immigration enforcement surge. He is also a former mayor of Minneapolis. Miguel Hernandez is the owner of Lito's Burritos, with locations on Lake Street in Minneapolis and Richfield. He grew up working in his parents' Richfield restaurant, El Tejaban Mexican Grill. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.      

Recent federal immigration enforcement actions are creating fear, anger or uncertainty for some Minnesota families. And mental health providers say that anxiety doesn't stop with adults. Stress in young people might show up as sleeplessness, trouble focusing in school or a deep sense of worry about family safety.MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what children, teenagers and young adults are experiencing right now and how the adults in their lives can support their mental health.Guest:Ana Mariella Rivera is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist in private practice in St. Paul who works with teenagers, young adults and families. She is also an adjunct professor of social work at St. Catherine University.Resources shared during the show: ”Good People Everywhere” by Lynea Gillen, ”Something Happened to My Dad: A Story about Immigration and Family Separation” by Ann Hazzard, ”The Breaking News” by Sarah Lynne Reul and ”Most People” by Michael Leannah.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate mental health support, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also find the number for your local crisis team here.

Federal immigration enforcement activity has increased in Minnesota in recent weeks, prompting questions, concern and uncertainty in many communities.MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Minnesotans who have had recent interactions with federal immigration officers. They talk about how enforcement is affecting daily life, public spaces and community trust.Guests:Ahmed Bin Hassan is a rideshare driver who was questioned by U.S. Border Patrol agents outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in a now-viral video. State Rep. Peter Fischer, DFL-Little Canada, has represented Little Canada and most of Maplewood since 2013. Julie Vossen-Henslin is involved with a group of people trying to document the increased federal immigration enforcement in Willmar. She is also trying to support family members of people who are taken into federal custody.To report incidents related to recent federal actions in Minnesota, the Minnesota Attorney General's Office created this Federal Action Reporting Form.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a chance to reflect on King's life, his words and the work he urged us to continue. King believed in justice rooted in community, in young people as leaders and in the power of any individual to create the change they want to see. Coming up at 9 a.m. on Monday, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with high school students across Minnesota who are engaging with King's message in meaningful ways. They're leading student groups, organizing for change, serving their communities and asking hard questions about equity and justice.

Centrándose principalmente en la década que va desde 1966 a 1976, en el contexto de la época. Fue uno de los momentos más desagradables de la historia norteamericana, dominado por la guerra de Vietnam; la emergencia de los derechos civiles, de la contestación antibélica, de la Nueva Izquierda y de otros movimientos polí­ticos que desafiaban el status quo; la presidencia de Nixon; las evidencias de fraude, vigilancia y acoso gubernamentales; y el caso Watergate. La pelí­cula presenta una extensa y variada ristra de figuras importantes del momento, hombres y mujeres que resultaron testigos directos y por ello con plena autoridad de los hechos concretos, así­ como del clima reinante. Entre ellos, los activistas polí­ticos afroamericanos Angela Davis y Bobby Seale; los periodistas Carl Bernstein y Walter Cronkite; los oficiales de la Administración Nixon, G. Gordon Liddy y John Dean; el veterano de Vietnam y activista en contra de la guerra, Ron Kovic; el insigne historiador y novelista norteamericano Gore Vidal; el antaño gobernador del Estado de Nueva York, Mario Cuomo; y el senador por tres veces además de candidato presidencial por los demócratas, George McGovern. Sin embargo, es el propio John Lennon la voz dominante del documental y la presencia clave catalizadora del mismo. Con la propia música del artista contribuyendo a una narración sutilmente incisiva, la pelí­cula capta a un Lennon público y privado que puede que muchos espectadores desconozcan: un joven extraordinariamente carismático, divertido, y regido por sólidos principios morales, que se negó a callar ante la injusticia. Yoko Ono, esposa de Lennon, colaboradora creativa, y colega en la campaña de ambos por la paz, ha permitido a los realizadores un acceso sin precedente a los archivos Lennon-Ono, permitiéndoles extraer y hacer uso de materiales audiovisuales nunca antes vistos u oí­dos, en su proceso narrativo. Además, Ono comparte sus recuerdos en una serie de entrevistas en profundidad, evocando, como nadie más podrí­a, la realidad del dí­a a dí­a de la pareja, sus esperanzas y momentos felices, pero también el largo proceso a que se vieron sometidos a manos del gobierno de los EE. UU. Con una investigación rigurosa, e imágenes poderosas, THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON aporta luz a un capí­tulo de la historia moderna poco conocido, cuando un presidente y su administración usaron la maquinaria del gobierno para alentar una guerra encubierta contra el músico más popular del globo. Al explorar una época agitada por muchos de los mismos temas que afrontamos hoy en dí­a, THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON deviene un relato que habla con inusitada fuerza a nuestro propio momento sembrado de desazón.

Jazz, in particular, has played a central role in this lineage. From John Coltrane's “Alabama,” to Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln's We Insist! Freedom Now Suite, from Nina Simone's “Mississippi Goddamn” to Charles Mingus' “Fables of Faubus,” jazz has always spoken truth to power. That tradition continues today, ascontemporary jazz musicians compose artistic eulogies for Oscar Grant III, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, and George Floyd; celebrate the nation's first Black president; and reaffirm that “Black Is Beautiful,” more than 60 years after the phrase became a unifying call within the Black PowerMovement. Jazz also chronicled the life and journey of Dr. King in real time, beginning with his emergence as a young preacher and activist in the early 1950s, and has continued to honor his legacy in the decades since his life was cut short. On thisspecial episode of Milestones, we explore the role jazz played inadvancing King's philosophy and celebrating his extraordinary impact as one of the most consequential leaders in American history with NEA Jazz Master and four-time GRAMMY-winning artist and educator Terri Lyne Carrington, GRAMMY-winning bassist and vocalist Ben Williams, and GRAMMY-nominated pianist and curator Orrin Evans. Together, with host Angélika Beener, they reflect on pieces like Herbie Hancock's 1969 “I Have a Dream,” and more, examining their cultural impact and role in the musical evolution of jazz. Hip-hop historians T.L. Cross and WBGO's own Stevan Smith also join the conversation,shedding new light on “King Holiday,” the 1986 hip-hop and R&B anthem that united an ensemble of rising stars—from New Edition and Run-DMC to Whitney Houston and Stephanie Mills. With the late Dexter Scott King at the helm, Kurtis Blow was tasked with assembling a collective to create an anthem for thenext generation – one that would honor Dr. King's legacy and serve as the soundtrack for the inaugural MLK holiday celebration, 40 years ago. The iconic scholar, author, global thought leader and visionary Dr. Angela Davis joins as a very special guest, offering remarkable insights on this milestone anniversary.  

Sometimes opposites attract, and then they make each other stronger. That's the story of our first Power Pair of 2026, Minneapolis married couple Roosevelt and Angela Mansfield. She is a longtime educator who taught in Minneapolis Public Schools and now serves as an assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Education. He's a youth worker, DJ and photographer, whose art shines a light on the people and history of Black communities in the Twin Cities. They met through their shared love of hip-hop. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the Mansfields about their work, their relationship and their commitment to supporting young people in stressful times. Guests: Angela Mansfield is an assistant commissioner in the Minnesota Department of Education in the Office of Educational Opportunity. She started nearly eight years ago at the state agency as a teacher training specialist. She also founded and ran a charter school and taught in Minneapolis Public Schools.   Roosevelt Mansfield is a photographer and DJ who has worked as a behavioral specialist and in other roles in public schools. He's also the founder of The Purpose, an organization that supports young people of color through cultural education, photography and entrepreneurial skills.  

Getting a cancer diagnosis today can mean something very different than it meant a few decades ago.  Cancer is still deadly. But thanks to advances in detection and treatment, cancer for some people has turned into a manageable condition. A report from the American Cancer Society out this week shows that for the first time that the five-year survival rate for all cancers has reached 70 percent. Tumors are being found at earlier stages, when treatment can be more effective. Surgery and radiation have gotten more precise.  Researchers have refined their understanding of different types of cancers and developed new drugs that zero in on the unique biology of specific tumors.Maybe most importantly, researchers are figuring out how to use the body's own immune system to fight cancer in ways that doctors couldn't have imagined 20 years ago.  MPR News host Angela Davis talks with her guests about how cancer treatments are improving.Guests: Dr. Emil Lou is a medical oncologist and professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School who sees patients at M Health Fairview Masonic Cancer Clinic. He specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, such as colorectal and pancreas cancers, and is also involved in cancer research.  Dr. Rachel L McCaffrey is a breast surgical oncologist at Allina Health who specializes in treating breast cancer. 

Have you ever seen a social media post that was so captivating that you just had to share it?  Maybe it was a powerful video, a striking image or a headline that made you stop scrolling.   But was it true? In a world where artificial intelligence can generate photos, videos and even voices, it's becoming harder to know what's real and what isn't.In fact, it's become so challenging to tell truth from fiction that many colleges are offering classes in how to spot misinformation and digital manipulation. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two professors about how technology is being used to mislead and how to avoid being fooled by fake images, videos and stories. Guests:Bob Groven is a professor and Co-Chair of the Department of Communication Studies, Film and New Media at Augsburg University. He teaches the class “Defense Against the Dark Arts,” which aims to help students recognize and protect themselves from misinformation and disinformation. He is also a strategic communication consultant with over 15 years of experience in leading political campaigns. Lana Medina is a journalist, researcher and educator. She teaches media literacy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Her work explores how social media algorithms, AI and newsroom pressures shape local journalism and civic discourse. 

Increased immigration enforcement and Wednesday's fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent have left some Minnesotans feeling frightened, angry or overwhelmed.MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about how to manage fear, anxiety and emotional overload during stressful times.Guests:Corey Yeager is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has a doctorate in family social science. He has worked for Minneapolis Public Schools and with the Minneapolis Police Department. He was a psychotherapist for the Detroit Pistons and he is the author of “How Am I Doing? 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself.” Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace.

Minnesota Now is continuing to follow reports of ICE and Border Patrol agents stopping and detaining people in the Twin Cities region. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem more agents are being deployed to join at least two thousand who are already in Minnesota. MPR News photojournalist Ben Hovland shared what he saw as he reported in the field. Reporter Matt Sepic broke down a case where agents entered a home without a warrant signed by a judge. We talked to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. And we checked in with an attorney defending people who have been detained. Plus, an investigative journalist explained how ICE is using technology to track people. We also heard excerpts from Monday's 9 a.m. show, MPR News with Angela Davis. A therapist shared insight for living through intense emotions and listeners called in with their experiences.

I was sitting at home when my phone began to vibrate repeatedly, notifications stacking on top of one another from various news outlets. The repetition alone suggested something serious. My first thought was what foolishness has President Trump unleashed on the world now? Just days ago, he kidnapped a country's president, Nicholas Maduro of Venezuela, boasting ‘f**k around and find out.'By the time I opened the articles, the details were already sinking in. On Wednesday, January 7, ICE agents shot and killed a woman named Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota during an anti-immigration operation. Video footage, now widely circulated, shows her attempting to drive away from a road blocked by federal agents. Within moments, multiple shots were fired, killing her.Renee was present in that neighborhood as a legal observer—someone there not to interfere, provoke, or obstruct, but to document state conduct and protect civil liberties. Legal observers exist precisely because history has shown what happens when law enforcement operates without scrutiny. According to early reporting that Wednesday, Renee was there “watching out for our immigrant neighbors,” a quiet act of solidarity in a political climate increasingly hostile to community care.The context matters here because, just days earlier, the Trump administration deployed 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area, escalating an already tense city. This is the same city where, less than a mile from where Renee was killed, George Floyd was murdered by police in 2020. And we must not forget Philando Castile, who was shot and killed in his car by police in nearby Falcon Heights. That history of violence isn't past us, it's present and ongoing, it's why Renee was there. Her presence was a direct response to that escalation, a form of accountability in a moment designed to intimidate.And yet, almost immediately after her death, the familiar machinery of justification began to turn.Within hours, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, claimed that an agent opened fire only after Renee “weaponized her vehicle” in an attempt to kill federal officers. This framing, which transforms a car into a weapon and an officer into a victim, has become a well-worn tactic in the defense of state violence. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded bluntly, calling the explanation “b******t” and stating plainly that this was “an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying.”Mayor Jacob Frey is right, it was b******t.The mayor's response was important, but it also revealed something deeper. This wasn't simply a disagreement over facts. The video is clear in what transpired. This was a clash between two narratives—one grounded in demanding accountability toward a system that produced harm, and the other in institutional self-preservation. And as is often the case, the state's version—the latter—began to unravel immediately.There are multiple videos from different angles capturing the shooting. Together, they contradict DHS's account of the sequence of events and call into question the claim of self-defense. These videos underscore why documentation matters, why legal observers exist, and why law enforcement agencies fight so hard against being watched. Visibility disrupts impunity and evidence destabilizes the power that enables ICE to function.It is no coincidence, then, that legislation is quietly advancing across the country to restrict people's ability to film police and ICE in public spaces. These efforts are often justified in the name of officer safety, but their practical effect is to limit accountability of the officers and agents. Because when violence occurs without witnesses, it's easier to deny, though as history shows, witnessing attrocity often isn't enough either.Rodney King, George Floyd, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Sonya Massey, Laquan McDonald—the commonality between all these people, aside from them all being Black, is that they were all murdered on camera by the state. Moments like this force us to reckon with a reality many witness: when agents sanctioned by the state do the killing, the state will always tell us not to believe our own two eyes. Truth becomes whatever the state says it is, despite documentation. Despite what we see.And sure enough, faced with video evidence that contradicted the official narrative, President Trump intervened to provide his own.On his social media platform, Truth Social, he described Renee Good screaming in the footage as “a professional agitator” and characterized her as “very disorderly,” claiming she had “violently, willfully, and viciously” run over an ICE officer. He framed the shooting as self-defense and concluded by blaming the “Radical Left” for targeting law enforcement, insisting that ICE agents were simply doing the job of “MAKING AMERICA SAFE.”This narrative relies on familiar tropes of disorderly civilians, embattled officers, and righteous violence. It reframes accountability as hostility and solidarity as extremism. Most importantly, it shifts attention away from the act itself and toward the supposed threat posed by those who resist or observe state power.But even as Trump's framing took hold, another narrative emerged—one that centered Renee Good herself as innocent, civilian, U.S. citizen. I understand the impulse behind these descriptors. In a country where empathy is rationed, people reach for language they believe will make violence undeniable. Citizenship, for example, is often treated as a moral credential, a line that, once crossed, turns tragedy into outrage.But this framing should worry us deeply.Because it suggests that state violence is only a problem when it reaches the wrong people. That the real issue is not violence itself, but misdirected violence. It implies that there exists a category of people for whom such force is acceptable or even deserved.This logic demands we ask a more fundamental question: should we be comfortable with ICE using violence against anyone? The answer is no. Not undocumented people. Not people with criminal records. Not people deemed guilty. Not people whose lives are already devalued by law and policy. Otherwise, we are not opposing violence, simply negotiating its targets.And that negotiation is precisely how the roots of violence remain untouched. It is how it remains defended.ICE is not a neutral agency that occasionally oversteps its bounds. It is an institution built around detention, deportation, and intimidation. Its purpose is not community safety as much as it is social control. When an agency designed to police movement and punish vulnerability embeds itself into everyday life, violence becomes an inevitable outcome.Understanding this makes clear that shooting someone during an anti-immigration operation is not a failure of enforcement. It is enforcement functioning as intended within a system that prioritizes control over care and impunity over accountability.We must discard the idea of violence at the hands of ICE as being a policy failure and call it as it is. It is a moral indictment of a nation that repeatedly chooses punishment and force over repair. It is indeed a choice. We are told that violence is an unfortunate byproduct of maintaining order, but order for whom, and at what cost? When the state responds to social conditions—migration, poverty, instability—with armed force, it reveals its priorities. It treats complex human realities as threats to be neutralized rather than conditions to be addressed, thus ensuring that violence becomes a governing logic.Angela Davis once warned, “If they come for me in the morning, they will come for you at night.” Davis learned this truth through generations of Black struggle—from enslavement through Jim Crow, through mass incarceration, and through ongoing police terror. Black people have endured state violence that is ever present, and a state that perfects its violence on Black bodies doesn't stop there. It simply finds new applications for the tools it's already built. This violence adapts and expands, looking for new targets once old justifications lose their usefulness.We're watching this in real time. Just one day after Renee Good was killed in Minneapolis, on Thursday, January 8, federal agents shot and wounded two people during a traffic stop in Portland, Oregon. Since the news broke, protests have erupted across the city calling for accountability. The pattern of violence Renee's death exposed didn't end with her, it continued. Because when violence is treated as a tool rather than a crisis, when agents exist to harm, when the system defends rather than corrects itself, the cycle continues.The real question, then, is not whether ICE went too far this time. The question is not asking why ICE carries guns. The question is why we continue to accept institutions whose very design requires someone else's suffering in order to function. The state will always find a way to defend its violence through spokespeople, through narrative reframing, through the language of threats and agitators and self-defense. It will tell us not to believe what we see. It will cast accountability as hostility and solidarity as extremism. And that, too, is a choice.Mustafa Ali-Smith is a social justice advocate who has worked around criminal justice issues for several years. His work examines race, justice, and the politics of reform and power in America. Get full access to Redesign America at redesignamerica.substack.com/subscribe

On Wednesday morning, a woman was shot and killed during what ICE describes as a targeted enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said one of its officers fired his weapon in an act of self-defense as the woman “weaponized her vehicle.” However, elected officials and local law enforcement leaders are challenging that account, saying they see no evidence that the shooting was an act of self-defense.   MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with her guests about what's known about the fatal shooting, what remains unclear and the legal questions it raises about federal authority, use of force and civil liberties.Guests:Sarah Thamer is the senior reporter for the MPR News Race, Class and Communities team.Emmanuel Mauleón is an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota who researches policing, surveillance and racial justice.Jenn Budd is a former senior patrol agent with the US border patrol and author of “Against the Wall: My Journey from Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Rights Activist.” Liliana Zaragoza is an associate professor of clinical law and director of the Racial Justice Law Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced this morning that he is ending his campaign for a third term. He said he made the decision after consulting with family and friends over the holidays. Walz's departure from the race comes as reports of fraud in state-run social service programs in Minnesota escalated in recent weeks. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with two political scientists about Walz's announcement and the race to replace him.Guests:Kathryn Pearson is a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. She is also an associate dean of undergraduate education and the director of the University Honors Program. Cindy Rugeley is an associate professor of political science and chair of the department at the University of Minnesota Duluth.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

The iconic activist and philosopher Angela Davis has been a major influence in global politics for more than 50 years. Davis first gained fame in the 1960s and 70s through her work within second-wave feminism and Marxist advocacy, specifically fighting against the firing of Communist professors at University of California. More recently, she has fought for prison abolition and spoken out in support of anti-imperialist movements, Occupy Wall Street, and Black Lives Matter.On December 15, 2025, Angela Davis came to the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco to be interviewed on stage by journalist Deepa Fernandes.  

Laurie Putnam is the superintendent of St. Cloud Public Schools, and the first woman to lead the district. Her husband, Aric Putnam, is a DFL state senator, representing District 14, which includes St. Cloud. Together, they're navigating politics, education, family life and the challenges of leading in the public eye.MPR News host Angela Davis revisits another conversation in her Power Pairs series. She talks with the Putnams about how they support each other and why they picked careers that serve their community.

MPR News host Angela Davis revisits a conversation she had with a brother and sister who are both award-winning storytellers. They talk about their work and how they support each other as part of our MPR News Power Pairs series.Guests:Daniel Bergin is a filmmaker, executive producer and director of history at Twin Cities PBS, where he was hired more than 30 years ago as a production assistant. He has won more than 20 regional Emmy Awards for his films covering diverse topics rooted in Minnesota history, including “Jim Crow of the North,” “North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers,” and “Out North: MNLGBTQ History.” Lea B. Olsen is a veteran TV analyst who has covered the Minnesota Lynx and is a sideline reporter for the Minnesota Timberwolves. She also covers both the boys' and girls' state high school basketball tournaments. Beyond the court, Lea is a professional speaker and the founder of Rethink the Win — a platform that challenges athletes, coaches and parents to see sports as a powerful tool for growth, connection and lifelong impact.Listen to all the conversations in our Power Pairs series.Do you know a 'Power Pair? Send us your suggestions.

Some say religion and politics don't mix. But they do in the lives of couple Marcia Zimmerman and Frank Hornstein.Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman is the senior rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis.   Frank Hornstein served for 22 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing neighborhoods near downtown Minneapolis and Lake of the Isles before stepping down in early 2025.They have raised three children together and supported each other in their individual callings through more than four decades of marriage.MPR News host Angela Davis revisits Power Pairs conversations from 2025 this week, starting with a conversation about faith, politics and the importance of strong relationships — in marriage and community.Guests:Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman is the senior rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis. Frank Hornstein served as a DFL representative from District 61A in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 22 years until deciding in 2024 not to seek reelection.Listen to all the conversations in our Power Pairs series.Do you know a 'Power Pair? Send us your suggestions.

Only six percent of Americans follow a vegetarian diet, according to a Statistica poll. And even fewer follow a strict vegan lifestyle, avoiding all animal products in food and clothing.But many people are starting to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets, often for health reasons and out of a concern for the environment.More vegan and vegetarian options are going mainstream. Think about “meatless Mondays” or the Impossible Burger. Don't want cow milk? Your local grocery store's dairy case probably carries milk made from oats, soybeans, rice, almonds, coconuts or cashews.  MPR News host Angela Davis revisits a conversation she had about what it means to be vegan or to follow a mostly plant-based diet. What makes people decide to do it? Are there health benefits or health hazards? Can you get the protein and nutrients your body needs without eating animal products?Guests:Jacque Reid is the founder of the “Vegan Sexy Cool” brand, which includes a digital lifestyle magazine and a podcast. She is also an Emmy-award winning journalist. She co-hosts the “Reid This/Reid That” podcast with former MSNBC host Joy Reid. She previously hosted lifestyle TV shows on NBC affiliates in New York and Boston and was the lead news anchor for “CNN Headline News” and the “BET Nightly News.”   Megan Baumler is an assistant professor and director of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. She is a licensed and registered dietitian nutritionist. 

From shorebirds to warblers to backyard regulars, the Great Lakes region is a critical stopover for millions of birds every year.MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about winter birdwatching, how to attract birds to your yard and how to make birding more welcoming to more people.Guest:Dexter Patterson is the co-founder of the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, an organization dedicated to making birding more accessible and inclusive for people of color. He also co-hosts The Bird Joy Podcast and is the author of the book, “Birds of the Great Lakes."Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Many of us think about, talk about and chase happiness. But it can be elusive and surprisingly complicated.MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a philosopher who says happiness — at least the way we usually think of it — is really just a feeling that comes and goes. She says what truly matters is flourishing — living in a way that reflects our values, our relationships and the kind of person we're trying to become. Guest:Valerie Tiberius is a professor of philosophy at the University of Minnesota. She is also the author of “What Do You Want Out of Life? A Philosophical Guide to Figuring Out What Matters.”Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.     

Original Air Date: 1-23-2024 The recent discovery of hundreds of bodies buried behind a jail in unmarked graves sparks a renewed discussion about the futility and counter-productiveness of our system of incarceration and the context of our history that has brought us to this point. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Families in disbelief after hundreds of bodies found buried behind Mississippi jail - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-10-24 Ch. 2: The Most Infamous Jail in America - Olurinatti - Air Date 3-29-23 Ch. 3: Behind the News: The State of the Carceral State w/ Wanda Bertram - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-20-23 Ch. 4: Angela Davis on the argument for police and prison abolition | UpFront - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 12-17-21 Ch. 5: The Part of History You've Always Skipped | Neoslavery - Knowing Better - Air Date 4-4-22 Ch. 6: Penitence for the privileged - Beyond Prisons - Air Date 7 Ch. 7: Debunking "Norwegian Prison Reform" As Propaganda with Oakland Abolition and Solidarity - Millennials Are Killing Capitalism - Air Date 3-28-23 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 8 Ways You Can Advocate for Justice Reform in 2024 (Vera) Prison and Jail Reform (Brennan Center for Justice) Criminal Justice Reform (Equal Justice Initiative) Cutting Jail and Prison Populations (Brennan Center for Justice) SHOW IMAGE Description: Photograph of the outside of Coyote Ridge Corrections Center. Barbed wire lines the fences of the entrance in front of the dark gray cement building with tinted windows. Credit: "A sagebrush sea change from behind barbed wire" by U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com