Podcasts about Rastafari

ROOTS is the order of the day! This week we go deep into the vaults for some serious roots vibes coming in from artists like Burning Spear, Willie Williams, Roland Alphonso, Jackie Bernard, Freddie McGregor, The Classics, Ernest Wilson, Joseph Hill, Judah Eskender Tafari, Don Carlos, Israel Vibration, Cocoa Tea, Prince Malachi, Sizzla, Luciano, Yami […]

This is one in a series about possible futures, which will be published in Booch News over the coming weeks. Episode 7 appeared last week. New episodes drop every Friday. Overview Peer-to-peer flavor-sharing platforms enabled home brewers to distribute taste profiles as digital files. Blockchain-verified SCOBY genetics allowed anyone to recreate award-winning kombucha flavors. Traditional beverage companies lost control as open-source fermentation recipes spread globally. This episode follows teenage hacker Luna Reyes as she reverse-engineers Heineken’s proprietary “A-yeast” strain and the century-old master strain used for Budweiser, releasing them under Creative Commons license, triggering a flavor renaissance that made corporate beverages taste like cardboard by comparison. Luna Reyes: The Seventeen-Year-Old Who Liberated Flavor Luna Reyes was brewing kombucha in her Oakland garage when she changed the course of human history. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, she had learned fermentation from her grandmother while teaching herself bioinformatics through YouTube tutorials and volunteering at the Counter Culture Labs Maker Space on Shattuck Avenue. By fifteen, she was running the Bay Area’s most sophisticated home laboratory, utilizing jury-rigged DNA sequencers and microscopes constructed from smartphone cameras. Her breakthrough came in February 2043 while investigating why her kombucha never tasted quite like expensive craft varieties and was different again from her grandmother’s home brew. Using Crispr techniques learned from online forums, Luna began reverse-engineering the microbial genetics of premium alcoholic beverages. Her target wasn’t kombucha—it was the closely guarded yeast strains that gave corporate beers their distinctive flavors. Luna hunched over her microscope, examining bacterial cultures from her latest kombucha batch. Around her, salvaged DNA sequencers hummed, fermentation vessels bubbled, and computer screens displayed multi-hued patterns of genetic sequences. Her grandmother, Rosa, entered carrying a tray with three glasses of homemade kombucha. “Mija, you’ve been working for six hours straight. Drink something.” Luna accepted the glass without looking up. “Abuela, your kombucha tastes better than anything I can buy in stores and the ones I’ve experimented with. Why? I’m using the same base ingredients—tea, sugar, water—but mine never has this complexity.” Her grandmother laughed. “Because I’ve been feeding this SCOBY for forty years. It knows what to do. You can’t rush relationships.” Luna’s sister Maya, lounging against a workbench, waved her phone. “Luna, people have noticed your forum post about Health-Ade’s fermentation process. Someone says you’re wasting your time trying to replicate commercial kombuchas.” “I’m not trying to replicate them,” Luna said, finally looking up. “I’m trying to understand why their kombucha tastes different than that I make at home. It’s not the ingredients. It’s not the process. It’s the microbial genetics.” Rosa sat down beside her granddaughter. “When I was young in Oaxaca, every family had their own kombucha culture, passed down generation to generation. Each tasted different because the bacteria adapted to their environment, their ingredients, their care. We had a saying, Hay tantas fermentaciones en el mundo como estrellas en el cielo nocturno – there are as many ferments in the world as stars in the night sky. The big companies want every bottle to be identical. That kills what makes fermentation special.” “Exactly!” Luna pulled up genetic sequences on her screen. “I’ve been reverse-engineering samples from different commercial kombuchas. Health-Ade, GT’s, Brew Dr—they all have consistent microbial profiles.” The Great Heist: Cracking Corporate DNA Luna’s first major hack targeted Heineken’s legendary “A-yeast” strain, developed in 1886 by Dr. Hartog Elion—a student of renowned chemist Louis Pasteur—in the company’s Amsterdam laboratory and protected by over 150 years of trade secret law. Using samples obtained from discarded brewery waste (technically legal under the “garbage doctrine”), she spent six months mapping the strain’s complete genetic sequence in her makeshift lab. The breakthrough required extraordinary ingenuity. Luna couldn’t afford professional gene sequencers, so she modified a broken Illumina iSeq100 purchased on eBay for $200. Her sequencing runs took weeks rather than hours; her results were identical to those produced by million-dollar laboratory equipment. Her detailed laboratory notebooks, later published as The Garage Genomics Manifesto, became essential reading for the biotech hacker movement. The Budweiser project proved even more challenging. Anheuser-Busch’s century-old master strain had been protected by layers of corporate secrecy rivaling classified military programs. The company maintained multiple backup cultures in cryogenic facilities across three continents, never allowing complete genetic mapping by outside researchers. Luna’s success required infiltrating the company’s waste-disposal systems at four breweries, collecting samples over 18 months while evading corporate security. The Decision The night before Luna was scheduled to meet her fellow bio-hackers at Oakland’s Counter Culture Labs, she sat at her workstation, hesitant, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Her sister Maya came in, looking worried. “Luna, I found something you need to see,” she says. “Remember Marcus Park? He tried releasing proprietary yeast information in 2039. Heineken buried him. He lost everything. His daughter dropped out of college. His wife left him. He’s working at a gas station now.” Luna spent the night researching what happened to Park. She found that almost everyone who challenged corporate IP ended up on the losing side of the law. It was not pretty. In the morning, Abuela Rosa finds her crying in her room. “Mija, what’s wrong?” she asks. “Oh, Abuela,” Luna says between sobs. “What am I doing? What if I’m wrong? What if I destroy our family? What if this ruins Mom and Dad? What if I’m just being selfish?” “That’s the fear talking.” Her grandmother reassured her. “Fear is wisdom warning you to be careful. But fear can also be a cage.” That evening at the Counter Culture Labs, Luna assembled a small group of advisors. She needed their guidance. She had the completed genetic sequences for Heineken A-yeast and Budweiser’s master strain on her laptop, ready for release. But is this the time and place to release them to the world? Dr. Marcus Webb, a bioinformatics researcher in his forties and Luna’s mentor, examined her sequencing data. “This is solid work, Luna. Your jury-rigged equipment is crude. The results are accurate. You’ve fully mapped both strains.” “The question isn’t whether I can do it,” Luna said. “It’s whether I should let the world know I did it.” On screen, Cory Doctorow, the author and digital rights activist, leaned forward. “Let’s be clear about what you’re proposing. You’d be releasing genetic information that corporations have protected as trade secrets for over a century. They’ll argue you stole their intellectual property. You’ll face lawsuits, possibly criminal charges.” “Is it their property?” Luna challenged. “These are naturally occurring organisms. They didn’t create that yeast. Evolution did. They just happened to be there when it appeared. That does not make it theirs any more than finding a wildflower means they own the species. Can you really own something that existed before you found it?” Doctorow, the Electronic Frontier Foundation representative spoke up. “There’s legal precedent both ways. Diamond v. Chakrabarty established that genetically modified organisms can be patented. But naturally occurring genetic sequences? That’s murky. The companies will argue that their decades of cultivation and protection created protectable trade secrets.” “Trade secrets require keeping information secret,” Luna argued. “They throw this yeast away constantly. If they’re not protecting it, how can they claim trade secret status?” Dr. Webb cautioned, “Luna, even if you’re legally in the right—which is debatable—you’re seventeen years old. You’ll be fighting multinational corporations with unlimited legal resources. They’ll bury you in litigation for years.” “That’s where we come in,” Doctorow said. “The EFF can provide legal defense. Creative Commons can help structure the license. You need to understand: this will consume your life. College, career plans, normal teenage experiences—all on hold while you fight this battle.” Luna was quiet for a moment, then pulled up a photo on her laptop: her grandmother Rosa, teaching her to ferment at age seven. “My abuela says fermentation is about sharing and passing living cultures between generations. Corporations have turned it into intellectual property to be protected and controlled. If I can break that control—even a little—isn’t that worth fighting for?” Maya spoke up from the back. “Luna, I love you, but you’re being naive. They won’t just sue you. They’ll make an example of you. Your face on every news channel, portrayed as a thief, a criminal. Our family harassed. Your future destroyed. For what? So people can brew beer with the same yeast as Heineken?” “Not just beer,” Luna responded passionately. “This is about whether living organisms can be owned. Whether genetic information—the code of life itself—can be locked behind intellectual property law. Yes, it starts with beer yeast. But what about beneficial bacteria? Life-saving microorganisms? Medicine-producing fungi? Where does it end?” Dr. Webb nodded slowly. “She’s right. This is bigger than beer. As biotech advances, genetic control becomes power over life itself. Do we want corporations owning that?” Doctorow sighed. “If you do this, Luna, do it right. Release everything simultaneously—BitTorrent, WikiLeaks, Creative Commons servers, distributed networks worldwide. Make it impossible to contain. Include complete cultivation protocols so anyone can reproduce your results. Make the data so damn widely available that suppressing it becomes futile.” “And write a manifesto,” he added. “Explain why you’re doing this. Frame the issue. Make it about principles, not piracy.” Luna nodded, fingers already typing. “When should I release?” “Pick a date with symbolic meaning,” Dr. Webb suggested. “Make it an event, not just a data dump.” Luna smiled. “December 15. The Bill of Rights Day. Appropriate for declaring biological rights, don’t you think?” Maya groaned. “You’re really doing this, aren’t you?” “Yes. I’m really doing this.” The Creative Commons Liberation On Tuesday, December 15, 2043—a date now celebrated as “Open Flavor Day”—Luna released the genetic sequences on multiple open-source networks. Her manifesto, titled Your Grandmother’s Yeast Is Your Birthright, argued that microbial genetics belonged to humanity’s shared heritage rather than corporate shareholders. It stated: Commercial companies have protected yeast strains for over a century. They’ve used intellectual property law to control flavor itself. But genetic information isn’t like a recipe or a formula—it’s biological code that evolved over millions of years before humans ever cultivated it. These strains are protected as trade secrets—the bacteria don’t belong to anyone. They existed before Heineken, before Budweiser, before trademark law. The companies just happened to isolate and cultivate them. Her data packages included DNA sequences and complete protocols for cultivating, modifying, and improving the strains. Luna’s releases came with user-friendly software that allowed amateur brewers to simulate genetic modifications before attempting them in real fermentations. Within 24 hours, over ten thousand people worldwide downloaded the files. The Creative Commons community erupted in celebration. Cory Doctorow’s blog post, The Teenager Who Stole Christmas (From Corporate Beer), went viral within hours. The Electronic Frontier Foundation immediately offered Luna legal protection, while the Free Software Foundation created the “Luna Defense Fund” to support her anticipated legal battles. The Legal Assault Heineken’s response was swift. The company filed emergency injunctions in 12 countries simultaneously, seeking to prevent the distribution of its “stolen intellectual property.” Their legal team, led by former U.S. Attorney General William Barr III, demanded Luna’s immediate arrest for “economic terrorism” and “theft of trade secrets valued at over $50 billion.” Anheuser-Busch’s reaction was even more extreme. CEO Marcel Telles IV appeared on CNBC, calling Luna “a bioterrorist who threatens the foundation of American capitalism.” The company hired private investigators to surveil Luna’s family and offered a $10 million reward for information leading to her prosecution. Their legal filing compared Luna’s actions to “stealing the formula for Coca-Cola and publishing it in the New York Times.” In Heineken’s Amsterdam headquarters, executives convened an emergency meeting. “Who is Luna Reyes?” the CEO demanded. The legal counsel pulled up information. “She’s a seventeen-year-old high school student in Oakland, California. No criminal record. Volunteers at a maker space. Has been posting about fermentation on various forums for years.” “A child released our proprietary yeast strain to the world, and we didn’t know she was even working on this?” The CEO’s face reddened. “How do we contain it?” “We can’t. It’s distributed across thousands of servers in dozens of countries with different IP laws. We can sue Reyes, but the information is out there permanently.” An executive interjected, “What about the other breweries? Will they join our lawsuit?” “Some are considering it. Others…” The counsel paused. “Others are quietly downloading the sequences themselves. They see an opportunity to break our market dominance.” “She obtained samples from our waste disposal,” another executive explained. “Technically legal under the garbage doctrine. The sequencing itself isn’t illegal. The release under Creative Commons…” “Is theft!” the CEO shouted. “File emergency injunctions. Twelve countries. Get her arrested for economic terrorism.” Similar scenes played out at Anheuser-Busch headquarters in St. Louis. CEO Telles addressed his team: “This is bioterrorism. She’s destroyed intellectual property worth billions. I want her prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Hire private investigators. Find everything about her and her family. Make her life hell!” By noon, both companies had filed lawsuits. By evening, Fox News was running stories about the “teenage bioterrorist” who “stole American corporate secrets.” Back in Oakland, Luna’s phone rang constantly. Her parents discovered what she’d done. Her mother cried. Her father was furious and terrified. Friends called with either congratulations or warnings. She was convinced that private investigators were photographing their house. Maya suspected she was followed to work. On Wednesday morning, Dr. Webb calls: “Luna, they’re offering me $2 million to testify against you. They’re going after everyone in your network.” Luna has a sickening feeling that she’s put everyone at risk. By Thursday, she is considering taking it all back somehow, sending an apology to the corporations, anything to protect her family. Luna turned off her phone and sat with her grandmother. “It’s started,” Luna said quietly. “Sí, mija. You’ve declared war. Now we see if you can survive it.” Maya burst in, laptop in hand. “Luna, you need to see this. The downloads aren’t slowing—they’re accelerating. Every time Heineken or Budweiser shuts down a website, ten mirror sites appear. People are treating this like a digital freedom fight. You’ve become a symbol.” Luna pulled up her own screen. The #FreeLuna hashtag was trending. Crowdfunding campaigns for her legal defense had raised $400,000 in twelve hours. Academic institutions were publicly endorsing her release, calling it “essential scientific information.” “They’re trying to destroy you,” Maya said, “but they’re making you famous instead.” Rosa handed Luna a fresh kombucha. “This is what happens when you fight for what’s right, mija. Sometimes the world surprises you by supporting you.” Luna’s Fame The corporations’ attempts to suppress Luna’s releases had the opposite effect. Every cease-and-desist letter generated thousands of new downloads. The genetic data became impossible to contain once the academic community embraced Luna’s work. Dr. Jennifer Doudna, the legendary Crispr pioneer now in her eighties, publicly endorsed Luna’s releases in a Science magazine editorial: Ms. Reyes has liberated essential scientific information that corporations held hostage for commercial gain. Genetic sequences from naturally occurring organisms should not be locked behind intellectual property law. They belong to humanity’s knowledge commons. While corporations claim Luna stole trade secrets, I argue she freed biological knowledge that was never theirs to own. There are no trade secrets in biology—only knowledge temporarily hidden from the commons. This is civil disobedience of the highest order—breaking unjust laws to advance human freedom. Ms. Reyes didn’t steal; she liberated. MIT’s biology department invited Luna to lecture, while Harvard offered her a full scholarship despite her lack of a high school diploma. The legal battles consumed corporate resources while generating negative publicity. Heineken’s stock price dropped 34% as consumers organized boycotts in support of Luna’s “yeast liberation.” Beer sales plummeted as customers waited for home-brewed alternatives using Luna’s open-source genetics. The Flavor Renaissance Luna’s releases triggered an explosion of creativity that corporate R&D departments had never imagined. Within six months, amateur brewers worldwide were producing thousands of flavor variations impossible under corporate constraints. The open-source model enabled rapid iteration and global collaboration, rendering traditional brewing companies obsolete. The world was engaged. In some of the most unlikely places. In Evanston, Illinois, a group of former seminary students who discovered fermentation during a silent retreat, transformed Gregorian chants into microbial devotionals. Tenor Marcus Webb (Dr. Webb’s nephew) realized symbiosis mirrored vocal harmony—multiple voices creating something greater than their parts. “In honoring the mystery of fermentation we express our love of the Creator,” he said. Here's ‘Consortium Vocalis' honoring the mother SCOBY. [Chorus]Our SCOBYIs pureOur SCOBYIs strongOur SCOBYKnows no boundariesOur SCOBYStrengthens as it fermentsOur SCOBYIs bacteria and yeast Our SCOBYTurns sucrose into glucose and fructoseIt ferments these simple sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide,Acetic acid bacteria oxidize much of that ethanol into organic acidsSuch as acetic, gluconic, and other acids.This steadily lowers the pHMaking the tea taste sour-tangy instead of purely sweet. [Chorus] Our SCOBYThen helps microbes produce acids, enzymes, and small amounts of B‑vitaminsWhile probiotics grow in the liquid.The pH falls to help inhibit unwanted microbesOur SCOBY creates a self-preserving, acidic environment in the tea [Chorus] In Kingston, Jamaica, Rastafarian’s combined an award-winning kombucha sequenced in Humboldt County, California, with locally grown ganja into a sacramental beverage to help open their mind to reasoning and focus on Jah. Once fermented, it was consumed over the course of a three-day Nyabinghi ceremony. “Luna Reyes is truly blessed. She strengthened our unity as a people, and our Rastafari’ booch help us chant down Babylon,” a Rasta man smiled, blowing smoke from a spliff the size of his arm. The Groundation Collective’s reggae anthem ‘Oh Luna’ joyfully celebrated Luna Reyes’ pioneering discovery. Oh Luna, Oh Luna, Oh Luna ReyesI love the sound of your nameYou so deserve your fame Luna, Luna, Oh Luna ReyesShining brightYou warm my heart Luna, Luna, Oh Luna ReyesYou cracked the codeTeenage prophet, fermentation queenSymbiosis roadA genius at seventeen Oh Luna, Luna, Luna ReyesBeautiful moonMakes me swoon Oh Luna, Luna, Luna ReyesFreedom to fermentYou are heaven sentTo save us Luna, Luna, Oh Luna ReyesYou opened the doorTo so much moreKombucha tastes so goodLike it should Oh Luna, Oh Luna, Oh LunaI love you, love you, love youOh Luna, Luna, LunaLove you, love you,Love Luna, Luna love. In São Paulo, Brazil, MAPA-certified Brazilian kombucha brands combined Heineken and cacao-fermenting yeasts with cupuaçu from indigenous Amazonian peoples, to create the chocolate-flavored ‘booch that won Gold at the 20th World Kombucha Awards. A cervejeiro explained to reporters: “Luna Reyes gave us the foundation. We added local innovation. This is what happens when you democratize biology.” The Brazilian singer Dandara Sereia covered ‘Our Fermented Future’—The Hollow Pines tune destined to become a hit at the 2053 Washington DC Fermentation Festival. Baby sit a little closer, sip some ‘booch with meI brewed this batch with the SCOBY my grandma gave to me.On the back porch swing at twilight, watching fireflies danceYour hand in mine, kombucha fine, the sweetest sweet romance. They say that wine and roses are the way to win the heartBut your kombucha warmed me right up from the start.Fermentation makes the heart grow fonder, truer words they ain’t been saidYour SCOBY’s got a place forever — in my heart, and in my bed. Let’s share our SCOBYs, baby, merge our ferments into oneLike cultures in a crock jar dancing, underneath the sun.The tang of your Lactobacillus is exactly what I’m missingYour Brettanomyces bacteria got this country girl reminiscing. Oh yeah, let’s share those SCOBYs, baby, merge our ferments into oneYour yeasts and my bacteria working till the magic’s doneYou’ve got the acetic acid honey, I’ve got the patience and the timeLet’s bubble up together, let our cultures intertwine. I’ve got that symbiotic feeling, something wild and something trueYour SCOBY’s in my heart, right there next to youThe way your Acetobacter turns sugar into goldIs how you turned my lonely life into a hand to hold. We’ve got the acetic acid and the glucuronic tooWe’ve got that symbiotic feeling, so righteous and so trueOne sip of your sweet ‘booch, Lord, and you had me from the start,It’s our fermented future, that no-one can tear apart. It’s our fermented future…It’s our fermented future…It’s our fermented future… “Luna Variants”—strains derived from her releases—began winning international brewing competitions, embarrassing corporate entries with their complexity and innovation. Traditional beer flavors seemed flat and artificial compared to the genetic symphonies created by collaborative open-source development. Despite the outpouring of positive vibes, the corporations spared no expense to hold Luna to account in the courts. The Preliminary Hearing A preliminary hearing was held in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on June 14, 2044. Luna sat at the defendant’s table, her hands folded so tightly her knuckles had gone white. She wore a borrowed blazer—too big in the shoulders—over a white button-down shirt Maya had ironed that morning. At seventeen, she looked even younger under the courtroom’s fluorescent lights. Across the aisle, Heineken’s legal team occupied three tables. Fifteen attorneys in matching navy suits shuffled documents and whispered into phones. Their lead counsel, William Barr III, wore gold cufflinks that caught the light when he gestured. Luna recognized him from the news—the former Attorney General, now commanding $2,000 an hour to destroy people like her. Her own legal representation consisted of two people: Rose Kennerson from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a public interest lawyer who’d flown in from DC on a red-eye, and Dr. Marcus Webb, technically a witness but sitting beside Luna because she’d asked him to. Behind them, the gallery was packed. Luna’s parents sat in the second row, her father’s face gray, her mother clutching a rosary. Maya had taken the day off work. Abuela Rosa sat in the front row directly behind Luna, her ancient SCOBY wrapped in silk in her lap, as if its presence might protect her granddaughter. Judge Catherine Ironwood entered—sixty-ish, steel-gray hair pulled back severely, known for pro-corporate rulings. She’d been a pharmaceutical industry lawyer for twenty years before her appointment. “All rise,” the bailiff called. Judge Ironwood settled into her chair and surveyed the courtroom with the expression of someone who’d already decided the outcome and resented having to perform the formalities. “We’re here for a preliminary injunction hearing in Heineken International B.V. versus Luna Marie Reyes.” She looked directly at Luna. “Ms. Reyes, you’re seventeen years old?” Luna stood, hesitant. “Yes, your honor.” “Where are your parents?” “Here, your honor.” Luna’s mother half-rose, then sat back down. “Ms. Kennerson, your client is a minor. Are the parents aware they could be held liable for damages?” Rose Kennerson stood smoothly. “Yes, your honor. The Reyes family has been fully advised of the legal implications.” Luna glanced back. Her father’s jaw was clenched so tight she could see the muscles working. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Very well. Mr. Barr, you may proceed.” Barr rose like a battleship emerging from fog—massive, expensive, inevitable. He buttoned his suit jacket and approached the bench without notes. “Your honor, this is the simplest case I’ve argued in thirty years. The defendant admits to obtaining my client’s proprietary biological materials. She admits to sequencing their genetic information. She admits to distributing that information globally, in deliberate violation of trade secret protections that have existed for over 150 years. She did this knowingly, systematically, and with the explicit intent to destroy my client’s competitive advantage.” Luna felt Sarah’s hand on her arm—stay calm. Barr continued. “Heineken International has invested over $200 million in the development, cultivation, and protection of the A-yeast strain. Then this teenager”—he pointed at Luna—”obtained samples from our waste disposal systems, reverse-engineered our genetic sequences, and released them to the world via BitTorrent, deliberately placing them beyond retrieval.” He paced now, warming to his theme. “The damage is incalculable. We estimate lost market value at $50 billion. But it’s not just about money. The defendant has destroyed the possibility of competition in the brewing industry. When everyone has access to the same genetic materials, there’s no innovation, no differentiation, no reason for consumers to choose one product over another. She has, in effect, communized an entire industry.” Luna couldn’t help herself. “That’s not—” Sarah grabbed her wrist. “Don’t.” Judge Ironwood’s eyes narrowed. “Ms. Reyes, you will have your opportunity to speak. Until then, you will remain silent, or I will have you removed from this courtroom. Do you understand?” “Yes, your honor.” Luna’s voice came out smaller than she intended. Barr smiled slightly. “Your honor, the relief we seek is straightforward. We ask this court to order the defendant to provide us with a complete list of all servers, websites, and distribution networks where the stolen genetic data currently resides. We ask that she be ordered to cooperate fully in suppressing the data. We ask that she be enjoined from any further distribution. And we ask that she be ordered to pay compensatory damages of $5 billion, plus punitive damages to be determined at trial.” He returned to his seat. One of his associate attorneys handed him a bottle of Pellegrino. He took a sip and waited. Judge Ironwood looked at Sarah. “Ms. Kennerson?” Sarah stood. She looked tiny compared to Barr—five-foot-three, maybe 110 pounds, wearing a suit from Target. But when she spoke, her voice filled the courtroom. “Your honor, Mr. Barr has given you a compelling story about a corporation that’s been wronged. But it’s not the right story. The right story is about whether naturally occurring organisms—creatures that evolved over millions of years, long before humans ever existed—can be owned by a corporation simply because that corporation happened to isolate them.” She walked toward the bench. “Let’s be clear about what the A-yeast strain is. It’s not a genetically modified organism. It’s not a patented invention. It’s a naturally occurring yeast. Heineken didn’t create it. Evolution created it. Heineken merely found it. And for 158 years, they’ve claimed that finding something gives them the right to prevent anyone else from studying it, understanding it, or using it.” Barr was on his feet. “Objection, your honor. This is a preliminary hearing about injunctive relief, not a philosophical debate about intellectual property theory.” “Sustained. Ms. Kennerson, please focus on the specific legal issues before this court.” “Your honor, the specific legal issue is whether naturally occurring genetic sequences constitute protectable trade secrets. My client contends they do not. She obtained the yeast samples from Heineken’s waste disposal—materials they had discarded. Under the garbage doctrine, she had every right to analyze those materials. The genetic sequences she discovered are factual information about naturally occurring organisms. You cannot trade-secret facts about nature.” Luna watched Judge Ironwood’s face. Nothing. No reaction. Sarah pressed on. “Mr. Barr claims my client ‘stole’ genetic information worth $5 billion. But information cannot be stolen—it can only be shared. When I tell you a fact, I don’t lose possession of that fact. We both have it. That’s how knowledge works. Heineken hasn’t lost their yeast. They still have it. They can still brew with it. What they’ve lost is their monopoly on that knowledge. And monopolies on facts about nature should never have existed in the first place.” “Your honor—” Barr tried to interrupt. Judge Ironwood waved him down. “Continue, Ms. Kennerson.” “Your honor, Heineken wants this court to order a seventeen-year-old girl to somehow suppress information that has already been distributed to over 100,000 people in 147 countries. That’s impossible. You can’t unring a bell. You can’t put knowledge back in a bottle. Even if this court ordered my client to provide a list of servers—which she shouldn’t have to do—that list would be incomplete within hours as new mirror sites appeared. The information is out. The only question is whether we punish my client for sharing factual information about naturally occurring organisms.” She turned to face Luna’s family. “Ms. Reyes taught herself bioinformatics from YouTube videos. She works at home with equipment she bought on eBay. She has no criminal record. She’s never been in trouble. She saw a question that interested her—why do commercial beers taste like they do?—and she pursued that question with the tools available to her. When she discovered the answer, she shared it with the world, under a Creative Commons license that specifically protects sharing for educational and scientific purposes. If that’s terrorism, your honor, then every scientist who’s ever published a research paper is a terrorist.” Sarah sat down. Luna wanted to hug her. Judge Ironwood leaned back. “Ms. Reyes, stand up.” Luna rose, her legs shaking. “Do you understand the seriousness of these proceedings?” “Yes, your honor.” “Do you understand that Heineken International is asking me to hold you in contempt of court if you refuse to help them suppress the information you released?” “Yes, your honor.” “Do you understand that contempt of court could result in your detention in a juvenile facility until you reach the age of eighteen, and potentially longer if the contempt continues?” Luna’s mother gasped audibly. Her father put his arm around her. “Yes, your honor,” Luna said, though her voice wavered. “Then let me ask you directly: If I order you to provide Heineken with a complete list of all locations where the genetic data you released currently resides, will you comply?” The courtroom went silent. Luna could hear her own heartbeat. Sarah started to stand—”Your honor, I advise my client not to answer—” “Sit down, Ms. Kennerson. I’m asking your client a direct question. She can choose to answer or not.” Judge Ironwood’s eyes never left Luna. “Well, Ms. Reyes? Will you comply with a court order to help Heineken suppress the information you released?” Luna looked at her parents. Her mother was crying silently. Her father’s face was stone. She looked at Abuela Rosa. Her grandmother nodded once—tell the truth. Luna looked back at the judge. “No, your honor.” Barr shot to his feet. “Your honor, the defendant has just admitted she intends to defy a court order—” “I heard her, Mr. Barr.” Judge Ironwood’s voice was ice. “Ms. Reyes, do you understand you’ve just told a federal judge you will refuse a direct order?” “Yes, your honor.” “And you’re still refusing?” “Yes, your honor.” “Why?” Sarah stood quickly. “Your honor, my client doesn’t have to explain—” “I want to hear it.” Judge Ironwood leaned forward. “Ms. Reyes, tell me why you would risk jail rather than help undo what you’ve done.” Luna took a breath. Her whole body was shaking, but her voice was steady. “Because it would be wrong, your honor.” “Wrong how?” “The genetic sequences I released evolved over millions of years. Heineken didn’t create that yeast. They isolated one strain and claimed ownership of it. The code of life belongs to everyone. That’s humanity’s heritage. Even if you send me to jail, I can’t help suppress the truth.” Judge Ironwood stared at her for a long moment. “That’s a very pretty speech, Ms. Reyes. But this court operates under the law, not your personal philosophy about what should or shouldn’t be owned. Trade secret law exists. Heineken’s rights exist. And you violated those rights.” Luna did not hesitate. “With respect, your honor, I don’t think those rights should exist.” Barr exploded. “Your honor, this is outrageous! The defendant is openly stating she believes she has the right to violate any law she disagrees with—” “That’s not what I said.” Luna’s fear was transforming into something else—something harder. “I’m saying that some laws are unjust. And when laws are unjust, civil disobedience becomes necessary. People broke unjust laws during the civil rights movement. People broke unjust laws when they helped slaves escape. The constitution says members of the military do not have to obey illegal orders, despite what those in power might claim. Sometimes the law is wrong. And when the law says corporations can own genetic information about naturally occurring organisms, the law is wrong.” Judge Ironwood’s face flushed. “Ms. Reyes, you are not Rosa Parks. This is not the civil rights movement. This is a case about intellectual property theft.” “It’s a case about whether life can be property, your honor.” “Enough.” Judge Ironwood slammed her gavel. “Ms. Kennerson, control your client.” Sarah pulled Luna back into her chair. “Luna, stop talking,” she hissed. Judge Ironwood shuffled papers, visibly trying to compose herself. “I’m taking a fifteen-minute recess to consider the injunction request. We’ll reconvene at 11:30. Ms. Reyes, I strongly suggest you use this time to reconsider your position.” The gavel fell again, and Judge Ironwood swept out. The hallway outside the courtroom erupted. Reporters swarmed. Luna’s father grabbed her arm and pulled her into a witness room. Her mother followed, still crying. Maya slipped in before Sarah closed the door. “What were you thinking?” Luna’s father’s voice shook. “You just told a federal judge you’ll defy her orders. They’re going to put you in jail, Luna. Do you understand that? Jail!” “Ricardo, please—” Her mother tried to calm him. “No, Elena. Our daughter just committed contempt of court in front of fifty witnesses. They’re going to take her from us.” He turned to Luna, his eyes wet. “Why? Why couldn’t you just apologize? Say you made a mistake? We could have ended this.” “Because I didn’t make a mistake, Papa.” “You destroyed their property!” “It wasn’t their property. It was never their property.” “The law says it was!” “Then the law is wrong!” Her father stepped back as if she’d slapped him. “Do you know what your mother and I have sacrificed to keep you out of trouble? Do you know how hard we’ve worked since we came to this country to give you opportunities we never had? And you throw it away for yeast. Not for justice. Not for people. For yeast.” Luna’s eyes filled with tears. “It’s not about yeast, Papa. It’s about whether corporations get to own life. If Heineken can own yeast, why not bacteria? Why not human genes? Where does it stop?” “It stops when my daughter goes to jail!” He was shouting now. “I don’t care about Heineken. I don’t care about yeast. I care about you. And you just told that judge you’ll defy her. She’s going to put you in jail, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.” “Ricardo, por favor—” Elena put her hand on his arm. He shook it off. “No. She needs to hear this. Luna, if you go to jail, your life is over. No college will accept you. No company will hire you. You’ll have a criminal record. You’ll be marked forever. Is that what you want?” “I want to do what’s right.” “What’s right is protecting your family! What’s right is not destroying your future for a principle!” he said. Luna responded, “What’s right is not letting corporations own the code of life!”They stared at each other. Maya spoke up quietly from the corner. “Papa, she can’t back down now. The whole world is watching.” “Let the world watch someone else!” Ricardo turned on Maya. “You encourage this. You film her, you post her manifestos online, you help her become famous. You’re her sister. You’re supposed to protect her, not help her destroy herself.” “I am protecting her,” Maya said. “I’m protecting her from becoming someone who backs down when the world tells her she’s wrong, even though she knows she’s right.” Ricardo looked between his daughters. “Ambos están locos! You’re both insane.” Abuela Rosa opened the door and entered. She’d been listening from the hallway. “Ricardo, enough.” “Mama, stay out of this.” “No.” Rosa moved between Ricardo and Luna. “You’re afraid. I understand. But fear makes you cruel, mijo. Your daughter is brave. She’s doing something important. And you’re making her choose between you and what’s right. Don’t do that.” “She’s seventeen years old! She’s a child!” “She’s old enough to know right from wrong.” Rosa put her hand on Ricardo’s cheek. “When I was sixteen, I left Oaxaca with nothing but the clothes on my back and this SCOBY. Everyone said I was crazy. Your father said I would fail. But I knew I had to go, even if it cost me everything. Sometimes our children have to do things that terrify us. That’s how the world changes.” Ricardo pulled away. “If they put her in jail, will that change the world, Mama? When she’s sitting in a cell while Heineken continues doing whatever they want, will that have been worth it?” “Yes,” Luna said quietly. “Even if I go to jail, yes. Because thousands of people now have the genetic sequences, Heineken can’t put that back. They can punish me, but they can’t undo what I did. The information is free. It’s going to stay free. And if the price of that is me going to jail, then that’s the price.” Her father looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. “I don’t know who you are anymore.” “I’m still your daughter, Papa. I’m just also someone who won’t let corporations own life.” A knock on the door. Sarah poked her head in. “They’re reconvening. Luna, we need to go.” Back in the courtroom, the atmosphere had shifted. The gallery was more crowded—word had spread during the recess. Luna recognized several people from online forums. Some held signs reading “FREE LUNA” and “GENETICS BELONG TO EVERYONE.” Judge Ironwood entered and sat without ceremony. “I’ve reviewed the submissions and heard the arguments. This is my ruling.” Luna’s hand found Maya’s in the row behind her. Squeezed tight. “The question before this court is whether to grant Heineken International’s motion for a preliminary injunction requiring Ms. Reyes to assist in suppressing the genetic information she released. To grant such an injunction, Heineken must demonstrate four things: likelihood of success on the merits, likelihood of irreparable harm without the injunction, balance of equities in their favor, and that an injunction serves the public interest.” Barr was nodding. These were his arguments. “Having considered the evidence and the applicable law, I find that Heineken has demonstrated likelihood of success on the merits. Trade secret law clearly protects proprietary business information, and the A-yeast strain appears to meet the legal definition of a trade secret.” Luna’s stomach dropped. “However, I also find that Heineken has failed to demonstrate that a preliminary injunction would effectively prevent the irreparable harm they claim. Ms. Kennerson is correct that the genetic information has already been distributed to over 100,000 people worldwide. Ordering one teenager to provide a list of servers would be, in technical terms, pointless. New copies would appear faster than they could be suppressed.” Barr’s face tightened. “Furthermore, I find that the balance of equities does not favor Heineken. They ask this court to potentially incarcerate a seventeen-year-old girl for refusing to suppress information that is, by her account, factual data about naturally occurring organisms. The potential harm to Ms. Reyes—including detention, criminal record, and foreclosure of educational and career opportunities—substantially outweighs any additional harm Heineken might suffer from continued distribution of information that is already widely distributed.” Luna felt Maya’s grip tighten. Was this good? This sounded good. “Finally, and most importantly, I find that granting this injunction would not serve the public interest. The court takes judicial notice that this case has generated substantial public debate about the scope of intellectual property protection in biotechnology. The questions raised by Ms. Reyes—whether naturally occurring genetic sequences should be ownable, whether facts about nature can be trade secrets, whether knowledge can be property—are questions that deserve answers from a higher authority than this court. These are questions for appellate courts, perhaps ultimately for the Supreme Court. And they are questions best answered in the context of a full trial on the merits, not in an emergency injunction hearing.” Barr was on his feet. “Your honor—” “Sit down, Mr. Barr. I’m not finished.” He sat, his face purple. “Therefore, Heineken International’s motion for preliminary injunction is denied. Ms. Reyes will not be required to assist in suppressing the genetic information she released. However,”—Judge Ironwood looked directly at Luna—”this ruling should not be construed as approval of Ms. Reyes’ actions. Heineken’s claims for damages and other relief remain viable and will proceed to trial. Ms. Reyes, you may have won this battle, but this war is far from over. Anything you want to say?” Luna stood slowly. “Your honor, I just want to say… thank you. For letting this go to trial. For letting these questions be answered properly. That’s all I ever wanted—for someone to seriously consider whether corporations should be allowed to own genetic information about naturally occurring organisms. So thank you.” Judge Ironwood’s expression softened slightly. “Ms. Reyes, I hope you’re prepared for what comes next. Heineken has unlimited resources. They will pursue this case for years if necessary. You’ll be in litigation until you’re twenty-five years old. Your entire young adulthood will be consumed by depositions, court appearances, and legal fees. Are you prepared for that?” “Yes, your honor.” “Why?” Luna glanced at her grandmother, who nodded. “Because some questions are worth answering, your honor. Even if it takes years. Even if it costs everything. The question of whether corporations can own life—that’s worth answering. And if I have to spend my twenties answering it, then that’s what I’ll do.” Judge Ironwood studied her for a long moment. “You remind me of someone I used to know. Someone who believed the law should serve justice, not just power.” She paused. “That person doesn’t exist anymore. The law ground her down. I hope it doesn’t do the same to you.” She raised her gavel. “This hearing is adjourned. The parties will be notified of the trial date once it’s scheduled. Ms. Reyes, good luck. I think you’re going to need it.” The gavel fell. Outside the courthouse, the scene was chaotic. News cameras surrounded Luna. Reporters shouted questions. But Luna barely heard them. She was looking at her father, who stood apart from the crowd, watching her. She walked over to him. “Papa, I’m sorry I yelled.” He didn’t speak for a moment. Then he pulled her into a hug so tight it hurt. “Don’t apologize for being brave,” he whispered into her hair. “I’m just afraid of losing you.” “You won’t lose me, Papa. I promise.” “You can’t promise that. Not anymore.” He pulled back, holding her shoulders. “But I’m proud of you. I’m terrified, but I’m proud.” Her mother joined them, tears streaming down her face. “No more court. Please, no more court.” “I can’t promise that either, Mama.” Elena touched Luna’s face. “Then promise me you’ll be careful. Promise me you’ll remember that you’re not just fighting for genetics. You’re fighting for your life.” Luna smiled. “I promise.” Abuela Rosa appeared, carrying her SCOBY. “Come, mija. We should go before the reporters follow us home.” As they pushed through the crowd toward Maya’s car, Luna's phone buzzed continuously. Text messages and emails pouring in. But what caught her attention was a text from Dr. Webb: You were right. I’m sorry I doubted. Check your email—Dr. Doudna wants to talk. Luna opened her email. The subject line made her stop walking: From: jennifer.doudna@berkeley.eduSubject: Civil Disobedience of the Highest Order She started to read: Dear Ms. Reyes, I watched your hearing this morning. What you did in that courtroom—refusing to back down even when threatened with jail—was one of the bravest things I’ve seen in forty years of science. You’re not just fighting for yeast genetics. You’re fighting for the principle that knowledge about nature belongs to humanity, not to corporations. I want to help… Luna looked up at her family—her father’s worried face, her mother’s tears, Maya’s proud smile, Abuela Rosa’s serene confidence. Behind them, the courthouse where she’d nearly been sent to jail. Around them, reporters and cameras and strangers who’d traveled across the country to support her. She thought about Judge Ironwood’s warning: This war is far from over. She thought about Barr’s face when the injunction was denied. She thought about the thousands who’d downloaded the genetic sequences and were, right now, brewing with genetics that had been locked away for 158 years. Worth it. All of it. Even the fear. Maya opened the car door. “Come on, little revolutionary. Let’s go home.” The Corporate Surrender By 2045, both Heineken and Anheuser-Busch quietly dropped their lawsuits against Luna. Their legal costs had exceeded $200 million while accomplishing nothing except generating bad publicity. More importantly, their “protected” strains had become worthless in a market flooded with superior alternatives. Heineken’s CEO attempted to salvage the company by embracing open-source brewing. His announcement that Heineken would “join the La Luna Revolution” was met with skepticism from the brewing community, which recalled the company’s aggressive legal tactics. The craft brewing community’s response was hostile. “They spent two years trying to destroy her,” a prominent brewmaster told The New Brewer Magazine. “Now they want credit for ’embracing’ the revolution she forced on them? Heineken didn’t join the Luna Revolution—they surrendered to it. There’s a difference.” The global brands never recovered their market share. Luna’s Transformation Luna’s success transformed her from a garage tinkerer into a global icon of the open knowledge movement. Her 2046 TED Talk, “Why Flavor Belongs to Everyone,” went viral. She argued that corporate control over living organisms represented “biological colonialism” that impoverished human culture by restricting natural diversity. Rather than commercializing her fame, Luna founded the Global Fermentation Commons, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing microbial genetics worldwide. Their laboratories operated as open-access research facilities where anyone could experiment with biological systems. The headquarters of the Global Fermentation Commons occupied a former Genentech facility donated by Dr. Webb. Six continents, forty researchers, one mission: preserve and share microbial genetics worldwide. Luna addressed a crowded auditorium at the organization’s third anniversary. “When I released Heineken and Budweiser’s yeast strains, some people called it theft. Others called it liberation. I called it returning biological knowledge to the commons, where it belongs. Three years later, so-called Luna Variants have created economic opportunities for thousands of small brewers, improved food security in developing regions, and demonstrated that genetic freedom drives innovation faster than corporate control.” She continued. “We’re not stopping with beer. The same principles apply to all fermentation: cheese cultures, yogurt bacteria, koji fungi, sourdough starters. Every traditionally fermented food relies on microorganisms that corporations increasingly claim to own. We’re systematically liberating them.” A World Health Organization representative raised a concern: “Ms. Reyes, while we support democratizing food fermentation, there are legitimate concerns about pharmaceutical applications. What prevents someone from using your open-source genetics to create dangerous organisms?” Luna nodded. “Fair question. First, the organisms we release are food-safe cultures with centuries of safe use. Second, dangerous genetic modifications require sophisticated laboratory equipment and expertise—far beyond what releasing genetic sequences enables. Third, determined bad actors already have access to dangerous biology, enabled by AI. We’re not creating new risks; we’re democratizing beneficial biology.” “Pharmaceutical companies argue you’re undermining their investments in beneficial organisms,” another representative pressed. “Pharmaceutical companies invest in modifying organisms,” Luna clarified. “Those modifications can be patented. What we oppose is claiming ownership over naturally occurring organisms or their baseline genetics. If you genetically engineer a bacterium to produce insulin, patent your engineering. Don’t claim ownership over the bacterial species itself.” A Monsanto representative stood. “Your organization recently cracked and released our proprietary seed genetics. That’s direct theft of our property.” Luna didn’t flinch. “Seeds that farmers cultivated for thousands of years before Monsanto existed? You didn’t invent corn, wheat, or soybeans. You modified them. Your modifications may be protectable; the baseline genetics are humanity’s heritage. We’re liberating what should never have been owned.” “The ‘Luna Legion’ has cost us hundreds of millions!” the representative protested. “Good,” Luna responded calmly. “You’ve cost farmers their sovereignty for decades. Consider it karma.” After the presentation, Dr. Doudna approached Luna privately. “You’ve accomplished something remarkable,” the elderly scientist said. “When I developed Crispr, I never imagined a teenager would use similar principles to challenge corporate biology. You’re forcing conversations about genetic ownership that we’ve avoided for decades.” “It needed forcing,” Luna replied. “Corporations were quietly owning life itself, one patent at a time. Someone had to say no.” “The pharmaceutical industry is terrified of you,” Doudna continued. “They see what happened to brewing and imagine the same for their carefully controlled bacterial strains. You’re going to face even more aggressive opposition.” “I know. Once people understand that biological knowledge can be liberated, they start questioning all biological ownership. We’re not stopping.” The New Economy of Taste Following Luna’s breakthrough, peer-to-peer flavor-sharing platforms emerged as the dominant force in food culture. The “FlavorChain” blockchain allowed brewers to track genetic lineages while ensuring proper attribution to original creators. SCOBY lineages were carefully sequenced, catalogued, and registered on global blockchain ledgers. Each award-winning kombucha strain carried a “genetic passport”—its microbial makeup, the unique balance of yeasts and bacteria that gave rise to particular mouthfeel, fizz, and flavor spectrum, was mapped, hashed, and permanently recorded. Brewers who created a new flavor could claim authorship, just as musicians once copyrighted songs. No matter how many times a SCOBY was divided, its fingerprint could be verified. Fermentation Guilds formed to share recipes through FlavorChain, enabling decentralized digital markets like SymbioTrdr, built on trust and transparency rather than speculation. They allowed people to interact and transact on a global, permissionless, self-executing platform. Within days, a SCOBY strain from the Himalayas could appear in a brew in Buenos Aires, its journey traced through open ledgers showing who tended, adapted, and shared it. Kombucha recipes were no longer jealously guarded secrets. They were open to anyone who wanted to brew. With a few clicks, a Guild member in Nairobi could download the blockchain-verified SCOBY genome that had won Gold at the Tokyo Fermentation Festival. Local biotech printers—as common in 2100 kitchens as microwave ovens had once been—could reconstitute the living culture cell by cell. Children began inheriting SCOBY lineages the way earlier generations inherited family names. Weddings combined SCOBY cultures as symbolic unions. (Let’s share our SCOBYs, baby, merge our ferments into one.) When someone died, their SCOBY was divided among friends and family—a continuation of essence through taste. Kombucha was no longer merely consumed; it was communed with. This transparency transformed kombucha from a minority regional curiosity into a universal language. A festival in Brazil might feature ten local interpretations of the same “Golden SCOBY” strain—one brewed with passionfruit, another with cupuaçu, a third with açaí berries. The core microbial signature remained intact, while the terroir of fruit and spice gave each version a unique accent. Brewers didn’t lose their craft—they gained a canvas. Award-winning SCOBYs were the foundations on which endless new flavor experiments flourished. Many people were now as prolific as William Esslinger, the founder of St Louis’s Confluence Kombucha, who was renowned for developing 800 flavors in the 2020s. Code of Symbiosis The Symbiosis Code, ratified at the first World Fermentation Gathering in Reykjavik (2063), bound Fermentation Guilds to three principles: Transparency — All microbial knowledge is to be shared freely. Reciprocity — No brew should be produced without acknowledging the source. Community — Every fermentation must nourish more than the brewer. This code replaced corporate law. It was enforced by reputation, not by governments. A Guild member who betrayed the code found their SCOBYs mysteriously refusing to thrive—a poetic justice the biologists never quite explained. Every Guild had elders—called Mothers of the Jar or Keepers of the Yeast. They carried living SCOBYs wrapped in silk pouches when traveling, exchanging fragments as blessings. These elders became moral anchors of the age, counselors and mediators trusted more than politicians. When disputes arose—over territory, resources, or ethics—brewers, not lawyers, met to share a round of Truth Brew, a ferment so balanced that it was said to reveal dishonesty through bitterness. The Fullness of Time The International Biotech Conference of 2052 invited Luna to give the closing keynote—a controversial decision that prompted several corporate sponsors to withdraw support. The auditorium was packed with supporters, critics, and the merely curious. “Nine years ago, I released genetic sequences for beer yeast strains protected as trade secrets. I was called a thief, a bioterrorist, worse. Today, I want to discuss what we’ve learned from those years of open-source biology.” She displayed a chart showing the explosion of brewing innovation since 2043. “In the traditional corporate model, a few companies control a few strains, producing a limited variety. With the open-source model, thousands of brewers using thousands of variants, producing infinite diversity. As Duff McDonald wrote “Anything that alive contains the universe, or infinite possibility. Kombucha is infinite possibility in a drink.” And the results speak for themselves—flavor innovation accelerated a thousand-fold when we removed corporate control.” A student activist approached the microphone. “Ms. Reyes, you’ve inspired movements to liberate seed genetics, soil bacteria, and traditional medicine cultures. The ‘Luna Legion’ is spreading globally. What’s your message to young people who want to continue this work?” Luna smiled. “First, understand the risks. I was sued by multinational corporations, received death threats, spent years fighting legal battles. This work has costs. Second, be strategic. Release information you’ve generated yourself through legal methods—no hacking, no theft. Third, build communities. I survived because people supported me—legally, financially, emotionally. You can’t fight corporations alone. Finally, remember why you’re doing it: to return biological knowledge to the commons where it belongs. That purpose will sustain you through the hard parts.” Teaching By twenty-eight, Luna was a MacArthur Fellow, teaching fermentation workshops in a converted Anheuser-Busch facility. As she watched her students—former corporate employees learning to think like ecosystems rather than factories—she reflected that her teenage hack had accomplished more than liberating yeast genetics. She had helped humanity remember that flavor, like knowledge, grows stronger when shared rather than hoarded. Luna’s garage had evolved into a sophisticated community biolab. The original jury-rigged equipment had been replaced with professional gear funded by her MacArthur Fellowship. Abuela Rosa still maintained her fermentation crocks in the corner—a reminder of where everything started. A group of five

As lawmakers in Washington take steps toward ending the government shutdown, University of Pennsylvania energy expert Sanya Carley talks about federal home heating help known as LIHEAP, which is not being paid out to residents of several states as a cold snap arrives. Then, former Department of Justice pardon attorney Liz Oyer discusses President Trump's pardons of allies linked to efforts to undermine the 2020 election. And, the Supreme Court heard a case Monday about a Rastafari man who grew dreadlocks for his religion. When he was in prison, guards shaved his hair against his will. Shamara Wyllie Alhassan, assistant professor of African American studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, explains the importance of dreadlocks in the Rastafari religion. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Show Features: Internet Is Undefeated, Blooper Reel and VoicemailsSocials: @DaveandMahoney Voice Mail: 833-Yo-Dummy https://www.twitch.tv/daveandmahoney Additional Content: daveandmahoney.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

First of all, we must send our love and energy to the people of Jamaica. Let’s all show some love and support to the country and culture who have benefited the world so much! I recommend everyone who can find a way to donate to help Jamaican people recover from Hurricane Melissa – and thank […]

Nesta edição, o Reggae pelo Reggae mergulha nas raízes espirituais e ancestrais do movimento Rastafari através do toque sagrado do Nyahbinghi. Memis Etiópia e DJ Bobe recebem Renan Jamaica, da Família Rastafari Flor de Jah, para uma conversa sobre fé, resistência e música como linguagem espiritual. O programa apresenta clássicos de Count Ossie, Ras Michael e Bob Marley, além de revelar como o Nyahbinghi influenciou o reggae e mantém viva a conexão com a ancestralidade africana e etíope.

Join I&I as we step down to the Ioneyez River for a powerful session of word, sound and power in Episode 1 of the Down By The River Sessions. This series will feature D-Ro and crew selecting some of the most crucial and healing tones in a very powerful natural setting – down the by […]

D2E Family discussing a variety of Topics hot Topics in politics and media with Rastafari samurai - Tha crown - impetrebel and Host Shawn myrie

Mit seiner US-Tour will Bob Marley als Solokünstler durchstarten. Doch als er am 23.9.1980 in Pittsburgh auf die Bühne tritt, hat er den Kampf gegen den Krebs schon verloren. Von Amy Zayed.

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-poetry-jam-8-27-25/Jah%20Works%20Radio%20Poetry%20Jam%208-27-25.mp3 Very special vibes this week, family, as we present our FIRST-EVER live Dub Poetry Jam, featuring live poetry from Iyaba Ibo Mandingo, Kufunya Ife and Lyric with D-Ro on the turntables and Ras E and Kevin El joining in the vibes, as well.  Legendary dub poets Mutabaruka and Linton Kwesi Johnson are also featured, […]

In this episode of Explaining History, we explore how the 1970s became a turning point for Black Britain. Drawing on Eddie Chambers' Roots and Culture, we examine how a new generation of Black British people embraced the politics of Pan-Africanism and Rastafari, forging cultural and political identities rooted in pride, resistance, and global solidarity.At the heart of this story is the transformative moment of Alex Haley's Roots. Broadcast on British television and widely read, Roots offered Black British communities a powerful connection to ancestry, struggle, and survival. For many, it was the first time that the history of slavery and its legacies had been portrayed on such a scale.We'll consider how Rastafari and Pan-African ideas influenced music, art, and activism in 1970s Britain, and how Haley's Roots reshaped the cultural landscape for a generation determined to define itself beyond the limits of racism and exclusion.Newsflash: You can find everything Explaining History on Substack, join free hereHelp the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The previous decade saw the shift from Mento to the rise of Ska, the slowdown morphing into Rocksteady and eventual transition to something slower with a heavier groove, lower bass, and a new voice - one that communicated the news lyrically of what was transpiring within Kingston and surrounding areas - Roots Reggae. The Shift: From Rocksteady to Roots The late '60s gave us rocksteady, smoother, soulful, love-driven tunes with slower rhythms and tight harmonies. But by 1971, Jamaica was changing. The people were speaking out about politics, poverty, Rastafari, repatriation, and resistance. And the music began to echo that shift. Roots reggae emerged as a soundtrack to consciousness. The drums got heavier. The basslines got deeper. The lyrics started telling the truth about ghetto life, oppression, and spiritual awakening. PLAYLIST Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelations - Rasta Reggae David Isaacs - Knock Three Times Augustus Pablo & Bongo Herman - Java Passion Winston Wright & The Impact All Stars - Woodpecker Delroy Wilson - Better Must Come The Wailers - Sun Is Shining Lloyd Charmers - Reggae In Wonderland Bruce Ruffin - Rain Max Romeo - Let The Power Fall U-Roy - Everybody Bawling The Stingers - Give Me Power Prince Buster - Holly Dave & Ansel Collins - Double Barrel The Ethiopians - Everything Crash Roy Shirley - Dance Reggae Eric Donaldson - Cherry Oh Baby Burning Spear - This Population The Abyssinians - Poor Jason Whyte

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-7-27-25/Jah%20Works%20Radio%207-27-25.mp3 Greetings, family!  We have a very exciting show this week, featuring some seriously healing tones along with an extended interview with Jamaican Myal Priest, Alex Moore-Minott.  Leading up to the interview (and throughout the show) heartical tones are heard from artists like Earl “Chinna” Smith, Haile Israel, Midnite, Prezident Brown, Proteje, Lila Ike’, Luciano, […]

In a week where:Hulk Hogan dies aged 71.Jazz legends Chuck Mangione & Dame Cleo Laine die aged 84 & 97 respectively.ESPN to purchase NFL Network and RedZone for a reported $2B.Actor Michael Ward is charged with rape.The US DoJ mull over giving Ghislaine Maxwell “Limited Immunity”.In Politics: (14:15) As people continue to get arrested for protesting and vocalising the wrongful nature of Palestine Action being deemed a terrorist organisation, it's worth charting how we've gotten to this point. (Article By Rivkah Brown & Simon Childs)In Tech: (38:47) The UK Government take yet another L by actually going through with restrictive age verification system that can be easily bypassed by even the least tech-savvy minor. (Article By Jess Weatherbed) In the 1st of two Life segments: (52:39) The old adage "The pen is mightier than the sword" is always something that people don't really take in properly, so how can a pen be the best weapon? (Article By Nathan J. Robinson)Lastly, in the 2nd Life segment: (1:03:56) A look into the enduring impact of Rastafari in Britain. (Article By Sinai Fleary)Thank you for listening! If you want to contribute to the show, whether it be sending me questions or voicing your opinion in any way, peep the contact links below and I'll respond accordingly. Let me know "What's Good?"Rate & ReviewE-Mail: the5thelelmentpub@gmail.comTwitter & IG: @The5thElementUKWebsite: https://the5thelement.co.ukPhotography: https://www.crt.photographyIntro Music - "Too Much" By VanillaInterlude - "Charismatic" By NappyHighChillHop MusicOther Podcasts Under The 5EPN:Diggin' In The Digits5EPN RadioBlack Women Watch...In Search of SauceThe Beauty Of Independence

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we have another gift from the Glocal Citizens community. In this two part conversation we meet Dr. Osei Alleyne. A joint PhD in Anthropology and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and former inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Experimental Ethnography at Penn, Dr. Osei also holds an MA in Communications from Temple University. A still active internationally touring professional Canadian Hip hop artist and Spoken word poet of Trinidad & Tobago extract, his field research employs a multi-modal ethnography of Reggae, Rastafari, Afrobeat and Hip-hop performance communities and related social justice movements across the African diaspora, with an emphasis on the black Atlantic nexus between Jamaica and Ghana. We recently met while he was in Ghana working on his forthcoming book, Dancehall Diaspora: Rastafari and Rudeness in the African Postcolony, thanks to consumate connector, Muhammida el Muhajir (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/muhammida-el-muhajir). As Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University, his writing repertoire spans African diasporic art and philosophy movements such as afrofuturism, afropolitanism and afropessimism. In this conversation, Dr. Osei offers an insightful glimpse into the spaces he has navigated in honing this and his other crafts. Where to find Osei? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/osei-alleyne-456406301/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dreadless_dread/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@oseialleyne7106) What's Osei watching? First Peoples Documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqTMNdJem00) Other topics of interest: About Trinidad and Tobago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago) History about Carnivals in the Black Diaspora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_carnivals_around_the_world) The Book of African Names (https://africaworldpressbooks.com/the-book-of-african-names-as-told-by-chief-osuntoki/#:~:text=Price:,want%20to%20claim%20their%20identity.) On Africana Studies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_studies) About Liberia's Edward Wilmot Blyden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Wilmot_Blyden) About The Black Star Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Star_Line), Garveyism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garveyism), and The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Negro_Improvement_Association_and_African_Communities_League) About Ethiopianism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_movement) Alex Haley's Roots (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_(1977_miniseries)) Association of Black Anthropologists (https://aba.americananthro.org) Zora Neale Hurston, Novelist and Anthropologist (https://whyy.org/segments/novelist-zora-neale-hurston-was-a-cultural-anthropologist-first/) About Cheik Anta Diop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheikh_Anta_Diop) About what was to be Akon City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akon_City) Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Debate 1967 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtDup63f9t4) About Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hall_(cultural_theorist)) About Author and Scholar, Paul Gilroy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gilroy) Martin Bernal and Black Athena (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94shpS4_xQc) Reggie Rockston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Rockstone) and HipLife (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiplife) About Shatta Wale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatta_Wale) What is the Theory of Mind (https://www.verywellmind.com/theory-of-mind-4176826) Black Holes and the Macro Universe (https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=108974) Special Guest: Osei Alleyne.

Scream hat den Slasher Mitte der 90er wiederbelebt, kurz danach kam I Know What You Did Last Summer: Vier attraktive Teenies, ein Killer mit Fischerhaken und ein dunkles Geheimnis. Zur Vorbereitung auf den brandneuen Kinofilm reden wir heute über die ersten beiden Teile und klären, ob sie echte Klassiker sind oder retrospektiv überhypt werden. Und über Jack Black als kiffender Rastafari, beknackte Stories und einen der meist unterschätzten Überraschungs-Kills des Horror-Genres.Intro & Was wir zuletzt gesehen haben: Anfang bis 7:21I Know What You Did Last Summer: 7:21I Still Know What You Did Last Summer: 40:13Hier kannst du uns unterstützen:https://steadyhq.com/de/horrohrpodcastHier gibt's schickes Merch:https://horrohrshop.de/[Unser Community Discord!](https://discord.gg/ME9ar8XK4f)Infos zu neuen Folgen und genereller Schwachsinn auf X: [HorrOhrPodcast](https://twitter.com/HorrOhrPodcast)Wie oben, nur mit mehr Bildern bei Instagram: [HorrOhrPodcast](https://www.instagram.com/horrohrpodcast/)[Wolf auf X](https://twitter.com/GameWolf)[Wolf auf Insta](https://www.instagram.com/gamewerwolf/)[Kolja auf X](https://twitter.com/KeylesArt)[Kolja auf Insta](https://www.instagram.com/itskeyles)Fanpost, Liebesbriefe, schlechte Horrorfilme an:Postnummer 1061644681Packstation 14920148 HamburgImpressum: https://www.deinimpressum.com/horrohrpodcastTheme by [Dave_Lo_](https://twitter.com/Dave_Lo_)[Steady](https://steadyhq.com/de/horrohrpodcast/) Allerschrecklichsten Dank an unsere allerbesten Supporter:Anja WinklerBennyGrobiMarkus G.Kerstin G.McLovin008Slightly UncomfortableIndy JonezMartin B.KiritainmentGordon H.Gees TorbenLucas R.Patryk K.PaettschyPatrickSytroS12MattBroetchenLuuChristian FreyFredward the BrainMaxemizerInaKetchup im BartPhil Riverdragon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast we have another gift from the Glocal Citizens community. In this two part conversation we meet Dr. Osei Alleyne. A joint PhD in Anthropology and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and former inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Experimental Ethnography at Penn, Dr. Osei also holds an MA in Communications from Temple University. A still active internationally touring professional Canadian Hip hop artist and Spoken word poet of Trinidad & Tobago extract, his field research employs a multi-modal ethnography of Reggae, Rastafari, Afrobeat and Hip-hop performance communities and related social justice movements across the African diaspora, with an emphasis on the black Atlantic nexus between Jamaica and Ghana. We recently met while he was in Ghana working on his forthcoming book, Dancehall Diaspora: Rastafari and Rudeness in the African Postcolony, thanks to consumate connector, Muhammida el Muhajir (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/muhammida-el-muhajir). As Assistant Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University, his writing repertoire spans African diasporic art and philosophy movements such as afrofuturism, afropolitanism and afropessimism. In this conversation, Dr. Osei offers an insightful glimpse into the spaces he has navigated in honing this and his other crafts. Where to find Osei? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/osei-alleyne-456406301/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dreadless_dread/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@oseialleyne7106) What's Osei watching? First Peoples Documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqTMNdJem00) Other topics of interest: About Trinidad and Tobago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_Tobago) History about Carnivals in the Black Diaspora (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_carnivals_around_the_world) The Book of African Names (https://africaworldpressbooks.com/the-book-of-african-names-as-told-by-chief-osuntoki/#:~:text=Price:,want%20to%20claim%20their%20identity.) On Africana Studies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_studies) About Liberia's Edward Wilmot Blyden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Wilmot_Blyden) About The Black Star Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Star_Line) Garveyism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garveyism), The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Negro_Improvement_Association_and_African_Communities_League) About Ethiopianism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_movement) Alex Haley's Roots (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_(1977_miniseries)) Association of Black Anthropologists (https://aba.americananthro.org) Zora Neale Hurston, Novelist and Anthropologist (https://whyy.org/segments/novelist-zora-neale-hurston-was-a-cultural-anthropologist-first/) About Cheik Anta Diop (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheikh_Anta_Diop) About what was to be Akon City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akon_City) Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Debate 1967 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtDup63f9t4) About Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hall_(cultural_theorist)) About Author and Scholar, Paul Gilroy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gilroy) Martin Bernal and Black Athena (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94shpS4_xQc) Reggie Rockston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Rockstone) and HipLife (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiplife) About Shatta Wale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatta_Wale) What is the Theory of Mind (https://www.verywellmind.com/theory-of-mind-4176826) Black Holes and the Macro Universe (https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=108974) Special Guest: Osei Alleyne.

Burning Spear—born Winston Rodney in St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica—is not just a reggae artist; he is a vessel of history, resistance, and Rastafari wisdom. While his better-known songs, such as "Marcus Garvey," "Columbus," and "Slavery Days," defined 1970s roots reggae, there's a rich body of lesser-known tracks that offer just as much power, insight, and sonic magic. This one-hour mix delves into a deeper catalog: unreleased takes, dub versions, extended disco mixes, and forgotten B-sides that still resonate with Spear's unwavering spiritual and political voice. These are songs for those ready to go beneath the surface. PLAYLIST Burning Spear - Call On You Burning Spear - Swell Head Burning Spear - Foggy Road Burning Spear - Institution (Disco Mix) Burning Spear - Workshop (Red Gold And Green) Burning Spear - Travelling Burning Spear - Free Black People Burning Spear - Farther East Of Jack (Old Marcus Garvey) Burning Spear - Spear Burning Burning Spear - Dub Man Burning Spear - Natural (Version) Burning Spear - Jah No Dead (Disco Mix) Burning Spear - Marcus Senior Burning Spear - Do The Reggae (12" Inch mix) Burning Spear - The Whole We A Suffer

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-6-24-25/Jah%20Works%20Radio%206-24-25.mp3 Going in deep this week with classic and modern artists like Third World, Cedric Brooks and The Light of Saba, Jimmy Cliff, The Wailers, Bob Marley and The Wailers, Dennis Brown, Wayne Wade, The Comforters, Gappy Ranks, Jah Lil, Imeru Tafari and Haile Celestial, Perfect Giddimani, Garnett Silk, Richie Stephens, Culture, Jah Lion, Linton […]

Lecture 6 Part 2LECTURE OUTLINE: Reimagining the Caribbean — History, Identity & Invention1. Defining Key Terms & Unsettling MythsWhat is the Caribbean?What it is not:Not simply “a group of islands surrounded by the Caribbean Sea.”That colonial compass would erase Belize, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.The Caribbean is not just geography — it's history, identity, and ideology.A Construct, An Invention:Ian Meeks and Norman Girvan argue the Caribbean is an invention, molded by the European gaze since 1492.The so-called “discovery” was really colonial construction — cultural erasure dressed as exploration.The Socio-Political Caribbean:Social scientists ask: In whose interest is society designed?Whose narrative dominates?Often, the Caribbean's story has been told through the lens of its colonizers — not its people.Economic Caribbean – A Dependent Capitalist Model:According to Neoliberalism (2021) and the "Washington Consensus", Caribbean economies were shaped to serve external interests.Ramesh Ramsaran: Structural Adjustment transferred power from local to global hands — a feature of life in the Global South.These are the legacies of debt, austerity, and manufactured dependency.Global South vs Global North:New language, same old hierarchies.The “Global South” replaces “Third World” — a more palatable term, but still denotes marginalization.2. A People in Paradox: Race, Identity & AgencyThe Problem of the Caribbean is the Problem of the Black and Brown PositionWherever Black or Brown bodies are found — so too is systemic exclusion.Not due to essence, but to constructed inferiority.Colonization as Psychological Violence:Fanon: Colonization turns man against himself.Du Bois: The Black soul peers through a veil, always asking: “Am I enough?”Morrison: We are told to strive toward whiteness — only to find we can never truly arrive.Depersonalization & Loss of Agency:Colonialism stripped humanity. The enslaved weren't just shackled in body — but in being.This leads to malady: acting against our own interests.Afrocentricity vs Eurocentricity:Afrocentricity: a way of seeing.Eurocentricity: the only way of seeing.The former offers liberation. The latter demands assimilation.Diaspora Realities:Caribbean immigrants are often seen as threats cloaked in exoticism — "two sharp teeth," as you wrote.Their potential is feared, their labor exploited.Kenneth Clark's “Dark Ghettoes”:Ghettoes aren't just places — they are conditions.Whether in Philly or Kingston, Harlem or Port of Spain, these spaces reflect economic colonization.Externally: Poor housing, crime, disease.Internally: Apathy, self-loathing, compensatory bravado.3. Postcolonialism – Not the End, But the EchoPostcolonial ≠ Post-ColonizationFanon in Black Skin, White Masks: Black and White locked in a tragic performance — each role scripted by Empire.In Wretched of the Earth: Freedom is radical; it requires rupture, not reform.The Paradox of Independence:Haiti and Cuba led revolutions — and were punished for their audacity.Independence does not equal inclusion.4. Center vs Periphery — Who Gets to Speak?Homi Bhabha's Lens:The center is the mainstream — the dominant culture, the "norm."The periphery is where African spirituality, literature, and lifeways have been cast.In the Caribbean, this leads to self-scorn: bleaching skin, abandoning roots, ridiculing Revivalists or Rastafari.5. Supplementary Content for Today's SessionReading & Discussion: CLR James – The Black JacobinsCLR James (a Trini) told the story of Haitian revolutionaries, but through a European framework.His education gave him tools, but not always the right lens.We question: Was this truly “history from below?”By Rev. Renaldo McKenzie, Professor of Caribbean Thought at Jamaica Theological Seminary, Author of NeoliberalismSubscribe https://anchor.fm/theneoliberalVisit us: https://theneoliberal.com https://renaldocmckenzie.com

What is the Caribbean?What it is not:Not simply “a group of islands surrounded by the Caribbean Sea.”That colonial compass would erase Belize, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.The Caribbean is not just geography — it's history, identity, and ideology.A Construct, An Invention:Ian Meeks and Norman Girvan argue the Caribbean is an invention, molded by the European gaze since 1492.The so-called “discovery” was really colonial construction — cultural erasure dressed as exploration.The Socio-Political Caribbean:Social scientists ask: In whose interest is society designed?Whose narrative dominates?Often, the Caribbean's story has been told through the lens of its colonizers — not its people.Economic Caribbean – A Dependent Capitalist Model:According to Neoliberalism (2021) and the "Washington Consensus", Caribbean economies were shaped to serve external interests.Ramesh Ramsaran: Structural Adjustment transferred power from local to global hands — a feature of life in the Global South.These are the legacies of debt, austerity, and manufactured dependency.Global South vs Global North:New language, same old hierarchies.The “Global South” replaces “Third World” — a more palatable term, but still denotes marginalization.The Problem of the Caribbean is the Problem of the Black and Brown PositionWherever Black or Brown bodies are found — so too is systemic exclusion.Not due to essence, but to constructed inferiority.Colonization as Psychological Violence:Fanon: Colonization turns man against himself.Du Bois: The Black soul peers through a veil, always asking: “Am I enough?”Morrison: We are told to strive toward whiteness — only to find we can never truly arrive.Depersonalization & Loss of Agency:Colonialism stripped humanity. The enslaved weren't just shackled in body — but in being.This leads to malady: acting against our own interests.Afrocentricity vs Eurocentricity:Afrocentricity: a way of seeing.Eurocentricity: the only way of seeing.The former offers liberation. The latter demands assimilation.Diaspora Realities:Caribbean immigrants are often seen as threats cloaked in exoticism — "two sharp teeth," as you wrote.Their potential is feared, their labor exploited.Kenneth Clark's “Dark Ghettoes”:Ghettoes aren't just places — they are conditions.Whether in Philly or Kingston, Harlem or Port of Spain, these spaces reflect economic colonization.Externally: Poor housing, crime, disease.Internally: Apathy, self-loathing, compensatory bravado.Postcolonial ≠ Post-ColonizationFanon in Black Skin, White Masks: Black and White locked in a tragic performance — each role scripted by Empire.In Wretched of the Earth: Freedom is radical; it requires rupture, not reform.The Paradox of Independence:Haiti and Cuba led revolutions — and were punished for their audacity.Independence does not equal inclusion.Homi Bhabha's Lens:The center is the mainstream — the dominant culture, the "norm."The periphery is where African spirituality, literature, and lifeways have been cast.In the Caribbean, this leads to self-scorn: bleaching skin, abandoning roots, ridiculing Revivalists or Rastafari.Advocating a position of pre-colonial victory and agency.Reframes the narrative of discovery with African presence before 1492.CLR James (a Trini) told the story of Haitian revolutionaries, but through a European framework.His education gave him tools, but not always the right lens.We question: Was this truly “history from below?”We must not be content with being “included” in someone else's story.We must write our own — in our tongues, through our eyes, from our depths.As Toni Morrison said: “Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.”Let us reclaim that power. End or Part 1.Rev. Renaldo McKenzie is Professor of Caribbean Thought and Author of Neoliberalism. Visit us at The Neoliberal Corporationhttps://theneoliberal.com

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-5-28-2025/Jah%20Works%20Radio%205-28-2025.mp3 Greetings in love and light, family!  This week we go deep into the realm of the roots – both new and classic – with artists like the Zion I Kings, Earl Sixteen, Prezident Brown, Culture, Bunny Wailer, Delroy Williams, Cornell Campbell, Maxi Priest, Ras Dave, Q’Shan Deya, YG Marley, Tali Roots, Kenya Eugene, Imeru […]

Dans la libre antenne, Malik Boulibaï, spécialiste reggae, revient sur l'indignation du mouvement rastafari au Nigeria. Ils condamne les propos de Mohammed Umar Bago, gouverneur de l'État du Niger, à l'ouest du Nigeria, qui appelle à l'arrestation et au rasage des dreadlocks portées par les citoyens de l'État. Guiza Grâce Emmanuella Damour, organisatrice de l'évènement Focus créatif, parle de la 3ème édition aura lieu à Abidjan le 24 mai. Et Aya Robert, influenceuse et organisatrice des mini-concerts live sur TikTok, présente la 3ème édition qui aura lieu le 24 mai avec Koffi Olomidé. Pour visionner les clips, cliquez sur les titres des chansons : Neg Lyrical - Tôt ou tardKoffi Olomidé - Loi hippodromeStomy Bugsy - Mon papa à moi est un gangsterBob Marley and the Wailers - Rastaman live upAïcha Koné feat Gadji Celi - Ben KadiGarcin L'agaçant X Zodiak - C'est codéRetrouvez notre playlist sur Deezer. 

Dans la libre antenne, Malik Boulibaï, spécialiste reggae, revient sur l'indignation du mouvement rastafari au Nigeria. Ils condamne les propos de Mohammed Umar Bago, gouverneur de l'État du Niger, à l'ouest du Nigeria, qui appelle à l'arrestation et au rasage des dreadlocks portées par les citoyens de l'État. Guiza Grâce Emmanuella Damour, organisatrice de l'évènement Focus créatif, parle de la 3ème édition aura lieu à Abidjan le 24 mai. Et Aya Robert, influenceuse et organisatrice des mini-concerts live sur TikTok, présente la 3ème édition qui aura lieu le 24 mai avec Koffi Olomidé. Pour visionner les clips, cliquez sur les titres des chansons : Neg Lyrical - Tôt ou tardKoffi Olomidé - Loi hippodromeStomy Bugsy - Mon papa à moi est un gangsterBob Marley and the Wailers - Rastaman live upAïcha Koné feat Gadji Celi - Ben KadiGarcin L'agaçant X Zodiak - C'est codéRetrouvez notre playlist sur Deezer. 

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-05-09-2025/Jah%20Works%20Radio%2005-09-2025.mp3 This week we set up for a strictly vinyl selections session and go in deep into the roots with artists like Wayne Jarrett, Dennis Brown, Horace Andy, Willie Williams, Don Carlos, Triston Palmer, Lacksley Castell, Scientist, Judah Eskender Tafari, Norrisman, Cocoa Tea, Glen Washington, Garnett Silk, Lukie D, Sanchez, Christopher Martin, Lutan Fyah and […]

In this soul-stirring episode of Dropping Bombs, Brad Lea sits down with Rohan Marley—entrepreneur, activist, former University of Miami linebacker, and son of the legendary Bob Marley.   But Rohan isn't riding on his father's name—he's building a global empire rooted in purpose, legacy, and soulful entrepreneurship. From starting Marley Coffee out of his own backyard in Jamaica to launching cannabis brand Lion Order, Rohan shares how his tough upbringing, Rastafari values, and relentless hustle shaped him into the man he is today. You'll hear powerful stories about honoring his father's legacy, creating sustainable businesses, and turning passion into generational impact. Whether he's talking about farming, coffee, or living with intention, Rohan drops timeless wisdom every entrepreneur needs to hear.   Connect with Rohan Try Marley Coffee: https://marleycoffee.com I nstagram: @RohanMarley

Liverpool PL Benn vs Eubanks Daredevil Kanye West 2Demz - @6thfeb Eman - @EmanG45 Cole - @ColeSanusi Please share & follow! - @MadeInChafford #MadeInChafford Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recollect the aftermath from the 420 episode last week, chat about bugle stories (or the lack of), Eubank vs Benn, Graff Critique and Music galore... Enjoy! BATTER DEM EP.

There's nothing a son treasures more than the bond with his father, the love, the validation, and that bond can drive a man to extraordinary heights. On Saturday night, we witnessed Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn do exactly that. Driven not just by their own ambitions, but by the legacy of their fathers, and by the love and validation of the British public, they gave us one of the great nights in British boxing. Two men, laying everything on the line. Two men, fighting for more than just victory. And in doing so, both earned something far greater, the admiration and love of the public, after years of chasing it. The shame is, nights like this are rare. Boxing can deliver stories like these again and again… but too often, the sport takes the easy road, chasing quick money rather than building the deep, powerful narratives that make nights like this so special. Tonight, we dive into why Saturday mattered, and what boxing needs to learn from it.

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-4-17-2025/Jah%20Works%20Radio%204-17-2025.mp3 We start this week’s show with a tribute to the late, GREAT Max Romeo, may he Rise in Power!  Later in the show we are joined by up and coming Chilean Reggae artist, Tali Roots, for a live interview and reasoning.  Vibez are definitely on high this week as we’re joined briefly by a […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-3-27-2025-tribute-to-cocoa-tea_202504/Jah%20Works%20Radio%203-27-2025%20Tribute%20to%20Cocoa%20Tea.mp3 RISE IN POWER TO THE GREAT COCOA TEA!  This show is a loving tribute to one of the greatest singers to ever take the stage in reggae music – the one and only Cocoa Tea.  Although he has left us in the physical realm, his music will live foriver in the spiritual (realest) realm […]

D2E news & Hot Topics with The down 2 earth family T-Royalz & Rastafari samurai

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-2-26-2025/Jah%20Works%20Radio%202-26-2025.mp3 We are honored this week to be joined by a rising empress of reggae music – Kenya Eugene!  Sistar Kafunya joins I for this very fun interview with Dezarie’s younger sister, who is putting her fingerprint on reggae music in a big way right now.  She is just about to release a new EP […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-1-26-2025/Jah%20Works%20Radio%201-26-2025.mp3 In this 9 year, we are kicking off our first all-music show honoring the Femi-9 singers of reggae music – from the Queen of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths to some of the newest up and coming female singers.  High vibrations all the way with tunes coming in from Pam Hall, Lila Ike’ with Proteje, Dezarie, […]

From impoverished roots on an island struggling to leave behind its colonial past, Bob Marley emerged; creating music that spoke with a universality, and which was beloved by people all over the world. His love of music was the backbone of his life, and his commitment to the Rastafari faith shone a spotlight on its ideals. But how did Bob Marley go from Kingston's most impoverished area, to becoming a global star? Why was his life so tragically cut short? And why does his music still inspire young musicians and activists today? This is a short history of Bob Marley. Written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Richie Unterberger, a music journalist and author of Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Ultimate Illustrated History.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to noisier.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-1-9-25-with-basil-brave-heart-and-lester-loving/Jah%20Works%20Radio%201-9-25%20with%20Basil%20Brave%20Heart%20and%20Lester%20Loving.mp3 Happy New Year, family!  We’re getting this 9 year kicked off in a big way with a dream (team) come true!  We are blissed to have two of our favorite guests – Basil Brave Heart and Lester Loving – join us for a reasoning session.  Ras E and D-Ro chop it up with these […]

On this episode, we'll be listening to the deconversion story of a Ghanaian Atheist from Christianity, Islam and Rastafari. You can donate here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tratheist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Drop a Voice Message - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/TRAtheist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nigerian Atheists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Discord. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Ranting Atheist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast on YouTube. Follow The Ranting Atheist Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@RantingAtheist_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rantingatheist_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Clubhouse - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.clubhouse.com/@tratheist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/H7weHFmXSF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wa.me/message/7D43IA4KNYLCP1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@rantingatheist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/tratheist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tratheistpod@gmail.com

http://archive.org/download/family-time-radio-episode-1-on-jwr/Family%20Time%20Radio%20Episode%201%20on%20JWR.mp3 Greetings, family!  This is a big moment I’ve been waiting for for a while.  My daughters C-Rainbow and Natty Celeste, alongside myself, have started a new podcast.  It’s a family and kids show called “Family Time Radio” and this very first episode I would like to share with the Jah Works Radio family.  The […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-12-11-2024/Jah%20Works%20Radio%2012-11-2024.mp3 This radio show is a tribute to Jamaica and all Jamaican people.  Just back from a trip to JA, we want to send infinite love to the JA family for all the love shown, so we start the show with a few special shots bigging up the island followed by some of the biggest […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-11-17-2024-final/Jah%20Works%20Radio%2011-17-2024%20Final.mp3 Kingdom rise and kingdom fall, family…  This week we come into the Ioneyez Studio for an uplifting broadcast of word, power, sound – and unity – bringing babywrong to its knees.  Fire tunes coming in this week from artists like The Wailing Souls, Barrington Levy, Black Uhuru, Luciano and Louie Culture, Luciano and Spanner […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-10-23-24-with-basil-brave-heart/Jah%20Works%20Radio%2010-23-24%20with%20Basil%20Brave%20Heart.mp3 On this sacred morning, we gather by the fireside to reason with our good brother and Lakota elder, Basil Brave Heart.  At 91 years old and many lifetimes of experiences, he has A LOT of wisdom to share and he generously shares much regarding the teachings of his grandmother, the intricacies of the Lakota […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-10-10-2024/Jah%20Works%20Radio%2010-10-2024.mp3 Please note, family: the release of this show has been delayed several weeks because internet archive (where we store all recordings) was down for a while due to a hacking.  Fulljoy these powerful vibez and much more to come! Blissing the family this week with tunes from many of Africa’s greatest voices of reggae […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-9-18-2024/Jah%20Works%20Radio%209-18-2024.mp3 Greetings, family and friends!  We are brought together, once again, this week to celebrate reggae music in all its grace and beauty.  This week we get deep into some new releases and we revisit some timeless classics, as well, all the while giving thanks and praise to the Most High Creator Spirit.  Artists featured […]

http://archive.org/download/jah-works-radio-sounds-of-the-coqui-virgin-islands-mix/Jah%20Works%20Radio%20Sounds%20of%20the%20Coqui%20Virgin%20Islands%20Mix.mp3 Ras E and D-RO go deep into the Ioneyez Studio/Lab to mix up this alchemystical sound collage featuring roots music out of the Virgin Islands along with sounds of nature and words of power.  The end result is a meditation/medication piece featuring many of the greatest artists from the Virgin Islands, including Midnite, Dezarie, […]

Poet and writer Safiya Sinclair grew up in a devout Rastafari family in Jamaica where women were subservient. When she cut her dreadlocks at age 19, she became "a ghost" to her father. Her memoir, How to Say Babylon, is out in paperback.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Belo Horizonte is Brazil's sixth largest city and including its surrounding districts, the country's third largest metropolitan area. The capital of Minas Gerais, a state built on mining, dairy products and coffee production, Belo Horizonte is often seen as a parochial, conservative backwater, yet its thriving alternative arts scene provides robust forms of musical and cultural resistance to the exclusionary policies of reactionary president, Jair Bolsonaro, especially through local variants of hip-hop and reggae. Produced in Belo Horizonte by David Katz, this program explores the intricacies of the city's homegrown resistance movements, based in squatted buildings and public spaces in the city center and peripheral favelas on the outskirts. It reveals the surprising complexities of the renowned Belo Horizonte rap scene, which is intricately linked to improv theatre and urban poetry movements, with a revived Carnival culture, African-Brazilian Candomblé and baile funk all part of the local form's very distinctive musical backdrop; the smaller reggae scene also addresses issues such as social exclusion, income disparity, racial bias, gender discrimination, transphobia and environmental crises. In the show, we'll hear from rappers such as Roger Deff, Samora Nzinga and the leftfield duo of Hot e Oreia, as well as Leo Vidigal of the Deska Reggae sound system and Zaika dos Santos of Salto, the city's first female-run sound; Tiago Lopes of the Rastafari collective Roots Ativa and former rapper Kdu dos Anjos and guide us through the permaculture and upcycled fashion projects they have established in the massive favela complex of Aglomerada da Serra, providing employment and social integration to some of the city's most disenfranchised residents. APWW #812 Originally produced in 2020

On today's episode of the Occult Symbolism and Pop Culture with Isaac Weishaupt podcast we decode the 2024 BET Awards! We'll talk about Will Smith's blatant alchemy symbolism, Lauryn Hill's Christ Consciousness and Rastafari anti-christian symbols, Sexyy Red as the Whore of Babylon, Glorilla and the Memphis rap sigils and Lil Uzi Vert.NOW UP AD-FREE ON SUPPORTER FEEDS! Free feed gets it in a few days!Links:80% off Coupon code "badboy" STILL ACTIVE: https://illuminatiwatcher.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=45452&action=editNEW SUPER SOFT SHIRTS ON https://gumroad.com/isaacw:“THESE NERDS ARE GONNA KILL US”: https://isaacw.gumroad.com/l/vdfwtm“FREE FEED LOSER”: https://isaacw.gumroad.com/l/mjdvfWill Smith vs Chris Rock: Illuminati Humiliation Ritual & Channeling Spirits! http://www.illuminatiwatcher.com/will-smith-vs-chris-rock-illuminati-humiliation-ritual-channeling-spiritsBONUS: The Fugees Conspiracy- Pras, Lauryn Hill, ODB, FBI & Steve Bannon! https://illuminatiwatcher.com/bonus-the-fugees-conspiracy-pras-lauryn-hill-odb-fbi-steve-bannon/Megan Thee Stallion substack article: https://illuminatiwatcher.substack.com/p/megan-thee-stallion-cobra-video-symbolismShow sponsors- Get discounts while you support the show and do a little self improvement!*CopyMyCrypto.com/Isaac is where you can copy James McMahon's crypto holdings- listeners get access for just $1WANT MORE?... Check out my UNCENSORED show with my wife, Breaking Social Norms: https://breakingsocialnorms.com/GRIFTER ALLEY- get bonus content AND go commercial free + other perks:*PATREON.com/IlluminatiWatcher : ad free, HUNDREDS of bonus shows, early access AND TWO OF MY BOOKS! (The Dark Path and Kubrick's Code); you can join the conversations with hundreds of other show supporters here: Patreon.com/IlluminatiWatcher (*Patreon is also NOW enabled to connect with Spotify! https://rb.gy/hcq13)*VIP SECTION: Due to the threat of censorship, I set up a Patreon-type system through MY OWN website! IIt's even setup the same: FREE ebooks, Kubrick's Code video! Sign up at: https://illuminatiwatcher.com/members-section/*APPLE PREMIUM: If you're on the Apple Podcasts app- just click the Premium button and you're in! NO more ads, Early Access, EVERY BONUS EPISODE More from Isaac- links and special offers:*BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS podcast, Index of EVERY episode (back to 2014), Signed paperbacks, shirts, & other merch, Substack, YouTube links & more: https://allmylinks.com/isaacw *STATEMENT: This show is full of Isaac's useless opinions and presented for entertainment purposes. Audio clips used in Fair Use and taken from YouTube videos.

In honor of 4/20, the girlies walk you through the hazy history of a most special substance: marijuana. In the first of two episodes, they discuss how weed has been used throughout history to treat medical maladies and help people connect with the spiritual realm. Plus, how the Mexican Revolution brought the exotic “marihuana” to the states, the original dealers who helped the Jazz greats make their grooviest tunes, Reefer Madness, and more. Digressions include a cursory review of the new Taylor Swift album, the confusing world of TikTok Rizz Party, and our dream blunt rotation. This episode was produced by Julia Hava and Eliza Mclamb and edited by Allison Hagan.  To support the podcast on Patreon and access 50+ bonus episodes, mediasodes, zoom hangouts and more, visit patreon.com/binchtopia and become a patron today. SOURCES: A Brief Global History of the War on Cannabis Busted - America's War On Marijuana Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall of Marijuana in America History of cannabis History of cannabis and its preparations in saga, science, and sobriquet History of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system In Jamaica, Rastas ready for pot decriminalization Marijuana - Plant, Use & Effects  Rastafari gain sacramental rights to marijuana in Antigua and Barbuda, celebrate freedom of worship Shiva Is A God Who Likes Marijuana — And So Do Many Of His Followers Shiva, Lord of Bhang Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana - Medical, Recreational, and Scientific The Mysterious History Of 'Marijuana' : Code Switch

N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the Drink Champs in this episode the champs chop it up with the legendary, Rohan Marley! Rohan, the son of the icon Bob Marley joins us to share his journey and stories of his father. Rohan Marley shares stories of his legendary family, the beliefs of Rastafari, Lion Order and much much more! “Bob Marley: One Love” is in theaters now! Lots of great stories that you don't want to miss! Make some noise for Rohan Marley!!!

Poet and writer Safiya Sinclair grew up in a devout Rastafari family in Jamaica where women were subservient. When she cut her dreadlocks at age 19, she became "a ghost" to her father. Her new memoir is How to Say Babylon.