Laura Flanders & Friends

News and Public Affairs Series / 1 Season

THE LAURA FLANDERS SHOW is back with more award-winning interviews and investigative reporting on the people and movements driving positive systemic change in our world today. The show features forward-thinking people from actress Sheryl Lee Ralph to author Naomi Klein and innovative projects as well as a monthly journalists' round table with journalists of color. It's produced in rural New York.

Watch Latest: S1 E148

26m 46s / TV-PG

Jamie Raskin’s Strategy Against the Musk & Trump Power Grab

S1 E148 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

In the midst of a constitutional crisis, can our system of check and balances protect us from an authoritarian President? Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin may have the answer, as a leading figure challenging Trump’s executive powers and sounding the alarm on Elon Musk.

Police Violence Against Latinos: The Shocking Data, Revealed

S1 E147 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

You wouldn’t know it from the data, but Latinos are the second most likely demographic to be killed by law enforcement in the U.S, relative to their population. We only have these statistics now thanks to the work of La Raza Database Research Project, a group of volunteers in Southern California who are bringing awareness to systematic police violence against the Latino population.

Brittons Neck Community Forest for Climate Resilience

S1 E146 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

According to some government leaders, logging is bringing big economic gains to rural America. But frontline communities are telling a different story. Two Carolina-based organizations are converting a 300-acre former South Carolina plantation into the South’s first environmental justice training center: the Brittons Neck Community Forest.

What Happens After a Prison Shuts Down?

S1 E145 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

The Augusta Correctional Center employed many residents and brought business to Craigsville, Virginia, a two square-mile, 900-person town in the Shenandoah Valley. But when the prison closed with minimal warning, Craigsville residents and the town’s economy were hit hard. Join us as we envision the future of Craigsville and investigate how decarcerating the economy can become a win for all.

BIPOC Media Tell the Stories Other Media Don’t

S1 E144 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

In times of crisis, people need their questions answered, fast. As residents impacted by the recent Los Angeles fires return to their homes, are they receiving enough information about insurance and recovery dollars, or how to protect their health and wellbeing? Join us to hear what local BIPOC reporters want outside media to hear, as they respond to the Los Angeles fires.

Inside the MAGA Movement: What Happens Now?

S1 E143 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Hours after he took office, Donald Trump issued pardons for over 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. One of those pardoned was one of the subjects of a gripping documentary: Homegrown. Director Michael Premo joins Laura Flanders to discuss how the film came to be, and the surprising diversity within the Right-wing groups he followed.

Love In A Messed Up World: Dean Spade’s Guide for Movements

S1 E142 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

In a time of climate catastrophe, genocide, mass incarceration and political turmoil, people need to work together – better! “Love in a __ _ World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell, Together” from lifelong activist Dean Spade shares tips on how we might get our interpersonal houses in order so that we’re better equipped to show up for others and the causes we care about.

Jimmy Carter’s Vision for Peace: A Legacy Under Attack?

S1 E141 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

What is being left out of the conversation when it comes to Jimmy Carter, and why are many of his significant achievements under attack today? In this episode, Laura is on the ground in Georgia for Carter’s funeral events, and speaks with people who came from all around the country to pay their respects. Find out how Americans are remembering the 39th president.

Illinois Ends Cash Bail: Why Is No One Talking About It?

S1 E140 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

The discriminatory and unjust for-profit cash bail system disproportionately impacts Black and Brown people, and favors the wealthy who can buy their freedom while leaving the poor to languish in jail. Bail reform has faced tremendous pushback, but Illinois implemented the first-of-its-kind Pretrial Fairness Act, ending cash bail statewide in 2023. What’s holding the rest of the nation back?

Barbara Lee & Lateefah Simon: Trailblazing CA Congresswomen

S1 E137 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

If anyone can inspire the public about the role of the minority in Congress, the women of California’s 12th district can. In this charming conversation, newly-elected Democrat, Lateefah Simon, joins the indomitable veteran Barbara Lee, whose congressional seat Simon will be taking when the new Congress convenes.

Comedy of Resistance, Disability & Palestine

S1 E136 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Israel’s war on Gaza has been a mass disabling event. Today’s guest says we must create an “accessible future” for disabled Palestinians. Maysoon Zayid is a comedian and unapologetic voice for disability rights and Palestinian identity. A fierce advocate with cerebral palsy, Zaid proves that the most powerful messages often come from unexpected places and are filled with laughter.

BIPOC Media & Community Action After Hurricane Helene

S1 E134 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Some residents had no food, electricity, or cell service after Hurricane Helene ravaged the western part of North Carolina in October. Amidst misinformation and no information, local media had to step in to inform desperate people fast. This month on “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we explore what media outlets did to serve their people in that moment.

Patrick & Claud Cockburn: A Legacy of Guerilla Journalism

S1 E133 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

This week, learn about a young British journalist who, seeing what was happening in Germany in the 1930s, quit his job with The London Times and founded The Week, a newsletter that became famous for its opposition to fascism and the Western powers that were enabling it. A new biography from Patrick Cockburn tells the story of his grandfather, Claud Cockburn.

Where Do We Go From Here? Election ‘24 Takeaways

S1 E132 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

What are the takeaways from this historic presidential race, as well as critical local races and ballot initiatives? Laura Flanders & Friends presents an exclusive post-election roundtable discussion, featuring analysts and perspectives you won’t find in the money media. Join Laura and her guests as they examine what lies ahead for people, the planet and democracy. Where do we go from here?

Another Insurrection?: 'War Game' Film Asks if We’re Ready

S1 E131 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

What if January 6 happened again? Are we prepared for another post-election insurrection? “War Game” is a political thriller that tackles this question head-on in what Rolling Stone calls, “the scariest documentary you’ll see this year.” Laura’s joined by the directors and producer of the war game inside the film. Plus a commentary on Donald Trump’s appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Election 2024 Lies: Money Media Misses the Mark

S1 E130 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Election 2024 is happening in a media environment unlike any other. With legacy papers closing and digital media in crisis, too, election ads are filling the news vacuum with misinformation and lies. What is to be done? In this episode of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we examine the state of election media and ask, could this be a moment of opportunity for others to transform the news and build power?

Abortion, Trans Rights & the Battle for Bodily Autonomy

S1 E129 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

The 2022 Supreme Court ruling to overturn Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health dramatically changed the political scene. Now we are witnessing another watershed moment in the struggle for abortion rights. Abortion, access to trans health, contraception and freedom from sterilization abuse are all part of the far Right’s agenda to control bodies. Could reproductive rights leap forward in 2024, not back?

Movement Leaders Consider Election ‘24 Beyond Party Politics

S1 E128 / 26m 46s

Abolition, decolonization, immigration, Palestine — how is the Left thinking about the future in this perilous political moment? Laura Flanders & Friends was on the ground at this year’s Socialism Conference, a four-day event packed with discussion of today’s most pressing issues and strategies for organizing. Join us as we envision a liberated future and explore all that it takes to get there.

Trump, Netanyahu & the Weaponizing of Fear After October 7

S1 E127 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Military conflict won’t make Jews — or any of us — more safe, so why do leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. president Donald Trump continue to get away with casting themselves as the “protectors” of Israel and the Jewish people? We investigate antisemitism, Zionism and the weaponizing of fear in this report on the one-year anniversary of October 7.

Policing at the Polls & BIPOC Voter Suppression in 2024

S1 E126 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Voting should be simple, but we’re seeing more and more barriers — especially for BIPOC voters — this election. From efforts to eliminate same-day voter registration, new voter-ID laws, and vigilante style “election integrity” watchdogs turning up at the polls, voters in many states and tribal nations face serious challenges they’re working hard to overcome. Will all who want to vote be able to?

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