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 E141

26m 46s / TV-PG

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?

What’s on the Ballot in North Carolina? Autonomy & Democracy

S1 E125 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

North Carolina is a battleground state, and a petri dish for extremist policy and practice. Whether it's the right to vote, the right to read, or the right to decide the fate of one’s body, North Carolinians are on the frontlines. Where is the state headed this November and beyond?

South Australia Goes Green: Art & Policy for Climate Action

S1 E124 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

South Australia has become a global leader in green energy transition. How did they do it, and what can we learn from them? In this report for Climate Week, Laura goes Down Under with her partner, Elizabeth Streb, and her extreme dance company, and discovers how the region’s culture and its many world-class festivals have helped pave the way for transformation.

Solving Economic Inequality: An Occupy Movement for 2024?

S1 E123 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Were you one of the hundreds of thousands of people on the streets during the Occupy movement? For many the movement was a political awakening, as people rallied to end economic inequality and support democracy in response to the 2008 global financial crisis. On this 13th anniversary, how does the spirit of Occupy live on? And what progress — if any — has been made when it comes to the wealth gap?

Project 2025 and the Far Right's Plot Against Workers

S1 E122 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

What risks do working people face this Labor Day? Workers continue to die on the job and struggle to protect worker safety, but the dangers for labor go beyond bad bosses. On the federal level, the far Right’s Project 2025 playbook has plans to gut unions and fire federal workers.

“God & Country”: Christian Nationalism in U.S. Politics

S1 E118 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

In the documentary “God & Country”, producer Rob Reiner and director Dan Partland explore Christian Nationalism — a toxic brew of patriarchal White Nationalism and messianic faith. Christian Nationalism poses a real and immediate threat, not only to the very idea of secular democracy but also to Christianity itself. Whether you’re a Christian or a concerned citizen, this episode is a must-watch.

Democracy Under Siege: Disinformation in the 2024 Election

S1 E117 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

In the wake of Donald Trump's shooting, falsehoods flooded our feeds faster than facts. The problem of disinformation, the deliberate spread of false or misleading information, isn’t new, but the stakes are high in this critical election year. In this monthly installment of “Meet the BIPOC Press”, we ask: Who are the targets of disinformation in the run up to the 2024 election and why?

Corporate Prison Reform Will Not Keep Us Safe

S1 E116 / 26m 46s / TV-PG

Under the view of the iconic Hollywood Sign, a struggle is being waged over the future of policing and incarceration. Los Angeles is ground zero for fights over the job of District Attorney, Police Chief, and the size of prisons and jails. Corporations that have profited from prison communications are now profiting on electronic monitoring. Can today's Los Angeles change the script?

Supported by