Building Local Power

AI technology and large language models are growing in popularity. Also growing is the technology's detrimental effect on the environment. Each query into ChatGPT, to use one example, requires billions of calculations. Multiply that by millions of users, and suddenly, tech companies need to greatly expand their computing power in the form of new, energy-draining data centers. Each of those centers...

In March, 2020, Amazon warehouse worker Chris Smalls led a walkout protesting a lack of Covid-19 safety measures at the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island. He was fired two hours later. In the following days, a leaked memo revealed that the Amazon c-suite (including Jeff Bezos) was planning to discredit Smalls by racially scapegoating him. When aspiring documentarian Mars Verrone heard the story, the...

For many years, Reverend Ryan Brown has been a picker at Amazon's RDU1 warehouse outside of Raleigh, NC. In 2020, he was asked to work in a part of the warehouse he knew was a dangerous COVID hot spot. He refused, calling his decision to do so a "Rosa Parks moment." In the immediate aftermath, Reverend Ryan and some comrades founded Amazon CAUSE (Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empow...

The first bookstore Danny Caine fell in love with was a suburban Cleveland outpost of a mega-chain. Since then, he has not only fallen in love with independent bookstores and other local businesses but has also become a widely known advocate against Amazon and other corporate monopolies. Now, he's the new host of Building Local Power. This week's episode features Danny talking with co-host Reggie...

The destruction of Dorr Street in Toledo, Ohio isn’t just a story of physical destruction; it's about the dismantling of crucial social infrastructure that once allowed residents to communicate, organize, and thrive. In the final episode of our Toledo season, we are joined by board president of the Lucas County Commission, Pete Gerken to discuss the legacy of Dorr Street — a once-thriving hub of B...

Toledo’s Dorr Street bears the deep scars of federal policies that stripped away Black economic power and prosperity. Once a thriving center of Black business, Dorr Street was decimated by discriminatory practices that prioritized urban expressways over vibrant communities. In this episode of Building Local Power, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz addresses this destruction and the long-overdue prom...

Johnetta Turner McCollough and her husband, Nelson, ran The Spot, a popular restaurant on Dorr Street, Toledo, that was more than just a business—it was, well, the Spot. Known for its lively late-night gatherings and frog legs The Spot offered a unique space where people came to eat, unwind, and enjoy jazz music after the bars closed. Johnetta was only 24 when her husband Nelson was tragically kil...

Lifelong Toledo resident Doris Greer takes us back to a time when Dorr Street was the heart of Black wealth, culture, and community. Doris vividly recalls the bustling Black-owned businesses, close-knit neighbors, and a deep sense of pride and ownership.  But today, that vibrant community has been replaced by empty lots and chain dollar stores, a result of decades of disinvestment, discrimination,...

Independent pharmacies are the unsung heroes of healthcare, providing critical services that chain pharmacies simply can't match. On this summer special, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell illustrates how corporate giants like CVS and Walgreens have used predatory tactics to drive these vital local businesses to the brink of extinction in communities and have, in many cases, subsequently abandoned these commun...

In the groundbreaking report Upcharge: Hidden Costs of Electric Utility Monopoly Power, John Farrell exposes the severe environmental, financial, and economic costs imposed by monopoly utilities. John joins Building Local Power to discuss how these utilities perpetuate a monopoly model that is damaging our health, environment, and economy. He uncovers the corruptive forces of monopoly utilities, t...

Last month, the Biden White House released its National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. ILSR’s Julia Spector joins Building Local Power to discuss how the leading advocacy of ILSR and allied organizations led to community composting becoming a featured component of the national strategy, and how far we’ve come since we aired the 2019 episode of Building Local Powe...

In 2019, we aired an episode titled "Independent Musicians and the Antimonopoly Movement," which explored the impact of industry concentration on independent musicians. We are resurfacing that episode in light of recent news that the Department of Justice is suing Live Nation for hindering competition following its 2011 merger with Ticketmaster.  ILSR’s Ron Knox joins us to explain the lawsuit's t...

Veteran journalist, Harry Jaffe, reflects on his four-decade career dedicated to covering some of Washington D.C.’s stories, emphasizing the crucial role of local reporters in holding public officials accountable and keeping communities informed. Harry, founder of Spotlight DC, a nonprofit supporting investigative journalism, underscored the challenges facing local media amidst economic pressures...

In 2000, Uwe Brandes moved to Washington, D.C. to join Mayor Williams' administration with a bold vision to transform the Anacostia River waterfront, one of the nation’s most polluted rivers at the time. Uwe spearheaded a participatory planning process that was and still is far too rare, actively involving communities and stakeholders directly impacted by the revitalization efforts. He adeptly tra...

Arriving in the nation's capital in the mid-90s, Gina Schaefer found herself drawn to Logan Circle, a neighborhood that had been scarred by the riots following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Inspired by the community's resilience and potential, Gina embarked on a mission to fill a void in the neighborhood, starting with the establishment of her first Ace Hardware store. Gina's vision alwa...

In 1974, in Washington D.C., amidst a backdrop of economic turbulence and social unrest, the seeds of the Institute for Local Self-reliance were sown. David Morris, Neil Seldman, and Gil Friend, driven by a shared vision of community resilience, founded the Institute in a townhouse in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Their goal was to demonstrate that our economies and environments can thrive when r...

Born and raised in DC, Kehmari Norman established her flower shop to bridge culture and floristry. The visionary behind Blk Flower Market drew from her background as a stage designer at Temple University, transforming her skills into landscape design, intertwining environmentalism with entrepreneurship. Throughout the episode, Kehmari highlights the significance of authenticity and cultivating con...

In the heart of Detroit, a movement is underway to rebuild democracy and economic power from the ground up. The Detroit Community Wealth Fund sits at the epicenter of this movement, providing non-extractive capital and technical assistance that empowers local businesses and cooperatives. Co-founder Margo Dalal and director of community programming Rosie DeSantis joined Building Local Power to disc...

Mama Shu’s journey began with a profound commitment: healing her community. Despite the challenges faced by her hometown of Highland Park, Mama Shu felt a deep connection to the area. Determined to make a difference, she embarked on a mission to reclaim neglected spaces, tirelessly working to steward the land, organize the community, and secure resources for revitalization. Today, Avalon Village o...

Reneé’s journey began with a simple idea: composting isn’t just about reducing waste — it’s about building communities. Reneé V. Wallace, executive director at FoodPLUS Detroit, empowers Detroiters to drive systemic change within themselves, their homes, and throughout their community. Through innovative pilot projects like banding neighbors together to utilize alleys for community projects, partn...

Lanay Gilbert-Williams, born and raised in Detroit, experienced a childhood marked by both trauma and love, instilling in her a deep sense of community. On this episode of Building Local Power: The City Series, Lanay shares her journey to becoming the board president of The Detroit People’s Food Cooperative, a grocery store grounded in the principles of Black community ownership and food sovereign...

A vibrant independent bookstore symbolizes a shared community enthusiasm for learning, discovery, heritage, and progress. Source Booksellers, nestled in Detroit, has long been a reliable hub for non-fiction literature. Janet W. Jones established the store in 1989 and nurtured her daughter, Alyson Jones Turner, amidst its shelves. Alyson recounts the origin of Source Booksellers and its vital signi...

In our new season of Building Local Power, The City Series, we take a tour of cities and towns across the U.S. and talk to guests who are working to make their communities more locally self-reliant. Independent business owners, elected city officials, and community leaders explain how their work is moving the needle toward a more just, sustainable, and democratic future. Upcoming Cities: Detroit W...

Over the past fifty years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the judiciary have consistently approved mergers and acquisitions, contributing to the consolidation of industries that have proven to be bad for competition, consumers, and communities. Despite the prevalence of these mergers and acquisitions, the stories featured this season serve as a reminder of the...

Is this the end of a grocery merger era that began with 385 grocery mergers from 1996-1999 alone? As news about the impending Federal Trade Commission decision to approve or deny the Kroger/Albertsons merger looms large, ILSR’s Ron Knox delves into the dominance of major grocery chains and explores the potential consequences of the proposed merger. In the second half of the episode, ILSR’s Kennedy...