Interdependent Study

2021 saw the most anti-LGBT laws passed across the country ever, and 2022 is continuing that trend. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a number of media related to this legislation, including “The Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills of 2022, Explained” by James Factora and the Legislative Tracker: Anti-Transgender Legislation by the Freedom For All Americans campaign, and why this misguided and shameful legislation...

The power and spirit of youth activism in this country is strong and inspiring. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Homeroom”, which follows Oakland High School’s class of 2020 as they navigate their final year of high school, applying to colleges, and the COVID-19 pandemic, all while working to eliminate the school district’s police force and organize for racial and social justice...

The recently proposed “discomfort” legislation in Florida—as well as legislation in other states across the country—is troubling on so many levels. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a number of articles related to this legislation, including “Florida seeks to block uncomfortable themes in schools. Its history is full of them.” featured in The Washington Post and “Florida could shield whites from...

There have been many attempts at police reforms in this country, but these reforms have not been enough to keep us all safe. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Ernest Owens in Rolling Stone called “After Amir Locke, Is Police Reform Even the Solution?”, and what we need to do to change the course of the conversation on police violence and the prison industrial complex in this country...

The authors of Abolition. Feminism. Now. use the phrase “slow work in urgent times” to remind us that we must continue our collective movement and organizing work to address our most pressing challenges and get us to the place where we want to be. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss Haymarket Books’ Abolition. Feminism. Now. panel event featuring authors Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, Erica R. Meiners...

As we progress forward in our learning and movement work, it’s important to be grounded in the lessons of our ancestors and comrades who came before us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “What’s Next for Defund?” from In These Times magazine—a conversation between five organizers and police abolitionists reflecting on the movement work and successes of recent years and discussing where...

The wealth gap and socioeconomic imbalances in this country are significant social justice issues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Class Divide”, which explores the effects of hyper-gentrification and socioeconomic disparities on one neighborhood in Manhattan, and what this case study of the widening class divide in our country means in our continued work for collective liberat...

The most pressing challenges in our society will require radical solutions and shedding individualism. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Remake the World: Essays, Reflections, Rebellions by Astra Taylor, and what her insights on humanity, democracy, politics, economic justice, higher education, technology, and more mean for envisioning a better and more justice society, as well as for ou...

It’s our 50th episode, y’all! Listen as Aaron and Damien reflect on the first year of our podcast, and each share our top 5 moments from the show. Thank you for listening to Interdependent Study! We’ll see you in 2022!  Follow us on social media and visit our website! Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Website , Leave us a message , Merch store

The truth about fake news is that it is dangerous and has a real impact on real people. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News”, which examines the rise in the phenomenon of fake news in this country, and the ongoing threat that disinformation and conspiracy theories pose to all of us and the work of social justice and collective l...

Naming the origins of the current attacks on critical race theory as white supremacist, as well as the ways in which white supremacy shows up in our society, is paramount in our antiracism and social justice work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Ibram X. Kendi in The Atlantic called “The Mantra of White Supremacy”, which outlines the power of white supremacy and white supremacist...

Patriarchy shapes the expectations of men, gender norms, and our society in ways that make dismantling it an imperative for our collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien revisit The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks, and discuss additional reflections from this book on how patriarchy impacts all of us and what we individually and collectively need to do to embrace ch...

Liberation for all is undoubtedly the prize. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground”, which pays tribute to the original documentary series that chronicled the civil rights movement and Black experience in America, and connects it to our present day liberation and movement work and ongoing fight for social justice.  Follow us on social media and...

The personal is political when it comes to the experiences of and fight for liberation for Black women. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective, edited by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, and what we can learn from the Combahee River Collective’s vision for Black feminism and Black women's liberation to apply to today’s struggles and our fight f...

The reality is that the recent attacks on critical race theory are manufactured nonsense and not actually about critical race theory at all. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article from The New Yorker by Benjamin Wallace-Wells called “How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict Over Critical Race Theory”, which describes the efforts of Christopher Rufo to spark the ongoing conservative...

There’s so much we need for our society to experience the kind of social transformation necessary for true liberation for all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an interview published on Public Books titled “‘There’s No There There’: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on the Future of the Left”, which features a wide-ranging conversation between Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Raychel Gadson about Dr. Tay...

The world should know the name and legacy of Pauli Murray. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “My Name is Pauli Murray”, which looks at the personal and professional life of Pauli Murray, a non-binary Black poet, author, lawyer, activist, priest, and trailblazer who, despite being largely overlooked throughout history, has been instrumental in the advancement of social justice and...

“Assassinating the reality of the past assassinates the reality of the present (and creates a new simulated reality)”. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Ibram X. Kendi in The Atlantic called “The Second Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.”, which outlines the parallels between Dr. King’s physical assassination and the ongoing mischaracterization of who he was and of his work, a...

In our collective push for abolition, we must keep disability issues and justice at the forefront of our work. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece by Derecka Purnell called “Police Violence is a Disability Justice Issue” that was featured on the Boston Review website (and is an excerpt from her new book), which examines historical and recent examples of the experiences of disabled Black fol...

Police foundations are private organizations that are bankrolling police departments and contributing to anti-Black violence in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a report from Color of Change and LittleSis called “Police Foundations: A Corporate-Sponsored Threat to Democracy and Black Lives”, which examines the history and influence of police foundations and corporate sponsors that...

​​Our collective vision for prison industrial complex abolition must be unwavering in order to break free from our society’s destructive carceral systems. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the film “Re-Visions of Abolition: From Critical Resistance to A New Way of Life”, which addresses the need for prison industrial complex abolition through the work of two incredible organizations and the lense...

There’s no doubt in our minds that abolition is the only way forward to embrace the positive change we need for our society. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by Mariame Kaba, Dan Berger, and David Stein called “What Abolitionists Do”, which addresses some of the misguided critiques of prison industrial complex abolition, highlights the history of abolitionist movements, and shares som...

Lawyer, author, and activist Bryan Stevenson said: "I know our system is capable of executing innocent people, of turning a blind eye.” Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary "True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality", which follows Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative's work to create greater fairness in the criminal punishment system, how racial injustice has af...

The lies and misconceptions that were spun in the aftermath of the 2020 election are still having a negative effect on our country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a couple of articles from the Brennan Center for Justice, including “The For the People Act: Separating Fact from Fiction” and “Annotated Guide to the For the People Act of 2021” to understand the purpose of this important and milest...

The recent release of the 2020 Census data has sparked a renewed concern about gerrymandering and the threat it poses to our democracy. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss an article by John Nichols on The Nation called “The Next Gerrymandering Nightmare Has Begun”, which highlights the role that gerrymandering could play in future elections and its implications on voting, representation, and socia...