Laura Flanders and Friends: Solutions-Focused Progressive Perspectives on Politics, News, and Culture

What a Mamdani Win Would Mean for Local Communities**: As the mayoral race heats up, we examine how a Mamdani administration would impact working-class families in New York City, with a focus on affordable housing, policy prescriptions, and the potential shift in national politics, featuring insights from Laura Flanders and journalists working around the country for this month's Meet the BIPOC Pre...

Synopsis:  The mayoral candidate who's got the nation talking, Zohran Mamdani, is on track to make history as New York City's first Muslim-American and second Democratic Socialist mayor. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:   Wherever you are in the county, you’ve probably heard the name “Zohran Mamdani”. New York City’s mayor...

Synopsis:  In a conversation that spans decades of activism, Ellen Gavin and Dolores Huerta join Laura Flanders to discuss the role of narratives in breaking down silos and fears, highlighting the impact of storytelling on building movements and inspiring courage in the face of adversity. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: P...

Synopsis:  In a conversation that spans decades of activism, Ellen Gavin and Dolores Huerta join Laura Flanders to discuss the role of narratives in breaking down silos and fears, highlighting the impact of storytelling on building movements and inspiring courage in the face of adversity. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: P...

REWIND FROM THE ARCHIVES: Lynne Martine Patton, a Trump aid and federal housing official responsible for the New York City region, said she'd move out of Trump Plaza and into public housing to bring attention to "inhuman conditions." In this 2018 commentary from Laura Flanders, she proposes an alternative to Patton's stunt and Trump's pro-privatization agenda. Fast forward to today, check out this...

Synopsis- HUD in crisis- The Department of Housing and Urban Development has seen its staff slashed by 70% since Donald Trump took office, with civil rights cases being abandoned and political appointees allegedly overriding legal findings to allow discrimination. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: About 750,000 people are o...

Synopsis:  As concerns about rolled-back protections grow louder, whistleblowers at HUD have risked it all by going public with allegations that paint a stark picture of systematic regression on equality under the law. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:  Housing discrimination is illegal in the U.S., but every year, the Depa...

Synopsis, Laura's Commentary:  As billionaires buy up our newsrooms and Congress defunds public media, the stakes for democracy couldn’t be higher. If we don’t reinvent and reinvest in independent media now, it may soon be too late.   For the transcript of this commentary and more articles by Laura subscribe to Substack . Watch Laura's interview with Documented NY's Labor Reporter Amir Khafagy and...

“. . . [The Trump administration is] using Palestine. They are using the pretext of antisemitism and combating antisemitism to go after us because they know that this is the weakness of the Democratic party. When they go to the universities, they start with combating antisemitism, but then the second ask would be to abolish all DEI programs, to sanitize the history on slavery and the inception of...

Synopsis:  Mahmoud Khalil examines why the question of Palestine is a test for U.S. democracy.  This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Mahmoud Khalil was coming home from an Iftar dinner with his pregnant wife on March 8, 2025 when he was detained without a warrant and transported 1,500 miles to a Louisiana detention camp. A neg...

Laura speaks to organizers in western North Carolina one year after Hurricane Helene This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:   When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in September 2024, it came as a shock, hitting mountains, not coasts, and flooding rivers and communities with little experience of dealing with hurricanes...

Synopsis:  As displacement pressures mount in the mountains 1 year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, residents face gentrification head-on. Hear from local voices on the frontlines of a growing crisis in our exclusive conversation. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:  In this bonus conversation recorde...

Synopsis:  As concerns about rolled-back protections grow louder, whistleblowers at HUD have risked it all by going public with allegations that paint a stark picture of systematic regression on equality under the law. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:  Housing discrimination is illegal in the U.S., but every year, the Depa...

Synopsis:  With attacks on Critical Race Theory gaining momentum, Columbia & UCLA Law Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw joins Laura Flanders to dissect the fight for antiracism in America today. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:   Calling all white people: How many times in the last eight months have you heard the phrase “isn’t t...

Synopsis:  With attacks on Critical Race Theory gaining momentum, Columbia Law Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw joins Laura Flanders to dissect the fight for antiracism in America today. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Calling all white people: How many times in the last eight months have you heard the phrase “isn’t that illeg...

As the Federal Reserve convenes to discuss interest rates, revisit a timely podcast episode that dissects how central banks shape global development and whose interests they serve. Description: In the wake of the Feds meeting this week to decide whether to lower interest rates or not,  we rewind to our episode “Storming the Federal Reserve” on the way central banks steer world development and for...

Synopsis:  As a bestselling author of 18 books, including "Aftershock" and "The System: Who Rigged It and How We Fix It", Robert Reich shares his insights on how to address growing income inequality and its impact on politics and economy. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description:   The crisis we’re in was a long time coming. Now th...

Synopsis:  Historical context for change- Reich draws parallels between the current era and the first Gilded Age, suggesting that a new Progressive Era could be on the horizon as a response to the second Gilded Age, bringing about potential reforms to economic and political systems. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: The cri...

Synopsis:  From his early days as an illustrator for the Black Panther Party to winning the prestigious Mohn Award in 2023, artist Akinsanya Kambon has been using art to amplify marginalized voices and tell stories of resilience. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: With each glimmering piece he creates, artist Akinsanya Kambo...

Synopsis:  Step into the studio of ceramicist Akinsanya Kambon, where ancient traditions meet revolutionary fervor: here, stunning works born from earthy materials recount tales of resistance, redemption, and hope across generations and geography. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: With each glimmering piece he creates, arti...

Synopsis:  Uncovering the Hidden Stories of Disaster Recovery Workers: Discover the true stories of immigrant workers rebuilding America after hurricanes, floods, fires, and other disasters, and learn about initiatives like Resilience Force working towards a million-strong, skilled workforce with fair labor practices.   Description [Rewind Full Uncut Conversation Originally released February 2023]...

Renowned actor, writer and director Liev Schreiber recently released “Meeting Zelenskyy”, a feature documentary in which he sits down with Ukraine’s embattled leader. In an extended conversation, Schreiber speaks actor-to-actor about Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s rise from entertainer to war time leader. In this exclusive interview with Laura Flanders, Schreiber discusses how the documentary came to be, h...

Synopsis:  From childhood memories to the frontlines of war, Liev Schreiber's film "Meeting Zelenskyy" presents a nuanced portrait of Ukraine's embattled leader, with Schreiber drawing parallels between Ukrainian resilience and American values of democracy and freedom.   Description: Renowned actor, writer and director Liev Schreiber recently released “Meeting Zelenskyy”, a feature documentary in...

Synopsis-  A Call to Action: Veterans, Citizens, and Leaders Unite: Hear from veterans like Terrance Deuel, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and UAW President Shawn Fain on why they're fighting for democracy and what you can do to get involved in your local community. Description: Can the Democratic party reinvent itself? In this exclusive one-on-one interview with Bernie Sanders, recorded...

**Illinois' cash bail reform**: The state ended cash bail in 2023 with the Pretrial Fairness Act, a move that aims to address the disproportionately negative impact on Black and Brown communities and favoritism towards the wealthy. Explore the history and impact of Illinois' decision to end cash bail statewide in 2023, featuring insights from key advocates and policymakers involved in this monumen...