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

Laura's Extended Commentary: With seventeen veterans taking their lives daily in the US, a haunting question arises: can America redefine its values and reclaim its democratic principles before it's too late, or will it continue down a path of militarized politics and shattered ideals?   Watch the episode released on YouTube June 13th 5pm ET; PBS World Channel June 15th, and on over 300 public sta...

“We have advertised to the rest of the world that we've discovered the best thing since sliced bread. That we should be the envy of the entire world because we have this democracy, and our constitution defends that . . . To renege on that promise makes us a different place than what we taught our kids.” - Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark, NJ and  NJ Gubernatorial Candidate   Description:  “They targete...

 REWIND EPISODE FROM THE LF&F ARCHIVES (Synopsis)-  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 t...

“The Department of Justice is suing Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken and Patterson because of their sanctuary city status, erroneously suggesting that we are standing in a way of the ability to do their job, which is completely false . . . We understand the importance of immigrants in our communities, and we want to uphold that.” - Ras Baraka   Description: “They targeted me because I'm the mayor of t...

Authoritarianism on the rise: Educators and unionists share strategies for resistance and victory, citing historical examples of successful labor movements, at a conference hosted by CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies and Cornell Worker Institute in New York City this past May. This show is made possible by you!  To become a sustaining member go to  LauraFlanders.org/donate Description: Labor...

In a candid discussion with Laura, veteran union organizer Alex Han and U.S. Right Wing expert Tarso Ramos explore how workers are uniting against rising authoritarianism. Description:  America is moving towards authoritarianism faster than ever before, signaling a “turning point” in our history. But what will it actually take to reverse course? What could improve the chances of a winning multirac...

 In The Age of Insecurity, Astra Taylor traces the historical roots of capitalism’s reliance on fear and debt, arguing that insecurity is not a flaw but a feature of the system. Drawing on history, myth, and activism, she reveals how confronting our vulnerabilities can become a collective source of power. Stay informed and engaged! Don't miss out on our captivating weekly episodes that dive deep i...

snyopsis- Challenging the narrative on Palestine in this edition of our monthly Meet the BIPOC Press series : "The Encampments" documentary,  and its creators aim to push back against the dominant narrative on Palestine, highlighting the difference between the corporate media coverage and those who have no allegiance to money or corporations, and sparking a wider conversation about the world's fir...

snyopsis- Challenging the narrative on Palestine in this edition of our monthly Meet the BIPOC Press series : "The Encampments" documentary,  and its creators aim to push back against the dominant narrative on Palestine, highlighting the difference between the corporate media coverage and those who have no allegiance to money or corporations, and sparking a wider conversation about the world's fir...

The fight for multicultural education and antiracist curricula is not new, as evidenced by the courageous actions of Brooklyn College students and faculty in the 1960s and 1970s, who paved the way for today's struggles against book banning and right-wing pushback. This show is made possible by you!  To become a sustaining member go to  LauraFlanders.org/donate Stay informed and engaged! Don't miss...

In 'Meanwhile', Jacqueline Woodson and Catherine Gund weave together the words of literary legends to explore the intersection of art, grief, and social justice. Description: James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Muhammad Ali and Nina Simone are some of the artists featured in the moving new film “Meanwhile”, from National Book Award-winner Jacqueline Woodson and Emmy-nominated producer & director Catheri...

In 'Meanwhile', Jacqueline Woodson and Catherine Gund weave together the words of literary legends to explore the intersection of art, grief, and social justice. Description:   James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Muhammad Ali and Nina Simone are some of the artists featured in the moving new film “Meanwhile”, from National Book Award-winner Jacqueline Woodson and Emmy-nominated producer & director Cathe...

In a chilling conversation with Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor, the co-authors unpack their Guardian essay on "End Times Fascism," exposing how today’s billionaires and right-wing leaders aren’t just profiting from global crises—they’re actively accelerating them. As they delve into the apocalyptic ambitions behind Trump 2.0’s economic agenda, the discussion asks: can we counter this death-drive wit...

  ARE YOU AUDACIOUS? SUPPORT OUR RESISTANCE REPORTING FUND! Help us continue fighting against the rise of authoritarianism in these times. Please support our Resistance Reporting Fund. Our goal is to raise $100K. We're at $35K! Become a sustaining member starting at $5 a month ! Or make a one time donation at LauraFlanders.org/Donate DESCRIPTION: Today's billionaires know our planet can't sustain...

The following timely commentary by Laura Flanders aired on GritTV in the summer of 2014. At the same time as the Iraq Sinjar crisis , Gaza was experiencing the 2014 Gaza War (Operation Protective Edge), a 50-day conflict   between Israel and Hamas that began in July 2014. The war involved intense Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion in response to Hamas rocket attacks, resulting in over 2,000...

Synopsis:  Is Authoritarianism Here?: Gessen and Stanley discuss the shift in America's self-understanding, from democratic ideals to a self-identity based on loving the US for its past greatness, and warn that this is not a democratic project, but rather a fascist one, similar to what Putin is doing in Russia.   ARE YOU AUDACIOUS? SUPPORT OUR RESISTANCE REPORTING FUND! Help us continue fighting a...

Sound the Alarm on Rising Fascism: Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley, leading experts on authoritarianism, warn of attacks on DEI, trans bodies, civil rights, and higher education, and discuss the need for a bold vision of a multi-ethnic democracy.   ARE YOU AUDACIOUS? SUPPORT OUR RESISTANCE REPORTING FUND! Help us continue fighting against the rise of authoritarianism in these times. Please support...

Synopsis: Learn the history behind May Day, or International Workers' Day. The holiday commemorates the 1886 Chicago workers’ strike known as the Haymarket Affair, where laborers demanded an eight-hour workday. The protest turned deadly and several activists were martyred—marking the day as a symbol of the ongoing fight for workers' rights. Description (Rewind- Origin Date May 2016): Laura and Pet...

Synopsis:  Stephanie Flanders, a leading economics expert, joins her sister Laura to examine the state of social democracy and the impact of business on our lives, asking whether the current system is broken and what alternatives might offer a more equitable future. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued...

Synopsis- Was the social democracy model of the 20th century just a blip? This week, Laura invites her sister Stephanie Flanders, Head of Economics and Government at Bloomberg, back to the program to discuss today’s politico-economic issues and where American democracy stands. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your...

Synopsis:  On this month’s “ Meet the BIPOC Press,” a ward-winning journalists Maria Hinojosa & Chenjerai Kumanyika lay out the constitutional crisis before us and ask what the media’s role is in this moment. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description:  In the US today, immigrants, studen...

Synopsis:  On this month’s “ Meet the BIPOC Press,” a ward-winning journalists Maria Hinojosa & Chenjerai Kumanyika lay out the constitutional crisis before us and ask what the media’s role is in this moment. This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate Thank you for your continued support! Description:  In the US today, immigrants, studen...

Out of the soil of rural Louisiana, a new model for food, farming, and restorative economics. A commentary by Laura Flanders related to the LFShow 2023 Special Report:  The Jubilee Justice Black Farmers' Rice Project spotlighting pioneering regenerative farming practices in the U.S. as a means to address systemic racism. Watch or listen to The Laura Flanders Show special report and, meet the Black...

From "Bloody Sunday" to Modern Activism: Civil Rights Leaders Reflect on Legacy This show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate   Thank you for your continued support! Description: 60 years ago in Selma, Alabama, state troopers beat peaceful protesters bloody on the Edmund Pettus Bridge as they marched for civil rights. The horror...

“When we see and hear and think about fascism, we think about anti-democratic movements in Europe. We think about the Holocaust . . . But for Black people, as Langston Hughes said, you don't have to explain to us what fascism is. We experienced it. That is what we were fighting, for the 60, 70 years after Reconstruction was overthrown.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw This show is made possible by you! To bec...