The Weed Out Podcast

RiverValleyPSL joins us again after visiting DC on JAN. 13th to protest the genocide in Gaza. There were reports of 400,000 thousand people that gathered together with this common demand for the President and the leaders of the West who are engaging in these actions.  Tune in to hear about the experience from a group that went locally!   theweedout.com

Sierra Dickey is a writer, educator, and organizer Sierra's  writings on abolition, immigration, education, gender, labor, and nature have been featured in publications like Shadowproof, Modern Farmer, Documented, Talk Poverty, and Library Journal. She currently covers police and prisons for The Shoestring. Sierra has a Master’s in Education from Antioch University and has spent years working with...

On January 13th, the RiverValleyPSL is heading to DC to come together with other like minded people to "deliver a powerful message" that is asking for ceasefire and the US to disengage with the genocide in Gaza.    Over 100 people from Western Ma will ride from Amherst, Northampton, and Springfield to meet in D.C. - they hope you will join them!   If you'd like to join them and have not yet regist...

Join us as we discuss the fascist parades in the wake of a waltham, ma police officer and national grid worker killed in a motor vehicle accident.    cops parade as a show of force, collect OT, whitewash their image with the deceased body of a coworker. we discuss the role this plays in manufacturing consent. 

We are talking ableism and how it is baked into our language and so many things that it is something we all have to work on pushing back on the norm. If you are not someone who is disabled, we discuss how someday we will all face some kind of disability. The word disability is another term that is often criticized by those who are differently abled as it implies difference and inability in the nam...

Spencer and Joanna will be talking all things CATS! The cute little fur balls are often used as a symbol of antifascists movements, they are the assigned pet of "witches", and they really bring the joy and the are only a few of the things we discuss. We could not resist a chance to chat about our cats and the different ways they are used as symbols that align with our values. As always, we also wi...

Clara and Fergus, from Demilitarize Western MA, join us to discuss recent direct actions taken against L3 Harris in Northampton, MA. We talk about the group, their goals, and how the group ended up taking these direct actions. Please listen in to hear more and to get involved if you'd be interested in doing them.   theweedout.com

Spencer and Joanna will discuss the allegations against Captain Reyes and what the Holyoke administration/PD did in order to investigate and handle the allegations. Captain Reyes handled any internal affairs issues and so people reporting concerns would have to go to him. He was eventually accused of creating a hostile work environment which included sexual harassment even when asked to stop. The...

Owen Broadhurst is a local organizer and friend of The Weed Out. He joins us to discuss recent sweeps of certain neighborhoods in Holyoke that have impacted not only Owen's close connections but neighbors to all of us in the Western Ma Community. The police arrested some for not having ID on them and this should not be the case. Owen also gives the audience an update on The Worker's Party here in...

Laura Saylor joins us to give us some updates on what is going on in her part of the state (Eastern, MA). She gives us an update on Ron Sellon and the protesting her and her organizers are doing regarding this Police Chief being able to keep his position. Further, she talks about why she is still focusing on Sandra Birchmore and will continue to protest and meet with the people that have informati...

Danielle and Tamik (who is a person who remains incarcerated in Hampden County) join Spence and Joanna to ask the Western Ma Community for your help. We discuss the No Longer 3/5ths Coalition and what that means for those that remain incarcerated here in MA. The ability for those people to have the right to vote was taken away in 2000. We need people to gather signature to restore this right for t...

Listen in to hear from Defund 413! We ask them who they are and what they are all about. Spence chats to one of the members Birdy about what is happening in Amherst, MA right now along with the CRESS program and the local elections that are coming up on Tuesday, November 7th. Please share with those you know in that town and listen in to hear about what is happening in a community here in Western...

This episode is an update from the Trader Joe's United Union here in Hadley, MA. Listen in for some updates on what's going on, how we as a community can help, and how the National Union campaign is going for Trader Joe's!    www.theweedout.com

Katie Talbot is back with some good news and some updates from Neighbor to Neighbor. There are some local elections, housing organizing and dates that are coming up to watch out for, and some initiatives at the state level that we can all take action on. Listen in to here more about how you can get involved with your neighbors!   www.theweedout.com

It's 9/11 and how could anyone ever forget with the way the media and government have used this tragedy. Listen in as we discuss 9/11, the aftermath, and why it's important to have discussions about this date that reflects on more than the narratives assigned to it. Ghoulery and TomFoolery segment: https://x.com/JoshLandesWAMC/status/1700600598536524237?s=20 https://x.com/theweedout/status/1700611...

Laura Saylor is an activist, abolitionist and organizer in Mansfield, MA. She is dedicated to finding the truth about what happened to Sandra Birchmore on in Eastern Mass (Canton/Stoughton area). She was a young woman who lost her life too young and deserves the truth to come out about what really happened to her. This case involves police officers and DAs who still are in their positions and have...

On Sunday (August 13th), a group of people (around 100 people) gathered outside of City Hall in Northampton, MA.  This group was demanding action for the police brutality that was recently brought to light by theshoestring.org. The incident from this report took place on April 4th but it should be noted that there are two other people currently suing Northampton Police for their inappropriate use...

Content Warning: This episode discusses police brutality and violence against civilians. Please be advised. ****** On April 4th, Holyoke resident Marisol Driouech was stopped for a headlight out on her vehicle. Driouech was picking up a delivery for an online food ordering service when they were stopped by the police. It then turned violent for Driouech rather quickly with the Northampton police b...

Recently, our friends at theshoestring.org covered some technology that the Easthampton police will soon be using to monitor the citizens in their region. As we know, these technologies typically cost the taxpayers money and do not work accurately and are used for reasons other than "safety". Please listen in to hear more about this as well as some other local news.

Jeff Raymond of the Mass Transparency Project joins us for our 40th episode. Jeff talks about why having access to public records is important to accessing how money is being used and allocated in a community. It can be a way for the community to tell what is happening with individual municipal employees, etc. Join us to hear some of the wild stories Jeff has from getting some information he has r...

This time we are breaking out some fresh local headlines to talk about and share with y'all. Some have to do with beekeeping, the Trader Joe's Union, others are about local town budgets, and along the way we discuss the importance of the DPW and how the police are really the ones defunding their own communities. Join us for some local news and laughs!    theweedout.com

One of our favorite journalists, Andrew Quemere joins us to discuss the Northwestern DA here in MA withholding public records. Andrew was persistent in asking for records and had to put in multiple appeals. These are requests that Andrew has made to multiple DA's throughout the state. The NW DA did not agree that these records should be made public. Listen in to find out what happened with Andrew'...

In this episode, one of the admins from the IG account Holyoke Memes joins us to discuss local politics, shit posting and how it can be cathartic and also bring awareness and how important it is to laugh! Please join us for a fun and informative discussion.   theweedout.com

On June 10th, The Weed Out and our street team (shout out to Bridget, Caleb and Jay Jay!) went to the Common Park in Pittsfield, MA to join with other like minded people for the Solidarity Economy Festival & Gathering. We spoke to a number of people at the gathering both organizers and attendees about what makes them feel safe and what brings them joy. Please listen in, it was a wonderful time!  ...

This episode we speak with Draven Dolores a Springfield resident who is a native and has faced being an unhoused youth. Draven has founds resources in the community that helped and made it possible for them to find housing, get a degree and find work. Draven is an activist who focuses on local government, housing, and had even travelled to DC with Neighbor to Neighbor and others to discuss housing...