Following two months of protest, Seattle is positioned to become one of the first major US cities to substantially defund their police. We sit down with activists from Decriminalize Seattle to learn about what’s led up to the city’s historic votes to defund SPD in the remaining 2020 budget, what protestors need to know about the upcoming 2021 budget, and how we plan to reinvest in Black communities and truer forms of public health and safety. Interested in learning more about Decrim’s four point plan and participatory budgeting? Confused about what’s been cut so far and what happens next? Class is in session.

Activist Class

Will Seattle City Council Defund Seattle Police by 50%?

Seattle Activists breakdown the days following the murder of George Floyd and discuss what's next following the Mayor's emergency press conference. We share first hand experiences with the police escalations, the fight to defund police by 50%, the ban of chemical warfare, and creation of Capitol Hill Organized Protests (CHOP). Having a hard time deciphering what's actually happening while reading the news?  Class is in session.

Activists Breakdown Seattle Protests and The Birth of CHOP

Best Selling Author Ijeoma Oluo joins the Activist Class to talk about the financial pressures increasing for those in the arts - especially for artists of color, the widespread cancellation of group events and  disproportionate impact on the Seattle arts community - especially those who rely on gigs to pay their bills, baking croissants during quarantine, and her new book!   Class is in Session!

Ijeoma Oluo Joins The Activist Class To Talk About Artists Relief Funds During Covid19

We are joined by Prison Abolition Activist JM Wong and Washington State Inmate and Black Prisoners Caucus member Kimonti Carter, who is calling from Stafford Creek Corrections Facility. We talk about the lawsuit against the Department of Corrections, living conditions inside of Stafford Creek Corrections Facility during a health crisis, and Gov. Inslee's response to protest at Monroe Correctional Complex.   

Stafford Creek Corrections Inmate Kimonti Carter Joins The Activist Class To Talk Covid19 In Prisons

This week on Activist Class we sit down with WA State Dreamers and activists Alejandra Perez and Daniela Murguia to discuss what Undocumented Americans going through during this national pandemic, lack of resources in Seattle's public school system for communities of color, and play Zaddy, Daddy, Father with the Kardashian men.  Class is in session! 

Undocumented During Coronavirus with Washington State Dreamers

This week on Activist Class we sit down with freshman King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay to discuss his experience going from campaign mode to being a part of a county council that was ground zero for a global pandemic, the lack of accessibility to resources for immigrant communities and businesses, the Covid19 outbreak in county jails and what we should do about it, and Zaddy, Daddy, Father with his favorite Michaels.  Class is in session.

Coronavirus in County Jails and Going Straight from Campaigning to a Global Pandemic with King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay

Restaurants have been hit hard by the economic fallout of the COVID19 crisis. Staff in the industry were the first to experience massive layoffs due to new social distancing rules and government mandated closures. Chef/Owner Melissa Miranda of Musang joins Activist Class to talk about converting her popular Seattle Filipino restaurant into a free food program. With over 100 Seattle restaurants coming together to form Seattle Restaurants United, will the government provide enough bailout money to keep these Seattle staples alive? What do restaurant workers and owners need to get back on their feet? How could this permanently change the way restaurants do business? 

How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Changing the Restaurant Industry with Chef/Owner Melissa Miranda of Musang

Coronavirus Covid-19 is not only a Pandemic public health crisis, but a global financial disaster. Seattle organizers were able to pass a temporary hold on evictions for residential and commercial properties but will that be enough to help the working class survive this pandemic? Nearly half of all Americans live pay check to pay check. Almost 40% of American adults aren’t able to cover a $400 emergency. Time is running out for many families and individuals across Seattle. Councilmember Kshama Sawant calls in (social distancing!) to break down what the city needs to do right now to protect our vulnerable and what the rest of us can do in quarantine to strengthen the movement. Class is in session!

How The Working Class Will Survive The Coronavirus with Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant

Coronavirus Covid-19 has reached Pandemic level as Seattle, the epicenter for the virus, becomes the first U.S. city to shut down. This morning, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a ban on gatherings/events of more than 250 people in King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties in an effort to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak at a news conference. But why is the state still refusing to properly protect people in prisons, homeless communities, and communities of color?  Covid19 Mutual Aid Organizers and Public Healthcare Workers JM & Lizzie join us to talk about how Disaster Capitalism has outsourced our ability to build community and compassion. They break down how regressive taxes and neoliberal policies affect us when a crisis hits and how Covid-19 is revealing our broken public health systems and workers protections. Class is in session.

Coronavirus COVID19 Shuts Down Seattle

The Activist Class sit down with formal mayoral candidate, attorney, and activist Nikkita Oliver to break down her experience growing up in Indiana, learn which Disney Zaddy she loves the most, the 8 year battle to stop the youth jail and what we can do about it now, and how she's digesting the presidential race.    Class is in session!   

King County Finally Opened Their New Youth Jail And What We Can Still Do About It With Nikkita Oliver

The Activist Class is joined this week by prison abolitionist/reproductive justice advocate/tax the rich specialist Jackie Vaughn & her beautiful baby! - Are communities of color being left out of the tax conversations? - What can we do about the new youth jail set to open this week?  - Zaddy, Daddy, or Father with Dow Constantine..is he "evil hot" or just evil?  Class is in session!

The right way to tax the rich with Jackie Vaughn

Newly elected Councilmember Varisha Khan is Washington State's first elected Muslim Woman! She joins us to talk about running as a 24 year old against a 12 year incumbent, being down 600 votes after the first ballot drop, and which Full House Daddy is the real Zaddy.  Class is in session!

Varisha Khan joins the Activist Class

Season 2 of the Activist Class is here! We sit down with former Seattle Council candidate and Bernie Sanders WA State Field Director Shaun Scoot to go over his transition from running for office in Seattle District 4 to being part of one of the most polarizing presidential campaigns in American history. We also discuss his obsession with Seahawks QB Russel Wilson and if he considers Russ a Zaddy, Daddy, or Father.  Class is BACK IN SESSION! 

Shaun Scott joins the Activist Class

Welcome to the Activist Class Black Friday Special! We sit down with Seattle's newly re-elected Socialist Councilmember Kshama Sawant to break down her experience growing up in Mumbai India and learn which Game of Thrones character she identifies with the most, how she went from a PhD in Economics to becoming the face of Socialist Alternative, what it's like battling the richest man in the world Jeff Bezos, and how she navigates the Socialist movement as a woman of color.     

Kshama Sawant joins the Activist Class on Black Friday

Now that the local elections are over, we break down something we should've addressed from the beginning..who the hell we are! Get to know Spekulation, Myra, Aretha, Chrissy, and Dae on this week's episode of Activist Class. What radicalized us? Where do we come from? Are we just emo? Do we all just have daddy issues? Class is in session. 

Who is the Activist Class?

A political podcast set in the neoliberal capital of the world.

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Activist Class

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