Groundings

[RECORDED MARCH 27, 2026]

Arlene Eisen joins us to talk about her book In the Worldwide Family of Militant Women (Iskra Books), which she describes as a social history of the 1960s through the early 1980s, tracing her political journey through movements shaped by Black liberation and Vietnam.

We discuss her time with revolutionaries in places like Peru, Cuba, and Vietnam; radical trade union organizing among Indigenous peasants, and an encouraging encounter with Malcolm X at a Harlem rent-strike meeting. She discusses helping found an SDS chapter at Cornell, her work with The Movement newspaper as a...

[RECORDED NOVEMBER 2025] 

Dr. Paris & Dr. Clare join Groundings to discuss:

Part 1 focuses on healthcare domestically, while Part 2 will focus on healthcare internationally. 

Audio heard:

Full speech: Fidel Castro 'Medicos no Bombas' in Buenos Aires (2003)

Cam James: The Fight for Reproductive Ri...

Zellie Imani joins the Groundings Podcast and defines “harm reduction” - and how it shows up in the community organizing work of his organization, Black Lives Matter Paterson, in New Jersey. He dispels the mainstream misunderstanding of harm reduction as a voting practice, some of the major stigma they fight to keep people alive, and re-commits to the origins of harm reduction: a community practice in situations that manifest from contradictions of capitalism. Zellie provides listeners with lessons and experiences that can be learned from, and discusses the Paterson mutual aid and harm reduction model for how to practice comm...

Dr. Orisanmi Burton discusses his book “Tip of the Spear”, defining counter-insurgency and describing the prisoner struggle in what he calls the “Long Attica Revolt.” The conversation highlights how prison reform has been used as a tactic to defang the radical demands of those captured at the same time pacifying non-politicized prisoners and the ways that political prisoners maneuver through co-optation. Tip of the Spear is a counter-narrative to the popular histories of the Attica Revolt, situating it in the Black Liberation struggle taking place inside and outside prison walls, before, during, and beyond Attica. 

Purchase: Tip of the Sp...

Dr. Augustus Wood discusses his book "Class Warfare in Black Atlanta," defining class warfare and the “Black worker,” arguing gentrification is tied to labor, policing, surveillance, and repression, and criticizing the idea that gentrification equals development. The conversation highlights the role of Black women in grassroots struggles, the impact of the Olympics and metro-area displacement, and Wood’s use of radical newspapers and archives to tell the story from working-class perspectives.

-

Purchase: Class Warfare In Black Atlanta [Purchase Here]

Support the Groundings Podcast on Patreon [Support Here]

January 12, 2026 - In this broadcast, hosts Leyla, Musa, and taylor discussed the ways capitalist media is weaponized as propaganda in support of imperial interests. Using Michael Parenti's framework from Inventing Reality as a key framework, the hosts analyzed current events to discern how media tactics are being deployed in coverage of US aggression across the Global South. 

We cover 5 mechanisms colonial media uses to promote imperialist propaganda: (1) Stenographer for the State, (2) Selective Reporting, (3) Active vs Passive Language, (4) Dehumanizing Reporting, and (5) Information Control.

You can find the helpful "Don't Be A Copagandist!" resource at: https://www.i...

In this broadcast, co-hosts taylor, Leyla, and Dartricia discuss the ongoing Atlanta city council elections and the theft of the Crown Jewels from the Louvre Museum in France. They are joined by guest Dr. Akinyele Umoja to talk about the book he co-edited, The Memoirs of Robert and Mabel Williams: African American Freedom, Armed Resistance, and International Solidarity. 

They cover topics such as the Williams’ political and personal lives, and their exile in Cuba and China. The collaboration it took to bring this book the fruition and propaganda as a tool for liberation. They also talk about arm...

In this broadcast, co-hosts Dartricia and Musa give a history of the New Jewel Movement and the Grenada Revolution and the U.S. Invasion and overthrow in 1983 under the Reagan Administration. The discussion includes wins of revolution including a powerful literacy campaign, better healthcare, and the construction of an airport. 

They also make connections to the U.S. Monroe Doctrine and U.S. imperialism across the Caribbean and Latin America including Nicaragua, Guatamala, and Haiti. The show includes an inciting speech give by former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop. 

To view a list of past programs, vi...

We explore the historical strategies of black radicals to resist repression, the evolution of fascism and what it means today, and the importance of mutual comradeship in sustaining movements. The discussion includes an analysis of where anti-communism and anti-Blackness intersect, the Biden administration's role in facilitating repression, the historical context of fascistic practices in the U.S., and the global implications of labeling resistance movements as 'terrorist.' The conversation also touches upon the neglected histories of colonial fascism in places like Namibia.

00:00 Crackdown on Foreign Students Supporting Terrorism

01:09 Domestic Terrorism Charges and H...

In this episode of Groundings, we talk to guest Erica about the Stono Rebellion. We commemorate the rebellion on its anniversary, explore the harsh conditions faced by our enslaved African ancestors in colonial South Carolina, and their struggle for freedom. Erica provides insights into the role of heritage interpretation, the impact of African cultural retention, and the drastic shifts in laws and slavery practices following the mass rebellion, such as the Negro Act of 1740. 

The episode underscores the importance of reclaiming and teaching this history to understand ongoing struggles for African American liberation, and to un...

Host Musa and new co-host Dartricia Rollins discuss our backgrounds and motivations for the podcast, our excitement for the upcoming season, and highlight some key episodes and guests we've got coming up. 

Dartricia introduces herself as an oral historian, archivist, and organizer, and Musa talks about the educational mission and origins of Groundings. Also... how Musa hates podcasts. 

We tease upcoming episodes on topics like class warfare in Black Atlanta, harm reduction organizing, and historical African uprisings. 

The audio you hear at the end is Safiya Bukhari speaking in 1998 at the Jericho98 March On...

In commemoration of Fanon's centennial, the interview covers his biography, many writings, including his books A Dying Colonialism, Wretched of the Earth, Black Skin, White Masks, and more. As well as Fanon’s participation in the Algerian revolutionary struggle and his theories of violence and decolonization. The broadcast also features the news of Fanon's daughter, Mirelle Fanon, being banned from the Caribbean Philosophical Association conference due to her Palestine advocacy on her fathers birthday. The news segment also includes a discussion of immigration agents demanding tenant information from landlords, stirring questions and confusion and the Georgia Division of the So...

In this episode of Revolutionary African Perspectives — RAP — the co-hosts discuss the US and Israel’s most recent acts of imperial violence against Iran. They provide a historical timeline of how we got here before interviewing geopolitical analyst and journalist, Ajamu Baraka to provide additional context and analysis on why this is happening in the Middle East how it compares to previous interventions, as well as the over-stretching of empire with war in Ukraine and the desired pivot to China. Ajamu talks about why this is relevant to Black people specifically and what we can expect in the future. 

 <...

This episode includes reflections on the historic tactics to counter the Confederate Memorial Day Rally at Stone Mountain. It also features co-host Musa's recent targeting and detainment by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in early April. RAP interviewed special guest, Atlanta rapper Khamansha Raphael and played exclusive unreleased tracks from his forthcoming album. The show concluded with a lifting up of Political Prisoner, Imam Jamil Al-Amin, who is suffering from poor health in prison for fighting for the liberation of all-oppressed peoples.

______

This audio is from a live recording on Monday, April 21, 2025 from 7pm...

This audio is from a live recording on Monday, March 17, 2025 from 7pm to 8pm on WRFG Atlanta 89.3 FM.

Hosts: Dartricia, Musa, and Steven
Producers: Leyla and Taylor

RAP, Revolutionary African Perspectives, is a public affairs program airing every Monday from 7pm to 8pm EST.

For more information, including an archive index of past RAP programs, or to listen to episodes live each week, visit https://wrfg.org/rap/

--
In this episode we talk about the Bowen Homes housing projects, Andre Dickens' run for reelection, Walter Rodney's How Europe...

In this episode of Groundings, I speak with professor Haruki Eda to discuss the Korean struggle for sovereignty, the impact of U.S. imperialism on the Korean Peninsula, and the ongoing U.S. Out of Korea campaign by Nodutdol. Haruki provides a deep historical and political analysis, drawing connections between the Korean struggle and global anti-imperialist movements, including Palestinian liberation, African decolonization, and resistance to U.S. hegemony worldwide.

The conversation covers:
✔️ The history of U.S. involvement in Korea, from colonial division to present-day occupation
✔️ The U.S. Out of Korea campaign and its goals

This episode was recorded in the first week of August, 2024. 

Dr. Gerald Horne discusses his new book, "Armed Struggle: Panthers and Communists, Black Nationalists and Liberals in southern California, Through the Sixties and Seventies."

Please forgive the minor audio issues here and there. 

Onyesonwu Chatoyer joins as a co-host .

Activist and professor Tamanisha John joins Musa and Erica to discuss U.S. and Western imperialism in the Caribbean, the U.S.-backed invasion of Haiti by Kenyan forces, and the genocidal U.S. blockade of Cuba. 

The Walter Rodney speech can be found in full here. 

Check out Liberation Through Reading here. 

Activist, journalist, and lawyer Anoa Changa joins to talk about her father, Black Liberation Army (BLA) member and former political prisoner Baba Masai Ehehosi, who transitioned on April 1, 2024. The conversation touches Baba Masai's lifelong commitment to Black liberation, sovereignty, freeing political prisoners, and the abolition of the prison-industrial complex. Anoa shares personal reflections on her father's impact and experiences on life and activism, as well as his influence within organizations like Critical Resistance, The Jericho Movement for Political Prisoners, and the Republic of New Afrika.

Listeners will gain insight into Baba Masai's enduring dedication to justice, his...

Political organizer, community worker, and former political prisoner Jihad Abdulmumit discusses his life, and the Jericho Movement for Political Prisoners.

Hussein Al-Rahman Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network discusses the struggle for Palestinian prisoners, some of the resistance tactics imprisoned Palestinians have used, and the importance of uplifting Palestinian prisoners. They also discuss the case of popular Palestinians figure Walid Daqqa, who wrote the episode's opening story, "Uncle, Give Me A Cigarette," read by comrade Bisan. 

Learn more about how you can support Samidoun here. 

Check out the Palestinian Youth Movement here. 

Read "Uncle, Give Me A Cigarette" here. 

Support the podcast at Patreon.com/HalfAtlanta or by purchasing a copy of Aliv...

How did we get to an entire grassroots "industry" dominated by billionaire philanthropists? How do they influence and politically limit the "organizing", activism, and advocacy that thousands of people engage in? And most importantly, how does the Nonprofit Industrial Complex act as a force of counter-insurgency against the working, organizing masses?

These are just a handful of important questions that Hiram Rivera, Executive Director at the Community Resource Hub for Safety & Accountability answers in his conversation with co-hosts Erica Caines and Musa Springer. 

Support Erica's Patreon here. 

Support Musa's Patreon here. 

Int...

The goat 🐐 himself Dr. Gerald Horne joined me for a special bonus episode of the groundings podcast. We discuss the current state of global politics, imperialism in crisis, the potential for a new multipolar world,,growing contradictions and splits among European colonizers,,and the rising fascism across the west. 

He also answers some questions submitted by Patreon subscribers! If you enjoyed this 'bonus' episode, consider checking out our Patreon at Patreon.com/Halfatlanta, where more of these special episodes are posted every month, and where subscribers can submit questions to podcast episodes. 

Tune in, let me kn...

This is audio from a panel discussion about the role of artists against imperialism and apartheid, that took place on November 29, 2023 in Atlanta, GA. Our focus was on the genocide unfolding in Palestine, however the topic spans many relevant points related to art, revolutionary movements, and more. 

We expected about 40 people to show up, and instead nearly 100 did, and we had people sitting on the floors, in people's laps, and even 4 rows of chairs outside the room in the hallway listening. 

The panel was hosted by WRFG, Artists Against Apartheid, Atlanta Radical Art Collective, and th...

"the apocalypse" by Musa Springer, Protean Magazine, Nov. 3, 2020

Nick joins the show to provide a comprehensive and riveting breakdown of the struggles faced by Leonard Peltier, one of the longest held political prisoners in the world, incarcerated for almost five decades. We dive into  the history of the American Indian Movement (AIM), the blood counter-insurgency war waged by the U.S. government against AIM, the critical implications of Peltier's case, and the broader context of Indigenous resistance in the United States.

In a recent article, Nick writes: "The way Leonard Peltier tells it, he was a criminal the day he was born — but not by cho...

In this episode of the Groundings podcast, host Musa Springer talks with Dr. Akinyele Umoja, a scholar, activist, and author, about the notorious COINTELPRO program. This program was led by the FBI and local police departments, and was an all-out war on Black organizers. This episode delves into the history, consequences, and the struggle led by Black organizers to expose the violent program.

Dr. Umoja provides a comprehensive understanding of the COINTELPRO program, its inception, and first-hand account of its impact on Black liberation movements in the US. The episode begins with a discussion about Assata Shakur...

Dr. Gerald Horne, the 🐐historian and author of "Race to Revolution: The U.S. and Cuba during Slavery and Jim Crow”, discusses the intricate history of race and slavery between the U.S. and Cuba, the profound influence of U.S. slavery on Cuban society and politics, and the ongoing consequences brought on by the U.S. Blockade.

Dr. Horne discusses what slave resistance in Cuba looked like, the Haitian Revolution's deep significance and far-reaching impact on the Caribbean, and the surprising connections between Confederate slaveowners and the white Cubans who fled the island following the revolution in 19...

Activist and musician Baba Bilal Sunni-Ali, of the Jamil Al-Amin Action Network, joins Groundings to discuss the life, legacy, and impact of current political prisoner Imam Jamil Al-Amin.

Formerly known as H. Rap Brown, Imam Jamil Al-Amin was once one of the Amerika's most well-known Black revolutionary activists. A former member of SNCC, Jamil Al-Amin was framed for a crime in 2000, and despite a mountain of evidence showing his innocence, he's sat as a political prisoner ever since. 

Baba Bilal Sunni-Ali discusses the legal matters related to Al-Amin's case, the current movement to free him, a...

In this episode, we discuss the story of Sundiata Jawanza, who has been in prison since 1995 on a life sentence. Sundiata has spent the last 28 years working towards self-development and has become a beacon of hope for others in prison; he's a selfless advocate for prisoners' rights, is a peer counselor where he supports the mental health of fellow incarcerated people, and provides legal aid and education through his work as a founder of the organization Jailhouse Lawyers Speak. He has also served as the Imam, providing spiritual guidance to the entire prison Muslim population.

Jay and...

In this episode, poet and activist Too Black joins to discuss the incredible story of the Pendleton 2. We dive into the details of the 1985 uprising at the Pendleton Correctional Facility and explore the factors that led to this critical event: racial tensions and a violent prison environment created by guards who were part of a KKK splinter group, the "Sons of Light," pushed John 'Balagoon' Cole and Christopher 'Naeem' Trotter to take a courageous stand against racist prison abuse.

Too Black gives us a play-by-play of the day's events, highlighting the importance of unity among prisoners in...

We sit down with Slank and Sunny Ture to discuss their new album, "Nation Time." 

Throughout the episode, we delve into the creative process behind "Nation Time," discussing the themes, concepts, and inspirations that shaped the album. We examine the samples used throughout the project, including speeches from influential figures like Amiri Baraka, Malcolm X, Tupac Shakur, and Edward Onaci. Additionally, we take a closer look at the album's bibliography and its connection to the politically conscious roots of hip-hop, with standout tracks like "Black Belt Thesis" and "Devil in the Details."

Read the full N...

In this episode of Groundings, host Musa Springer is joined by Atlanta organizer Tunde Osazua as co-host; they sit down with local organizer and lawyer Kamau Franklin to discuss the ongoing struggle surrounding the development of Cop City in Atlanta. Kamau provides insightful analysis on the background and larger political context of Cop City, the response from organizers and residents, and what makes this specific movement so important.

We dive into Cop City origins, Kamau explains that the idea of the facility started prior to the 2020 uprisings, but after the uprisings, it was brought forth and rushed...

Just two months before his 20th birthday, Black Panther and Black Liberation Army members Jalil Muntaqim was captured by enemy forces along with Albert “Nuh” Washington, and made into one of the longest-held political prisoners in U.S. history.

Muntaqim joins the show to discuss his revolutionary life, his long history of organizing for incarcerated people, and his own political incarceration. We also get into a crucial paradox: the imagery of the Black Panthers is very popular now, with capitalists like Beyonce and Marvel profiting from the aesthetics of the organization, while the actual lives of surviving Blac...

In this conversation from March 2022,  reproductive justice practitioner, organizer, researcher, and educator Jalessah Jackson speaks about decolonial feminism, a framework that forges material feminist solidarities through an examination of the relationship between gender and colonialism. We discuss the origins of this intellectual and organizing framework, its relationship to bourgeois and carceral feminisms, material international solidarity work, and the role of scholar-activism. Get into it!

Check out the decolonial feminist collective at instagram.com/decolonialfeministcollective / 

The music you hear was produced by the homie JayOhAye , support them at www.jayohaye.com / 

Support Grou...

Reproductive justice practitioner Jalessah Jackson and public health professional Debbie Billings join us to discuss the recent leak by SCOTUS, which showed they are prepared to overturn abortion rights in the U.S.

We put this decision by SCOTUS into the overall political context, discussing how it relates to other fascist assaults on TLGBQ rights, and is part of a larger fascist 'backlash.' We also discuss maternal health internationally, why a people-centered human rights framework is vital, and the power of mutual aid and other grassroots organizing in the face of state violence. 

...

Dr. Horne’s books ‘The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism’ and ‘The Dawning of the Apocalypse’ are essential readings in understanding the original sins of empire, the worlds that settler colonialism precluded, and the apokalyptic transformation the world is experiencing today. Our conversation moves across subjects of colonial technology and weaponry, Africa's underdevelopment, and how our material conditions within empire are directly tied to the material conditions across the African continent and diaspora.

Dr. Horne also candidly reflects on his own writing process, how he’s such a prolific and productive writer and activist, and the stakes of doing rigoro...

Christian churches are found on virtually every corner across the African world, from the continent to its expansive diaspora, and their role in the affairs of Africans have long been called into question. How did a foreign religious practice gain so much influence across Africa, and why are millions of Africans devoutly following the religion even at the expense of their own indigenous practices? How do the legacies of enslavement and colonization inform Christian thinking, and how do these legacies influence the neo-colonialism of the African world today? How do other religious or spiritual practices, like Islam or Voudou...

From Claudia Jones and Safiya Bukhari, to Assata Shakur and Dr. Patricia Rodney, the impact of Black women radicals has created monumental shifts in the way we think, organize, and survive. In this episode we're joined by community organizer and writer Erica Caines and professor Charisse Burden-Stelly, who dive into a deep history of important Black communist women figures like Claudia Jones. We discuss what makes their work so important, why they have such lasting relevance, how we should engage their work, and why there's a battle going on to dissociate them from their communist politics. 

In t...

Armed uprisings across the Caribbean can often be portrayed as spontaneous and isolated events that were largely unsuccessful. In fact, these efforts have informed each other across time and can reshape how we think about imperial domination in Africa and across the Americas.  The Christmas Rebellion, sometimes called the Baptist Uprising, is the largest rebellion in Jamaica's history, and it reveals the importance of continued resistance and pushes us to rethink what we call ‘successful’ revolts by the enslaved. 

Writer and organizer Q. Anthony Omene joins us to discuss this and much more, in the first episode of Gro...