The Next System Podcast

For a new generation of climate activists, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day is not a day of celebration but a day of mobilization combined with a sober critique of why the ideals of the first Earth Day are still so far from being realized.

Dominique Walker left her hometown of East Oakland for university, only to come back to find it gentrified and her neighbors displaced. This week, she shares the story of how she and Moms 4 Housing, an activist group pushing for American recognition of housing as a human right, took direct action against a real estate speculator and reclaimed its property for the people.

As a Black woman leading one of the nation's most prominent philanthropic organizations, La June Montgomery Tabron is taking on the challenge of addressing the impact of systemic racism on families and communities. She talks with Rev. Ronnie Galvin Jr., The Democracy Collaborative's vice president for racial equity and the democratic economy, about the work of truth-telling, racial healing and "looking at the systems that need to shift so that families and children can thrive."

New Belgium Brewing has been held up as a shining example of what could be possible through worker ownership. Bu now that it's been purchased by an international conglomerate, there are new questions about the best strategy and models for turning workers into owners. We talk to Jessica Rose, co-founder of the worker ownership advocacy organization Fifty by Fifty, and to two experts in advancing alternative ownership models, Camille Kerr and Jason Wiener. 

Today's so-called "full-employment economy" still fails millions. We talk to Policy Link's Sarah Treuhaft and Darrick Hamilton of the Kirwan Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity about the campaign for a federal jobs guarantee and why now is the time to fight for transformative changes in the job market.

This week, we sit down with Marjorie Kelly and Ted Howard, co-authors of "The Making of a Democratic Economy". In it, they tell the stories of people that–from Portland to Preston–are already working to establish a just, sustainable, and accountable economy. You can purchase their book online at ademocraticeconomy.org, where you can find an independent bookstore in your area. Full transcripts of all our episodes are available at www.thenextsystem.org/podcast.

This is the second in a two-part discussion with Clark Arrington, a pioneer in the cooperative movement, an innovative legal practitioner, and a leader in the movement for Black economic empowerment.  In Part 2, Arrington discusses his work in Tanzania, following his successes at Equal Exchange, and in the United States today as general counsel for The Working World. He is interviewed by John Duda, The Democracy Collaborative's communications director.

Part 1 of a special two-part edition of The Next System Podcast features Clark Arrington, a pioneer in the cooperative movement, an innovative legal practitioner, and a leader in the movement for Black economic empowerment. He now works as general counsel for The Working World, which provides creative, nonextractive financing and support for cooperatives. He is interviewed by John Duda, communications director for The Democracy Collaborative.

The US is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis, and this edition of The Next System Podcast features people at the front lines of the crisis and activists fighting for solutions based on the principle that housing is a human right: Christy Respress of Pathways to Housing DC, Stephanie Bastek of Stomp Out Slumlords, Tiana Caldwell of KC Tenants, Tara Raghuveerof People's Action and The Next System Project's Peter Gowan. Transcript and past episodes at thenextsystem.org/podcast.

In this episode, we’re discussing how to further democratize rural electric cooperatives and what that means for the communities that these institutions serve. We’re joined by Johanna Bozuwa, Nikita Perumal, and Chris Woolery. We’re talking about their recent collaboration on the New Economy Coalition’s latest toolkit on rural electric cooperatives. https://www.electriccooporganizing.org/ Full transcripts of all our episodes are available at www.thenextsystem.org/podcast.

This week we're featuring a podcast from our peers at The Next World: A Podcast About Building Movements. In this episode, Co-hosts Puck Lo and journalist Sarah Lazare are in conversation about reparations, the Green New Deal, capitalism, and an exploration of the fight against the school to prison pipeline with guest Zakiya Sankara-Jabar of Dignity in Schools Campaign. See more info at https://nesri.org, https://inthesetimes.com, and http://dignityinschools.org.

This episode is hosted by Ronnie Galvin, The Democracy Collaborative's Vice President of Racial Equity and the Democratic Economy.  This week, Ronnie is discussing how best to situation the topic of reparations within the framework of a democratic economy. He is joined by Dr. Ron Daniels of the Institute of the Black World and Dr. Akilah Watkins-Butler of the Center for Community Progress. A full transcript of this episode is available at www.thenextsystem.org/podcast.

One of the key points of contention in the Democratic Primary race is defining what policies and proposals are “radical” and which are “pragmatic.” This week we speak to thought leaders across The Democracy Collaborative to find out precisely what should be on a “wish-list” for economic transformation—and why that transformation in those sectors is more practical than moderates are willing to admit. Transcripts of all episodes are available at www.thenextsystem.org/podcast.

This week we're looking at building worker ownership in the economy from a policy perspective. We're joined by Next System Project Policy Associate Peter Gowan, as well as Mo Manklang, Communications Director for the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives. Transcripts of all episodes are available at The Next System Podcast is available at www.thenextsystem.org/podcast.

This week we are discussing how to design communities for justice, in particular as communities seek to respond to challenges of climate change, with new projects from transit to infrastructure. Isaiah Poole hosts a panel featuring The Next System Project’s Johanna Bozuwa, the Institute for Policy Study’s Basav Sen, and We Act for Environmental Justice’s Michael Velarde. Transcripts for all our episodes are available at www.thenextsystem.org/podcast.