Naptown People’s Radio

Starbucks Workers and Teachers Show Who Has the Power

This week's episode features Sam Shr and Iris of Starbucks Workers United, who remind us of the reason for the season: living wages, dignity, and justice. With our co-producer, Lucas Lee, they cover the unionization attempt, their reasonable demands, the challenges they've confronted and overcome, and the reason for unions in the first place—because they are the only way to protect workers from the dictatorship of the workplace.
Our Naptown Breakdown transitions from workplace to the political dictatorship exercised by the local Democratic Party led by Joe Hogsett and his henchmen. By creating the "Indianapolis Local Education Alliance," constructed to do the opposite of what its name implies, the right-wing is trying to bulldoze their way to privatize our public resources and dismantle all public control over public institutions. But finally, the people are fighting back and challenging the pro-corporate and anti-people narrative that's dominated Indianapolis unchallenged for over a decade.
Co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford discuss the evolution of public schooling in the United States, showing how it emerged as a direct result of the Radical Reconstruction Era until that revolution was overthrown. After providing a brief history of the militant struggles of working and oppressed people to gain access to education and the reactionary responses to undo that progress (including placing corporate businessmen on school boards in the 1890s), they detail exactly what the ILEA is: an unelected body appointed by Mayor Hogsett that will further erode power from the people via the Indianapolis Public School Board. This history matters as we continue the struggle, the outcome of which will be determined not in the Council Chambers but in the streets. That was on display just before the vote at a press conference spoke at the press conference organized by the Indianapolis Education Association and Central Indiana Democratic Socialists of America (with support from the Indianapolis Liberation Center).
For our main segment, co-producer Lucas Lee interviews two leading organizers with Starbucks Workers United Mass Ave. They touch on a range of crucial issues that demand our attention as support for unions is, finally, on the rise once again. They also inform our listeners how they can support their winning campaign.
Finally, Dani gives this week's Circle City Shout Out to none other than Sena Kürk. Born and raised in Türkiye, Sena holds a bachelor’s degree of Psychological Counseling and Guidance from Ankara University and an associates degree in Visual Communication & Design from Ivy Tech. Shas has over five years of experience as a certified yoga instructor.
Sena leads "Emancipatory Motions: Yoga for Movement Building," a member-organization at the Liberation Center. They meet every Sunday from 6-8 pm to engage in a yoga that repairs the damages done by capitalism to our entire bodies by reconnecting us with our selves as beings in complex motion together. We hope to see you as we move to build the movement! To help Sena and the Center out, we ask for a sliding scale donation of $10 - $15 but no one is turned away from a lack (or excess) of funds!
Show Notes:
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"Boots on the Ground!" R.I.P. Kwame Shakur

This week's episode pays tribute to our fallen soldier Kwame Shakur, a brother who was consistently fighting for the freedom and liberation of all people.Our Naptown Breakdown focuses on the recent defeat of the far-right in their redistricting efforts and speculation that "Vop" Osili's announcement he won't seek re-election for the City-County Council means his sights are set on a Mayoral run. The real reasons why a majority of Senate Republicans joined Indiana's 10 Democratic state senators to reject the proposal, despite immense pressure from Trump and groups like the Heritage Foundation. While the overwhelming majority of Hoosiers rejected the redistricting campaign, the reality is that the ruling class in Indiana is divided on the issue. Seeking to avoid an intra-class conflict whose eruption could have serious consequences, they chose to call Trump's implausible threats. Our co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford also question whether Osili, who has enforced the culture of misogyny that defines Mayor Joe Hogsett's administration for years, really represents the voters in District 12.
To keep Kwame Shakur's spirit and words with us, we let Kwame speak for himself. In a concise clip from our August 2019 Liberation Forum filmed by Critical Thought Critique, Kwame talks about his life, political development, ideological outlook, and hope for the future.
Abdullah takes the Circle City Shout Out as an opportunity to honor Kwame and recall the time he spent fighting in the streets with us since we met him in late 2018. Kwame was a leading figure in the 2020 response to the IMPD's 8-hour killing spree. While the protests that erupted were certainly spontaneous, they were also organized after a "Free Them All" Coalition protested prison conditions throughout the winter and spring.
While he wasn't a member of the PSL, he was a dear friend of the Party and a welcome presence at the Indianapolis Liberation Center, where he hosted the inaugural ceremony of the Black Liberation Party.
Kwame Shakur, ¡presente!
Show Notes:
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Is Indy Experiencing a Housing Crisis or a Capitalist Crisis?

This week, co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford dive into the housing crisis in Indianapolis, detailing how unnecessary and absurd it is by comparing it with how a socialist government could not only easily fix the problem but prevent its occurrence in the first place.
The Naptown Breakdown covers the convergence of two protests this past Saturday. The first, called by ANSWER Indiana, was part of a nationwide day of action that involved more than 60 cities across the U.S. showing their solidarity with the Venezuelan people. The second protest, organized by “We the People: Indiana United,” was held to oppose redistricting efforts. While these two events may seem unrelated, interviews with “We the People” Director Amy Kleyla and other protesters show this is not the case. 
Last week's Breakdown discussed the misogynistic murder of Amanda Jones, and this week, we unfortunately have to cover a similar preventable tragedy. On December 6, Brittany Kavanaugh was murdered by her ex-boyfriend even though, like Jones, she repeatedly filed police reports and got a restraining order. The investigation is still ongoing, and Kavanaugh’s ex-boyfriend is helping with the investigation.
Speaking of Indiana’s war against women, our hosts turn to Gov. Mike Braun’s “Family First Workplace” decree by Executive Order on December 2. Several government offices are piloting the program, which effectively forces women to take their children to work for the first six months after birth. Not even accounting for the many caregivers and parents excluded from the order, is it really “pro-family” or “anti-worker”?
Finally, before diving into the local housing crisis, our hosts turn to the paychecks that haven’t kept up with rising rents, as full-time work far from guarantees decent shelter. A 2025 report by Out of Reach – Indiana found that one has to earn $22.18/hr to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment at “fair market rent,” but the average Hoosier earns just $18.05/hr.
The main segment takes up Joe Hogsett’s 2018 plan to end homelessness by 2023, which we critiqued last episode. It’s one thing to critique these plans clearly produced for public consumption. What we need to do is demonstrate that the housing crisis can easily be solved; we need to present a positive vision for the future and what is possible when ordinary people, everyday people like you and me, are mobilized to do something that we care about: provide for ourselves, each other, and our communities.
They compare the homelessness crisis facing Indiana and our city to an “evil government” the politicians and media consistently demonize: the Bolivarian government in Venezuela. Since coming to power, Hugo Chávez immediately began two great housing projects: one focusing on the city and the other on the primarily indigenous populations in the countryside, who were gifted the land they worked by the government. Nicolás Maduro continued the initiative that continues to this day. One major recent breakthrough came in 2022, when the Great Housing Mission of Venezuela delivered 4 million homes to the people. Then last year, the day after International Workers’ Day (May 1), the government announced an additional 4.9 million homes, developed by a woman-led initiative. Among the other milestones, you can watch live footage from our featured speaker Grand Opening Night, Gloria La Riva, who was on the ground when the 2019 Housing Mission Initiative went public.
Abdullah and Ford detail the vacancy rates of luxury condos in downtown Indianapolis. The most conservative estimates place the vacancy rate at 22 percent, which means there are 1,100 luxury units we could (and eventually will) immediately move homeless people into. Considering many of our homeless neighbors are part of families and other units, we could easily accomplish this. Yet if we take into account the larger Marion-County vacancy rate, that leaves an additional 2,416 units available for the approximately 1,800 homeless people in Indianapolis on any given night over the past year. And we would still have more homes than homeless people! After explaining and identifying that contradiction, our hosts translate it into common language we can use to explain the root causes of our “homelessness crisis” to co-workers, neighbors, and everyone in our lives.
Finally, this week’s Circle City Shout Out goes to Wayne Kidd, who stays busy but still finds time to attend and even dedicate his cooking chops to the Center. Wayne first attended our 2023 PSL Black August Forum feat. Jamil Cambell. He approached us about hosting Yessal Gui’s (The Renewal’s) celebration of Mawlid Al Nabi Muhammad, the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, before our new Center before it officially opened. We were excited one of the first events would be a spiritual, political, and community event. Yessal Gui is a charitable religious organization dedicated to demonstrating the divine love of God worldwide in all areas of life. They are headquartered in Indianapolis, although they have multiple branches in different states. As a Sufi community, they function not only to worship and celebrate God but to practice it in real life. Locally, they engage in various food distribution and other community projects. You can find Wayne at all of them.
Wayne and his son graciously provided excellent vegetarian and vegan meals at our 2023 and 2025 Grand Openings. And while he stays busy, expect to see him and eat his food more often when you're at the Center. Shout out to Wayne Kidd!
Upcoming Events:
Before concluding, we run through another upcoming week of events for everyone looking to plug into the struggle at any level and from any angle.
On Thursday, from 6:30 – 8:00 pm, Indy Hope Packages will assemble winter survival kits at the Center to distribute to our homeless neighbors at Lugar Plaza on Saturday. You can click on the show notes to donate, buy specific items, and all are welcome to the Center that evening. Then, on Sunday from 1 – 2:30 pm, they’ll be distributing the survival kits at Lugar Plaza. Throughout, they’ll be raising consciousness about two points from their 10-Point Program. You can catch Mirror Indy’s coverage of the two events, as well as donate, become a sustainer, or sign up to volunteer!
On Friday, stop by between 6:00 – 9:00 pm for the opening of our first art show at your new Center. Arte Mexicano en Indiana proudly features the work of Salvadoran-American painter Oscar Toloza at the Fonseca Du Bois Gallery. I’ve seen the artwork and it’s striking and quite interesting, and Friday’s a great time to check it out, see our new space, and also check out our new store, of course.
Saturday from 9:30-11 we have our next Circle City Sangha mindfulness meetup, and Sunday from 6-8 pm we have our next Emancipatory Motions political yoga session. And if you’re in New York City or by a computer Saturday at 6:30, be sure to catch the launch of Shaka A. Shakur’s first book, Manifestations of Thought: When the Dragon Comes, which you can pre-order here. The event will take place at The People’s Forum and will be livestreamed and stored on their website, will feature what is sure to be an informative, fun, and energizing call to action with the panelists we’ve lined up: Vernon T. Bateman, Dr. Akili Shakur, Dani Abdullah, Leon Benson, and Derek Ford, who closely co-edited the book with Shaka and Tessa Kockhert, one of Derek’s students.
Now that we’ve released the new Shaka A. Shakur documentary globally, the Shaka Shakur Freedom Campaign is now scheduling screenings in any territory featuring different panelists for each event. It’s a way to continue raising awareness about Shaka’s case, all political prisoners, building a movement to tear down the prison walls for good, and fundraising for the hefty legal dues involved in the campaign. To schedule an event in your area, simply fill out this form on the SSFC website! You can also visit the new Liberation Center Store to pick up our new “Free Shaka Shakur and All Political Prisoners” tees and a range of other accessories that support the Campaign.
As you can see, we stay busy here, so no need to skip back, you can just go to our website to check out the events.
Show Notes:
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Finishing the Fight for Freedom: Making "Across Enemy Lines"

Ahead of the global debut of the documentary, "Across Enemy Lines: Shaka A. Shakur" and the release of Shaka's book, Manifestations of Thought, Cecilia Gomez interviews NPR co-host Derek Ford, who co-directed the film and helped edit the book.
This week's Naptown Breakdown focuses on housing, policing and patriarchy, and the upcoming grand opening of your new Indianapolis Liberation Center. Bracing for a loss of $10 million in federal grant money for long-term housing projects, city leaders are playing the victim. In fact, in 2018 they released a report about "ending homelessness in 2023." The City-County Council entertained the infamous "Sit-Lie" Ordinance, which would have criminalized homelessness, the same year.
Co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Ford send their solidarity and love to the family of Amanda S. Jones who, on November 24, was killed by an abusive partner. Jones' families says she had been trying to leave the abusive relationship for a while, filing multiple police reports and obtaining a restraining order. Relatives say Amanda told officers more than once “you’ll not do something till somebody’s dead." Less than nine hours after Amanda called the police, she was murdered.
While the city leaders and cops don't care about the masses, the groups and volunteers at the Indianapolis Liberation Center dedicate their time, energy, money, and other resources to struggling against the rotten systems that cause so much suffering in our lives. That's why we're excited to invite everyone to the grand opening of your new Liberation Center this Friday, December 5 between 5:00 - 10:00 am. We’re not only celebrating our new headquarters where activists, organizers, collectives, and organizations can collaborate and extend their capacity; we’re celebrating the next chapter in our mission to create a world without exploitation and oppression.
Cecilia Gomez, a leading organizer with the Indianapolis Liberation Center, joins the show this week to interview Ford about the documentary on Shaka A. Shakur he co-directed and about the forthcoming book by Shaka Ford helped edit. The two discuss the significance of Shaka's life, theory, and organizing; the process of editing the book throughout numerous disruptions to Shaka's ability to communicate, and more.
This week's Circle City Shout Out goes to Devon Rush from Live Free Indiana, which is the home to the Black Church Coalition, Validus Movement, and Indy Action Coalition. Devon previously worked at Mental Health for America, putting in work around the clock to make it possible for incarcerated parents to spend time with their children who were in Child Services. Most of Devon's work is behind the scenes; it's not glamorous and he's not in it for any recognition. He's an unsung hero of Indianapolis. Shout out to Devon Rush!

The Looming AI Bubble and the Roots of Redistricting

Bryce Gustafson, an organizer with Citizens Action Coalition since 2009, joins this week's show to explain the proliferation of AI data center proposals in the city and state and update us on the struggles to defeat them.
First, for the Naptown Breakdown co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford address Gov. Braun's Nov. 19 order to deploy 300 Indiana National Guardsmen to Washington D.C. in December. While they train at Camp Atterbury, which is slated to be an ICE detention center, their deployment depends on the outcome of a federal court decision. Veterans and active-duty soldiers are organizing against ICE's reign of terror, like About Face's "Right to Refuse" campaign that organizer Lucas Lee announced in a previous episode.
Next, they turn to the recent "swatting" of multiple Republican senators and City-County councilor Nick Roberts, which entails the threat or use of violence against those who oppose Trump's redistricting efforts. The current swatting controversy is one instance of a long history, dating back to the counterrevolution that overthrew Reconstruction in the late 19th Century. As early as 1938, a Supreme Court justice noted "less than half of one percent" of cases of 14th Amendment cases concerned the rights of Black people. Today's redistricting push is another attempt by the ultra-right to roll back the social gains made during the 1960s-70s.
Having just returned from a Martindale Brightwood organizing meeting to keep Metrobloks out of our city, Bryce Gustafson helps us understand the specifics of AI data centers, the reasons behind the recent rush for their development in Indiana, as well as the looming trillion-dollar economic bubble that even Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai anticipates is on the verge of bursting. Gustafson, who has decades of experience fighting to protect Hoosiers from rising costs of energy, utilities, and health care—not to mention the racism and corruption plaguing the Public Library Board of Trustees—shares his outlook and what every person in Naptown can do to protect our people and city.
This week's Circle City Shout Out goes to Nikki Shumpert, a community member who you can find helping our neighbors in need on a daily basis. Nikki is also a foster mom who has adopted and raised multiple children who have gone on to do amazing things with their lives. Unfortunately, on February 25 of this year, cop Grant Snyder killed one of her children, Adam Sykes. Under Nikki's leadership, PSL Indianapolis and other community members revealed evidence the IMPD was trying to hide from the public. Two days ago, on November 24, Adam would have turned 34. We send our love and heartfelt solidarity to Nikki and the family of fighters she raised. Rest in Power, Adam Sykes!
Before closing out the show, we remind listeners of Circle City Sangha's weekly gathering at the Center this Saturday at 9:30 and announce our new partnership with Emancipatory Motions, a political yoga practice for movement building. Join them this and every Sunday at 6:00 pm at the Center.
Show Notes:
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No to Metrofraud and Terror at River North!

This week, Pastor Denell Howard and Ms. Faye Johnson join the show to discuss the struggle against Metrobloks' proposed data center and who the real criminals are in U.S. prisons.
Our Naptown Breakdown starts with the recent admission by local energy monopoly AES that they imposed outrageous "deposit fees" on customers who already had trouble paying the prices they set. Tyler Fenwick of Mirror Indy reports that one woman was charged nearly $800 before a customer service representative cleared the matter up. Yet she still owed almost $200. Meanwhile, a recent study found the majority of workers in the U.S. couldn't come up with $500 for an emergency, up from 56 percent in a 2017 study. To put that in perspective, Jeff Bezos "earns" $8 million in a single hour. It's no wonder consciousness is changing on a mass scale, even here in Indiana. Last week, people packed a BMV hearing in support of transgender rights and our right to change our gender on state-issued IDs. WFYI obtained written public comments before the first public hearing, which included 1,674 pages of emails in support of that right and only 19 in favor.
Pastor Denell Howard of Hovey Street Church of Christ joins co-host Dani Abdullah for an update on the struggle against Metrobloks and all data centers in our communities. After defeating Google’s data center, Metrobloks tried to squeeze in by claiming their “smaller” and “sustainable.” However, Metrobloks hasn’t built a single data center and they won’t be, at least not in Martindale Brightwoood. Howard and Abdullah highlight the racist forces at play while calling for multinational unity in what is sure to be an ongoing and broadening fight to protect our communities.
Our “Dispatches from Behind the Wire” segment returns this episode. Co-host Derek Ford speaks with Ms. Faye Johnson about a near-deadly November 2 attack by Correctional Officers at River North “Correctional” Facility that put her son Christopher in the infirmary. She was notified about the attack by another inmate, Timmy, who detailed how four guards and a goon squad fired rubber bullets, beat, and used mace against her son because he didn’t want to eat raw chicken. Faye, a nurse at a local hospital, has seen first-hand how guards treat prisoners. She’s witnessed prisoners enter her hospital dead on arrival or in immense pain while guards refuse to let the patient speak and laugh at their injuries while claiming “no one saw what happened.” Chris is in the infirmary with Shaka A. Shakur, and Faye and Derek discuss how, despite the best efforts of health care workers there, the inmates have to band together to help one another do the most basic things, like use the restroom.
This week’s Circle City Shout Out goes to transgender freedom fighter Connie Thompson. If you’ve come to PSL events in the past, you’ve likely seen Connie. She organized our first drag show fundraiser and past Trans Day of Remembrance events and was the lead organizer for Hope Packages during 2021-2023. While Connie left the Party to pursue her acting career, she’s still a comrade and activist, adding to the liberation of our people through the arts. She is currently filming for a project called Nyarlathotep and she was most recently in the live performance of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”
Events:
Don’t forget to stop by the Liberation Center now located at 1619 Prospect St. for the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery’s Trans Day of Remembrance event Thursday from 6-9. On Saturday, join Circle City Sangha at the Center at 9:30 am for their weekly mindfulness meetup. Later that day, Indy Hope Packages will be assembling and distributing their political direct-aid packages at University Park on Meridian St from 1:00 – 3:00 pm.
While Saturday is the New York City premiere of the new documentary about Shaka A. Shakur at The People’s Forum, the worldwide release is set for Thursday, December 4 at 8:30 pm ET. People are organizing watch parties for the global debut of “Across Enemy Lines: Shaka A. Shakur” across the country. You can join the Liberation Center’s watch party that day, learn about the struggle and show your support for Shaka and all political prisoners (doors open at 7:30 pm).
Show Notes:
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Unite for Trans Liberation: The Truth Never Dies!

This Thursday is the Trans Day of Remembrance when, at the Indianapolis Liberation Center, the community will gather to remember our fallen trans comrades and recommit ourselves to the liberation of all people. To explain the origins and significance of the annual commemoration, local activist Brooke joins the show.
This week’s Naptown Breakdown covers a wide range of topics, from Todd Rokita’s lawsuit against the Indianapolis Public School system for its policies that he claims disrupt ICE’s ability to terrorize and kidnap our young people, to the racist murder of ​​Maria Florinda Rios Perez. Perez was shot and killed after she and her husband–with whom she ran her cleaning business–accidentally tried entering the wrong house. The homeowner–whose name the police have not yet released–shot her through the front door. The assailant has hired “gun rights” attorney Guy Redford, although no charges have yet been filed.
Next, Brooke joins the show in advance of the 26th Trans Day of Remembrance. Brooke, who has engaged in the struggle to remove the cops from the Indy Pride celebration, educates us on the history of the commemoration and the connection between this memorial event and the struggle to remove the cops out of pride. As Leslie Feinberg said:
“Genuine bonds of solidarity can be forged between people who respect each other’s differences and are willing to fight their enemy together. We are the class that does the work of the world, and can revolutionize it. We can win true liberation”
Finally, this week’s Circle City Shout Out goes to our dear comrade from Detroit, Leon Benson. Benson spent almost 25 years falsely imprisoned–10 of them in solitary confinement, considered a human rights abuse by the international community–for the August 8, 1998 murder of Kasey Schoen in downtown Indianapolis. When he was 47-years-old, he walked out of the notorious Pendleton prison in early March 2023 as a free man, exonerated on all charges.
Exactly one year later, Benson returned to Indianapolis for the first “Common Unity” celebration and book release held at the Liberation Center. This year, the second “Common Unity 2.0” press conference and concert. After a press conference where Benson and the victim’s sister, Kolleen Bunch, spoke for the first time about their joint lawsuit against the IMPD officers who framed him, the Athenaeum was filled with the sounds of El Bently 448 (Benson’s stage name), Foosie, Mr. Ward 317, and others. Benson continues to inspire us day in and day out, and you can hear his mantra at the beginning of every episode of Naptown People’s Radio: “The Truth Never Dies!”
Show Notes:
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Honoring Naptown's Shirley Graham Du Bois

November 11 marks 129 years since revolutionary artist, organizer, theorist, and teacher Shirley Graham Du Bois was born right here in Indianapolis. Stephen Lane of the Indiana Black Librarians Network joins the show to discuss her life and legacy, which is unfortunately overshadowed by her second husband, the great W.E.B. Du Bois.
Tupac Shakur said it best in an interview during the early 1990s: "They got money for wars but can't feed the poor." Co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford begin the Naptown Breakdown with an analysis of the 42 million people on the verge of losing SNAP benefits while the government pours millions into a possible military intervention in Venezuela as it amasses immense naval resources in the Caribbean. We next turn to the IMPD's "Strategic Draft Plan," which fits on half a sheet of paper, cost taxpayers about $250,000, and, unsurprisingly, does nothing to get at the root causes of IMPD terror. We break down the three strategic priorities in the draft. Finally, we turn to the war on free speech and Jim Rodenbush's lawsuit against Indiana University. IU fired Rodenbush in October for his failure to align the independent student newspaper with the Braun-controlled IU Board's priorities.
Next, Stephen Lane, Treasurer of Indiana Black Librarians Network and volunteer with the Fonseca Du Bois Art Gallery, joins the show to celebrate Hoosier Shirley Graham's life and legacy. Learn about this remarkable revolutionary who is largely responsible for radicalizing her second husband W.E.B. Du Bois and never stopped struggling until her death in 1977 in the People's Republic of China.
This week's Circle City Shout Out goes to Le’Deanna Brown, founder and editor of Midwest Leak Magazine, for her nonstop work advocating for what's right, whether it's popular or not.
Finally, our co-hosts announce that within two weeks the Indianapolis Liberation Center will be moving to a large, accessible store-front property on Prospect St. With the move, the Center's regular programming will resume and expand, and the Liberation Store will have an attractive home where you can cop books, stickers, shirts, and other gear for organizers and activists in today's struggle.
Show Notes:
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Indiana Veterans and Servicemen to Refuse Deployment

As Trump considers using the "Insurrection Act" to justify his deployment of National Guardsmen, many of whom are surrounding our state pending Court proceedings, veterans and active-duty servicemen in Indiana are already organizing to refuse any illegal and unconstitutional orders to participate in the reign of terror against immigrant, working-class, and oppressed communities. Lucas Lee, an anti-war veteran organizer with About Face and a volunteer with the Indy Liberation Center joins the show to discuss the new campaign.
Indiana now has an annual "Day of LOVE," which was announced at a celebration at Newfields to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Robert Indiana's "LOVE" sculpture's placement at the art museum. Appallingly, Mayor Joe Hogsett, who has been embroiled in one sexual assault and harassment scandal after another, issued the proclamation on October 22. That same day, the Historic Irvington Community Council sent Hogsett a letter asking him not to attend their community's annual Halloween Festival "out of respect for survivors of sexual assault." Meanwhile, his colleagues in the City-County Council are using their individual $1 million from this year's budget to finally take care of the city's atrocious potholes--at least the ones in front of their houses. Finally, the last issue co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford discuss in this week's Naptown Breakdown hits on is the recent confirmation by the Indianapolis Airport Authority that ICE is using our airport to three times a week to facilitate their war on immigrants.
As the war escalates, so does the resistance. This week's guest, military veteran Lucas Lee, announces a new organizing effort amongst other veteran and active-duty service members to commit to refusing any deployment orders by Braun or Trump. Lee and Ford discuss the importance of organizing resistance in the military's rank-and-file, the rights of servicemembers to resist unconstitutional orders, why the campaign is starting now, and why it's imperative we stand united in this struggle.
This week's Circle City Shout Out goes to the Indy Gay Market! Indy Gay Market made history in Indianapolis as its first all LGBTQ+ market July 31, 2021. Indy Gay Market uplifts LGBTQ+ artists, makers, and small business owners by providing equitable, artist-led vendor big gay markets in Indianapolis. Through inclusive events, strategic partnerships, and year-round advocacy, they work to create economic opportunities, foster community engagement, and celebrate queer identity. By uniting art, commerce, and activism, Indy Gay Market empowers and strengthens our queer community. The Indianapolis Liberation Center is proud to be one of their community partners.
Finally, Abdullah and Ford urge listeners to call and demand clemency for Kofi Ajabu before November 5!

Is Indy Ready for a General Strike?

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called for a General Strike. General Strikes are routinely called for, but what do they entail? There’s a lot of work to be prepare for one but, as Dani Abdullah reminds us by recounting the historic 1919 Seattle General Strike, our ancestors made sure we aren't starting over from scratch.
Our Naptown Breakdown starts with the new battleground over ICE, with Todd Rokita inviting "Border Czar" Tom Homan to push for the "Fairness Act" this upcoming general session. The legislation would tie law enforcement agencies to ICE. Rokita tried getting it through last session under HB 1531, but it stalled in the Senate after passing out of the House. Rokita also suffered another blow this week after a St. Joseph County judge dismissed Rokita's lawsuit against Sheriff Bill Redman for allegedly violating state law by implementing policies and practices prohibiting staff from cooperating with immigration officials when undocumented immigrants were arrested. We don’t know whether Rokita will appeal or not, but this is a battle that won’t be won only in the courts.
Chicago is a prime example. "Operation Midway Blitz", a campaign launched by the Department of Homeland Security that has so far resulted in over 1,500 arrests in the metropolitan area and multiple deaths in predominantly Latino neighborhoods. Yet the people are fighting back. Business owners are refusing service to ICE and banning them from their restrooms, citizens are following them with microphones and whistles, and school teachers and staff escorting students to and from the building.
On October 13, Mirror Indy opened up another dam exposing the wanton corruption of the Hogsett administration, showing how the Democratic Party has taken on the vibe of a cult. Over a year after indisputable evidence emerged that Hogsett fostered and even encouraged a culture of misogyny and sexual abuse and harassment, we're now learning that when he was finally forced to fire his right-hand man, Thomas Cook, the money kept flowing both ways. Cook got a job at a law firm with close ties to Hogsett and worked with a city agency led by Scarlett Andrews (one of Cook's sexual partners) to secure $80 million in public incentives to projects with ties to Cook’s clients. She even threw her support behind developers against widespread neighborhood opposition – again, showing you who these politicians really serve. And she gave luxury apartments loop holes to get out of provisions requiring affordable housing.
The money is flowing both ways, as Cook's clients became contributors to Hogsett's reelection campaigns.
Meanwhile, only five out of the 25 City-County Councilors have called for Hogsett's resignation. That tells you something: the system, their system, isn’t broken – it’s just slightly embarrassed right now. I’m amazed they’re weathering through it but I am confident that rank-and-file voting Democrats are disgusted and will be open to third-party candidates, ones who don’t bow down to Hogsett or VOP (Voice of the Predators) Osili but stay true to their principles, next election season.
But we don’t have to wait for elections to make changes. Change happens when people come together, unite, and take public space. That’s what happened in two powerful displays this past week. The first was a truly inspiring protest against the Metabloks proposed data center in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood where we shut down the intersection of Sherman and 25th for over an hour.
Then on Saturday thousands of people came out to protest the Trump Administration’s assault on workers. Signs brought to the protest highlighted a number of issues affecting Indiana today, including the attacks on immigrants from ICE, the global climate crisis being exacerbated by AI, and the gutting of essential services. Shout out to Stuart Mora, a former guest on this show and longtime organizer here, for inviting PSL to table at their activist fair. Because the massive outpouring of outrage against the Trump administration is one step, but what to do when the rally is over? How can we keep the energy, enthusiasm, righteous indignation, and collective desire to not only resist but actually transform the conditions under which we’re forced to live? That is exactly why the PSL exists and why we support the Liberation Center.
In our next segment, Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford discuss the history and details of a General Strike. Dani tells the story of the multi-national 1919 Seattle Strike, explaining the particular factors that produced it, how it even resulted in producing pro-Bolshevik sentiment among the masses, and more. Together, Dani and Derek show the General Strike is a powerful weapon because it shows that we have power not only in our ability to withhold our labor but, more importantly, to directly engage in production without the bosses. In this sense, general strikes are socialism in embryonic form.
Finally, this week's Circle City Shout Out goes to our comrade Eduardo Luna, who founded Arte Mexicano en Indiana in 2020. As part of the Liberation Center, Arte Mexicano en Indiana powers to Fonseca Du-Bois Gallery and ensures our city's oppressed and marginalized have a dedicated space to show their work and build community.

59 Years: All Power to the People!

The Black Panther Party, formally founded on October 15, 1966, is often romanticized, subjected to disproportionate scrutiny, or viewed only as an activist organization. In this week's episode, we hear a speech Dakota Fronterhouse—the producer of Naptown People's Radio—delivered on 59th anniversary of the Party's founding.
Fronterhouse provides the historical and material context that birthed the organization, defined its context, and posed immediate obstacles in its pursuit of achieving "Black Power," or "All Power to the People." Placing the group's rise and fall within the international context of the decline of the era of global revolution, Fronterhouse delves into the ideological and political contributions to the struggle while drawing out lessons we can learn from their experience today.

Jada Trainor Beats Police and Prosecutor Mears

Jada Trainor and her husband, Jonathan, join the show this week to discuss their October 1 trial where they defeated trumped-up felony charges of attempting to disarm a police officer and battery against a cop.
Last week's Naptown Breakdown mentioned how Joe Hogsett's Indiana Economic Development Corporation was serving corporate interests and actively opposing the people's. This week, Co-Hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford discuss a recent audit that found rampant luxury travel expenses, undisclosed conflicts of interest, no-bid contracts worth millions of dollars, a lack of transparency, and more. Next we turn to BlackRock's bid to buy energy monopoly AES through a subsidiary named Global Infrastructure Partners they bought last year for $12.5 billion. Minnesota and other states are also under the gun. Why should the world's largest asset manager with $12.5 trillion in the bank control our energy, instead of the people who actually need and use it? In our last section, we turn to higher education. While Pamela Whitten has rightfully been scrutinized for plagiarizing significant portions of her dissertation, poor academic work characterizes the majority of higher education administrators. We focus on DePauw University's Sarah Steinkamp, who serves as Vice President for Communications and Strategy and Chief of Staff. Her 2017 dissertation from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, argues that improving success rates for pregnant students requires "devoting resources to preventing pregnancy in 18-19 year olds, and students of color in particular."
Next, Derek interviews Jada and Jonathan Trainor just days after Jada and her family won a significant and rare victory against the police and their prosecutors. They unveil what happened that day, why the Jury didn't buy it, how the prosecutor's witnesses contradicted each other, why Prosecutor Mears dragged the trial on for over a year, how Eskenazi lied about having video footage pertinent to the event, and how the most aggressive officer, Anthony Sisco, was later fired from Eskenazi. Unfortunately, he is now an ICE officer and a cop with the Southport Police. While the was acquitted on the most serious felony charges, she was convicted of resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor. Her attorney immediately filed a motion to appeal that bogus charge. So the victory is secured but we will remain by the Trainor's side as they squash this final bogus charge.
This week, Dani Abdullah gives the Circle City Shout Out goes to Minister Jamil Campbell. A Haughville native and a Minister at Light of the World Christian Church. Minister Campbell has been a friend of the party and involved with the Indy Liberation Center since August 2023 in which he spoke at our Black August liberation forum. Minister Campbell’s life work centers on liberation not just through the bible but also through his actions. He shows up for the community not just on Sundays but every day of the week through volunteer work in the community and takes special note of working with and for the youth of our community. Most recently he was a participant at our Youth Safety in Indy Town Hall Meeting at the Liberation Center. Minister Campbell is a great example of what it looks like to show up for the community and how liberation looks different for everyone depending on what your calling is.
Show Notes:
"IEDC Audit Details Undisclosed Conflicts, 'Potential for Favoritism,'" Lauren Chapman, Indiana Public Media
"BlackRock Unit Close to $38 Billion Deal for US Energy Firm AES," Martina Markosyan, Renewables Now
"The Effects of Pregnancy on Student Progress," Sarah Steinkamp (Dissertation), Southern University of Illinois - Carbondale
"Jada Trainor Wins Victory against Medical Racism and Police Terror," Dani Abdullah, Indianapolis Liberator
"U.S. Veteran Speaks after Startling Police Attack," Destiny Glover, Indianapolis Liberator
"Attacked by Cops in 2024, Jada Trainor Waits for Day in Court," Derek Ford, Indianapolis Liberator
"Black August and Black Liberation Theology," Jamil Campbell, PSL Indianapolis
"Free Darius (Hakim) Printup from Unjust Solitary Confinement!" Indianapolis Liberator
"October Levitt LIVE Music Series," Arte Mexicano en Indiana, Indianapolis Liberator
"As the Summer Ends, Let's Take the Fight to New Heights!" Indianapolis Liberation Center Volunteers, Indianapolis Liberator