Ep42: Civil Disobedience with Faith Kasina When does breaking the law become the only way to survive? In this episode, we sit down at the Kayole Social Justice Centre with organizer Faith Kasina and members of the Centre to explore civil disobedience in moments when the state fails its people. Faith walks us through protest organizing during COVID, the realities of living under Article 43 violations, and how communities confront gunism, police violence, and the politics of being branded as criminals while demanding dignity. This is a direct, honest conversation from those living the struggle daily.   Key Ideas and Highlights   Civil disobedience emerges when government directives clash with lived reality, especially in informal settlements lacking food, water, housing, and healthcare. Gunism is rooted in economic deprivation and political manipulation; organizers share how political education and exposure are used to reclaim young people from being weaponized. Peaceful protesters are often branded as violent, yet protest remains a constitutional right. The community shares strategies for navigating this risk while staying grounded in justice.   Licensing Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our work is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources and Show Links Kayole Community Justice Center Article 43 of the Kenyan Constitution Civil Disobedience Beautiful Trouble toolbox   Credits Host: Monica Kamandau Guest: Faith Kasina and Kayole Social Justice Centre members Producer: Rodgers George Music: Beautiful Trouble and Mwaduga Salum

What is the true story behind America’s gun culture beyond Hollywood’s dramatised scenes?In this Smoke Signal, we unpack the myths, realities, and politics behind gun violence in the United States through lived experience, global perception, and the unchecked power of the gun industry. Growing up outside the U.S., many of us see America through movies: chaotic streets, armed civilians, danger at every corner. But how much of that imagery mirrors real life? In this conversation, we explore how easy access to guns, racialised oppression, economic precarity, and political mythology fuel a crisis that has become tragically normalised. From childhood gun training to mass shootings, from Walmart gun aisles to parents organizing for their children’s safety, this is a raw look at a nation shaped by firearms. Key Ideas and Highlights Hollywood vs. Reality: Movies exaggerate, but the core problem is real — guns are incredibly easy to access in the U.S., shaping both culture and violence. Race, Power, and Mythology: America’s obsession with guns is tied to white settler identity, political polarisation, and billion-dollar lobby groups like the NRA. Everyday Consequences: From children pretending to be armed for safety to families losing loved ones over a bag of food, gun violence reflects deeper economic and political failures. Licensing Anyone can use this podcast for free with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and may be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox. Resources & Show Links Home | Moms Demand Action Research on the U.S. gun lobby and NRA influence (https://bit.ly/4asCSFc)  Articles on Walmart’s role in firearm sales (https://bit.ly/445b71C)  Credits Hosts: Phil Wilmot & Rodgers George Music: Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum

What happens when a movement falls in love with one tactic?In this episode, we visit Githurai Social Justice Centre to explore how Kenyan organisers can move beyond protest fatigue and rethink the power of people-centred strategies. Njoki Gachanja is a community organizer, political and social justice activist, and community lawyer. She coordinates the Githurai Social Justice Centre, where she works with youth, artists, and local networks to build people power from the ground up. Njoki walks us through why mandamano became so central, what its limits are, and what it will take to build fresh, effective, and unified tactics for today’s Kenya. Key Ideas and Highlights Anger fuels action, but anger is not a strategy. Effective organizing requires clarity, love, unity and the courage to imagine alternatives, not only resistance. Kenya’s most powerful organizing spaces are not always the streets. Churches, football pitches, TikTok, markets, and clubs already gather thousands and can be transformed into political education spaces. We win when our currency is truth. In the digital age, political clarity, fact checking, and fidelity to the people are essential for resisting misinformation and building sustainable movements. Licensing Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox. Resources and Show Links Githurai Social Justice Center (Facebook, X) Beautiful Trouble toolbox Credits Host:Monica KamandauGuest: Njoki GachanjaProduction: Rodgers GeorgeMusic: Beautiful Trouble and Mwaduga Salum

How do millennials and Gen Z work together in social movements when their values, experiences, and approaches often clash? In this episode of Troublemakers (TM) Smoke Signals, we explore intergenerational dynamics in activism, examining the tensions and opportunities that arise when younger and older generations collaborate or collide.   Key Ideas and Highlights: Different Values, Shared Goals: Millennials often emphasise respect for hierarchy and experience, while Gen Z demands accountability and direct action. Understanding these differences is key to effective collaboration. Mutual Learning Across Ages: True solidarity happens when generations engage in genuine relationships, mentoring, and shared learning. Eldership is earned through curiosity, presence, and openness, not simply age. Shared Struggle Against Systems: Economic pressures, systemic inequities, and structural power imbalances affect both generations. Recognising common challenges fosters solidarity beyond generational divides. Licensing: Anyone can use this episode for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). We operate under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and draw inspiration from the Beautiful Trouble toolbox. Credits: Hosted by Phil and Rodgers George | Produced by Rodgers George | Music by Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum | Edited by Monica Kamandau

Why Are We Obsessed with Being the Hero? In this episode, Dr Mette Fog Olwig, a geographer, author, and storyteller, examines how “hero narratives” shape global climate, sustainability and development responses. Her new book, A Bit Too Simple: Narratives of Development, Sustainability and Climate Change (Cambridge University Press, 2025, open access), looks at the origin and current iteration of these hero narratives, starting with the problematic narrative of the “white man’s burden”, and exposes how they sideline the real voices living through the crisis. Key Ideas and Highlights The Hero Narrative in Climate ActionMette reveals how some “sustainability” efforts, such as many carbon offset initiatives, turn practitioners, companies and consumers into heroes of global rescue stories—overshadowing the real, complex struggles of affected communities.  The Power and Peril of Meta-NarrativesBig stories about progress and heroism can inspire action, but they can also erase nuance and silence local voices. Storytelling as Organizing Inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, Mette shows how storytelling isn’t just communication; it’s collective organizing that builds power and shared purpose.  Licensing Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.  Resources & Show Links A Bit Too Simple: Narratives of Development, Sustainability and Climate Change by Mette Fog Olwig – Cambridge University Press, 2025 (open access) Explore the Beautiful Trouble Toolbox: https://beautifultrouble.org Credits Host: Phil Wilmot | Guest: Mette Olwig | Producer: Rodgers George | Editor: Monica Kamandau.

How do we unlearn the colonial logic of “good development”?   In this episode, Ugandan filmmaker and theatremaker Patience Nitumwesiga reflects on Paulo Freire’s and Augusto Boal’s ideas, exploring how art, story, and imagination can awaken critical consciousness and challenge imposed notions of progress.   Key Ideas   Unlearning the “banking model” — Knowledge already lives within communities; true learning begins through shared reflection.   The burden and gift of awareness — Once awakened, we cannot return to ignorance; awareness demands creative resistance.   Decolonising “development” — African ways of life are not backward but expressions of freedom and identity.   Licensing This episode is free to use with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast), under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources & Show Links   🎬 Movie link: https://www.thewomanwhopokedtheleopard.com   Credits Host: Phil Wilmot | Guest: Patience Nitumwesiga | Producer: Rodgers George | Editor: Phil Wilmot | Studio: Troublemakers MS TCDC | Music: Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum

What does it mean to seek justice in a system that thrives on injustice?In this powerful reading, Sungu Oyoo, a Kenyan writer, activist, and pan-Africanist affiliated with Kongamano La Mapinduzi and Mwamko, revisits the words of Sam Mugumya, author of We Refuse to Be Victims. Key Ideas and Highlights Injustice as Everyday LifeSungu’s reading reminds us how injustice is normalised, becoming the air the marginalised breathe. The Political Resonance Through Mugumya’s words, we hear echoes of many others silenced across the continent. A call to remember, resist, and refuse to bow. LicensingAnyone can use this recording for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Resources & Show Links We Refuse to Be Victims by Sam Mugumya: https://bit.ly/4mZyHDDCreditsReading: Sungu OyooProducer: Rodgers GeorgePoet: Sam MugumyaRecording: Trouble Makers

In this Smoke Signal, Njuki Githethwa reads from the newly published collection ‘We Refuse to Be Victims' by Ugandan activist and poet Sam Mugumya. His words remind us that courage, dignity, and resistance are possible even under the harshest conditions. Sam visited Nairobi in August 2025, where he met with grassroots collectives from informal settlements, inspiring hope and solidarity. Days later, upon returning to Uganda, he was arrested and has since disappeared into incommunicado detention. His poetry, written through years of imprisonment, survives as both testimony and torchlight.   Key Ideas and Highlights   Defiance in Captivity – Sam’s verses were born in jail cells, yet they speak of freedom and unbroken will. Turning the Gaze – His poems insist that the real victims are despots enslaved by their own corruption. The Role of Art in Struggle – Poetry as a tool of survival, resistance, and inspiration across Africa’s liberation movements. Solidarity Beyond Borders – How words shared in Nairobi echo in Uganda, the Congo, and across the continent. Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources & Show Links Trouble Makers Linktree: linktr.ee/troublemakers.podcast   Credits Host/Reader: Njuki Githethwa Poet: Sam Mugumya Producer & Audio Editor: Rodgers George Podcast editor: Monica Kamandau Music: Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will,” Frederick Douglass What does it mean to choose your battles wisely? In this episode, host Phil Wilmot sits down with Zambian activist Villy Nawa to unpack the strategy of isolating targets and forcing institutions to account for their failures. From his first protest as a boarding school student demanding decent food to spearheading the Fix ZESCO campaign against Zambia’s national power utility, Villy shares stories that reveal the art of strategy in social movements. Rather than targeting the president or parliament with their fire, the movement held one institution accountable, and that decision reshaped the fight.   Key Ideas and Highlights Everyday Struggles Spark Resistance: How bad food and arbitrary punishments at school inspired Villy’s first protest. Narrative Is Power: The government reframed loadshedding as “you have nine hours of power” instead of “15 hours of power cuts.” Activists had to learn to frame their story just as skillfully. Pick the Right Target: Why focusing on ZESCO, rather than the presidency, created space for pressure and accountability. Attribution: Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources & Show Links Choose Your Target Wisely Nawa’s Bio Pillars of Power   Credits Host: Phil Wilmot Guest: Villy NawaProducer & Audio Editor: Rodgers GeorgeEditor: Monica Kamandau Music: Beautiful Trouble and Mwaduga Salum

In this episode of Troublemakers (TM) Smoke Signals, we revisit an article written just before the Covid pandemic: Is the rising obsession with digital security paralyzing people power? What started as a reflection on the flood of digital security trainings resurfaces today with new urgency, amid accelerating AI, techno-feudalism, and state and corporate espionage. The internet once felt like a commons — a democratic space where we could build communities around shared interests. Today, despite the name “social media,” many feel more detached than ever. At the same time, movements are told to delay action until every security risk is eliminated. But history and lived experience remind us: risk never reaches zero.  Licensing Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Acknowledgment Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources & Show Links Full article: Is the Rising Obsession with Digital Security Paralyzing People Power? Darya Alikhani on Practising digital security Contact us: troublemakersthepodcast@gmail.com Listen to more episodes: linktr.ee/troublemakers.podcast   Credits Host: Phil Wilmot Producer: Rodgers George Editor: Thompson Luzendi Music: Beautiful Trouble and Mwaduga Salum

Is nonviolence truly the higher ground, or is that just a myth handed to the oppressed by those in power? In this fiercely honest conversation, South African lawyer, activist, and former parliamentarian Magdalene Moonsamy returns to the mic to confront the moral binaries surrounding resistance, liberation, and the cost of freedom.Key Ideas and Highlights; The Violence – Nonviolence TrapMagdalene challenges the neat binaries of Gandhi vs Malcolm X, showing how these narratives have been weaponised to tame liberation struggles. Land, Dignity, and JusticeFrom South Africa to the global stage, she argues that land redistribution is not just an economic issue; it’s about dignity, belonging, and the end of structural violence. Colonial Legacies and ReparationsThe discussion unpacks how racism, caste, and class oppression intersect, making the demand for reparations inseparable from the fight against ongoing exploitation.Succession and Collective LeadershipMagdalene emphasises that movements thrive not through policing or gatekeeping, but through delegation, distributed leadership, participation, and a movement culture that is inter-generational culture-building that spans generations.Slavery, War, and the United NationsDrawing on history and present failures, she links modern war to the persistence of slavery—both physical and mental—calling for deep institutional transformation. LicensingAnyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.AcknowledgmentOur podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.Resources & Show LinksListen to the episode: Episode 36 – By Any Means NecessaryExplore all episodes: Trouble Makers on LinktreeTo learn more on distributed leadership, non-violent discipline and movement culture, check out the Uprising and Peak GOLD course CreditsHost: Phil WilmotGuest: Magdalene MoonsamyProducer: Rodgers GeorgeMusic: Beautiful Trouble, Mwaduga SalumEditor: Monica Kamandau

Is nonviolence truly the higher ground, or is that just a myth handed to the oppressed by those in power? In this fiercely honest and far-reaching conversation, South African lawyer, activist, and former parliamentarian Magdalene Moonsamy returns to the mic to confront the moral binaries surrounding resistance, liberation, and the cost of freedom. Key Ideas and Highlights The Violence–Nonviolence TrapMagdalene unpacks the deep flaws in framing Malcolm X vs Gandhi as a binary. “It’s as if there are only two options,” she says, “but human beings have all kinds of contextual conditions.” This isn’t just theory — it’s about lived realities and who gets to define justice. Calling Out GandhiIn one of the episode’s most personal and confrontational moments, Magdalene critiques Gandhi’s legacy in South Africa, including the classism, the quiet partnerships with colonial powers, and the privileges enjoyed by some at the expense of the poor. Beyond Strategy: What Is Liberation?Whether through armed resistance or strategic negotiation, Magdalene argues, the focus must return to the people, their suffering, their agency, and their right to decide how they are to be fought. “The idea that we can police what kind of seed someone else should plant... where does that attitude come from?” LicensingAnyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. AcknowledgmentOur podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox. Resources & Show Links Beautiful Trouble: beautifultrouble.org Credits Host: Phil WilmotGuest: Magdalene MoonsamyProducer & Editor: Rodgers GeorgeRecording: Samora Machel Studio, MS TCDCMusic: Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum

Ep35: Make New Folks Feel Welcome – Part 2 What does it really mean to feel welcome?In this second part of Make New Folks Feel Welcome, we flip the mic and pass it to the people. Real voices share real stories that made them feel like they mattered.  These are stories of kindness, comfort, and quiet inclusion. Then, we sit down with Lennart Dose, an architect deeply engaged in restoration and spatial design, to reflect on what it takes to create physical and social spaces where people can truly belong. Lennart shares lessons from his architectural practice and cross-cultural experiences, drawing striking connections between building structures and building community. Key Ideas and Highlights Fragments of WelcomeBelonging by DesignThe Fear of ChangeCulture vs. Moment Licensing Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox. Make New Folks Feel Welcome is a principle from Jonathan Matthew featured in the Beautiful Trouble Toolkit. Resources & Show Links 🌐 Guest Website: https://lennartdose.com Credits Host: Rodgers George Guest: Lennart Dose Producer & Editor: Rodgers George Recording: Samora Machel Studio Music: Original Troublemakers Theme & Mwaduga Salum.

What happens when we don’t just imagine a better world, but practice it right now? Our host Monica Kamandau speaks with Ally, a creative writer, author-activist, and community organizer from Zanzibar about building truly inclusive communities.  Ally relates his experience with stuttering and how embracing his voice gave him a thirst for storytelling, organising, and helping others reclaim their power through words.   Key Ideas and Highlights   The power of the written word Ally's stutter led him to discover creative writing as self-expression. His stories—fiction and nonfiction “slices of life”—blend humour and observation. They subvert traditional storytelling “beginning, middle, end” norms. Building spaces for listening Ally shares three common mistakes that silence people with speech differences—and how we can instead create supportive, humanizing environments. Challenging the status quo Fluency is often wrongly tied to intelligence or trustworthiness. Ally deconstructs this presumption. In civic spaces—especially during an election year—Ally calls for re-evaluating the harmful narratives that entrench social and political exclusion. Reassessing our blind spots helps us further democratize our societies.   Licensing Anyone can use this podcast free of charge, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox. Credits   Host: Monica Kamandau Guest: Ally Baharoon Producer: Rodgers George Recording: Troublemakers Team Music: Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum.

"Every single time, I’m the first audience I have to think about." – Minentle Luthuli Can you stay true to your story and still move others to act? Should you even try? In this deep and dynamic episode of Trouble Makers, South African filmmaker Minentle Luthuli challenges the idea that artists—or activists—should start by considering their audience. Drawing from personal experience, she speaks about creating stories from the heart first, then trusting that the right people will find them. And yet, she acknowledges a deeper truth: while authenticity gives a story its power, strategy gives it reach. Borrowing from the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, we reflect on this central tension in activism and art: “It doesn’t matter what you think about your poster, film, or protest. All that matters is what your audience thinks.” This episode features Luthuli’s raw reflections on her debut film Heart Attack, how Sarafina! taught her about relatability in storytelling, and why platforms like Netflix often change their stories to target the largest audience possible, and end up not reaching audiences that actually care about the content of the film. Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources & Show Links   Heart Attack by Minentle Luthuli Consider Your Audience by Beautiful Trouble Credits Host: Phil Wilmot Producer: Rodgers George Editor: Monica Kamandau Guest: Minentle Luthuli Recording: Samora Machel Studio Music: Mwaduga Salum & Beautiful Trouble

There’s one style of leadership in which a charismatic, commanding figure sets the agenda, builds a vertical hierarchy, and pulls everyone else along for the ride. But what happens when leadership flips the script?   In this episode of Trouble Makers, we explore the power of supportive, enabling leadership through the work of Juma Erassy, coordinator of the Youth Hub at MSTCDC in Arusha, Tanzania.    Key Ideas and Highlights: Beyond the Classroom: Many university students believe their future begins after graduation. The Youth Hub challenges this, opening up career pathways in climate justice, feminism, and civic engagement, often intersecting across disciplines.   Not a One-Man Show: The Youth Hub avoids the trap of ego-driven leadership by formalizing partnerships with youth organizations through MOUs. This ensures it's not just Juma leading — it's an ecosystem of shared responsibility based on expertise.   Why Enabling Leadership Works: According to the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, a bottom-up, enabling leadership style unlocks the creativity, ingenuity, and innovation of everyone involved. It invites participants to learn new skills, take on challenges, and ultimately become leaders themselves — sustaining the movement long after one individual steps away.   Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.   Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.   Resources & Show Links:   Youth Hub Arusha: https://mstcdc.or.tz/latest/youth-hub-open   Youlead Africa: https://youlead.africa/   Read more about the Enable, don't command principle here.   Credits: Host: Phil Wilmot Producer: Rodgers George Guest: Juma Erassy Recording: MSTCDC Studios Music: Beautiful Trouble & Mwaduga Salum

“You are invited. By anyone, to do anything. You are invited, for all time. You are so needed, by everyone, to do everything. You are invited, for all time.— The Dismemberment Plan, “You Are Invited” Bringing in new people is essential to any activist group that wants to grow in size and capacity, but recruiting is only the first step. Integrating people into an established group can be an even bigger challenge. In this episode, architect Rebecka Blomqvist shares insights on how both organisational and physical architecture can help create spaces where newcomers feel truly at home.   We explore: Why some groups struggle to retain new members and how deliberate attention and intentional design can make the difference. Surprising tactics like removing signage to spark authentic interactions, and the power of cozy spaces that calm the nervous system. The importance of one-on-one relationship building to help new folks feel seen and valued — and why this upfront investment can help people plug in faster and stick around longer.   Rebecka also invites us to imagine: what if activist groups and architects collaborated to co-create spaces that embody community, activism, and hospitality?   Connect with us: Instagram: Troublemakers Podcast Email: troublemakerspodcast@gmail.com Connect with Rebecka: Blomqvist Architecture    Licensing: Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers Podcast. It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

“Imperialism leaves behind germs of rot which we must clinically detect and remove from our land but from our minds as well.” — Frantz Fanon What does liberation mean when the very language of freedom is shaped by empire? In this episode, we speak with Somdeep Sen, political scientist and author of Decolonizing Palestine: Hamas Between the Anticolonial and the Postcolonial, about what it means to struggle for freedom in a postcolonial world. Drawing from personal experience and deep theoretical work, Sen challenges the universalist narratives of human rights, democracy, and justice that often underpin activist discourse. We ask hard questions: Can we be liberated within systems that define what liberation should look like? What happens when activism reuses the same symbolic frameworks as the powers it resists? How can we hear subaltern voices outside the scripts we've written for them? Postcolonial theory complicates easy binaries of oppressor and oppressed. It insists that resistance must also question its own assumptions, ideologies, and categories. It urges us to find what Homi Bhabha calls the “third space” — an ambiguous, non-deterministic zone where new forms of struggle, identity, and solidarity can emerge. Sen challenges us to move beyond performative politics and imagine a liberation that is not defined by the coloniser’s table, but by shared values, radical imagination, and transnational solidarity.   Resources & Show Links: Decolonizing Palestine – by Somdeep Sen (Book)  Beautiful Trouble Toolbox - Postcolonialism Host: Phil WilmotGuest: Somdeep SenProducer & Audio Production: Rodgers GeorgeIntro/Outro Jingles: Mwaduga Salum & Beautiful Trouble

“As things fall apart, what’s the one drink you’d carry into the collapse?” In this episode, we pose the critical question of our time: if we all end up in one ecological safe zone during the polycrisis and are only allowed one alcoholic beverage for the rest of our lives... what drink are we bringing with us? We’re joined by Mia, Maggie, and Malemi, who gamely dive into this hypothetical apocalypse: Mia goes with... apple cider. Maggie: Team Budweiser. Malemi also sides with beer. “We just hope the island beer doesn’t give us hangovers — especially if it’s unlimited. That would be a nightmare.” There’s also a touching ancestral link to apple trees and cider... but the sugar content might make it unsustainable for eternal sipping.   So where did we land? Cider: Refreshing, crisp, but high maintenance (bathroom-wise). Beer: Reliable, social, versatile — maybe not exciting, but comforting. Stronger stuff? A tempting shift... but we didn’t see that coming. So now we ask you: What alcoholic beverage are YOU bringing into the polycrisis? Tag us, write us, send a voice memo. Let’s build our apocalypse bar cart together. 🍻🌍

Phil, who was a Pro-Palestine campus activist in his university days, reflects on the recent police repression of student protesters at Columbia University and how it's part of a broader assault on pro-Palestinian solidarity movements across global campuses. But beyond the headlines, this episode dives into a deeper question: what counts as learning, and does dissent not create a stronger learning environment?   Phil challenges the idea that protest is a disruption to education and argues that dissent is not just compatible with learning—it is essential to it. Drawing parallels to state repression in Uganda and the weaponization of “order” against public mobilization, we rethink the role of public space, universities, education, and protest in our society. Key Themes & Ideas:   The false dichotomy between protest and academic learning Western pedagogies vs. action-oriented learning traditions The politics of space: libraries, campuses, and the commons The normalization of violence against dissent The necessity of public discomfort for public growthGet Involved: National SJP   Credits:Image: pbs.orgHost: Phil WilmotProducer: Rodgers George