Episode 22: “It Could Have Been Me”: Perspectives on the Fight for Racial Justice and the Legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat - Part 2 of 2

L-R: Ware, khan, Adjei, Ahmed and Milan

Listen: 52:55

On February 5th 'First Thursday' event at the Art Gallery of Ontario celebrated the opening of the exhibition 'Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time'. Preceding an energetic set by hip-hop legend Grand Master Flash, the AGO hosted a panel discussion in partnership with the Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition entitled, "'It Could Have Been Me': Perspectives on the Fight for Racial Justice and the Legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat".

Here, we present the second and final part of the discussion, along with the opening remarks by Alexandria Williams of the Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition and Stephanie Smith, the AGO’s Chief Curator. The panel was moderated by Kim Katrin Milan, and featured artist and educator Randell Adjei, Social Justice Educator janaya (j) khan, Mustafa Ahmed (a.k.a. Mustafa the Poet) of Regent Park and artist/activist Syrus Marcus Ware.

Songs:

Malcolm, Garvey, Hughie by Dead Prez 

Beat Bop by Rammellzee and K-Rob

Links:

Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition
Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now's the Time

Episode 21: “It Could Have Been Me”: Perspectives on the Fight for Racial Justice and the Legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat - Part 1 of 2

L-R: Ware, khan, Adjei, Ahmed and Milan

Listen: 56:55

On February 5th 'First Thursday' event at the Art Gallery of Ontario celebrated the opening of the exhibition 'Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time'. Preceding an energetic set by hip-hop legend Grand Master Flash, the AGO hosted a panel discussion in partnership with the Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition entitled, "'It Could Have Been Me': Perspectives on the Fight for Racial Justice and the Legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat".

Here, we present Part One of the discussion, along with the opening remarks by Alexandria Williams of the Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition and Stephanie Smith, the AGO’s Chief Curator. The panel was moderated by Kim Katrin Milan, and featured artist and educator Randell Adjei, Social Justice Educator janaya (j) khan, Mustafa Ahmed (a.k.a. Mustafa the Poet) of Regent Park and artist/activist Syrus Marcus Ware.

Songs:

The Evil Empire Of by Public Enemy

Public Enemy by Black Dave

Links:

Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition
Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now's the Time

Episode 20: Regent Park Toronto Mayoral Debate - Oct 8, 2014

Listen: 83:33

This week, we present the Regent Park Toronto Mayoral Debate held at Ada Slaight Hall @ Daniels Spectrum on October 8th, 2014. Frontrunners Olivia Chow, John Tory and Ari Goldkind (Doug Ford cancelled the day before) use a lively and substantive debate to offer their solutions for problems vital to the Regent Park community, including affordable housing, child poverty, community safety, youth employment and food security. Special thanks to the Regent Park Mayoral debate Organizing Committee and Regent Park Focus.

Yes, that's our logo in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

Episode 19: Investigative Poetry Night #2 - Climate Change

Edward Keenan

Listen: 48:18

This week, we present a live recording of our second Investigative Poetry Night at La Revolucion, which takes the increasingly dire situation of climate change as its theme. After setting the scene with some works by IP's inventor, Ed Sanders, Louis and Jim host an evening that features poetry by Toronto Star columnist Edward Keenan and cheeky writer

Richard McCarthy and
Indira Nanavati Cadena

Andy Boorman

Andy Boorman, as well as musical interludes from Indira Nanavati Cadena, Richard McCarthy and Michael Keith. A special thanks to the Junction Craft Brewery for sponsorship, and to the crew at La Rev for supporting the local arts and politics scene in the Junction.

Michael Keith

Songs:
You Never Know by Wilco (performed by Richard and Indira)
Genius Next Door by Regina Spektor (performed by Indira)
Beautiful Creatures by Bruce Cockburn
Oh Mother Earth by Neil Young (performed by Michael)

Links:
La Revolucion
Junction Craft Brewery
Edward Keenan
Andy Boorman
Michael Keith
Investigative Poetry

Episode 18 - Maggie's: The Toronto Sex Workers Action Project

Listen: 59:10

This time around, we gathered around a table at the Imperial Pub for a lively and fascinating chat with three advocates from Maggie's: The Toronto Sex Workers Action Project. Maggie’s is an organization run for and by local sex workers whose mission is to ensure that workers of all genders from all areas of the sex trade can live and work with safety and dignity. We talked to Executive Director Jean McDonald, board member Madeleine North and long-time worker and advocate Monica Forrester about the current legal limbo for sex workers in Canada, the drawbacks to the Nordic model and the future of sex work in Canada.

Songs:
The Morning by The Weekend
Private Dancer by Tina Turner
Get Some by Lykke  Li

Links:
Maggie's
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform
After Bedford
Decriminalization Petition
The Imperial Pub

Episode 17 - Ward Wilson Talks Nuclear Weapons

Photo: www.icanw.org/

Listen: 57:25

At Jim's recording intros and extros

In this episode, we present a lecture by anti-nuclear weapons scholar and activist Ward Wilson. Wilson is the Director of the Rethinking Nuclear Weapons Project at the British American Security Information Council, an independent think tank that analyses international security issues.  His book, 5 Myths About Nuclear Weapons (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 2013) challenges the belief that these weapons are militarily useful. In March 2014, Wilson gave a speech at an event hosted by Science for Peace, a Canadian group of natural
scientists, engineers, social scientists and scholars in the humanities that seeks to understand and act against the forces that make for militarism, environmental destruction, and social injustice here and abroad. For more information, visit to scienceforpeace.ca 

Song List:
Nuclear War by Sun Ra
Radioactivity by Kraftwerk
We Almost Lost Detroit by Gil Scott-Heron

Links:

Science for Peace

British American Security Information Council

International Studies Association 55th Annual Convention

Episode 16 - Austerity and the Arts

From left to right: Carmen, Jim and Louis.

 LISTEN - 61:16

This week, we headed down to the Junction highlight Smash, a beautiful, vast, locally-owned showroom for high quality vintage material, furnishings, and fixtures to catch up with Carmen Victor. Carmen is an artist, curator and board member of YYZ Artist Outlet, one of Toronto's most established artist-run centres, who has a long and varied history of engagement with arts and culture  organizations in Canada.

Thanks again to Alder for being such a great host!

We had a loose, fiery and funky chat about the nature and effects of Harper's austerity cuts on the arts, the enduring 
value of the arts of Canada 
and some rays of hope for the 
future.

That's an extra for a movie being filmed outside of Smash
during our interview.

Song List:

Starfucker by Julius
Frankencottage by Dark Mean
Gravity's Rainbow by Klaxon

Guest Links:
Carmen Victor

YYZ Artists' Outlet

Fuse Magazine
Smash

Episode 15 - Mi'kmaq Warriors Speaking Tour Comes to Toronto

LISTEN - 52:08

This show catches a fiery talk by Mi'kmaq Warriors Suzanne Patles and Coady Jipol at The Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre in Toronto's East end. 

Patles and Jipol were on a speaking tour to spread information about their work resisting the encroachment of industrial fracking in the area surrounding Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick, and the legal battles that followed in its wake.

Song List:
Warrior Song - Live From Event


Guest Links:
Mi'kmaq Blockade
Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre

Call for an Inquiry into the 2011 Election Fraud

I asked Jim what I should write a blog post on and he suggested this petition calling for an inquiry into the fraud in the last federal elections, and the robocalls that targeted non-conservative voters.  As always, Jim's innate understanding of important current issues are keen, especially in light of The Fair Elections Act being presented by the Conservatives.  This Act- written and proposed without any input from the Chief Electoral Officer- does nothing to try and ensure that similar fraud cannot happen in the future.  And it's no coincidence that it's being presented in the election scandal's wake.  It feels more like an attack and a strategy than a genuine attempt to improve the election process.  If you think this Act is in anyway something to be proud of, try finding any reference to it on the Conservative's website.

Episode 14 - Sistering, A Woman's Place - Interview with Carol Allain

from left, Carol, Louis and Jim at Sistering

LISTEN - 59:05

Jim and I visited Carol Allain at Sistering, in Toronto, for this episode.  Sistering is a women's organization providing support through programs that enable greater control over their lives. 

This interview is our contribution to the twelfth annual NCRA Homelessness Marathon airing Feb 26th, 2014 from 5pm to 7am on 88.5FM CJSR in Edmonton and streaming from their website at cjrsnews.com. 

Items from Inspirations Studio on sale at Sistering

Carol Allain presently manages Drop In services for the women who need Sistering’s supports and services. 

Items from the Spun Studio on sale at Sistering.

Song List:
Faith Nolan - The Richest in the World
Mighty Diamonds - I Need A Roof
Pete Seeger - Banks Of Marble



Guest Links:
Sistering
Spun Studio
Inspirations Studio
Homelessness Marathon

Episode 13 - Dylan Powell's Activist Life and Fight Against Marineland

LISTEN - 62:44

We spoke to him via Skype from Jim's place.
Yes, Jim's in his pajamas.

Dylan Powell is an organizer in St. Catharines, Ont. Co-Founder of Marineland Animal Defense, #OurScars and the Live Free Collective, Dylan is active in the animal and earth liberation movements, as well as involved in solidarity organizing with the Haudenosaunee of the Grand River, the migrant justice advocacy community and at risk youth in the Niagara Region. Dylan is graduate of Brock University (Honours History) and current Addiction Education student at McMaster University in Hamilton. Through advocacy work Dylan has lectured and spoken across North America and been featured in International news media outlets. Dylan Powell is a life-long activist currently living in Hamilton and being sued by Marineland in a SLAPP Lawsuit.  Among other things, Dylan spoke to us about his upcoming Festival for the Animals.

Song List:
Ted Leo - Nobody's Driving (Amebix Cover)
Test Their Logik - Table's Turnin'
Eric Smith - They're All Fucking Assholes

Guest Links:
www.dylanxpowell.com
Festival for the Animals
Dylan's SLAPP Suit

Episode 12 - The NDP Under Mulcair - A Panel Discussion by Nora Loreto, Katie Arnup and Ritch Whyman

LISTEN: 55:14

For this week’s show we will be listening to a Panel Discussion from the Marxism 2013 Conference to Change the World which was held at Ryerson University from May 31 to June 2, 2013.  The conference was organised by the International Socialists, an organization of activists committed to helping in the construction of such a party through ongoing activity in the mass organizations of the working class and in the daily struggles of workers and the oppressed. Jim recorded the panel discussion titled, “From Orange Wave to Third Way? – The NDP Under Mulcair.”  

Song List:
Phil Ochs: Love Me I'm a Liberal
The Dead Kennedys: The Stars and Stripes of Corruption
The Nightwatchmen: Union Town

Guest Links:
Socialist.ca
on twitter 
on facebook
Marxism2013 Conference
Nora Loreto's Blog

Episode 11 - Why Is Capitalism In Crisis? - A Talk by Pam Frache

LISTEN: 49:00

Jim went to the Marxism2013 Conference at Ryerson University where they graciously allowed him to record some talks, including this one called "Why is capitalism in crisis?” from Pam Frache, a leading member of the International Socialists. She is a former labour researcher and current gracuate student at McMaster University. The conference was organised by the International Socialists, an organization of activists committed to helping in the construction of such a party through ongoing activity in the mass organizations of the working class and in the daily struggles of workers and the oppressed.

Song List:
The Coup: The Guillotine
Billy Bragg: Power in a Union
Tracy Chapman: Talking about a Revolution

Guest Links:
Socialist.ca
on twitter 
on facebook
Marxism2013 Conference

Episode 10 - Some Great Idea - A Book About Toronto's History and Future

From Left to Right: Jim, Louis and Ed

LISTEN: 59:57

We visited Ed Keenan at the offices of The Grid for a discussion of his new book, Some Great Idea, a retrospective of the city of Toronto through a look at three of its main figures William Lyon Mackenzie, R.C. Harris and Jane Jacobs. The book moves on to look a post-amalgamation Toronto and its class divisions as represented by its first three mayors Mel Lastman, David Miller and Rob Ford.

Forgot the Sign! (so I had to photoshop it in)

Song List:
My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style by The Dream Warriors
The Market Song (Devil you know) by Kevin Quain

Guest Links:
Some Great Idea
The Grid
Ed on Twitter
Ed on Facebook

A History of Grid Covers

Episode 9 - Matt Mernagh and the Struggle for Marijuana Rights

L to R - Matt Mernagh, Jim Vernon, Louis Marrone

Paul was a great host.

LISTEN 59:59



In this episode, we share a beer at Pharmacy with Matt Mernagh, a/k/a/ Mernauhuana, the Cannabis Champion of the World. Coach of the Toronto Hash Mob, Mernagh has led the fight for an end to marijuana prohibition since 2002, through a series of legal challenges, public protests and tireless advocacy. We talked about the politics of prohibition, the Canadian anti-prohibition struggle and the global movement to celebrate 4/20.

Song List:

That Ain't Classy by Classified

Teenage Anarchist by Against Me

Links:

mernagh.ca

Toronto 420 Rally

The Mernahuana Show

Pharmacy

Episode 8 - The Mining Injustice Solidarity Network

The Telephone Booth Gallery, 3148 Dundas St. W, Toronto

LISTEN 59:52

Sakura Saunders and Brendan Soares, from the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network, sat down with Jim and I at the Telephone Booth Gallery. We used the personal journeys that led them to become mining activists as a road into discussions of Canadian foreign policy regarding mining, some of the sad consequences of it, and the need for homegrown awareness and activism in response.   It's quite a story for this Californian whose passion of justice led her to Toronto and drummer/co-songwriter who's life changed when he went to the Philippines to help change the lives of its inhabitants. 

Sakura Saunders: Sakura Saunders is an organizer for ProtestBarrick.net, an all-volunteer online network of groups researching and organizing around mining issues, particularly involving Barrick Gold. Sakura also co-founded the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network in Toronto which focuses on creating a platform for mining-impacted communities to share their stories in Toronto. 

Brendan Soares: Brendan Soares is the drummer/co-songwriter for the Toronto based politically driven prog-rock band SLYDE. Brendan has been interning with Mining Injustice Solidarity Network since September 2012 and is currently in his final semester in the Community Worker program at George Brown College.

Visual Residue features recent paintings by Paolo Fortin and print 
works by Tim Laurin that explore the ephemeral qualities of 
recollection and memory, transience and isolation. 

The Telephone Booth Gallery: Established in 2010, Telephone Booth Gallery is located in the Junction, a bourgeoning west end Toronto neighbourhood.  The gallery exhibits contemporary Canadian and international artists.  The Gallery Director, Sharlene Rankin, has a keen interest in nurturing emerging talent, with a focus on materials and process-oriented works.



Song List:
Lies by Slyde
Bling is Dead by Test Their Logic

Links:
Mining Resistance SPRING INTO ACTION
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network
The Telephone Booth Gallery
Global Youth Volunteer Network

Outtakes 11:13

Episode 7 - Building Community through Art, Culture and Politics

LISTEN: 62:28

Beit Zatoun is a cultural centre, gallery and community meeting space in downtown Toronto that promotes the interplay of art, culture and politics to explore issues of social justice and human rights, both locally and internationally. Through music, poetry, film, public forums, visual art, conversations and more, Beit Zatoun contributes to an understanding of social and political issues in ways that strengthen and connect both communities and individuals interested in bringing about change.  We spoke to founder Robert Massoud on site.

Songs
Oil Harvest Song - Arabic folkloric from Palestine
"Oh Palestine" by Jim Page
"Where Are All the Children" by Diem Lafortune "Mama D"

Episode 6 - Investigative Poetry Night

Join us at La Revolucion when actor and cheeky writer Andy Boorman is our guest host for a night of investigative poetry - think investigative journalists who are poets. Each poet will introduce a song, performed live, after reading their poems of history and social consciousness.

ATC co-Host and York U professor of philosophy Jim Vernon will provide an introduction to the history of Investigative Poesy, as envisioned by Ed Sanders.

Line-up:

-Poet/Writer Mike Spry with musician Indira Nanavati Cadena Topic: D.B. Cooper
-ATF co-Host/Writer Louis Marrone with musician Ian Goodtimes - Topic: 2002 Senate Report on Cannabis
-Poet Ryan Boggs with musician Richard McCarthy Topic: first nations rights and current living conditions on reservations

The poetry readings will be followed by more live music.

LISTEN

Episode 5 - Must Teachers Sacrifice to Put Students First?

Laura McCoy is a teacher in downtown Toronto and a union steward for the Elementary Teachers of Toronto. She has been teaching in Toronto for 15 years. Laura has two school aged children who greatly benefit from a strong public school system, and remind her that it's worth fighting for.  We recorded this interview with kind permission at The Rustic Owl.

LISTEN

Episode 4 - Next Steps in a Student Revolution

Hugo Bonin is a spokesperson for CLASSE, one of the 3 main student unions in Quebec. He was studying at Concordia University and is now a student at York U. We interviewed him in the wake of the Parti Quebecois' victory in the last Quebec Election.  We interviewed him from Quebec via Skype.

LISTEN