Fan the Flames of Discontent

What this episode covers

“Like music, politics is the shifting between conflict and harmony to find an equilibrium. Cooperation and mutual aid forms the foundation of the democratic process, which aims to find common ground and solutions to social challenges.” -- Dorian Wallace, co-composer Fan the Flames of Discontent “Union (with each other and with the earth) makes us strong.” -- Bonita Oliver, co-composer Fan the Flames of Discontent As pressure on the working class continues to mount, workers in every sector of society are finding their voices. Transit workers are advocating for democracy and anti-racism within their own union, teachers are fighting for safe school re-openings, and in a historic moment last week basketball players in the NBA and WNBA went on strike for Black lives. On today’s episode of Revolutions per Minute, we’re focusing on another type of worker: artists attempting to respond to the social injustices exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 uprising against racist police brutality. We’ll hear from Bonita Oliver and Dorian Wallace, two anti-capitalist musicians and members of the Sing in Solidarity movement chorus, on their brand new work, Fan the Flames of Discontent. Exclusively for Revolutions per Minute, Bonita and Dorian have shared an excerpt from this “wage earners’ cantata” which we will hear in the second half of the show. We also speak to transit worker and NYC-DSA Labor Branch member John Ferretti of TWU Local 100 Fightback Coalition on building solidarity to combat COVID capitalism during this critical moment for organized labor. Join the Local 100 Fightback Coalition Facebook Live stream event featuring Haley Pessin of NYC-DSA, this Friday September 4: https://www.facebook.com/events/3698796863466745 Listen to the world premiere of Fan the Flames of Discontent on Labor Day 2020 (September 7). Details at http://www.tenthintervention.com/songs-for-the-resistance.html.

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