Interdependent Study
by Interdependent Study
Class is in session. Interdependent Study is about the learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation. Interdependent Study is hosted by Damien Franze, an angry Black man from Baltimore who wears his heart on his sleeve, and Aaron Hood, an angry white man from Florida who is always thinking. We’re two friends who work in education and share a commitment to social justice. We believe that we are always learning; always arriving. People constantly learn and unlearn by reflecting on their experiences. Interdependent Study is designed to be a community for this work.
Episodes
-
Policing, Capitalism, & Abolition
Policing (and the police state) is deeply connected to and intertwined with capitalism, imperialism, and anti-Black racism. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Their End Is Our Beginning: Cops, Capitalism, and Abolition by brian bean (and published by Haymarket Books), which explores and...
-
Democrats Woke Socialist Panic
The leadership of the Democratic Party is way too focused on the surge of support for left-wing and democratic socialist candidates as opposed to the fascist administration running the country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Democrats’ ‘Woke’ Panic and the Left’s Response”,...
-
Local Money Feeding Corporate Power
There are so many ways that we are financially contributing to corporate power and the oppression economy through our collective money. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “How Our Money Feeds Corporate Power”, featuring a conversation between Emanuel Nieves (Liberation in a Generation),...
-
Flock, Surveillance, and Data Leaks
Surveillance technology from Flock Security has been installed across the country and is being used in suspicious and dangerous ways by law enforcement agencies. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the pieces “Cops Are Using Flock to Spy on People for the Crime of Standing Around” by Sam Biddle…
more -
Zombies & Racial Othering
There is a clear connection between zombies and foreign bodies—the racialized Other—in our media, pop culture, politics, and society, especially in the aftermath of the September 11th Attacks. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the pieces “Post-9/11 zombie terrorism” and “Zombies at the border”…
more -
Build Relationships, Fight Structures
There’s so much to learn from the life, work, and legacy of civil rights activist, organizer, and lawyer Walter Riley. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Civil Rights and Structural Attacks: Conversations with Walter Riley, edited by Jesse Strauss (and published by AK Press), which...
-
Death Penalties in Israel and USA
There is a clear and chilling connection between the actions of the authoritarian regime of the United States and the authoritarian regime of Israel. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Israel’s New Lynching Law Was Inspired by America’s Death Penalty” by Khury Petersen-Smith in Hammer…
more -
Banking & Broadband for the People
The role and impact of public banking and broadband infrastructure and services is critically important in our lives and for our communities. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Lessons From Fights For Public Control of Banking and Broadband Infrastructure”, featuring a conversation...
-
Interrupting Anti-Trans Copaganda
Anti-trans ideology and rhetoric has escalated over the years, and it is important for the media to be responsible with its reporting and coverage of these issues. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the resource “Don’t Be A Copagandist: Trans Criminalization Edition” by Arielle Rebekah (from…
more -
AI & the School to Prison Pipeline
The role and impact of carceral AI technologies on our children in our schools and communities is extremely troublesome and only serves to push our children into the school-to-prison pipeline. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Algorithmic School-to-Prison Pipeline” by Nicholas E....
-
Indigenous Resistance: History & Future
The lessons learned from the history of Indigenous resistance are an important part of our collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance by Nick Estes...
-
SCOTUS Guts the VRA Again
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Louisiana v. Callais has essentially reversed the profound progress that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped to usher into this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Supreme Court Blesses the Destruction of Black Electoral Power” by...
-
Resisting Corporate & Monopoly Power
The role and impact of corporate power and monopoly power in this country on the economy and on marginalized communities has been significant. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “How We Beat Corporate Power Before”, featuring a conversation between Adem Sengal, Ron Knox, and Candace...
-
Mutual Aid: Solidarity Beyond Crises
There is power in community-based organizing and mutual aid to care for each other and fight for the world we all need and deserve. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) by Dean Spade (and published by Verso Books), which...
-
Whose Independence? Aspirations & Contradictions
The language in and about the Declaration of Independence is telling of the current state of the United States today. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Do You Understand Your Own Language?” by Robin D. G. Kelley in Hammer & Hope, which explores the language in and about the…
more -
Anti-Blackness In This Economy
There is a clear connection between anti-Blackness and racism to the state of the political economy of the United States. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Over 160 Years After Abolition, Anti-Black Racism Still Structures US Economy” by CJ Polychroniou in Truthout, which is a...
-
Carceral AI & Precrime
The role and impact of carceral AI technologies in our criminal punishment system and on our society is significant, outrageous, and dangerous. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Precrime Is No Longer Science Fiction” by Sarah Fathallah in Inquest, which highlights and analyzes the...
-
Dr. King & Gangs in Chicago
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work with Black and Latino gang members in Chicago in the 1960s shows his commitment to engaging young people in the Black freedom struggle. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Martin Luther King Jr. We Don’t Know” by Jeanne Theoharis in Hammer & Hope,...
-
Sportswashing & the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is here, but it is fueled by an undercurrent and history of sportswashing and corruption. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the FIFA Greed Machine by Jules Boykoff (and published by OR Books), which analyzes and...
-
Carceral AI and the Police State
The role and impact of carceral AI technologies in our criminal punishment system and on our society is significant, outrageous, and dangerous. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Carceral AI is here. It’s time to fight back” by Dasha Pruss in Inquest, which highlights and analyzes the...
-
Disastrous Housing Policy
The organizing work to curb runaway corporate power in the United States in the fight for housing justice is critically important and necessary. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “When Disaster Strikes: Housing Inequality and The Rising Threat of Disaster Capitalism” featuring a...
-
No Cop World
The powerful #StopCopCity movement is part of the larger fight for police abolition, for racial, social, Indigenous, and environmental justice, and for the survival of every living creature on the planet. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book No Cop City, No Cop World: Lessons from the...
-
Plantation Economics
The effects of plantocracy, slavery, racism, capitalism, and white supremacy have had a lasting impact on labor and life in the South. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “May Day: Exporting the Southern Plantocracy” by Sherronda J. Brown, Tea Troutman, and Aarohi Sheth in Scalawag…
more -
Challenging Corporate Power
The organizing work to curb runaway corporate power in the United States is critically important and necessary. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two pieces in The Forge, including “The Corporate Power of It All” by Adem Sengal and Emanuel Nieves and “The Contours of Corporate Power” featuring…
more -
Resisting Authoritarians with Transformative Justice
The organizing work and fight against authoritarianism is taking place across the globe. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a zine from Interrupting Criminalization titled “Transformative Justice Under Authoritarianism – Volume 1: A Conversation with the YoNoFui Collective of Argentina” by…
more -
Tax the Rich: They Can Afford It!
The implementation of a “millionaire tax” on the ultra-wealthy in states around the country could have a powerful impact on our economy and on people’s lives. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “More Than A Slogan: Labor’s New Gambit to Tax the Rich” by Rebecca Burns in In These Times,...
-
Solidarity: We're right on time
The need for cross race, cross class organizing and solidarity is more important now than ever. Listen as Aaron and Damien AND special guest Beth Howard discuss the book Song for a Hard-Hit People: A Memoir of Antiracist Solidarity from a Coal Miner’s Daughter by Beth Howard (and published by...
-
DHS' Brutality is Bipartisan
The United States’ immigration and deportation machine is brutal, dangerous, and hurts all of us. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The Democrats Will Not Save Us” by Spencer Piston in Inquest, which highlights and analyzes how the immigration and deportation machine in the United...
-
Minnesota's Resistance to ICE
There is a lot to learn from Minnesota’s response to and take down of ICE earlier this year. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Why Was Minnesota’s Resistance to ICE the Strongest Yet?” in Hammer & Hope, which is a collection of articles from local organizers on the ground in…
more -
The White Supremacy House
Racism has played a central role in the Trump administration and its agenda, and it is having a dangerous effect on our country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “White Supremacy in Donald Trump’s White House” by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor in Hammer & Hope, which highlights and analyzes...
-
Borders & Control
The migrant, refugee, and immigration crises around the world are the direct outcome of capitalist, imperialist globalization and climate change. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Border & Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism by Harsha Walia (and...
-
Resisting Disposability Everywhere
It is critical that we remain cautious about and question how U.S. capitalism will function and evolve with the advent and influence of AI. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Capitalism Without Humans” by Sarah Jaffe in In These Times, which analyzes the role of and reaction to how new...
-
No War In Iran
The United States and Israel have launched an illegal war on Iran. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the pieces “US and Israel Launch Illegal War on Iran, Call for Regime Change” by Sharon Zhang and “As Trump Bombs Iran, We Need to Reckon With the American War Machine” by Negin Owliaei in...
-
Turning Crises into Opportunities with the Work Between
It is important for organizations to do all they can to tap into and maximize people’s energy in times of crisis to propel our work and fight for justice. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the final piece in a six-part series titled “Abolitionist Lessons from the Prison Belts” in Inquest called...
-
We All Win When Organizers Thrive
Organizing is a great way to address the tremendous crises we’re facing, and investing in and supporting organizers is key to its success. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “Our Prescription for Winning: Give Organizers What They Need to Thrive” by Alicia Jay, Kara Park, and Rebecca...
-
Black History is Everyone's History
Black history is for everyone, and there is so much that all of us can learn from it. Listen as Aaron and Damien AND special guest Stephanie Olson discuss the book Black History Is for Everyone by Brian Jones (and published by Haymarket Books), which explores and analyzes how teaching and…
more -
Board of Peace, Occupation, and Gaza
The Trump administration’s plans for the occupation of Gaza are concerning, egregious, and a danger to the future of the Palestinian people. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “The US Occupation of Gaza Is Officially Beginning” by Mitchell Plitnick in Truthout, which outlines and…
more -
We Can All Do This: Minnesota Leads The Way
The urgent need to abolish ICE cannot be more clear. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the pieces “‘Everybody Showed Up’: Stunning Crowds at Minnesota Day of Strike and Shutdown Against Ice” by Sarah Lazare and “A Staggering Number of Minnesotans Took to the Streets Friday to Demand ICE Leave.…
more -
Engineered Conflict & Abandonment
The violence surrounding Black communities in Chicago has been engineered and orchestrated by the state. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Engineered Conflict: Structural Violence and the Future of Black Life in Chicago by David Omotoso Stovall (and published by Haymarket Books), which...
-
Crooked Prisons. Crooked Money.
The funding behind the carceral system has given it substantial political power in this country. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the fifth piece in a six-part series titled “Abolitionist Lessons from the Prison Belt” in Inquest called “Following the Money”, which features a conversation…
more -
Stories of Gaza
More journalists have been killed in the Israel-Gaza war than in any other conflict. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the documentary “Eyes of Gaza” (directed by Mahmoud Al-Atassi), which follows three Palestinian journalists in Gaza as they put their lives at risk to document and report on the...
-
2025 Year in Review
It is almost time to close out 2025 which means it’s time for our final episode of the year! Listen as Aaron and Damien reflect on the past year of our podcast, and each share our top 5 moments from the show. Thank you so much for listening to Interdependent Study! We’ll see you in 2026! Follow…
more -
Uranium Mining, Disposability, and Death
The harmful impact of environmental racism and nuclear colonialism on the health and well-being of Navajo miners and Indigenous communities cannot be overstated. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the piece “They Worked Underground in the Uranium Mines. They’ve Been Surrounded by Death Ever…
more -
The Radical Practice of Friendship
There is so much potential in the power of friendship in our personal lives and in our movement work for social justice and collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Friends in Common: Radical Friendship and Everyday Solidarities by Laura C. Forster and Joel White (and...
-
Weaving Abolitionist Principles
It is important to mobilize people who are already organizing for and around a variety of issues and harness their energy into the work of prison abolition organizing. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the fourth piece in a six-part series titled “Abolitionist Lessons from the Prison Belt” in...
-
Cross Movement Solidarity Against Fascism
We need solidarity across our movements and organizing work in the fight against fascism and authoritarianism and for our collective liberation. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss two pieces in The Forge, including “The Climate Movement Must Be A Movement Against Fascism” by Aru Shiney-Ajay and...
-
Alabama's Depraved Prisons w/ Dakarai Larriett
The state prison system in Alabama is one of the deadliest in the nation and a case study for the need for abolition. Listen as Aaron and Damien AND special guest Dakarai Larriett discuss the documentary “The Alabama Solution” (directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman), which exposes and...
-
The People's Streets
The Trump administration’s deployment and use of the National Guard and federalization of local law enforcement is a dangerous tactic with a potentially significant long-term impact moving forward. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss a piece in Hammer & Hope titled “Whose Streets? Trump’s...
-
Listen When Things Fall Apart
There is so much we can all learn from seasoned activists, scholars, and organizers as we continue to fight for social justice and collective liberation during these challenging times. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the book Read This When Things Fall Apart: Letters to Activists in Crisis,...
-
Prisons Are Not Inevitable
An important outcome of prison abolition organizing is to help address the political economic geography of unfreedom. Listen as Aaron and Damien discuss the third piece in a six-part series titled “Abolitionist Lessons from the Prison Belt” in Inquest called “Custody and Power”, which features a...
About this show
Class is in session. Interdependent Study is about the learning and unlearning work for social justice and collective liberation. Interdependent Study is hosted by Damien Franze, an angry Black man from Baltimore who wears his heart on his sleeve, and Aaron Hood, an angry white man from Florida who is always thinking. We’re two friends who work in education and share a commitment to social justice. We believe that we are always learning; always arriving. People constantly learn and unlearn by reflecting on their experiences. Interdependent Study is designed to be a community for this work.
Hosted by
Interdependent Study