Unruly Subjects

Text the Unruly Hotline HereBefore he was a scholar, journalist, and podcast host, Chenjerai was a rapper. And this week’s show is all about how hip-hop is connected to our larger political struggles. 📝 Got a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself?  Take the Unruly Subjects Audience Survey.🙏 We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently! Support the show on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects First, Chenjerai interviews his friend, the scholar, rapper, and UVA professor A.D. Carson. He's the author of Being Dope: Hip Hop and Theory through Mixtape Memoir. In their conversation, they talk about what it means to take rap seriously on its own terms and why it's worthy of scholarly analysis, and how A.D’s work applies to the Afroman case. Second, Chenjerai talks with RodStarz, ½ of  the political rap duo Rebel Diaz. They discuss the group's history, their political education, the Rebel Diaz Arts Collective, and how they understood hip hop not just as music, but as actual infrastructure. Also, P-Dawg calls in, News Fiend, & more… Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Subjects is also now on YouTube! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@UnrulySubjectsAdditional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeBuy A.D’s book:  Being Dope: Hip Hop and Theory through Mixtape Memoir https://academic.oup.com/book/61518?login=falseA.D. Carson’s hot off the presses article on the use of James Broadnax lyris to sentence him to death. https://theconversation.com/after-the-execution-of-james-g-broadnax-in-texas-questions-persist-over-use-of-rap-lyrics-as-evidence-280901Some of A.D. Carson’s other writing https://aydeethegreat.com/printed-words/Rebel Diaz “Chicago Teacher”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yN7cRZP58kRebel Diaz on a legacy of activism through musichttp://bronxink.org/2011/10/12/17578-rebel-diaz-passing-on-a-legacy-of-activism-through-music/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline Here**Got a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself?**Take the Unruly Subjects Audience Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2yAl6HSeeImYB94zgMHftklj_hVArDjRY4Q3fJQ57UgA_hA/viewformHere at Unruly Subjects you know we’re celebrating May Day ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿So this week, we’re featuring two interviews that help us think through this critical question: What does it take to build the kind of power that can actually meet this political moment?🙏 We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently! Support the show on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects In This Episode:First, Chenjerai interviews three major labor leaders: Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and a national vice president of American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Jessica Tang, president of AFT Massachusetts and former president of the Boston Teachers Union; and Carl Rosen, who recently retired as general president of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). Todd, Jessica, and Carl talk about May Day as more than symbolism. They talk about it as part of building the infrastructure we may need later: labor, civil society, public institutions, community organizations, immigrant rights groups, education workers, and ordinary people finding ways to move together before a crisis hits.Second, Our Unruly homie - the scholar and poet Demetrius Noble - talks with Carla Harris, a public school teacher and organizer in Guilford County, North Carolina. They discuss the everyday realities of working in public education and also about organizing in practical terms: how you talk to a coworker who is tired, scared, skeptical, or has never been asked to act before.Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod.Unruly Subjects is also now on YouTube! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@UnrulySubjectsAdditional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episode:AAUP/AFT Platform: A Blueprint for Strengthening and Transforming Higher Education https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2026/Higher_Ed_Vision_and_Policy_Platform_326.pdfMay Day Stronghttps://maydaystrong.org/Kids Over Corporationshttps://kidsovercorporations.org/index.htmlhttps://www.ednc.org/4-23-2026-state-house-dems-call-for-budget-with-raises-for-educators-and-other-updates-from-the-start-of-short-session/#:~:text=Ben%20Humphries/EdNC-,Senator%20to%20file%20a%20Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Cancelling Classeshttps://www.instagram.com/p/DXhiOqzEWQ9/?igsh=ZDJ4MWR5YWo5OGx2 Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we look back at the martial law crisis that happened in South Korea in 2024, the Union-led opposition that organized swiftly, and the nationwide general strike that helped played a key role in defeating martial law and spurring mass mobilization.🙏 We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently! Support the show on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects Chenjerai interviews Mikyung Ryu, the International Director of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) about what happened on December 3rd, 2024, how labor reacted, what broader forces made the response possible, and what lessons people in the United States might learn from South Korea's fight to stop an authoritarian turn.Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeWikipedia Primer on the 2024 South Korean martial law crisishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_South_Korean_martial_law_crisisKorean Confederation of Trade Unionshttps://nodong.org/english/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereIt’s Black Maternal Health Week! So on this week’s show we’re taking a deep look at the conditions Black mothers face before and after giving birth. 🙏 We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently! Support the show on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects We feature an esteemed guest to discuss the mental health dimensions of maternal health: Saadiqa Kumanyika, a psychotherapist who specializes in perinatal and postpartum maternal mental health. (Saadiqa is also the First Lady of Unruly Subjects). We also share an interview with Malajah Rigsby, a new mother, and her doula Shantice Edwards. They give us an intimate view into what support and care looked like for them through their birthing journey. Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeSaadiqa Kumanyika Therapyhttps://www.saadiqakumanyikatherapy.com/Should I Have a Baby? 10 Questions to Ask Before You Get Pregnanthttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/should-i-have-a-baby-10-questions-to-answer-before-you-get-pregnant-jennifer-jessica/1113650744Black Women Birthing Justice https://www.blackwomenbirthingjustice.com/Black Mama’s Justice Alliance https://blackmamasmatter.org/Support SisterWeb - the community of Birth Workers and Educators that Shantice works with!https://www.sisterweb.org/Resources from Black Women’s Health Imperative https://maternalhealth.bwhi.org/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week on Unruly Subjects, Chenjerai finally gets into sports. Kind of. Recently, it came to his attention that Steph Curry - one of the greatest NBA players of all time - has been investing in Israeli technology that’s linked to military actions that country is taking in Palestine,Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and beyond. What’s up with that? Chenjerai unpacks this situation with Dave Zirin, Sports Editor at The Nation Magazine, and Demetrius Noble, Professor of African American Diaspora Studies at UNC Greensboro. They discuss the “sports-washing” being choreographed by nations and companies perpetuating war and genocides, the real world impacts of these investments, and how seemingly good guys like Steph Curry get tied up in the mess. Also, we bring back singer-songwriter CoCo Watson and D Noble to dissect a ridiculous video that’s recently been going viral. And new music from Coco! https://soundcloud.com/hellocollette/unsubscribe2026We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeWhy is Steph Curry Investing in Israeli Security Tech?, The Nation https://www.thenation.com/article/society/steph-curry-investments-israel-tech-sector/Here is a video on Sports Washing From Dave Zirin - https://www.pbs.org/wnet/amanpour-and-company/video/sportswashing-countries-use-sports-to-distract-from-crimes/Video of the Singing Serverhttps://www.instagram.com/reels/DTYeWTekj4S/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week on Unruly Subjects, Chenjerai is joined by his close friend Professor D Noble to unpack the viral fallout surrounding white rapper Jack Harlow. Following Harlow’s move into Neo Soul with his new album Monica, Chenjerai and Professor Noble dive into the controversy sparked by Harlow’s recent interview on the New York Times’ Popcast, where he claimed he has "gotten Blacker."Go beyond the individual critiques of Harlow and go deeper to analyze how the "post-Not Like Us" landscape has changed the rules for artists, and who actually controls the means of Black cultural production. In other words who really controls access to the "Cookout?” And, of course, it wouldn't be Unruly Subjects without some levity—Chenjerai and D Noble spend some time riffing on the hilarious and biting nicknames that have popped up as the internet trolls Harlow, including Jan 6 Mafia, A Clan Called Quest, and Musiq Rothschild.We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis episode is all about the fight against data centers. Specifically, we’re sharing the story of how the residents of Monterey Park, California waged a successful campaign against the construction of a data center in their town. Chenjerai interviews Hrag Balian and Steven Kung, co-founders of No Data Centers in Monterey Park and Claire Wang, an independent journalist who has been covering the anti-data center movement for The Guardian and other outlets. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects  Go there now to hear Chenjerai and his friend D Noble dissect what's going on with the "rapper" Jack Harlow. Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] to Proxy created & hosted by our friend Yowei Shaw.Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episode:Rage against the machine: a California community rallied against a datacenter – and won, The Guardian After a White Town Rejected a Data Center, Developers Targeted a Black Area, Capital B NewsTrump releases AI policy for Congress to pre-empt state rules, ReutersTrump’s AI Order Is More Bark than BiteWhile the executive order has created uncertainty for the many states that have passed artificial intelligence policies to protect their residents, its impact falls short of its menacing rhetoric.Data Center Watch   Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, Chenjerai drives down to Philly to break bread with his friend - community activist and advocate April Lee. They visit Black Dragon, an innovative takeout spot in West Philly featuring Black Chinese cuisine from the mind of Chef Kurt Evans. Over noodles and spring rolls, April gives her analysis of the family policing system and talks about survival, structural violence, parenting, and about what real community care actually requires. Also, Chenjerai calls up his friend Professor D Noble to find out what’s going on with the white rapper Jack Harlow and his comments about “getting Blacker” for his new album. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjects Go there now to hear Chenjerai’s interview with New York assembly member Phara Souffant. Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] to Proxy created & hosted by our friend Yowei Shaw.Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeLearn more about April Lee’s organization Philly Voice for Changehttps://phillyvoiceforchange.org/Inside Black Dragon, the New Black American Chinese Takeout in West Phillyhttps://philly.eater.com/2024/8/29/24231141/black-dragon-new-american-chinese-food-takeout-west-phillySupport NYU ‘s Contract Facultyhttps://nyucontractfacultyunion.org/Center for Family Representation https://cfrny.org/See Clips from Family Advocacy Day on C4FR’s Instagram page  https://www.instagram.com/p/DVOrs-EEcf_/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, the show features a long conversation between Chenjerai and his good friend Ronald Young Jr. Ronald is the creator and host of Weight For It, an award-winning narrative podcast that explores the ways we think about our bodies. They talk about the latest season of the show, which gets deep into questions of identity, safety, and what health even means. And they also have a long discussion about how people argue - the consequences of debate as sport, how to build better arguments, and maybe how to come out the other side of these situations feeling okay. Also, Chenjerai gives an update on the Contract Faculty negotiations at NYU, attends a special screening of an episode of Ms. Rachel’s show (and meets the legend herself!), and NPR’s Gene Demby enthusiastically shares an ice cream recipe. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Engineered Conflict at Haymarketbooks.com. Listen to Proxy created & hosted by our friend Yowei Shaw.Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeListen to Weight For Ithttps://www.radiotopia.fm/podcasts/weight-for-itFollow Ms. Rachelhttps://www.instagram.com/msrachelforlittles/Learn from Ms. Rachelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dDpryw3z5wNYU Professors Vote ‘Yes’, authorizing strike actionhttps://www.amny.com/education/nyu-professors-vote-strike-02232026/Contract Faculty Set Strike Deadline for March 23rdhttps://nyunews.com/2026/02/28/contract-faculty-set-strike-deadline-for-march-23/Iran After Khamenei https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/iran-after-khamenei/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we have an episode all about the Trump administration's attack on federal workers and how people are mobilizing to fight back. We feature an interview with two prominent organizers with the Federal Unionist Network: Paul Osadebe and Chris Dols. Paul Osadebe is a former Civil Rights attorney from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He’s a union steward with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and an organizer with the Federal Unionist Network. Chris Dols is a former cost engineer and district value officer at the US Army Corps of Engineers. He was also the president of IFPTE Local 98 from 2021 until this year. He’s currently the executive director of the Federal Unionist Network. Also, we also hear an excerpt of Chenjerai’s live interview with US Representative Summer Lee from Western Pennsylvania. As she seeks reelection, she discusses why history matters in this moment of rising fascism. Listen to the full conversation on the Unruly Patreon page.   We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] How We Get Free at Haymarketbooks.com. Listen to Proxy created & hosted by our friend Yowei Shaw.Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeLearn more about the Federal Unionist Network https://www.federalunionists.net/HUD Fires Two Whistleblowers Over Trump Admin’s Efforts to Dismantle Civil Rights Enforcementhttps://www.democracynow.org/2025/9/30/headlines/hud_fires_two_whistleblowers_over_trump_admins_efforts_to_dismantle_civil_rights_enforcementVirginia State Terminates 6 Professors Without Due Process https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/tenure/2026/02/25/vsu-terminates-6-professors-without-due-processSign the Petition to Reinstate the Fire Six at VSUhttps://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-the-vsu-six/ Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we have an episode all about what’s happening right now in Brazil - and how we got here.  We feature an interview with Gilberto Porcidonio, a journalist, screenwriter, and writer from Brazil. He is a reporter and fact-checker for Piauí magazine and narrator of Chumbo & Soul, an Audible podcast series produced by Rádio Novelo about the Brazilian dictatorship from the perspective of the Black population. Chenjerai and Gilberto have a wide-ranging discussion about what’s happening in Brazil right now -  from the history of Black politics and policing in Brazil, to the current situation on the ground and the corrupt paramilitary groups who control much of the country. Also, we also hear an excerpt of Chenjerai’s interview with Pedro Borges, a journalist and the co-founder of Alma Preta, an agency specializing in the coverage of racial issues in Brazil. Listen to the full conversation on the Unruly Patreon page. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] Cold War on Five Continents at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeFollow Gilberto Porcidonio on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/puppet_gram/Listen to Gilberto’s podcast Chumbo & Soulhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chumbo-e-soul/id1853091993Check out Alma Pretahttps://almapreta.com.br/Here’s How We Pressured An Airline To End Its Contract with ICEhttps://truthout.org/articles/heres-how-we-pressured-an-airline-to-end-its-contract-with-ice/Jesse Jackson Knew Better Than To Forget https://www.theringer.com/2026/02/18/national-affairs/jesse-jackson-obit-civil-rights-legacy-martin-luther-king-jr Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we feature an interview with journalist Gillian Brockell who recently wrote a story published in Mother Jones that breaks down what’s happening onboard ICE deportation flights, the private-equity airline that’s profiting off the cruelty, and more. Also, Chenjerai has an update on  labor struggles happening across the country and across sectors including the health care workers in NYC, the public school teachers on strike in San Francisco, and we share an excerpt of Chenjerai’s interview with Elisabeth Fay, a Clinical Associate Professor at NYU and an elected member of Contract Faculty United-UAW's bargaining committee. They discuss the stalled contract negotiations with the university, the CFU-UAW's call for a strike authorization vote this week, and why this is an issue everyone should care about (listen to the full interview on Patreon).Chenjerai talks with singer and musician Collette “Coco” Watson about her new album “Sanctuary”. Support her work here: https://gofund.me/bdc70e100We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! Free and paid members get access to bonus content, discounts on merch (coming soon), & more:  https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod. Get in touch [email protected] No Neutrals There at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeICE Deportation Flights Are Getting Crueler and Longerhttps://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/01/omni-ice-deportations-charter-flight-stonepeak-private-equity/Gillian Brockell’s Websitehttps://gillianbrockell.ghost.io/Why We’re Calling a Strike Authorization Votehttps://nyucontractfacultyunion.org/2026/02/04/why-were-calling-a-strike-authorization-vote/AAUP Statement on Oklahoma’s attack on tenure at regional universities and community collegeshttps://www.aaup.org/news/elimination-tenure-oklahoma-regional-universities-and-community-colleges Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, Chenjerai is back on one of his favorite beats: policing in America 👮He has a long conversation with Mac Muir, the author of Cop Cop: Breaking the Fixed System of American Policing. Muir recently served as the Executive Director of Oakland, California’s Community Police Review Agency and before then was a Supervising Investigator at NYC’s CCRB. He shares stories from inside his work as a police investigator and discusses the changes needed to hold bad cops accountable. We also hear an excerpt from an interview with a nurse and negotiator on the front line of the ongoing massive Kaiser Permanente strike. You can listen to the full interview on Patreon. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently. Please support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly Beatz. And be sure to check out A.D. Carson’s music: https://aydeethegreat.bandcamp.com/Unruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodePatients over Profits: Kaiser Permanente’s Shift in Institutional Priorities and the Dire Consequences to Health Carehttps://unacuhcp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ProfitsOverPatients_2026.pdfCop Cop: Breaking The Fixed System of American Policing by Mac Muir and Greg Finchhttps://bookshop.org/p/books/cop-cop-breaking-the-fixed-system-of-american-policing-greg-finch/80787c7f569e3db3?ean=9781638930082&next=tAnd for a VERY different take on what to do about police read Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News By Alec Karakatsanishttps://bookshop.org/p/books/copaganda-how-police-and-the-media-manipulate-our-news-alec-karakatsanis/64c2d92e5fd56320?ean=9781620978535&next=tBeing Dope: AD Carson - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/being-dope-9780197772669The NYPD Strategic Response Unit https://www.thenation.com/article/society/nypd-settlement-agreement-police-violence/The Mollen Commission Report - https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2017&context=nyls_law_review Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we feature a conversation with veteran labor organizer and strategist Bill Fletcher Jr. all about general strikes.  What do people mean when they say general strike? What makes strike power different from other kinds of protest power? And what kind of conditions actually have to exist for this kind of action to succeed, especially in a moment when the repression is this real?In this episode, we also hear from two workers on the ground in Minneapolis: Dr. Robert Mills III is a pediatrician and Nakia Dunbar is a school administrator. They talked about what it's been like to do their jobs while ICE is terrorizing the city, when families are scared, and when employees are scared to come in. And Chenjerai takes us to a Salon 50 event in NYC where he interviewed author Sequoia Patterson about her new book, talked to Dana Rachlin about the event series and learned more about the connections between childcare and public safety. Writer and scholar Leigh Claire La Berge will join Chenjerai on an upcoming episode to discuss the hotline responses. She’s the author of Fake Work (Haymarket Books), a memoir that looks back at her stint as a management consultant in the late 90s. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] books at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeThe Citywide General Strike has a Rich History in Americahttps://jacobin.com/2026/01/ice-minneapolis-general-strike-historySolidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path toward Social Justicehttps://bookshop.org/p/books/solidarity-divided-the-crisis-in-organized-labor-and-a-new-path-toward-social-justice-bill-fletcher-jr/d53c76836f07a2a5?ean=9780520934740&next=tClaim No Easy Victories: The Legacy of Amílcar Cabralhttps://bookshop.org/p/books/claim-no-easy-victories-the-legacy-of-am-lcar-cabral-bill-fletcher-jr/e7c97ba41b2363da?ean=9781942173847&next=t Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we feature an interview with Mother Jones reporter Abby Vesoulis, who recently co-authored with Ari Berman the report “Your Private Data Is Building Trump’s Voter Purge Machine”. Vesoulis breaks down the Trump administration’s plans for election interference via voter suppression, the Department of Justice’s role in purging voters, and how we can try to fight back ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Also, Chenjerai previews a longer interview with veteran labor organizer and strategist Bill Fletcher Jr. about the purpose and power of general strikes. They discuss this in the context of the ongoing nurses strike in New York City and the statewide walkout planned in Minnesota this Friday, January 23rd in reaction to the violent ICE escalations that are ongoing in Minneapolis. Writer and scholar Leigh Claire La Berge will join Chenjerai on an upcoming episode  to discuss the hotline responses. She’s the author of Fake Work (Haymarket Books), a memoir that looks back at her stint as a management consultant in the late 90s. We make Unruly Subjects 100% independently - support the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] No Neutrals There at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeNYC Nurses Strikehttps://www.thecity.nyc/2026/01/20/nysna-nurses-strike-mamdani-sanders/AARP calls for accountability over DOGE sharing Social Security data https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5699159-aarp-demands-doge-accountability/ICE out of Minnesota https://labornotes.org/2026/01/will-ice-ignite-mass-strike-minnesotahttps://www.left-horizons.com/2026/01/17/minneapolis-trade-unions-call-general-strike-over-ice/Register for Labor Notes Annual Conference! https://labornotes.org/2026 Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we feature an interview with George “Conscious” Lee. He’s an orator, educator, and social media influencer who uses his platform to break news and promote dynamic understandings of justice. He’s built a massive, engaged audience on Instagram and TikTok  by highlighting social and political issues that demand widespread awareness. In his interview with Chenjerai, Conscious talks about why analyzing power is the center of his work, how joining his college debate team gave him lessons that organizers, journalists and all of us need right now, how he approaches interpreting the news, and the limitations and risks of social media. Writer and scholar Leigh Claire La Berge joins Chenjerai. She’s the author of Fake Work (Haymarket Books), a memoir that looks back at her stint as a management consultant in the late 90s. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] Solidarity with Children at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome ProductionsFurther reading & sources from this episodeCritical Debater’s Handbook - http://www.soonerdebate.com/SoonerDebate/Critical_Debaters_Handbook%21.html Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereWhile we're cooking up our next full episodes of Unruly Subjects, we wanted to re-share our first UNRULY HOTLINE segment that we originally published in Episode 2. In this segment, Chenjerai listens and reacts to callers that responded to the question: "How do you balance your love life with the struggle?” Unruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions. Become a Patreon supporter here: http://patreon.com/unrulysubjects  Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereAs the assault on Gaza continues and the crisis deepens, our individual freedom to critique Israel’s actions has become more and more fraught. We have a deep commitment to anti-racism in all its forms on Unruly Subjects, including antisemitism. But we find ourselves in a place where condemning the actions of a country is falsely - and often frighteningly - equated with being anti-semitic.Darryl Li is an anthropologist and lawyer teaching at the University of Chicago. He's the co-author of a new study that puts this current moment in context. The study is titled  “Discriminating Against Dissent: the Weaponization of Civil Rights Law to Repress Campus Speech on Palestine”, published by the AAUP and Middle East Studies Association. We discuss the history of Title VI, academic freedom, and the ways that both Democratic and Republican administrations have been implicated in the suppression of free speech. Also in this episode: Following last week’s conversation with Daniel Coates about resisting ICE with Hands Off NYC, Chenjerai and his wife Saadiqa attend an action in Washington Square Park in NYC. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] After Savagery at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereNEWS FIEND is a weekly segment where Chenjerai offers his commentary and reflections on some of the week's headlines. This is a feature that is offered for all Patreon members of Unruly Subjects, but we wanted to give our listener's here a taste of the UNRULY SUPPORTER perks.  We're a completely independent show! Each new supporter helps us make this project possible. Become a Patreon supporter here: http://patreon.com/unrulysubjects Included below are links to some additional articles and resources about the topics covered in this week's segment.Afghan CIA fighters, like National Guard attack suspect, face stark reality in U.S.https://www.npr.org/2025/12/10/nx-s1-5637440/afghan-zero-unit-lakanwal-national-guardMore than 200 environmental groups demand halt to new US datacentershttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/08/us-data-centersLouisiana v. Callais and voting Rightshttps://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/section-2-voting-rights-act-supreme-courtSpotify Unwrapped campaign calls for boycott over ICE ads and AI musichttps://www.nme.com/news/music/spotify-unwrapped-campaign-calls-for-boycott-over-ice-ads-and-ai-music-3915774Unruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week - on the heels of Zohran Mamdani’s historic victory in NYC’s mayoral election - we’re featuring an interview with Maya Meredith, a Brooklyn-based leader in the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America’s Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus. Maya lets us know about some of DSA’s upcoming campaigns, talks about canvassing and organizing Black voters, and discusses fighting to create a more multiracial coalition within DSA. Also in this episode: Chenjerai talks with Daniel Coates about resisting ICE with Hands Off NYC, and Brooklyn-based artist Lauren Kaelin - a longtime former ice cream worker - gives advice on how to transport ice cream cones around the city, and more… Further reading & sources from this episodeMaya was one of the authors of Will Zohran Mamdani Win Over Black New Yorkers?” in issue #8 of Hammer and Hope. How the Black Panther’s free Breakfast Program both inspired and threatened the Governmenthttps://www.history.com/articles/free-school-breakfast-black-panther-partyDSA Afrosocialist and Socialist of Color Caucushttps://www.dsausa.org/working-groups/afrosocialists-and-socialists-of-color-caucus/-----Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] Learning to Live in the Dark at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis week, we’re featuring an interview with the writer & culture critic Lovia Gyarkye, an editor at Hammer & Hope, a magazine of Black politics and culture. Lovia discusses her approach to cultural critique, looks back at a 2017 piece she wrote about Trevor Noah, makes a case for why everyone should become familiar with the Jamaican-born cultural theorist Stuart Hall. Also in this episode: An excerpt of a conversation with Conscious Lee about processing the news as an influencer. And Chenjerai responds to voicemails from the Unruly Hotline. Last week’s question was: “How do you balance your love life with the struggle?” For more Unruly Content, expanded show notes, chat room, polls, & more... Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai and Bluesky @chenjerai.bsky.social and follow Unruly Subjects @unrulysubjectspod Get in touch [email protected] Their End Is Our Beginning at Haymarketbooks.com Additional Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Grizzly BeatzUnruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions. Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereThis is the very first episode of Unruly Subjects! And we’re featuring an interview with Roy Wood Jr.  Roy is a stand-up comedian and Emmy-nominated writer with a new book out - a memoir entitled The Man of Many Fathers. We talk about fatherhood, dive deep into a segment he did on the Daily Show about Cop City, and the role of comedy in times of political turmoil.  Also, Chenjerai reflects on a few news headlines, takes a phone call, & more. The Man of Many Fathers – Roy Wood Jr.Roy’s new memoir about fatherhood, manhood, and the many “fathers” who shaped him, blending deeply personal stories with his stand-up sensibility https://roywoodjrbook.com/  On how volunteer medics are trying to care for people in Sudan living with displacement, war trauma, and a collapsing health system. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2622402/middle-eastFor bonus audio & more exclusive content, support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UnrulySubjectsFollow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai. Get in touch [email protected] Black History Is For Everyone at Haymarketbooks.com Unruly Subjects is created in partnership with Rowhome Productions. Support the show

Text the Unruly Hotline HereUnruly Subjects is a new podcast from Chenjerai Kumanyika and Rowhome Productions about the world as we’re living it, right now. Each week, we’ll check in about what’s happening in the news, and bring on some of the most brilliant, funny, and inspiring people to help us make sense of it all.We’ll also be finding ways to connect with you and deepen the conversation on Patreon in the coming weeks and months. Unruly Subjects is an independent podcast, so to support the show, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat.Follow Chenjerai on Instagram @chenjerai.Get in touch [email protected] the show