Rebel Steps

This episode wraps season 2 and looks towards what’s next for the podcast and for our movements.RebelSteps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon! Get in touch with questions or comments at hello@rebelsteps.com. We’d love to hear from you!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When making season one, almost every person I interviewed brought up avoiding burnout and prioritizing mental health as a crucial part of organizing. With so many experienced activists citing mental health as an important ingredient for success, it felt important to explore this issue as we close out season 2. In this episode, I’ll be exploring ways communities and individuals can prepare for the inevitable mental health struggles that accompany organizing.Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comPlease consider supporting us on Patreon! Get in touch with questions or comments at hello@rebelsteps.com. We’d love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anytime people are working together on something they are passionate about, there is bound to be some disagreement. These disagreements can be intense and emotional, especially if people are invested in the project. In this episode, we’ll be exploring some ways to handle conflict.RebelSteps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts.Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comMusic for this episode was gifted to us by Sephy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political movements have often faced threats of physical violence from forces of oppression. So, in this episode, I’ll be looking at some ways you can get involved in community self-defense and talking to some folks currently involved in self-defense projects. There’s a trigger warning this episode. I’ll be talking about a variety of incidents of right wing violence. You may want to skip this episode if you’re not in a place to hear about this right now.Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts.Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comOrganizing a rent strike or working on a mutual aid project? Submit a voicemail to our mailbox at rebelsteps.com/mailbox or email us at hello@rebelsteps.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mainstream press has always been difficult terrain for leftists, leaving some activists to ignore it altogether and seek an alternative. This alternative is usually building activist news and media sources. This episode explores ways to create alternative media sources. RebelSteps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Channel Zero Network is a great place to find more movement media! Check out our comrades Coffee with Comrades, the Solecast, the Final Straw, sub.Media, It’s Going Down, From Embers, Radical People Podcast, and more.Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comThank you to Sephy who gifted us music for this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every public action or event needs media of some kind to succeed. That may look like working with existing press or it might mean making your own media. People need to know why you’re taking action and what you’re asking for. Having good messaging, active communications infrastructure, and ongoing press ties are essential for movements to grow. This episode explores the concept of the Spectrum of Allies and includes tips on handling the mainstream media.Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comCheck out Lady Media Co. who gifted us some of the music in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is part two of group decision making. The first part explored how consensus decision making usually flows and why consensus has become an important part of leftist spaces. In this half, we’ll talk about some of the challenges that arise as well as some solutions groups have experimented with.Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comCheck out and support the musicians who contributed to this episode: Tutlie, Sephy, and Morgane Fouse of Lady Media Co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the toughest things about organizing together is making decisions as a group. There are a lot of things to weigh: Who gets a say in which decisions? What’s the balance between efficiency and inclusion? Listen to this episode to hear about consensus decision making. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comCheck out and support the musicians who contributed to this episode: Tutlie, Sephy, and Ellen Siberian Tiger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Rebel Steps Season 2.  Working in bigger groups presents some new challenges. How do you care for each other and protect each other in the midst of political struggle? How do you lift up the voices of everyone in your group? How do you work through the inevitable disagreements? Show notes and transcript available here: https://rebelsteps.com/episodes/s2e0-introduction.htmlMusic by Little Strike and Ellen Siberian Tiger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This series has offered a collage of ideas to get folks organized. This final episode will give you more to think about as you take the next steps. Hear closing thoughts from our interviewees on ways to move forward. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining your organization's jail support team means you'll be keeping track of your friends if they are arrested. Hear from some organizers in the MACC's Jail and Court Support Working Group and Legal Working Group about providing support and avoiding pitfalls.Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When people first set out to make a difference, they often gravitate toward charity. Yet charity has existed for eons, and the poor are still poor. Learn about the difference between charity and mutual aid projects. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'll need people to work together to build a better world. Joining or starting a group is a way to share skills, pool resources, and build relationships. Hear from two MACC participants about their first time showing up to a new group. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supporting prisoners is an important part of the resistance. One concrete way to offer this support is writing a letter. This episode features interviews with activists doing prisoner support in New York and offers ideas on a few ways to get involved. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Street Art may not seem like a political act. But public art has historically been a part of planting the seeds for actions and gathering interest from a community. This episode includes tips for trying your hand at street art and interviews with artists on their own political art.Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's easy to get caught up in the idea that the role of organizer or activist is a specialized job. But everyone should be empowered to be an organizer and an activist. In this episode, you'll hear about activists' first steps into activism and get inspired to take your own. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Rebel Steps. The Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire asked, “What can we do today so that we can do tomorrow what we cannot do today?” This podcast is about that question. Rebel Steps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.comMusic: Don't force it, Little Strike (http://littlestrike.com/); Hush by Square Peg Round Hole (http://www.squarepegroundhole.me/). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If someone is facing charges of any kind, supporters might form a defense committee, basically a small group of people dedicated to supporting that individual through their trial and, if they serve time, once they are inside. This episode explores anti-fascist political prisoner David Campbell’s experience with a defense committee and the experience of K and Heena, members of Ashley Diamond’s defense committee and organizers with Survived and Punished. If you’re listening to this episode the week it comes out, this week is a week of action for Ashley Diamond! Go to freeashleydiamond.com to learn more. RebelSteps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts.Please consider supporting us on Patreon!Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With intentional and friendly onboarding, groups can bring in new participants and grow an organization’s capacity. In this episode we explore tactics for onboarding with labor organizer RV, and hear from organizers with Kickstarter United, Outlive Them, and Brooklyn Eviction Defense about their onboarding processes. We're newly on TikTok! Follow us @rebelsteps for videos about our episodes, favorite books, and more!RebelSteps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon! Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid the flurry of news, it feels impossible to know what to do. We can doom scroll. We can listen to the litany of hot takes. But none of this seems to answer the question, what can we do now? If right now you’re confused about what to do next, you’re not alone! RebelSteps is a member of the Channel Zero Network. Head over to channelzeronetwork.com for more anarchist podcasts. Please consider supporting us on Patreon! Check out the transcript and show notes for this episode on rebelsteps.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.