Libsyn Directory

From the Frontlines: Tenant Organizing w/ Josh Poe and Tara Raghuveer

Release Date: 11/18/2025

Cuba Pt. 5: Under Siege w/ Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández

Upstream

In this episode, part 5 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by Manolo De Los Santos & Liz Oliva Fernández for a conversation exploring the current state of the island and how Cubans are responding to Trump's oil blockade. is a founder of the and a researcher at . He is the co-editor Viviremos: Venezuela vs. Hybrid War, Comrade of the Revolution: Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro, and Our Own Path to Socialism: Selected Speeches of Hugo Chávez. is a Havana-based journalist with (a U.S.-based independent media outlet) and the presenter of . The first half of the...

[TEASER] The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism w/ Torkil Lauesen

Upstream

This is a free preview of the episode "The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism w/ Torkil Lauesen." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to...

A Socialist California w/ Ramsey Robinson

Upstream

In this episode we're joined by for a conversation exploring the need for socialism in California (and beyond). Ramsey Robinson is a mental health social worker, organizer, and revolutionary based in San Francisco. He is running for Governor of California with the . The conversation begins with Ramsey discussing what compelled him to run for Governor of California with the Peace and Freedom Party, and in doing so we outline many of the problems facing US society—problems that stem from the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of one class and with the problems coming from this...

[UNLOCKED] Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel

Upstream

This is an unlocked version of the episode "Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel." You can help to support our work and access Patreon-only episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: In this episode, part 17 of our ongoing series on Palestine, we're joined again by for a conversation on Palestine and the role that Palestinian liberation plays in the global fight against imperialism and capitalism. The conversation opens with a discussion on why Palestinian liberation is a threat to capitalism globally—we unpack the role that Palestine plays...

[TEASER] Iran Pt. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso

Upstream

This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Pt. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly...

Cuba Pt. 4: Counterrevolution w/ Renzo Llorente

Upstream

In this episode, part 4 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by Renzo Llorente for a conversation exploring the counterrevolution to Cuba's 1959 revolution and the various forms it took. Renzo Llorente is associate professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University-Madrid and the author of the books, The Political Theory of Che Guevara and The Political Thought of Fidel Castro. The conversation begins with a look at the current assault on Cuba from the Trump administration and situates it within the context of a long counterrevolution which has been by and large a bipartisan...

[TEASER] Palestine Pt. 17: Capital Accumulation at Any Cost w/ Jason Hickel

Upstream

In this episode, part 17 of our ongoing series on Palestine, we're joined again by for a conversation on Palestine and the role that Palestinian liberation plays in the global fight against imperialism and capitalism. The conversation opens with a discussion on why Palestinian liberation is a threat to capitalism globally—we unpack the role that Palestine plays geopolitically in West Asia and the role that West Asia plays in global capital accumulation. We go on to talk about Israel's role as the US's proxy force and attack dog, not just in West Asia, but throughout the globe as well, from...

Cuba Pt. 3: Che Guevara and the Building of Socialism w/ Helen Yaffe

Upstream

In this episode, part 3 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by for a conversation exploring Cuba's transition to socialism after the revolution through Che Guevara's contributions. Helen Yaffe is a professor of Latin American political economy at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of , and . She is also the cohost of the and the documentary . The episode begins with a brief introduction to Che Guevara—providing an overview of Che's life and biography. We then discuss what the Cuban revolutionaries inherited in terms of Cuba's semi-colonial economic and political...

[UNLOCKED] Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf

Upstream

This is an unlocked version of the episode "Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf." In Part 1 of our new series on Lebanon, Hussein Assaf joins us to discuss the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and the United States. is a journalist with Vocal Politics based out of Beirut. Our conversation begins with an update on the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and backed by the United States. We then talk about the political forces at play in Lebanon, giving a brief history of the political makeup of the country to help put the current assault in context. We talk...

Iran Pt. 3: The Empire vs. Iran w/ Bikrum Gill

Upstream

In this episode, part 3 of our ongoing series on Iran, we're joined again by for a conversation exploring sovereignty and imperialism in Iran. Our conversation opens with an unpacking of the intersections and distinctions of imperialism, sovereignty, colonialism, and capitalism in a theoretical sense. Once these foundations are laid, we then apply this framework to Iran, answering the question of why Iran's sovereignty is so threatening to the United States. We then jump into current events and explore the thread that ties together the US's assault on Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Palestine,...

More Episodes

In this episode, part of our ongoing From the Frontlines series, Tara Raghuveer and Josh Poe join us for a conversation about tenant organizing. Tara Raghuveer is a tenant organizer with KC Tenants based in Kansas City, Missouri and with the Tenant Union Federation. Josh Poe is the organizing director with the Kentucky Tenant Union, formerly known as the Louisville Tenant Union and organizes with the Tenant Union Federation along with Tara.

Our conversation opens with a introduction to tenants unions before diving into the specific work that is being done by our guests. We discuss some of the ongoing fights being waged against private equity and corporate landlords by the Kentucky Tenants Union across the state of Kentucky and by the Tenant Union Federation across the country. We explore the root causes of skyrocketing rents and the housing crisis, the idealogical and legal barriers to organizing in the south, and some of the false and real solutions. Finally, we explore what a logical and humane housing system could look like.

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Listen to our ongoing From the Frontlines series

Intermission music: "Forest Floor" by Witchdream Mansion

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