Education
**How To Citizen with Baratunde**

How To Citizen with Baratunde reimagines the word “citizen” as a verb and reminds us how to wield our collective power. So many of us want to do more in response to the problems we hear about constantly, but where and how to participate can leave us feeling overwhelmed and helpless. Voting, while critically important, simply isn’t enough. It takes more to make this experiment in self-governance work! Listen in to learn new perspectives and practices from people working to improve society for the many. Join writer, activist, and comedian Baratunde Thurston on a journey beyond politics as usual that will leave us all more hopeful, connected, and moved to act.

Latest Episodes:

Season 3: Using Tech to Citizen Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Season three ofHow To Citizen with Baratunde is all about tech. Launching October 28th, we’re bringing you the people using technology for more than revenue and user growth. They are using it to help us citizen.

We don’t have to live in the futures shown in Terminator, Black Mirror, or Westworld. We can choose a different path. Instead of being used by tech, we can use tech to bolster our community participation, strengthen our relationships, and help us flex our collective power.

This season brings you those stories.

Follow the show’s Instagram, and visit the website - howtocitizen.com - to learn more about the show’s topics and continue your citizen journey beyond the podcast.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter, follow him on Instagram, or sign up for his column on Puck. You can even text him right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our executive producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart, and Misha Euceph. Our senior producer is Tamika Adams. Our producer is Alie Kilts, and our assistant producer is Sam Paulson. Stephanie Cohn is our editor. Valentino Rivera is our senior engineer. And Matthew Lai is our apprentice.

Original Music by Andrew Eapen. With additional original music for Season 3 from Andrew Clausen. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio and Rachael Garcia at Dustlight Productions.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedians Who Read the Newspaper (with Hari Kondabolu) Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

If we’ve learned anything in Season 2 of How To Citizen with Baratunde, it’s that it takes a village, and by that, I mean the entire global community. From leaders of nonprofits, to Wall Street entrepreneurs, we need everyone to come together to build the economy we all deserve. And that even includes comedians. In this episode, we speak with fellow podcaster and comedian Hari Kondabolu about comedy’s role in shaping our future.

Guest: Hari Kondabolu - comedian, writer & podcaster

Twitter: @harikondabolu

Bio: Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer & podcaster based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been described by The NY Times as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.” In 2018, his Netflix special “Warn Your Relatives” was released and he was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics To Watch. Regarding his special, The NY Times wrote ” it was an artistic breakthrough for him, an incisively funny and formally adventurous hour that reveals a comic in command of his powers.”

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Hari Kondabolu for joining us! Follow him at @harikondabolu on Twitter, or find more of his work at harikondabolu.com.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

When have you grown or helped others grow?

Hari reminded us that just because we’ve done wrong doesn’t mean we must accept wrong and that we can grow from mistakes. When have you grown from a mistake, and did others help you? When have you helped others grow?

BECOME INFORMED

Tune Into Hari

Give Hari some love and support him by checking out The Problem with Apu streaming on HBO MAX, and his Netflix special Warn Your Relatives.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Immigrant Rights

Legal citizenship is something many of us take for granted and others struggle to achieve. Support the work of RAICES which helps refugees and immigrants navigate the confusing and often dangerous process of migration. https://www.raicestexas.org/take-action/

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Comedians Who Read the Newspaper in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohnis our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Alie Kilts. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baratunde Reflects on Season Two Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

“It’s hard to citizen when you can’t pay the bills.” This season’s theme has revealed the economic causes of our deep division and has opened our eyes to how our democracy and economic well-being are incredibly interconnected. This week, Baratunde weaves together lessons from across this season, discovers surprising takeaways, and revisits stories that have more in common than we expected when we set out to make this season. Listen to a virtual conversation among our guests that will reveal new insights.

Show Notes + Links

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice. And become a paid subscriber to newsletter.baratunde.com for ad-free versions of the podcast.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

Reflect on the Season

Ask yourself, how did this season make you feel? How has it challenged you and what have you learned? And if you're comfortable sharing, we’d love to hear from you! Send an email to comments@howtocitizen.com or leave a voice memo with feedback in general, how does citizen.com/voicemail

BECOME INFORMED

Keep Learning

Understanding the economy and the structures behind it is essential to being able to participate as a citizen in our democracy. We hope we have made that case this season, but there’s always more to learn. Head over to www.bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen for plenty of reading materials from the season including titles written and recommended by our guests. We particularly recommend Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us and Jessica Gordon Nembhard’s Collective Courage.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Choose your own

We’ve asked you to do a lot this season, from joining the fight for a $15 minimum wage to supporting various bills to investing in non-extractive real estate. And sometimes, it’s hard to know where to start. All of the actions from this season will be available at howtocitizen.com, plus we are designing a choose your own adventure to help you get started on, or further deepen, your citizen practice. Sign up for our email newsletter to stay connected as the digital arm of the show launches later in Summer 2021- visit www.howtocitizen.com to sign up!

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart, and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohnis our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Stephanie Cohn. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In People We Trust (with Aisha Nyandoro) Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

This week, Baratunde digs into the world of Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income, in other words distributing money, much like we do when we subsidize farmers or oil companies, but instead to individual households. Where does this money come from? Who gets the money? Will people still work? What will people even spend it on? And how on earth does free cash help our economy? Baratunde sits down with Aisha Nyandoro to find out what exactly happens when you give people in extreme poverty a thousand dollars a month, no strings attached.

Guest: Aisha Nyandoro - CEO of Springboard To Opportunities

Twitter: @aisha_nyandoro

Bio: Aisha Nyandoro is the Chief Executive Officer of Springboard To Opportunities. Springboard provides strategic, direct support to residents of affordable housing. The organization’s service delivery model uses a “radically resident-driven” approach designed to improve quality of life and end the generational poverty trajectory.

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Aisha Nyandoro for joining us! Follow Aisha at @aisha_nyandoro on Twitter and learn more about Springboard to Opportunities and Magnolia Mother’s Trust.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

Change the story

Consider the commonly told stories you’ve heard about poverty in America. Stories like “people are poor because of bad choices,” “poor folks are uneducated,” and “never give spare change to a homeless person because they’ll use it on drugs.” Now flip those stories. Think about the systems at play that keep people poor. Things like predatory payday lending, doctor-prescribed opioids, red-lining, social welfare programs with unrealistic thresholds, and drug-related incarceration rates for people of color. Who is benefiting from these misleading narratives, and keeping certain segments of society poor?

BECOME INFORMED

Look for other models

Universal Basic Income and Guaranteed Income has been tested in a few different countries, regions, cities, and towns. So do some reading, and find out what the economists say about these programs. Check out this article from Vox listing out everywhere that has tried these programs and what learnings came out of each program. You can also check out the results from the most recent UBI experiment in Stockton, CA that spanned the course of two years. Learn about ithere.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Donate to Magnolia Mother’s Trust

Got some capital you’re looking to liberate? This one is simple. Donate to Magnolia Mother’s Trust. Checkout springboardto.org/magnolia-mothers-trust/ to find out how. If you are sold on UBI as a part of the solution, get involved with others in the Income Movement and attend or sponsor a march near you planned for Sept 25th, 2021.

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention In People We Trust in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com- to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right nowat 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not Another Patchouli-Soaked Co-Op (with Jamila Medley) May 27, 2021

Show notes

Workers have long been excluded from financial gains when businesses become profitable, and wages are no longer a way to create stability and build wealth. Cooperatives were created to combat this very problem. This week features Jamila Medley, the former Executive Director of the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance (PACA), a co-op OF co-ops. PACA works to support this business model across industries, from food, to banking, to electricity!

Guest: Jamila Medley - Former Executive Director of Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance

Twitter: @PhillyCoops

Bio: Jamila Medley is a passionate advocate and educator for the advancement and growth of the cooperative economy. In her work with existing and start-up co-ops, she provides support for leadership development, cooperative economics education, navigating group dynamics, and creating adaptive systems to support group process and learning.

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Jamila Medley for joining us! Follow PACA at @PhillyCoops on Twitter, or find more of PACAs work at philadelphia.coop.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

How Do You Coop(erate)?

Just like Jamila’s experience growing up, cooperatives don’t always have to be formal organizations. What are some informal ways you have participated in collective stewardship? Perhaps a community garden? Local park clean-up? Or in church? Think about the ways you cooperate with your community, local and global!

BECOME INFORMED

Collective Courage

We’ve got some homework for you! Per Jamila’s suggestion, start with reading Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice by Jessica Gordon Nembhard. Collective Courage chronicles Black cooperative business ownership and its place in the civil rights movement. A history that’s often forgotten when discussing coops. Purchase it from our online bookstore, and support local bookshops in the process. https://bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Join or Support A Coop Near You

You’d be surprised how many cooperatives are operating right around you. Look into either buying from a local farm or grocery coop, joining a local credit union which is a financial co-op, or even getting your power from an electric coop. The best way to find some is do an online search with the name of your city or state and the word cooperatives. We also encourage you to buy from cooperative businesses. Find a directory at the website USworker.coop/directory

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Not Another Patchouli Soaked Co-Op in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working 5 to 9 (with Ai-jen Poo) May 20, 2021

Show notes

Racism, exclusion, and unchecked corporate growth have trapped an entire class of people in poverty, no matter how hard they work. We call them the “working poor.” This week, workers’ rights advocate Ai-jen Poo shows Baratunde how it’s possible to work several jobs and still struggle to make ends meet — and how domestic workers are fighting for a future where all workers receive the dignity and fairness they deserve.

Guest: Ai-jen Poo - Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance

Twitter: @aijenpoo

Bio: Ai-jen Poo is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, a non-profit organization working to bring quality work, dignity, and fairness to the growing numbers of workers who care and clean in our homes, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color.

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Ai-jen Poo for joining us! Follow her at @aijenpoo on Twitter, or find more of her work at domesticworkers.org.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

Who’s cared for you?

Think about someone in your life who's cared for you. Think about the value of that relationship. It could be a family member, a neighbor, a childcare provider, or some other caregiver in your life. What role did they play in your life? Bonus points: Give them a shout out, call them, and just let them know that you appreciate them.

BECOME INFORMED

Be an Ethical Employer, even at home.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance’s sister organization, Hand in Hand, offers support to employers of domestic workers (housekeepers, nannies, care givers). Also, their new app Alia allows you to provide insurance and time-off for people you employ in your home. Check out the resources on their website, domesticemployers.org, to learn how you can ethically employ someone in your home.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Benefits for all, no matter the job.

New platforms are working to address the need for portable benefits. Two that we found promising are: Opolis, a new membership-owned digital employment platform, and the Portable Benefit Network, another new platform focused on attaching healthcare to the worker no matter their job. Share these options with others in your network, so many more people can vote with their dollars and push for portable benefits as a part of a more equitable working future.

Support the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

After winning Domestic Workers Bills of Rights in nine states and two cities, the National Domestic Workers Alliance is leading an effort to pass a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Follow the link below to add your name in support! https://actionnetwork.org/forms/domestic-workers-make-all-other-work-possible

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Working 5 to 9 in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohnis our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Sam Paulson. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Broadband (with Bruce Patterson) May 13, 2021

Show notes

In 2021 it’s non-negotiable: quality home internet is something we all need. Our entire economy, along with almost all other aspects of our lives, relies on access to the internet. This reality is why many argue that it should be treated as a public good and operated like a public utility instead of run by a handful of corporations that leave many people underserved. This week, Baratunde sits down with technologist Bruce Patterson to learn how the small city of Ammon, Idaho gives its residents access to high speed internet through its own state-of-the-art, public broadband infrastructure.

Guest: Bruce Patterson - Technology Director for the City of Ammon, Idaho

Bio: Bruce Patterson is the mastermind behind the ‘Ammon Model,’ which focuses on the separation of broadband infrastructure from broadband service, both technically and economically. During his tenure at the City of Ammon, Bruce was responsible for the creation and management of the Ammon Fiber Network. He managed everything from strategy and implementation including legal, public process, financial, construction, and technical aspects.

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Bruce Patterson for joining us! Learn more about his work at ammonfiber.com.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

What’s publicly or municipally run in your community?

Post office, water, library, etc. How do you use these services and what would change about them if they were owned exclusively by private companies? Or if they are, do you feel your community is being well-served? If you were in charge, how would you improve these services for the public? What else could you imagine working better if it was run by the people and served more of us?

BECOME INFORMED

Other Public Options

Basically our participation in society and our lives now rely on the internet. Bruce helped meet that essential need by having the local government operate a network, but it’s not the only way, and internet access isn’t the only service. Find out more about community efforts to own services from broadband to banking through the links below:

Community broadband

Community Broadband: The Fast, Affordable Internet Option That's Flying Under the Radar

Postal Banking Ted Talk by Mehrsa Baradaran or read the white paper here

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Municipal Broadband in YOUR Community

If this topic excites you on your citizen journey, consider joining a community broadband effort near you or learning from one in order to lead an effort in your town or city. Join one of the efforts being tracked by The Institute for Local Self Reliance on their community map. (Stacy Mitchell, theCo-Director of the Institute, was our guest in Ep 5!)

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Broadband in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don’t Be an A**hole (with Marie Estrada) May 06, 2021

Show notes

In a future where we depend increasingly on Amazon, the fates of many small businesses hang in the balance. In this episode, Baratunde learns about a new model to help local small businesses compete with the online ease of ordering from Amazon. He speaks with whiskey distiller Marie Estrada, a small business owner who has pushed through the hurdles of the pandemic, while giving back to the community in ways that corporate monopolies just don’t.

Guest: Marie Estrada - small business owner, distiller, motorcycle enthusiast

Instagram: @motospirits

Bio: Marie Estrada left a career in book publishing and in 2016 opened MÔTÔ Spirits distillery in Bushwick, Brooklyn with her business partner, Hagai Yardeny. Inspired by their travels, they specialize in rice whiskey and Jabuka, an invented spirit made from apples and rice. She lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Marie Estrada for joining us! Follow MÔTÔ Spirits at @motospirits on Instagram, or learn more about what Marie’s brewing at motospirits.com.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

How do you relate to local businesses?

What locally-owned businesses do you rely on? Do you know the owners? What do you most appreciate about the shop? What would you miss if it went out of business? Try following some of your favorite local businesses on social media - many have instagram accounts where you can reach out directly.

BECOME INFORMED

Know Why Small Business Matters

We often hear that it’s “good to support local, independent businesses,” but why? The Institute for Local Self Reliance answers that question in the article, “Why Care About Independent, Locally Owned Businesses?” If you want to do a deeper dive, go to bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen to check out more titles on this topic.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Shop Local, Buy Direct

If you live in New York City, check out https://shopin.nyc/ - a new online service for residents to shop from small businesses in their area, not Amazon. Shop In NYC has plans to expand, so keep an eye out for one near you or reach out to them if you want to start a marketplace in your region. Meanwhile, the Shop app by Shopify can help you spot local businesses selling directly online. As always, when in doubt, order directly from the business that is providing the good or service you are buying. You get the same great product, and they get more of the revenue.

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Don’t Be an A**hole in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

But They Make It So Easy! (with Stacy Mitchell) Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

Our extreme wealth inequality isn’t just caused by economic exclusion; we are also struggling with the concentration of corporate power. Simply put, most of our money flows directly into the pockets of a few wealthy individuals. This week, Baratunde learns how it’s possible for Amazon to receive one out of every two dollars spent online. He speaks with antitrust reformer Stacy Mitchell who breaks down why concentrated power like this is a threat to our businesses, communities, and democracy.

Guest: Stacy Mitchell Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Twitter: @stacyfmitchell

Bio: Stacy Mitchell is Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs its Independent Business Initiative, which partners with a broad range of allies to design and implement policies to reverse corporate concentration and strengthen local enterprise.

Show Notes + Links

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show by leaving a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Stacy Mitchell for joining us! Follow her at @stacyfmitchell on Twitter, or find more of her work at ilsr.org.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

Why do you shop at Amazon?

Do you like the convenience? The prices? Are you a working family and don’t have many other options? Or do you not have access to local shops? If you have the means, challenge yourself to find one item that you regularly purchase on Amazon and commit to buying it locally.

BECOME INFORMED

What does the research tell us about Amazon?

In Fall 2020, the House subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative law released a historic investigation into monopolies like Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon. The report calls on Congress to restore antitrust laws of the New Deal era and to finally start regulating these companies. Check out The Institute for Local Self Reliance’s summary of the report, The People vs. Amazon, available at bit.ly/peoplevamazon. Bonus points if you then call your representative to tell them you care about this issue.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Join the fight against monopoly power

To take on monopolies like Amazon we must flex our citizen muscle, not just our consumer muscle! Check out ilsr.org/fighting-monopoly-power to learn ways you can join the fight locally and nationally. If you're a small business owner or entrepreneur, consider joining Small Business Rising, a coalition of independent businesses that are banning together to urge policymakers to take on Amazon.

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention But They Make It So Easy! in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also, sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Land Without Landlords (with Noni Session) Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

Imagine a land without landlords or racialized displacement. Sounds too good to be true. The East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative [EB PREC] is fighting for this future. Baratunde sits down with Executive Director Noni Session and learns how EB PREC is reclaiming their community, and building local ownership through real estate.

Guest: Noni Session Executive Director ofEast Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative

Twitter: @NoniSession

Bio: Noni is a 3rd generation West Oaklander, Cultural Anthropologist and Grassroots Organizer. After a 2016 run for Oakland City Council in which she garnered more than 43% of the vote, Noni came to believe her community’s clearest pathway to economic justice and to the halt of rapid displacement was a cooperative economy.

SHOW NOTES + LINKS

Go to howtocitizen.com to sign up for show news and more, AND (coming soon!) to start your How to Citizen Practice.

Please show your support for the show in the form of a review and rating. It makes a huge difference with the algorithmic overlords!

We are grateful to Noni Session for joining us! Follow her at @NoniSession on Twitter, or find more of her work at ebprec.org. You can also watch the full EB PREC intro video here.

ACTIONS

PERSONALLY REFLECT

Where is home?

Take a moment to reflect on where you live. How did you end up there? What influenced your decision to rent or buy in a particular place? Was it based on real estate speculation, rental prices, family history, relationship ties, or something else? Does it feel like home? Do you know any neighbors who have lived there for generations? Consider the role privilege has played in determining your place of residence.

BECOME INFORMED

Learn more about gentrification

Gentrification is happening all over the country, from big cities, to small towns, and even rural communities. And there’s a lot more to it, than just the buzzword. To learn more, check out the podcast, There Goes the Neighborhood. Watch the documentaryCity Rising produced by PBS and KCET. Or read the book The Color of Law, which you can find on bookshop.org/shop/howtocitizen and support independent bookstores instead of Amazon.

PUBLICLY PARTICIPATE

Invest in communities, not commodities.

Check out EBPREC.org and Sustainable Economies Law Center to find out ways you can invest in community-based real estate or start this model where you live. If you’re in the Oakland area you could join the cooperative and become a community owner for just $10 a month. Or if you want to make a non-extractive, but savvy real estate investment you could also invest in one of EB PREC’s projects. We know there are more new models like this emerging to deal with our housing and ownership crisis. Please contact us if you know of other groups doing similar things across the country by emailing us at comments@howtocitizen.com.

If you take any of these actions, share that with us - action@howtocitizen.com. Mention Land Without Landlords in the subject line. And share about your citizening on social media using #howtocitizen.

Visit the show's homepage - www.howtocitizen.com - to sign up for news about the show, to learn about upcoming guests, live tapings, and more for your citizen journey.

Also, sign up for Baratunde's weekly Recommentunde Newsletter and follow him on Instagram or join his Patreon. You can even text him, like right now at 202-894-8844.

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Dustlight Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston, Elizabeth Stewart and Misha Euceph. Stephanie Cohnis our Senior Producer and Alie Kilts is our Producer. Kelly Prime is our Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen. Valentino Rivera is our Engineer. Sam Paulson is our Apprentice. This episode was produced and sound designed by Stephanie Cohn. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio.

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