Speaker 0 00:00:00 Just comparison in terms of being whole. If we wanna talk about the US uh, reparations to the ts of Alaska
Speaker 1 00:00:07 Program are the opinions of the people expressing them and are not necessarily those of fresh air incorporated its staff or its board of directors.
Speaker 3 00:00:27 You can burn a whole thing down. I don't care if you are uncomfortable. We can burn a whole thing down. Couldn't care about a another zone. You can burn a whole thing down. Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn whole thing down.
Speaker 3 00:00:48 Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it burn. Like send it Quill. Yeah, I bet you will try to skip a David lynching us and till and that's really freaking generous cuz honestly they have been killing us since we were property. No stopping me from saying how it is. Listening to whizz. Ain't no easing down the road where we live. That's a biz. We can't go out for a jog or a swim or a dog fall asleep and the car fall asleep where we live. So we about to let it burn. Just like gusher say. They be trying but do not care what gusher say. Putting back screens up. Make a few bucks. My life isn't marketing who you think you trying to play? Um, I like the better when like, nerdy was all fun and stuff. This is really angry. Like don't you think you said enough? Well it's freaking tough cuz I'm being loud and the people are not playing with you now. Yeah, you can burn a whole thing down. Yes. Yeah. I don't care if you are uncomfortable, we can burn a whole thing down. You can burn a whole thing down. Couldn't care about a another zone. You can burn a whole thing down. Burn down. Y'all don't really care about a brother until we burn our own thing down.
Speaker 3 00:01:58 Y'all. We about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it burn.
Speaker 4 00:02:01 No, come on the youngins what I'm focused on. I'm so old then. Golden. I ain't know you was talking about Pokemon, but I'm more like me and nerdy next to a burndown system with a candle of gas and a handful of matches and know we ain't miss some famous. Now my mission like be so here watching all the leaders leading, making Nona minions, but we torture you enough to take us and we give into survivors city liars making black people compliant. <laugh> Coon Rapids. Who are you asking? I'm proof. Survive the boom back trick bro. Ethics got me laughing at your message and Black Lives Matter. You would not get so defensive. We got cops and deeds and robberies and gas light us. We are not the same. We on the scene we pass typing cuz y'all don't care about us and we ain't come to na. We just mind up businessing and people be so sucking mad. So pass the gun and mask and pass the athe. Nu Y'all can really kill us for anything. Y'all just bend the laws the same performance art, the same performative saving the racist head of rule
Speaker 3 00:02:58 Normative. You can burn the whole thing down. You can burn it all. I don't care if you're uncomfortable. We can burn the whole thing down. You can burn it, burn it, burn it down. Couldn't care about it. Not a zone. You can burn a whole thing down down. Y'all don't really care about a brother until we burn thing down. Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we let it
Speaker 5 00:03:49 Views from the ground views, views from the damn ground, views from the ground views from the damn ground views from the ground, from fuse, from the damn ground. And that's on that, on that, on that. All right. So this is dj, um, your favorite agender host. My name is Brandon. I use he, him pronouns.
Speaker 6 00:04:09 My name is Jay. I use, they're he pronouns.
Speaker 5 00:04:12 Yep. And we'll get straight into the weekly news segment.
Speaker 6 00:04:17 All right, so for the weekly news this week, um, we're looking at the recently passed, um, hugely progressive Cuban family code that was voted on and passed on September 25th of this year. Uh, and it's just been under two months. Uh, but the world is just kind of catching up to the news and there's a lot of human rights lawyers in the US especially that have been writing more and more about it, um, because of how unprecedented and radical it is. Um, and since so many, um, people whose exposure to Cuba, um, is through the US here, um, and most of that coverage is negative. I think talking about the family code is a way to explain a little bit of Cuba's history. Its struggles around L G B T rights and dive into why the US has such an antagonistic relationship with Cuba. Um, this is a truncated version of a presentation I gave with the incomparable Autumn Lake from the anti-war committee. Um, shout out to her for some really great, um, research on this topic with me.
Speaker 5 00:05:14 Shout out to Autumn.
Speaker 6 00:05:16 Yes. Um, so we're gonna start with kind of a short historical timeline, um, about Cuban history. Um, once again, most of what people in the US know about Cuba is quite literally anti-socialist slash anticon propaganda, um, that conveniently leaves out US war crimes and deeply unethical espionage practices. So we're gonna talk about Cuban history from a different perspective today. Um, we're gonna start in ni uh, 1898 because in my opinion, that's where things kind of start to pop off for Cuba. Um, so in 19, uh, 98, president McKinley signed a resolution, a resolution declaring war against Spain, kicking off the Spanish American War. The basics of the conflict were that Cubans were revolting against Spanish colonial rule, which the US initially supported because they wanted to exert more influence in the Caribbean. This three month war culminated in the Treaty of Paris, which um, required Spain to relinquish all claims of sovereignty over, um, and title, uh, and seed title, um, to Cuba.
Speaker 6 00:06:15 Um, and also Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. Uh, this is widely considered the event that made the US a major imperial power and charted its course to become the world's center of imperialism. After World War ii, um, on January 1st, 1899, the US installed its own military government in Cuba that officially held power until the establishment of the Republic of Cuba. On May 20th, 1901 Toma, the elected president at the time I say elected, but really he was kind of the only choice. Um, he's mostly remembered in Cuba for sucking us boots. By the way, um, signed the Plat amendment in 1903. The amendment among other things, gave the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to supervise its finances and foreign relations, and to lease the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which is now notorious as a torture site for us political prisoners. Um, predictably, in 1906, Tomas Estrada Obama faced an, um, an armed revolt by veterans of the Spanish-American War, primarily led by Afro-Cubans, um, and President Palma and the rest of his cabinet resigned.
Speaker 6 00:07:20 And the US uh, stepped in to occupy Cuba a second time. Then in 1909, home rule government was restored when Jose Miguel Gomez was inaugurated as Cuba's second president, while the US continued intervening in Cuban affairs. In 1912, the Partido independent Decor attempted to establish a separate black republic in Orient province, which is a part of Cuba that's mostly inhabited by, um, descendants of slaves, uh, but was suppressed by, uh, a general with considerable blood considerable bloodshed in the 1910s during and after World War I, a shortage in the world's sugar supply fueled an economic boom in Cuba, marked by prosperity. And the conversion of more and more farmland to sugar cultivation prices peaked and then crashed in 1920, ruining the country financially and allowing foreign investors to gain more power than they already had. Then after the Wall Street crash of 1929, sugar prices fell leading to economic depression in Cuba.
Speaker 6 00:08:16 The next several years is kind of where Cuba's history gets, um, pretty dicey in terms of, uh, like life for its populace. Um, and the next several years would be a pub, a period of upheaval and let's say like high presidency turnover <laugh>. Um, which basically means there were a lot of Q of cos. Um, the one that I would call the biggest, um, was staged by Ncio Batista, um, who's pretty notorious, um, in Cuba, in Cuban history. Um, he would dominate Cuban politics for some 25 years at first through a series of puppet presidents before being formally elected, elected in 1940 before the presidential election in 1952, Batista gauge, uh, staged a coup and regained power and began receiving financial merit, military and logistical support from the United States government. Batista suspended the 1940 Constitution and revoked most political liberties, including the right to strike.
Speaker 6 00:09:11 He outlawed the Cuban Communist Party the year he was elected, and then aligned with the wealthiest landowners who owned the largest sugar plantations, creating a stagnating economy that widened the gap between rich and poor Cubans. Eventually it reached the point where most of the sugar industry was in US hands and foreigners owned something like 70% of the arable land in Cuba. As such, batista's repressive government then began to systematically profit from the exploitation of Cuba's commercial interests by negotiating close relationships with both the American mafia who controlled the drug gambling and prostitution businesses in Havana, and the growing discontent among the populous, um, oh, I'm sorry. Uh, and with large US based multinational companies who were awarded lucrative contracts to quell the growing discontent among the populous Batista established tighter censorship of the media, while also using his bureau for the repression of communist activities to carry out wide scale violence, torture, and public ex executions.
Speaker 6 00:10:08 These murders mounted in 1957. As socialism became more influential, many people were killed with estimates ranging from the hundreds to about 20,000 people. These numbers are so disparate because many of the people that are taken into custody during this time, um, were essentially disappeared, um, taken on their way to work or school, and then they were never seen or heard from again. Um, and this period is unfortunately often romanticized in the US ironically, especially in film, because for the wealthy, Cuba at this time was basically a rich man's playground with higher consumption of luxury goods per capita than anywhere else in Latin America at the time. Meanwhile, poor people had to get by with progressively fewer resources. So that's kind of the history prior to the revolution, um, in Cuba. Do you have any questions?
Speaker 5 00:10:55 Um, I do not. Well, my only statement is, yeah, Goana Mo Bay. I remember <laugh>, I've, I've definitely had several people tell me that I deserve to be locked up there, so,
Speaker 6 00:11:05 Wow, that's, I mean, I feel like I don't have time to get into Guantanamo Bay specifically, but it's a pretty buck wild place,
Speaker 5 00:11:13 Which is just wild to me. Cuz I swear Obama promised like his second presidency when I was like in middle school that he was going to shut that down. Yep. There's been, there's all another
Speaker 6 00:11:21 Story. Yeah, there's been multiple Democrat presidents that have promised that, but unsurprisingly, nothing has been done. But anyway, um, so the Cuban Revolution, um, in 1953, um, there's a movement called the 26th of July movement. Um, and it's allies initiated an armed revolt in revolution against military dic, the military dictatorship of Cuban president, uh, Batista in July, 1953. Um, and con this continued sporadically until the rebels finally ousted Batista on 31st of December in 1958. Um, 1953, um, is kind of celebrated in Cuba as, um, DIA de revolution. Um, the 26th of July movement later was consolidated into the Communist party of Cuba in October, 1965. The Cuban Revolution was crucial turning point in US Cuban relations. Although the United States government was initially willing to recognize Castro's new government, it soon came to fear that communist insurgencies would spread through the nation's Latin America as they had in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Castro's government resented the Americans for providing aid to Batista's government during the revolution.
Speaker 6 00:12:29 After the revolutionary government nationalized all US property in Cuba, in August of 1960, the American Eisenhower administration froze all Cuban assets on American soil, severed diplomatic ties and tightened it embargo of Cuba. In March, 1960, US president Dwight d Eisenhower, gave his approval to a CIA plan to arm and train a group of Cuban refugees to overthrow the Castro government. Now, when I say refugees, you're thinking of people that like fled Cuba that are like, you know, super poor. That's not really what these refugees are. Most of the people that fled Cuba were landowners, um, because they were expelled from the country when the revolution happened. Um, so a lot of these were like former sugar plantation owners. Um, so, uh, after, after they were trained, um, in 1964, the US government launched the Bay of Pigs invasion in which brigade 25 0 6, which is, um, about 15,000 soldiers, as I said, mostly Cuban exiles.
Speaker 6 00:13:30 Um, they landed on a mission to oust Castro. Uh, the attempt to overthrow Castro failed with the invasion being repelled repelled by the Cuban military. In January of 1962, Cuba was suspended from the organization of American States, and later the same year, the o the o A S started to impose sanctions against Cuba of similar nature to the US sanctions. So, um, that's kind of why like trade in Cuba is pretty much crippled, um, and why it's still a relatively poor country, even though they have a lot of like high value exports like, um, sugar, um, and tobacco. So, yeah. Um, so now we come to kind of LGBTQ struggle in Cuba. Um, and though the revolution gave rights in civil liberties to much of Cuba's working class, uh, the legacy of Spanish Catholicism and machismo still had a strong foothold in Cuba's cultural identity.
Speaker 6 00:14:24 Revolutionary forces often thought of homosexuality as a western bourgeois concept, and queer people in Cuba faced continued repression under the new Communist government. Prior to the revolution of 1959, homosexuality was tolerated as a supplement to tourism and illicit trade. Though queer Cubans faced public humiliation and violence if out of publicly. Once the revolution removed the profit motive crackdowns on what small pockets of open L G B T expression existed, increased dramatically. Aside from general persecution from the public, the most egregious and notorious example of queer oppression in Cuba was the UAPs or military units to aid production. These were post-revolutionary forced labor camps for political dissidents. L g BT people and other deviants, quote unquote, attorneys were assigned to a number of agricultural tasks like sugar cane processing and fruit harvesting in long shifts, upwards of 10 hours conditions were generally described as very poor, often lacking in clean water and adequate food internment typically lasted about six months.
Speaker 6 00:15:23 In 1971, homosexuality was declared incompatible with revolution, quote unquote, and was institutionalized via a number of discriminatory policies. Gays and lesbians were barred from most forms of political participation in the Communist Party. By 1975, an administration changed. The Ministry of Culture prompted a softening of anti L G B T laws, including the discrimin, the decriminalization of private consensual same sex relations. By 1988, the public ostentation law, which prohibited public expressions of him of homosexuality, was repealed and discourse about the persecution of L G B T people became more widespread in Cuba, thanks to campaigns organized by L G B T Cubans, Cuba now has a robust system of education around sexual health and political identity. Though there's still much work to be done to combat reactionary anti L G B T religious groups. So all of that brings us to the Family Code of 2022.
Speaker 6 00:16:18 Um, the family code is written partly, uh, to address L G B T Q discrimination, but also goes far beyond codifying same sex marriage and legal cohabitation. It's considered by many law scholars, one of the most comprehensive and progressive codes in the world, expanding rights for children, elders, pregnant people, and disabled folks. The National Assembly redrafted it 25 times. After many discussions in town halls, workplaces, universities, and neighborhood meetings, the people's feedback amended almost half of the code's articles. After the assembly passed the code unanimously, a popular referendum ratified it. The vote was cast vastly in favor of the new code with 66.87 of participants voting for the code with a turnout rate of 74.01%, which is like a pretty insane amount of people to turn out to vote, um, especially compared to the us which like I think our biggest turnout ever was like 60 something percent, and that was like 20 years ago.
Speaker 6 00:17:14 Um, so the code recognizes and protects four kinds of households, including single person and nuclear families, but also extended families with different caring relationships that include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, or partners. It also recognizes compound households where more than one nuclear family lives together. The title Family Code, um, intentionally respects that the working class has many different kinds of families. Uh, the Family code also codifies and Straighten strengthens a number of previous protections for working pregnant people. Um, and this is like one of the like most radical parts of the law. Um, the maternity law, which was actually enacted by Decree Law 23 4 in 2003. Um, and some, uh, other rules that were, uh, unveiled in another code, um, were strengthened by the family code, which gives mothers a paid leave of 18 weeks, six weeks before birth and 12 weeks after, with an economic benefit equal to 100% of the average income that a working woman has received a salary during the previous 12 months.
Speaker 6 00:18:13 After the postnatal leave, the working mother can choose to join the workforce or to take care of the son or daughter, and is paid a social benefit of up to 60% of the basis of calculation for the paid maternity leave until the first birthday of the son or daughter. Um, so that's like basically being getting paid maternity leave. Um, yeah, <laugh>, uh, the code also outlaws corporal punishment of children, um, and changes parental custody to parental responsibility, which removes, um, kind of parental ownership of children, um, and instead introduces a duty of care concept. The code also enshrines the passage of parental responsibility to extended family and surrogates designated by parents in an effort to keep children out of the foster care system. Strict anti domestic violence penalties are also part of the code and include elder abuse as an actionable offense. Disabled people are also no longer declared incapable, um, uh, as a legal definition and cannot be placed under guardianship except in very specific instances, which is also very huge.
Speaker 6 00:19:17 Um, by contrast, like you can get placed under a conservatorship in the US pretty easily, um, while several, mostly American ironically, uh, news outlets have prefaced coverage of the family code. With the history of L G B T persecution in Cuba, it must be noted that there's not a single country on earth that is not engaged in the oppression of L G B T individuals at some point in its history. In the United States, for example, the Reagan administration purpose purposefully allowed over 100,000 Americans mostly gay men to die of aids. Um, and by contrast, the Cuban government allocated 2 million for the national HIV aids prevention and control program. And Cubans with AIDS were given full checks even if they weren't able to work. And a host of other resources like medication, treatment, housing, and hospital coverage all for free. Um, currently g o p politicians in the US are attempting to roll back what few protections existed for queer people in the US as well as introducing several backwards anti-trans laws targeting youth.
Speaker 6 00:20:15 Um, so while of course Cuba's history of discrimination should be discussed and reparations should be made, the foreign narrative surrounding the family code has been that it's solely a tool of communist propaganda, um, which is a claim that makes very little sense in a country that has legal gender affirming care since 2008 and whose citizens voted in well over two thirds majority to implement the code. Um, so that's kind of Cuba's family code and the history of it in a nutshell, it's a lot to pack in to like 10 <laugh>. I feel like I was talking very fast.
Speaker 7 00:20:46 Uh, I like the part that you said about, or when you were concluding, talking about the history of like almost all country, all countries with, uh, their anti, uh, queer rhetorics and policies that they've had in, uh, uh, in the Caribbean, um, like Cuba and like, uh, like Jamaican or mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Like, there's a lot of antique stuff that happens like in music and in just society, um, that like, people still make jokes about today, still make art about today. Like songs you'll hear like a reggae song and you're like, what
Speaker 6 00:21:21 Did they just say? <laugh>? Yeah. That's just like openly saying slurs. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 7 00:21:25 And I'm like, oh my goodness. Like literally, I just was studying, um, it was literally called murder music. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> in Jamaica. It was like this form of dance hall, like reggae music where they're like rapping or whatever, but like the whole like message of the song was like killing queer folks mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And they were like, popular songs. And I'm like, oh my goodness. Like for what? Literally for what? I, I don't know.
Speaker 6 00:21:47 I don't know. Like I, as a queer person, I don't know what it is. Like maybe y'all are jealous. Like heterosexuality is a prison. Truly. So like, maybe that's what it is, but like, I just like can't imagine just oppressing an entire group of people because I'm like filled with envy. Like that's embarrassing. Yeah. So,
Speaker 5 00:22:08 Yeah. Um, <laugh>, how do I go? But, but yeah, I also want to just add, yeah, it's, uh, interesting to see people like, you know, changing a lot of like the constitution and stuff like that mm-hmm. <affirmative> to be more progressive. Um, they attempted to do it in Chile, um, what, like two, three months ago over in September. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, they, um, didn't ratify that though. That one got rejected. But it's nice to see that, um, it's being like vast systemic change on like a federal level in countries is on people's minds. And, you know, that's the type of change we need a seed to actually get things to change. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Speaker 7 00:22:49 Literally today in the US uh, the Senate voted on, uh, the respect for marriage act. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and I think I saw like three fourths of Republican senators voted against, like having this move forward, um, with same sex and interracial marriage. A lot of people are talking smack about, uh, Mitch McConnell cuz he voted no, but he's married to an Asian American woman. So like <laugh>, he's, he's potentially putting his own marriage outta
Speaker 6 00:23:14 Risk. Wow. Girl. You gotta get out of there. Like, yikes.
Speaker 7 00:23:18 Yeah.
Speaker 5 00:23:20 Um, with that we will move on to our next segment. Words for Freedom.
Speaker 7 00:23:26 Yeah. So, welcome back to, uh, words of Freedom. A segment here on views from the ground, views from
Speaker 5 00:23:32 The damn ground where
Speaker 7 00:23:33 We give local poets the freedom to liberate themselves with their expression. Again. This week we have Farrah Hub Farrah Habad, who is a potent organizer based in Minneapolis by way of of Oakland, with over a decade of experience in public speaking and performance. His commitment to bearing witness for his community translate directly to his approach and execution on stage. And he seeks to use performance as a community building tool. Um, so today we're going to be listening to two of his pieces. The first of which is titled Survivor's Guilt
Speaker 8 00:24:08 On Survivor's Guilt. See when Future said, wake up in the morning, brush your teeth and grab your strap. I felt that. See, I got in my car, right? I leaned back. D I turned the volume all the way up. I felt the vibrations in the subs of my trunk and I headed off to my corporate job. Um, <laugh> Survivor's Guilt is an unwelcome house guest. You know, survivor's guilt is that unwelcome house guest that puts their feet up on everything. It's that house guest that, that leaves you that little corner of orange juice in the fridge. Like, what's, what's even do with this? <laugh>? See the saying goes, stay 10 goes down. Where I come from, loyalty demands, presence, we pledge allegiance to the block cuz the block pledge allegiance to us. But how do you tell something you love that is bad for you, that you'll never forget the lessons that it taught you, but it's just got like way too much going on right now. And I gotta love you from way over there. <laugh>,
Speaker 8 00:25:13 See the saying goes, when you know better, you do better. Well, what they don't tell you is how lonely these spaces are, where there ain't no space for all of you. The good and the bad, the trends and the drama survivor's guilt is always feeling like the imposter in the room. It's waiting for yourself to fail to justify how you never really belonged in the first place. How failure, how failure is so much more familiar than success. We black boys with wax wings, we can't help but fly too close to the sun. The sun's always been attracted to darkness.
Speaker 7 00:25:54 So that was his peace survivor's guilt. And this next one is titled one.
Speaker 8 00:26:01 See I was Kaepernick before Kaepernick was Kaepernick. Um, as a child, every day when we would stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, I would stand with them, but I would never place my hand over my heart. I would never say the Pledge of Allegiance because I knew that Pledge of Allegiance was webbed in deceit. See, this is not a nation under God. It's a nation under greed. And it seems that the puppeteers of society keep getting away with these scores of social society, meaning we keep taking it. In the summer of 2011, 30,000 children under the age of five died from starvation in Somalia. Humanitarian organizations called it one of the worst crises of our time, but they still got less than a fraction of jersey shores a time. But it seems like they're only gonna listen when a good go spit some rhyme. So I guess I'll just spit.
Speaker 8 00:26:48 I got the weight of the world, the one shoulder, and on the other, the spirit of five kids whose parents were murdered for being deserters of a war they were never interested in. In the oldest ones about 10, they stick together to scrounge some cheddar and hope that they just might live. But to be honest, they probably won't because the streets of a war zone is cold man Peter Penn, I know the real lost boys, they buried a six year old kin who hated the world he lived in. So death became a form of escape for little boys that with AKs, but that's life in the east of the a, you know, the pirates, they patrol the Cs. And I pray for the Lord's decree of the day that we can say we free, we can lift a banner of blue with the white star in the middle.
Speaker 8 00:27:33 So a star might shine in the land where the people have so little and on the sores, the elderly, they sip tea, they chat of day to day occurrences, spritzed with the scent of Cardimum. And they know they sock to each other as if tomorrow was promised. But they know it's not. They know tomorrow ain't promised cuz it never has been and it never will be. I come from a land where I was one domino push away from life as a refugee. So it's no wonder why incompetence in the media offends me. They have the attention of the world at their feet. But while the land of my parents burns, while the oppressed and Palestine will never know peace, while the cries in Syrians fall on deaf ears, the influence is wasted. I come from a land where little boys have to bury their kin before they are taller than the shovels they use. So please, if you ever happen to run into the producer of your local news station, kindly inform that pasty little that he and I need to have a conversation. Thank you.
Speaker 7 00:28:41 Hmm. Can I get some snaps please? Can I get some snaps please? So again, that was my boy Farrah Habad, uh, that that piece we just listened to. Um, I asked him what the title of it was and he actually said it didn't have a title because that was his first piece of writing ever. Um, and so he just titled it one <laugh> because it was the first one he did <laugh>. And I think there's, that just goes to show like how he's always been dope to put all of that into one piece. Obviously he had a lot on his mind, he had a lot on his heart and he put it together so beautifully and, and in a way that, you know, moves me and probably moved you as well. Um, he's very passionate and, and I look forward to hearing more of his work next week. And then last week of the month, we will have him in the studio for, uh, in-person interviews. So make sure y'all, uh, stick around and stay tuned for that if you would like to. But, uh, thank y'all.
Speaker 5 00:29:38 All right, thank you so much. Um, we'll be right back after this break.
Speaker 11 00:29:42 Programming on K F A I is sponsored by Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington County's Energy assistance program. The Energy Assistance program helps low income households pay a portion of their heating bills. We assist Ramsey and Washington County residents with home energy payments, energy crises, and emergency furnace repairs. We also offer referrals to the home Weatherization program. Call 6 5 1 6 4 5 6 4 7 0 or visit the
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Speaker 5 00:30:16 All right, so coming now, next here on views on the Ground Views from the damn ground is gonna be, um, the nerdy spotlight. So take it away. Nerdy.
Speaker 3 00:30:27 Hello once again, all of my lovely friends out there on the radio world, it's your boy nerdy. And we are here with the Artist Spotlight in this segment. We like to take the time to shine the light on one of the amazing artists we have in our own community. We spend the whole month doing it. And this month it's Minneapolis, drew right there in the spotlight. One of the things I love most about Minneapolis Drew is that he has a focus on the team, the crew, the collective. Whether his music's talking about getting together and having fun or getting together and making a change. He is all about community and I love that. So we're keeping that same energy for the next song in our month Highlight of Minneapolis. Drew, this one is featuring a very wonderful member of our musical community. And the very first artist spotlight we had, Lieutenant Sunny, take a listen to Medicaid.
Speaker 12 00:31:32 Your all together we can celebrates is the type that make me feel. Okay is the type make you stay out late, your together we can medicate to get
Speaker 13 00:31:56 I'm achieving the mission. Couldn't see the image and got a different prescription. Now I see this vision. I think they think it was scripted. Never get inside. This is just the beginning way changing where we've been living, waiting on the day. Mama Ryan,
Speaker 12 00:32:10 Let boy really gifted.
Speaker 13 00:32:12 No what's on their way. Just hoping that I don't miss it. That'll be just my luck. I better knock on some wood. See I was like compassion until it was understood. Your life is what you make it just make it better than good. I know a lot of people who take that chance. If it's good, quit masking the pain. If it's something to say, I'd advise you to say people probably relay you. Stop yourself good outta your way. Having fun. It's important. Let's just mind get away.
Speaker 12 00:32:33 This is the type of vibe that make you feel. Okay. These are the type of nuts that make you stay out late. Get your friends all together, we can celebrate. Forget about your problems, that's ate. It's the to make you feel ok. The to make you stay. Get your friends all together. We can celebrate. Forget about your problems, we can ate. Forget about your problems.
Speaker 14 00:32:57 We can medicate
Speaker 12 00:32:59 By
Speaker 14 00:33:01 If I'm just okay, I'll take that. Chill up with my friends. Has a kickback letting go of the past. Don't need a lick back. I got big feelings. They just make mad. I'm up now. Not gonna come down. Reach. Turn your frown upside down with the drama. I don't get involved. Stress. It is bad for your quarter sauce boys. The fruit drip. Top the bottom, but fashion with the hotter quarter assassin. Listen what I'm telling you, bring the bag in on Tip the bartender. Sip it with f p e rolling with me. S u n i e. I'm a rip. They find that surprising, huh?
Speaker 12 00:33:52 Your all together we can celebrate. Forget about your problems. Let's, it's the type that make you feel OK's, the type make you stay out late, get your all together. We can celebrate, forget about problems. Let's, we can forget about problems. Let's, we can.
Speaker 15 00:34:18 Hey, I'm Krista Wax. I host MSP sound every Monday from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM playing all local Minnesota music. And I would love it if you could join me on Wednesday the summer 28th for MSP Sounds five year anniversary celebration at seventh Street entry featuring performances by local Minnesota music artists. Slay
Speaker 14 00:34:44 I'm
Speaker 15 00:34:45 More perspective. I Phillips St. John, and a Special Performance by Sam Castillo. You
Speaker 16 00:35:05 Can have the thank you Ken
Speaker 15 00:35:09 Wednesday, December 28th at seventh Street Entry. Can't wait to celebrate with you.
Speaker 5 00:35:18 All right, welcome back to Views From the Ground. Views from the Damn Ground. So, um, this week we actually are gonna have, can, can <laugh> you making me who, who We got <laugh>. Go ahead Jason.
Speaker 6 00:35:39 We got the, the organization is called Community Aid Network, which stands, we abbreviate as can m n not can M
Speaker 5 00:35:49 Yep, yep, yep. We all knew that. I'm glad that we all know that <laugh>. Thanks
Speaker 6 00:35:53 For clearing that up. Yeah, thank
Speaker 5 00:35:54 You for clearing that up. Um, and yep. Jay, you are one of the founders of, um, can Mn mm-hmm.
Speaker 6 00:36:03 <affirmative>. I am. Uh, so, uh, I, I started Can with about eight other, um, other like mutual aid, uh, folks in 2020. Um, we had all kind of been at our own separate mutual aid sites doing mutual aid in various capacities. Um, and then we were all kind of getting kicked out of our spaces at the same time. Um, not kicked out more that the people that were allowing us to use their spaces needed them back. Um, so I was working, um, at a mutual aid site that was run by students at, uh, MCADD, the Minneapolis, uh, college of Art and Design. Um, and we, uh, linked up with, um, a mutual aid site that was being run out of Provision Kitchen, which is like a sliding scale restaurant, um, over on Harriet. Um, and then, um, we also linked up with, uh, the crew at pimento. Um, so altogether we, we decided to start our own kind of consolidated mutual aid site.
Speaker 5 00:37:03 Oh, right. And, and so that was like fall or summer of 2020?
Speaker 6 00:37:09 Yeah, I think it would've been fall. Um, cuz it was kind of after, after that initial like kind of big influx of, of need, um, in the summer. So I think it, I think it might have been like October, um, when we like kind of formally were like, okay, we're gonna be a mutual aid org. And then we, um, got the space at, uh, children's Cedar, um, cause they weren't doing shows, so we just moved into their like, huge mezzanine level, um, and like put all of our supplies in there. So
Speaker 5 00:37:40 Yeah. And where, um, so where do you currently do it?
Speaker 6 00:37:44 Uh, yeah, we are currently out of, um, St. Mark's Episcopal, um, in lowering park. Uh, which we're there, not because we're religious in any way, but because it's a free space for us to use.
Speaker 5 00:37:56 Yeah. What and what days do y'all, uh, operate?
Speaker 6 00:37:59 Yeah. Um, we operate, um, Mondays, uh, from 12 to two and then Thursdays from five to seven. Um, and we, we ha we kind of have a, a covid safe like drive up model, which is, um, something we came up with in our first year when Covid was still like a really, um, big issue that we were trying to work around. Um, so folks really just drive up, um, a volunteer comes out, uh, takes their order based off of our inventory, um, they run the ticket back inside, somebody fills it, um, and then we bring it back out to their car. Uh, and they're usually there for like no more than 15 minutes. Um, so it's, we try to keep it fast and convenient for people.
Speaker 5 00:38:40 What inspired you to, um, help found this? Like, what, what got you into the movement?
Speaker 6 00:38:48 Yeah. Well, I mean, what got me into the movement was more kind of police crimes actually. Um, and like witnessing, um, police brutality firsthand, I really felt like I wanted to be more involved than I had been, um, when I was going to school here. So, um, once the, the uprising happened, um, and I had graduated, I, um, joined TC for J um, for the, uh, pride taking back Pride 2020. So that was my first kind of like foray into activism. Um, but mutual aid I kind of feel like I've been doing in like various capacities throughout my life. Um, and in 2020, I think that it was just like seeing, seeing how much people really did not have other resources was, was what pushed me to get more involved. Like, all the grocery stores were closed as we all remember, but I think that there were a lot of folks that were coming to get aid that, you know, this wasn't like, this wasn't that different from how they had to live day to day. Like in general. Like, they had been falling through the cracks for so long that having something that was barrier free was like huge for them that didn't require them to like, prove how poor they were or, you know, prove that they like really needed food this week. It was just, if you get here, like you can, you can leave with, with what you need. Um, and I think that really like attracted me to, to mutual aid.
Speaker 5 00:40:15 So, um, as someone who, um, used to be in TCC for j I know that you do a lot of organizing and you run, you chair a lot of meetings and you help keep things arms straight. And so how a, a lot of people would say that that is enough. Like what has inspired you to go from also organizing protests to this mutual aim?
Speaker 6 00:40:37 Right. Um, I really think that it's my understanding of history because like, I think all the time about, about Fred Hampton and how the Black Panthers really saw like community care as like, not just a recruitment tool obviously, but like as a way to like allow people to be involved in these struggles, to allow people to be able to have like the space to participate in politics and like participate in in struggle. Um, because when you're worrying about where your next meal comes from, when you don't know how you're gonna feed your kids, you don't know, um, like how you're gonna get like, basic supplies for your baby. Like how are you supposed to think about these bigger questions of like, oppression and how to get yourself out of that. I think that mutual aid is really about, um, freeing people's like mental energy, um, and like literally giving them the tools they need to, to survive so that they don't have to be focused on survival 100% of the time. They can, they can think about other things and they can organize. Um, so yeah, I think that like my, my perspective on history is really why I'm, I'm involved in mutual aid because I think that mutual aid is inherently political, um, and that it's a political action to, to care for your community.
Speaker 5 00:41:54 Yeah. And do you, you feel like it's revolutionary because, cause you know, there's people I was, um, reading today about the Black Liberation Army mm-hmm. <affirmative> and their critiques of, um, the Black Panthers and how they felt kind of like the, um, breakfast program was very reformist and mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And, and, and, but you're saying that you feel like this is like a revolutionary need for
Speaker 6 00:42:16 Yeah. Like, I, I don't agree that the, that the breakfast program was reformed. I can understand why somebody would think that, but at the time, like, like thousands upon thousands of black children were going to school having not eaten because their parents couldn't afford it or didn't have time to cook for them before they left for school. Like, it was a, it was like a widespread problem. Yes. And like the Black Panthers saw that and they were like, well, one, like children deserve to eat. And two, how are those children going to be successful and how are their parents going to be able to like, listen to us when we come to them about organizing? Like if they're worried about putting food on the table if they can't even come to school, like with enough brain fuel to learn. And so I think that that was, that was, that was really revolutionary of them to, to think of creating a program to feed. And I mean, they fed like, I think at the end of the program in, and I think it only lasted about a year and a half, they had fed something like 200 or 50,000 kids in the us which is like, wow. An insane number <laugh>, um, based off of like community organizing.
Speaker 5 00:43:26 Yeah. Um, so, so you've talked a lot about the, um, mutual aid. Like tell us more about like what mutual aid is you and like, what is the origin of Mutual Aid like?
Speaker 6 00:43:37 Yeah. Um, so mutual aid, like, there's no, like first group of people that practice mutual aid. I mean, I think that human beings have been helping each other forever. It's a very human thing to do. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it's a human instinct. But, um, I think that like the term mutual aid, like really kind of comes from the way that black communities think about community care of like, you know, I'm going to help my neighbor this week and next week I might need help. And like, creating this system so that like we can all have our needs met, um, at any given time. And so that it's all, it's the whole community, like coming together to participate is I think like this very like, black, black thing and like black churches do a lot of that. Um, still today, whatever other problems churches have, um, black churches in particular really do put an emphasis on, um, that type of, of, um, community based aid.
Speaker 5 00:44:36 Yes. Um, and uh, when we talked about this before, you talked about how you felt like mutual aid is inherently like a political thing and, and you know, it, I and, and I feel that, um, very strongly because, you know, it's, it's like seeing what people in your community need Yeah. And responding to that, right? Yeah. Um, but, but, but talk can you expand more on that idea?
Speaker 6 00:45:00 Yeah. I mean, I think that for me, mutual aid is really critical to a, to a healthy community because one of the things about mutual aid is that it's, it's outside of these like, traditional charity based structures or like government based structures where you're kind of at the mercy of people outside of your community that don't have any real ties or any real information about what you and your community need. So I think that, that the way that Mutual Aid is political is that it's, it's your community looking at the problems that it's facing and being like, you know, we're not going to wait for the government or some like nonprofit to like swoop in and save us. We are going to organize and we are going to figure it out ourselves. Um, and like I said earlier, when you don't have to worry about your physical everyday needs, you can participate more fully in, in solving the problems that your community is facing. Um, so I think that it's, it's a really important part of political participation.
Speaker 7 00:46:03 So can MN community aid network? Yes. Correct. Um, so when it comes to your guys's, like how you run the operation mm-hmm. <affirmative>, is it, you are your own community aid network? Or do you like to network with a bunch of people who are doing mutual aid <affirmative> and like try to get all of the pieces going together? Um, like what is your, what is your like way of doing the mutual aid that you do?
Speaker 6 00:46:28 We are, we love networking <laugh>. Um, we love like, uh, getting, we love like sharing resources with other, um, with other places in the area. Like we, uh, we work with like Community Kitchen a lot. Um, we'll share produce with them. They'll give produce to us, um, if they're like not able to get through it. Um, we also work with Sisters Camelot. We, um, we supported the teacher strike. Like we really, we really seek to as much as possible be embedded in the community and like tuned into to the community and what's happening. I think it's also that like none of us are like in charge. Like we have a very horizontal leadership structure. So, for example, when the teacher strike happened, um, I kind of like spearheaded a lot of that effort, right? Like, I, I was like, okay, like here's our budget for this. Um, here's where we're gonna shop for food, here's how we're gonna distribute. But everybody contributed something to that. Like everybody had kind of a hand in the logistics, um, coordinating with the teachers. Um, and so really like we, yeah, we just really want to be, um, responsive and like nimble when we, when we hear about like, community need. So,
Speaker 5 00:47:44 Yes, with that, we're gonna take a quick break
Speaker 18 00:47:49 With warmer evenings ahead. You may be planning to enjoy a backyard fire before you burn. Be aware that certain wood fires can cause excess smoke and harmful pollution for you and your neighbors. Remember to give your neighbors a heads up before building a fire. So those who find wood smoke bothersome can close their windows. Make sure to never burn wet or recently cut wood, other yard waste plastic or garbage. These things can be toxic when burned and create excess smoke. For more tips on how to burn responsibly, visit epa.gov/burn wise.
Speaker 5 00:48:29 All right, welcome back. The views from the ground,
Speaker 6 00:48:31 Views from the damn ground.
Speaker 5 00:48:33 We are here with, um, Jay talking about can, um, and yeah, I want to know more about like, what was the moment when you knew you had to go to protest and be more active and do this organizing? What was that moment for you?
Speaker 6 00:48:51 Wow. The moment that I knew I had to, wow. Um, I think it was probably, it was probably the day that George Floyd got murdered because I remember like being in my room, like on my phone, like doom scrolling <laugh>, and I was just like, I can't do this anymore. Like, this is like, I'm sick of like, hearing about this. Like there has to be like some part that I can play in, in fixing this because like, it's been happening for so long. And like, I don't know. I think that it was just like this really frustrating, like, angry moment for me of like, I'm sick of this. Like, I'm gonna just go out there and like, like start doing stuff and like, see, see what happens. Um, so maybe not like the most planned entry into activist work, but Yeah. Inspired
Speaker 5 00:49:44 What inspires you to keep going, right? Because we've, we've seen a lot of people come and then they have left for their own reasons, but what's inspired you to keep this going with the organizing with TCC for j uh, towards these Coalition for Justice for Jamar and also what the Canon men work. So
Speaker 6 00:50:02 Yeah, I think that kind of what sustains me in what can be like a really exhausting, like, section of, of the movement is I, I truly believe that like, winning is possible. I think that like, if you don't believe that, like that's how you burn out and that's how you, you, you stop. Um, and I think that, I think that for me, like I, I think that winning is possible one and two. Like, I think that I, for, for community aid network, like I see the, the impact every single day. Like, people leave with like, literal food in their hands and like, it's hard, it's hard to not walk away from that feeling like you've accomplished something and feeling like you've, you've done something that like, helped someone else in a very tangible way. It's like not, it's not any of that like kind of fr through like, you know, we imagine like a better like future, but it's like you, you are con you're, you're concretely contributing to like making your community like a more, like an easier place to live in. Um, and I think that that's really like, powerful for me. Um, and keeps me, keeps me trucking. Wow.
Speaker 5 00:51:10 I would kill for that type of optimism though. <laugh>. Um, but, but, uh, can I get a quick chance? I believe that we will win.
Speaker 6 00:51:17 I believe that we will win.
Speaker 5 00:51:19 I believe that we will win.
Speaker 6 00:51:21 I believe that we will win.
Speaker 5 00:51:23 Uh, no. That we will win.
Speaker 6 00:51:25 I no that we will win.
Speaker 5 00:51:27 I no that we will win.
Speaker 6 00:51:29 Uh, no. That we will win.
Speaker 5 00:51:31 This is one of my, um, favorite ones that we do that you just reminded me of. Classic <laugh> Classic. Um, so, um, RO what protest stands out in your mind that made a big impact on you?
Speaker 6 00:51:43 Yeah, I think, uh, well maybe the biggest impact for me was probably my first protest with DCC for J just because like, that was so buck wild for me. It was like, I had been going to like these organizing meetings for like two months and they were like, Hey, like you wanna be our mc for this like, huge protest that we put on. Like, it's gonna be like couple thousand people. And I was like, what? Okay. I guess. And then like, yeah, I, I think that it was like really, um, I don't know, like energizing to be around that many people with like the same, the same energy and the same, like the same intensity about like, you know, no cops at Pride. Like, it felt, it felt like very re-energizing to know that like the, the queer community hadn't just all like, kind of laid down and like accepted that like, you know, cops are just a part of pride now.
Speaker 6 00:52:36 Like, it was like, no, like we're taking back our roots. We're, we're like making this militant again. Um, and I think that that was like kind of what, what made me stay. Like, I was just like, okay, like for real. Like people, people care about this and like, people are gonna keep fighting for this. Um, so yeah, I think that was probably probably one of the most impactful protests that I was at. Yeah. Also the chance, like really slapped at that protest. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, and they weren't all for me. Like people, people were really going off like they were just anti-cop all the way. And I loved it.
Speaker 5 00:53:09 <laugh>. Yeah. Yeah. Um, the pride ones are always Yes, super fun, high energy. So, yeah. And, and that's such a, that's such a touchy story cuz that was definitely not gonna be my guess really <laugh> like, I mean we've, we've both been to a bunch of protests, but
Speaker 6 00:53:26 What do you mean
Speaker 5 00:53:27 6 46? I
Speaker 6 00:53:28 Don't what That's true. I mean the 6 46 was kind of my second answer honestly cuz like that was, that was like simultaneously one of the worst and best nights of my life. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, it was like we were all like trapped on this cold highway <laugh> for hours and like, we didn't really know, like there were points where people were coming up being like, are we about to get like shot right now by like the National Guard? And like, it was like, I don't know, like, but let's dance <laugh>. Yeah. But like, let's dance about it. Like, let's, like let's chant about it. Like let's, let's like be in community on this cold highway. Like it was really amazing.
Speaker 5 00:54:05 Yeah. I was, um, I definitely have this problem with sometimes I'm so optimistic it's to a fault. And I definitely had one of those moments on the highway cuz people kept coming up to me. They're like, what's gonna happening? What's happening? Yeah. I was like, we're gonna walk off the highway. Yeah. Any minute now. Like, it's fine. It's like 600 of us out here. Like it's not a big deal. And they're like, all right, dj, if you say so mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And then, and then people came back to me and then they were like, like it was like four or five hours later, like, DJ, what's gonna happen? What? Just, what's going on? I'm like, like I told you, we're walking off the highway. Yeah. Any minute now. Like, and people were like, half of the people have been arrested. Dj. Yeah. And I was like, all right, whatever. If you don't wanna believe me, take that negative energy somewhere else. <laugh>
Speaker 6 00:54:47 Take that negative.
Speaker 5 00:54:49 And then here I, here I am being like in the last like 50 people Yeah. Crying in our friend Jeff's car and everyone's like, what's wrong dj? What's wrong? And I'm just like, we're gonna get arrested <laugh>. And then people are like, that's been going on for six hours. Literally. Dj like, what is wrong with you? Oh, you really thought we were gonna walk off the Yeah. Like for real, for real thing.
Speaker 6 00:55:09 Oh, that's sad.
Speaker 5 00:55:10 Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 6 00:55:12 I remember like looking at J Jaylen at one point and like, she was just kinda like, okay, so like we're on this highway, like what do we do? Like, do we literally just wait here for like however long this was like maybe like hour two <laugh>. And like we are, I was just like, I think like, I think we're literally trapped here. Like, like we like looked around and they were like, they were like rolling in the, um, the sound cannon. We were just like, I ate. Okay. Um, like it just got super real. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like better go back and like tell people not to panic even though I'm freaking out, you know?
Speaker 5 00:55:47 Yeah. Yeah. That was, uh, crazy night. Um, the night, um, there was the day after the election mm-hmm. <affirmative> mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yep. Um, and, uh, it was the biggest mass arrest in Minnesota history Yep. Where they arrested 646 people, so Yeah. Yeah. Um, and then kept us on the highway for six hours, so Yep.
Speaker 6 00:56:05 Sure did. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 5 00:56:06 <affirmative> over six hours. Yeah. Um, so, so yeah. That's wild. So once again, um, tell people, um, at Canam, um, what's the best way to reach out to y'all?
Speaker 6 00:56:17 Yeah. Uh, we're on social media. Um, we, uh, so we have first we have our website, which is canam kmn.org, c a n mn.org. Um, and then, um, I think that's also our Instagram handle or it's community aid network, UMN all typed out. Uh, that's, it's easy to search for us on Google. Um, but our website or our Instagram are kind of the best places to reach us.
Speaker 5 00:56:40 And are y'all looking for volunteers or, yes. And what is the best way, if someone wants to volunteer, how they can get involved?
Speaker 6 00:56:47 Yeah. Um, we are literally always looking for volunteers, especially now because, um, winter is like a big, a big time for kind of food shelves and things like that. Um, so you can sign up on our Calendly, which, uh, is linked on our website, uh, under the volunteer tab.
Speaker 5 00:57:03 All right. And can you, um, remind us where it's going, where it's at, and then what days?
Speaker 6 00:57:08 Absolutely. Uh, Canman, uh, distributes, uh, food and household supplies, um, Mondays from 12 to 2:00 PM and Thursdays from five to seven out of, um, St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Loing Park.
Speaker 5 00:57:23 All right. With that being said, thank you so much for coming on to the show. Thanks for giving us that amazing history lesson about Cuba and also telling us about Cann. Um, also want to thank Brandon for having, bringing in such wonderful poetry for all our ears to hear. Yes. And then of course, a shout out to nerdy as well. So thank y'all. And the shout
Speaker 7 00:57:47 Out to dj. Can't forget the dog. DJ
Speaker 5 00:57:50 <laugh>. Yeah. With that being said, we are out of here. We'll see you next week.
Speaker 19 00:57:55 Protesting the streets. Cause we see, and we all at war burning police cars and we shooting loo in these stores. You may not agree, but you see they changing these laws. The only thing they understand now is her city burning. They acting like they shocked with these cops. They just learning. See Mr. Floyd on the ground and got 'em squirming. Now we can see they are the Nazis. We the German blacks. Organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the and the black and the 45. In between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we have to organize, organize, organize, do away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the tis. And in the 45 in between the protests, we protest every your lives. Here we always wake up, but then we go back to sleep again.
Speaker 19 00:58:40 In between the protests is when we begin and weak again. We hear about the loop. Another shoot. In this week again, this gets the police another excuse to hit the streets again. White police, black population can never be your friend. Our mothers and our fathers and our families, they be season them. They to overseers. We the ss to them. We got a rise to the level where we ain't needing them. Everybody organiz, organize. Organize. Do away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They call me. With the the black and the 45. In between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we have to organize, organize, organize, do what we authorized. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the take and glass in the 45 in between the protests. We protest this every your life. Yes. You have to follow me, follow me, follow me.
Speaker 19 00:59:25 It's my philosophy that white law monopoly makes democracy. Hypo in a capitalist economy, it's no democracy. I demand the return of my sovereignty. No apology, independence or autonomy. No need to mommy me. I could run my own country. If you could just stop bombing me, gimme my lamb back, gimme my gold back, my heritage, my birthright. You outright stole that. Organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the act of the black and the 45. In between the protest, we protest lawyers. Yes, we are.
