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Movement Memos

Movement Memos

Truthout 169 Episodes Oct 1, 2026

An ongoing call to action for movement work and mutual aid efforts around the country. Kelly Hayes connects with activists, journalists and others on the front lines to break down what’s happening in various struggles and what listeners can do to help.

Episodes

Activists Are Preparing to Defend Elections This November
Activists Are Preparing to Defend Elections This November Oct 1, 2026 4124 In this episode, Kelly talks with organizer Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson about what it means to defend an election under authoritarianism, beyond simply telling people to “vote harder.” They discuss the “win, prove, enforce” framework, the strategic case for early voting, how ordinary people can help protect the voting process, and why relational organizing and staying in right relationship across po
Artificial Intimacy Is Changing Who We Are
Artificial Intimacy Is Changing Who We Are Sep 17, 2026 4365 What happens when machines become easier to relate to than other people? In this episode, Kelly talks with author Sherry Turkle about artificial intimacy, the erosion of empathy and social skills, and the political dangers of replacing human connection with frictionless simulations of care. Music: Son Monarcas and Sarah the Illstrumentalist You can find a transcript and show notes (including lin
Organizing for Survival in an Era of Climate Chaos
Organizing for Survival in an Era of Climate Chaos Sep 3, 2026 3952 Our current infrastructure was built for a world that no longer exists. How do we build the power to survive when the systems we depend on fail us? In this episode, Kelly talks with guests Keyante Aytch, Alice Liu, and Brandon Bunt about the tools and relationships that can help make communities resilient—from mesh networks and off-grid solar to neighborhood disaster hubs.
Silicon Valley’s Billionaire Cults Are Coming for Democracy
Silicon Valley’s Billionaire Cults Are Coming for Democracy Aug 20, 2026 3393 “We can have billionaires or we can have democracy. We cannot have both,” Gil Durán says. In this episode, Gil and Kelly discuss the bizarre fixations and political fantasies of tech billionaires like Peter Thiel, and how those ideas are being translated into real-world governance. Durán and Hayes also discuss Silicon Valley’s Christian cosplay, and how traditional Christian ideas are being used a
You Can’t Drink Data: Native Communities Are Resisting the AI Death Cycle
You Can’t Drink Data: Native Communities Are Resisting the AI Death Cycle Aug 6, 2026 4597 “It comes down to the stealing of everything that is and the taking of everything that is,” says Joseph White Eyes. In this episode, Kelly talks with Native organizers Joseph White Eyes and Krystal Two Bulls about the struggle against data centers in Native communities. The conversation explores how the AI boom is advancing a new era of colonial extraction, and how Native communities are resisting
The AI Boom Is a Corporate Project. It Can Be Disrupted.
The AI Boom Is a Corporate Project. It Can Be Disrupted. Jul 23, 2026 5279 A lot of AI technology may not work very well, but providing consumers with reliable information was never its major commercial promise. Investors have poured billions into generative AI because of the promise that it will eliminate jobs on a massive scale. Tech journalist Brian Merchant joins Kelly to discuss how the AI boom is being used to displace workers, degrade information, expand surveilla
No Abandonment, No Bunkers: Preparing for Disaster Together
No Abandonment, No Bunkers: Preparing for Disaster Together Jun 11, 2026 4407 As climate disasters intensify and authoritarian threats escalate, most of us are underprepared for moments when systems fail or are weaponized against us. In this episode, Kelly talks with Chris Begley and Amy Edelman, authors of The Emergency Playbook: A Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation, about how preparedness can move us away from fear, isolation and bunker fantasies, and toward commun
ICE Camps Are Not Untouchable. Here’s How Communities Can Push Back.
ICE Camps Are Not Untouchable. Here’s How Communities Can Push Back. May 28, 2026 4625 “The immigration camp, it really depends on a lot of local infrastructure. It is not this untouchable federal abstraction. It is up to us, neighbors, community members, and we have the actual power to shut them down,” says journalist John Washington. In this episode, John and Kelly Hayes discuss his book How to Close a Camp: Dispatches from the Fight Against Immigrant Detention, the rapid expansio
What Trump’s “Whenever Wars” Reveal About U.S. Empire
What Trump’s “Whenever Wars” Reveal About U.S. Empire May 14, 2026 4778 “Trump is banking on the idea that the entire U.S. population is as cynical and hateful as he is. And evidently, it's not true,” says Khury Petersen-Smith. In this episode, Kelly and Khury discuss Trump’s “whenever wars,” the spectacle of militarized violence, and the anti-war movement this moment demands. From ICE raids in U.S. cities to military violence abroad, Kelly and Khury explore how fasci
Hope Is Not Naive: Rebecca Solnit on Backlash, Power, and Political Memory
Hope Is Not Naive: Rebecca Solnit on Backlash, Power, and Political Memory Apr 30, 2026 4230 “One of the greatest cures for despair and depression is to do something, and to do something with the people who care,” says Rebecca Solnit. In this episode, Kelly talks with Rebecca about hope, backlash, political memory, and why history can help us understand our own power. Their conversation explores feminism, climate grief, authoritarianism, misogyny, interdependence, and why the right’s push
Repair Is a Survival Skill Under Fascism
Repair Is a Survival Skill Under Fascism Apr 15, 2026 4802 In the second part of a two-part conversation, Kelly and Tanuja Jagernauth discuss why conflict transformation can be so difficult, what happens when efforts at repair break down, and why conflict resolution skills are survival skills in fascist times. Music: Son Monarcas, Katori Walker, and David Celeste You can find a transcript and show notes (including links to resources) here: truthout.org/
Rupture and Repair Under Fascist Conditions
Rupture and Repair Under Fascist Conditions Apr 2, 2026 4998 “We have a great opportunity in our movements to learn how to be opponents without being enemies,” says Tanuja Jagernauth. In this first of a two-part conversation, Tanuja and Kelly discuss the language people use to describe harm and conflict, the difference between disagreement and abuse, and how organizers can move through conflict with more clarity and care under fascist conditions. Music: S

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