Unofficial investigations, reports, and love letters to the Left. Spin-off series of the Mainline Podcast. Hosted by Aja Arnold, founding editor of Mainline magazine. Every week featuring a new guest and contributor in our revolving door of topics as it relates progressivism, anti-authoritarianism, and Democratic socialism. Theme music by Shepherds (Atlanta, Ga.).
In this special episode, Sylvia interviews Aja to learn more about what's next for The Mainline and various projects the publication is getting into this summer, including its brand new Patreon which is live as of today, June 1.
Aja talks about life on the road since leaving Atlanta to work on her new book projects, including 'The Land of the Let Go: A documentation of the working class in post-Trump & COVID America.' The Patreon will host stories from the book as well as community discussions in antiracist and antifascist work, which includes the inner revolution of dismantling our internalized capitalism and white supremacy. This type of documentation and reporting, Aja argues, is New Wave Journalism. (Note: This isn't a thing commonly referred to yet, but can be thought of as a modern-day extension of New Journalism. Join us on Patreon, you'll see.)
To subscribe to our Patreon and be part of this process, go to https://patreon.com/mainlinezine (https://patreon.com/mainlinezine). You can join for as little as $5 a month and receive all bonus content. All subscription proceeds go to benefit The Mainline and directly fund local independent journalism in Atlanta. #solidaritynotcharity
4 May 2021
Ep. 13: Common Truths
Mainline contributor and researcher Sylvia Johnson speaks with fellow Mainline contributor and organizer AJ and community organizer Miriam Barcenas to begin to address the necessity for solidarity within communities, across racial and class intersections. The three discuss the fall-out from the March 16 Atlanta spa shootings, the insidiousness of white supremacist culture, what policing means to each of them, and community trauma. In Sylvia's words, "I want to talk with people about this work; to hear how our diverse backgrounds still lead to common lived experiences in America."
To support our work, please visit www.mainlinezine.com/donate (http://www.mainlinezine.com/donate)
29 Apr 2021
Ep. 12: Manufacturing consent, labor organizing, & the PRO Act
In this week's episode, Aja & co-conspirator Ryan in Marketing are joined by event and music labor organizer Chris Tollack in Atlanta and Phillip Golub of the Musicians Workers Alliance in New York City. The four discuss what happened in Bessemer, the lengths corporations go with anti-union messaging, manufacturing consent, what the PRO Act does, and how it would empower musicians/artists/freelancers, and the "precariat" class. (This episode is Ryan's fault.)
Support our work at https://mainlinezine.com/donate (https://mainlinezine.com/donate)
P.S. Abolish the police.
To learn more about what happened in Bessemer from lead organizer Joshua Brewer: https://labornotes.org/2021/04/inside-alabama-amazon-union-drive-interview-lead-organizer (https://labornotes.org/2021/04/inside-alabama-amazon-union-drive-interview-lead-organizer)
Join the Debt Collective:
https://debtcollective.org/ (https://debtcollective.org/)
Check out MWA:
https://musicworkersalliance.org/ (https://musicworkersalliance.org/)
"Breaking Down the PRO Act" by Brandon Magner (because none of us are labor law experts, and labor law is intentionally confusing): https://brandonmagner.substack.com/p/breaking-down-the-pro-act (https://brandonmagner.substack.com/p/breaking-down-the-pro-act)
19 Apr 2021
Ep. 11: The PRO Act & Organizing in the South
Last week, Aja co-hosted a panel about the PRO Act and Organizing in the South along with Nolan Huber-Rhoades, as presented by Atlanta DSA. Aja & Nolan interview labor organizers from Communication Workers of America, Kellie Morgan (Political Director, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades), and James Williams (President, Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council). This episode also features additional insights and contexts from Aja regarding the PRO Act, informed by various interviews and research regarding the legislation and how it will impact workers, particularly freelancers and independent contractors. TLDR: it's good, and we all need the PRO Act. Listen to learn why.
To support our work, please visit mainlinezine.com/donate.
12 Mar 2021
Ep. 10: Georgia's police brutality problem (and how it relates everything else)
Jess, Sylvia, and Aja break down the most recent events concerning the Rayshard Brooks, Messiah Young, Taniyah Pilgrim, and Vincent Truitt cases — the most publicly known police brutality cases pending in the state of Georgia. The updates evolve into a roundtable discussion of the ripple effects of police brutality, particularly in the state of Georgia. Police brutality is not an isolated issue and is a symptom of predatory capitalism. The three dive down into Georgia's history of grand juries, what Fred Hampton thought of DAs and judges, mutual aid, houselessness, gentrification, media criticism, voter suppression, personal and community trauma, and education.
This episode features the track "Fire" by independent artist Often, whose next single comes out on April 5. Follow Often on Spotify and Instagram @oftenoftenoften.
To support our work, visit www.mainlinezine.com/donate (http://www.mainlinezine.com/donate).
16 Feb 2021
Ep. 9: Hypernormalisation. We're all living it.
Hypernormalisation, a term coined during the final days of the U.S.S.R., is explained as when politicians, corporations, and those in power give up on the complexities of the real world and create a simpler "fake world" through delivering a false narrative. This false narrative is created by corporations and institutions and delivered to the masses by politicians via institutional media systems. We know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, but nobody can do anything about it and there doesn't seem to be any alternative.
But, there is an alternative. There's a third door. Tune in with Aja, Ryan, & Elliot as they discuss how hypernormalisation presents itself today, from GameStop to the impeachment trial to the ongoing debates of COVID-19 relief in the U.S., and come to the conclusion that there's another way to go about this than just "going along with it."
Support our work at http://mainlinezine.com/donate (http://mainlinezine.com/donate).
19 Jan 2021
Ep. 8: Reimagining society
This week, Aja and Jess talk with D.C. activist and artist AnaMarie King two days ahead of Inauguration Day in the midst of heightened tensions surrounding the Capitol following J6. The three discuss the fallout from the attack on the Capitol, calls for abolition and reimagining society, and healing through direct action, particularly in areas of gentrification and caring for unhoused populations. AnaMarie tells us about the movement in D.C. and its relationship with local police, and Jess expands on the importance of amplifying Black voices when it comes to matters of reimagining society and calls for abolition.
11 Jan 2021
Ep. 7: How American media systems paved the way for a pro-Trump insurrection
Last week in America's never-ending saga of "What the Fuck Just Happened?", Trump supporters sieged the nation's Capitol, effectively disrupting government procedure in the certification of states' Electoral College votes for President-Elect Joe Biden. Incidentally, this occurred the day after Georgia elected its first Black and Jewish senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff — another example of how white rage and violence has eclipsed the monumental work and stories of Black liberation. Aja and Ryan discuss how we got here and what role the media has played in bringing us to what needs to be the new point of no return. The only way out is taking bold steps in media reparations, press holding itself accountable, and saving local journalism. As the media continues to repeat its mistakes, even after the most explosive demonstration of white supremacy we've seen in our waking memory, the question has become, how far to the bottom must we go before reform is made?
To support our work, visit mainlinezine.com/donate to become a monthly or one-time contributing member.
13 Dec 2020
Ep. 6: 2020, A postmortem
A postmortem of 2020 with founding editor Aja Arnold and contributors Jess Izard and Sylvia Johnson. This year has been a long road revealing the effects of systems that fail to continuously center marginalized voices in regards to issues that affect them most. As we enter the next phase and the possibility of transformative justice, what do media reparations look like? What needs to happen on the ground level in our communities to affect change?
If we aren’t centering Black, Indigenous, women, queer, and trans voices in our movements and media systems, no collective action towards justice and reparations will be successful. This episode is the beginning of many conversations we need to have as we recap what mainstream media missed when covering police brutality, racial inequality, Atlanta communities, and the coronavirus pandemic.
6 Dec 2020
Ep. 5: Don't act surprised
Republican infighting. Rampant election disinformation. Trump's bogus lawsuit against Georgia's election results. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger comparing allegations of voter fraud to voter suppression. Trump's "victory rally" in Valdosta. Less than 30 days out from Georgia’s Senate runoff races, and there’s been no shortage of political foolery and manipulation as both parties fight to take control of the Senate.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Biden continues to rack up his cabinet with lobbyists and corporate interests and there’s new stimulus package discussions. Our advice? Don’t act surprised.
29 Nov 2020
Ep. 4: Why you should really care about gentrification
Mainline contributor and author Sylvia Johnson joins Aja this week to dive into why we should really care more about gentrification. Besides the obvious problems gentrification brings — increasingly expensive rents and mortgages, higher eviction rates, displacement of lower-income communities of color, and so on — there are deep relations between gentrification, police brutality, and climate/environmental justice that are too often circumvented in the media. Using Atlanta's history and current development stories as a prime example, Sylvia and Aja expand the conversation to where it needs to go: to include and center the two biggest existential threats to Black and Indigenous communities.
22 Nov 2020
Ep. 3: So, Georgia flipped blue for Biden. Now what?
This week, Aja is joined by contributor Ryan DeMattia to discuss what's next for the working class and progressives now that Georgia has flipped blue. This year marks the first time Georgia went blue for a presidential candidate since 1992 for President Bill Clinton — and administration that ultimately granted the U.S. the 1994 Crime Bill and the militarization of the police force we see today.
Meanwhile, the nation's eyes remain on Georgia as both Democrats and Republicans charge down the barrel of two Senate runoffs: the special election race between Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democratic contender Raphael Warnock and the crucial running between longtime Republican incumbent Sen. David Perdue and Democratic nominee Jon Ossoff.
What is likely to change under a Biden-Harris administration for working class Americans? How will Georgians' material conditions improve with two blue Senate seats? We reflect on these questions (and more) in today’s episode.
22 Nov 2020
Ep. 2: Trump... Get better soon?
Aja, Chris, and contributing guest Miles Jenson discuss the news of Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, the new ICE ban on Communist-associated immigrants, Harper Bazaar's latest interview with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and updates on the polls in Georgia.
22 Nov 2020
Ep. 1: The Pilot Episode
The Mainline presents a new podcast entitled "To the Left," featuring founding editor Aja Arnold and contributing political analyst Christopher Luke. In the official pilot episode, the two cover the Breonna Taylor case decision, the passing of RBG, Trump's new Supreme Court appointee Amy Coney Barrett, the election, what Democrats are (and are not) doing, and what's ahead in the elections in Georgia.
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