Radio Free Bay Ridge

Get ready for our biggest episode yet! Five local activists cram into our tiny study to fill in the gaps of our NY11 Congressional Democratic Primary coverage. We heard from the candidates, now it's your turn! We'll cover transit, the environment, women's health issues and family leave, campaign finance, the primary fundraising process, and much more! We also check in on local news and events for the coming week.

Show notes are available at http://www.radiofreebayridge.org/2018/04/24/congressional-contenders-finale/

Subscribe on iTunes at itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-free-bay-ridge/ or wherever fine local podcasts are sold.

The #MarchForOurLives movement isn't just some nebulous national event. Right here in our neighborhood, local students are organizing and demanding answers from us and our elected officials. Today, we sit down with John Papanier, who helped organize the recent Staten Island Town Hall For Our Lives. We spoke about what it is like to be a part of the #MarchForOurLives movement and what barriers are in place in our own community that are stifling the conversation. This movement is just getting warmed up.

Show notes are available at http://www.RadioFreeBayRidge.org/2018/04/12/john-papanier-staten-island-town-hall-for-our-lives/

Subscribe on iTunes at itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-free-bay-ridge/ or wherever fine local podcasts are sold.

Bay Ridge is a neighborhood of immigrants. Even when Bay Ridge was not much more than farmland on the Narrows, we have been a landing spot for numerous waves cultures and ethnicities. Bay Ridge doesn't exist in a bubble, so today we are breaking our hyper-local-only format to discuss the international affairs that affect our neighbors. Today, were going to learn about the longstanding Yemeni community in Bay Ridge. With our guest Rabyaah Althaibani, we'll get some background on what is happening to Yemenis across the world and how it affects their loved ones here in our community.

Show notes are available at www.RadioFreeBayRidge.org

Subscribe on iTunes at itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-free-bay-ridge/ or wherever fine local podcasts are sold.

On our final Congressional Contenders interview, we are happy to talk with Radhakrishna Mohan, a civic leader and Executive Board member of the New York State Public Employees Federation. Mohan discussed his lifelong Union background, both in India and Staten Island, and his experience organizing on a state-wide level. We talked about the role Unions play in being a watchdog for dangerous federal policies, and how a Unionist congressman can bring together Unions to fight for more organizing power. We also discussed how investing in high-tech jobs and infrastructure can help balance our ballooning public debt and federal trade imbalances, how to combat the Opioid crisis on Staten Island, and how we can position Staten Island and Brooklyn to reinvent itself with new cultural institutions and tourism. Check out of full show notes and subscribe at www.radiofreebayridge.org

Today we are pleased to welcome Omar Vaid to our seventh Congressional Contenders episode. Omar spoke with us about the centrality of Unions to his campaign, as well as his core message of protectionism for American industry. We also spent time discussing how unions intersect with healthcare, social security, congestion pricing and education. Finally, we touch on the similarities between Omar's use of social media and how he intends to use his Congressional seat to call out lobbyists and advocate for change. Check out of full show notes and subscribe at www.radiofreebayridge.org

Swinging by the studio today is Max Rose on our sixth Congressional Contenders episode. Max spoke with us about the centrality of public safety to a holistic social-services overhaul that threads through healthcare, Opioid addiction, gun violence, policing, infrastructure, and more. We also got into the weeds on criminal justice reform, especially the Conviction Review Unit that Max observed first-hand while working for the late Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson. Check out of full show notes and subscribe at www.radiofreebayridge.org

Today we welcome Paul Sperling to the fifth episode of our Congressional Contenders series. We sat with Paul to discuss his plans for improved rail infrastructure, workers cooperatives, bringing large employers to Staten Island, and improving healthcare in the district. We also touch on the green economy, cannabis legalization, and improving education in the district with debt forgiveness, free trade schools, and more school construction and hiring. Check out of full show notes and subscribe at www.radiofreebayridge.org

In part four of our Congressional Contenders series, we sit down with Zach Emig, an MIT engineering graduate and bond trader who announced his candidacy all the way back in May of last year. We'll discuss Zach's long haul on the NY11 campaign trail and dig into his "Narrows Agenda" for improving the district. We'll discuss corporate and income taxes, the opioid epidemic, technology, and immigration... as well as the partisan rancor that is affecting national and local politics. Check out of full show notes and subscribe at www.radiofreebayridge.org

A few months ago, Poly Prep reached out to us to ask if we would be interested in recording a new, public event series called Context: Conversations at Poly Prep. The first lecture, with professor and historian Jeremi Suri, was a quick but wide-ranging lecture discussing the evolution of the Office of the President throughout American History as discussed in his new book The Impossible Presidency. While the subject isn't necessarily local, we were thrilled to bring you a progressive, thoughtful lecture given locally at an institution with over 100 years of history in the neighborhood (and to pal around with the excellent Bookmark Shoppe too!) Check out the show notes and find more episodes at www.RadioFreeBayRidge.org

UPDATE: Mike DeCillis has sadly dropped out of the race as of 2/26/18. In part three of our Congressional Contenders series, we sit down with Mike DeCillis, a former EMT, retired police officer, and an attorney and special-ed teacher. We'll discuss Mike's long career including deep-dives into healthcare, pharmaceuticals, police training, vocational education and disability rights, and labor law. We also touch on immigration advocacy and the state of Democratic politics on Staten Island. Check out of full show notes and subscribe at www.radiofreebayridge.org