by Taya Graham and Stephen Janis | Nov 5, 2025 | elections, Inequality Watch, New York, Politics and Movements: US, Socialism, video
The mainstream media said voters wouldn’t go for him and they said “socialism won’t sell.” But on the streets of New York, people were done listening to conventional wisdom. All throughout Manhattan and from East Harlem to Queens, voters told us the same thing: they’re tired of the old guard, the empty promises, and a system that serves the wealthy instead of the working class.
Credits:
Pre-Production: Taya Graham/Stephen Janis
Post-Production: Cameron Granadino
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Taya Graham:
After an election where the mainstream media seemed more concerned about the idea of socialism than the issues confronting New Yorkers Democratic socialist candidate, Zohran Mamdani had a decisive victory and will be the next mayor of New York. We spent the day traveling throughout Manhattan during this record turnout talking to voters who said, this election is about one thing change. Stephen, this has been such an exciting race. What are some of your takeaways from today? Well, I think
Stephen Janis:
What it is is a big miss for the mainstream media. And the reason I say is because they were making this sort of a nationalized race that only it was about socialism and somehow Mondavi was going to be some big eyesore for the Democratic party. But what we saw here was an enthusiasm for change that was much more important than any sort of isms that could be applied to it.
Speaker 3:
Feeling excited about New York City having some new ideas standing up to Donald Trump.
Taya Graham:
Now, is there a particular candidate you feel represents
Speaker 3:
New ideas?
by Maximillian Alvarez | Nov 4, 2025 | Economy and Inequality, elections, labor, New York, Politics and Movements: US, video
In 2021, when New York City taxi drivers were dying by suicide and others were going on hunger strike, begging City Hall for relief from the debt trap that had set them up for failure and financial ruin, a young NY Assemblyperson named Zohran Mamdani stood with them. Now, taxi drivers are standing with Mamdani in his bid to become the next mayor of New York City. Reporting on the ground in New York, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks with Yellow Cab driver-owner and NY Taxi Workers Alliance member Mouhamadou Aliyu about the ongoing struggle for justice for NY taxi drivers—and what Mamdani’s campaign means to them.
Additional links/info:
Zohran Mamdani campaign ad featuring Mouhamadou
Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “Cheated, desperate, financially ruined NYC taxi drivers go on hunger strike”
NY Taxi Workers Alliance website, TikTok, and Facebook page
Luis Feliz Leon, In These Times, “Zohran Mamdani on the night shift for mayor”
Credits:
Videographer: Maximillian Alvarez
Post-Production: Cameron Granadino
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Mouhamadou Aliyu:
Hello, my name is Mouhamadou Aliyu, a New York City taxi driver and a member of New York Taxi Worker Alliance. We’re so desperate we still going on a hunger strike.
Maximillian Alvarez:
So Mouhamadou, the last time that you and I spoke, it was 2021, you were on a hunger strike at the end of your rope fighting for relief from the city that had entrapped you and so many taxi drivers into this massive amount of debt to get the medallions that you need to drive a taxi cab in the city. And then the
by Mansa Musa | Nov 3, 2025 | Politics and Movements: US, Prison Industrial Complex, prison reform, Prisons and Policing, Rattling the Bars, video
From chronic overcrowding and inmate deaths to systematic abuse and lawbreaking by corrections officers, prison conditions in the state of Alabama have reached a crisis point. And yet, state leaders continue to push an “Alabama solution” that involves building more mega-prisons and expanding qualified immunity for officers. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with Dakarai Larriett, a Democratic candidate for US Senate in Alabama, about about the true cost of Alabama’s carceral crisis and his vision for an alternative vision of criminal justice.
Guest:
Dakarai Larriett is a community leader, entrepreneur, and Democratic candidate for US Senate in Alabama
Credits:
Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron Granadino
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Mansa Musa:
Welcome to this edition of Rattling the Bars. I’m your host Mansa Musa. We’ve been hitting hard on covering what’s going on down in Sweet Home, Alabama. We’ve been intentional about giving people a voice or turn the volume up on their voice about what they should be done in Alabama. What is the Alabama solution? This term came out of a documentary where prison system in Alabama was being highlighted, and when they confronted the governor with some of the realities of the abuse that was taking place in the Alabama prison system in general, and the fact that the United States Attorney General had issued a mandate that the conditions in Alabama were so horrendous that they had to do something about it, the governor respond was this is not a Justice Department solution. This is not the Justice Department responsible correcting.
by Taya Graham and Stephen Janis | Nov 3, 2025 | elections, Inequality Watch, New York, Politics and Movements: US, video
Taya Graham and Stephen Janis speak with voters in Harlem just 24 hours before the NYC mayoral election about what issues are important to them, what they think of the frontrunner candidate Zohran Mamdani, what they think of his opponent, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and what they want the mayor to do for them.
Credits:
Pre-Production: Taya Graham/Stephen Janis
Post-Production: Cameron Granadino
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Taya Graham:
This is Taya Graham and Stephen Janis in Harlem, New York. It’s just 24 hours before the final vote for the New York Mayor’s race. So we came to this bustling neighborhood to ask voters what issues were important to them, what they thought of the front runner, Zohran Mamdani, what they thought of his opponent, former governor Andrew Cuomo, and what they wanted the mayor to do for them. But let’s take a listen to the voters themselves. Mamdani is the front runner against former Governor Cuomo. Which one do you hope becomes Mayor of New York?
James B Cray:
Mayor Mamdani.
Taya Graham:
Wow. And now why do you choose Mamdani?
James B Cray:
Well, Mamdani speaking about a lot of things that really address the people such as housing, the transportation issues. I think he’s more at the forefront of what a lot of young people want to hear about. We’ve had FOMO and Bloombergs and the cycle just keeps on going on without a lot of our issues being addressed.
Taya Graham:
What do you think about the leading candidates?
“Vincent”:
It’s time for a change and time for new blood.
Taya Graham:
Wow. I’m impressed to hear that.
by Michael Fox | Oct 31, 2025 | elections, New York, Podcast, Politics and Movements: US, Stories of Resistance
Just a year ago almost no one had ever heard of him. Just a name in a crowd. A fairly obscure member of the New York State Assembly. Just one in a packed pool of Democratic candidates running for mayor of New York City. A longshot.
Now he is the leading candidate in the city’s mayoral race next Tuesday, November 4. A democratic socialist who has ignited a movement. A glimmer of hope amid dark days. Hope for not just New York City, but elsewhere around the country, and a road map for other progressive candidates.
BIG NEWS! This podcast has won Gold in this year’s Signal Awards for best history podcast! It’s a huge honor. Thank you so much to everyone who voted and supported.
And please consider signing up for the Stories of Resistance podcast feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, or wherever you listen.
And please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. A little help goes a long way.
The Real News’s legendary host Marc Steiner has also been in the running for best episode host. And he also won a Gold Signal Award. We are so excited. You can listen and subscribe to the Marc Steiner Show here on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Please consider supporting this podcast and Michael Fox’s reporting on his Patreon account: patreon.com/mfox. There you can also see exclusive pictures, video, and interviews.
Written and produced by Michael Fox.
All clips in this episode were taken from Zohran Mamdani’s Instagram page.
Resources
Your guide to the billionaire-backed groups working to push Dems right in 2026
4 Reasons why Trump is afraid of Zohran Mamdani
CNN Anchors shill for Cuomo as mainstream
by Maximillian Alvarez | Oct 31, 2025 | Gaza, Israel, October 7: One Year Later, Palestine, Podcast, Politics and Movements: International, Politics and Movements: US, Working People
In September, before the current ceasefire deal was announced, we spoke with two Palestinians in Gaza—Mohamed Abu Tawila (a former English teacher) and his nephew Abdul Rahman (a would-be college student)—about surviving 700 days of genocidal destruction at the hands of Israel’s military and with the full backing of the United States. In this critical follow-up episode, we speak once again with Mohamed Abu Tawila from Gaza to get an on-the-ground account of life for Palestinians after the shaky implementation of the ceasefire began on Oct. 10.
Additional links/info:
Mohamed’s Instagram account
Living Water Mutual Aid in Gaza Chuffed fundraiser page and Instagram account
GoFundMe campaign to support Mohamed’s water delivery operation and his family
Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “‘Hearts are crying and bodies are bleeding’: Gazans describe their daily struggle to survive”
Tareq S. Hajjaj, Mondoweiss, “Israel’s repeated ceasefire violations are part of its strategy to keep waging war on Gaza”
DropSite News, “Israel kills over 100 Palestinians in overnight bombardment of Gaza; thousands killed in Sudan’s El-Fasher”
Featured Music:
Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song
Credits:
Audio Post-Production: Alina Nehlich
Transcript
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Alright. Welcome everyone to Working People, a podcast about the lives, jobs, dreams, and struggles of the working class today. Working People is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network and is brought to you in partnership within these Times Magazine and the Real News Network. This show is produced by Jules Taylor and made possible by the support of listeners like you. My name is Maximilian Alvarez and we’ve got a short but extremely important episode for you
