Best Necessary Troublemakers Podcasts (2025)

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TM Smoke Signals: We Refuse to Be Victims by Njuki Githethwa 4:18

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14d ago4:18

4:18

In this Smoke Signal, Njuki Githethwa reads from the newly published collection ‘We Refuse to Be Victims' by Ugandan activist and poet Sam Mugumya. His words remind us that courage, dignity, and resistance are possible even under the harshest conditions. Sam visited Nairobi in August 2025, where he met with grassroots collectives from informal sett…

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Ep38: Choose Your Target Wisely with Nawa Villy Sitali 1:14:45

21d ago1:14:45

1:14:45

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will,” Frederick Douglass What does it mean to choose your battles wisely? In this episode, host Phil Wilmot sits down with Zambian activist Villy Nawa to unpack the strategy of isolating targets and forcing institutions to account for their failures. From his first protest as a b…

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TM Smoke Signals: Is the Rising Obsession with Digital Security Paralysing People Power? 14:40

27d ago14:40

14:40

In this episode of Troublemakers (TM) Smoke Signals, we revisit an article written just before the Covid pandemic: Is the rising obsession with digital security paralyzing people power? What started as a reflection on the flood of digital security trainings resurfaces today with new urgency, amid accelerating AI, techno-feudalism, and state and cor…

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Ep37: By Any Means Necessary with Magdalene Moonsamy II 58:06

1M ago58:06

58:06

Is nonviolence truly the higher ground, or is that just a myth handed to the oppressed by those in power? In this fiercely honest conversation, South African lawyer, activist, and former parliamentarian Magdalene Moonsamy returns to the mic to confront the moral binaries surrounding resistance, liberation, and the cost of freedom. Key Ideas and Hig…

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Ep36: By Any Means Necessary with Magdalene Moonsamy. 55:58

2M ago55:58

55:58

Is nonviolence truly the higher ground, or is that just a myth handed to the oppressed by those in power? In this fiercely honest and far-reaching conversation, South African lawyer, activist, and former parliamentarian Magdalene Moonsamy returns to the mic to confront the moral binaries surrounding resistance, liberation, and the cost of freedom. …

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Ep35: Make New Folks Feel Welcome (Pt 2) with Lennart Dose 15:26

3M ago15:26

15:26

Ep35: Make New Folks Feel Welcome – Part 2 What does it really mean to feel welcome? In this second part of Make New Folks Feel Welcome, we flip the mic and pass it to the people. Real voices share real stories that made them feel like they mattered. These are stories of kindness, comfort, and quiet inclusion. Then, we sit down with Lennart Dose, a…

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Ep 34: Fostering Safer Spaces with Ally Baharoon 43:37

3M ago43:37

43:37

What happens when we don’t just imagine a better world, but practice it right now? Our host Monica Kamandau speaks with Ally, a creative writer, author-activist, and community organizer from Zanzibar about building truly inclusive communities. Ally relates his experience with stuttering and how embracing his voice gave him a thirst for storytelling…

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Ep33 Consider your audience with Minentle Luthuli 44:03

3M ago44:03

44:03

"Every single time, I’m the first audience I have to think about." – Minentle Luthuli Can you stay true to your story and still move others to act? Should you even try? In this deep and dynamic episode of Trouble Makers, South African filmmaker Minentle Luthuli challenges the idea that artists—or activists—should start by considering their audience…

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Ep32: Enable, Don’t Command with Juma Erassy 44:44

4M ago44:44

44:44

There’s one style of leadership in which a charismatic, commanding figure sets the agenda, builds a vertical hierarchy, and pulls everyone else along for the ride. But what happens when leadership flips the script? In this episode of Trouble Makers, we explore the power of supportive, enabling leadership through the work of Juma Erassy, coordinator…

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Ep31: Make New Folks Welcome with Rebecka Blomqvist 20:29

4M ago20:29

20:29

“You are invited. By anyone, to do anything. You are invited, for all time. You are so needed, by everyone, to do everything. You are invited, for all time.— The Dismemberment Plan, “You Are Invited” Bringing in new people is essential to any activist group that wants to grow in size and capacity, but recruiting is only the first step. Integrating …

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Ep30: Postcolonialism with Somdeep Sen 1:01:34

4M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

“Imperialism leaves behind germs of rot which we must clinically detect and remove from our land but from our minds as well.” — Frantz Fanon What does liberation mean when the very language of freedom is shaped by empire? In this episode, we speak with Somdeep Sen, political scientist and author of Decolonizing Palestine: Hamas Between the Anticolo…

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TM Polycrisis Prep: One Drink to Rule Them All? 8:16

5M ago8:16

8:16

“As things fall apart, what’s the one drink you’d carry into the collapse?” In this episode, we pose the critical question of our time: if we all end up in one ecological safe zone during the polycrisis and are only allowed one alcoholic beverage for the rest of our lives... what drink are we bringing with us? We’re joined by Mia, Maggie, and Malem…

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TM Smoke Signals: On Pro-Palestine protestors "disrupting exam studies" at Colombia University 7:27

5M ago7:27

7:27

Phil, who was a Pro-Palestine campus activist in his university days, reflects on the recent police repression of student protesters at Columbia University and how it's part of a broader assault on pro-Palestinian solidarity movements across global campuses. But beyond the headlines, this episode dives into a deeper question: what counts as learnin…

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Ep29: Follow the Lead of the Most Impacted with Lusekelo Chinyama 30:22

5M ago30:22

30:22

What does it mean to be a good ally—and not a harmful one—in movements for justice? In this episode, we explore the difficult but essential work of following the lead of the most impacted. Our guest reflects on the dangers of “do-gooder arrogance” and the importance of showing up with humility, not solutions. We talk about how movements led by marg…

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TM Polycrisis Prep: Pineapple on Pizza? 9:44

5M ago9:44

9:44

Welcome to the first-ever segment of Troublemaker’s Polycrisis Prep School, a special segment of the Troublemaker’s Podcast where we debate the most “pressing” dilemmas of our turbulent times. First on the chopping board: 🍕🍍 Is it acceptable to put pineapple on pizza? Joining the food fight are the Three Ms—Malemi, Maggie, and Mia. Malemi is firmly…

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Ep28: Jail Solidarity with Céline Lebrun-Shaath 46:21

5M ago46:21

46:21

"I have the people behind me and the people are my strength."— Huey Newton. What does solidarity look like when comrades are behind bars? In this episode, we explore jail solidarity through the eyes of Céline Lebrun-Shaath, a committed organizer and internationalist. She speaks about the moral and political imperative to stand with those who remain…

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Ep27: Use your radical fringe to shift the Overton window with Julia and Stella 18:25

6M ago18:25

18:25

It takes more than organising to shift a society's sense of what's possible. In this episode, we travel to Moldova to explore how feminist and LGBTQ+ activists are reimagining the boundaries of public discourse and reshaping the culture of protest in a quiet, conservative society. Our guests, Julia and Stella, are part of a growing movement challen…

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Ep26: Consumer Boycott with BDS Jordan 25:47

6M ago25:47

25:47

How do you take on a corporate giant—and win? In this episode of Troublemakers, we dive into a story from BDS Palestine organizers in Jordan. They built one of the most impactful consumer boycotts in recent memory, targeting Carrefour supermarkets. Fatima and Enas walk us through the strategy, creativity, and community power that made it possible. …

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TM Smoke Signals: Snow White & Disney Capitalism 13:06

6M ago13:06

13:06

In this episode of Trouble Makers, we dive into the spectacle surrounding Disney’s Snow White remake to explore a deeper story: how corporate media co-opts identity politics, commodifies culture, and shapes our collective imagination for profit. We unpack how companies like Disney use outrage as marketing and brand loyalty as a form of identity, le…

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Ep25: Participatory Action Research with Abel Sibanda 43:31

6M ago43:31

43:31

In this episode of Troublemakers, we dive into Participatory Action Research (PAR) with Abel Sibanda, exploring how research needn't be divorced from reality but can actually foster social transformation and systems change, especially when it's not separated from our complex realities and the actions of our movements. We discuss the nuances of soli…

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TM Smoke Signals: Crisis in Congo 15:37

6M ago15:37

15:37

In this first episode of TM Smoke Signal, we sit down with Stewart Muhindo to discuss the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. From the root causes fueling the conflict to the devastating impacts on communities, we break down the complexities of the situation. How can the world step in? What role do international powers and regional …

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Ep24: Cultural Disobedience with Phionah Kyokusiima 38:05

7M ago38:05

38:05

If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.— Maya Angelou Phil sits with a longtime comradely fellow organizer Phionah Kyokusiima from Solidarity Uganda. Together they delve into the tactic of cultural disobedience, which has just as much subversive power—sometimes more—as civil disobedience. Kyokusiima is a s…

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Ep23: Practice Digital Self-Defence 26:25

7M ago26:25

26:25

And when they spy on us, let them discover us loving. — Alice Walker Our guest helps us answer many of the questions activists have about privacy and digital security. He has chosen to remain anonymous to share his insights on protecting oneself online, avoiding surveillance, and practicing safe digital habits. From understanding encryption to safe…

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Ep22: Use the law, don’t be afraid of it (pt 2)with Victoria Whalen 59:28

7M ago59:28

59:28

In this second part of our series on "Use the law, don't be afraid of it," we speak with climate justice lawyer Victoria Whalen, who offers a refreshingly positive perspective on what the law is and what it can do. She puts law in the hands of the people as a tool to mould new realities, and frames the history of legal rights as a living archive of…

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EP21: Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army with Angus Joseph 41:12

7M ago41:12

41:12

How does storytelling reshape movements? What role does humor play in activism? How can we clown a hostile moment, a climate protest, a global convening sold out to the billionaires? Do children understand political expediency better — should we all be clowns and ninjas and unashamed painters instead of activists and campaigners? In this episode of…

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Ep20: Burn brightly, but don’t burn out with movement psychologist Cristel Montenegro 52:43

7M ago52:43

52:43

Pain is often treated as something to suppress, avoid, or silence. But what if true healing comes from embracing it fully—together? We sit down with Nicaraguan movement psychologist Cristel Montenegro to explore the power of collective trauma processing. We examine how communities facing deep wounds caused by violence and systemic oppression can em…

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Ep19: Al faza’a (a surge of solidarity) with Manzur Al Matin 37:20

8M ago37:20

37:20

"Beware the level-headed person if they’re angry." — Arabic proverb What happens when a nation reaches its breaking point? In this episode of Trouble Makers, we sit down with Manzur Al Matin, an Advocate in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Senior Presenter at Channel 24. During the Monsoon Revolution, Manzur took a bold stand—filing lawsuits aga…

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E18: Story of Self, Us, and Now with Yomna Ahmed 43:03

8M ago43:03

43:03

"If I am not for myself, who will be? And if I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, when?" — Rabbi Hillel the Elder. Yomna Ahmed, a Harvard-trained community organizer, empowers activists through Public Narrative and Community Organizing. She co-founded Athar Network, uniting activists across seven Arab countries. In this episode, Yomna …

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E17: Build People Power, then Negotiate with Gino Govender 56:05

8M ago56:05

56:05

What does it take to challenge powerful systems and win? In this episode, we explore the power of grassroots organizing, worker solidarity, and strategic negotiations in the fight for justice. Veteran trade unionist and activist Gino Govender reveals how people power can bring even the most oppressive systems to their knees. From building worker po…

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E16: Use the Law, Don’t Be Afraid of It with Meralney Bomba 18:30

8M ago18:30

18:30

"Winning this case isn’t just about us—it’s about showing people that you can demand justice and fight for your rights." —Meralney Bomba Description: What does it take for a small island community to stand up to a colonial power? How can the law become a weapon of change in the fight for climate justice? In this episode, we meet Meralney Bomba, a c…

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E15: Organizing Strategies that Scale with Zakia Soman 29:24

9M ago29:24

29:24

How do we build numbers? How do we organize at a colossal scale? How do we build mass cooperation amidst our cultural, linguistic, generational, religious diversity? How do we unite around issues affecting us all? Zakia Soman guides us through how she and other Indian women's rights activists established Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, the largest…

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E14: Joy is a Revolutionary Force – Joséphina Bouden 55:20

10M ago55:20

55:20

We explore with Tunisian trans activist Joséphina Bouden (Jouda) how joy becomes a powerful form of resistance in the face of oppression. We discuss how cultural disobedience transforms everyday acts into powerful protests. We dive with Josephine into the historical and modern significance of joy as an act of defiance. From enslaved communities cre…

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E13: Why Palestine Matters to Africa – with Wesam and a live audience 1:01:28

11M ago1:01:28

1:01:28

In this powerful episode recorded with a live audience at MS TCDC in Arusha, Tanzania (a centre established by the administration of Pan-African socialist Julius Nyerere, who famously said “We will stand with Palestine, as we stood against apartheid and colonialism in South Africa”), we sit down with Wesam to learn about the history of Palestinian …

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E12: Fees Must Fall (Pt 2)—With Walter Rodney Library organizer Phethani Madzivhandila 45:47

11M ago45:47

45:47

Phethani Madzivhandila is an organizer, theorist, and unionist based in Azania (South Africa). He’s a member of The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and one of the Walter Rodney Library founders. He’s also a member of MS TCDC’s 2023 Activist-in-Residence cohort. In this episode, we dive into one of South Africa's most powerful social movements: Fe…

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E11: Fees Must Fall (Pt 1)—With David Musiri, a Ugandan political activist 37:34

11M ago37:34

37:34

We explore Uganda's generational discontent as young people challenge the ideological, political, and moral contradictions of the government. Fueled by economic struggles and social injustice at Makerere University and other higher learning institutions across Africa, students demand a freeze to tuition hikes (at the very least, in pursuit of free …

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E10: General Strike—with a Myanmar comrade on their evolving revolution 54:37

12M ago54:37

54:37

“Win or lose, mass strikes reveal the truth.” —Jeremy Brecher In this episode, we dive deep into how general strikes are happening in Myanmar (also known as Burma). Our guest explains how as a collective, the citizens are conducting their strikes in demand for an end to the military coup and the release of their leaders. We consider how the people …

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E9: Take risks, but take care—with Nafula Wafula on the Kenyan uprising against the finance bill and feminizing movement culture 54:20

12M ago54:20

54:20

“Martyrdom is a fascist tendency.” —Gopal Dayanenni A lot is happening under the rug in Kenya. In this episode, we speak with Nafula Wafula, a Kenyan protester, organizer, feminist, and Pan-African. Kenya’s uprising against the IMF and World Bank-sponsored Finance Bill recently marked 100 days since its beginning. Repression against the uprising wa…

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Episode 8: Intersectionality with Sarita Pariyar 56:23

1y ago56:23

56:23

We speak with Sarita Pariyar, a writer, social justice activist, and the founding convener of the International Darnal Award for Social Justice. She is the principal investigator of Just Futures Initiative (https://www.justfuturespahal.org/). Sarita speaks of her activism in Nepal, learning and struggling with fellow Dalit women. From Black Lives M…

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Episode 7: Action Logic with Dan Glass 23:50

1y ago23:50

23:50

Actions speak louder than words. — Ruckus Society motto Have you ever been confused by a protest, or have you asked why activists are even angry to begin with? Perhaps the protesters’ message wasn’t clear. This confusion points to a lack of something we call “Action Logic.” With solid Action Logic, an action can speak for itself. In this episode, w…

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Episode 6: The NGOization of Resistance 44:34

1+ y ago44:34

44:34

Bel dan pa di zanmi (Just because someone is smiling at you doesn't mean they're your friend) — Haitian proverb Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people powered movements, resistance, revolution, it’s all a complex relationship, fraught with many challenges as well as potential! Campaigning organizations such as ActionAid have a history of …

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Episode 2: Cooperation Jackson and Solidarity Economics 29:52

2+ y ago29:52

29:52

We speak with Sacajawea Hall, activist and co-founder of Cooperation Jackson — an emerging vehicle for sustainable community development, economic democracy, and community ownership — on solidarity economics, a tradition of radical economic organizing that strives to replace dependance on exploitative and oppressive economic relations through ‘soli…

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Episode 5: Reframe the Issue 32:05

2+ y ago32:05

32:05

Reframing is a process of replacing an old story with a new one by widening the frame, narrowing the frame, or shifting the frame to another scene entirely. The powers-that-be usually go to great lengths to frame their agenda in a way that is favorable for their interests. Just think of how we’ve heard these words used: tax relief. Like a camera’s …

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Episode 4: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions 35:15

2+ y ago35:15

35:15

We speak to Mahmoud Nawajaa, General Coordinator for the Palestinian-led global movement Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) National Committee. Inspired by the movement against Apartheid in South Africa, the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and more, we look at how decentralized tactics such as boycott and divestment — as used in the Palestinian strugg…

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Episode 3: Decolonization 1:18:01

2+ y ago1:18:01

1:18:01

If Frantz Fanon woke up today he’d be like, “You guys are still talking about decolonization, I thought we addressed that in the 60’s. What the f*** happened?” We speak to Alieu Bah and Sungu Oyoo on decolonization, a set of ideas, lived experiences, and political programs that challenge imperialism through forms of bottom-up disobedience to histor…

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Episode 1: Conflict Kitchen 21:44

2+ y ago21:44

21:44

Amidst growing radicalization of public debate around refugees and migrants in Poland, a conscious restaurant serves dishes from regions of active conflict around the world for Warsaw locals. With Jarmila Rybicka, co-founder of Conflict Kitchen, we talk food and solidarity. We learn how preparing and sharing a delicious dish can offer many points o…

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About Troublemakers! 2:19

2+ y ago2:19

2:19

Learn more about the transcontinental partners behind this podcast! Global Platforms: https://www.globalplatforms.org/ Beautiful Trouble: https://beautifultrouble.org/ MS TCDC, The MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation: https://mstcdc.or.tz/ MOVE, The Global Social Movement Centre: https://www.globalplatforms.org/move…

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The Arcs and Me Hoops 38:27

4y ago38:27

38:27

It's time to press pause and reflect...now if only they could remember what happened in the last two days! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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A Necessary Evil - The Musical 29:55

4y ago29:55

29:55

"To Tweet or Not To Tweet...?" That is the question in this week's podcast, as the girls discuss the role of influencers in our social media-frenzied world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Just A Quickie 38:59

4y ago38:59

38:59

You were HOW old when you had your first...?! The pals go deep and full circle in this week's little quickie of an episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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I Tried To Ride My Sister 32:43

4y ago32:43

32:43

Spoiler Alerts! Dee Owns Her Brilliance. A Swine Hurt Eva. And SJ Tried To Ride Her Sister. With headlines like these, how could you not listen to this week's hilarious episode?! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.