This Is America #56: LA Tenants Occupy Apartment; Chicago Organizes to Keep Warm

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Welcome, to This Is America, February 2nd, 2019.

In this episode, we bring you two important interviews. The first is with a participant in the LA Tenants Union, a growing direct action based organization that is centered around neighborhood locals which fight landlords, evictions, and gentrification. In our discussion, we talk about how the group occupied an apartment to resist the eviction of a family, as well as the context of the fight against rising rents and gentrification in LA.

Good morning – no eviction, no sheriff yet! pic.twitter.com/WdIsSAoLdM

— SGV Mutual Aid Society (@sgvmutualaid) January 31, 2019

Next, we talk with representatives from groups such as Chicago IWOC, the Libertarian Socialist Caucus, the General Defense Committee, and Tenants United of Hyde Park and Woodlawn, who all came together to organize an autonomous shelter with the help of people at Flood’s Hall, in the face of the deadly cold front which hit the city this week.

#chiberia2019 overnight warming center in Hyde Park is stocked with clean clothes, toiletries, & @ChiStreetMedics for anyone who needs shelter & support.

We'll be here at 1513 E 53rd PLACE until 6am. #Chicago #ChicagoWarmingShelters #Chicagoweather pic.twitter.com/6mIIRdjIF5

— General Defense Com (@chicagoGDC) January 31, 2019

We discuss how the different anarchist and autonomous groups came together, organized, fundraised, and set about creating an autonomous shelter and warming space. Beyond talking about nuts and bolts, we discussed the power of networks, thoughts on dual power, and how this energy could be utilized in future projects.

Lastly, during our discussion segment, we talk about the arrest of Roger Stone, a new anti-strike bill aimed at teachers in Oklahoma, looking at the end of the shutdown, and much more.

That’s gonna do it for us this time around, until next time, we will see you soon!