>> RURAL VOTERS DID WHAT THE LAST ELECTION? THE WORKING CLASS? WHEN OUR NEWS IS REPORTED BY PEOPLE FAR AWAY, WE GET A PRETTY WACKY VERSION OF THE TRUTH, ESPECIALLY THE REALITY IN THE SOUTH. >> THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DEFEAT. >> THERE ARE NO OBVIOUS TAKEAWAYS FROM WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT. >> YOU LOOK AT THE POPULAR VOTE, IT’S A WAVE. YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, IT’S A WAVE. >> MORE LIKE A BLUE RIPPLE. >> THAT IS A WAVE. >> SO, A BLUE WAVE, A TRUMP HEARTLAND? WHAT IS THE REALITY ABOUT WHAT IS ACT
UALLY GOING ON? FOR MORE THAN 85 YEARS THE HIGHLANDER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER IN TENNESSEE HAS BEEN LEADING THE FIGHT FOR SOCIAL, RACIAL, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AS WELL AS EQUALITY, EQUITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY. SO IT IS HARD TO FIND, OR EVEN THINK OF PEOPLE BETTER SUITED TO SETTING US STRAIGHT TODAY THAN OUR GUESTS. I AM SO PLEASE TO WELCOME THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF THE HIGHLANDER CENTER, ASH-LEE WOODARD HENDERSON AND REVEREND ALLYN MAXFIELD-STEELE. IT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR ME ANYWAY T
O TRY TO CHECK IN WITH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE SOUTH, BECAUSE THE STUFF THAT YOU READ AND HEAR WHEN YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK IS NEVER ANYWHERE CLOSE TO WHAT I ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE WHEN I LEAVE THESE PARTS. >> YEAH. >> AND THE FACT THAT OUR MEDIA IS SO NORTHEAST FOCUSED, AND NORTHEAST CENTERED IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. SO TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, WE ARE NOW IN 2019, THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT OF COURSE, AND FULL OF CHALLENGE, BUT JUST TO TAKE US BACK A LITTLE. >> YEAH. >> WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THE MID
TERM ELECTIONS? WAS IT A BLUE WAVE? >> YEAH. >> WHAT WAS IT? >> YEAH, I THINK IT ABSOLUTELY WAS NOT A BLUE WAVE. I THINK IT WAS EVIDENCE OF THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT THAT BLACK WOMEN’S LABOR CAN HAVE ON THE WORLD. THAT WHEN WE BELIEVE IN A DREAM, THAT WHEN WE FOCUS ON NOT JUST CATERING TO THE CENTER AND THE RIGHT, BUT WE ACTUALLY TALK TO OUR PEOPLE, AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MEET THEIR DIRECT NEEDS, THAT THEY’LL BELIEVE US, AND THEY’LL THROW DOWN FOR US. AND THAT EVEN IF WE DO ALL THAT WORK, THE WHI
TE RIGHT WILL STEAL AN ELECTION OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER AGAIN. >> SO BEFORE WE GET TO THE WHITE RIGHT AND STEALING LET’S GO BACK TO THAT BLACK WOMEN’S WORK. >> YEAH. >> BECAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS COVERAGE THAT WE GOT OF CAMPAIGNS, LIKE IN GEORGIA, AROUND STACEY ABRAMS OR MANY MORE. >> YEAH. >> WE HEAR THAT DEMOCRATS TURNED OUT THEIR BASE. THAT DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS, MAYBE LED BY WOMEN OF COLOR, THEY TURNED OUT THEIR BASE FOR THIS CANDIDATE THAT EVERYONE BELIEVED IN. ARE YOU SAYING THAT WASN
’T WHAT HAPPENED? >> WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT IF WE LOOK AT PRIMARIES, RIGHT, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DOESN’T GET INVOLVED IN PRIMARIES, RIGHT? SO, WHO GOT STACEY TO THE GENERAL, RIGHT? WHO FOUND STACY EVANS TO RUN AGAINST HER? THERE’S 159 COUNTIES IN GEORGIA, STACEY ABRAMS WON 156. SHE BEAT STACY EVANS IN HER HOME DISTRICT. AND, IT TOOK BLACK WOMEN, AND OTHER WOMEN OF COLOR, SAYING, "WE ARE COMMITTED TO FLANKING AND SUPPORTING THE BLACK WOMEN THAT ARE RUNNING STACEY ABRAM’S CAMPAIGN," AND STACEY AB
RAMS IS A BLACK WOMAN THAT WE TRUST, AND BELIEVE IN, AND WE VALUE HER LEADERSHIP. BUT GEORGIA’S ONLY ONE OF THOSE STORIES, RIGHT? EVEN BEFORE GEORGIA THE ALABAMA RACE WITH ROY MOORE, AND DOUG JONES, RIGHT, LIKE THAT -- THE DEMOCRATS TOOK A LOT OF CREDIT FOR THAT AS WELL, WHEN WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IT WAS LIKE BLACK VOTERS MATTER. IT WAS THE ORDINARY PEOPLE SOCIETY, PASTOR GLASGOW IN DOTHAN. IT IS A MULTI, MULTI-SECTOR COALITION OF BLACK FOLKS, PARTICULARLY LED BY BLACK WOMEN AND FORMERLY INCARCER
ATED PEOPLE THAT WON THAT FIGHT. IF YOU LOOK AT FLORIDA, AMENDMENT 4, OR GILLUM, RIGHT, THAT IT WAS THIS BROAD BLACK COALITION AND THEN PEOPLE THAT ARE OF GOOD WILL THAT FIGHTING ANTI-BLACKNESS, AND FIGHTING FOR BLACK LEADERSHIP THAT CAME TOGETHER AND MADE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE. AND SO, DID DEMOCRATS SHOW UP? MAYBE, BUT WAS THAT THE REASON THAT WE SAW THESE ASTRONOMICAL GAINS? ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT WAS THE PEOPLE POWER. >> LET’S HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE REASONS WHY. I MEAN, YOU’RE WELL PLACED, AL
LYN, BOTH OF YOU TWO ACTUALLY HEAR WHY PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT THEY’RE DOING, NOT JUST SEE THE PICTURES THAT WE SEE OF PEOPLE IN A LINE WHERE WE MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHY THEY’RE STANDING THERE. WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD? WHY DID PEOPLE GET SO INVOLVED, WHETHER YOU’RE TALKING ANDREW GILLUM IN FLORIDA, OR STACEY ABRAMS, OR DOUG JONES, WHAT’S THE MOTIVATION? >> I THINK PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY FOR SOMETHING MORE, AND MORE THAN WHAT THEY’VE BEEN GETTING. AND, I THINK PEOPLE ARE REMEMBERING IN THIS MOMENT THAT TH
ERE IS A DEEP TRADITION OF RESISTANCE IN THE SOUTH AROUND A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS. WHETHER IT’S BLACK LIBERATION WORK, WHETHER IT’S POOR PEOPLES’ ORGANIZING, A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO LIKE REALLY COLLECTIVELY TALK ABOUT AGAIN, IN A WAY THAT HAS I THINK BEEN SILENCED, IT’S BEEN REPRESSED. AND I THINK, LIKE TO YOUR POINT WHEN YOU OPENED UP THE CONVERSATION AROUND MEDIA AND STORYTELLING OUTSIDE OF THE -- PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TELLING THE STORY ABOUT US, AND FOR US, BUT I THINK
FOLKS ARE REALLY GETTING EXCITED TO TALK EACH OTHER IN THE SOUTH AGAIN. SO, THAT I THINK BRINGS A LEVEL OF INSPIRATION FOR PEOPLE TO SAY, WHETHER IT’S AN ELECTORAL FIGHT, OR WHETHER IT’S SOMETHING ELSE, PEOPLE ARE REALLY WANTING TO GET INTO CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE CONDITIONS THAT WE’VE INHERITED IN THIS MOMENT. SO, I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY HYPED. >> IT SPEAKS TO ME ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, OR WHAT WE MIGHT SEE NEXT. >> YEAH. >> YOU WANT TO COME IN ON THAT? >> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK IT’S WHAT MA
NY SOUTHERNERS HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR A LONG TIME, RIGHT? IT’S NOT THAT HIGHLANDER IN PARTICULAR IS DOING ANYTHING NEW. >> RIGHT. >> SINCE 1932, IT’S THAT WE’RE DOING IT TO SCALE AND WE’RE DOING IT IN INNOVATIVE WAYS, RIGHT? SO, I THINK WHAT WE’RE HEARING IN THE REGION IS LIKE WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTORAL JUSTICE MINDSET. WE CAN’T AFFORD -- WE DON’T HAVE THE LUXURY TO NOT -- TO THROW THAT TACTIC AWAY. >> SO THAT SPLIT THAT WE SOMETIMES HEAR ABOUT BETWEEN MOVEMENT WORK SO CALLED AND ELECTORAL WORK,
THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT? >> YEAH, AND TO BE QUITE FRANK, THE IDEA OF THE BLUE WAVE, RIGHT, IT’S LIKE WE’RE NOT JUST TRYING TO BUILD UP A DEMOCRATIC PARTY. WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS BUILD INDEPENDENT POLITICAL POWER FOR OUR FOLKS. >> NOW, WAS THAT JUST YOU? >> NO, I THINK THAT’S THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES, I THINK THAT’S THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT ASSEMBLY, RIGHT, WE HAVE A WHOLE TIER OF OUR WORK AROUND BUILDING PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY AND MOVEMENT GOVERNANCE. AND SO I THINK ALL OF THAT I
S HARM REDUCTION. I THINK MOST OF US ARE NOT CONFUSED THAT THE STATE NEVER HAS DONE A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT FOR US. I THINK WHAT WE ARE SURE OF IS THAT WE CAN’T AFFORD TO THROW AWAY TACTICS, RIGHT? WHEN ME ELDERS AND ANCESTORS SAID BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, THEY MEANT BY ALL THE MEANS. >> RIGHT. >> RIGHT? EVERYTHING IN MY TACTICAL TOOLBOX, BECAUSE THE STATE, THE WHITE RIGHT, THOSE FOLKS ARE USING EVERY TACTIC THAT THEY’VE GOT, RIGHT? SO, WE’VE GOT TO MEET SOPHISTICATION WITH SOPHISTICATION AS WILLY
BAPTISTE SAYS. AND, I THINK THAT THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE LIKE AN ELECTORAL JUSTICE PROJECT, OR THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES, IT’S GOT FELLOWS ALL OVER THE SOUTH AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT ARE WINNING CAMPAIGNS, IT MEANS THAT WE’RE BEATING DOWN THE DOORS, AND LIKE DOING THE HARM REDUCTION WORK IN PROGRESSIVE POLICY LAND. BUT IT ALSO MEANS BUILDING ALTERNATIVES TO THE THING THAT’S HARMING US. >> SO TO GO BACK TO THE HISTORY FOR A LITTLE BIT, THE 1930S WHEN THE HIGHLANDER CENTER WAS STAR
TED, I THINK THERE HAS -- WE HAVE SEEN A REAL CHANGE IN HOW WE UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLE. AND, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT PERIOD, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS A VERY BROAD AGENDA. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BUILDING AN INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT, IT WAS ALSO A BROAD BUILDING A NEW SOUTH. NOT JUST MAYBE PASSING A FEW LAWS OR GETTING A FEW PEOPLE ELECTED. AND YET THAT SEEMS TO BE SO OFTEN WHAT WE’VE BEEN SORT OF SHRUNK BACK DOWN TO, PEOPLE ON THE LEFT, OR WITH THE CRITIQUE OF THE RIGHT. WHERE DO YOU STAND NOW ABOUT WHERE THE
LINES OF STRUGGLE ARE, AND PARTICULARLY ON ECONOMICS? I MEAN IN THE 1930S THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC AGENDA CHANGE IN MIND THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF STUDIOUSLY PROPAGANDA’D OUT OF OUR -- OUT OF OUR THINKING. >> I THINK THAT’S REAL. YEAH, I THINK WHEN WE STARTED, IT WAS ABOUT TRANSFORMING THE SOCIAL LEANING ECONOMIC ORDER. AND THAT’S THE SAME THING WE’RE DOING NOW, WHATEVER WE’RE INHERITING. I THINK THAT WHEN YOU GET INTO THE QUESTION OF WHAT THE ROLE OF HIGHLANDER HAS BEEN HAS BEEN TO HELP PEOPLE DEVELO
P DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS, AND DIFFERENT KIND OF ARRANGEMENTS SO THAT WE COULD REPLICATE THE DEMOCRATIC PRACTICE THAT WE’RE -- LOWER CASE D DEMOCRATIC PRACTICE THAT WE’RE IN IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE TOWARD -- WHAT IT MEANS TO BUILD A DIFFERENT KIND OF STATE, OR WHAT IT MEANS TO BUILD A DIFFERENT KIND OF SOCIETY. SO I THINK THAT WHERE THE THINGS ARE -- KIND OF TO YOUR QUESTION AROUND LIKE WHAT’S THE LINE- >> I’M JUST THINKING LIKE THE 30S, THE HIGHLANDER CENTER HAD PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNI
ST PARTY, HAD SOCIALISTS- >> SURE. >> HAD ORGANIZED PARTIES OF THE LEFT THAT HAVE BEEN STUDIOUSLY WIPED OUT, WERE WIPED OUT IN THE DECADES SINCE, AND THE IDEAS- >> THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION. >> OF TRANSFORMATION HAVE BEEN RADICALLY CHANGED IN THAT PERIOD, TOO. >> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK -- I FEEL EXCITED ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME GOOD STUFF THAT I’VE BEEN SAYING. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE WEST VIRGINIA TEACHER’S STRIKE, RIGHT? SO PEOPLE WOULD’VE SAID THAT
THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. >> CORRECT. >> THEY DEFINITELY WOULD’VE SAID A WILDCAT STRIKE IS. >> FOR SURE. >> RIGHT, FOR SURE. AND THEY WOULD’VE SAID THAT WEST VIRGINIA’S TRUMP COUNTRY. THOSE PEOPLE VOTE AGAINST THEIR BEST INTERESTS, THEY -- BELIEVE THE MYTH THAT TRUMP IS GOING TO BRING COAL BACK, THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECONOMY IS SUPER BACKWARD, IT’S A MONOPOLY, YADA, YADA, RIGHT? >> THEY’RE ALL WHITE PEOPLE, DON’T FORGET THAT PART. >> THEY’RE ALL WHITE PEOPLE. >> ONLY WHITE PEOPLE. >> THEY’RE ALL
STRAIGHT WHITE PEOPLE AT THAT. >> YEP, ONLY STRAIGHT WHITE PEOPLE. >> AND YEAH, AND SO LIKE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT WHAT’S BEAUTIFUL ISN’T JUST THAT LIKE THESE TEACHERS SAID, "ENOUGH." >> IN A NON-UNION STATE. >> IN A RIGHT TO WORK STATE, THEIR YOUNG PEOPLE SUPPORTED, THE FAMILIES OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE SUPPORTED, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED. BUT THEN WHEN THE UNION SOLD OUT, IF THAT’S THE NARRATIVE OF WHAT HAPPENED, THEY WERE LIKE, "OH NO, THAT’S NOT WHAT WE SAID WE WANTED,"
AND THEY CONTINUE TO STRIKE. >> RIGHT, WE DIDN’T JUST WANT A BIT FOR US. >> RIGHT. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE. >> WAGES FOR THE WHOLE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. >> RIGHT? AND SO, I THINK THAT SHOWS US A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS IT TELLS US THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY’RE TELLING US ABOUT APPALACHIA, PARTICULARLY WEST VIRGINIA UNDER A MICROSCOPE IS NOT TRUE. SECONDLY WHAT IT TELLS ME IS THAT LIKE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HEARD, ESPECIALLY FROM THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE GETTIN
G INVOLVED IN THE STRIKE, WASN’T JUST LIKE, "OH, I LOVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY," OR, "I LOVE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM," QUITE FRANKLY. IT WAS, "MY GRANDDAD WAS A UMW MEMBER, AND I REMEMBER HIM GOING OUT ON STRIKE, AND THAT’S MY LEGACY." >> MINE WORK. >> SO EVEN IF THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING, ALL THE DETAILS OF LIKE WHY CAPITALISM IS TERRIBLE, WHY LIKE THESE OTHER ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES ARE MORE POSSIBLE AND BETTER FOR THEM, WHAT THEY KNOW IS THAT THEY’RE CONNECTED TO A RADICAL LEGACY OF RESISTANC
E THAT THEY’RE -- LIKE WHAT ALLYN SAID, THEY’RE LITERALLY REMEMBERING WHAT’S BEEN STOLEN FROM THEM. AND SO, I THINK THAT THAT’S WHY LIKE BLACK PEOPLE THAT WERE DISENGAGED AND LIKE -- NOT APATHETIC, BUT -- NOT HOPEFUL ABOUT ELECTORAL WORK WORKING, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, IT DIDN’T. IT WORKED EXACTLY LIKE IT’S SUPPOSED TO, TO KEEP THEM DISENFRANCHISED. THEY WERE LIKE, "I BELIEVE STACEY, AND LIKE MY GRANDMAMMA LIKE WAITING IN LINE FOR FOUR HOURS, LIKE WHO AM I TO COMPLAIN?" >> RIGHT. >> THERE’S LIKE
A LITERAL REMEMBERING THAT’S HAPPENING WITH A NEW GENERATION OF THE STEWARDS OF THE SOUTHERN FREEDOM MOVEMENT AND WE’RE SEEING THAT RISE. >> ALL RIGHT, SO TWO QUESTIONS. HOW THE HECK DID YOU TWO GET TO BE CO-DIRECTORS OF THE HIGHLANDER CENTER? YOUR FIRST INTERVIEW AS CO-DIRECTORS, TALK ABOUT IT. WHERE’D YOU BOTH COME FROM, YOU HAVE GRANDDADDIES IN THE UMW- >> NO, NO, I COME FROM SALESMEN, AND PREACHERS, AND TEACHERS, AND FARMERS AND OTHERS. BUT NO, I WAS POLITICIZED IN BE THE PEOPLES’ MOVEMENTS
OF NORTHEAST THAILAND. IT WAS A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM THAT I WAS ON DURING COLLEGE, WE HAD AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO GET MENTORSHIP FROM FOLKS WHO WERE FORMER STUDENT COMMUNIST MOVEMENT LEADERS IN THE STRUGGLE THERE. >> THE FAMOUS THAILAND, APPALACHIA AXIS. >> YOU’D BE SURPRISED AT THE CONNECTION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN TERMS OF THOSE -- >> EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES. >> THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND STORIES, I MEAN, IT’S PRETTY PROFOUND. SO ANYWAY, COMING BACK TO THAT, BRINGING EDUCATION INTO MY CLASSR
OOM WHEN I WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THEN NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZING IN FORMER TEXTILE COMMUNITIES BROUGHT ME TO HIGHLANDER THROUGH LIKE I WANTED TO FIND MORE PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING THIS OTHER KIND OF STUFF. >> AND THEN YOU FOUND HER. >> THE LONGER STORY -- YEAH, THEN I FOUND HER. >> IT WAS WILD, BOTH OF OUR FIRST TIMES TO HIGHLANDER WAS AT THE SAME TIME BUT WE DIDN’T MEET. >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> AT THE 75TH HOMECOMING. >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> WHICH CHANGED MY LIFE. >> I THINK I WAS THERE.
>> YEAH, I THINK SO. I MEAN IT WAS EVERYBODY WAS THERE. >> IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY WAS THERE. >> EVERYBODY -- LIKE WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOMECOMINGS THEY TALK ABOUT THAT ONE, YEAH. >> YEAH. >> IT WAS A BIG DEAL, AND UNDER PAM MCMICHAEL’S LEADERSHIP IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS A REALLY POWERFUL WEEKEND. >> HUGE. >> I HAD PAM ON RECENTLY TALKING ABOUT SURGE. >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> THAT’S RIGHT, THAT’S COOL. >> SIGNING UP -- >> THAT’S RIGHT, AND SOUTHERNERS ON THE GROUND, RIGHT, LIKE SHE’S ORIGINAL, SHE’
S THE OG. AND SO YEAH, WE WERE BOTH THERE, WE BOTH DID PROGRAMS THAT CAME UP AS A PARTICIPANT IN WORKSHOPS THAT HIGHLANDER WAS OFFERING AT THE TIME, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE MAKING A STRATEGIC MOVE TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE IN KINSHIP WITH EACH OTHER IN A VERY STRATEGIC WAY THAT I’M KIND OF -- LIKE IT’S HITTING RIGHT NOW THAT THAT’S ACTUALLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING. AND, IT’S PEOPLE THAT LIKE I CLEARLY STILL THROW DOWN WITH, RIGHT? AND
SO THEN WE GOT ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I BULLIED HIM INTO BECOMING THE BOARD CHAIR, AND THEN I GOT BULLIED INTO BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> LOVINGLY BULLIED. >> LOVINGLY BULLIED, WHICH PEOPLE TRUST IN MY LEADERSHIP AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. ♪♪ >> KINSHIP. I MEAN, THIS WORD IS COMING UP A LOT, AND IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT WITH HIGHLANDER TOO, IN THE SENSE THAT YOU SEE THE ROCKING CHAIRS ARE KIND OF A SYMBOL OF IT, BUT PEOPLE SPEND TIME TOGETHER. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> AND THEY SPEND DOWN TIME, NOT JUST AT THE BARRICADES, AT THE PICKET LINE TIME. KINSHIP IS OFTEN BUILT OVER THINGS YOU SHARE, FOOD. YOU’RE ACTUALLY SHARING SOMETHING ELSE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS INTERESTING, I’VE WRITTEN ABOUT IT BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN IT, WHICH IS BROADBAND. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT INITIATIVE, WHICH I THINK ALSO GETS TO THIS QUESTION OF ECONOMIC SELF EMPOWERMENT, AND BUILDING A NEW ECONOMIC SYSTEM. >> YEAH, SO THERE’S A TASK FORCE CALLED SEAD, THE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND AG
RICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE THAT’S BASED OUT OF EAST TENNESSEE, AND THEY HAD A RURAL BROADBAND CAMPAIGN THAT THEY STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND THEY HAD SOME LEGISLATIVE WORK THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON AND REALLY PUSHING HARD. AND THEN, THERE WAS THE QUESTION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN TO BUILD OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY IN RURAL APPALACHIA THAT WE -- THERE’S ALL KINDS OF STUFF YOU CAN READ AND WRITE ABOUT AROUND THE LACK OF CONNECTIVITY FOR
FOLK. AND SO -- >> INTENTIONAL LACK. >> INTENTIONAL LACK, AND THEN CORPORATE CONTROL OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE. >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> SO, WE BUILT A TOWER ON THE PROPERTY. WE DIDN’T MAKE IT OURSELVES -- >> SURE. >> BUT WE ORDERED A TOWER, PUT IT IN THE GROUND AND THAT TOWER THEN RELAYS WIFI CONNECTIVITY DOWN TO OUR BUILDINGS, AND WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A REAL FANTASTIC EXPERIMENT AROUND IT. SO LEVERAGING OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT OTHER PROJECTS THAT WILL COME DOWN THE ROAD. >> I THINK WHAT’S RE
AL IS LIKE WE WEREN’T JUST TALKING ABOUT RURAL BROADBAND FOR THE PEOPLE, LIKE WE LITERALLY NEEDED -- WE ALSO DIDN’T HAVE ACCESS. >> RIGHT. >> AND THE PEOPLE IN THE VALLEYS AROUND YOU, TOO. >> THAT’S RIGHT. SO -- >> WILL YOU EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO OFFER IT TO THEM? >> THEY’RE ALREADY ON OUR TOWER. MANY -- WE HAVE ABOUT -- I THINK WE’VE GOT ABOUT 60 FOLKS, OR 60 RESIDENTS. >> AND, WHAT’S THE PRICE DIFFERENCE? >> OH MAN, IT’S SIGNIFICANT, RIGHT? SO WE -- I CAN JUST TALK ABOUT HIGHLANDER. WE WERE PAY
ING A COMPANY THAT WAS TERRIBLE TO US TO THE TUNE OF LIKE AT LEAST $800.00 A MONTH JUST FOR THE INTERNET. TWO T1S, TERRIBLE SERVICE, AND NOW I CAN LAY IN MY BED AT MY HOUSE THERE AND WATCH NETFLIX, AND ANSWER EMAILS, AND FACE TIME MY NIECE, RIGHT? LIKE THERE’S -- IT’S CHANGED WHAT IS POSSIBLE, AND SO -- >> AND THE PRICE- >> IF THAT’S TRUE FOR US -- IT’S OUR TOWER. AND SO YEAH, I MEAN I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE PAYING LIKE TO THE $80.00 -- 80S DOLLARS RANGE TO THE COMPANY THAT’S PROVIDING OUR B
ACK HAUL. AND SO YEAH, AND WE’RE FUNDRAISING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT LIKE COVERING PEOPLES’ CONNECTIVITY FEES, AND LIKE THAT KIND OF STUFF SO THAT ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN PAY IT MONTHLY. >> DOES IT CHANGE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY’S FEELING ABOUT HIGHLANDER? BECAUSE AT VARIOUS TIMES IN HISTORY THE PEOPLE AROUND HIGHLANDER -- >> YEAH. >> HAVE BEEN SORT OF TURNED AGAINST YOU ALL. >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> AND, WE’VE SEEN THAT DIVIDE AND CONQUER WORK MANY TIMES. >> YEAH, I THIN
K WE’RE AT THE BEGINNING OF AN EXPERIMENT. >> YEAH. >> I THINK IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. AND, I ALSO THINK IT DEPENDS ON OUR COMMITMENT TO ORGANIZING. IT’S GREAT THAT HIGHLANDER IS SUCH A PLACE RESPECTED AND REVERED BY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD, BUT IF THE FOLKS IN NEW MARKET DON’T KNOW WHO WE ARE, THAT SAYS SOMETHING. >> IF YOU’RE COMING IN WITH CHEAP BROADBAND, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY TO SAY HELLO. >> IT’S -- WE’VE DEFINITELY HEARD SOME LIKE, "OH, THOSE -- THAT’S THOSE HIPPIES UP T
HE HILL THAT HAVE GOT THAT TOWER UP THERE NOW." >> WELL IT’S GREAT TALKING TO YOU, YOU’VE GOT AMAZING CAMPAIGNS GOING ON, AND I HOPE THAT WE DON’T WAIT FOR ANOTHER -- WHAT IS IT, 83 YEARS BEFORE WE CATCH UP WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING AT HIGHLANDER AND YOUR VIEW FROM THE HILL. >> THANKS FOR HAVING US. >> YOU’RE SO WELCOME. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIGHLANDER CENTER AT OUR WEBSITE. CHECK IT OUT AND FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED. >> THE SOUTHERN CONNECTED COMMU
NITIES PROJECT WAS BORN OUT OF OUR RESIDENTS’ DESIRE NOT ONLY TO BRING BROADBAND TO RURAL APPALACHIA, BUT TO ALSO ACCOMPLISH OWNERSHIP, EQUITY, AND AFFORDABILITY. THE WIRELESS BACKBONE IS DELIVERED 25 MILES FROM THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE TO OUR TOWER VIA THE PUBLIC 11 GIGAHERTZ SPECTRUM. BROADBAND IS THEN REDISTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES USING LINE OF SIGHT AC TECHNOLOGY, PROVISION 3 UBIQUITY AIR FIBERS. THE REAL POWER OF OUR PROJECT, HOWEVER, IS THE ABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO OWN AND UNDERSTAND
THIS TECHNOLOGY. IN THIS WAY, THIS SOLUTION IS A MODEL FOR WHAT A COMMUNITY -CONTROLLED BROADBAND ISP COULD BE IN RURAL APPALACHIA IN THE SOUTH. >> SO CURRENTLY, WE ARE GETTING BACK HAUL SENT TO THIS TOWER THAT WE HAVE ON-SITE AND THE TOWER IS AN 80 FOOT TOWER AT THE TOP OF THIS MASSIVE HILL AND THEN WE PUT UBIQUITY’S ROCKET AIR SYSTEM, BASICALLY, SENDING SIGNALS TO EACH ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS, AND WE HAVE, I THINK, SIX BUILDINGS CONNECTED TO IT RIGHT NOW. AND THEN, WE CAPTURE THE SIGNAL AT THE OF
FICE, AND THEN WE -- OR WHATEVER BUILDING WE’RE IN. BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS, INSTALLING A DISH, POINTING THE DISH TO THE TOWER FROM THE BUILDING, AND THEN CAPTURE THE SIGNAL, AND PUT INTO A WIFI ROUTER IN THE BUILDING. WE’RE USING UBIQUITY’S HARDWARE TO RUN ALL OF THIS, AND THEN WE’VE USED UNIFY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY UBIQUITY SOFTWARE TO BASICALLY MONITOR EACH WIFI SYSTEM IN EACH BUILDING THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY. SO YEAH, THAT’S PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT WE USUALLY GET. I WOULD SAY ON A NORMAL DAY,
WE GET ABOUT 70ISH DOWNLOAD SPEEDS, AND MAYBE 40 UPLOAD SPEEDS. >> WE DON’T GET TAUGHT HOW A LOT OF THESE THINGS WORK. LIKE HOW OUR -- YOU KNOW, HOW OUR TVS WORK, HOW OUT INTERNET WORKS, HOW ARE LIGHTS WORK, ANY OF THAT STUFF AND SO IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE MAGIC. AND PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS REALIZE THAT IT’S SOMETHING LIKE WE CAN UNDERSTAND, AND IT’S SOMETHING WE CAN OPERATE. THE GOAL ISN’T NECESSARILY TO DO THINGS THE FASTEST POSSIBLE WAY, IT’S TO DO IT IN THE WAY THAT EVERYONE IS BOUGHT IN, AND UND
ERSTANDS WHAT THEY’RE GETTING INTO, AND WANTS IT, AND THAT IT’S A PROCESS OF EMPOWERMENT FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED. SO, OUR ROLE IS TO, I THINK, TO HELP PEOPLE, NOT ONLY TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AS IN JUST GIVING THEM INFORMATION, BUT IN LEARNING WITH PEOPLE. >> MY NAME’S D.J. COKER. I’M FROM DOVE, TENNESSEE, WHICH IS LIKE AT THE CUSP OF THE CLEARFORK VALLEY IN CAMPBELL COUNTY. INTERNET IN MY AREA IS TOO EXPENSIVE, AND I’M NOT ABLE TO AFFORD IT. OWNING OUR OWN INTERNET, THAT’S EXCITING. HAVING IT IN GENER
AL IS EXCITING TOO, BUT HAVING THE ABILITY OF OWNING IT MEANS WE CAN CONTROL IT. >> WE COME TO LIKE THE IDEA OF OWNING OUR OWN AND HAVING THE LINE OF SIGHT OVER FIBER, BECAUSE IT’S MORE COST EFFECTIVE, AND OWNING YOUR OWN PROVIDES JOBS IN THE AREA. IF THE LINE FALLS, IT’S NOT GOING TO THROW THE INTERNET OUT FOR HOURS, OR HOURS, OR WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FIX IT. IT’S JUST MORE -- FEASIBLE FOR THE RURAL AREA THAN FIBER. WHEN WE STARTED THIS OVER THREE YEARS AGO, WE -- IT SEEMED MORE LIKE A DREAM, LI
KE JUST AN IDEAL AND AFTER ALL OUR RESEARCH AND VISITING OTHER COMMUNITIES, IT’S -- IT’S AN ATTAINABLE DREAM. IT’S ONE THAT WE CAN MAKE COME TRUE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE THE SKILLS, THEY ARE VERY EASY. SO WE THINK WE CAN DO THIS. WE KNOW WE CAN DO THIS. >> IT’S NOT ONLY RURAL AREAS LIKE TENNESSEE THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING CHARGE OF THEIR OWN MEDIA. HERE’S A STORY WE REPORTED BACK IN 2017 FROM DETROIT. >> IF YOU’RE JUST WATCHING THE NEWS, YOU WOULD PROBABLY BELIEVE THAT DETROIT IS TOT
ALLY BLIGHTED IN THAT IT HAS TOTALLY DETERIORATED OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PRIMARILY AFRICAN -AMERICANS AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT THE CITY IS TOTALLY BANKRUPT, IT IS OVER $18 MILLION IN DEBT, AND THAT THE CITY HAS TO BE SAVED FROM ITSELF. >> I THINK ALSO PART OF THE NARRATIVE HAS BEEN THAT THE CITY IS COMING BACK. AND, A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON IS THAT WE ASK THE QUESTION, COMING BACK FOR WHOM? AND THEN, WE ALSO THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF ALL OF T
HE BLIGHTED PROPERTIES, WHERE DID THE PEOPLE GO? >> THERE’S A LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY, WHICH IS VERY NEW. IT IS HAPPENING RAPIDLY. AND, IT’S A LITTLE DISCONCERTING I THINK TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME THAT HAVE STRUGGLED WITHOUT ANY FUNDING, ANY SUPPORT, AND WITH A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT HAPPENING FOR THOSE PEOPLE. THE DEVELOPMENT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING FOR A NEW TAX BASE TO COME IN AND SORT OF PULL US OUT OUR EMERGENCY MANAGE
MENT AND OUR BANKRUPTCY. THE THING THAT’S PRETTY INTENSE ABOUT DETROIT’S CONNECTIVITY IS THAT 40% OF FOLKS DON’T HAVE BROADBAND, AND THEN LIKE 33% OF THOSE LIVE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, WHICH MEANS THAT EVEN AFFORDING BROADBAND IS KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE. THE WAY IN WHICH WE’VE ADDRESSED DIGITAL ACCESS AND BROADBAND ADOPTION HERE IN DETROIT IS THROUGH COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY. TO DO THIS WORK OF COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY REQUIRES BOTH COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND IT EXPERTISE. AND SO, ANDERSON WALWORTH HE
RE, AND MYSELF, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WIRELESS NETWORKS, LEARNING EVERYTHING WE CAN ABOUT THEM, TEACHING SEVERAL COMMUNITIES, BOTH HERE IN DETROIT, IN NEW YORK, AND AROUND THE WORLD ON HOW TO DO BOTH THE IT AND THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING ASPECTS OF IT. ANDERSON CAN SORT OF SHOW YOU AROUND TO TELL YOU WANT THE ROUTERS ARE, WHAT THEY DO, AND HOW WE MAKE A COMMUNITY WIRELESS NETWORK. ALSO, WHAT THE INTRANET IS, WHICH IS WHERE THE APPS LIVE, AND THAT’S -- THOSE ARE RESOURCES THAT YOU CAN ACCESS WITHOUT
THE INTERNET CONNECTION.
00:23:48.994,00:23:43.088
>> NEVER LOVED HEIGHTS. I’VE KIND OF HAD TO FORCE MYSELF UP THESE ROOFTOPS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. SO, WE’RE ON THE ROOFTOP OF ALLIED MEDIA PROJECTS. THERE ARE FOUR OR FIVE ROUTERS UP THERE. THIS IS ONE OF OUR NODES, OR ONE OF OUR MESH ROUTERS, AND THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, IT ACTUALLY IS OFF KILTER, IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE POINTED THIS WAY TOWARDS THE HARDWARE STORE, AND IT’S NOT. SO IT’S GOOD THAT WE CAME UP HERE. I MEAN, THE OBVIOUS THING IT CAN
DO IF YOU HOOK IT UP TO AN INTERNET CONNECTION IT WILL SHARE IT TO THE REST OF THE ROUTERS IN THE NETWORK, BUT ANOTHER THING IT CAN DO IS IT CAN HOST LOCAL APPLICATIONS, OR LOCAL SERVERS, SO, YOU COULD HOST ANYTHING FROM LIKE A MINECRAFT SERVER, OR LIKE WE HAVE AN APP THAT HOSTS LOCAL STORIES AND POETRY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT EVERYONE CAN ACCESS ON THE NETWORK. MORE THAN HALF THE WORK IS THE ORGANIZING PART. IT’S JUST GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, GETTING TO KNOW THE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, A
ND FINDING OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP SUPPORT THE NETWORK. >> FOR ME, ONE OF THE BEST WAYS OF COMMUNICATING AND LEARNING ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IS THROUGH TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE. THE ALLIED MEDIA CONFERENCE IS A NEXUS OF THAT KIND OF SHARING FOR US. OUR ROLE IS TO HOLD THAT SPACE AND TO MAKE IT THE MOST GENERATIVE SPACE POSSIBLE FOR THESE TYPES OF CRITICAL CONNECTIONS AND NEW IDEAS. I DO THINK IT’S POSSIBLE FOR MEDIA TO MODEL AND REALLY EMBODY THAT TYPE OF EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE ACROSS PLACES. >> PEOPL
E SHOULD CONSTANTLY BE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE OUR OWN PLATFORMS? HOW DO WE GET MORE OF OUR STORIES OUT THERE? HOW DO WE SHOW MORE AND MORE PEOPLE? I THINK IT’S ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE. LIKE WHAT IS THE CURRENT ECOSYSTEM THAT’S AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF US TO THRIVE IN? AND, IS THERE ONE? AND IF THERE’S NOT ONE, OKAY, WELL THEN HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? HOW DO WE MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, HOW DO WE PLUG IN TO MAYBE SOME OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ECOSYSTEM THAT’S AVAILABLE? WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEA
N AND FEEL LIKE, AND ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE TO DO SOMETHING THAT’S COLLABORATIVE AND CREATIVE, AND SUCCESSFUL. AND, WHAT IS SUCCESS? HOW DO WE MEASURE IT? IN THE LIKE SUPER LONG TERM, THE END GOAL WOULD DEFINITELY BE TO HAVE THESE NARRATIVES BE THE ONES THAT WE’RE WATCHING, THE ONES THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE WORLD, AND THE ONES THAT THEY’RE USING TO REFER TO THE CITY WHEN THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS HERE. ♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
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