habibti please

nashwa lina khan
habibti please

a podcast for the girls// grab a cup of mint tea and join Nashwa Lina Khan and friends while they explore issues in politics, pop culture and beyond. habibtiplease.substack.com

  1. 6D AGO

    From Punk to Politics: Sean Orr on Vancouver, Global Solidarity, and Radical Municipalism

    Hi habibtis, and welcome back. In this episode, I sit down with Sean Orr—writer, musician, activist, and newly elected Vancouver City Councillor with COPE—for a conversation about politics, activism, and the urgency of global solidarity. Sean shares his journey from Vancouver’s punk and arts scenes to becoming a sharp political writer and now, a municipal politician. We talk about the challenges of holding radical commitments while working inside political systems, and the complexities of balancing grassroots movements with electoral politics. We also get into the social and political history of Vancouver, including gentrification, policing, and the Downtown Eastside and some reflections on global struggles against apartheid and fascism—from Palestine to local politics including the win of Zohran Mamdani in New York. This episode also highlights the importance of not letting activism become abstract, the role of stories in movement-building, and how bringing humor and heart into political spaces can help engage new people without losing sight of the seriousness of the work. I really loved this conversation—it felt honest, thoughtful, and full of the kind of political clarity we need more of right now. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Follow Sean Orr: Twitter X: @seanorrBluesky: seanorr.bsky.socialInstagram: @seanorrofficial READINGS Reading group: AUTONOMIA, OCCUPY, COMMUNISM: LEGACIES AND FUTURES Spill the Tea: Gentrification of Vancouver Chinatown Vancouver’s Little Saigon Facing Gentrification? Crackdown Podcast From dishwasher and punk rocker to city councillor: Sean Orr’s unique path to City Hall Sean Orr’s Writing Some highlights from Sean’s Writing On Rampaging White Men, Dummy Mayoral Candidates, and Even More Problems with the Police Get to Know: Overdose Prevention Society Barge Chilling Beach On Gas Hoarding, House Hoarding and Finding A New Frequency. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    54 min
  2. JUL 2

    Medicine Under Siege: Dr. Tarek Loubani on Gaza, Resistance, and Refusing Silence

    Medicine Under Siege: Dr. Tarek Loubani on Gaza, Resistance, and Refusing Silence In this episode of Habibti Please, Nashwa sits down with Dr. Tarek Loubani—emergency physician, humanitarian, and founder of the Glia Project—to talk about the politics of medicine in Palestine, and what it means to be a healthcare worker under siege. Drawing from his over 15 years of medical work in Gaza, Tarek shares harrowing, deeply personal stories of treating patients in war zones, responding to mass casualty events, and witnessing the deliberate destruction of Palestine’s healthcare infrastructure. From the starvation of children to the maiming of protesters, this conversation offers a sobering look into the conditions Palestinians face daily—and the impossible choices doctors like him must make. We also talk about the origins of the Glia Project, which produces affordable, open-source medical devices like tourniquets and stethoscopes—designed for use in the Global South and under blockade. For Tarek, creating these tools is not only about saving lives, but about resisting the imperial systems that profit from crisis. We turn the mirror toward Canada, discussing the coordinated effort to silence healthcare workers speaking out for Palestine. From healthcare worker suspensions and other efforts to silence anti-genocide healthcare professionals, Nashwa and Tarek unpack the dangers of enforced neutrality, and the urgent need for medical professionals and the general public to reject complicity. This episode is about medicine, yes—but also about ethics, empire, and what it means to stay human in inhumane systems. It is both a grief document and a call to action. Suggested Readings & Resources This section provides some contextual readings and links to explore. * Glia Project * How Gaza’s doctors endure the impossible * 'Appalled' Trudeau calls for inquiry after Canadian doctor wounded in Gaza - The Guardian * Canadian doctor who works in Gaza makes 3D-printed face shields for COVID-19 * From Canada to Gaza, physician uses 3D printing to make medical face shields * Tarek Loubani: 3D Printing High-Quality Low-Cost Free Medical Hardware * ‘Shock and grief’ as senior doctor killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza * People in Gaza 'starve or risk being shot': NGOs urge end to aid work backed by U.S., Israel as deaths rise * I’m in northern Gaza. I would rather starve than take GHF aid On the Targeting of Canadian Healthcare Workers: * Doctor suspended from U of O residency after pro-Palestinian social media posts * 'Chilling effect': People expressing pro-Palestinian views censured, suspended from work and school * ‘Abuse of power’: Hospitals, med schools crack down on Palestine advocacy * Protect medical trainees from anti-Palestine bigotry in medical placement process! * A List Of Some People In Canada Fired For Pro-Palestine Views * OPINION: Ontario Nurses’ Association Must Speak Out Against Gaza Atrocities Humanitarian & Community Aid: * Islamic Relief Canada – Palestine Emergency Appeal * Humanity Auxilium * Palestinian Youth Movement * Palestinian Youth Movement – Popular Cradle Podcast * Support the Glia Project: Donate or amplify their open-source medical tools: glia.org * Donate to frontline organizations: Support trusted orgs like Islamic Relief Canada, Doctors Without Borders and Humanity Auxilium * Organize within your profession: If you're a healthcare worker, speak out, form collectives, and protect each other from institutional repression. Check out Health workers Alliance for Palestine * Stay loud: Refuse silence in your classrooms, hospitals, unions, and friend groups. Silence is complicity. Check out Labour for Palestine * Educate yourself: Study the roots of this genocide—settler colonialism, white supremacy, and global capitalism. Check out The Anti-Empire Project You can follow Tarek here and check out his site here. Subscribe to Habibti Please on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Substack to keep up with future episodes, resistance reading lists, and conversations from the frontlines of feminist, abolitionist, and anti-colonial struggles. Production Credits: Hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan Art for Habibti Please by postXamerica Production by Andre Goulet Social Media & Support: Follow us on Twitter @habibtiplease Support us on Patreon Subscribe to us on Substack Editing Support by Nabeela Jivraj and Kalden Dhatsenpa Closing Song: Dana Salah - Ya Tal3een (full version) يا طالعين This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 2m
  3. MAY 23

    Organizing Toward an Anti-War World with Danaka Katovich of CODEPINK

    In this episode, Nashwa speaks with Danaka Katovich, a national co-director at CODEPINK, about global anti-war organizing, challenging U.S. imperialism, and building anti-war movements from the ground up. The conversation explores Danaka’s work supporting campaigns against U.S. military intervention in Yemen, Iran, and Palestine, as well as her reflections on international solidarity, grassroots activism, and the current threats to peace. Together, Nashwa and Danaka reflect on their respective trips to Cuba, what they learned from the Cuban people, the movement to end the war on Yemen, sanctions, and how to get involved even when one might be feeling disengaged or that it’s hard to make a difference. This episode was recorded before the Freedom Flotilla but we feel that it is important to highlight what the flotilla reveals about the risks—and necessity—of global solidarity work. You can find some interesting reads in the shownotes. Guest Bio: Danaka Katovich is the national co-director of CODEPINK. Since 2018, she has been organizing to end U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen and challenging U.S. sanctions and military aggression in the Middle East and beyond. Her writing has appeared in Jacobin, Salon, Truthout, and CommonDreams. Further Reading & Resources: Danaka wittingly points to how media literacy is a muscle, we have to work it out. We really hope you do work it out, with some selected readings you will find below. This Week’s Curated Reading List: Liberation, Resistance & Feminist Critique of Empire Revolution, Uprising & the Limits of Liberal Reform Vincent Bevins – If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution A comprehensive and compelling analysis of global mass protests from 2010–2020, examining why many failed to achieve lasting change. * Read the full book on Internet Archive * Listen to an audiobook excerpt on SoundCloud * Vincent's Site With some Articles * Vincent's Substack Frantz Fanon – The Wretched of the Earth A foundational text in anti-colonial thought, exploring the psychological and political impacts of colonization and the necessity of decolonization. * Read the full book on Internet Archive Another link to download the book Feminism, Islam & Decolonizing the “Rescue” Narrative Lila Abu-Lughod – Do Muslim Women Need Saving? A critical examination of Western narratives that portray Muslim women as needing liberation, challenging simplistic assumptions. * Read more about the book here Saba Mahmood – Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject An ethnographic study of women's mosque movements in Egypt, challenging liberal feminist notions of agency and secularism. * Read the book here Lila Abu-Lughod (ed.) – Remaking Women: Feminism and Modernity in the Middle East A collection of essays rethinking modernity and gender in the Middle East, resisting Western feminist frameworks. * Download the PDF here Empire, Imperialism, Resistance & Knowledge Production Leila Ahmed – Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate A comprehensive historical analysis of Islamic thought and colonialism's impact on gender discourses. * Yale University Press Angela Davis – Women, Race & Class A classic work analyzing the intersections of gender, race, and class in the U.S., from slavery to the women's liberation movement. * Read the book here Other Readings * Edward Said – Culture and Imperialism * Helen Yaffe – We Are Cuba!: How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World * Noura Erakat – Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine * Isa Blumi – Destroying Yemen: What Chaos in Arabia Tells Us About the World * Che Guevara – Colonialism is Doomed * Joseph Massad – Islam in Liberalism Current Events & the Gaza Freedom Flotilla * CODEPINK’s Statement on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Attack * CODEPINK’s Latest Update on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla * Why Was a Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla' Ship Attacked? | The Take – Al Jazeera * Gaza-Bound Freedom Flotilla Attacked in International Waters – Democracy Now! * Organizers Say Ship Carrying Aid for Gaza Hit by Drones Near Malta – The Washington Post * About the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition Danaka Katovich’s Work & Writing * Danaka Katovich's Articles on Truthout * “The Drone War You Don’t Hear About” – Truthout * Jacobin: Cancel the F-35 Program and Replace It With Nothing * CommonDreams: “Biden Must End U.S. Support for the Blockade on Yemen” * Congress, Do Your Job, End US Support for the War in Yemen – Common Dreams * Why is the U.S. Bombing Yemen? A Short History – CODEPINK Video CODEPINK’s Campaigns for Peace & Sanctions Relief * CODEPINK’s Campaign to End the Cuba Embargo * CODEPINK’s Campaign to Lift Sanctions on Cuba * Ontario Code Pink Chapter * Download Code Pink Resources Subscribe, rate, and review to support the show—and follow @CODEPINK on Twitter/X for updates. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 3m
  4. APR 27

    Allez elections Allez!

    In this episode of Habibti Please x Deathnography, we’re asking what voting even means anymore? Canada just had the highest advance voter turnout in history — with over 7.3 million ballots already cast. This new record speaks to something in larger Canadian society but in all honesty, for us, the vibes feel more like collapse than hope. As e-day approaches this Monday, we were compelled to make this episode because of the deep weirdness of the “Elbows Up” Canada energy right now: tariffs, carbon taxes, immigration panic, wild anti-Trudeau/Trump energy, but also the sense that electoralism inside a settler colony doesn’t actually offer a way out. We start with a vibe check: why is turnout up? Fear, anger, dread — not necessarily belief in change. Are we being gaslit into feeling like voting is meaningful, even when everything points to systemic collapse? We get into the real question: does Canada even deserve to be saved? What are we voting for — reform? Harm reduction? And why is voting not harm reduction despite many arguing that it is. Or just legitimizing a settler colonial project? There’s real ethical tension about participating in a system that is actively involved in genocide, imperialism, and ongoing harm. We talk about Jagmeet Singh being the only leader saying things that sound reasonable right now — but is that enough? Is it giving "Obama knew Edward Said" vibes? Did he have the right tools all along and only step up now – or just another case of performance politics where representation masks deeper harms? We witness a longer mapping and analysis of Singh and the party’s stance, we cite Yves Engler’s thread on Singh raising the genocide during the French Federal debate. The NDP question is messy: is voting for them useful, useless, or actively bad? What do we do when our local candidate (like Clare Hacksel) is actually good — pro-Palestine, willing to use words like “genocide”? How do we balance local wins with provincial and national betrayals? We get into the Vote Palestine Pledge and why it’s complicated. Some sus people are on it, but it’s still a political litmus test that's hard to ignore. We unpack critiques of strategic voting, symbolism, and what it means when "voting for Palestine" gets reduced to a checkbox. Finally, we ask: what are the limits of electoralism in a settler colony? Is voting just giving consent to a system that’s already broken? How do we respond to the argument that “it’s privileged not to vote”? And if electoralism isn’t enough (which it isn’t), what are we actually building outside of it? We end on some reflections about how to live your politics daily — not just in a ballot box. How to make space for grief, anger, and clarity. How to move beyond voting into something real, rooted, and lasting. Thanks for joining the show! And happy voting or not voting. Production Credits: Hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan, Henry Lee, and Shah Art for Habibti Please by postXamerica Production by Nashwa Lina Khan and Andre Goulet Shownotes support by Nabeela Jivraj Social Media & Support: 🎧 Listen Now: Wherever you get your podcasts! (spotify/apple) 📬 Subscribe: Deathnography on Spotify 📬 Subscribe: Habibti Please Substack ✨ Support Us on Patreon 🐦 Follow Habibti Please on Twitter: Habibti Please 🐦 Follow Nashwa Lina Khan on Twitter: Nashwa on twitter 🌳Our Linktree 💕Habibti Please is proud to be part of the Harbinger Media Network This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    51 min
  5. APR 24

    “We have nothing to gain from being tepid”: Ballots, Beliefs, and Being Present, A Conversation with Niall Clapham Ricardo

    This week on Habibti Please, we're joined by Niall Clapham Ricardo — jurist, activist, and New Democratic Party candidate for Papineau. Niall and I first crossed paths on a cold January night outside Parc station, remembering the victims of the Quebec mosque shooting. Since then, I’ve gotten to know him not just as a political voice, but as a deeply thoughtful friend and community member. In this episode, we talk about what it means to show up — on the campaign trail, in the courts, in the streets, and at birthday parties. Niall shares how his personal background shapes his advocacy, the stakes of talking about Palestine as a Jewish voice, and why he's choosing to run in a riding as complex and storied as Papineau — the one once held by Justin Trudeau. This episode is about the messy, meaningful work of showing up — in politics, in movements, in community, and in friendships. Together with Niall, we begin to unpack: * Electoralism, especially in the context of settler colonialism, what do terms like “harm reduction” and “strategic voting” really mean — if they mean anything at all? * Is strategic voting actually strategic — or just another trap? In the context of electoral politics within a settler colonial system, how meaningful — or empty and harmful — are concepts like harm reduction and strategic voting? We conclude there is no value in lacking precise language or being tepid. * How buzzwords from social justice spaces are being absorbed (and often diluted) in the world of electoral politics. * Trade union stories and the future of labour * Legal advocacy and international human rights work * The riding of Papineau and what people are really saying at the doors * Revolutionary love, hope, and being a present friend in the middle of it all * Visions of the “good life” and what it takes to create a world where everyone can thrive. * Friendship, political clarity, and holding onto hope in deeply uncertain times. From Parc Station to Papineau our friendship and origin story of meeting at a protest imbue the episode. As community organizers who do believe that activism starts in our communities and home we know the importance of how friendship is meant to expand and challenge one’s desire for a better world and a good life. With this spirit, this set of shownotes features readings that are from the thinkers Niall references in the episode - they were curated around themes of abolition, revolutionary love, Indigenous Resistance & global struggles for justice. Niall reminds us to always laugh. Something everyone fighting to build a better world should weave into their engagements. Some pictures of the campaign moment, with moments of laughter, joy, and a fight for a good life and better world together. Guest Bio: Niall Clapham Ricardo is a jurist practicing in Tiohtià:ke / Mooniyang / Montréal. He formerly served as the Francophone spokesperson for Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) and is currently the NDP candidate for Papineau. Niall’s work spans labour, legal, and international human rights struggles — and is grounded in deep relational care, solidarity, and a commitment to justice from the ground up. Follow Us: Habibti Please — wherever you get your podcasts Hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan Produced by Andre Goulet at Harbinger Media Network Editing Support from Nabeela Jivraj Reading List from talking with Niall: Reading List inspired from my chat with Niall and the thinkers that inspire him. 1. Lula - Live a Good Life * Letters to Lula in prison tell story of Brazil’s ‘invisibles’ * “Lula Is Right About Israel’s Genocide in Gaza” – Jacobin * “Lula’s Victory Is a Testament to Solidarity” – Jacobin 2. Angela Davis * Are Prisons Obsolete? – Full PDF * The Meaning of Freedom: And Other Difficult Dialogues ( A selection) * Angela Davis: 'Palestine is a moral litmus test for the world' * On Transnational Feminist Solidarity: The Case of Angela Davis in Egypt 3. Noura Erakat * Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine (Stanford University Press) * Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again * Race, Palestine, and International Law * "A Campaign of Genocide": Noura Erakat Speaks to Ta-Nehisi Coates About Israel's War on Gaza * Can the ICJ Survive Israel's Genocide on Gaza? * Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine with Professor Noura Erakat 4. Enzo Traverso * The End of Jewish Modernity * Historian Enzo Traverso: Israel Is Using the Memory of the Holocaust to Justify Genocide in Gaza * The End of Jewish Modernity * Enzo Traverso on Fascism, Marxism and Israel * Germany’s Reckoning With the Past Is No Longer a Model An interview with Enzo Traverso * No, Post-Nazi Germany Isn’t a Model of Atoning for the Past 5. Che Guevara on Love & Revolution * The Che Reader * Socialism and Man in Cuba * Che Guevara on Love, Injustice, Revolution, and Socialism. 6. Ellen Gabriel * Over 30 Years of Indigenous Resistance with Mohawk Land Defender Ellen Gabriel * Ellen Gabriel and the ‘watershed moment’ that was the Siege of Kanehsatà:ke * Ellen Gabriel: to imagine a better world, we must challenge colonialism * Short Documentary: Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance 7. James Baldwin * The Fire Next Time * No Name in the Street * A Talk to Teachers * Jimmy’s Blues and Other Poems A Niall Clapham Ricardo Reading List (in brief) Niall’s work as a legal thinker and activist is also reflected in his published writings, particularly in Pivot, where he offers critical perspectives on international solidarity and systemic racism in Québec. * De militants à candidats : Papineau, Spinoza et le NPD – Radio Canada/CBC (2025) This week Radio-Canada profiled Niall, they write on his life as a Jewish Montreal activist and member of Independent Jewish Voices, his advocacy for Palestinian rights while challenging the conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism. The piece also highlights how activists like Ricardo are turning their community engagement into political candidacies—such as in the Papineau riding—to promote social justice and international solidarity. * De l’Ukraine à Gaza : qui a le droit de se défendre ? – Pivot (2022) A compelling argument on the double standards in international law and media narratives surrounding self-defense and state violence. * « L’islamophobie n’existe pas », mais elle tue – Pivot (2023) A searing critique of how Islamophobia is dismissed in public discourse while continuing to harm communities in Québec and beyond. * See all of Niall’s contributions at Pivot This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 12m
  6. APR 18

    The Intersection of Technology, Capitalism, and Social Justice with Paris Marx

    In this exciting comeback episode of Habibti Please, we dive into the intersections of technology, capitalism, and social justice with special guest and friend of the show Paris Marx—a leading tech critic, author, and host of the acclaimed podcast Tech Won’t Save Us. In this episode, Paris shares the story behind Tech Won’t Save Us—what inspired him to start the podcast in 2020 and how the conversations have evolved since. We also explore how gig platforms like Uber and DoorDash are reshaping the labor market. Are stronger labor protections the answer, or is a complete overhaul needed? We dig into the future of work and discuss whether governments are ready to handle the social and economic impact of automation and artificial intelligence. Paris also speaks to which policies could change Big Tech’s growing influence. We also examine how surveillance technology plays a role in occupation, genocide, and other fascist suppression with a focus on Gaza and occupied Palestine, Pegasus spyware, and Israel’s use and export of surveillance tools abroad. We discuss how to push back against the normalization of these practices, and can governments ever truly strike a real balance between privacy and public interest? Throughout, Paris highlights why collective, community-driven solutions are essential to building more equitable futures. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about the power dynamics in tech and what it will take to build a better future. Readings that accompany this episode: Forensic Architecture tracks surveillance of activists and journalists by Hakim Bishara (2021). The Technology of Occupation Has Become One of Israel’s Main Exports by Antony Loewenstein (2023). Tools to Explore and read about: Understanding Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for CUPE Members (2023) The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has created this guide to help members understand the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. It highlights both the opportunities and risks associated with AI, including issues like workplace surveillance, discrimination, and the acceleration of work processes. The guide emphasizes the importance of union involvement in shaping AI's role in public services to protect workers' rights and enhance job quality. ​​ Information on Shutdown of the Mobile Justice App The ACLU has announced that the Mobile Justice app will be discontinued on February 28, 2025, due to evolving privacy laws and concerns over surveillance technology. For a decade, the app has been a critical tool for documenting police encounters. While the app is shutting down, the ACLU continues its work in police accountability, protest rights, and public safety. Find Know Your Rights resources, legal advocacy efforts, and ways to get involved through ACLU’s website. Secure Communication & Encryption * Signal – End-to-end encrypted messaging, voice, and video calls. * Session – Decentralized, anonymous messaging app. * ProtonMail – Encrypted email service based in Switzerland. * Jitsi Meet – Secure, open-source video conferencing. * Element – Secure, federated messaging using the Matrix protocol. Anonymous Browsing & Online Privacy * Tor Browser – Anonymizes web browsing and hides your IP address. * Brave – Privacy-focused browser with built-in ad and tracker blocking. * DuckDuckGo – Search engine that doesn’t track you. * Tails OS – A portable, live operating system that leaves no digital trace. Anti-Surveillance & Digital Security * ObscuraCam – Removes metadata and blurs faces in images. * Haven – Turns your phone into a motion-sensitive security device. * Umbrella – Security guidance for activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. * Calyx VPN – Free VPN from a nonprofit privacy group. * Riseup VPN – VPN for activists, provided by the Riseup collective. Counter-Surveillance & Digital Investigation * ProofMode – Cryptographic timestamps for verifying photos and videos. * Maltego – OSINT tool for network analysis and data mapping. * OSINT Framework – Open-source intelligence tools for digital investigations. Protest Safety & Documentation * Security in a Box – A comprehensive guide to digital security for activists. * Holistic Security Manual – A guide to physical and digital security for activists. Guest Information: Guest of the week: Paris Marx Check out Paris’ show Tech Won’t Save Us Check out Paris’ newsletter Disconnect Production Credits: Hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan Music by Johnny Zapras and postXamerica Art for Habibti Please by postXamerica Production by Nashwa Lina Khan and Andre Goulet Social Media & Support: 🎧 Listen Now: Wherever you get your podcasts! (spotify/apple) 📬 Subscribe: Habibti Please Substack ✨ Support Us on Patreon 🐦 Follow Habibti Please on Twitter: Habibti Please 🐦 Follow Nashwa Lina Khan on Twitter: Nashwa on twitter 🌳Our Linktree 💕Habibti Please is proud to be part of the Harbinger Media Network This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    58 min
  7. 2021-07-12

    Episode 36 - The Peace and Justice Project with Jeremy Corbyn and Paul Rogers

    This week Habibiti Please is focused on a favorite topic of the show: disarmament. Nashwa and Geneviève host Jeremy Corbyn and Paul Rogers in advance of Selling Death: Why the International Arms Trade Must be Controlled, an upcoming event hosted by Egypt Watch and Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project. Join Jeremy Corbyn, Paul Rogers, and Geneviève at the event on Saturday, July 17th, 2021, at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4 p.m. London time here.  We discuss the Peace and Justice Project, an initiative that works to bring people together for social and economic justice, peace, and human rights in Britain and across the world. This episode explores the arms trade and why we must move towards disarmament. The international arms trade fuels forever wars, bloody occupations, and the military-industrial complex. The detritus of war and occupation will linger long after militaries leave the countries they ravage. As this episode highlights, COVID-19 serves as a canary in the coal mine; a warning for how things can only get worse if change does not happen now. A virus cannot be nuked, yet the rush to create and sell arms from the imperial core has continued without challenge even during the pandemic.  The Corbyn Peace and Justice Project illustrates why domestic and international problems and injustices cannot be separated. We also explore how we build solidarity beyond borders and across communities.  This episode also draws links between the arms trade, the climate crisis, and other ongoing struggles, including the growing number of refugees. Industrialists selling weapons and war promoters are akin to the mythical hydra, where chopping off one head sprouts another. This hydra is a monster, directly supported by Western governments. And blowback is to be expected. Continued death and destruction fuelled by the imperial core through tradecraft will have global consequences, Forward-looking movements are needed now. Join Egypt Watch and Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project for Selling Death: Why the International Arms Trade Must be Controlled this Saturday on July 17th. We look forward to seeing you there. Now, more than ever, we must stand in solidarity to stop our governments from funding mass death throughout the world.  Head over to thecorbynproject.com/armscontrol to sign up for Saturday’s event.  Habibti Please is proud to be part of the Harbinger Media Network and we are grateful to partner with Canadian Dimension on this episode. Organizations to check out:  Egypt Watch  Egypt Watch is a media services company based in London and was founded in 2019 by Osama Gaweesh, a well known Egyptian journalist and TV Presenter. Their mission is to put Egypt under the international spotlight and to raise global awareness about the declining situation in Egypt; to advocate for freedom of press, for human rights, and for upholding democracy.  Corbyn Peace and Justice Project  An organization founded by longtime activist for social justice and former Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to bring people together for social and economic justice, peace, and human rights, in Britain and across the world. The Event Selling Death: Why the International Arms Trade Must be Controlled War is big business. The international arms trade is worth hundreds of billions, and arms deals brokered by the rich and the powerful continue to extend human misery around the world.  The UK is the world’s second-largest arms exporter in the world, fuelling conflicts like the war in Yemen which has claimed a quarter of a million lives to date.  We must come together across borders and backgrounds to fight back against this economy of war and suffering, and demand real security for all.  The Peace and Justice Project is proud to support Egypt Watch’s upcoming event: Selling Death: Why the International Arms Trade Must be Controlled, an international conference that aims to shed light on the horrific abuses of the arms trade, and help build a movement to fight back.  Join the event on Saturday July 17th, 2021, at 11 am Eastern Standard Time and 4pm London time, and sign up now. Additional Resources: Some resources that complement this episode:  * Boris Johnson is leading the UK into an even greater COVID catastrophe by Paul Rogers * Unions must stand united to end Canada’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia by Simon Black * WESCAM controversy highlights double standards in Canadian arms controls by Lital Khaikin  * 100 million Egyptians at risk of going thirsty by Osama Gaweesh Guest Information  Guests of the Week: Jeremy Corbyn and Paul Rogers Jeremy Corbyn served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2015 to 2020, and has represented Islington North since 1983. He is a lifelong campaigner for peace and justice, holding roles in the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and Stop the War Coalition. As Labour leader, he oversaw the development of a comprehensive programme to rebuild the UK economy, transfer wealth and power from the few to the many, tackle poverty and division, put Britain at the forefront of confronting the climate emergency, and pursue a peace and rights-based foreign policy. Jeremy received the Gandhi International Peace Award in 2013 and the Seán MacBride Peace Prize in 2017. Paul Rogers is an Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University. He is a biologist by original training, lecturing early on at Imperial College and also working as a senior scientific officer in government service in East Africa.   For the past forty years, he has worked on international and environmental security and has written or edited thirty books.  He is International Security Advisor to Open Democracy. In the late 1990s, he wrote Losing Control: Global Security in the 21st Century, which was years, if not decades, ahead of its time, anticipating the 9/11 attacks and the twenty-year war on terror that follows. A new edition has just been published updating and expanding the analysis. It looks forward to the 2030s and 2040s as the decades that will see a showdown between a bitter, environmentally wrecked, and deeply insecure world and a possible world order rooted in justice and peace. You can order the updated edition here. Co-hosted by Geneviève Nevin Originally from the West Coast, Geneviève Nevin (she/her) is a white Ashkenazi settler based in Montréal (unceded and unsurrendered Kanien’kehà:ka territory) where she is a community organizer and JD/BCL candidate at McGill University. Geneviève is passionate about politics and social justice and is actively involved in movements for migrant rights and Palestine solidarity, particularly within the Jewish community, as the former Membership & Fundraising Coordinator with Independent Jewish Voices Canada. Geneviève was also one of the organisers behind the successful Palestine resolution at the 2021 NDP Convention which called for a ban on illegal Israeli settlement products as well as an arms embargo against Israel until Palestinians are free.  Production Credits: Hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan  Show Music by Johnny Zapras and postXamerica Art for Habibti Please by postXamerica and Canadian Dimension Production by Canadian Dimension Production Assistance by Geneviève Nevin, Nashwa Lina Khan and Canadian Dimension Social Media & Support: Follow us on Twitter @habibtiplease Support us on Patreon Subscribe to us on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit habibtiplease.substack.com/subscribe

    45 min
  8. 2021-07-05

    Episode 35 with Encampment Support Network Toronto

    Two weeks ago hundreds of police officers and parapolice descended upon Trinity Bellwoods park in Toronto to violently evict the residents living there, displacing people from their homes and severing communities. Toronto has been cruel and brutal to the people living in this city. The austerity measures put in place using the pandemic as an excuse for imposing cruelty will not suddenly dissipate after the pandemic “ends.” It is important to note how the pandemic continues to ravage other places in the world. Many are under the illusion that it is near the end because of the inequitable global vaccine rollout and apartheid. While companies thrived, many have died.  This episode was done in collaboration with the Encampment Support Network (ESN) in Toronto. We worked with Charlotte, an outreach volunteer with ESN. We discussed the evictions at Lamport Stadium that took place in May which involved a bulldozer to forcibly remove residents.  Throughout the pandemic Encampment Support Network Toronto has provided help for people in encampment sites. Right now in the city, there is increasing pressure to re-open, and we must reckon with what reopening and “back to normal” means for those most disenfranchised.  Public officials informed the “general public” to socially distance, while at the same time pushing unhoused people to live in crowded shelters and shelter hotels where the virus was spreading and killing. There are a number of obscene contradictions like this that reveal how people in power intentionally make others live in deplorable conditions to die. The lives of unhoused people do not matter to Mayor John Tory and downtown City Councillor Joe Cressy. Although many have known this for far too long, it has again become blatantly obvious this week. Who we let live and who we let die speaks volumes about our society and cities. Depredation and violence by capitalists and the governments that back them were fully demonstrated viscerally throughout the pandemic and should not be surprising. The pandemic again brought this out revealing sores in the underbelly of Toronto brought about by austerity measures. Entire populations are subjected to death and disease by choice.  Laid bare by the pandemic are the conditions which have always existed for those marginalized by the state. Capitalism is functioning as it should be, and the pandemic has only accelerated its efficiency. The proliferation of narratives by people like high-ranking public servant Brad Ross claiming the park was “dirty” continues to push the selective disposal of human beings. They want you to imagine that people who live in encampments are unclean but also disposable; not worthy of public space or full lives.  As Zoë Dodd posted, “people are not garbage.” As Dodd and many others have pointed out these were people’s homes.  Dodd also reminds us how violence is a spectacle and more specifically how words like “safety” are weaponized against those who are cash poor. Parks are public spaces and necessary. Parks are a space of life, however, the City appears to only want some to enjoy parks while others must be dispossessed of public space.  As Alex V. Green reminds us, parks are a site and space for so much life.  The violent clearing events at Trinity Bellwoods serve as a harbinger. Austerity and privatization are in full effect as the means with exterminism as the goal. It is reasonable to expect that the new austerity and security measures are here to stay “post” pandemic. The city attempted media rehabilitation after images of the full force of their violence turned public opinion against their immorality,  claiming there were public health issues and that people in the encampment were offered housing. This is false: only one individual was offered housing. It is important that we cut to the truth and do not cast doubt on the City of Toronto’s violence and injustice by their spin and narratives.  This episode highlights how encampments are an alternative for so many and the reasons behind that. It also speaks to the work Encampment Support Network Toronto is doing. This episode discusses the tactics deployed by the city, police, and para-police. It also highlights how people can and do care for each other. In these moments, it is also vital to connect our discontents. We will continue to bear witness to evictions and mutations of evictions. It is necessary that we understand the global nature of clearing people. There is creative destruction in so many urban environments, but also an urbanization that has cultivated a specific desire for a specific class of citizen that the nation desires. Here, it is the rich who are desirable.  It is impossible for low-income and marginalized populations to live in cities or centers of cities. Pulling from Henri Lefebvre, it is a necessity to think about who has the right to the city, the right to everything urban life offers. We deserve cities that offer life to all residents. These discontents should never neglect this struggle globally. Presently in Silwan village in East Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinians are losing their homes and even being forced to destroy their own homes.  Capitalism, white supremacy, and fascism yield a massive graveyard. Criminalizing poverty is a war on people. The war on drugs is a war on people. Only through connecting our oppressions will we move forward. We do all owe each other so much, and so many deserve so much better. This is a free episode, but we hope people who are able to consider donating to groups in the mutual aid section of the shownotes. We also hope people support Idle No More, other Indigenous organizations, movements, and people in their calls to #CancelCanadaDay. You can learn more here.  Habibti Please is proud to be part of the Harbinger Media Network, this episode was graciously edited by executive director Andre Goulet. The Harbinger Media Network is working towards building a left media ecosystem in Canada and we urge you to check it out if that’s your thing! We are also grateful to partner with Canadian Dimension. Mutual Aid & Community Support: Although this episode is not paywalled we would deeply appreciate it if people would share or give (if able to do so) to any of the causes or groups listed below.  The Encampment Support Network Toronto (ESN)  is an ad-hoc, volunteer-run network supporting people living in encampments in 6 locations throughout Toronto. This includes ESN Parkdale, ESN Trinity Bellwoods, ESN Scadding Court, ESN Moss Park, ESN LNP, and ESN Cherry Beach. We advocate for better conditions in encampments, report on city conditions and activity in encampments, and advocate for long-term permanent housing for people in their communities of choice. ESN also collects and compiles feedback from residents to support our advocacy efforts and continues to pressure the city to develop real solutions to the housing crisis. The only way to provide effective support and find solutions is by listening to and centring the needs of people experiencing homelessness.You can support their work here.  website:https://www.encampmentsupportnetwork.com/ instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esn.to.4real/ twitter: https://twitter.com/esn_to youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ZLEEETJXZtA4kSv6W7qJA This Way Up Collective is a group of queer and trans BIPOC youth that are on the ground providing mutual aid. Taken from their website: “our goal is to actively engage the communities that we are a part of and fill in the gaps wherever possible. We support encampments, youth in shelters, and anyone in need via care packages, weekly hot meal drops, and community arts programming.” * they are one of the groups that have been helping provide meals to encampment residents and doing amazing work. You can support their work here.  website: https://www.thiswayup.ca/ instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thiswayupcollective/ Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction (TIHR) emerged in April 2020 during the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic in response to a massive shutdown of frontline services and a lack of basic needs for Indigenous houseless folks in the city of Toronto. Over the past year, we have provided basic needs, access to critical health support & covid 19 testing, harm reduction supplies, sexual, reproductive health and prenatal support, traditional medicines, traditional food, expressive arts, and ceremony to some of our most vulnerable people. TIHR aims to reduce the negative impacts of substance use and other stigmatized behaviours and experiences through culture and unconditional support. TIHR is an entirely queer and Two-Spirit Indigenous collective founded by Nanook Gordon, co-led by Brianna Olson Pitawanakwat and Lua Mondor, and supported by Dashmaawaan Bemadzinjin (They feed the people) and countless volunteers. To date they have served over 3,000 meals to the encampments and Indigenous street folks. You can support their work here. website: https://www.torontoindigenoushr.com/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TorontoIndigenousHarmReduction instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torontoindigenousharmreduction/ Additional Resources: Some resources that complement this episode:  * Take action with the #NoEncampmentEvictions toolkit * ESN Toronto Newsletters * We Are Not the Virus Podcast * Fixing the housing crisis will mean treating shelter as a right—not a commodity by David Moscrop * Eviction at Trinity Bellwoods repeats history by Cathy Crowe * Demolishing Palestinian homes for an Israeli religious theme park by Al Jazeera Guest Information  Guests of the Week: Charlotte Smith of Encampment Support Network Toronto Charlotte is an outreach volunteer with the Encampment Support Network in Toronto, Ontario.  The Encampment Support Network Toronto (ESN)  is an ad-hoc, volunteer-run network supporting people living in encampments in 6 locations throughout Toronto. This includes ESN Parkdale

    43 min
5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

a podcast for the girls// grab a cup of mint tea and join Nashwa Lina Khan and friends while they explore issues in politics, pop culture and beyond. habibtiplease.substack.com

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