PUSHBACK Talks WG Film

Welcome to Season 7 of Pushback Talks! It's been an eventful summer, as nations worldwide grappled with the housing and climate crises, and people took to the streets to protest wealth inequality and the rapidly rising cost of living. In this highly anticipated season premiere, we join Fredrik and Leilani for a one-on-one conversation about their work to push back against the injustices of our time and how their mission adapts as the situation develops.

In this premiere episode, Fredrik and Leilani engage in a candid conversation that peels back the layers of the housing crisis as it relates to student housing, the climate crises, and the social contract. What actions can be taken right now to mitigate the crises? The episode underscores the critical need for accountability from both governments and private entities in addressing these far-reaching housing issues.
Join us for an engaging Season 7 premiere that deepens our understanding of the how the housing crisis is developing, and stay tuned for an exciting lineup of episodes that will inspire action, promote change, and illuminate the path toward a more just and equitable world. 
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What is it that makes a worker essential? This is the question that Chris Smalls and hundreds of thousands of Amazon workers had to ask as they found themselves working long hours in unsafe conditions at the height of the pandemic, having been deemed 'essential.' But when Chris, who was responsible for training thousands of other employees and upper management, organized a protest for better work conditions he was immediately terminated and told he wasn't articulate enough to be the face of efforts to unionize. Chris responded by pushing it further, creating the Congress of Essential Workers and, eventually, the Amazon Labor Union.

Chris joins Fredrik and Leilani to discuss the intense amount of work it took to create the union, the power of challenging the system as his authentic self, and proving those who underestimated him dead wrong.

Support the Amazon Labor Union. You can see more about Chris's fight to create the Amazon Labor Union in Fredrik's latest film, Breaking Social. 


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Ever wondered what it takes to build a thriving community of empowered tenants? In this illuminating episode of Pushback Talks, we speak with Valeria Raçu and Alba Jiménez of the Madrid Tenant's Union (also known as Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid) about building meaningful movements.
Join Fredrik and Leilani as they sit down with Valeria and Alba to look closer at the extraordinary impact of collective action in of tenants' rights. In a world where global actors wield immense influence, Valeria and Alba underscore the significance of a united global movement to combat the challenges posed by an increasingly financialized housing market. Valeria and Alba's work with the Union is a call to action, reminding us that when we join forces to protect the rights and dignity of tenants, we create better communities and, ultimately, a better world for all.
Tune in to this engaging episode and explore how community power can shape the future of housing and human rights.
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Despite a high per capita GDP, the UK has the worst economy in western Europe. With tons of austerity measures being implemented, finance as one of its major industries, prime ministers in and out non-stop, and accusations of racism in housing coming to the fore yet again, the behemoth nation is staring down a difficult road in realizing the right to housing. How does one rights-based politician face such a mountain of issues?

Fredrik & Leilani speak with Tom Copley, London's Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development about the tools available to local government to fight for affordable housing, Blackstone declaring the UK the best investment destination of 2023, and giving people the language to fight for their rights.




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Apartments in Serbia are selling fast. But the average income in Serbia is about 640 euros and the average price of an apartment is 2000 euros, so who is buying the apartments?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused a domino effect around the world in a multitude of areas. Serbia, one of the few countries openly accepting Russians is facing an unprecedented housing crisis linked to the influx of people since the conflict first broke out. As more Russians buy property, the cost of living in Serbia has skyrocketed, and supply is growing short. Anger and resentment about landlords and about Russians has led the social situation to worsen as tensions grow.

Fredrik & Leilani meet with Jovana Timotijevic & Marko Aksentijević of Serbia's Ministry of Space to discuss how the country's history of communism and the current influx of wealthy Russians & Ukrainians fleeing the war is taking things from bad to worse.
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From 2012-2022, and in the midst of a major construction boom, Turkiye fell nearly 50 places on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, from 54 to 101 out of 174 countries. The country has been praised for its ability to do infrastructure quickly, but the level of damage caused by a recent 7.8-magnitude quake has drawn greater attention to the amount of corruption in Turkiye's construction industry. With more than 45,000 dead, over $100 billion in damage, and 25,000 buildings reduced to rubble, Turkish citizens are outraged at the disorganized government response and the lack of proper preparation and are calling for greater government accountability. Just three months before a scheduled election, President Erdogan and his government are under intense scrutiny for the amount of damage, with a spotlight on the corrupt policies that allowed developers to cut corners on safety.

Fredrik and Leilani sit down for two separate conversations on these recent events. First, they meet with Professor Gönül Tol, founding director of the Middle East Institute’s Turkey Program, senior fellow for the Frontier Europe Initiative, and author of "Erdogan's War: A Strongman's Struggle at Home and in Syria," to recount her experience on the ground during the earthquake and to discuss how Erdogan instituted an autocracy that weakened Turkiye's vital institutions.

Then, they speak with Cihan Uzuncarsili Baysal, a member of Istanbul Urban Defense and an independent researcher, to discuss how Turkiye's economic and political history brought us to this moment.








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