Episode 32: This is an interview with Lisa Zimmerman and Robert Conners,
recorded on March 1, 2016. In this interview, Lisa and Robert, who are
both board members of “Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline”, discuss their
opposition to Kinder Morgan’s Northeast Direct Energy (NED) pipeline
project. Bob and Lisa also discuss the many
risks of the pipeline and the activities that “Stop NY Fracked Gas” has
initiated to educate
members of the impacted communities about their rights. They describe
the impact of the pipeline on air and water quality, public safety, and
climate. They also discuss safer alternative options to fracking,
alternative energy options, with long-term benefits for local workers,
and energy consumers. More information: http://stopnypipeline.org/
Episode 33: This is an interview with Pepe Rossy, recorded on April 20, 2016.
In this interview, Pepe talked about the Cuban embargo, and the effects
that the embargo has had on Cuba. Pepe discussed his recent trip to Cuba and his work with the
Albany Cuba Solidarity Committee. He also discusses life in Cuba today and his
hopes for Cuba’s future.
Episode 34: This is an interview with Mark Klein, recorded on May 10, 2016.
Mark Klein is a local activist and member of Solarize Schenectady
County. Mark talked about why we should be looking for energy
alternatives, to burning fossil fuels. Mark also discussed the costs
and benefits for the home owner in purchasing solar panels. He
described the options available for purchasing solar energy, and even
an option for people who rent.
Episode 35: This is an interview with Grace Nichols, recorded on June 7, 2016.
Grace Nichols is a very active and committed local environmental
activist. In this interview, Grace talked about her work as an activist
and the issues that she is most concerned about now. She recently
founded Ecodefense, a new local activist group,focusing on the Town of
Bethlehem. She is working to inform the public about the effects that
gas and oil pipelines have on the local environment. Grace has been
circulating petitions and organizing local actions on this issue.
Several pipeline projects are planned in the Capital Region of NYS.
Also in this interview, Grace also sings a couple of songs about
environmental issues.
Episode 36: This is an interview with Tom Ellis, recorded on August 3, 2016.
Tom Ellis has been a committed environmental and peace activist in the
Capital Region, for decades. In this interview, Tom discussed the
issues that he has worked on including his work as a 30-year member of
a group of activists concerned about National Lead Industries. Tom
discussed his long term committment to working for peace with Upper
Hudson Peace Action, and the Palestinian Rights Committee. He also
talked about his opposition to nuclear power.
Episode 37: This is an interview with Joe Lombardo, recorded on
October 5, 2016. Joe Lombardo is the Co-Coordinator of United National Antiwar
Coalition (UNAC), and a founding member of Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. In this
interview he talked about his history of activism, the Vietnam War, and
more recent wars, including Syria. He discussed the formation of NATO and
how it has become counter productive to peace. Joe also discussed Black Lives
Matter, and how activism has changed through the use of social media and the
internet.
Episode 38: This is an interview with Susan DuBois and Susan Weber, recorded on
November 3, 2016. Trade is in the news, but most people know little about the
Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multi-national agreement that, if Congress
enacts it, will supersede federal, state and local laws and regulations
that conflict with its provisions. The TPP is an anti-democratic
corporate takeover that undercuts our nation’s ability to make policy
at the federal, state and local levels. While trade is essential to our
economy, only a few of the TPP’s provisions concern typical trade
issues. Most give multi-national corporations undreamed-of powers over
40 percent of the world’s economy. The TPP lets international
corporations sue our governments at every level for anticipated lost
profits caused by our laws, and to have those cases heard, not in U.S.
constitutional courts, but by unaccountable trade tribunals, whose
decisions cannot be appealed. This undermines U.S. sovereignty and
democracy. Outrage over the TPP is growing as people learn that it sets
corporate profit-making over American’s health and safety. Although
Donald Trump has said that he will not sign the TPP, he has changed his
mind about many other issues, so we will need to be vigilant and
informed on this issue.
Episode 39: This is an interview with Gertrud Kauderer, recorded on December 7,
2016. Gertrud Kauderer is a long time peace and justice activist,
visiting the U.S. from Germany. In this interview she discusses how she
grew up and what motivated her to become an activist. Her activism
career began in 1983 as part of a human chain formed by 100,000 people
protesting the deployment of nuclear weapons in several places near my
hometown. The chain started in Stuttgart at the European Command Center
for the NATO troops and ended in Ulm at one of the designated
deployment sites for Pershing ll and cruise missiles. The chain covered
the distance of 100 km. Gertrud is a founding member of One by One, an
organization bringing together children of holocaust survivors and
children of Nazis, exploring their legacies in dialogue groups. For
more than 20 years, she has been a participating member of the Berlin
branch of Interhelp, following the teachings of Joanna Macy who taught
how to transform despair into personal power. In this interview,
Gertrud also shared her reaction to the election of Donald Trump as
president of the U.S., and described how a similar populist right move
is occurring in Europe. She also talked about her appreciation of all
efforts of people who are working for a world in which peace and
justice is possible.
Episode 40: This is an interview with Fazana Saleem-Ismail, recorded on January
10, 2017. Fazana Saleem-Ismail is a mother of two who works as a
research scientist. She is the founder of Jazzy Sun Birthdays, a
volunteer project that hosts personalized birthday parties for homeless
children. As a practicing Muslim with a diverse group of friends,
Fazana strongly believes that to reduce barriers and build bridges
between people of different backgrounds, they must have opportunities
to interact with each other. Over the past year, she has participated
in a number of activities designed to educate individuals about Islam
and dispel misconceptions about the religion. In this interview, Fazana
talks about her experiences as a Muslim and discusses ways we can work
to support our Muslim friends and neighbors in the current political
climate.
Episode 41: This is an interview with Jamaica Miles and Joe Lombardo, recorded
on March 8, 2017. Jamaica is an activist and organizer for Citizen
Action and other Capital Region organizations. Joe Lombardo is the
co-coordinator of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) and a
founding member of Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Joe and Jamaica
discuss their activism, focusing on how activism has changed since the
Trump inauguration. Jamaica played a key role in the organization of
the Albany Inaugurate Resistance protest in Albany on January 21, 2017,
that drew more than 7,000 participants. Joe was an organizer of the
march that took place in Washington on the same day. The march in
Washington, was attended by about 1 million people, and may have been
the biggest march ever in Washington DC. In this interview, they
discuss many of the issues that have been the focus of their activism.
Episode 42: This is an interview with Alice Brody, recorded on April 10, 2017.
Alice is a long time activist who has traveled to over 50 countries. In
this interview, she discusses the issues that she is most concerned
about today, including war, labor unions, health care and environmental
concerns. She discusses the future of the planet, Trump in the White
House, and talks about how her perspective has changed since becoming a
grandmother.
Episode 43: This is an interview with John Amidon, recorded on May 2, 2017.
John Amidon is veteran of the Marine Corp and a long time peace
activist. In this interview, John Amidon talks about his recent civil
resistance at the Hancock Airfield in Syracuse, NY on Good Friday,
where he and several other activists were arrested. John also talked
about why he opposes the use of military drones, and what he thinks we
need to do to make Americans aware of the true cost of war. John also
discussed the annual Kateri Peace Conference, held every August at the
Kateri Shrine in Fonda, NY for the past 18 years.
Episode 44: This is an interview with Martha Harausz and Toni McGrath, recorded
on June 6, 2017. Martha Harausz and Toni McGrath are members of
Bethlehem Morning Voice Huddle, a relatively new organization that was
formed as a result of the Women’s March in Washington DC. In this
interview, Tony and Martha discuss the Women’s March, and why they
decided to join the Bethlehem Morning Voice Huddle, after the election
of Donald Trump. They discuss their previous activism, and why they
believe it is important to get informed,organized and active, in order
to resist Trump. They also discuss what their group is working on now,
and how others can join them.
Episode 45: This is an interview with Dan Wilcox, recorded on September 5,
2017. Dan Wilcox is a member of Veterans for Peace, a long time peace
vigiler, and a poet. In this interview, Dan discussed his lifetime of
antiwar activism. He talked about Veterans for Peace, their
participation in the Albany Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day parades, and
the support this participation has gotten over the years. Dan discussed
his early motivation for becoming a peace activist, and why he has
maintained this commitment over the years. Dan also discussed the Third
Thursday Poetry Night, which he had been hosting for many years,and he
read a few of his poems. The interview was produced by the Public
Access TV studio in the Bethlehem Public Library.
Episode 46:
This is an interview with Oliver Holmes, recorded on October 16, 2017.
Oliver Holmes is a long time environmentalist and an advocate of
sustainable living. In this interview, Oliver discussed how he becam
e an environmental advocate and how he learned about the importance
of building a sustainable future. He discussed various ways that we
can all advocate for sustainability, and about the need to address
Climate Change.The interview was produced by the Public
Access TV studio in the Bethlehem Public Library.