This week, Josh speaks with housing advocate and activist Shar Thompson, Central Valley Regional Coordinator with Tenants Together. They discuss the work of Tenants Together, a statewide coalition of tenant organizations building the capacity of local tenant groups, connecting organizations in a statewide movement, and collectively advocating for statewide policy change. Shar elaborates on what work is being done to address the root causes of housing insecurity across California, and why this is so important.

Stir It Up - April 10, 2024

This week (while the COP29 global climate talks are underway in Azerbaijan), Josh Shurley talks with Janet Weil of the Climate Crisis and Militarism Project (CCMP), a national project of Veterans For Peace.  The two discuss the often poorly understood linkages between global greenhouse gas emissions (which are fueling the climate disaster) and rampant US militarism. American aircraft, ships, and equipment consume massive amounts of fossil fuels in addition to the toxins released when ordinance is exploded and soil and water contaminated as a result of US-funded wars around the globe. The public must be mobilized to push the Pentagon to report and reduce its enormous greenhouse gas emissions, and to push Congress to redirect tax dollars to respond to the existential threat of climate change. The future of our children and grandchildren depend on it. 

Stir It Up - Nov 13, 2024

In this final episode of the Center for Nonviolence's radio program for 2024, Josh Shurley sits down with Zeina Rose, a Jordanian-Palestinian American who is a Director of Special Education for local preschools in the valley and a writer. They discuss the ongoing genocide in Occupied Palestine and the parallels to what occurs here in the Central Valley to marginalized communities, as well as the outlook for the coming year considering the incoming Trump administration amidst a wave of support for Palestinian justice worldwide and locally. 


Stir It Up - Dec 11, 2024

In this first episode of 2025, Josh Shurley talks with activists and Fresno City College students Arion Grajeda, Melody Martinez, and David Mendez about the work of their organization, MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán; "Chicano Student Movement of Aztlán"). These students represent the new face of MEChA, and discus the ways in which their advocacy for social, racial, and economic justice intersects with other causes--most notably the mass student movement in support of Palestinian liberation in the face of imperialism and genocide. 

Stir It Up - Jan 8, 2025

In this second Wednesday episode, Josh speaks with Fresno activist Stan Santos, co-chair of Raza Against War. They discuss recent developments regarding the Trump administration, the ongoing genocide in Palestine, the campaign of terror against migrant communities via mass deportation, and how all of these things are connected (and what we all must do to resist!).

Stir It Up - Feb 12, 2025

This week, Stir It Up host Josh Shurley speaks with Wendy Snyder. Wendy is the West Coast organizer for the Uhuru Solidarity Movement. They discuss the USM’s efforts to organize the white community for reparations to African people, its connection to the broader movement against colonialism and imperialism, and the upcoming Uhuru Solidarity Conference. They also talk about the challenging months and years ahead, as well as the ongoing struggle for liberation and self-determination for all peoples. 

Stir It Up - Mar 12, 2025

In advance of Earth Day, Josh talks with FCC geography instructor and activist Sean Boyd from the Environmental Collaborative of Central California about upcoming events at the city college campus. They also dig into the challenges local communities face from mining and development interests that often prioritize profit and unchecked urban growth over people and a sustainable future. In the end, environmental concerns aren’t just about nature—they're about fairness, equity, and the right of every community to live in a healthy, thriving environment.

Stir It Up - Apr 9, 2025

This week, Josh speaks with longtime Central Valley faith leader and voice of the people, Hajj Reza Nekumanesh, director of the Prophet Muhammad Center. They discuss the upcoming 100th birth anniversary of el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (also known as Malcolm X) and the impact of that legacy on the current moment. They also mention the upcoming 33rd anniversary of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence, and the importance of civic engagement and solidarity during these tumultuous times. 

Stir It Up - May 14, 2025

In this episode, Josh speaks with Mike Ferner of Veterans For Peace about the 40-day Fast for Gaza - a somber yet defiant campaign to confront the starvation and bombing of Palestinians carried out with U.S. support. They discuss the heartbreak and outrage fueling the fast, the growing crackdown on dissent at home, and the hope sparked by Fresno-area activists joining the call for justice. Listeners are urged to bear witness and to take action.

Stir It Up - June 11, 2025

In this edition of Stir It Up, Josh is joined by Ruben E, the Public Pressure and Direct Action Subcommittee lead with the Fresno Budget Advocacy Coalition. The coalition seeks to push for the City of Fresno to reallocate and reinvest in community care—specifically to reduce inflationary and excessive police spending and fund the resources the community needs to thrive and prosper. Together, they discuss what it means to shift priorities from punishment to prevention, and why reimagining public safety is essential to building a truly just and healthy society.

Stir It Up - July 9, 2025

In this week’s program, Josh Shurley speaks with Ramsey Robinson from the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) about why the entrenched liberal status quo is failing to address today’s overlapping crises—from wars and ICE raids to economic inequality and ecological catastrophe. They discuss the principles and vision of the PSL, the growing public openness to socialism as a viable alternative, and how a reimagined system rooted in collective well-being could help heal deep fractures in our communities, our nation, and the wider world—because tinkering at the edges of a broken system is no longer enough.

Stir It Up - Aug 13, 2025

Welcome to Stir It Up, a weekly program brought to you by a collective of local activist organizations in Fresno. Join us each Wednesday at 3:00 pm Pacific on 88.1FM or streaming at kfcf.org as we educate, agitate, and pontificate! 

The second Wednesday edition of Stir It Up is brought to you by the Fresno Center for Nonviolence. Stir It Up is hosted by Dr. Joshua Shurley, political science professor, activist, and organizer with Veterans For Peace, as well as a proud board member of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence. On behalf of the Center, thank you for listening. ☮ 

Fresno Center for Nonviolence

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