We speak with Democratic Socialist Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani of Queens about fighting Con Ed’s latest price-gouging rate hikes, the need for a Publicly controlled power system fueled by renewable energy sources and the daily work of being a Socialist elected official operating within a capitalist system.

Talking Con Ed Rate Hikes w/ Socialist NY Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani on WBAI

Sept. 10: Strother School of Radical Attention is Leading the Attention Revolution

Strother School of Radical Attention is Leading the Attention Revolution

We speak with City Councilmember Shahana Hanif. She’s facing a tough re-election challenge in her Brooklyn district with money from Uber pouring into her district after she backed legislation that would protect the labor rights of immigrant gig workers. 

Shahana Hanif Takes on Uber, AIPAC Lite in Tough BK City Council Race

We interview with Nicholas Powers about the Cult of Charlie Kirk and MAGA’s fervent to play the victim in order to justify their own authoritarian power grab. In the second half of the show, we take a slew of listener call-ins from people who have a wide range of opinions on the Charlie Kirk assassination and the repression of the left that has been promised.

September 16: Nicholas Powers on the Cult of Charlie Kirk and Listeners Share Their Thoughts

We take a slew of listener call-ins from people who have a wide range of opinions on the Charlie Kirk assassination and the repression of the Left that has been promised.

Listeners Weigh in on Charlie Kirk's Assassination and the Right's Quest for Revenge

We interview with Nicholas Powers about the Cult of Charlie Kirk and MAGA’s fervent play to be the victim in order to justify their own authoritarian power grab.




Nicholas Powers on the Cult of Charlie Kirk and MAGA's Victim-Playing

On Monday, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal task force approved a $3.5 billion redevelopment plan backed by luxury real estate interests. One of the task force's dissenters was City Councilmember Alexa Aviles who says the plan was rushed and unrealistic. Carolina Salguero, founder and executive director of PortSide NewYork, says the fight will continue and argues for why South Brooklyn needs a working waterfront that will make it easier to ship goods into New York and create new recreational activities as well.



City Councilmember Alexa Aviles & Carolina Salguero Discuss Future of Brooklyn Marine Terminal

September 23: The Indypendent News Hour

September 30: What Eric Adams Departure Means for the Mayoral Race

Dr. Basil Smikle Assesses the NYC Mayoral Race Without Adams

The Bronx Times' Emily Swanson Explains the Drama over Morris Park's Just Home Project

The Pinnacle Tenants Union Demands Pinnacle Group Pay Up

Dr. Banjeree Discusses The Fall of the Empire of Arrogance

Carl Davidson Discusses the Ideological Tents of No Kings Days

YAMA on the Islamophobic Attacks by the New York Post

In the first part of this week's show we spoke with Peter Sterne of City & State about the state of the mayor's race with one week to election day and three days of early voting already completed.

Voter turnout in the first three days of early voting in the NYC mayoral race was greater than the turnout in all nine days of early voting in 2021. Older voters are leading this surge, buoying 
the hopes of Andrew Cuomo and prompting concerned emails from frontrunner Zohran Mamdani's campaign to its supporters. On this week's Indypendent News Hour we spoke with Peter Sterne of City & State about the state of the race and whether Mamdani's supporters have cause to be alarmed. 

In the second half of the show, we’ll heard from JT Takagi, director of Third World Newsreel, about an upcoming retrospective of some of the group’s most iconic work from the late 1960s and early 1970s – another era where young people’s dreams of forging a more just world crashed against a system that didn’t want to change.



October 28: Talking NYC Mayoral Race with Peter Sterne + Third World Newsreel's JT Takagi

Beginning on November 12 at BAM, Third World Newsreel will screen some of the group’s most iconic work from the late 1960s and early 1970s – another era where young people’s dreams of forging a more just world crashed against a system that didn’t want to change.

10/28/25: JT Takagi on Third World Newsreel's Upcoming Retrospective at BAM & Anthology Archive

This week's show fell on Election Day. Our reporters spoke with voters about their choices in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. We also spoke with NYC-DSA organizer Cole Sandick about his Election Day canvassing experiences on the Upper West Side and how working on the Mamdani campaign has affected changed his life; Cuomo whistleblower Lindsey Boylan about her former boss's divisive general election campaign and Minnesota-based freelancer Clint Combs about the Minneapolis mayoral race between democratic socialist Omar Fateh (the "Mamdani of the Midwest") and business friendly incumbent Democrat Jacob Frey. 

11/04/25: Election Day Special Edition

NYC-DSA organizer Cole Sandick about his Election Day canvassing experiences on the Upper West Side and how working on the Mamdani campaign has affected changed his life.

11/04/25: Interview with NYC-DSA Organizer Cole Sandick

Cuomo whistleblower Lindsey Boylan talks about her former boss's divisive general election campaign and what's likely going through his mind as he stumbles toward a humiliating end to his long career in politics. 

11/04/25: Interview with Cuomo Whistleblower Lindsey Boylan

the-indypendent-news-hour_2025-11-18_17-00_01-00

JVP's Battle to Keep Mark Levine Accountable

Should Chi Osse Primary Hakeem Jeffries

Rami Said and the Starbucks Union

The head of the popular Palestinian restaurant talks about the Thanksgiving meal they are holding in Astoria, Queens and why the restaurant chooses to publicly embrace its Palestinian identity. 

Nov. 25: Friendsgiving with Ayat Restaurant Co-Founder CEO Abdul Elentanani

Sarah Ahn and Echo – two organizers with the Flushing Workers Center – discuss why they oppose billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen’s push to open a casino in their working class Queens community. 

Nov. 25, 2025: Flushing Workers Center Organizers Say Casino Bid Is a Bad Bet

On Nov. 24, Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani introduced 402 New Yorkers who will serve on 17 different transition committees. We spoke with City & State Editor Peter Sterne about who  Mamdani selected and what role these committees might play in helping him staff his administration and with setting policy goals

Nov. 25, 2025: Peter Sterne Discusses Zohran Mamdani’s Transition Committees


In our first segment, we speak to City & State Editor Peter Sterne about who Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani selected for his transition team. He explains what role these committees might play in helping him staff his administration, along with setting policy goals. 

In our second segment we talk to Sarah Ahn and echo - two Flushing Workers Center organizers. We discuss why they oppose billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen’s push to open a casino in their working class Queens community. 

In our final segment we tune into gratitude and the spirit of giving with Palestinian restaurant owner, Abdul Elenani. We talk about a Friendsgiving meal event at Ayat in Astoria, Queens and why he believes in embracing his culture and identity through food. 

Nov. 25, 2025: Mamdani Transition Committees, Flushing Says No to Casino & an Ayat Thanksgiving

In our final segment, John Tarleton talks about Downeast Maine, the wild blueberry harvest and how a small town of fewer than 500 people came together to mourn the sudden death of his former blueberry harvest crew leader. Amid the deep cultural and political divides between big city and rural areas, Tarleton says, his trip reminded him of some of the things we share in common: a longing for community, a desire to live a meaningful life and how common people in both places are exploited and pitted against each other by the same system. 

Dec. 2, 2025: John Tarleton: My Journey to Small-Town Maine

Before he became a world-famous politician and a leading symbol of the democratic socialist movement in the United States, Zohran Mamdani was a little-known candidate for a state Assembly seat in Astoria, Queens. In this interview with The Indypendent News Hour’s John Tarleton, Mamdani introduces himself, talks about why he is running and reflects on the George Floyd Uprising and how policing should be transformed in the New York City and across the country. 

Dec. 2, 2025: From the Archives: Zohran Mamdani’s First Appearance on WBAI on June 8, 2020

Following right-wing Democrat Julie Menin’s victory in the race for City Council Speaker, we spoke with Brandon West, a former member of the City Council’s central staff, about how Menin and her supporters outmaneuvered progressives, the powers she will wield as speaker and how she might try to obstruct Zohran Mamdani when he is mayor. 

Dec. 2, 2025: Brandon West Talks About New Council Speaker Julie Menin & The Power She Will Wield

In our first segment, we speak to Brandon West, a former member of the City Council’s central staff on Julie Menin’s power as speaker and how her stance will affect Zohran Mamdani when he is mayor. 

In our second segment, we bring you an interview between John Tarleton and Zohran Mamdani, long before he became a world-famous politician. They reflect on policing in the United States. 

In our final segment, John Tarleton talks about a trip to Downeast Maine to a blueberry farm where he was reminded by how we all long for community, a desire for a meaningful life and how common people are exploited and pitted against each other by the same system. 



Dec. 2, 2025: New Council Speaker Julie Menin, 2020 Zohran Mamdani Interview & A Trip to Rural Maine

The Indypendent News Hour airs Tuesdays 5–6 p.m. on WBAI-99.5 FM. Check out our archives to listen to past interviews with movement organizers, authors, elected officials and others fighting for justice in New York City and beyond.

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