Occupy the Airwaves— Valley Free Radio

University of Massachusetts, Amherst students Diego Echeverri, Malie Geery, and Louis Waibel join Occupy the Airwaves co-hosts Linda Ziegenbein, Miranda Groux, and Emikan Sudan to discuss how they are navigating this historical moment. They discuss some of the issues that are impacting them, what they are doing and thinking about, and where they get their inspiration.

Occupy the Airwaves welcomes Kendal Magnum and Amelia Durban, Northampton High School Seniors and members of the Northampton Youth Commission. Amelia and Kendal discuss the planning for Northampton's first annual Juneteenth Festival. This event, held from 11 am - 6 pm on June 6, 2026 at the E.J. Gare Plaza (2 Brewster Court) will honor Black liberation and freedom. It will be a celebration of the creativity, resilience, and artistic traditions that are rooted in Black culture.

Nick Mottern from Demilitarize Western Massachusetts and Jennifer Scarlott of River Valley for Palestine join Occupy the Airwaves hosts Miranda Groux, Stephen Linsky, Emikan Sudan, and Bob Gardner to discuss Northampton military contractor L3 Harris and the movement to block these weapons of war. In a memorial action on April 29, 2026 for peace activist Paki Wieland, members blocked the driveway of L3 Harris and many were arrested.

Merri Ansara joins hosts Miranda Groux, Stephen Linsky, Emikan Sudan, and Bob Gardner to discuss the situation in Cuba, including the present blockage of aid and fuel, war threats from the U.S., solar initiatives, solidarity from organizations and countries and conditions on the ground. Merri has a long history of solidarity herself, with her early involvement with the Veneceremos brigade, Radio Havana and Granma News and created her own Cuba travel organization (Common Ground Education & Travel). She is now a parttime resident of Havana. In the U.S. she works with Massachusetts Peace Action, CodePink, the Raging Grannies and the Easthampton for Palestine Group.Merri also discusses the upcoming film screening of @btnewsroom’s “Cuba After Castro” at the Easthampton Library Annex on Monday, May 5th at 5:45pm. Discussion to follow. All are welcome.

Chris Ferry, Director of the Easthampton Film Festival, joins Occupy the Airwaves host Stephen Linsky to discuss the history and schedule of events for 5th Annual Easthampton Film Festival running from April 23rd-April 26th, 2026.This season included a total of 57 films, more than half of which were made by Massachusetts-based filmmakers. In addition to the screenings, this year’s festival includes two receptions, two local narrative feature films, four feature-length documentaries, ten screening blocks of various short films and docs, an awards ceremony, and more. Learn more here. 

Make Polluters Pay co-leader Rachael Boyce joins Occupy the Airwaves co-hosts Miranda Groux, Emikan Sudan and Stephen Linsky to discuss the campaign to pass legislation establishing a superfund funded by the fossil fuel industry to offset the array of infrastructure needs required to address climate change-related conditions brought about by carbon emissions. Rachael also discusses important upcoming events for the campaign: 
The Make Polluters Pay campaign is hosting their next strategy session on Saturday, April 25th at 1:30 PM and you're invited! To ensure folx from all over the state can attend, this event will have an online and in-person component. North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB) is graciously hosting the in-person component at: 105 South Huntington Avenue in Jamaica Plain, MA. Activists of all experience levels welcome!
This is a great time to learn how to get involved or reengage with a crucial campaign that targets the very corporations responsible for the climate crisis and who are bankrolling Trump's evisceration of our democracy. Come learn how to get involved in the growing movement to Make Polluters Pay!
RSVP through the campaign website HERE and indicate how you'll be joining the meeting on THIS Google form. Lunch is provided!

UMass Economics Professor and internationally recognized scholar, Jayati Ghosh, joins Occupy the Airwaves co-hosts Emikan Sudan and Stephen Linsky to discuss the state of global economic inequality as revealed in a recent report of the G 20 co-authored by Professor Ghosh. A summary of Ghosh’s report can be found here.

Occupy the Airwaves sits down with all of our hosts, plus many of the friends, relatives and comrades of Paki Wieland to remember her extraordinary life, her achievements and her many fine qualities. Hosts include Linda Zigenbein, Miranda Groux, Emikan Sudan, Stephen Linsky and Bob Gardner. Our guests include Priscilla Lynch (CodePink), Crystal Zevon (Occupy Wall Street), Linda Gordon and Carolyn Oppenheim (Raging Grannies), Dodi Meinicoff (long time friend), and Marcelle Morgan (Paki's daughter).
 
From her childhood in New Orleans, to being a novitiate with Dominicans, to her days as a teacher and social worker, and of course to her devotion to her children and grandchildren, Paki performed important service to human need, along with her drive to make the world a healthier, more just and more peaceful place. Friends and cohorts testified to their own love and connection to Paki and her passion for life and justice.

From the Occupy the Airwaves archives, enjoy our conversation with co-host Paki Weiland from 2023. 
Occupy the Airwaves is grieving the passing of our cohost and friend. Paki was a dedicated activist whose energy for the causes she cared about and the people she loved was endless. She was a force in nearly all local movements and peace movements. Paki was a long-time member of an anti-nuclear arms affinity group and was recently prosecuted, along with several other protestors, for blocking an arms company facility (and won!) locally. Her spunk, wisdom, and good humor will be missed by many people across this nation and especially by her friends and family here in the Pioneer Valley. We send our condolences to her loving family and our deep gratitude to the Universe for the gift that was her life. ~Bob, Emikan, Linda, Miranda, and Stephen

Cohosts Bob Gardner and Miranda Groux sit down with Larry Hott, local award-winning documentary filmmaker, and co-founder of Florentine Films, to discuss the top five nominees for Academy Awards in the long and short-form documentary film category, and a few other favorites who didn't make the final cut.
 
Larry is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and as such, participates in the selection of the documentary films vying for a place in the Oscars. Have a listen to clips from Larry's favorite films, and hear his analysis and personal take on such films as The Alabama Solution, Come See Me in the Good Light, Cutting through Rocks, Mr. Nobody against Putin, and The Perfect Neighbor. The topics range from gun violence in the U.S., prison conditions, alt Israeli visions, resistance in Russia and coping with cancer and death. Not the lightest topics, but non-the-less eye-opening and enlightening.