What Does Assata Teach Us?

After discussing how Indianapolis Development Inc., a creation of Joe Hogsett, was actively lobbying elected representatives on behalf of Google while the people united to keep their data center out of Franklin Township, this week's Naptown Breakdown focuses on a stunning silence in local mainstream media. Not one single local news outlet published an article or story about the passing of Black communist Assata Shakur.

Co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford spend the episode discussing this major international development, beginning with their relationship to her autobiography. They cover her radicalization and eventual commitment to communism, her journey through the Black Panther Party to the Black Liberation Army, and from prison to exile in Cuba, where she lived for decades before passing away on September 25. Throughout, they draw lessons Assata can teach us about how we can all get free.

This week's Circle City Shout Out goes to Umeed-Hope, a coalition of marginalized communities committed to dismantling systems of oppression and fostering a world grounded in justice, collective care, and liberation. They are a Sikh-led organization but serve all marginalized people. Founded in 2022, they initially operated as a nonprofit organization, but in 2024, transformed into a mutual aid group to more effectively address the interconnected issues affecting our communities. Their mission is rooted in the belief that true change comes from collective action and solidarity among those most impacted by systemic injustices.

Rest in Power to Assata Shakur and Chuniece Patterson!