On the Ground w Esther Iverem

As community opposition grows to AI data centers across the country, activists in DC protest outside the World Data Center Conference, and march to the offices or locations of Apple, Meta, Open AI and Microsoft, demanding a moratorium on the building of these resource-sucking centers. And there’s a new documentary about world renowned educator Paulo Freire, author of the seminal text, ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed.’ ...

Historians may mark April 15, 2026 as the day when Americans were fed up with tax dollars used to bomb children abroad, while so many children in the US can’t get food, shelter or healthcare. On this show, we hear from activists, elected officials and members of Doctors Against Genocide. And with the shock of official prayer meetings at the Pentagon, Defense brass evoking Bible prophecy to soldiers, and attacks on Catholics a...

Clergy speak outside the White House, denouncing the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and the diverting of billions of tax dollars from human needs, to bombs and killing. After a so-called ceasefire, Israel carpet bombs Lebanon, an oil refinery in Iran is also hit, and Hezbollah fights back. Protesters outside the White House react to news of ceasefire. Plus headlines on the Pentagon ‘threatening’ Pope Leo, Radio legend Bob La...

 Protesters outside the Supreme Court denounce Trump’s executive order that attempted to end birthright citizenship guaranteed in the 14th Amendment. And as Iran continues to fight back against the U.S and Israel, Trump falls into a war of attrition. We speak to political scientist Wilmer Leon. Plus headlines on No King’s Day, Cuba, the “oil shock,” and more. 

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Mounting anger over the influence of Israel in the Trump administration’s attack on Iran has raised the cry for justice for 34 U.S. sailors and Marines killed, and more than 170 injured aboard the USS Liberty, which was bombed and torpedoed in 1967 by the Israeli Defense Forces. The shocking attack in International waters was never investigated by Congress. We hear from Marine veteran Bryce Lockwood, a commander on the ship. ...

The attack on Iran by the U.S. and Israel is upending the military and economic status quo and there is no end in sight. Gerald Horne gives his take. Residents of the DC area are joining in the worldwide effort to deliver humanitarian aid and solidarity to Cuba. Author Susan Abulhawa response to being called “reprehensible” by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Plus headlines.

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“On the Ground: Voices of Resistance from the Nation’s Capital” gives a voice to the voiceless 99 per...

As the U.S. spends billions on an illegal attack that could lead to global war, people in the U.S. take to the streets to say ‘No War on Iran.’ And the world joins DC in celebratng the life of a champion for justice, the Rev. Graylan Hagler. Plus headlines.  With Dante O’Hara, Parisa Norouzi, Rev. Freeman L. Palmer. Zyad from American Muslims for Palestine, Lubna and Miranda Mlillo from the Palestinian Youth Movem...

Lies, insanity and spin are becoming the norm in our daily news and information diet, where one shocking story quickly supplants another. To help us wade through the muck, we speak to our media critic Jon Jeter about coverage of Iran, Tucker Carlson, the BAFTA Awards fiasco and more. And in this new era of attempted colonization and bullying by the U.S. empire, Halie Gerima’s new film ‘Black Lions, Roman Wolves’ r...

Whether it is threatening war with Iran, funding genocide in Gaza, Killing people in Venezuela, or killing its own people at home, the U.S. its lashing out in a spiral of violence. Protesters rally outside the first meeting of Trump’s so-called Board of Peace, denouncing the diplomatic cosplay as continued genocide. And in these times, we can count on our artist,, writers and filmmakers to remind us of our victories, and our ...

Bodycam footage offers more proof that Trump officials lied about border agents shooting a Chicago school teacher five times after first ramming her car. And what do the repeated lies by the federal government mean? We speak to political scientist Wilmer Leon. Plus Gerald Horne on Bad Bunny and more headlines.

“On the Ground: Voices of Resistance from the Nation’s Capital” gives a voice to the voiceless 99 percent at the heart of A...

From Minnesota to DC, to Haiti, Gaza and Iran, the U.S. empire is in a whirlwind of war and violence.And with four U.S. citizens killed by immigration agents and dozens more dead in detention prisons, survivors of this wave of police violence tell members of Congress these attacks on the people must stop. Plus headlines on Gaza, Iran, Nigeria, Cuba, DC home rule, and more.  

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The street execution of Veterans Affairs nurse Alex Pretti by border patrol agents in Minnesota may mark a turning point in the Trump administration’s lawless deportation strategies. We spend most of this show hearing from federal workers and their supporters who attended a vigil for Pretti outside the headquarters of the VA, two blocks from the White House.And there are threats of more attacks by the U.S. abroad, as the Trum...

As Minnesotans participate in a mass shutdown of the state, solidarity protests continue here in DC and around the country demanding an end to Trump’s deadly and racist immigration policies. And for this months episode of On the Media, Jon Jeter weighs in three speeches from Canada, Russia and Iran that were either ignored, or given too much gloss by corporate media. 

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More than a week after the shooting death of a 37-year-old mother in Minnesota, protests are growing, as are calls to abolish or defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE. And what does this ratcheted up violence in our neighborhoods mean? We speak to historian Gerald Horne for this month’s episode of the F-Word on fascism.

“On the Ground: Voices of Resistance from the Nation’s Capital” gives a voice to the voiceless ...

After more than two years of supporting  genocidal violence in Palestine, the United States is waging war on Venezuela, killing up to 100 people during a January 3 attack, and kidnapping President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Meanwhile, the U.S. is ramping up violence against its own people, with ICE shooting and killing another American citizen, in cold blood and in broad daylight.  

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PART TWO OF  DC residents speaking out about the impact of increased policing by federal agents, including ICE officers, since August 2025. Those presented here are among  the 130 people who testified for nearly 12 hours on December 4th 2025 before the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee of the DC Council. The Trump administration ordered a multi-million dollar surge in policing and deployment of the National Guard, despite the d...

SUPPORT OUR END OF YEAR APPEAL! On this show, we hear from residents of DC, speaking out about the impact of increased policing by federal agents, including ICE officers, since August 2025. Those presented here were among the 130 people who testified for nearly 12 hours on December 4th 2025 before the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee of the DC Council.The Trump administration ordered this multi-million dollar surge in policing...

Immigrants, their families and supporters march in DC for International Migrants Day demanding justice here in the U.S. and their home countries. And on this final episode of the F-Word on fascism for 2025, Gerald Horne tells us why things may not be as bad as we think. Plus Headlines on Gaza, Venezuela, DC Residents Speak Out on Federal Occupation.

The show is made possible only by our volunteer energy, our resolve to keep the peo...