On Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D continued the conversation about the escalating federal crackdown in Minnesota with two guests offering organizing and historical context: Walter Greason, an author, organizer, and professor of history based in St. Paul, and George Galvis, a Bay Area organizer with the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights Youth Justice known as CURYJ.
Greason described conditions on the ground in Minnesota following the shooting of Renee Goode, emphasizing that communities had been preparing for escalation but were still overwhelmed by the scale of federal action. He outlined how activists rapidly built mutual aid systems, community defense networks, and statewide coordination after people were taken off the streets in large numbers, particularly in areas with little prior infrastructure. Greason stressed that mainstream media has largely failed to convey the depth of organizing, the daily work of protecting residents, and the size of the general strike, which he estimated reached into the hundreds of thousands statewide and sparked more than two hundred solidarity actions across the country.
Galvis placed the Minnesota events within a longer history of protest repression and racialized state violence, linking the current moment to laws and tactics developed after Standing Rock that criminalize protest and label dissent as terrorism. He highlighted how Indigenous, Black, and immigrant communities are disproportionately targeted, noting the erasure of Indigenous people from dominant narratives despite the Twin Cities’ central role in the history of the American Indian Movement. Galvis also challenged political leaders who call for reform or better training, arguing instead for the abolition of ICE and accountability for state sanctioned violence.
Together, Greason and Galvis addressed what they described as widespread gaslighting, where media and political discourse isolate incidents, downplay systemic patterns, and discourage solidarity across communities. They warned against reliance on electoral solutions alone, arguing that the scale of the crisis demands immediate collective action. The conversation closed with a call for sustained organizing, independent media, and cross regional solidarity, framing Minnesota as both a warning and a catalyst for a broader movement.
Later in the show we hear a commentary from Brown Girl Pride.
Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.