We spoke with journalist, author, and activist Sonali Kolhatkar about her new book, Talking About Abolition: A Guide to Navigating Difficult Conversations. In this conversation, Kolhatkar breaks down the misconceptions surrounding abolition, addressing common concerns and pushback that arise when discussing alternatives to policing and incarceration. She provides practical tools for engaging in meaningful discussions, helping readers communicate abolitionist ideas with clarity and confidence.
Kolhatkar discusses the urgent need to shift away from punitive systems and toward community-based solutions that prioritize healing, justice, and public safety. She shares insights on how to effectively counter misinformation, navigate difficult conversations with skeptics, and build a more just society through grassroots organizing and policy change.
Through her work as a journalist and advocate, Kolhatkar has long examined issues of systemic oppression, and in Talking About Abolition, she offers a roadmap for those committed to dismantling harmful institutions and reimagining a world without prisons and policing. This interview explores the book’s key themes, the challenges of bringing abolitionist discourse into mainstream spaces, and how we can all contribute to transformative justice.