Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Cooperation Jackson's Kali Akuno: Elections Don’t Necessarily Change a Damn Thing
Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
06 Dec 2017
🖨️ Print Article

A key strategist among the Black radicals that were behind the election of two Black mayors in Jackson, Mississippi, says his fellow activists have a decision to make: “Are we trying to be a good steward of the rules as they exist -- which I think is a complete waste of time -- or are we pushing for transformation of society?” asked Kali Akuno, of Cooperation Jackson. Akuno warned against falling into “the Syriza trap,” in which radicals wind up carrying out the policies imposed by banks and big business.

Cooperation Jackson

Related Podcasts

Coope ra tion Jackson: Reclaiming Democracy and Building a Solidarity Economy in Mississippi and Beyond
This Is Hell
Cooperation Jackson: Reclaiming Democracy and Building a Solidarity Economy in Mississippi and Beyond
01 November 2017
Kali Akuno and Ajamu Nangwaya discuss building a solidarity economy at Cooperation Jack
After Winning the Election Do We Govern the Place or Transform It? Kali Akuno on the Lessons of Jackson MS So Far
Bruce A. Dixon , BAR managing editor
After Winning the Election Do We Govern the Place or Transform It? Kali Akuno on the Lessons of Jackson MS So Far
26 October 2017
This is a hasty and cleaned up version of Kali Akuno's remarks at the Movement School for Revolutionaries, which was hosted by Cooperation Jackson…

More Stories


  • The Prosecution of Abuse Survivor Tracy McCarter
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    The Prosecution of Abuse Survivor Tracy McCarter
    23 Sep 2022
    Samah Sisay is an attorney and an organizer with the group Survived and Punished, which advocates for the rights of criminalized survivors. She joins us from New York City to discuss the case of…
  • Felony Convictions and Voting Rights
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Felony Convictions and Voting Rights
    23 Sep 2022
    Across the United States, people with past felony convictions may have severely restricted access to the franchise and in some cases may be denied the right to vote forever. Blair Bowie is senior…
  • Asylum, Migration and U.S. Foreign Policy
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Asylum, Migration and U.S. Foreign Policy
    21 Sep 2022
    Immigration rules are often determined by U.S. foreign policy. Citizens of nations under U.S. attack, such as Venezuela, are made eligible for asylum. Haitians suffer under U.S. dictates but are…
  • MANIFESTO: The Anti-Racist Manifesto of Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, 2020
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    MANIFESTO: The Anti-Racist Manifesto of Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, 2020
    21 Sep 2022
    The Anti-Racist Manifesto of Puerto Rico’s Colectiva Feminista en Construcción (La Cole) outlines a radical solution to capitalism, colonialism, and climate change.
  • A Final Word on “MAGA Communism” and Social Conservatism
    Danny Haiphong, BAR Contributing Editor
    A Final Word on “MAGA Communism” and Social Conservatism
    21 Sep 2022
    Opportunism and foolishness have resulted in the latest example of U.S. decline, the concept of  "MAGA Communism." This absurdity is proof that a true socialist movement is badly needed.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us