Naptown People’s Radio
Naptown People’s Radio
Podcast Description
Naptown People’s Radio covers pressing issues facing people in Indianapolis, spotlights stories that go untold by dominant media, and uplifts the voices of workers, organizers, artists, and all people changing our city on a daily basis. Hosted by Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford, at Naptown People’s Radio, we don’t just talk about the news; we make it happen.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The show focuses on social justice, community activism, and local political issues, with episodes covering topics like the historical significance of Juneteenth, the struggles against police misconduct in Indianapolis, and ongoing immigrant rights activism, featuring discussions that demand accountability and mobilize listeners towards action.

Naptown People’s Radio covers pressing issues facing people in Indianapolis, spotlights stories that go untold by dominant media, and uplifts the voices of workers, organizers, artists, and all people changing our city on a daily basis. Hosted by Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford, at Naptown People’s Radio, we don’t just talk about the news; we make it happen.
November 11 marks 129 years since revolutionary artist, organizer, theorist, and teacher Shirley Graham Du Bois was born right here in Indianapolis. Stephen Lane of the Indiana Black Librarians Network joins the show to discuss her life and legacy, which is unfortunately overshadowed by her second husband, the great W.E.B. Du Bois.
Tupac Shakur said it best in an interview during the early 1990s: “They got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.” Co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford begin the Naptown Breakdown with an analysis of the 42 million people on the verge of losing SNAP benefits while the government pours millions into a possible military intervention in Venezuela as it amasses immense naval resources in the Caribbean. We next turn to the IMPD’s “Strategic Draft Plan,” which fits on half a sheet of paper, cost taxpayers about $250,000, and, unsurprisingly, does nothing to get at the root causes of IMPD terror. We break down the three strategic priorities in the draft. Finally, we turn to the war on free speech and Jim Rodenbush’s lawsuit against Indiana University. IU fired Rodenbush in October for his failure to align the independent student newspaper with the Braun-controlled IU Board’s priorities.
Next, Stephen Lane, Treasurer of Indiana Black Librarians Network and volunteer with the Fonseca Du Bois Art Gallery, joins the show to celebrate Hoosier Shirley Graham’s life and legacy. Learn about this remarkable revolutionary who is largely responsible for radicalizing her second husband W.E.B. Du Bois and never stopped struggling until her death in 1977 in the People’s Republic of China.
This week’s Circle City Shout Out goes to Le’Deanna Brown, founder and editor of Midwest Leak Magazine, for her nonstop work advocating for what’s right, whether it’s popular or not.
Finally, our co-hosts announce that within two weeks the Indianapolis Liberation Center will be moving to a large, accessible store-front property on Prospect St. With the move, the Center’s regular programming will resume and expand, and the Liberation Store will have an attractive home where you can cop books, stickers, shirts, and other gear for organizers and activists in today’s struggle.
Show Notes:
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