Following his interview of Indie from the Indie News Network (INN), Zach interviews Collin Radix-Carter (Mr. R.C., a.k.a. “Care Bear”), another host from the network who streams INN News on Wednesday nights at 9 PM Eastern with co-host Reef Breland. Collin first shares his journey into independent media, starting from his advocacy work in 2019, to his involvement in Richard Medhurst’s Discord server during the pandemic, and finally—despite (or because of) his initial hesitation about starting his own channel—to becoming a founding member of INN in November 2021.
Given Collin’s career in early childhood education in Washington, D.C., Zach inquires (at ~9:37) about his opinion on potential changes to the Department of Education under once-again-newly-inaugurated President Trump. After expressing concerns about funding cuts to public schools and the impact on vulnerable populations, Collin emphasizes (at ~14:15) the need for increased advocacy, particularly for special education and immigrant students, regardless of the presidential administration.
Returning to the subject of advocacy and activism, Collin shares (at ~18:08) his views on the effectiveness of protests, questioning their impact in the current political climate. He discusses his experience with the George Floyd protests in 2020 and expresses concerns about performative activism, emphasizing (at ~22:34) the need for more substantive actions beyond protests.
Their conversation also touches (at ~46:01) on the intersection of race and class issues, particularly in relation to reparations. Collin emphasizes the importance of global Black solidarity and the need for a unified approach to addressing historical injustices, while acknowledging the complexities of different Black communities’ experiences.
On the whole, no one can mistake Collin’s deep commitment to education and community upliftment in his role as a teacher as he discusses (at 1:15:42) his approach to supporting his students and their families. Collin’s journey from grassroots advocacy to independent media underscores his unwavering dedication to education, equity, and meaningful change. Through his thoughtful insights on activism, education policy, and global solidarity, Collin demonstrates a deep commitment to uplifting communities and addressing systemic challenges. As both a founding member of INN and an educator, his work exemplifies the power of combining media and advocacy to create a more informed and equitable society.
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