The Breakdown with Shaun King

Across the country, as certain types of crime have increased, people are defaulting to the same tired answer we've seen before... more police and more money for the police. But this actually doesn't work. At all. And for Black communities, it can actually make things much worse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, on the first day of the ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians, the brutality and Apartheid conditions from Israeli police and military forces have absolutely continued. As long as the Apartheid continues, peace will not be sustainable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Police murdered Ronald Greene in Louisiana and have worked with politicians for the past 2 years to cover it up, but now the body camera footage has been leaked - exposing them all as the murderous monsters they are Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I want to teach a quick, but important lesson on why, in spite of so much of our hard work on causes, we don't see the deep systemic change we all want to see. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I want you to hear from two voices I trust on Palestine and the struggle for basic human rights and freedom there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday Congressman Jim Clyburn, one of the leading Democrats in the country, basically crushed any chance qualified immunity had of passing on the federal level. It's disgusting. Let me break it down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's weird, but the Summer Olympics are less than 3 months away. And athletes are just now starting to get detailed notifications that they can't wear anything that says or represents "Black Lives Matter" in any way whatsoever. Black power fists are banned. Taking a knee is banned. But they should all ignore this...together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blanca and Rai sit down with Dr. Hasina Mohyuddin, a scholar and DEI professional at Vanderbilt University, to hear her story of being a Muslim woman in America. She shares her research with us about the effects of Islamaphobia on children. We also discuss what your workplace can do right now to support its Muslim workers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday we raised nearly $100,000 for Myon Burrell, who was wrongly convicted for a murder he had nothing to do with in Minneapolis nearly 20 years ago. He was just a kid and spent 18 years of his life in prison. I'm so grateful for everybody who gave. And I just want to be clear - no matter how many lies people tell on me across the Internet, I am literally never going to stop raising money for these families impacted by police violence, racial injustice, and mass incarceration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past week New York City announced that all non-violent mental health calls will be rerouted away from the NYPD and sent instead to mental health professionals. This amounts to nearly 154,000 calls a year - or over 400 calls a day to 911. When it gets instituted, this is going to change the city and change policing in a major way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday, I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was, when a judge ruled that police did NOT have to release body camera footage of their murder of Andrew Brown. Hours later we learned that crime charges would be filed against the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery. And this morning we just learned that my friend and brother Gary Chambers is launching a brand new organization called Bigger Than Me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I need you to know this name and know this story. Police in Elizabeth City, North Carolina executed a Black man named Andrew Brown, Jr. and they refuse to release the body camera footage or even really admit to any of what went down, but what we know so far tells me this is going to be a national case and local police know it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chances are, you've heard of the term "compound interest," but do you know how it really works? If not, you're in the majority: 69% of Americans don't understand it. Compound interest is the "magic pill" that converts your "modest savings" into massive wealth. Through the power of compound interest is how most "everyday" people become millionaires. On this episode we are breaking down how compound interest works and how to make it work for you--at any age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have an episode of another podcast produced by The North Star - W.O.C. at Work. Hosted by Rai King and Dr. Blanca Ruiz, it explores what it means to be a W.O.C. at Work by elevating the voices of female-identifying leaders of color in order to shed light on their common experiences as they push for transformational change in organizations across the country. Feel stuck in a job that you know doesn’t serve your needs, but not sure you can walk away? In this episode of WOC at Work, Blanca and Rai talk with Dr. Amber Field about what it looks like to listen to your inner spirit when you know it’s time to move on. Amber talks with the hosts about how she walked away from a “big job” in a white-dominant organization and rested in the fact that even without the titles, salary, and accolades, she-all by herself was enough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you contribute to your retirement savings do you know what your investments are contributing to? Are your investment dollars circulating wealth into the communities that matter to you the most? Unfortunately, the answer is probably: NO. And the worse news is that your retirement and investment dollars are likely supporting companies and institutions that would rather support immigration, prison complexes, racism and excess gun usage before supporting people that look like you. In this episode we ask you the question ‘Is Your Money Racist?’ and then provide you with the tools on what you can do about it once and for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday Derek Chauvin was held fully accountable for his murder of George Floyd. He was convicted on all charges. And it was an important victory in the pursuit of justice. While that was being celebrated - we learned of the horrible shooting death of 16 year old Makiyah Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. I'll talk about all of this and more today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is something ugly about the waiting game we are playing right now as the jury deliberates in the trial of Derek Chauvin. The jury is doing what they have to do, but it's like the whole nation knows that our country could fall apart if Chauvin isn't held accountable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The closing arguments in the prosecution of Derek Chauvin are today. For the past 3 weeks, the prosecution did a very good job. Maybe better than I've ever seen in a case against a police officer. I'll explain why and tell you what I truly think will happen next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chicago Police shot and killed an unarmed, compliant 13 year old boy and then lied to cover it up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this past Monday, like millions of Americans I got the news that yet another school shooting happened in Knoxville, Tennessee. Except what police and reporters initially stated was all a lie. There was no school shooter. And the only officer who got shot, shot himself. And a young Black boy named Anthony Thompson is dead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've read my book, you've seen the concept I have for "The Dip." It's what happens in American society when white people in power feel threatened or insecure. I think we're experiencing some of those tremors right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since yesterday we've learned so much more not only about the officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright, but about the deeply racist origins of the town where he was killed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday police outside of Minneapolis shot and killed an unarmed, non-violent Black man named Daunte Wright after pulling him over for having an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror. And it's all just too much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday we saw something that we rarely see in murder trials against police officers - we saw and heard the direct supervisor of Derek Chauvin testify against him. I'll play the key moment and break it down for you. I think it could be the single most important moment of the entire trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 years ago the LAPD brutally beat a Black man named Rodney King and a man with a camcorder a few blocks away just happened to catch it all on film. It was obviously a crime, but not a single officer was held responsible. The question today is this - as we try the men who murdered George Floyd, who clearly committed multiple crimes, will they be held responsible? Clearly police in our nation are still causing harm 30 years later, but will a jury in this country finally say enough is enough? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Rai King takes over The Breakdown to talk about the lives and legacies of Myrlie Evers-Williams, Betty Shabazz, and Coretta Scott King. She discusses why they are more than footnotes in the stories of their husbands and why their work is relevant today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let me unpack and explain Day 1 of the trial of the disgraced police officer Derek Chauvin. From their opening statements forward, the prosecution did a very good job yesterday. I also think that Donald Williams will turn out to be a star witness for them. Not only did he witness the entire thing, he testimony was full of expertise and painful honesty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today the prosecution and defense will make their opening statements in the trial of disgraced police officer Derek Chauvin. What his lawyers want to make this is the trial of George Floyd. They want the jury to think that George somehow took his own life. But George Floyd did not kill himself. He was murdered. Everybody on the scene, from children to adults, knew and said it was happening in real time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In so many ways, St. Louis is ground zero for the Black Lives Matter Movement. And right now, we have a chance to help elect a brilliant Black woman, Tishaura Jones, to be the first Black woman ever elected to the position. Today, I'll tell you all about Tishaura and give you a key chance to support her! Let's GO! This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've defended myself enough. Now it's time to get back to work. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As soon as you can, scroll back to March 4th on my Instagram page. Do you see the post that says "March 23rd. That's All?" That's today. 19 days ago, my team and I decided to start an experiment to prove something that we thought was going to happen. And our worst fears were proven true. And started almost immediately. We had determined that every time over the past 5 years that I made a big announcement something important was coming - a massive campaign of lies, propaganda, and disinformation spread about me almost immediately. As I looked back over the past 5 years, I could see it for myself. BUT THIS TIME, we wanted to prepare for it and study it and see exactly how it would all go down. It was actually far worse than I ever imagined. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of @TheBreakdown I unpack and explain how police brutality is a math problem. African Americans are forced to interact with police FAR too much. And by drastically reducing these number of forced interactions, we will, by default, reduce the incidents of police brutality as well. Racism is deeply baked into the fiber of America. It's full embedded in our systems and structures of policing. And it's not a bug, but a key feature. So much so that I don't think it will ever be extracted from these systems. So, one sure fire way to reduce police violence in America is to reduce the number of times people interact with police altogether. As it is in the rest of the world. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You don't have to be Asian or Asian American to be heartbroken by the gross sting of bigoted and sexist violence that visited metro Atlanta this week. You just have to have a heart. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past week, a coordinated attack has been leveled against the most prominent civil rights leaders of the day - including myself and some of my very best friends in this movement. Today, I want to unpack and explain what I really think is going on. It's a misinformation campaign designed to destabilize the movement and cause massive confusion. For a few days, it has worked, but not a single one of us is going to stop doing what we do to make the world a better place. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know what COINTELPRO was? Let me begin to unpack and explain it today with a quick introduction. It was how the federal government undermined movements for Black people and Black power. And I think we are experiencing COINTELPRO 2.0 right here, right now. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After losing the House, Senate, and Presidency, Republicans are starting to fight back in the most diabolical ways imaginable. Let me unpack and explain what they're doing and tell you what we should learn from it. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The special congressional election in Louisiana is THIS SATURDAY and this is the final week, and final chance we all have to volunteer to send @GaryChambersJr to Congress! It's not enough for us to like and share his videos - or for us to comment on his courage - this week, Gary needs our help and you can help him from wherever you are in the world. If you click the link in my bio on Instagram you can sign up to call voters for Gary! It's the single most important thing you could do to help his campaign, OK? Let's GO! This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week when I spoke to two members of the Joe Biden administration and asked them when we could expect him to begin fulfilling promises he made on issues of justice, policing, and mass incarceration, they said that I'd see progress once he had an Attorney General. Well, after 2 months of delays, Merrick Garland was finally approved this week. Even with that, I don't expect Joe Biden to do much of anything on issues of justice if we don't push him. Today, on @TheBreakdown I'll examine what a few steps in the right direction would look like. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I just wanted you all to hear my voice on this today. I wanted you to hear my heart and sincerity. And I want to confront a few big questions that I am getting from my followers. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I don't talk a lot about pop culture, but over the past few weeks I've seen something disgusting that I wanted to unpack. White people are having full on meltdowns over Black people merely existing in traditionally white spaces - from Meghan Markle being in the British royal family to the popular show "The Bachelor" having a Black man at the center of it. In both instances, popular talk show hosts have been fired or quit and virulent racism has been exposed. I actually think these two moments say something discouraging about the true state of race and racism in the world. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last night, Joe Biden's new Secretary of State, Antony Blinken announced that he opposes an investigation by the International Criminal Court into the gross human rights violations and murders and atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians. The image I included with today's podcast on Instagram is of Rouzan al-Najjar - a brilliant (and of course unarmed and non violent) nurse that was killed by an Israeli sniper. Let me be clear - only dictators and guilty monsters oppose human rights investigations. The International Criminal Court is one of the most respected bodies in the world and the Biden administration just announced not that they oppose charges of war crimes, but that they even oppose an investigation into human rights violations. It's a despicable thing. Today, on @TheBreakdown - I unpack and explain it all. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Breakdown with Shaun King # 417 - Don't you want a leader who fights for us in Congress? Here's what we can do! Description: @GaryChambersJr has been fighting for the people his whole life! You've seen it! But now he needs us to step up and fight for him! Early voting starts THIS WEEKEND in Louisiana and Gary needs our help! Listen to today's episode to learn of all the ways you can help him right now, from wherever you are. He needs us to volunteer for him - online and offline. On the phones from home and in person. Let's do this! And let's make history together! Love y'all! This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like you, I am seeing all of the newly created videos of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, but I'm not sure how I feel about. They are equal parts fascinating and eerie. What do you think? This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday Joe Biden dropped bombs on Syria, but just can't find a way to send people the stimulus checks he said would be in the mail immediately after he got elected. It's almost March. What I know is this - governments get done what they want to get done. This government simply lacks the will to help everyday people. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday, a beloved leader in New York came forward to say that she was sexually assaulted and harassed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. She provided detailed receipts, text messages, and emails - and gave names, dates, and locations. And by and large, prominent Democrats were COMPLETELY SILENT. I mean nothing. And here's what I know - if the exact same person, wrote the exact same story, with the exact same evidence, but Cuomo's name was substituted with Donald Trump - Democrats would be OUTRAGED. And this simply is not OK. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week in Fort Wayne, Indiana - a violent white supremacist walked up to a car with 3 Black teenagers and unloaded his gun on them - killing Josh Cooper and Andy Retic and critically injuring Jaylin Rice. Let me unpack and explain the case and then let's plan on doing everything we can to support these families. We paid for their funerals through @GrassrootsLaw but they are going to need a lot more help. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I wanted to take a moment to help us remember the gravity of what happened in this country one year ago today - as three brutal white supremacists targeted, chased and murdered Ahmaud Arbery. And police and prosecutors colluded together to make sure those men were never held accountable. Until we organized together to change everything. When we organize, we win. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend we learned that a 95-year-old Nazi was arrested and deported by the American government for being a guard during the Holocaust in 1945. I'm glad about this. I just want the American government to give African Americans this same type of justice. They can start with arresting Carolyn Bryant for her essential role in the murder of Emmett Till. She's 8 years younger than the Nazi guard and Emmett's murder happened 10 years after the Holocaust. As long as she's living, we should still fight for her to be held accountable. Period. This podcast is produced by The North Star, a Black-owned and operated independent media platform for liberation-journalism. If you want to support The Breakdown and the work we do, head on over to https://www.thenorthstar.com/ for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maybe it's because he has been in the shadows of Donald Trump for the past 6 years, but DAMN Ted Cruz sucks. This man is a monster and doesn't really get enough credit for how truly horrible he is. Now listen, I didn't expect him to have the heart required to stay home and serve and help his state as they suffer through a once-in-a-lifetime snowstorm. The man has proven over and over again that he doesn't have the heart to help people who are hurting, but you'd at least think he'd have the political sense to know that taking a damn vacation to Cancun while people in your state literally freeze to death is bad optics. But here's the thing - the bottom line - conservative voters have taught their leaders that nothing matters. Of course, Ted Cruz thinks he can go on vacation to Cancun while people freeze to death - because conservative voters have already announced, with their support of both him and Trump, that character and integrity and values no longer matter to them. Let me unpack and explain it. If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I speak, millions of people in Texas are without power, heat, gas, and water. People are literally dying. And hungry. And freezing. And politicians like Texas Governor Greg Abbott somehow have the time to go on Fox News and blame Democrats and policies like the Green New Deal. But here's the thing - Texas is literally controlled by Republicans on every level. The Governor, the Lt. Governor, the Attorney General, and both Senators are all conservative Republicans. And when stuff goes wrong in states controlled by Democrats, those same people blame Democrats - as they should. But now they refuse to own the crisis. That's leadership failure 101.And what's happening in Texas is basically what you get when your state's leaders pretend that global warming is a hoax, refuse to invest in public infrastructure, and instead allow corporations to take over the entire power industry so that they can get filthy rich. If you listen to The Breakdown and want to help support the work we do, consider becoming a member of our Patreon at www.patreon.com/thebreakdown for exclusive members perks and early access to content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices