The Fascism Barometer

In this episode of Midnight Musings, Ejeris connects the dots between fascism and war, naming a pattern that has repeated across history and is unfolding again in real time. What begins as internal hierarchy and scapegoating often escalates into global violence. And the consequences are measured in human lives. Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond. You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub. Connect with Ejeris Dixon Donate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resources And when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.org Podcast production by Phil Surkis

The Fascism Barometer team presents a new series of bonus “mini-sodes” that we’re calling Midnight Musings. Ejeris Dixon invites us into a more unfiltered space at the intersection of newfound parenthood and political reflection. As fascism intensifies around the world and at home, Ejeris shares what it means to stay present to both care work and movement work at the same time. These “movement appetizers” will be a regular thing, and might even continue after the launch of season three of The Fascism Barometer this June! Because even in the middle of the night, the barometer is still rising. And so is our responsibility to respond. You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub. Connect with Ejeris Dixon Donate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resources And when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.org Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In our season finale, host Ejeris Dixon welcomes organizer, author, and strategist Alicia Garza back to finish the conversation on power, and what it takes to beat fascist politics. Alicia lays out a practical “recipe for liberation”: from deepening political education, to building community while rooting the work in love. She argues that while a small amount of people may be unmoved, the vast majority is persuadable. Also, Ejeris reflects on Season 2 of The Fascism Barometer, reminding us about what we've learned, and reviewing concrete action steps we can take to resist fascism and build a powerful resistance.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgFull Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org. Podcast production by Phil Surkis

In this incredibly timely episode, host Ejeris Dixon sits down with Darakshan Raja, founding Executive Director of Muslims for Just Futures. Raja talks about how post-9/11 policies laid the groundwork for today’s increasing fascism. She also explains how the framework of terrorism expanded government power, targeted organizations and communities, and justified the expansion of prisons, policing, and the military, from the use of Guantánamo to campus protest crackdowns. Importantly, Dixon and Raja focus on what to do now to refuse the legitimacy of “terror” frames, and strengthen support across communities and movements.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgFull Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org. Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris Dixon welcomes back author and strategist Alicia Garza for a clear-eyed read of the moment. Garza breaks down how fascism weaponizes white supremacy and emergency politics to manufacture enemies, demand a strongman, and win consent, while reminding us that resistance is a long tradition in Black, immigrant, and trans communities. Stay tuned for part two of this vital conversation, as Dixon and Garza will discuss concrete power-building moves to "keep the barometer at bay".You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Ejeris DixonAlicia Garza's book, The Purpose of PowerDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgFull Transcript is available at fascismbarometer.org. Podcast production by Phil Surkis

Ejeris Dixon welcomes abolitionist safety practitioner Che Johnson-Long and technologist-lawyer Ken Montenegro back to The Fascism Barometer for a grounded, practical guide to resisting in a fast-shifting landscape. They unpack how fascism feeds on panic and isolation—and how all of us can respond when we examine risk, create shared tools, and take care of each other. Homework includes: broaden trusted information sources, join an organization, and start an actual risk plan.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil Surkis

In the second half of this vital conversation, host Ejeris Dixon and movement strategist Tarso Ramos go beyond diagnosing the rise of fascism—they map out what we must do to resist it. From learning lessons of South Africa’s Freedom Charter and United Democratic Front to organizing a “bigger we” capable of defeating fascism and authoritarianism, Ramos shares both cautionary tales and hopeful strategies. This episode insists that there is no going back, and that the only path forward is through collective creativity, broad coalitions, and a relentless commitment to building power.

In part one of this wide-ranging two-part episode, Ejeris Dixon welcomes Tarso Ramos back to The Fascism Barometer. Ramos, a seasoned researcher of fascist, authoritarian, and supremacist movements, shares how his family’s escape from Brazil’s military dictatorship shaped his lifelong fight against fascism. He draws chilling parallels between past regimes and today’s U.S. political landscape, breaking down the accelerating pace of authoritarian consolidation and the critical 12–18 month window to resist it. This episode is both a warning and a blueprint for action.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil Surkis

In this profound episode, Ejeris Dixon sits down with healing justice visionary Erica Woodland to explore how fascism is impacting our mental health and our capacity to organize. With a background in psychotherapy and decades of movement work, Erica discusses the emotional toll of surviving and resisting while fascism rises overwhelmingly. Ejeris and Erica grapple with what it really means to fight fascism without abandoning ourselves or each other.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Erica WoodlandConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil Surkis

What does the expansion of policing, imprisonment, and surveillance reveal about the rise of fascism? Host Ejeris Dixon sits down with long-time organizer, activist, and author Rachel Herzing to unpack the interlocking systems of state violence known as the prison industrial complex. Herzing, director of the Yarrow Institute and co-author of How to Abolish Prisons, connects the dots between rising fascist power, the racism and violence of the prison and policing system, the erosion of public dissent, and the work of preventing a police state.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

This edition of The Fascism Barometer finds host Ejeris Dixon sitting down with Cristina Jiménez Moreta—bestselling author, MacArthur Genius Fellow, and co-founder of United We Dream—for a timely conversation on how fascism shows up in the everyday lives of immigrant communities. Cristina reflects on her own journey from Ecuador to the U.S. and speaks to the experiences of immigrants who flee authoritarian and fascist regimes, only to be targeted in the United States. Cristina highlights the acts of resistance that everyday people are taking and the opportunities to build bigger, more visionary possibilities that this moment creates. This is not a theoretical conversation—it’s about real people, real histories, and real stakes.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Cristina Jiménez Moreta's critically acclaimed book, Dreaming of HomeConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

Host Ejeris Dixon is joined by lifelong educator and organizer, Lumumba Bandele to unpack what fascism looks like through the lived experiences of Black communities in the U.S. — and why we must recognize its current and historic manifestations. From front porch conversations in Bed-Stuy to lessons learned from global solidarity movements, Lumumba offers grounded wisdom on the victories that Black communities have won against state repression, the power of storytelling, and how Black resistance has always been both local and global.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Lumumba BandeleConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this urgent episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon sits down with renowned activist and organizer Linda Sarsour for a powerful conversation on fascism, Palestinian liberation, and the meaning of true solidarity. With over two decades of movement work, Sarsour offers a masterclass on what it means to resist fascism, uplift human dignity, and defend communities under siege. Linda shares why the Palestinian liberation struggle is central to the anti-fascist fight—and how ordinary people can step into powerful roles in extraordinary ways. You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Linda SarsourConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this urgent and clarifying episode, Ejeris Dixon sits down with Shane Burley—journalist, scholar, author of Fascism Today: What it is and How to End It, and co-author of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism—to unpack what it means for social justice movements when fascists control the government, and what to expect of their next moves. They also discuss the dangerous manipulation of antisemitism in our current political moment. Together, they explore what the history of anti-fascism can teach us about these times, historical roots of antisemitism, how it's being weaponized to silence dissent—particularly pro-Palestinian voices—and the critical difference between antisemitism and anti-Zionism. This conversation is essential listening for anyone navigating the intersection of anti-Fascism, Jewish identity, Palestinian solidarity, and anti-war organizing.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Shane BurleyConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon is joined by renowned activist, narrative strategist, and speaker Malkia Devich-Cyril for a wide-ranging conversation that connects the rise of fascism to collective grief, Black liberation, and the emotional landscape of organizing within repressive times.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Malkia Devich-Cyril and Movement Innovation CollaborativeConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this powerful episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon welcomes Maurice Mitchell, the National Director of the Working Families Party, for a conversation that dissects rising fascism through a compelling and relatable metaphor: the family cookout. Together, they explore what it means when someone seizes power simply because they can, and how everyday people can push back through collective action. From the failures of the liberal rulebook to the urgent need for a unified "no" coalition—and ultimately, a shared vision for liberation—this episode dives deep into how strategy, solidarity, and joy can fuel a multiracial working-class movement.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Maurice Mitchell and the Working Families PartyConnect with Ejeris DixonDonate to the Fascism Barometer, and help us create more episodes and resourcesAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

In this episode of The Fascism Barometer, host Ejeris Dixon welcomes Shelby Chestnut, the Executive Director of the Transgender Law Center (TLC) and the first Native Trans leader to head a national LGBTQ organization. They dive into the current landscape of anti-trans legislation, and how Trans communities are organizing in the face of fascist tactics. Shelby shares how TLC is responding through litigation, safety planning, communications strategy, and sharing resources, while highlighting the strength, resilience, and solidarity at the heart of the fight for Trans liberation. This conversation is both a sobering reality check and a call to collective action.You can find the tools you need to fight fascism at our Resource Hub.Connect with Shelby ChestnutConnect with Ejeris DixonAnd when you feel the pressure, share this pod, and visit fascismbarometer.orgPodcast production by Phil SurkisIntro Music by Meklit HaderoThe Fascism Barometer Podcast is an Ejerie Labs Project. Thank you for joining the movement.

While we work on the next episode of The Fascism Barometer (out next week!), we have another outstanding podcast to share with you from our friends over at Convergence. The Anti-Authoritarian Podcast with Scot Nakagawa and Sue Hyde. This episode of The Anti-Authoritarian Podcast features Scot and Sue sitting down with Suzanne Pharr, a Southern queer feminist and anti-racist organizer, strategist, writer, community organizer, and educator. Over her decades of work, she has contributed to the advancement of many social justice movements and worked on historic campaigns against authoritarian attempts to exploit popular prejudice for political and financial gain. With much wisdom and experience, Suzanne paints a clear picture of how we have arrived at this political moment with authoritarians infiltrating our governments and communities, and the direction social justice movements need to move.