Podcast
Block & Build
Hosted by Cayden Mak · EN
Block & Build is a newsmagazine podcast from Convergence Magazine that examines the balance of political forces in the US from a movement perspective. Every week, host Cayden Mak explores what's happening in politics—and what we can do about it.
The show takes Convergence's Block & Build framework as a jumping-off point for responding to escalating authoritarianism in ways that focus on preventing harm while building the strength, resilience, and strategy for our movements to win in the long-term.
And we're not just talk. Block & Build is made by and for doers: every week we hear from organizers, strategists, movement journalists, and others who are helping to refine our strategy and develop strategic unity in a time of great peril for people and planet.
But we have no time for doomerism. This show is about how to fight, and while we are clear-eyed about what we're up against, we're also determined to win. Join us.
28episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
NYC Tenants in Co-Governance w/ Ritti Singh, Lex Rountree, Irene Hsu, and Joanne Grell
2d ago01:13:19Tap to summarizeWe are joined by New York City tenant organizer and communications expert, Ritti Singh, who recently published an article with Convergence, covering a strategy – which has been implemented in NYC tenant organizing – she calls “surround sound” communications. Then, in early 2025, a group of tenant organizers in New York City began a campaign to Freeze the Rent. The language and values of this campaign were adopted by then mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Now as acting mayor for five months, Mamdani has yet to fully implement a rent freeze or meet other housing goals laid out by his coalition on the campaign trail. But the roots of progress are beginning to show. Mamdani has replaced six out of nine seats on the city’s Rent Guidelines Board, which determines city policy on rent control and more. Housing affordability was a major part of Mamdani’s platform and the project of co-governing with his coalitions to deliver on those goals is now under way. We host a panel of tenant organizers who have been a part of this work throughout the whole process and beyond. In today’s episode we’ll explore how “freeze the rent” was part of the narrative infrastructure for Mamdani’s win, and how it has become a center of gravity for developing the practice of movement-driven co-governance in New York. Panelists Include Membership Coordinator of the New York State Tenant Block, Lex Rountree Communications Manager for CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities + CAAAV Voice, Irene Hsu Co-Chair of the Freeze the Rent campaign and Community Action for Safe Apartments Leader, Joanne Grell Want more? Submit your article proposals to Convergence Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →The Attention Economy Navigator, May 2026 w/ Dr. Shan (Pop Smart Media)
1w ago01:04:54Tap to summarizeThis week we are building April's Attention Economy Navigator, our guide to what you should be paying more attention to, and what you can probably pay less attention to. And why those stories might not be what you’d assume. Joining to help build this month's Attention Economy Navigator in real time are cultural studies professor, writer, and founder of Pop Smart Media, Dr. Shannon Mancus (AKA Dr. Shan). She also co-hosts Fool Me Once, a weekly livestream with Under the Desk News' V. Spehar, Mondays at 10:00 AM ET. We are also joined this week by Convergence's Managing Editor, Akin Olla. You can also read the article version on the Convergence website, or watch the panel plot these stories in real time on YouTube. Stories Referenced in This Episode: American showing at the 2026 Venice Biennale is simultaneously reactionary and boring. Socialist Chris Rabb wins House primary in Pennsylvania. The San Diego mosque shooting was carried out by extremely nihilistic teenagers bought into white nationalist ideas about race war. Operation Epic Furious, a satirical performance art in the form of a video game, showed up on playable arcade cabinets on the National Mall. Trump earns protection for he and his family from IRS audits and a $1.8 billion slush fund to pay off loyalists who claim to have been harmed by “lawfare”; potentially including now pardoned January 6 rioters. Democrats can't stop trying to punish Hasan Piker, in spite of him using his platform to campaign...for Democrats. Who’s paying creators in the California gubernatorial primary? Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine's YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →(Kind) Gamers, Rise Up w/ New Save Collective
2w ago00:48:15Tap to summarizeLast fall a group of gamers joined up for an event in the wildly popular online video game Fortnite. (If you’re not familiar, just ask your kids.) The purpose of the event was to train players on how to respond to real-life encounters with ICE agents, followed by role-playing encounters within the safety of the game world. This is just one of the many ways the group known as New Save Collective is organizing players and events in an attempt to create a kinder, more progressive environment for the more than 60% of people in the US who regularly play video games (as well as gamers beyond US borders). New Save Collective organizes events like these as well as supportive ways for progressive-minded gamers to find each other and play together on their Discord server, which includes over 800 members. While not perfect, Discord is a powerful social app, popular among gamers. It is rapidly growing as an online organizing tool because it allows communities to moderate and curate both their members and the content members engage with. Think of it a bit like Slack for gamers and hobbyists. We're joined this episode by New Save Collective’s founder, Sijal Nasralla, as well as one of its Discord moderators, known by her screen name Magick Mayhem. They talk about how and why they are building this digital organizing space centered around gaming. They also discuss why the mission of their work is centered around creating a culture of kindness in gaming. Connect with New Save Collective Discord Instagram kindgamers.com Want more? Submit your article proposals to Convergence Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →Meet the Elbaum Resident Writers w/ Delaney Vandergrift and Whitney Washington
3w ago00:38:22Tap to summarizeLast fall, Managing Editor Akin Olla began piloting a concept for how Convergence can grow as a space which can develop the voice of organizers trying to communicate big strategic ideas. The result was the Max Elbaum Resident Writers Program (named after our longtime board chair). We received an amazing batch of applications from over 60 organizers from all over the country and chose two to join us for the next 12 months to work on honing their craft as writers and refining their ideas about movement strategy. Each resident writer has a big question they will be exploring across multiple articles they’ll be publishing with us over the coming months. I’m excited to introduce the 2026 Elbaum Resident Writers: Delaney Vandergrift and Whitney Washington. In this episode, both join in back-to-back interviews to discuss what their organizing background and more details about what they'll be publishing with Convergence this year. Want more? Submit your article proposals to Convergence Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →#100 – Once More, With Feeling!
May 400:47:56Tap to summarizeThis is our 100th episode of Block & Build! We wanted to do something unique to mark this milestone. We jokingly discussed doing a musical episode. While we don’t have the time or the money to write 55 minutes of original songs about the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act once and for all and what we’re going to do about it, we thought we’d take some time to share some of our favorite movement music with you. In this episode Convergence Managing Editor Akin Olla and Senior Multimedia Producer Josh Elstro join to discuss some of our favorite movement music. They also delve into the broader state of movement music and counterculture as they see it in the big tech streaming landscape. Songs and Artists Discussed (In Order) Every song discussed, along with other favorites from the Convergence team, are available to listen to as a YouTube playlist we've built for listeners. Dead Prez - Let's Get Free Dillinger Four - Like Sprewells on a Wheelchair Phil Ochs - Love Me, I'm a Liberal Dmitri Shostakovich Le Tigre Bikini Kill Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA Vince Staples - Blackberry Marmalade Which Side Are You On? Propagandhi - Night Letters Leftöver Crack - Born to Die Eminem - Square Dance Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Minneapolis Massive Attack / Tom Waits - Boots on the Ground Anohni - 4 Degrees Run the Jewels - Lie, Cheat, Steal Dead Prez - Happiness Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come Hurray for the Riff Raff - Pa'lante Carsie Blanton - After the Revolution Santigold - Ushers of the New World Kendrick Lamar - Alright Childish Gambino - Feels Like Summer Want more? More Songs of Resistance from our friend Scot Nakagawa (22nd Century Initiative) Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →Women’s Sports Rally w/Caroline FitzGerald and Kathy Plate
Apr 2701:00:35Tap to summarizeIn the fall of 2023 a woman entered a bar and asked if they could put on the final regular season game of the WNBA’s New York Liberty. The bartender told her “I don’t think anyone here wants to see that.” She used that frustration to start organizing. Three years later, it feels like women’s sports are everywhere, especially (but certainly not exclusively) women’s basketball. The WNBA has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and this spring, the WNBA and the players’ union agreed to a monumental collective bargaining agreement that is a major step towards equitable pay with the men’s league players. Central to this success is the work of fan organizing like this week’s guests. From 23,000 fans signing a petition demanding better play for WNBA players to an in-game protest of thousands of fans chanting “PAY THE PLAYERS” at a Unrivaled league game in Brooklyn this winter, fans have been showing up for the athletes (and workers) they follow and cheer on, on the court and at the bargaining table. This was the result of her work building Women’s Sports Rally, an organization for women’s sports fans to collectively build authentic, powerful women’s sports communities and align as active allies rather than just consumers of the sports they love. They are committed to actions that help to fairly and inclusively distribute the social, financial, and cultural benefits that come with the growth of women’s sports. Our guests this week are the very woman who was told off by that bartender three years ago and the founder of Women’s Sports Rally, Caroline FitzGerald and digital communications and campaign strategist Kathy Plate. Kathy has worked on organizing sports fans as a political and cultural constituency which began in her previous work with Ultraviolet, a feminist organizing coalition representing all women, in all arenas – including sports and culture. @Womenssportsrally on Instagram. Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →The Attention Economy Navigator, April 2026 w/ Bridget Todd and Negin Owliaei
Apr 2000:52:55Tap to summarizeThis week we are building April's Attention Economy Navigator, our guide to what you should be paying more attention to, and what you can probably pay less attention to. And why those stories might not be what you’d assume. Joining to help build this month's Attention Economy Navigator in real time are host of There are No Girls on the Internet, Bridget Todd (her new audiobook Love at First Prompt is available July 14th from Simon & Schuster) and Editor-in-Chief at Truthout, Negin Owliaei. You can also watch the panel plot these stories in real time on YouTube, or read the article version on the Convergence website. Stories referenced in this episode: Using forensic investigation methods, the FBI was able to extract copies of incoming Signal messages from Prairieland defendants' iPhones. Rep. Eric Swalwell drops out of California Governor's race amid many sexual assault and misconduct allegations. The Democratic Congressman and frontrunner for Governor of California has been outed as a serial sexual predator in the workplace. Student organizers are fighting back against 287(g) agreements on campuses, and some of them are even winning. Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has been in a Kuwaiti prison for over a month now for re-sharing video coverage of the US-Israel military operations in the Gulf. How people are digesting Peter Magyar's victory in the Hungarian elections – Not everyone is taking the right lessons here, and it's still early days to understand what is happening (and what will happen in a new Hungary). AI-powered facial recognition is being used to deny food benefits to pregnant and post-partum people in India. Is Brooklyn-based band Geese a psyop or nah? Wired repeated the hype from the band's PR firm that claims to have been able to game the algorithm on TikTok to blow up their most recent (and critically acclaimed) album, Getting Killed. The meme war over Iran has commenced, and maybe Iran is winning? AI-generated animated Lego meme videos are covering the internet and they're pretty effective at narrating the war from the Iranian perspective. Erika Kirk is not suing Druski over his "How Conservative white women in America act" skit. Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine's YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →International Youth Movements w/ Sharmin Hossain and Samir Shrestha
Apr 1301:09:57Tap to summarizeOver the past few years, a series of popular uprisings across the world have been described by mainstream media as “Gen-Z Uprisings” – movements led by young people and described in western media as generally being against government corruption. These movements have been most notably visible in our own media due to their use of technology, including platforms like Discord and TikTok, and internationally consistent adoption of pop culture symbolism, like the flag of the “straw hat pirates,” a black flag depicting a grinning jolly roger wearing a straw hat. The flag is the banner of the protagonists of the long-running hit anime series One Piece whose adventures often find them coming to the defense of marginalized communities around their world. But these movements didn’t come out of nowhere (or the internet for that matter). Understanding their origins – and the elections that have resulted from their successes – can shed light both onto the international struggle against authoritarianism and the challenges we face building an alternative. In this episode we are looking at two countries, Nepal and Bangladesh, where popular uprisings in the summer of 2024 and fall of 2025 have led to elections this year. In this episode, we are joined by two US based organizers, Sharmin Hossain and Samir Shrestha, whose work as part of South Asian diasporas has rooted them in movement work here in the US while maintaining relationships and solidarity abroad. Sharmin Hossain is a Bangladeshi Muslim organizer from Queens, New York, who is currently the Organizing Director for 18 Million Rising. Samir Shrestha belongs to the indigenous Newari tribe of Nepal, where he was born. He has spent the last 18 years involved in movement work here in the US. Resources From This Episode Himal Southasian Jamhoor Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →How to Mobilize 8 Million People w/ Leah Greenberg
Apr 600:44:10Tap to summarizeOn March 28th, Indivisible Project, one of the two primary organizations behind the No Kings protests, held its third such event. Along with their partners, the 50501 Movement, an estimated 8 million people were mobilized and took to the streets across the country at over 3,300 different sites. Last month's event is now the largest single day political protest in American history. Last week Cayden spoke with co-founder and co-executive director of the Indivisible Project, Leah Greenberg, just a few days after the March 28th day of protest. In our conversation we considered the impact of mobilizing so many people, and what the mainstream media reports that focus only on the marches miss in the year-round work of Indivisible and other organizations developing everyday people into leaders. We also contend with the challenges posed by media, funding, and more as we seek to convert that energy into a larger, better-organized movement. Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
Transcribe →Co-Governance in Philly w/ Kendra Brooks, Nicole Kligerman, and Nikki Grant
Mar 3000:54:39Tap to summarizeExamples like Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York City Mayoral race last year or Brandon Johnson becoming mayor of Chicago a few years earlier, are some of the highest profile examples of progressive movement candidates winning local office. They’ve demonstrated that movements can win as well as how challenges can arise when working to place a single elected official into a local seat amidst a sea of colleagues to their political right. Meanwhile, left leaning electeds often immediately face criticism about their commitments to the movement organizers and the communities who helped put them in office the day their tenure in office begins. But in Philadelphia, City Councilmember at Large Kendra Brooks, along with the community organizations who serve her constituents and shaped her values, have stayed in the difficult work of governing together. Councilmember Brooks is a member of the Working Families Party who holds an at-large minority seat on the city’s council. She contends that this role requires a diligent tending to the feedback between her office and the communities she serves if she is going to deliver the promises she campaigned on. We had the opportunity to talk with Councilmember Brooks as well as two of the community stakeholders she continues to work with as a sitting Philadelphia city councilmember. They are Pennsylvania Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Nicole Kligerman and Director of Amistad Law Project, Nikki Grant. In the episode we discuss the opportunities and challenges they’ve faced together winning material victories for working people in the city. Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: mailbag@convergencemag.com Subscribe to Convergence Magazine’s YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership
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