TROUBLEMAKERS

EP21: Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army with Angus Joseph

How does storytelling reshape movements? What role does humor play in activism? How can we clown a hostile moment, a climate protest, a global convening sold out to the billionaires? Do children understand political expediency better — should we all be clowns and ninjas and unashamed painters instead of activists and campaigners?
 
In this episode of Troublemakers, we sit down with Angus Joseph to explore the intersections of satire, absurdity, neoliberalism, and movement culture.
 
We also promised to link to research by Sophia McClennen, Srdja Popovic, and Joseph Wright about how satirical dilemma actions provide a 11-16% success rate boost to campaigns. That research can be found through CANVAS.
 
And speaking of Jedis, learn how to use their mind trick.
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Learn more about Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army in the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, the inspiration for our podcast.
Connect with us by email at troublemakersthepodcast@gmail.com or via Instagram @troublemakers.podcast

Ep20: Burn brightly, but don’t burn out with movement psychologist Cristel Montenegro

Pain is often treated as something to suppress, avoid, or silence. But what if true healing comes from embracing it fully—together? We sit down with Nicaraguan movement psychologist Cristel Montenegro to explore the power of collective trauma processing. We examine how communities facing deep wounds caused by violence and systemic oppression can embrace healing through storytelling and welcoming emotion.
 
We discuss the role of anger in social movements, and why true self-care isn’t just a beach vacation—it’s about reconnecting with our senses. Cristel also reflects on the tension between grassroots activism and institutional change, and emphasizing joy, pleasure, and human connection in the fight for justice.
 
Cristel Montenegro is a social psychologist, researcher, and systemic psychotherapist specializing in trauma healing, community empowerment, and emotional well-being. She coordinates the Community Care Project on Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast and is the founder of Enraizar, providing accessible mental health services for women and communities engaged in social transformation.
 
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Learn more about Burn brightly, but don’t burn out in the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, the inspiration for our podcast.
Connect with us via Instagram @troublemakers.podcast

Ep19: Al faza’a (a surge of solidarity) with Manzur Al Matin

"Beware the level-headed person if they’re angry." — Arabic proverb
What happens when a nation reaches its breaking point?
In this episode of Trouble Makers, we sit down with Manzur Al Matin, an Advocate in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Senior Presenter at Channel 24. During the Monsoon Revolution, Manzur took a bold stand—filing lawsuits against the detention of student leaders, defending their rights, and challenging unlawful government actions.
Drawing from his firsthand experience, Manzur unpacks how everyday fear transformed into mass resistance—much like the Arab concept of Al Faza’a, a spontaneous surge of solidarity triggered by collective crisis. He reflects on the emotional flashpoints behind Bangladesh’s uprising and how decentralized leadership made the movement unstoppable.
We also dive into the challenge of sustaining momentum when the urgency fades—and the risks of speaking truth to power in a system where even civil society is compromised.
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E18: Story of Self, Us, and Now with Yomna Ahmed

"If I am not for myself, who will be? And if I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, when?" — Rabbi Hillel the Elder.
Yomna Ahmed, a Harvard-trained community organizer, empowers activists through Public Narrative and Community Organizing. She co-founded Athar Network, uniting activists across seven Arab countries.In this episode, Yomna explores the Story of Self, Us, and Now framework—how storytelling builds trust, mobilizes communities, and challenges power structures. We discuss ethical narratives, moving beyond hero stories, and how storytelling fosters collective leadership.This episode is for activists, educators, and organizers seeking to inspire change. Listen, learn, and harness the power of public narrative.Read more about Story of Self, Us, and Now and stay updated on how you can harness the power of public narrative.Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E17: Build People Power, then Negotiate with Gino Govender

What does it take to challenge powerful systems and win? In this episode, we explore the power of grassroots organizing, worker solidarity, and strategic negotiations in the fight for justice.
Veteran trade unionist and activist Gino Govender reveals how people power can bring even the most oppressive systems to their knees. From building worker power to outmanoeuvring employers and governments, this episode is a masterclass in activism, where we also explore the complex nexus of resistance and negotiation with our opponents — in workplaces, nations, and on a global scale. Gino takes us on a journey of reflections from the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, across international working-class mass organizations, and in other spheres of his experience. We grapple with age-old conversations of revolution versus reform and try to find common ground regarding movement strategies in our complex world.
Read more about Build people power, then negotiate and stay updated on how you can build people's power.
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E16: Use the Law, Don’t Be Afraid of It with Meralney Bomba

"Winning this case isn’t just about us—it’s about showing people that you can demand justice and fight for your rights." —Meralney Bomba
Description:
What does it take for a small island community to stand up to a colonial power? How can the law become a weapon of change in the fight for climate justice?
In this episode, we meet Meralney Bomba, a community organizer from Bonaire, who has joined forces with Greenpeace Netherlands in a bold legal battle against the Dutch government. This case—rooted in climate and human rights law—is more than a lawsuit; it’s a rallying cry for empowerment, justice, and resistance.
Merlaney shares her transformation from gym influencer to activist, the challenges of mobilizing a shy and reserved community, and how this court case is already inspiring other island nations to rise for climate action.
Read more about Use the Law, Don’t Be Afraid of It and stay updated on Greenpeace Netherlands’ fight for a sustainable future.
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Trouble Makers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License and can be used for radio or any other media.
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E15: Organizing Strategies that Scale with Zakia Soman

How do we build numbers? How do we organize at a colossal scale? How do we build mass cooperation amidst our cultural, linguistic, generational, religious diversity? How do we unite around issues affecting us all?
 
Zakia Soman guides us through how she and other Indian women's rights activists established Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, the largest nationwide Muslim women’s mass organization. Their network, coordinated through a massive dispersed network, was also able to displace Muslim male leaders as the national voice for Muslim issues.
 
We speak with Zakia on how she and others were able to mobilize to resist triple talaq (instant divorce) and inhumane acts carried out against Muslim women—and women of other faiths across India.
 
Read more about Use Organizing Strategies that Scale. Read more about the BMMA’s work at their website.
 
Anyone can use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. It can be used for radio or any other media.
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E14: Joy is a Revolutionary Force – Joséphina Bouden

We explore with Tunisian trans activist Joséphina Bouden (Jouda) how joy becomes a powerful form of resistance in the face of oppression. We discuss how cultural disobedience transforms everyday acts into powerful protests.
We dive with Josephine into the historical and modern significance of joy as an act of defiance. From enslaved communities creating moments of celebration to the concept of Black Joy reclaiming humanity and dignity, we unpack how joyful resistance has shaped movements around the world.
Read more about Joy is a revolutionary force.
Anyone is allowed to use this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. It can be used for radio or any other media.
Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E13: Why Palestine Matters to Africa – with Wesam and a live audience

In this powerful episode recorded with a live audience at MS TCDC in Arusha, Tanzania (a centre established by the administration of Pan-African socialist Julius Nyerere, who famously said “We will stand with Palestine, as we stood against apartheid and colonialism in South Africa”), we sit down with Wesam to learn about the history of Palestinian resistance.
We explore the deep-rooted connections between Africa and Palestine. From shared histories of colonization and liberation struggles to the solidarity that continues today, we discuss why Palestine resonates so strongly for Africans. We unpack the political, cultural, and humanitarian dimensions of this bond and ask why the African continent presents a vital voice in the Palestinian cause.
Anyone is allowed to use or circulate this podcast for free, with attribution to Troublemakers (the podcast). It is held under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox.

E12: Fees Must Fall (Pt 2)—With Walter Rodney Library organizer Phethani Madzivhandila

Phethani Madzivhandila is an organizer, theorist, and unionist based in Azania (South Africa). He’s a member of The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania and one of the Walter Rodney Library founders. He’s also a member of MS TCDC’s 2023 Activist-in-Residence cohort.
 
In this episode, we dive into one of South Africa's most powerful social movements: Fees Must Fall. Starting in 2015, this student-led protest against tuition fees quickly transformed into a nationwide call for affordable, accessible higher education — and socialist objectives more broadly. Phethani puts on his Trotsky hat to discuss the importance of permanent revolution, inter-movement solidarities, and intersectional organizing across issues and communities that may not so intuitively struggle together.
 
Read more about Fees Must Fall. Our podcast is inspired by the Beautiful Trouble toolbox!