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What's up, everyone? We are back from another hiatus with exciting news. We are returning to our weekly schedule and we have new one for you on Jerome's marriage and the War in Ukraine. This issue is developing everyday and know that this episode was recorded on March 7th, 2022, and some facts have changed since recording. The number of Ukrainians who have left are up to 2 million and there has been ever growing air attack on civilians, hospitals, and other vulnerable infrastructures.Please, follow and support the Kyiv Independent on Twitter or Instagram for up to date news. 

Time to do it, my fellow Americans - time to tear down that Senate and let the majority rule! Rise, Majority, Rise! Can you  imagine?We talk the Senate, Inflation, and Microsoft this week and yes, Jerome rants - somebody stop him.This episode was recorded on January 19th, some event and details may have changed since the recording of this episode.Follow us on IG, Twitter, and Floo Network. <3

We're back from our Summer Vacation + excited to mark it with a long one. 2022 is well-underway and we got lots to catch up on, bestie. So happy to see you again. Let's chat race, blackberry, and moving on. The Avant Inn Episode 35 was recorded on January 4th, 2021, and some events mays have woefully changed since the recording. Share this episode with your aunts, uncles, and favorite second cousins. 

This week we sat down with local bar buddy and friend of the pod, Vinay Krishnan. He is an organizer, writer, and attorney living in Brooklyn. Vinay is the National Field Organizer for the Center for Popular Democracy and is a mental health advocate for the International OCD Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. His fiction recently appeared in Barren Magazine. His non-fiction recently appeared in The Mighty and SLAM Magazine. We discuss the fight for access to healthcare, both domestically and globally, as well his mental health advocacy and his work on a recent documentary, Mind Games, that addresses often underrepresented cases of OCD. He's a smart, chill guy and we enjoyed our little chat. Hope you do too!If you would like to reach out to Vinay for a training he can be reached at vinayrk28@gmail.com and can find his writing work at vinaykrishnan.com. Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts if you have yet to do so and also spread the good, good word about the cast to your friends and enemies.

This week we sat down with two amazing people, Jacqui Rabkin and Emma Kaywin, co-directors of the Safer Spaces program at Brooklyn's House of Yes. We discuss at length their vision for a safer nightlife experience which eventually shifts to a conversation about accountability, policing, and transformative justice.  Information about House of Yes or their Safer Spaces Program can be found by connecting through their website at houseofyes.org. Don't forget to share the podcast with your friends, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Youtube and Instagram!

This week we chop it up with new friend of the pod, Matt Gordon. Matt is a nyc-based singer and burgeoning comedian whose hilarious videos on TikTok and Instagram have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.  We chat about his time working for a cruise line during a pandemic, horror movies, and of course, the downfall of Andrew Cuomo.Like, subscribe, and follow us on Instagram, Youtube, and your local grapevine!Find us @theavantinnpodcastAlso follow Matt: @mattactorgordon

After a few rounds, we were able to get this recording done. Cuomo is hot, Hochul is in, and the fight continues on to get more people vaccinated. This episode was recorded on Thursday, August 12th, 2021 - Some events may have changed since the recording of this episode. Like, subscribe, and follow us on Instagram, Youtube, and through your local tree network. 

We're getting old and loving every wrinkle of it. Covid-19 is raging, Andrew Cuomo is sinking, and Cori Bush is rising - a lot to cover!This episode was recorded on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021. Some events may have changed since the recording of this episode. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @theavantinn and you can find the Sit Stop, our sister channel, on Youtube!

This week we interview yet another friend of the pod!Dorothy Nam, RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) and student at Duke University shares with us her experiences with the Peace Corps in Senegal, and fills us in on her life since she's returned. Her and Jerome take time to reflect on the wider implications of the Peace Corps as well as their personal feelings, challenges, and thoughts about the program as a whole.You can follow Dorothy on Instagram:  @_dnamDon't forget to check out and subscribe to our Youtube channel for video versions of the cast and also please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and tell your friends about us!

For this installment of SBC, we are reading and discussing, Angela Y. Davis' 1981 book,  Women, Race, and Class. It offers an historical analysis on the labor force of black women in the country, while providing in depth context on the Abolition movement, told through historical narrative. Kenzie Kline returns to the Cast for the Chat!We 1000% recommend giving the book a read before or after the episode - you won't regret it!

So many stories, we brought in fellow poli-nerd Matt Carter to help us cover it all. Haiti, England vs Italy, the Stupid Space Race, the Delta Variant, and many more are on the table this week so settle in for a good one!Follow us on Youtube, Leave a Review on Apple Music, and thanks again for stopping by The Avant Inn with Jerome Allen and Topher Wagner. This episode was recorded on Tuesday, July 13th, 2021 - some events may have changed since the recording of this episode. 

Eric Adams will be the next mayor of NYC, Britney still isn't free, and the Olympics are when again?This episode was recorded on Wednesday, July 7th, 2021. Some events may have changed since the recording of this episode. Tune in for our return for a double feature week - catching up on all the latest. Like and subscribe on Youtube, Follow us on Twitter and IG, and support us on Patreon, if you can. Thxxx. 

End of June came too soon - so we made a quickie for ya to capture the vibes.Unsolved mayoral mysteries, Cosby walks free, and all the confusion in between.This episode was recorded on Tuesday, June 29th, 2021. Some events may have changed since the recording of this episode. Like and subscribe on Youtube, our Patreon is The Avant Inn, and follow on IG and Twitter @theavantinn. 

The New York City Primary Election is going strong and voting day is tomorrow. For this week's episode, we are dropping some days earlier, because we had the privilege to interview former DSA Co-Chair and City Councilmember Candidate Jonathan Bailey on Juneteenth. Collective liberation, Black Socialism, and what Jonathan is excited to see in NYC is on the Cast and by far, one of our best episodes. Take your time with this one and New Yorkers, get out to vote!@Jonathan4Queens

Another amazing guest is on the Cast this week! Joshua De Leon, Assembly District 70 Delegate, NAFCON SoCal Organize, and Filipino Activist joins us and drops much knowledge on working electoral politics, progressive organizing in Long Beach, CA, and on working Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions in Government and Corporate America. Grab a notepad and coffee - we got a GOOD ONE. Contact Joshua - joshua@peoplism.com - for further inquiries on working with him!

Can you sign my bills? My infrastructure bills, my voting rights bill, my tax code bill? (Destiny's Child, anyone?)We got Joe Manchin showing up for Republicans, Bills dying in the Oval Office, and the Rich getting away with less than 1% of taxes this week. Subscribe on YouTube for the video version with more resources and leave a review on Apple Music with how you felt about the episode!@theavantinn on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook and Youtube <3

Math Rock, Good Vibez, and Profound Artistry is hitting the Cast this week. We bring on the musician behind our theme song and friend to the Cast, Knox Engler!Come chill out with us as we discuss music, Knox's philosophy on music, and share a few laughs on it all. Knox Engler's music can be found on Spotify and Bandcamp - https://knoxengler.bandcamp.com/ and is hitting tour soon, so watch out!

Hot on the Block this week: a reflection on the past year in the fight for Black Liberation and Racial Justice, the lostness of Marjorie Green Taylor, some other things, but most importantly, the new addition to our life! This episode was recorded on May 25th, 2021. Events have definitely changed since the making of this episode. Subscribe to us on Youtube! We love to see more Avantiers supporting the Channel - plus the videos are very funny. 

Surprise Drop! We got a fresh one here! We met with some amazing comediennes from NYC who run a podcast called Cheer for Queers, and we had a proper chat with all the right banter. So many topics, so little time. Check out Cheers for Queers wherever you can find podcasting!This episode was recorded on Monday, May 24th, 2021, some events may have changed since the recording of this episode. 

Our best yet.. We had the pleasure to interview Khadija Mbowe on April 24th and it was a raucous, inspiring, and joyful time. Hear in on our saturday morning chat about female representation in the media, 2000's culture, queerness and coming out, and more. We have officially launched our youtube channel, if you like what you heard, please like and subscribe on youtube. If you can, leave a review on Apple Podcast! @theavantinnpodcast on Instagram and Twitter and please follow Khadija on youtube for some amazing content!