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It's Episode #47 - #FreePalestine and we are joined by Dalia Fakih to talk about the very important issues that face us with regard to Palestine and Israel. We aim to set these discussions in a historical context and in light of the recent reports from Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem, which categorise Israel to be an apartheid state that persecutes the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, Israel proper and the Gaza Strip.    Key Message: As Martin Luther King once said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”   Some of the key points we touch on in this episode: - Zionism and History - Geographical lay of the land - Current situation - this is a human rights issue - Recent escalations - how did this gain momentum? - Media, censorship and international complicity - Distinction between criticism of Israel & anti-semitism - What is different this time and the solution? - How to help   Who is Dalia? Dalia Fakih, citizen of the world. A Cypriot of Palestinian and Lebanese decent, educated in the UK. Dalia is a law graduate here to start the conversation on Palestine and human rights. Talking about apartheid, persecution and what we can each do to see a free Palestine with justice and equality for all. Join the fight against selective human rights worldwide.   Further Resources Human Rights Watch Report B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories Report Jewish Voice for Peace BDS Movement Eye on Palestine   Further resources are available on our website: https://tomstuandyou.com    You can now watch our podcasts on Youtube if you’d prefer to also check us out while listening to our beautiful voices. Head over to our Youtube channel at Tom, Stu and You Podcast    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support!   

In this episode, Tom finally gets to talk about Football! Yes, that's right, we're wading in with our thoughts on the recent European Super League debacle and pondering the problems that there are with the modern game. Are fans becoming increasingly seen as customers and consumers rather than fans? What were the proposals and why did they fail? Why wouldn't it be awesome to watch Liverpool v Real Madrid every week? What are the solutions to issues of ownership? The backlash to the announcement of the European Super League from fans of all tribes and backgrounds was a fantastic moment for civil disobedience, people power and solidarity. It was a teachable moment and served as a microcosm of our society in this era of neo-liberal capitalism. Were the owners of the football clubs not just trying to secure their economic futures and pursue profits? The basis of our capitalist system. We know there are many footaball fans out there with strong opinions on the European Super League plans. We hope that you enjoy the episode and get in touch to let us know what you think about what we've had to say here. What were your thoughts on the plans? Can the same impetus and movement be created around other social institutions that belong to the people; the NHS for example? You can get in touch at all the usual places. Thank you for listening and we look forward to hearing from you! T&S

To talk about violence against women, with invited back onto the podcast the amazing Kaley Ames for Episode #45. Continuing on from last episode’s chat about toxic masculinity, we explore the experience of women & the increased violence they face throughout their lives which can go largely unknown to the men around them. This isn’t a topic we think should be left for women to suffer silently, and so as usual, we think this is an incredibly important conversation to have.    Some of the topics we cover in this episode: the case of Sarah Everard  the State responsibility to better protect women & vulnerable communities effect of COVID-19 on domestic violence toxic masculinity & the impact that has on women the Patriarchy & women impact of culture & media getting men to care   We want to thank Kaley for her insightful conversation, providing a unique perspective on an issue Tom & I don’t have first-hand experience with. It’s through conversations such as this, that we can continue to open minds to the realities faced by our friends & family. By sharing stories of difficulties & moments of vulnerability, we can turn our sympathy into empathy and hopefully bring about the societal change that is so desperately needed.    Like us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support!    Full show notes at tomstuandyou.com

Welcome to Episode #44 where we ask the question; “What is Toxic Masculinity?” Having personal experience with this subject, and recognizing the importance of discussing this topic with others, we were both excited and apprehensive to dive right into such a controversial topic. Masculinity is so tied up in our sense of identity, that it’s hard not to feel personally attacked whenever someone questions our manliness...but that’s kinda the problem in a nutshell. We need to redefine what it means to be a good man, because toxic masculinity affects not only boys & men, but society as a whole.    Key message: “By far the worst thing we do to males — by making them feel they have to be hard — is that we leave them with very fragile egos.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, award-winning author   Here are some of the topics we look into throughout this conversation: What is toxic masculinity? Why is it an issue?  Examples of toxic masculinity Personal experiences with toxic masculinity Argument that biology supports gender differences Argument that gender is a social construct  Capitalism and toxic masculinity Even if there were biological differences, shouldn’t we want to create a more equal world? How does socialization impact toxic masculinity? Why the term toxic is triggering and using mindful masculinity instead   We know this is a difficult conversation to have. It’s hard to come to terms with our own self-identity, and when we question what makes us ‘a real man,’ it can be hard to put into words our feelings & values. That’s why we need to have this conversation though, because it’s hard is exactly why it’s so important.    Like us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Check out our website https://tomstuandyou.com for a full list of our episodes & guests, as well as further resources we recommend on some of the topics we regularly discuss.    Thanks so much for your support! 

Episode #43, our second of 2021, and it’s our most comprehensive episode yet! We chat to the incredible Robin Clapp about socialism, the current state of the political movement, its leadership challenges and why he’s still optimistic about youth in politics. Heads up, this is a long episode but if you’ve ever felt curious about socialism and want to learn more, Robin is a fascinating storyteller and the most knowledgeable guest we could have possibly found to discuss this topic.    Key Message: Socialism is a form of activism that’s necessary for a better world. We just need to go to where the workers are.      What we talk about in this episode: Robin’s political journey to socialism Why socialism What socialism is Break the ‘Us vs Them’ mentality Challenges facing socialism How do we get from Capitalism to Socialism Socialism as activism The importance of leadership Marxism & Capital Labour in the UK Youth in politics   Further Resources The Capitalist Crash and the New Challenges Facing Socialists  Biden & The British Labour Party Leadership  Global capitalism at most dangerous conjuncture since the 1930s   Who is Robin? Robin has been a socialist since 1973 after witnessing his father lose 3 jobs in 12 months as a result of a massive recession. He currently sits on the National Committee of the Socialist Party of England and Wales. Full bio at Robin Clapp | Tom, Stu and You   You can follow Robin’s work at the below links: Website   You can now watch our podcasts on Youtube if you’d prefer to also check us out while listening to our beautiful voices 😉 Head over to our Youtube channel at Tom, Stu and You Podcast    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support! 

Hello and happy new year everyone! We hope that you are doing well and keeping safe at this difficult time! Episode 42 of the podcast is now live and available for you to listen to one the website, YouTube and all major podcasting platforms. We’re back after the Christmas and New Year break, shaking the rust off by looking back over the past year and pondering the future for 2021. We appreciate that a lot of people will be keen to forget 2020 as quickly as possible but we feel it is important to look back over the year, review it, see what lessons there are to be learned and take that learning into the future. We talk about the things that have been revealed by the coronavirus pandemic, our value systems, the performance of our leaders, our relationship with the natural world and how our economic systems have worked during this time. We talk about what we’ve learned personally, what we can learn collectively as a society and what we hope for the future. As always, we love to hear from you. Let us know what your thoughts are on the past year, lessons you’ve learned, things that have been highlighted to you and what you hope for 2021 on a personal and societal level. You can get in touch with us by email at hi@tomstuandyou.com, leave us a comment on YouTube or leave us a comment or send us a direct message on social media. Happy listening. We look forward to hearing from you. Stay safe and take care everyone!   Further resources: Ceeroo: 2020 Remixed https://youtu.be/eMOUTgWQM74  Stu's 2020 Year in Review https://youtu.be/z7kJ8V4ZJgI 

Hello everyone, We hope that you are keeping safe and well during this time! Episode 41 of the podcast is now live and available for you all to listen to on all major podcasting platforms, the website (link in bio) and YouTube. In this episode we’ve been inspired by BBC Radio 4’s “Desert Island Discs” so we are discussing songs that are meaningful to us, that remind us of certain people or certain times of life, we discuss what book (other than the bible and the entire works of Shakespeare) we’d take and what luxury item we’d take with us were we to find ourselves marooned on a desert island. We also extend the conversation to discuss which people we’d like to invite to a dinner party from any time in history, what period of time we’d travel if we could and what we think an outside alien would find were it to come to earth; what would it think about the state of humankind in the 21st century? We hope that you enjoy the episode! As always, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and let us know what songs, books, luxury items you’d take to a desert island, who you’d invite to a dinner party and what you think an alien would make of the state of humankind in the 21st century. You can get in touch with us by email hi@tomstuandyou.com, leave us a comment or send a direct message on Facebook or Instagram and don forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! Thanks, everyone, take care! 🙂✌🏼

We’re living our best lives in this conversation with the wonderful Topanga on Episode #40 of the Tom, Stu and You Podcast. Topanga matched with Stu on Bumble a few months ago, and after months of hilarious chats, they decided to share their wisdom with people in a podcast episode. We cover quite a few different topics in this chat, so sit back, and enjoy the sounds of our beautiful voices as you try not to fall asleep (if you know, you know! haha).      Key Message: Remember to take the time to check in with yourself, and look after others where you can.    What we talk about in this episode: Finding love online Long distance emotional support Societal pressure to be settled down Importance of a fresh start Living life for yourself What is life like in NYC When those you love have different political opinions to your own Why Topanga embraces the hustle vs living life now Finding work you love Setting loose goals for life What makes a good manager   Who is Topanga? Topanga updated her location on bumble to Toronto and it led her to this podcast. She’s a career-focused woman in NYC, with a fresh start on the horizon in Chicago. If you’re looking to rebrand, for a good laugh or to simply make a friend in the U.S. - she’s your girl.   You can check out Topanga’s life at the below links: Instagram Thank you!  You can now watch our podcasts on Youtube if you’d prefer to also check us out while listening to our beautiful voices 😉 Head over to our Youtube channel at Tom, Stu and You Podcast    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support! 

Well, well, well, would you look at that? We’re talking about Capitalism again, but this time we’re looking at billionaires. Billionaires are the poster boys for Capitalism, and so much of what we are talking about in this episode is directly critical of the capitalist system in which the concept of billionaires is merely a symptom.    Key Message: Take time to reconsider why it is we believe success equals enormous wealth.    Some of the things we’re talking about in this episode: What does a billion even look like? Fun facts about billionaires How do you become a billionaire? What are the problems they represent for society? Let’s tax the rich! How do the rich avoid paying taxes? Who defends the concept of billionaires and why? How do we fix it?   Further Reading: 'Winners Take All': Generous Giving Or Phony Philanthropy? World's billionaires have more wealth than 4.6 billion people  So You Want To Talk About Taxes & The Rich?  What's Wrong With Being A Billionaire  Should We Abolish Billionaires?  What's wrong with billionaires? Here are 5 reasons they're problematic.    Counter Argument: Why a “Billionaire” Wealth Tax Would Hurt the Working Poor and the Middle Class | Mark Hornshaw (this is a great example of a slippery slope argument in favour of the billionaire class)   Full show notes can be found at tomstuandyou.com    Like us on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support! 

It’s Episode #38 and we’re talking about why our democracy is broken in today’s episode. In light of the current US election shit show that’s going on, the protests that have been happening through the year, and with many other elections being held around the world, we thought it was a good time to discuss the concept of democracy that so many of us take for granted, and for which, there is plenty to discuss.    Key Message: Fight for increased accountability & transparency, and look for ways to introduce democracy into the non-political sphere (i.e in the workplace).    Some of the topics we’re touching on today: What is democracy? Capitalism and democracy The impact of voting systems Inverted totalitarianism Democracy in the workplace The challenges facing democracy How do we begin to fix it? A plea for change   Like us on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support!

Hello everyone, hope you’re all good and keeping well during this time! Episode 37 is now live and available for you all to listen to on the website www.tomstuandyou.com, YouTube and on all major podcasting platforms. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about the new film made by international treasure and naturalist David Attenborough - ‘A Life On Our Planet’. We discuss the effect that watching the documentary had on us from the visual aesthetic right through to the content and message of the documentary. We look at the science and predictions made by Attenborough in the documentary and discuss our respective decision making processes in adopting plant-based diets. We look at the criticisms put forward and solutions offered by the documentary and offer our view on where such scrutiny doesn’t go far enough. We both encourage you all to watch the documentary and see if you agree with what we’ve had to any here. The message of the documentary is unambiguous and one that we are fully behind. We need to change our behaviours on an individual basis in terms of our diet and consumerism and work collectively to raise people out of poverty, provide free education, transition to renewable energy and in our view go reconfigure our values to go beyond a system which demands exponential growth on a planet with finite resources and creates unacceptable levels of inequality and poverty. We need to do these things not to save the planet or the natural world, but ultimately to save ourselves. We hope that you enjoy this episode of the podcast and please remember that what we do here is about starting a conversation, it is a two-way street. As much as it is a platform upon which we express ourselves and talk about issues that we see as a problem it is also an invitation for you to engage with us so that we can learn from you. So, as always, you can get in touch with us by email hi@tomstuandyou.com, leave a comment or message us directly; we always love hearing from and learning from you. Cheers everyone! Tom and Stu

Hello everyone! After a summer hiatus, we are back! Episode 36 of the podcast is now live and available for you all to listen to on all major podcasting platforms and on the website www.tomstuandyou.com. In this episode, we were joined by Austin Sawyer who accompanied Stu on a summer road trip across Canada. In this episode, we recap Stu and Austin’s summer experience, the highlights of their trip, the route taken and the precautions and measures to travel safely during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. We also discuss the positive effects that the trip had on both Stu and Austin respectively and what they have planned for the near future. We hope that you enjoy the show, please get in touch if you have any questions and also keep an eye out on social media for posts from Stu and Austin of their trip. Thank you for listening everyone and, until next time, stay curious and stay safe! 🙂✌🏼

We’re onto Episode #35 and we’re chatting with the architectural wonder that is Mitchell Hattersley! One of Tom’s mates from schooling years in the UK, Mitch has made a name for himself in the architectural world, and now lives in LA specializing in the fanciest of buildings.     Key Message: There is a lot to be optimistic about, we just have to fight for it.     What we talk about in this episode: Why study architecture Creating feeling with building design Pros and cons of working as an architect What the creative process looks like Sustainability in modern architecture 3D printing a shipping container-sized house Morality of design work US vs UK: differences, similarities Why moving to LA made sense How the educational system and career counsellors created misrepresentation All things politics Optimism for the future   Who is Mitch? Mitch is an Architectural Designer who specialises in high-end, custom homes & retail stores. He is currently based in the sunny city of Los Angeles, California.    You can follow Mitch’s work at the below links: Website Twitter Instagram   You can now watch our podcasts on Youtube if you’d prefer to also check us out while listening to our beautiful voices 😉 Head over to our Youtube channel at Tom, Stu and You Podcast    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support! 

In Episode #34, we’re taking a step back to reflect on some of the lessons we’ve learned throughout the process of creating this podcast. We discuss some of the main connections we’re seeing in each of our episodes, and with all of our amazing guests that have been on the show. It’s also an opportunity to update our listeners on some of the things happening in our lives at the moment. There is plenty of change coming up for Stu in particular, but also with the podcast, we’re putting more effort into getting the technical side of things in order as we launch our Youtube channel.    Key Message: Your life, your story, your opinions, do all have value.    Further Watching: Do schools kill creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson    You can now watch our podcasts on Youtube if you’d prefer to also check us out while listening to our beautiful voices 😉 Head over to our Youtube channel at Tom, Stu and You Podcast    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support!

Welcome to Episode #33 where we are chatting with the amazing Peter Sarellas about how to be a creative. Peter works in Toronto as a professional videographer, and during the COVID lockdown, he has stayed productive by launching a Youtube channel where he teaches people how to make better videos. He’s a funny guy, with a great accent and plenty of stories, so strap yourselves in, as this is a good, light-hearted chat between three guys and their cameras.    Key Message: Just get started. If you put in the effort, you’ll get better over time.    What we talk about in this episode: Finding our love of videography Home videos vs client work Saying peace to business school Comparing yourself to others Value of influencers Finding an edge in the creative field Pros & cons of creative work How to find clients What’s up with working for free What is the creative process Advice for newbies Bullshit education systems Talking about travel stories   Who is Peter? Peter is a videographer and video editor who specializes in sports, commercial, and event-based work. He is currently working in digital marketing while simultaneously operating a freelance video production business based out of Toronto. Furthermore, Peter is actively building a community on YouTube where he shares informative videos surrounding his work in sports media and digital marketing. Peter has his Bachelor of Business Administration in finance with a minor in economics and has also studied media at multiple post-secondary institutions.   You can follow Peter’s work at the below links: Website YouTube Instagram   Peter’s Quotes: If you’re shooting weddings, talk to the Master of Ceremony beforehand, tell him to pause for a second before he says “you may kiss the bride" on the pause, you know you can get ready. Then he looks at you, you look at him, and it’s like go time. You can look at other people’s work and draw inspiration from it and use it to make you better. You just need to keep that positive mindset and kind of realize that your work is good, ah, maybe it’s not, but you’ll get better.  You always want to retain the rights to display your work anywhere you make your services available, anywhere you market yourself. That clause is always in there, even if you’re working for free, or doing your first shoot ever.  If you make a treatment that says you’re going to have a Lamborghini on set, then your video doesn’t have a Lamborghini, you didn’t live up to the contract you provided, and the client is probably not going to pay you what they’re supposed to. Don’t go to university expecting to learn a whole bunch of stuff, and if you don’t have any skills in that field, and you’re not working to develop them, it’s less likely that people are going to reach out to you for opportunities in university.  From a young age, my parents invested a lot of their disposable income into travel so that my brother and I could gain a more rounded perspective on things. I really feel that helped me be a more empathetic person.  So yo

In Episode #32, we have another absolutely incredible guest to share with you, and that’s the amazing Kelly MacAlpine! Kelly is a PHD candidate at Western University, focussing on early childhood environmental education, as well as the brilliant mother of three wonderful kids, one of which we have also had on the podcast, Jessie. Our conversation with Kelly is fantastic for so many reasons, but most importantly, because of the undeniable passion Kelly obviously has for the education of our children. She kept asking us to stop her if she’s talking too much, but as you’ll hear, we absolutely loved hearing what she had to say and we think you will too!   A bit of context before you listen: Kelly talks a lot about different pedagogies, including plastics and 'ghosting' pedagogies; pedagogies are just theories of learning which in this case, are applied to early childhood students. She also mentions 'non-human' relations which refer to animals, objects and nature as well as 'shadows of beings' which can be tracks left by wildlife or evidence of their passing through the area.    To summarize Kelly's work as best we can, she studies the interactions of kids with their natural environment, and questions if we should instead be allowing them to remain imaginative and create their own stories of the world around them (eg. when it snows, it's because of a fictional snow monkey) rather than just giving them the "facts" and moving on. Do the stories created by kids actually create a greater connection with nature and therefore make them more responsible and considerate environmental human beings?   Key Message: In the name of what?   A few of the issues and topics we discuss in this episode: Pedagogical studies (and what that actually means) Thinking about waste Education in the name of what? Cultivating curiosity The power of storytelling and the imagination Response-abilities Climate action network Ruins of progress The fictitious students The power of youth Parenting advice “The children must engage in processes that move beyond neoliberal goals of productivity and consumption by formulating intentions that will allow them to pursue their curiosity in ways that will not always yield productive outcomes but will ultimately allow them to build their competence while pursuing their curiosity in purposeful ways.” Witnessing the Ruins: Speculative Stories of Caring for the Particular and the Peculiar | Journal of Childhood Studies  Further Resources: Ghosting Pedagogies: Restoring Peculiarities in times of Ecological Precarity Witnessing the Ruins: Speculative Stories of Caring for the Particular and the Peculiar | Journal of Childhood Studies  Ghosting Pedagogies - Early Childhood Collaboratory  Witnessing Ruins of Progress - Climate Action Childhood  Climate Action Childhood Network    Full show notes can be found at tomstuandyou.com    Like us on Fa

For Episode #31 we are joined by the incredible Mubdi Rahman, an Astronomer with the Dunlap Institute in Toronto, Canada to discuss the value of scientific research and the exploration of the cosmos and human nature.    Key Message: The best of science tells stories, and Love Actually is a brilliant movie! “Astronomers have spotted the most jam-packed cluster of young supermassive stars ever seen in the Milky Way galaxy, including hundreds of the most massive types of stars that are dozens of times heavier than our sun.” - http://www.nbcnews.com/id/45600315/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/supermassive-stars-pack-newly-discovered-dragonfish-cluster/#.XwjfIihKiiM    Some of the ideas we cover in this episode:   What is astronomy? Why is STEM communication and development important in school? How do you stay motivated without any guarantee of success? Why astrophysics is important to the everyday person What are some of the challenges of science communication A Picture in a 1000 words What’s up with black holes and dark matter? What role can religion play in scientific research? Why teaching history is important Further Resources: Connections by James Burke  Check out Mubdi’s website for more of his incredible work! Mubdi’s amazing Youtube series A Picture in a Thousand Words   Full show notes can be found at tomstuandyou.com    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support! 

We’ve made it all the way to 30 episodes! Can you believe it?? In today’s episode, we’re looking at why we should be rewriting history, discussing the fact that history is biased and unreliable, how we can still interpret important historical context despite this fact, and what history has to do with us living in today’s society.    The two main issues we’re covering today: history is unreliable, and we’re only taught a very narrow view of the past   Key Message: “The historical memory of a community is its identity. And if for reasons of neglect, ignorance or malice a community's history is trivialized or dismissed, this constitutes an assault on the identity of those who would comprise it.” - Bohdan Kordan   Some of the questions we’re considering today: Why is history important? Why is the fact that history is unreliable so important? What are some major events that we aren’t taught in school? How do we know history is only taught from one perspective? How does that impact our lives in the present? Why isn’t removing statues rewriting history?   Further Resources: Righting Historical Wrongs Written by Bohdan Kordan Why is History Important? An Overview For the Reluctant Learner  New discoveries that proved we got history wrong  Alex Rosenberg in How History Gets Things Wrong  Statues are not history’: considering the removal of Sir John A. Macdonald    Full show notes can be found at tomstuandyou.com    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support!

Welcome, welcome, welcome to Episode #29! We're joined by the wonderful Hannah to discuss all things political with a surprise focus (lol) on the left. As someone heavily involved in the Labour political party in the UK, Hannah was the perfect guest to have on to discuss the failings of the left, in particular the historic loss in the 2019 UK election, but also where the left goes from here. Although much of the conversation was centered on the political environment in the UK, much of the lessons Hannah has to share can be applied to politics around much of the Western world. There is a reason this has been our longest episode yet, so please, sit back and enjoy a frank discussion about our broken political system.    Key Message: We need to be better at creating a story that defines the path to a better future, one of increased solidarity and empowered communities.    Some of the topics and ideas we cover today: - how do we get people interested in politics - the issue of political alienation - constructing a shared goal & building solidarity - what's wrong with a conservative government - importance of effectively utilizing technology in political movements - review of UK's Labour Party 2019 election loss - the power of storytelling & clarity of vision - rising above "dark side messaging" - leading the change & empowering people - politics of the future - democratization of the workplace - a broken political system   Further Resources: - The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation  - Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House - Making the future: a new software for the Left  - Labour Together: Our party must find the humility to listen and learn - 2019 Election Review  - How can we build a 21st-century Labour Party? – LabourList   Full show notes can be found at tomstuandyou.com    Like us on Facebook and Instagram @tomstuandyou or send us an email at hi@tomstuandyou.com with any questions, comments, thoughts, or queries you have on the topics we’ve discussed or any suggestions of topics you’d like to hear us address.    Thanks so much for your support!

Welcome back to the Tom, Stu and You Podcast! It’s Episode #28 and we’re discussing the slogan #defundthepolice which is being protested in streets across the globe. As two white guys with incredible levels of privilege, it’s an idea we had never really considered before a few weeks ago. However, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) activists and researchers have been advocating for the idea of abolishing law enforcement for decades. So what do protestors mean when they say ‘Defund the Police,’ what would that even look like, what alternatives are they suggesting and why are people hesitant to consider it as an option? Listen in to learn more! Key Message: Defunding the police can free up funding that we can reinvest in services that provide real safety and support throughout the community Some of the topics we discuss in this episode today: History of policing What does defund the police mean? Why do we think about police the way we currently do? Copaganda Prison Industrial Complex What would replace police if they were defunded? Shouldn’t we implement more education and reforms instead? #8toAbolition 8 Can’t Wait What about theft, violent crime etc.? Restorative justice Stick vs Carrot We also want to stress that just listening to our podcast, or just receiving news and opinions from other white people, isn’t enough. We try to introduce ideas to you, our audience, that we feel are important, and we try to present them in a way that we understand so that hopefully you too can understand. We are part of the problem, we are part of the echo chamber though, so please, please, especially if it makes you uncomfortable, but please click on some of the links we’ve listed in our show notes and on our website, diversify the media you are consuming, consciously, frequently, and consistently analyze your awareness and reflect on your emotions and decisions.    It isn’t a black person’s responsibility to educate white people constantly on these issues, but BIPOC voices should be centred and focused on, in the discussion. Their stories about policing and their understanding of the systemic discrimination rampant throughout our society should be believed before white people’s, and that when we talk about defunding it should be because of black stories, not because of white will.  Further Resources: @leftnortheast • Instagram photos and videos  @urdoingreat | Instagram  #8toAbolition Interrupting Criminalization  Abolition Playlist | Spotify  Are Prisons Obsolete?  Cure Violence Global - Stopping the Spread of Violence  TransformHarm.org | Welcome | A Resource Hub about Ending Violence