>>> WHAT DO DANCE AND
MUSIC BRING TO STREET
PROTEST? WHAT DOES DANCING
IN THE STREETS HAVE TO DO
WITH STOPPING VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS?
EVERY WEEK ON THE LAURA
FLANDERS SHOW, WE LOOK AT
WHAT IT TAKES TO SHIFT
POWER. THIS WEEK, WE'RE
GOING TO LOOK AT THE POWER
THAT COMES FROM SHIFTING
OUR BODIES WITH RENOWN
PUERTO RICAN SINGER AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE MUSICIAN
TAINA ASILI AND PLAYWRIGHT
AND ACTIVIST EVE ENSLER OF
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES.
IN 2020, TAINA WROTE THE
ANTHEM FOR ONE BILLION
RISING, THE GLOBAL
ANTI-VIOLENCE MOVEMENT
THAT AROSE OUT OF V DAY
AND EVE'S WORK. WE MET IN
EVE'S LOFT ON THE DAY
BEFORE FEBRUARY 14TH,
V DAY. THAT'S ALL COMING UP
ON THE LAURA FLANDERS SHOW.
THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE 
WHO SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE,
TAKE A BACK SEAT TO THE
 PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT.
WELCOME. 
♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
>>> TAINA, EVE, WELCOME.
I'M SO GLAD. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US HERE AT YOUR
KITCHEN, IN THE VAGINA
LOUNGE, HERE IN NEW YORK.
LET'S START WITH YOU, TAINA.
WE'RE SPEAKING AS YOUR
ANTHEM IS MOBILIZING
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE
PLANET. HOW IS THAT
FEELING FOR YOU AS YOU'RE
WATCHING VIDEO COME OF
PEOPLE DANCING? 
>>> IT'S PRETTY MAGICAL. I
MEAN, IT'S PROFOUNDLY
MAGICAL. YOU WRITE A SONG
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN. I HAD A
HINT BASED ON THE CREATION
OF THE MUSIC VIDEO, I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SCRUB
THROUGH THE AMAZING AND
IMMENSE FOOTAGE OF ONE
BILLION RISING'S WORK
GLOBALLY, AND GOT TO SEE
HOW DEEPEST GOES AND THE
POTENTIAL. BUT WHEN YOU
WRITE A SONG, YOU DON'T
KNOW IF THE RHYTHMS AND
THE LYRICS ARE GOING TO
REALLY SPEAK TO FOLKS.
ALREADY, I'VE WITNESSED
SOME AMAZING CHOREOGRAPHY
IN SWAZILAND, IN TAIWAN,
EXPRESSIVE MOVEMENTS
HAPPENING IN THAILAND, 
AND I'M STILL KIND OF LIKE
GRAPPLING WITH IT AND
THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S
GOING TO COME NEXT. I FEEL
LIKE THIS IS GOING TO
REALLY CONTINUE TO MOVE
FORWARD INTO QUITE A
POWERFUL AND EXPRESSIVE
CAMPAIGN. 
>>> EVE, TALK ABOUT ONE
BILLION RISING FOR PEOPLE
THAT MIGHT NOT YET BE
AWARE OF IT OR HAVE
PARTICIPATED IN IT. WHY IS
DANCE AND MOVEMENT AND
MUSIC SUCH A BIG 
PART OF IT? 
>>> AND I ALSO JUST WANT
TO SAY HOW HONORED AND
THRILLED WE ALL ARE BY
TAINA'S SONG BECAUSE IT'S
SO INCREDIBLE, AND ALREADY
HALF A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE
HEARD IT AND PASSED IT ON
AND ARE SHARING IT. AND- 
>>> YEAH. SO, WE SHOULD
SAY WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF
ITS RELEASE. 
>>> YES. YES. 
>>> HALF A MILLION VIEWS.
>>> AND IT'S BEING
TRANSLATED INTO NUMEROUS
LANGUAGES. IT'S BEING
TAKEN UP BY OUR
COORDINATORS EVERYWHERE,
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL WORK YOU DID ON
THE SONG. SO, I JUST WANT
TO HONOR THAT. I'M ALWAYS
THIS WAY FEBRUARY 13TH
BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE
THE WHOLE WORLD IS
BEGINNING TO RISE IN THE
MOST ASTOUNDING, MAGICAL
WAYS. AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE
ALREADY BEGUN TO RISE
BECAUSE WHERE V DAY AND
ONE BILLION RISING USED TO
BE FEBRUARY 14TH, IT NOW
SEEMS TO BE ALMOST EVERY
DAY. I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE
JUST RISING, BUT RIGHT
NOW, IT'S KIND OF THE
CORE, THE MOLTEN MAGMA OF
THE VOLCANO, RIGHT? 
>>> WE'RE TALKING RIGHT AT
THE EVE OF- 
>>> YEAH, ON THE EVE OF
ACTION. 
>>> ... THIS ACTION THAT
HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. 
>>> AND I JUST THINK THIS
MOVEMENT JUST GETS MORE
AND MORE ASTOUNDING IN
THAT IT'S BEING OWNED,
DIRECTED, DETERMINED BY
PEOPLE ON THE GROUND,
BY GRASSROOTS WOMAN, BY
ACTIVISTS, BY INDIGENOUS,
BY FARMERS, BY WORKERS, BY
THOSE WHO ARE RISING FOR
THE EARTH IN VARIOUS
PLACES. THOSE WHO ARE
WORKING TO STOP MINING, TO
STOP FIGHTING FOR MIGRANT
RIGHTS ON BORDERS. I MEAN,
I'M JUST LOOKING AT ALL
THE VARIOUS THINGS. IN
MEXICO, THE RISING TO STOP
SEX TRAFFICKING AND THEY
HAVE FOR YEARS, AND
THEY'VE ACTUALLY CHANGED
WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. IN
THE PHILIPPINES, WHERE
THERE IS A FASCIST LEADER,
THEY'VE MANAGED TO USE
DANCE AS A WAY OF FOILING
THE OPPRESSION BECAUSE
THEY CAN SHUT DOWN
MARCHES, THEY CAN SHUT
DOWN PROTESTS, BUT THEY
CAN'T SHUT DOWN DANCE.
DANCE IS A FORM OF
EXPRESSION, AND SO THEY
ARE MANAGING TO DO HUGE
DEMONSTRATIONS WITH DANCE
WHERE THEY'RE BRINGING ALL
KINDS OF PEOPLE INTO THE
MOVEMENT, BECAUSE DANCE IS
SO INCREDIBLE. IT BREAKS
DOWN BINARIES. IT INVITES
US ALL INTO THE EQUATION.
>>> THE FIRST PERFORMANCE
THAT YOU DID OF THE SONG
LIVE IN THE STREETS,
TAINA, WAS IN NEW YORK
CITY, OUTSIDE GOVERNOR
CUOMO'S OFFICE, AS PART OF
A PROTEST OF WOMEN
WORKERS' SELF-DEFENSE AND
A DEMAND TO DO AWAY WITH
THE SUB MINIMUM TIPPED
WAGE FOR RESTAURANT
WORKERS. IT WAS PART OF A
PROTEST FOR ONE FAIR WAGE.
CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE THAT
FOR US A LITTLE BIT? 
>>> WELL, WE WENT ONTO THE
STREET AND A STAGE WAS SET
UP IN FRONT OF THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. IT WAS
ORGANIZED WITH ONE BILLION
RISING AND ONE FAIR WAGE,
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF
ENERGY. THE ENERGY WAS
PALPABLE. SO, THEY HAD
SOME AMAZING PEOPLE SPEAK
WHO SPOKE TO THE
EXPERIENCES OF BEING WOMEN
IN RESTAURANT WORK AND
WHAT THOSE EXPERIENCES
ARE. AND THEN THEY HAD
SOME FOLKS TEACH SOME
SELF-DEFENSE, AND WE STOOD
NEXT TO WHOEVER WE WERE
STANDING NEXT TO AND GOT
TO ENGAGE WITH THAT A
LITTLE BIT. AND THEN, OF
COURSE, WAS THE MUSIC. 
>>> SO, YOU HAVE SPEAKING,
SELF-DEFENSE, AND THEN
MUSIC AND DANCE. 
>>> AND THEN THE MUSIC. 
>>> AND WHAT DID THAT
BRING? WHAT DID YOUR PIECE
OF THAT BRING? 
>>> SO, FIRST WAS THE
RESISTANCE REVIVAL CHORUS,
AND THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLE
GROUP OF WOMEN SINGERS
DRESSED IN WHITE, AND I
THINK THEY SET THE ENERGY
AS BEING ALMOST
CEREMONIAL, JUST REALLY
KIND OF CREATING THAT
MUSICAL CONTAINER.
AND THEN SOME OF THOSE FOLKS
LATER JOINED ME IN SINGING
THE PREMIERE OF WE ARE
RISING LIVE.
♪ [SINGING] ... COMMUNICATION
AND LOVE FOR OUR
FUTURE GENERATION.
INTERSECTIONAL,
INCLUSIVE WE COME!
COLLECTIVE POWER IS
HOW THIS IS WON!
WE KEEP RISING LIKE THE
FIRE OF THE SUN! WE WILL RISE
LIKE THE SUN. WE WILL RISE
LIKE THE SUN! [CLAPPING]
ONE FOR A BILLION
A BILLION FOR ONE
[REPEATING]
>>> IT WAS EXCITING. I
MEAN, EVEN WITHIN OUR
GROUP OF FOLKS THAT WERE
AT THE DEMONSTRATION,
PEOPLE STARTED DANCING AND
MOVING AND DOING EXACTLY
WHAT I HAD DREAMED AND
INTENDED, WE HAD DREAMED
AND INTENDED FOR THE SONG.
>>> AND I HAVE TO SAY,
EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS THE
FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE,
WE KIND OF ROLLED THE SONG
OUT RECORDED IN TAIWAN,
WHERE THERE WAS THIS HUGE,
HUGE CONFERENCE OF ALL THE
WOMEN WHO WORK AT SHELTERS
AROUND THE WORLD. AND IT
WAS EVERY COUNTRY IN THE
WORLD- 
>>> DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SHELTERS.
>>> YEAH. AND IT WAS EVERY
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
AND AT THE END, WE PLAYED THE
SONG JUST TO TRY IT OUT TO
SEE HOW IT WOULD GO, AND
NOT ONLY WAS IT LIKE
WELL-RECEIVED... I MEAN, I
THINK WHAT WE MANAGED TO
DO AND WHAT TAINA
BRILLIANTLY MANAGED TO DO,
IS TO FIND A WAY TO REALLY
INCLUDE SO MANY PEOPLE'S
ISSUES AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE
ARISING FOR. AND IT WAS
NOT AN EASY TASK BECAUSE
OUR MOVEMENT IS SO
INTERSECTIONAL NOW. AND SO
MANY WOMEN ARE THERE,
WHETHER THEY'RE FIGHTING
FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS OR
MIGRANT RIGHTS OR STOPPING
FGM OR LAND RIGHTS. AND AT
ONE POINT DURING THE SONG,
EVERYONE WAS JUST DANCING.
THE WHOLE ROOM TOOK OFF.
PEOPLE WERE DOING LINE
DANCES THROUGH THIS HUGE
AUDITORIUM. AND THIS
AFRICAN WOMAN COMES UP 
TO ME DRESSED IN THIS
GORGEOUS THING AND SHE'S
CRYING, AND SHE GOES, OH
MY GOD, YOU PUT FGM IN THE
SONG, TOO. WE'RE INCLUDED
IN THE SONG. WE'RE
INCLUDED... AND SHE WAS
JUST WEEPING. 
>>> FEMALE GENITAL
MUTILATION.
>>> AND I JUST THOUGHT TO
MYSELF, THIS IS WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE INTERSECTIONAL
AND INCLUSIVE. THIS IS
WHAT IT MEANS TO BRING
EVERYBODY'S STORY INTO
THE MUSIC, INTO THE DANCE. 
>>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT
MAKES DANCE SO POWERFUL,
IT SEEMS TO ME, BECAUSE
YOU CAN DANCE ALONE, BUT
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
IS COLLECTIVE ACTION. AND
EVEN JUST IN THE POWER OF
THAT, I THINK LIES A LOT
THAT'S WORTH LOOKING AT
IT. PLUS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A
PLACE WHERE CAN BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS
LOTS OF DIFFERENT ISSUES
AND MOVEMENTS OUT OF THEIR
SILOS, THEY'RE ALL
TOGETHER IN THE STREETS,
BUT THEN THEY CATALYZE
SOMETHING ELSE, AT LEAST
THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.
THERE'S SOME THIRD THING
EMERGES WHEN TWO PEOPLE TO
GET TOGETHER AND ACT. AND
WHO KNOWS WHAT THE THING
IS THAT EMERGES WHEN YOU
HAVE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT.
>>> MAGIC. 
>>> BUT YOU MENTIONED SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE
COME OUT OF THIS SO FAR.
DO YOU WANT TO RATTLE
A FEW OFF?
>>> SO MANY THINGS HAVE
COME OUT OF THIS, BUT I
WANT TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
I THINK THE IDEA FOR THIS
HAPPENED TO ME IN THE
CONGO, BECAUSE I HAD JUST
GOTTEN TO COME BACK TO
THE CONGO AFTER I'D HAD A
VERY, VERY BAD SICKNESS OF
STAGE THREE, FOUR CANCER
AND I LOOKED REALLY SCARY.
I WAS BALD AND REALLY
SKINNY. I JUST LOOKED LIKE
A SCARY OLD WHITE WOMAN.
AND ALL THE WOMEN LOOKED
AT ME AND THEY WERE LIKE,
OH MY GOD. AND WHAT
EVERYONE DOES IN THE CONGO
WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS
IS THEY DANCE. IT'S JUST,
LET'S DANCE BECAUSE THAT
WILL TAKE US THROUGH, AND
IT DOES TAKE YOU THROUGH.
AND THEY STARTED TO DANCE
IN THIS WAY THAT WAS JUST
SO INCREDIBLY POWERFUL. 
AND I'D BEEN OBSESSING
ABOUT THIS NUMBER THAT
1 BILLION WOMEN IN THE WORLD
WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN
HER LIFETIME. AND I LOOKED
AT THIS WOMAN DANCING,
WOMEN WHOSE INSIDES HAVE
BEEN EVISCERATED, WOMEN
WHO HAVE BEEN MUTILATED,
WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN RAPED,
WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR
BABIES, WOMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN CUT OPEN, AND I SAW
THE POWER OF THEIR DANCING
AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, THOSE
WOMEN DANCE LIKE THAT,
WHAT IF A BILLION
SURVIVORS ON THIS PLANET
DANCED LIKE THAT? 
>>> DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT
IT DID TO YOU AT THAT
MOMENT? I REMEMBER, EVE.
WE NEARLY LOST YOU TO THAT
CANCER. YOU WERE IN A
FRAGILE STATE. I WOULDN'T
HAVE SAID A DANCING MOOD.
>>> NO, BUT I BECAME IN
THE DANCE BECAUSE THE
THING ABOUT DANCE IS,
IT'S TRANSCENDENT. IT TAKES 
US SO FULLY INTO OUR BODIES
THAT WE GO OUT OF OUR
BODIES. IT BRINGS YOU SO
FAR INTO THE CENTER OF
YOUR BEING THAT YOU GET
LAUNCHED INTO A HIGHER
ENERGY, AND I THINK THAT'S
WHY IT'S SO POWERFUL. IT'S
SO POWERFUL BECAUSE IT'S
COLLECTIVE. IT JOINS YOU
WITH EACH OTHER. IT JOINS
YOU WITH YOUR BODY. AND
FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN
RAPED, FOR WOMEN WHO... IT
GETS YOU TO LOVE YOUR
BODY, IT GETS YOU TO
RECLAIM PUBLIC SPACE.
IT GETS YOU TO SAY, I HAVE
VALUE. I HAVE WORTH. I
HAVE ENERGY. I HAVE THE
RIGHT TO BE HERE WITH MY
SISTERS WHO ARE ALSO
CLAIMING THIS SPACE. 
>>> I REMEMBER ONCE BEING
IN A WOMEN'S SHELTER IN
NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE
EARLY '80S IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE TROUBLES, IN THE
WORST POSSIBLE... OUTSIDE,
THERE WAS WAR. IN THE WOMEN'S
HOUSES THERE WAS WAR.
THERE THEY WERE AT A
CLUB RAISING MONEY FOR
THEIR SHELTER, AND THEY
START SINGING GLORIA
GAYNOR AND THEY'RE UP
THERE DANCING. AND I SAW
THE SAME THING. PEOPLE WHO
YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE
THOUGHT WERE IN A DANCING
MOOD, GETTING POWER OUT OF
DANCING AND DANCING WITH
EACH OTHER ACROSS WHATEVER
WAR BOUNDARIES, WAR LINES
THEY WERE CROSSING.
I'M GLAD YOU REMINDED ME OF
THAT. TAINA, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>>> WHAT'S COMING UP FOR
ME IS THAT I WAS RAISED IN
A HOUSEHOLD. MY MOTHER WAS
A DANCER, MY MOTHER WAS A
BOMBA DANCER, WHICH IS A PUERTO
RICAN FOLKLORE ART FORM.
IT'S A SENSE FROM
OUR AFRICAN AND TAINO
ANCESTORS, AND IT WAS USED
DURING THE TIME WHEN OUR
PEOPLE WERE ENSLAVED AS 
A WAY TO RECLAIM OUR
HUMANITY IN THE FACE OF
INHUMANITY. SO, WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT THAT
EXPERIENCE, AND I RECALL
WATCHING THAT VIDEO AS ONE
OF THE VIDEOS THAT I
WATCHED. IT WAS ABOUT
RECLAIMING OUR HUMANITY IN
THE FACE OF INHUMANITY,
ABOUT RECLAIMING OUR
CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL
TRADITIONS, AND ALSO THESE
BOMBASOS, AS WE CALL THEM,
WERE IMPORTANT PLACES
WHERE WE WOULD ORGANIZE
SLAVE REVOLTS. AND ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I LOVE
ABOUT HOW I WAS RAISED IS
THAT I WAS TAUGHT THAT
ART, DANCE, SINGING,
DRUMMING ARE INTEGRAL
PARTS OF RESISTANCE,
OF LOVE, OF LIBERATION. AND
AS PUERTO RICANS, WE HAVE
PASSED THIS TRADITION ON,
SPECIFICALLY BOMBA AND
PLENA BUT ALSO
THROUGH SALSA, HIP HOP,
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ART
FORMS WE HAVE PASSED ON
THIS IDEA OF USING THE
RHYTHM, THE DANCE,
THE BODY, TO RESIST, TO
UPLIFT. 
>>> AND THAT'S COMMON
ACROSS MANY CULTURES, TOO,
WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING TO
NATIVE AMERICAN GHOST
DANCES AND SUN DANCES OR
ABORIGINAL DANCING OR EVEN
THE IRISH CÈILIDH. I MEAN,
THE BRITISH, I THINK,
TRIED TO OUTLAW THE
DANCING AT ONE POINT. 
>>> RIGHT. 
>>> OR JAPANESE DANCING
OR... I MEAN, I THINK ONE
OF THE AMAZING THINGS
ABOUT OBR, BECAUSE IT'S IN
180 COUNTRIES AND BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE RISING IN
SOMETIMES VERY SMALL, TINY
LITTLE COMMUNITIES, TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES OR HUGE CITIES
OR UP IN MOUNTAINS OR
SOMETIMES BY THE SEA, BUT
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN
WAY OF TAKING ONE SONG AND
ADAPTING IT AND
TRANSFORMING IT TO WORK
FOR THEIR CULTURE. RIGHT?
AND TO ME, THAT'S THE
MIRACLE OF HUMANITY.
WE ARE SO CONNECTED THROUGH
THE MUSIC, BUT ALSO THE
WONDERFUL, VARIED NUANCE,
DIVERSE WAYS THAT WE EACH
INTERPRET ONE PIECE OF
MUSIC, RIGHT? THAT'S THE
GLORY OF BEING A HUMAN
BEING. 
>>> SO, I SHOULD ASK HOW
YOU TWO STARTED WORKING
TOGETHER. HOW'D THAT
HAPPEN? 
>>> WELL, LAST YEAR, EVE
AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE A PART OF THE BEYOND
THE BARS CONFERENCE, WHICH
WAS AT COLUMBIA. A LOT OF
MY MUSIC IS OFTEN
DESCRIBED AS BEING
ANTHEMIC, AND I WENT DOWN
THERE WITH THAT ON MY 
MIND AND MY HEART,
JUST COINCIDENTALLY, THINKING
ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN
FOR ME TO BE A WRITER OF
ANTHEMS? AND WANTING TO BE
EVEN MORE INTENTIONAL WITH
IT. SO, THIS WAS THE SAME DAY,
I WAS HOLDING THIS
INTENTION, I MEET EVE,
AND EVEN I ARE SPEAKING
BACKSTAGE, AND EVE WAS
ALSO HOLDING AN INTENTION
OF SEEKING AN ANTHEM. 
>>> AND THEN I HEARD HER
PLAY, AND HER ENERGY...
I'M ALL ABOUT ENERGY TO BE
PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU.
PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY TO ME,
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU
WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE
OR HIRE PEOPLE? IT'S JUST
ENERGY. AND TAINA'S ENERGY
IS SO POWERFUL, AND IT'S
SO ROOTED IN ART GRASS
ROOTS. AND I JUST SAID,
OKAY, YOU JUST NEED TO
WRITE OUR ANTHEM. I DON'T
KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BECAUSE
I DIDN'T KNOW WHO SHE WAS.
I HEARD HER SING ONE SONG,
BUT I KNOW THIS WILL
HAPPEN. AND I WAS RIGHT.
AND I HAVE TO SAY BECAUSE
HER ENERGY IS SO CONNECTED
TO EVERYTHING THAT ONE
BILLION RISING IS, AND HER
MUSIC'S SO BEAUTIFUL ON
TOP OF THAT. 
>>> ALL RIGHT. CHECK IT
OUT. WE ARE RISING. 
[SINGING] ONE FOR A BILLION
A BILLION FOR ONE [REPEAT]
[SINGING] ONE FOR A BILLION
A BILLION FOR ONE [REPEAT]
IN A TIME OF AN UPHEAVAL
WILL COME A TRANSFORMATION
IGNITE A FIRE THAT WILL BURN
LIKE THE SUN
BECOME A STRONG MOVEMENT
FIERCE AND DETERMINED
INFORMED BY WHERE WE ARE
AND WHERE WE'VE COME FROM
WE ARE THOSE WHO ARE RISING
FROM MANILA TO MIAMI
BUILDING TRUST AND SOLIDARITY
LOVE IS OUR BOND...
>>> SO, THAT'S GORGEOUS. I
COME BACK FROM WATCHING
THAT TOTALLY ENERGIZED AND
EXCITED AND UP. BUT THEN I
REMEMBER EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT'S IN THE NEWS AND
THAT CAN TAKE ME DOWN
FAST. YOU, EVE, ARE THE
FABULOUS, PERHAPS THE 
BEST ARTIST I KNOW WHEN IT
COMES TO HOLDING BOTH 
THE GRIM AND THE JOYOUS
TOGETHER. HOW DO YOU 
DO IT? GIVE US SOME TIPS. 
>>> I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE
AT THIS INCREDIBLE PLACE
WHICH IS, I THINK THE WORLD 
HAS NEVER BEEN WORSE
AND IT'S NEVER BEEN
BETTER. IT'S THIS
SIMULTANEOUS STRANGE 
THING LIKE IF I LOOK AT IT THIS
YEAR, WE HAVE 500 EVENTS
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE 180 COUNTRIES, 
29 STATES OF INDIA,
100 RISINGS IN GERMANY, 
120... I MEAN, THE WORLD IS
RISING. I'VE NEVER SEEN
MORE PEOPLE POWER, WOMEN
POWER, SURVIVOR POWER
MOVEMENTS THAT ARE
CHARGING ACROSS THE
PLANET. AND WE ARE SEEING
RACIST, CAPITALIST,
PATRIARCHY AT FULL BLAST,
AT FULL BLAST. AND I THINK
IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE NOW
ABOUT TO GO TO BOOM TO THE
NEXT WORLD. WE'RE GOING TO
TRANSITION TO... 
AND I'M BANKING ON THE
MILLIONS AND THOUSANDS OF
ACTIVISTS WHO ARE BRINGING
IN A NEW VISION. AND I
THINK WE'RE SEEING IT
BEING PLAYED OUT IN MANY,
MANY COUNTRIES WITH
FASCISTS, TYRANNICAL
LEADERS, INCLUDING OUR
OWN, WE'RE SEEING IT
PLAYED OUT WITH HATRED 
OF MIGRANTS. WE'RE SEEING
RACISM FROM COUNTRY TO
COUNTRY, EXPRESSED IN ALL
KINDS OF DIFFERENT WAYS
AND A PHOBIA. WE'RE SEEING
DESECRATION OF WORKER
RIGHTS. WE'RE SEEING- 
>>> ISLAMOPHOBIA. 
>>> ISLAMOPHOBIA. WE'RE
SEEING THE ERASURE OF
WOMEN'S RIGHTS OR THE
ATTEMPTED ERASER. I MEAN,
WE'RE SEEING BASICALLY
RAPE CULTURE BEING
INCULCATED FROM THE
LEADERS OF COUNTRIES
EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD,
WHERE YOU HAVE DUTERTE
TALKING ABOUT GO AND TAKE
A GUN TO EVERY WOMAN'S
VAGINA WHO'S PROTESTING
A PRESIDENT WHO BRAGS
ABOUT OPENLY GRABBING
PUSSIES. I MEAN, ALL
THAT'S REAL, BUT THERE'S
ALSO ANOTHER REALITY WHICH
IS THERE ARE MANY, MANY,
MANY PEOPLE CREATING A
WHOLE OTHER WORLD. 
>>> I SEE THE IMPORTANCE
OF CREATING THAT SPACE
WHERE WE GET TO RECLAIM
OUR JOY IN THE MIDST OF
DESPAIR. I HAD A FRIEND
WHO'S A DEAR ACTIVIST
FRIEND OF MINE WHO TOLD ME
THAT DESPAIR IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT REMINDS US THAT
WE'RE FEELING. IT'S
ACTUALLY NUMBNESS THAT WE
SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AS AN ARTIST, WHEN I CAN
HELP TO TRANSFORM THAT
DESPAIR TO A RECLAMATION
OF JOY, IT'S A REALLY
POWERFUL REVOLUTIONARY
ACT. AND I SEE THAT HAPPEN
THROUGH MUSIC. MUSIC HAS
THAT POWER, THAT ABILITY
TO ALLOW US TO TRANSFORM
THAT EMOTION AND MAKE THAT
STAGNANT ENERGY, THAT
WEIGHT HELP US TO MOVE IT.
RIGHT? SO, I THINK THAT'S
WHAT YOU WERE GETTING TO
IS THIS IDEA OF THE
MOVEMENT. IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT BOPPING TO A SONG
THAT WE LIKE, WHICH IS
IMPORTANT AND GOOD, BUT
THERE'S ACTUALLY A
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESS
THAT'S HAPPENING. THERE'S
A SPIRITUAL PROCESS THAT'S
HAPPENING. MUSIC IS A
VIBRATION. WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT RAISE THE VIBRATION,
THERE'S AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL
VIBRATION THAT'S HAPPENING
THAT AFFECTS OUR BODIES.
IT AFFECTS THE WAY THAT
WE THINK, THE WAY THAT WE
FEEL, AND ALLOWS US TO
HAVE THE ENERGY TO KEEP
GOING. 
>>> AND RELATED TO THAT IS
TRAUMA BECAUSE WHAT ALL OF
US ON THE PLANET
EXPERIENCE IN ONE LAYER
OR ANOTHER, ONE FORM OR
INTENSITY LEVEL, IS
TRAUMA, AND PARTICULARLY
WOMEN'S BODIES AND THE
EARTH, THE BODY OF THE
EARTH. AND I THINK ONE OF
THE BRILLIANT THINGS ABOUT
DANCING IS THAT IT... WHAT
TRAUMA DOES IS IT LODGES
IN YOURSELVES, AND IT NOW
SEEKS TO BECOME SOMETHING
ELSE WHICH SEEKS TO BECOME
DISEASE AND SEEKS TO
BECOME... AND WHEN YOU
DANCE, YOU ACTUALLY
UN-LODGE THAT, YOU FREE
THAT, YOU FREE THAT, YOU
FREE THAT, SO WHAT BEGINS
TO HAPPEN IS IT BECOMES
CLEAN SPACE. AND I JUST
STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT ALL
OF US NEED TO DANCE ONCE
A DAY, FULL BOOGIE, FULL
INTENSITY NAKED OR WITH
FRIENDS, BUT YOU JUST NEED
TO DANCE. 
>>> OR BOTH. 
>>> OR BOTH. BUT REALLY
LIKE TO REALLY ALLOW
WHATEVER IS COAGULATING
BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
NOT TO BE TRAUMATIZED
RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN'T LIVE
IN THIS COUNTRY WITH THIS
PREDATOR-IN-CHIEF AND THE
MADNESS AND THE LIES AND
THE DISTORTIONS AND THE
IMPUNITY, WITHOUT FEELING
TRAUMATIZED, BUT DANCING
IS THE WAY TO GO, OKAY.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO,
WE'RE GOING TO GO. WE'RE
GOING TO CLEAN THIS OUT.
I'M GOING TO KEEP GOING.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE
THAT VIBRATION, THAT LOW
VIBRATION BE OUR
VIBRATION. WE'RE GOING TO
LIVE UP HERE ON A MUCH
HIGHER VIBRATION WHERE THE
NEW WORLD IS GOING TO COME
THROUGH. IT'S NOT GOING 
TO COME THROUGH THE LOW
VIBRATION. AND THAT'S WHAT
ART DOES, IT RAISES UP THE
VIBRATION, SO THAT
CONSCIOUSNESS, SO THAT
VISION, SO THAT
POTENTIALITY IS POSSIBLE.
>>> IS THERE ANYBODY ON
OUR MUNDANE POLITICAL
SPECTRUM WHO IS SPEAKING
TO YOUR RAISED VIBRATION?
>>> WELL, I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE
RISING MAJORITY EVENT IN
DC WITH THE SQUAD, AS WE
CALL THEM, ALEXANDRIA
OCASIO-CORTEZ AND ILHAN
OMAR AND RASHIDA TLAIB,
AND AYANNA PRESSLEY. AND I
DON'T WANT TO FORGET
ACTIVISTS FROM ALL OVER
THE NATION WHO ARE DOING
THIS GRASSROOTS WORK ON
THE GROUND AND IN THAT
ROOM AND THEN ALSO ONLINE,
AS IT WAS STREAMED. I
CERTAINLY FELT THAT
VIBRATION, THAT WE ARE
THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT
THE WORLD THAT WE WISH TO
SEE AND WORKING DILIGENTLY
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
>>> THIS IS WHAT I FEEL
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING
WITH BERNIE'S CAMPAIGN. 
IS HE SAYING THIS IS A
REVOLUTION, AND IT'S US.
IT'S NOT ME. AND HE NEVER
TALKS ABOUT HIMSELF. HE'S
ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT US.
AND I FEEL LIKE EACH ONE
OF US NEEDS TO SHOW UP FOR
THAT REVOLUTION AND BRING
WHAT IT IS THAT MATTERS
TO US. I'M GOING TO BRING
ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN AND GIRLS, ALL WOMEN
AND GIRLS, BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT MATTERS TO ME. BUT
SOMEONE WILL, AND I'M
GOING TO BRING FIGHTING TO
STOP CLIMATE CATASTROPHE,
BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT
BERNIE, IT'S ABOUT ALL
OF US. IT'S ABOUT A MOVEMENT.
AND I BELIEVE IN
MOVEMENTS. I'VE BEEN IN A
MOVEMENT NOW FOR
TWENTY-TWO YEARS EVERY
DAY. I KNOW THE POWER OF
COLLECTIVE WORK,
COLLECTIVE SISTERHOOD AND
BROTHERHOOD AND NON-BINARY
OTHER HOOD, LIKE THE
BUILDING OF THAT AND WHAT
THAT IS, AND I THINK ALL
OF US NEED TO BE ENGAGED
IN THAT. AND I THINK
BERNIE'S OFFERING US A WAY
TO BE ENGAGED IN THAT. 
>>> IT'S INTERESTING,
SOMETIMES THE CANDIDATES
AND BERNIE SANDERS
ESPECIALLY HAVE RECEIVED
GRIEF FOR BEING
REPRESENTED BY ARTISTS OR
HAVING SURROGATES WHO ARE
ARTISTS AND CULTURAL
WORKERS, AND THE QUESTION
IS RAISED, WELL, IS THIS
JUST A CELEBRITY THING?
AND I GUESS WHAT'S
INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT
HE IS TALKING ABOUT A
CULTURE SHIFT, AND THE
PEOPLE ON HIS CAMPAIGN ARE,
IT SEEMS TO ME, TALKING 
ABOUT CULTURE SHIFT.
AND HE'S SHIFTED
THE CULTURE SUFFICIENT,
SO OTHER PEOPLE ARE ALSO
USING THAT LANGUAGE,
TALKING THAT LANGUAGE,
SPEAKING ABOUT STRUCTURAL
CHANGE. HE'S NOT THE ONLY
ONE WITH SOME OF THE
PLANKS ON HIS POLICIES.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE POLICY
PLANKS THAT HE DOESN'T.
BUT HE IS THE ONE SAYING
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO SHIFT
CULTURE, SO IT MAKES SENSE
TO ME THAT A LOT OF
CULTURE SHIFTERS LIKE
YOURSELVES RESONATE WITH
HIM. I THINK THAT'S AN
EXCITING SHIFT NO MATTER
WHAT HAPPENS THIS NOVEMBER.
>>> AND BY THE WAY,
BERNIE'S ALREADY SHIFTED
THE CULTURE. IF YOU LOOK
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN FOUR
YEARS TO THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY, HOW FAR IT'S MOVED
OVER TO THE LEFT BECAUSE
OF BERNIE. LET'S BE REAL.
THAT REVOLUTION HAS PUSHED
US. WE WEREN'T TALKING
ABOUT ANY OF THE THINGS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW
FOUR YEARS AGO. SO, THAT'S
HIM NOT AN OFFICE. IMAGINE
HIM IN THE OFFICE AND ALL
OF US WITH THIS MOVEMENT
HAVING A POLITICAL
PLATFORM. 
>>> SO, WHILE WE TALK
ABOUT MASS EMOTION, IT CAN
BE DEPLOYED IN VARIETY OF
DIRECTIONS. 
>>> I CAN'T FOCUS IN... SO,
AFTER THE ELECTION OF TRUMP,
I WROTE A SONG CALLED 
NO ES MI PRESIDENTE,
AND I OFTEN
PREFACE IT BEFORE I SING
AND SAY THAT THIS SONG
ISN'T ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL.
AND I DON'T EVEN USE
TRUMP'S NAME IN THE SONG.
THIS IS ABOUT THE POWER OF
THE PEOPLE. AND I KEEP MY
FOCUS ON THE POSITIVITY,
ON THE LEGACY OF
LIBERATION THAT WE HAVE ON
THE POWER AND THE STRENGTH
THAT WE HAVE, AND I JUST
KEEP MY FOCUS THERE. IT'S
NOT JUST ARTISTS WITH A
CAPITAL A THAT ARE
CREATIVE. HUMANS ARE THE
CREATIVE ANIMAL, THAT ALL
OF US HAVE THAT POTENTIAL
INSIDE OF US, AND WHEN WE
ALLOW OURSELVES TO USE OUR
CREATIVITY, WE CAN THINK
ABOUT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
TO OUR WORLD'S PROBLEMS.
WE CAN THINK ABOUT CREATIVE 
WAYS OF ENVISIONING
THE WORLD WE WISH TO SEE. SO, 
MY JOB IS TO FOCUS THERE,
AND THAT'S JUST WHERE 
I GOT TO KEEP MY EYES.
>>> I'M SO WITH YOU, AND I
STILL FEEL THAT. AND I
ALSO THINK THERE'S A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MASS
ENERGY AROUND AN
INDIVIDUAL AND MASS ENERGY
AROUND AN IDEA AND A NEW
IDEA. AND I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS... I NEVER GET
INVOLVED VERY MUCH IN
ELECTORAL POLITICS. I'M
ABOUT MOVEMENTS AND PEOPLE
AND ART, BUT I THINK
SOMETHING'S BEEN GETTING
TO EXCITE ME WHAT'S
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S THIS
MOVEMENT THAT'S BEGINNING
TO CONGEAL, THAT IS MOVING
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A BRAND
NEW DIRECTION, AND I WANT
TO BE PART OF THAT. I WANT
TO BE PART OF THAT. I WANT
TO GIVE MYSELF TO THAT AND
I WANT TO SERVE THAT. 
>>> GOOD LAST WORD, I SAY.
EVE ENSLER, TAINA ASILI,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
TAKING SOME TIME TO BE
WITH US TODAY. 
>>> ALWAYS LOVE BEING 
WITH YOU. 
>>> THERE'S A LOT MORE
ABOUT SHIFTING POWER,
MAKING CHANGE, AND RISING
VIBRATIONS AT OUR WEBSITE.
CHECK IT OUT. THIS IS THE
LAURA FLANDERS SHOW. 
♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
