shadowproof--2020-06-16--Northrop Grumman Accused Of Fueling False ‘Revenge Porn’ Allegations Against CIA Whistleblower John

Northrop Grumman Accused Of Fueling False ‘Revenge Porn’ Allegations Against CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou

Northrop Grumman , the third largest military contractor in the world , was allegedly involved in falsely accusing CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou of “ revenge porn.
” The false accusation allegedly resulted in his arrest , improper charges , and a police raid that violated his privacy rights .
A civil lawsuit further claims the false accusation contributed to the “ loss of contact ” with his three children , who are eight , 13 , and 15 years old .
He seeks damages from Northrop , John Bamford , an Arlington County police detective , and his ex-wife Heather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the first CIA officers to publicly acknowledge that torture was official United States policy under President George W. Bush .
His outspokenness on torture led the government to target him with a leak prosecution under the Espionage Act .
He pled guilty in 2012 to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act ( IIPA ) , when he confirmed the name of an officer involved in the CIA ’ s Rendition , Detention and Interrogation ( RDI ) program to a reporter .
Kiriakou was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institution Loretto in Pennsylvania , nearly 200 miles away from his children .
He is currently a co-host of the “ Loud and Clear ” radio program on Sputnik , a writer whose work is regularly featured at Consortium News , and an author of four books , including his most recent book , The CIA Insider ’ s Guide to the Iran Crisis .
Much of his commentary involves advocacy that is critical of United States foreign policy , which may directly challenge Northrop ’ s business interests .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly involved in an affair with a Northrop executive .
John contacted Northrop ’ s ethics office in July 2018 to inform them that he “ possessed documents ” showing Heather , a director of global business development at Northrop , and an executive “ fraudulently billed ” the company for “ business travel.
” However , they were engaged in “ tens of thousands of dollars ” of “ personal travel ” that involved cheating on him .
The ethics office allegedly “ instructed ” John to transmit the documents he claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared the documents with Heather and engaged in retaliation .
On August 9 , 2019 , John Bamford , a detective with the Arlington County Police Department , arrested and charged John Kiriakou with “ two counts of illegal dissemination of photographs.
” Bamford obtained search warrants on October 11 for John ’ s person , vehicles , and home to investigate accusations of “ revenge porn ” that were apparently false .
The lawsuit contends Bamford knew the search warrants violated the Fourth Amendment because they were not supported by evidence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home was raided on October 15 , and Bamford allegedly violated his constitutional rights when he detained and searched John with an “ army of two dozen Arlington County Police and FBI officers nearby.
” Over seven and a half hours , electronics and other items from John ’ s home were apparently inventoried and seized .
A 2016 Vespa LXV scooter was impounded for three weeks before authorities finally returned it .
The photos showed Heather in a bikini with a thong-style bottom .
They were taken by Heather , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grumman lover , ” according to the complaint .
“ Heather Kiriakou ’ s motivations for her knowing , intentional , false , and malicious accusation was to secure a litigating advantage in a pending child custody dispute with plaintiff , to diminish her sense of guilt over her adultery , and to retaliate against plaintiff for exposing her adulterous affair in the course of whistleblowing on defendant ’ s business travel fraud via Northrop ’ s ethics hotline , ” the complaint argues .
The charges were dismissed on March 16 after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children .
John Kiriakou is seeking damages for “ severe emotional distress ” including loss of contact with his children , “ acute depression requiring psychiatric care , ” and “ alienation from friends and professional colleagues.
” Bruce Fein , an attorney representing John , told Shadowproof he took on this case because he was somewhat involved in helping John when the CIA and Justice Department “ had a problem ” with him .
He feels John has been “ totally , completely maltreated by the justice system , ” and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one way he can have justice vindicated.
” With regard to Northrop ’ s alleged actions—and inaction , Fein said , “ This is the no good deed goes unpunished standard in Washington , D.C. ” The ethics office was willing to take anything and “ investigate ” it .
“ And they turn around , and if you want to create a chilling effect , this is what you do .
Submit it , you follow our directions , and we come back and get you , ” Fein added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more in discovery .
But it appears once Northrop obtained documents from John they shared the information with Heather .
She turned around and falsely accused John of “ revenge porn , ” and the military contractor never acted on any evidence of fraud .
Northrop Grumman has a history of whistleblower retaliation .
In 2009 , the military contractor settled a whistleblower lawsuit for $ 325 million .
It was the largest military contractor settlement at the time .
The corporation retaliated against a scientist named Robert Ferro , when he tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” were sold to the U.S. government for “ military and intelligence-gathering satellites.
” Paul Solomon audited Northrop ’ s subcontract for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Air System Program .
Solomon was removed from the program in 2007 after he discovered Northrop , along with Lockeed Martin , were “ concealing from the government the true cost overruns ” of the project .
Back in 1989 , James Holzrichter worked for a division of the corporation in Rolling Meadows , Illinois .
He uncovered evidence that showed the contractor was “ falsely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government reimbursements .
When he confronted executives , Northrop fired and blacklisted him .

Northrop Grumman, the third largest military contractor in the world, was allegedly involved in falsely accusing CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou of “revenge porn.”
The false accusation allegedly resulted in his arrest, improper charges, and a police raid that violated his privacy rights.
A civil lawsuit further claims the false accusation contributed to the “loss of contact” with his three children, who are eight, 13, and 15 years old.
He seeks damages from Northrop, John Bamford, an Arlington County police detective, and his ex-wife Heather Kiriakou.
In 2007, Kiriakou was one of the first CIA officers to publicly acknowledge that torture was official United States policy under President George W. Bush. His outspokenness on torture led the government to target him with a leak prosecution under the Espionage Act.
He pled guilty in 2012 to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act (IIPA), when he confirmed the name of an officer involved in the CIA’s Rendition, Detention and Interrogation (RDI) program to a reporter.
Kiriakou was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. He was incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Loretto in Pennsylvania, nearly 200 miles away from his children.
He is currently a co-host of the “Loud and Clear” radio program on Sputnik, a writer whose work is regularly featured at Consortium News, and an author of four books, including his most recent book, The CIA Insider’s Guide to the Iran Crisis.
Much of his commentary involves advocacy that is critical of United States foreign policy, which may directly challenge Northrop’s business interests.
According to the complaint [PDF], Heather was allegedly involved in an affair with a Northrop executive. John contacted Northrop’s ethics office in July 2018 to inform them that he “possessed documents” showing Heather, a director of global business development at Northrop, and an executive “fraudulently billed” the company for “business travel.” However, they were engaged in “tens of thousands of dollars” of “personal travel” that involved cheating on him.
The ethics office allegedly “instructed” John to transmit the documents he claimed he possessed, but subsequently, Northrop shared the documents with Heather and engaged in retaliation.
On August 9, 2019, John Bamford, a detective with the Arlington County Police Department, arrested and charged John Kiriakou with “two counts of illegal dissemination of photographs.”
Bamford obtained search warrants on October 11 for John’s person, vehicles, and home to investigate accusations of “revenge porn” that were apparently false.
The lawsuit contends Bamford knew the search warrants violated the Fourth Amendment because they were not supported by evidence of “revenge porn.”
John’s home was raided on October 15, and Bamford allegedly violated his constitutional rights when he detained and searched John with an “army of two dozen Arlington County Police and FBI officers nearby.”
Over seven and a half hours, electronics and other items from John’s home were apparently inventoried and seized. A 2016 Vespa LXV scooter was impounded for three weeks before authorities finally returned it.
The photos showed Heather in a bikini with a thong-style bottom. They were taken by Heather, and they were in emails to “her Northrop Grumman lover,” according to the complaint.
“Heather Kiriakou’s motivations for her knowing, intentional, false, and malicious accusation was to secure a litigating advantage in a pending child custody dispute with plaintiff, to diminish her sense of guilt over her adultery, and to retaliate against plaintiff for exposing her adulterous affair in the course of whistleblowing on defendant’s business travel fraud via Northrop’s ethics hotline,” the complaint argues.
The charges were dismissed on March 16 after a judge barred him from seeing his children.
John Kiriakou is seeking damages for “severe emotional distress” including loss of contact with his children, “acute depression requiring psychiatric care,” and “alienation from friends and professional colleagues.”
Bruce Fein, an attorney representing John, told Shadowproof he took on this case because he was somewhat involved in helping John when the CIA and Justice Department “had a problem” with him.
He feels John has been “totally, completely maltreated by the justice system,” and it is time for relief. “This is one way he can have justice vindicated.”
With regard to Northrop’s alleged actions—and inaction, Fein said, “This is the no good deed goes unpunished standard in Washington, D.C.”
The ethics office was willing to take anything and “investigate” it. “And they turn around, and if you want to create a chilling effect, this is what you do. Submit it, you follow our directions, and we come back and get you,” Fein added.
As Fein acknowledged, they may learn more in discovery. But it appears once Northrop obtained documents from John they shared the information with Heather. She turned around and falsely accused John of “revenge porn,” and the military contractor never acted on any evidence of fraud.
Northrop Grumman has a history of whistleblower retaliation. In 2009, the military contractor settled a whistleblower lawsuit for $325 million. It was the largest military contractor settlement at the time.
The corporation retaliated against a scientist named Robert Ferro, when he tried to reveal how “faulty electronic components” were sold to the U.S. government for “military and intelligence-gathering satellites.”
Paul Solomon audited Northrop’s subcontract for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Air System Program. Solomon was removed from the program in 2007 after he discovered Northrop, along with Lockeed Martin, were “concealing from the government the true cost overruns” of the project.
Back in 1989, James Holzrichter worked for a division of the corporation in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. He uncovered evidence that showed the contractor was “falsely inflating its materials costs” to increase government reimbursements. When he confronted executives, Northrop fired and blacklisted him.


shadowproof--2020-06-18--North Carolina ‘Ag-Gag’ Law Aimed At Suppressing Whistleblowers Struck Down By Federal Court

North Carolina ‘ Ag-Gag ’ Law Aimed At Suppressing Whistleblowers Struck Down By Federal Court A federal court declared an “ ag-gag ” law in North Carolina unconstitutional and barred the state government from enforcing key parts of the law against journalists or whistleblowers .
Judge Thomas Schroeder concluded the state ’ s Property Protection Act violated the First Amendment and removed multiple provisions from the law , leaving parts that did not target speech intact .
North Carolina was the fifth state to have their “ ag-gag ” law struck down by a federal court .
“ Ag-gag laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are intended to suppress and criminalize speech about industrial agricultural production .
They are especially designed to discourage employees from taking photos or recording video that may expose abuse or misconduct .
On June 3 , 2015 , the North Carolina General Assembly overrode a veto by the governor and passed the Property Protection Act , which amended the law to provide a “ civil remedy for interference with certain property rights by creating a civil cause of action for the owner or operator.
” It empowered the attorney general and chancellors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and experiments are conducted , to file civil lawsuits that could result in steep fines— $ 5,000 for each day a “ violator ” committed offenses .
The law was challenged by a coalition of organizations , including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ( PETA ) , Center for Food Safety , Animal Legal Defense Fund ( ALDF ) , Farm Sanctuary , Food and Water Watch , Farm Forward , the Government Accountability Project , and American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ASPCA ) .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law would discourage them from “ employment-based undercover investigations to document and expose animal abuse ” or inhibit their ability to collect information from whistleblowers and investigators that could be incorporated into their advocacy work .
ALDF told the court it was prepared to conduct undercover investigations at state-owned facilities , but preparations were “ thwarted ” by the passage of the law .
Similarly , ASPCA halted the funding of investigations in North Carolina because they feared they would be targeted and held liable .
Each of the organizations highlighted ways the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was central to their missions because the law prevented information from reaching them .
The federal court in North Carolina acknowledged [ PDF ] one key difference between the law and many of the other “ ag-gag ” laws that have been deemed unconstitutional .
However , because it empowered private citizens or entities to bring lawsuits did not mean it satisfied constitutional guidelines .
As Schroeder described , the law empowered the state government to “ identify speech—or in some cases conduct that includes speech ” —and enforce the prohibition against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of North Carolina Chancellor or the North Carolina Attorney General , who would represent targeted state agencies .
It is also likely that the law was struck down because it had no discernible purpose outside of discouraging undercover investigations .
North Carolina has a trespass law to protect private property , and the judge was presented with zero evidence to show that the trespass law was deficient .
“ The ASPCA is proud to have been a part of this lawsuit and applauds the court ’ s decision , which is a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create a more humane , transparent food system , ” ASPCA stated .
“ Ag-gag laws are unconstitutional and have no place in our society.
” Yet , the victory came a week after the Iowa state legislature passed its third “ ag-gag ” bill .
It was tucked into legislation that was drafted to deal with the impact of the coronavirus .
“ The latest bill would create a new crime , ‘ food operation trespass , ’ for anyone who enters a location without permission where a ‘ food animal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sold or processed , ” The Intercept ’ s Alleen Brown reported .
The first Iowa “ ag-gag ” law was declared unconstitutional , and the second Iowa law was challenged in federal court .
Altogether , Idaho , Iowa , Kansas , North Carolina , and Utah have each seen their “ ag-gag ” laws defeated by lawsuits brought by organizations impacted by them .
North Carolina also is notorious for its pig farms , which can smell like decomposing bodies if waste is illegally sprayed .
For years , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the identities of polluting farms , burying public complaints against them and leaving those who lived nearby with few avenues for redress.
” A law like the one struck down is the kind of law that helps North Carolina coverup the impact of agribusiness on the environment in communities throughout the state .
“ Studies show that consumers are concerned about the welfare of farm animals , due in part to undercover videos showing horrific conditions and abuse of animals on factory farms .
Big Ag should focus on shifting to more humane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who expose the cruelty currently happening on farms , ” ASPCA concluded .

A federal court declared an “ag-gag” law in North Carolina unconstitutional and barred the state government from enforcing key parts of the law against journalists or whistleblowers.
Judge Thomas Schroeder concluded the state’s Property Protection Act violated the First Amendment and removed multiple provisions from the law, leaving parts that did not target speech intact.
North Carolina was the fifth state to have their “ag-gag” law struck down by a federal court.
“Ag-gag laws” are essentially corporate-backed farm secrecy statutes that are intended to suppress and criminalize speech about industrial agricultural production. They are especially designed to discourage employees from taking photos or recording video that may expose abuse or misconduct.
On June 3, 2015, the North Carolina General Assembly overrode a veto by the governor and passed the Property Protection Act, which amended the law to provide a “civil remedy for interference with certain property rights by creating a civil cause of action for the owner or operator.”
It empowered the attorney general and chancellors of state universities, where animal research and experiments are conducted, to file civil lawsuits that could result in steep fines—$5,000 for each day a “violator” committed offenses.
The law was challenged by a coalition of organizations, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Center for Food Safety, Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), Farm Sanctuary, Food and Water Watch, Farm Forward, the Government Accountability Project, and American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
As a coalition, the organizations claimed the law would discourage them from “employment-based undercover investigations to document and expose animal abuse” or inhibit their ability to collect information from whistleblowers and investigators that could be incorporated into their advocacy work.
ALDF told the court it was prepared to conduct undercover investigations at state-owned facilities, but preparations were “thwarted” by the passage of the law.
Similarly, ASPCA halted the funding of investigations in North Carolina because they feared they would be targeted and held liable.
Each of the organizations highlighted ways the law undermined their ability to produce content that was central to their missions because the law prevented information from reaching them.
The federal court in North Carolina acknowledged [PDF] one key difference between the law and many of the other “ag-gag” laws that have been deemed unconstitutional. However, because it empowered private citizens or entities to bring lawsuits did not mean it satisfied constitutional guidelines.
As Schroeder described, the law empowered the state government to “identify speech—or in some cases conduct that includes speech”—and enforce the prohibition against this speech. IT was the University of North Carolina Chancellor or the North Carolina Attorney General, who would represent targeted state agencies.
It is also likely that the law was struck down because it had no discernible purpose outside of discouraging undercover investigations. North Carolina has a trespass law to protect private property, and the judge was presented with zero evidence to show that the trespass law was deficient.
“The ASPCA is proud to have been a part of this lawsuit and applauds the court’s decision, which is a huge victory for farm animals and the fight to create a more humane, transparent food system,” ASPCA stated. “Ag-gag laws are unconstitutional and have no place in our society.”
Yet, the victory came a week after the Iowa state legislature passed its third “ag-gag” bill. It was tucked into legislation that was drafted to deal with the impact of the coronavirus.
“The latest bill would create a new crime, ‘food operation trespass,’ for anyone who enters a location without permission where a ‘food animal’ is kept or where meat is sold or processed,” The Intercept’s Alleen Brown reported.
The first Iowa “ag-gag” law was declared unconstitutional, and the second Iowa law was challenged in federal court.
Altogether, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, and Utah have each seen their “ag-gag” laws defeated by lawsuits brought by organizations impacted by them.
North Carolina also is notorious for its pig farms, which can smell like decomposing bodies if waste is illegally sprayed.
For years, according to residents, “North Carolina regulators shielded the identities of polluting farms, burying public complaints against them and leaving those who lived nearby with few avenues for redress.”
A law like the one struck down is the kind of law that helps North Carolina coverup the impact of agribusiness on the environment in communities throughout the state.
“Studies show that consumers are concerned about the welfare of farm animals, due in part to undercover videos showing horrific conditions and abuse of animals on factory farms. Big Ag should focus on shifting to more humane farming systems instead of seeking to punish those who expose the cruelty currently happening on farms,” ASPCA concluded.


shadowproof--2020-06-17--Protest Song Of The Week: ‘Walking In The Snow’ By Run The Jewels

Protest Song Of The Week : ‘ Walking In The Snow ’ By Run The Jewels The following was originally published at Ongoing History of Protest Songs .
The most powerful protest music can perfectly encapsulate the moments and moods being experienced by society .
At times , it can even come across as eerily prophetic .
Originally , Killer Mike and El-P , the rap duo known as Run the Jewels , planned to release their fourth album on June 5 .
They released it a couple days early as a response to protests against police brutality place that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breonna Taylor and George Floyd , were murdered by officers .
On social media , Run the Jewels made the following statement , “ Fuck it , why wait ?
The world is infested with bullshit so here ’ s something raw to listen to while you deal with it all.
” “ We hope it brings you some joy .
Stay safe and hopeful out there , and thank you for giving two friends the chance to be heard and do what they love.
” The album was made available for free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the option of donating to the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Fund .
One key track that was viewed as rather prescient was “ walking in the snow , ” which features the chilling lyric , “ And every day on the evening news , they feed you fear for free .
And you so numb , you watch the cops choke out a man like me .
Until my voice goes from a shriek to whisper , ‘ I can ’ t breathe . '
” “ I can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Eric Garner , who was choked to death by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo , but sadly the words took on new resonance since those were George Floyd ’ s dying words too .
The lyrics also serve as an indictment of the news media which promotes a fear-based narrative .
Michael “ Killer Mike ” Render addressed the media during an impassioned speech in his hometown of Atlanta .
“ I love CNN .
I love Cartoon Network , but I ’ d like to say to CNN right now karma ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and anger every day .
Stop making people feel so fearful .
Give them hope , ” Render declared .
In these times we need music to get us through , few artists provide a soundtrack for the moment like Run The Jewels .

The following was originally published at Ongoing History of Protest Songs.
The most powerful protest music can perfectly encapsulate the moments and moods being experienced by society. At times, it can even come across as eerily prophetic.
Originally, Killer Mike and El-P, the rap duo known as Run the Jewels, planned to release their fourth album on June 5. They released it a couple days early as a response to protests against police brutality place that unfolded after innocent black lives, like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, were murdered by officers.
On social media, Run the Jewels made the following statement, “Fuck it, why wait? The world is infested with bullshit so here’s something raw to listen to while you deal with it all.”
“We hope it brings you some joy. Stay safe and hopeful out there, and thank you for giving two friends the chance to be heard and do what they love.”
The album was made available for free download on their website, but fans had the option of donating to the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Fund.
One key track that was viewed as rather prescient was “walking in the snow,” which features the chilling lyric, “And every day on the evening news, they feed you fear for free. And you so numb, you watch the cops choke out a man like me. Until my voice goes from a shriek to whisper, ‘I can’t breathe.'”
“I can’t breathe” referred to the last words of Eric Garner, who was choked to death by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, but sadly the words took on new resonance since those were George Floyd’s dying words too.
The lyrics also serve as an indictment of the news media which promotes a fear-based narrative.
Michael “Killer Mike” Render addressed the media during an impassioned speech in his hometown of Atlanta.
“I love CNN. I love Cartoon Network, but I’d like to say to CNN right now karma’s a mother. Stop feeding fear and anger every day. Stop making people feel so fearful. Give them hope,” Render declared.
In these times we need music to get us through, few artists provide a soundtrack for the moment like Run The Jewels.


shadowproof--2020-06-18--OPEN CALL: Freelance Journalism On Prison And Police Abolition

We ’ ve watched the recent rise in awareness of Abolitionism with pride at Shadowproof .
The movement to abolish the prison industrial complex ( PIC ) is one we have supported and covered since we launched the site five years ago .
There are many understandable questions at this moment about what abolitionist organizing and demands look like .
In particular , readers seek critical abolitionist analyses of reforms , and they ’ re curious about non-carceral interventions in violence and other harms being developed by communities most impacted by policing .
Shadowproof is mobilizing resources and our platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to abolish the PIC .
We are calling on independent journalists to pitch us stories on the following : • None Grassroots abolitionist organizing to take power and resources away from policing , prisons , or other arms of the carceral state ( like defunding police , etc . )
• None Examples of transformative justice , community accountability , and other non-carceral anti-violence processes that exist in most impacted communities • None and exploration of non-reformist ( abolitionist ) reform proposals around the country Shadowproof is primarily interested in reported pieces and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrated an understanding of and experience with the abolition movement .
We would also like to note that Shadowproof is committed to the safety and privacy of our sources .
We are open to discussing anonymity and other ways to protect individuals featured in our reporting , as we acknowledge the sensitive and often dangerous nature of anti-violence organizing .
Please review our freelance submission guidelines for instructions on pitching Shadowproof .
We look forward to hearing your ideas !

We’ve watched the recent rise in awareness of Abolitionism with pride at Shadowproof. The movement to abolish the prison industrial complex (PIC) is one we have supported and covered since we launched the site five years ago.
There are many understandable questions at this moment about what abolitionist organizing and demands look like. In particular, readers seek critical abolitionist analyses of reforms, and they’re curious about non-carceral interventions in violence and other harms being developed by communities most impacted by policing.
Shadowproof is mobilizing resources and our platform to raise the visibility of the movement to abolish the PIC. We are calling on independent journalists to pitch us stories on the following:
Grassroots abolitionist organizing to take power and resources away from policing, prisons, or other arms of the carceral state (like defunding police, etc.)
Examples of transformative justice, community accountability, and other non-carceral anti-violence processes that exist in most impacted communities
Critical analysis of reformist-reforms and exploration of non-reformist (abolitionist) reform proposals around the country
Shadowproof is primarily interested in reported pieces and will give priority to journalists who have demonstrated an understanding of and experience with the abolition movement. We would also like to note that Shadowproof is committed to the safety and privacy of our sources. We are open to discussing anonymity and other ways to protect individuals featured in our reporting, as we acknowledge the sensitive and often dangerous nature of anti-violence organizing.
Please review our freelance submission guidelines for instructions on pitching Shadowproof. We look forward to hearing your ideas!


shadowproof--2020-06-19--Ten Musical Artists Who Amplify And Support Anti-Racist Organizing

Moor Mother ( Camae Ayewa ) is a poet in Irreversible Entanglements , which describes itself as a liberation-oriented free jazz collective .
They formed at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event after the New York Police Department murdered Akai Gurley , and on March 20 , 2020 , the ensemble released the album “ Who Sent You ?
” featuring “ The Code Noir/Amina.
” Over an uptempo rhythm and foreboding horns , the ensemble reckons with past demons .
Moor Mother pays homage to Black ancestors who withstood , endured , and survived centuries of exploitation .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from humanity .
“ At what point do we stand up ?
At the breaking point ?
At the point of no return ?
At what point ?
At what point do we pull each other up , up out of the void , up out of a hell ?
At what point ?
At what point ?
At what point do we give a shit ?
Do we stand up and say something ?
” While the coronavirus spread through communities , Moor Mother launched a collaborative series called “ ANTHOLOGIA ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
The series raised money for the Afrofuturist Affair ’ s Futurist Fund , which was put toward disability justice .
Who Sent You ?
by Irreversible Entanglements Durand Jones & The Indications – Everybody ’ s Got A Right To Live The modern soul group , which formed at Indiana University in Bloomington , consistently sought ways to show solidarity with protests for Black lives .
On May 30-31 , the group donated all proceeds from their online store to the Minnesota Freedom Fund in order to ensure protesters were bailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest song , “ Morning In America ” to the movement , lamenting the fact that it was just as relevant as when they wrote in 2017 and would have been relevant in 1992 , 1965 , 1955 , etc .
For the Poor People ’ s Campaign ’ s massive Digital Justice Gathering on June 20 , the group recorded a cover of “ Everybody ’ s Got A Right To Love , ” which Rev .
Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick and Jimmy Collier sang in 1968 .
The song became the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group transforms the earnest declaration into a finespun groove .
Durand sings , “ We are down in Washington fighting an age-old sin—systematic murder done by age-old men.
” With lyrics from the 1960s , it grounds present struggles for justice in the history of action for human rights .
Based in Chicago , Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is an experimental hip-hop artist , who recorded an EP called “ Black Plight.
” He raised more than $ 10,000 by selling the EP on Bandcamp and donated $ 4,000 to Assata ’ s Daughters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the south side , and $ 4,000 to EAT Chicago , which works to build social and economic equity among Black Chicagoans in the informal economy .
Nnamdi also donated $ 2,000 to support those in the community who were in immediate need of food and housing .
“ They kill us dead in the street , outside so everyone sees , ” Nnamdi raps over a grimy guitar riff .
Referring to cops , he adds , “ They stand and watch while we bleed.
” He concludes , “ Had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard , but we still ain ’ t heard.
” The track represents the anger and exhaustion Nnamdi and so many other Black people in the United States feel daily .
“ It comes from years of racial discrimination , police brutality , media sharing snuff films , peaceful protests ignored , ” as Nnamdi previously shared .
Black people are often told they can not express rage .
That only compounds the feelings of exhaustion , misery , and despair .
“ Rage ” is a righteous expression of what it means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accountability for cops and what it means for black men to be killed repeatedly with no systemic change whatsoever .
Fatimah Nyeema Warner , known as Noname , challenged “ celebrity accounts ” to match her $ 1,000 donation to the Minnesota Freedom Fund way before any corporations came around to sharing statements with the bare minimum they could say about “ Black Lives Matter.
” She routinely boosts the work of activists involved in jail support , direct action , and defunding the police .
Abolition of police and prisons , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central to her support for Black lives , and it comes with a critique of capitalism .
On “ Prayer Song , ” which appeared on her album , “ Room 25 , ” Noname takes on the perspective of a cop and flows through several examples of how the cop gets off on committing brutality .
“ My mama finally seen her baby on Channel 2 .
She love me better when I be keeping the streets clean.
” Noname specifically references how police murdered Philando Castile .
As Noname noted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose of human subjugation and exploitation is explained beautifully in a book somewhere , likely authored by a person of color.
” Noname urged her followers to “ consume more revolutionary content .
Don ’ t allow this moment to be filtered through the establishment class media outlets .
This includes social media .
Read books about socialist revolutions .
Watch documentaries/interviews about socialist revolutions .
We become what we consume.
” Elise Okusami ( Oceanator ) – If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus A number of EPs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been produced since police murdered George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .
Elise Okusami , known as Oceanator , recorded a cover of “ If You Miss Me At The Back Of The Bus ” to support Survived And Punished New York , which is part of a coalition committed to “ eradicating the criminalization of survivors of domestic and sexual violence and the culture of violence that contributes to it.
” Oceanator frequently produces cover songs that reimagine popular tracks but also help create space for Black musicians to defy expectations that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was written by Charles “ Chuck ” Neblett , a civil rights activist who was part of The Freedom Singers .
It was written as organizers fought in the 1960s to desegregate a pool in Cairo , Illinois , and Pete Seeger recorded it .
Oceanator consistently promotes the work of activists while seeking ways to incorporate the joy of creating music and collaborating with artists , who also share her commitment to justice .
She also has put together multiple threads to introduce people to independent black artists who deserve acknowledgment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jim Crow is the first nonprofit record label that produces music by current and formerly incarcerated musicians .
BL Shirelle is a deputy director who travels to prisons .
“ All we want to do is produce great music by talented artists who deserve to be heard—whether they ’ re on the inside or the outside , ” Shirelle told Interview Magazine .
Her debut album , “ Assata Troi , ” was released on Juneteenth .
It includes the track , “ SIGS , ” which stands for “ shit I got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with growing up as the child of a crack addict and selling crack to her mom at the age of 12 .
So much of what she raps about involves breaking a cycle and realizing rights that people think should be given were never given to her .
During the COVID-19 pandemic , Shirelle extended her work with incarcerated musicians to providing personal protective equipment to people trapped in prisons .
Ten thousand masks were sent to eight prisons in seven states .
“ As a survivor of police brutality— I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beaten while in handcuffs , I had the opportunity not only to live through it , but fight back and live through it , ” Shirelle shared .
“ It gives me a feeling of survivor ’ s remorse and mental trauma every time I see this stuff but also a sense of responsibility.
” “ More than half-baked gestures of love , more then a call for “ peace ” from both sides ( as if “ both sides ” have equal power and antagonize equally ) , we need restorative justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need to demilitarize and dismantle the police force .
We need convictions of the crooked cops in the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor cases .
And we need white allies to proclaim BOLDLY that BLACK Lives Matter.
” Moses Sumney is a Black musician who has built an identity through music that defies binaries .
“ grae , ” which was released in 2020 , has garnered critical acclaim for its ambitious effort to explore the spaces in between and for redefining how artists may sonically construct a song .
And Sumney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Black In Deep Red , 2014 , ” that was inspired by what he witnessed in Ferguson , Missouri , after a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for murdering Mike Brown .
“ Rank & File ” evokes what it is like to be at a protest where militarized police forces are lined up ready to follow any order they are given to attack demonstrators .
“ Puppets , erect/With batteries set/They charge for a while/and fall right into rank and file/When they forget/That we cut the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoted the work of fellow black artists and encouraged people to donate to funds that support Black trans people because Black trans people are “ more likely to be jailed and face higher rates of prison violence.
” He understands people need to “ get uncomfortable.
” Black Americans have “ contributed boundlessly to culture and infrastructure with little structural return , ” and they are at least owed a population that finally recognizes why complacency with structures of white supremacy must be shaken .
Thee Sacred Souls , a modern soul group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Records family , recorded a tune “ in memory of George Floyd , Ahmaud Arbery , Breonna Taylor , and the many other black lives lost to the hands of racism.
” They pledged to donate 100 % of proceeds to various organizations beginning with the Movement for Black Lives .
“ Could ’ ve been me .
It could ’ ve been me .
Lying on the concrete , there ’ s a knee against my neck .
Pleading for my breath .
Pleading for my breath , ” Black singer Josh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no peace .
There ’ ll be no peace .
Until there ’ s justice .
Until there ’ s justice.
” Lane acknowledged Floyd , Arbery , and Taylor each joined a “ disturbingly long list of unarmed black humans taken away from us with a murderous rage disguised as American valor .
Black people ’ s lives were stolen from them by white men who felt free to decide their fate , who felt they had the blessing of this country to murder in the name of justice.
” Lane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept the crucifixion of police and white vigilantes upholding justice !
” “ When all the protests were happening , I spent a lot of time trying to process everything that I was feeling , ” Black Chicago musician Wyatt Waddell wrote .
“ It is the artist ’ s job to reflect the times that they live in .
I knew that was something I always wanted to do , but I had to grow into that role.
” Not only did Waddell reflect the times , but he composed a rousing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that took that pain and suffering and turned it into a shot of positivity one can inject into their soul to rejuvenate them in moments of exhaustion and despair .
Waddell sets the scene .
Police tanks are lined up against protesters .
Yet , as he sings , there can be no backing down from staring officers in the face and getting sprayed with mace because people are done seeing dead bodies in the street .
Through the track , Waddell raised more than $ 1,000 that was donated to Chicago Community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Greater Chicago Food Depository , and he is still using the track to raise money for Black lives .
The infectious word play of “ Very BLK ” immediately grabs one ’ s attention as Jamila Woods affirms what it means to be a Black woman .
She takes the possibility that a cop may turn her into a “ chalk line ” after she says “ I can ’ t breathe ” and disarms this dreadful prospect .
Each lyric is delivered like a child jumping rope on a school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying , “ I ’ m very black , black , black , ” and promising to fight back against racial oppression .
Woods has boosted efforts to defund the police and remove police officers from Chicago schools , as well as a campaign for cancelling rent .
She has urged people to donate to Black trans organizations , Assata ’ s Daughters , community arts centers , Black artists , and Black-owned businesses .
More than anything , much of Woods ’ music is a celebration of Black lives .
Her album @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid tribute to Black icons from Betty Davis to Eartha Kitt to James Baldwin to Sun Ra .
As she described , it was a collection of “ sonic and lyrical monuments ” that acknowledge the ways they pushed beyond the margins to make amazing cultural contributions .

Editor’s Note Shadowproof has always had a space on its website that covers musicians who are speaking to present social and political moments, and in the past weeks, the world has witnessed an explosion of music that grapples with racial injustice and amplifies the movement for black lives. There is no lack of lists featuring artists who have recorded songs with lyrics that name-check Black Lives Matter or use the protests as a backdrop for their music. However, we put this particular list together to acknowledge musicians (primarily Black musicians), who are using their influence and platforms to amplify activism. The list of ten artists is by no means exhaustive, and undoubtedly, there will likely be a need for another list to acknowledge artists we missed. But this will hopefully introduce music lovers who have a passion for social justice to some new artists that deserve to be in rotation. You can find a playlist on Spotify. Some of the tracks are only on Bandcamp so we selected another song from the same artist to still include them. The cover of “Everybody’s Got A Right To Live” is not on Spotify so we included the original.
Irreversible Entanglements – The Code Noir/Amina
Moor Mother (Camae Ayewa) is a poet in Irreversible Entanglements, which describes itself as a liberation-oriented free jazz collective. They formed at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event after the New York Police Department murdered Akai Gurley, and on March 20, 2020, the ensemble released the album “Who Sent You?” featuring “The Code Noir/Amina.”
Over an uptempo rhythm and foreboding horns, the ensemble reckons with past demons. Moor Mother pays homage to Black ancestors who withstood, endured, and survived centuries of exploitation. Then her poetry turns to agitation for action from humanity. “At what point do we stand up? At the breaking point? At the point of no return? At what point? At what point do we pull each other up, up out of the void, up out of a hell? At what point? At what point? At what point do we give a shit? Do we stand up and say something?”
While the coronavirus spread through communities, Moor Mother launched a collaborative series called “ANTHOLOGIA” that featured freestyle poems she wrote in March. The series raised money for the Afrofuturist Affair’s Futurist Fund, which was put toward disability justice.
Who Sent You? by Irreversible Entanglements
Durand Jones & The Indications – Everybody’s Got A Right To Live
The modern soul group, which formed at Indiana University in Bloomington, consistently sought ways to show solidarity with protests for Black lives. On May 30-31, the group donated all proceeds from their online store to the Minnesota Freedom Fund in order to ensure protesters were bailed out of jail. They dedicated their protest song, “Morning In America” to the movement, lamenting the fact that it was just as relevant as when they wrote in 2017 and would have been relevant in 1992, 1965, 1955, etc.
For the Poor People’s Campaign’s massive Digital Justice Gathering on June 20, the group recorded a cover of “Everybody’s Got A Right To Love,” which Rev. Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick and Jimmy Collier sang in 1968. The song became the “central message” of the campaign.
The group transforms the earnest declaration into a finespun groove. Durand sings, “We are down in Washington fighting an age-old sin—systematic murder done by age-old men.” With lyrics from the 1960s, it grounds present struggles for justice in the history of action for human rights.
Watch Durand Jones and the Indications perform “Everybody’s Got A Right To Live” on Facebook.
Nnamdi – Rage
Based in Chicago, Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is an experimental hip-hop artist, who recorded an EP called “Black Plight.” He raised more than $10,000 by selling the EP on Bandcamp and donated $4,000 to Assata’s Daughters, a group organizing black women on the south side, and $4,000 to EAT Chicago, which works to build social and economic equity among Black Chicagoans in the informal economy. Nnamdi also donated $2,000 to support those in the community who were in immediate need of food and housing.
“They kill us dead in the street, outside so everyone sees,” Nnamdi raps over a grimy guitar riff. Referring to cops, he adds, “They stand and watch while we bleed.” He concludes, “Had to burn it all down just to be heard, but we still ain’t heard.”
The track represents the anger and exhaustion Nnamdi and so many other Black people in the United States feel daily. “It comes from years of racial discrimination, police brutality, media sharing snuff films, peaceful protests ignored,” as Nnamdi previously shared.
Black people are often told they cannot express rage. That only compounds the feelings of exhaustion, misery, and despair. “Rage” is a righteous expression of what it means to live in a country with no accountability for cops and what it means for black men to be killed repeatedly with no systemic change whatsoever.
Black Plight by NNAMDÏ
Noname – Prayer Song (Featuring Adam Ness)
Fatimah Nyeema Warner, known as Noname, challenged “celebrity accounts” to match her $1,000 donation to the Minnesota Freedom Fund way before any corporations came around to sharing statements with the bare minimum they could say about “Black Lives Matter.” She routinely boosts the work of activists involved in jail support, direct action, and defunding the police. Abolition of police and prisons, along with “radical unity,” is central to her support for Black lives, and it comes with a critique of capitalism.
On “Prayer Song,” which appeared on her album, “Room 25,” Noname takes on the perspective of a cop and flows through several examples of how the cop gets off on committing brutality. “My mama finally seen her baby on Channel 2. She love me better when I be keeping the streets clean.” Noname specifically references how police murdered Philando Castile.
As Noname noted, “Every systemic structure existing for the purpose of human subjugation and exploitation is explained beautifully in a book somewhere, likely authored by a person of color.” Noname urged her followers to “consume more revolutionary content. Don’t allow this moment to be filtered through the establishment class media outlets. This includes social media. Read books about socialist revolutions. Watch documentaries/interviews about socialist revolutions. We become what we consume.”
Room 25 by Noname
Elise Okusami (Oceanator) – If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus
A number of EPs and compilations to raise funds for groups have been produced since police murdered George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Elise Okusami, known as Oceanator, recorded a cover of “If You Miss Me At The Back Of The Bus” to support Survived And Punished New York, which is part of a coalition committed to “eradicating the criminalization of survivors of domestic and sexual violence and the culture of violence that contributes to it.”
Oceanator frequently produces cover songs that reimagine popular tracks but also help create space for Black musicians to defy expectations that are typically dictated by genre. This tune was written by Charles “Chuck” Neblett, a civil rights activist who was part of The Freedom Singers. It was written as organizers fought in the 1960s to desegregate a pool in Cairo, Illinois, and Pete Seeger recorded it.
Oceanator consistently promotes the work of activists while seeking ways to incorporate the joy of creating music and collaborating with artists, who also share her commitment to justice. She also has put together multiple threads to introduce people to independent black artists who deserve acknowledgment.
Tear the Fascists Down by Oceanator
B.L. Shirelle – SIGS
Die Jim Crow is the first nonprofit record label that produces music by current and formerly incarcerated musicians. BL Shirelle is a deputy director who travels to prisons. “All we want to do is produce great music by talented artists who deserve to be heard—whether they’re on the inside or the outside,” Shirelle told Interview Magazine.
Her debut album, “Assata Troi,” was released on Juneteenth. It includes the track, “SIGS,” which stands for “shit I gotta say.” She spits lyrics that deal with growing up as the child of a crack addict and selling crack to her mom at the age of 12. So much of what she raps about involves breaking a cycle and realizing rights that people think should be given were never given to her.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shirelle extended her work with incarcerated musicians to providing personal protective equipment to people trapped in prisons. Ten thousand masks were sent to eight prisons in seven states.
“As a survivor of police brutality— I was shot by the police multiple times and beaten while in handcuffs, I had the opportunity not only to live through it, but fight back and live through it,” Shirelle shared. “It gives me a feeling of survivor’s remorse and mental trauma every time I see this stuff but also a sense of responsibility.”
Moses Sumney – Rank-and-File
“More than half-baked gestures of love, more then a call for “peace” from both sides (as if “both sides” have equal power and antagonize equally), we need restorative justice,” Moses Sumney declared. “We need to demilitarize and dismantle the police force. We need convictions of the crooked cops in the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor cases. And we need white allies to proclaim BOLDLY that BLACK Lives Matter.”
Moses Sumney is a Black musician who has built an identity through music that defies binaries. “grae,” which was released in 2020, has garnered critical acclaim for its ambitious effort to explore the spaces in between and for redefining how artists may sonically construct a song. And Sumney also recorded an EP in 2018 called, “Black In Deep Red, 2014,” that was inspired by what he witnessed in Ferguson, Missouri, after a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for murdering Mike Brown.
“Rank & File” evokes what it is like to be at a protest where militarized police forces are lined up ready to follow any order they are given to attack demonstrators. “Puppets, erect/With batteries set/They charge for a while/and fall right into rank and file/When they forget/That we cut the checks/They get really riled.”
Sumney has promoted the work of fellow black artists and encouraged people to donate to funds that support Black trans people because Black trans people are “more likely to be jailed and face higher rates of prison violence.” He understands people need to “get uncomfortable.” Black Americans have “contributed boundlessly to culture and infrastructure with little structural return,” and they are at least owed a population that finally recognizes why complacency with structures of white supremacy must be shaken.
Thee Sacred Souls – Give Us Justice
Thee Sacred Souls, a modern soul group that is part of the esteemed Daptone Records family, recorded a tune “in memory of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the many other black lives lost to the hands of racism.” They pledged to donate 100% of proceeds to various organizations beginning with the Movement for Black Lives.
“Could’ve been me. It could’ve been me. Lying on the concrete, there’s a knee against my neck. Pleading for my breath. Pleading for my breath,” Black singer Josh Lane sings. “There’ll be no peace. There’ll be no peace. Until there’s justice. Until there’s justice.”
Lane acknowledged Floyd, Arbery, and Taylor each joined a “disturbingly long list of unarmed black humans taken away from us with a murderous rage disguised as American valor. Black people’s lives were stolen from them by white men who felt free to decide their fate, who felt they had the blessing of this country to murder in the name of justice.” Lane concluded, “We won’t accept the crucifixion of police and white vigilantes upholding justice!”
Wyatt Waddell – FIGHT
“When all the protests were happening, I spent a lot of time trying to process everything that I was feeling,” Black Chicago musician Wyatt Waddell wrote. “It is the artist’s job to reflect the times that they live in. I knew that was something I always wanted to do, but I had to grow into that role.”
Not only did Waddell reflect the times, but he composed a rousing toe-tapping rhythm called “FIGHT!” that took that pain and suffering and turned it into a shot of positivity one can inject into their soul to rejuvenate them in moments of exhaustion and despair.
Waddell sets the scene. Police tanks are lined up against protesters. Yet, as he sings, there can be no backing down from staring officers in the face and getting sprayed with mace because people are done seeing dead bodies in the street.
Through the track, Waddell raised more than $1,000 that was donated to Chicago Community Bond Fund, Black Lives Matter Chicago, and Greater Chicago Food Depository, and he is still using the track to raise money for Black lives.
FIGHT! by Wyatt Waddell
Jamila Woods (featuring Noname) – VERY BLK
The infectious word play of “Very BLK” immediately grabs one’s attention as Jamila Woods affirms what it means to be a Black woman. She takes the possibility that a cop may turn her into a “chalk line” after she says “I can’t breathe” and disarms this dreadful prospect. Each lyric is delivered like a child jumping rope on a school playground, and it leads into Woods saying, “I’m very black, black, black,” and promising to fight back against racial oppression.
Woods has boosted efforts to defund the police and remove police officers from Chicago schools, as well as a campaign for cancelling rent. She has urged people to donate to Black trans organizations, Assata’s Daughters, community arts centers, Black artists, and Black-owned businesses.
More than anything, much of Woods’ music is a celebration of Black lives. Her album, “LEGACY! LEGACY!” paid tribute to Black icons from Betty Davis to Eartha Kitt to James Baldwin to Sun Ra. As she described, it was a collection of “sonic and lyrical monuments” that acknowledge the ways they pushed beyond the margins to make amazing cultural contributions.