Other Group

Revolution Ready

Website:

www.facebook.com/revolutionready2020/

Location:

Milwaukee, WI

Formation:

2020

Type:

Racial Activism Podcast and Media Group

Executive Director:

Rebecca Burrell

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Revolution Ready is a left-of-center activist podcast and media group that focuses almost exclusively on racial issues. It is a partner of left-of-center arts coalition Midcoast Collective. Its Facebook page contains previous broadcasts, promotes marches and protests, and advertises its merchandise. Several of its hosts are affiliated with the activist group The Peoples Revolution. The first episode aired in October 2020.

This group maintains an internet presence on Facebook and Twitter, but its revolutionready.org website is defunct, and its last podcast on Facebook was broadcast in June 2021. 1

Podcasts and Social Media

Revolution Ready’s Facebook page has promoted various rallies and protests, and draws attention to relevant current events, including the #JusticeforTheeThree campaign which protested the shootings of Jay Anderson, Alvin Cole, and Antonio Gonzalez, all of whom were shot and killed by the same police officer under different circumstances over the course of five years. The page also advertised a vigil for Julius Jones, who was scheduled to be executed for murder, but whose sentence was later commuted to life in prison. 2 3

The Revolution Ready podcast discussion topics range from ways to reduce violence in the African-American community to questioning the effectiveness of police bodycams, defunding police and reallocation of those funds, and pursuing prosecution of police officers involved in shootings. Officer Joseph Mensah, who shot Alvin Cole, Antonio Gonzalez, and Jay Anderson, is repeatedly referenced. In June 2021 State Assemblyman David Bowen (D-WI) appeared as a guest and advocated for alternative policing methods, such as eliminating “no-knock” warrants, and sending non-police responders to deal with individuals suffering from mental health problems. He also spoke against having police officers in schools. Another podcast featured the mother of Alvin Cole who discussed the shooting of her son, as well as the shooting of Jay Anderson. 4

Revolution Ready also posted a link to a petition by BLOC (Black Leaders Organizing for Communities) and Action Network which called for legislators to block a series of fourteen bills related to reorganization and oversight of Wisconsin police and fire departments. The petition also called on Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) to veto any of the bills should they pass. 5

People

Rebecca Burrell is the executive director, former host, and co-founder of Revolution Ready. She is also a member of Wisconsin-based activist group The Peoples Revolution. During a protest against the police shooting of Jacob Blake, Burrell is quoted as saying “They don’t want peace […] They want war with the hopes of annihilating us publicly. Their laws were established to humiliate us. That’s how they stay in power.” 6

Tiffany Henry, host of Ready Revolution, is president of the Milwaukee Urban League of Young Professionals. She is also office executive director for U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). Henry is a member of The Peoples Revolution. Henry was also arrested during a 2020 Wauwatosa, Wisconsin protest against the police shooting of Alvin Cole. 7 8

Henry filed a defamation lawsuit against the Wauwatosa Police Department in January 2022, when her name was found on a list of prominent Wisconsin protestors being circulated among law enforcement agencies. The suit was dismissed in July 2022. 9

Brandon Wilborn is co-host of Ready Revolution and a member of Peoples Revolution.  He was also an honoree of the 2021 Inaugural Justice Ball for his activism work. In January 2021, Wilborn called for a federal investigation into the police shooting of Jacob Blake. That same month, during a gathering in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, he joined other activists in fighting a proposed grant of $10 million that would be used to hire 30 more police officers in an effort to stem the surge of violent crime in Milwaukee.  In May of that year, Wilborn called for support from the mayor and other local leadership during a peace march hosted by Peoples Revolution to help end gun violence in Milwaukee. 10 11

References

  1. “Revolution Ready Podcast.” Apple Podcasts. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolution-ready-podcast/id1534603240
  2. “Revolution Ready.” Facebook. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://www.facebook.com/revolutionready2020/
  3. Vera, Amir and Andone, Dakin. “Oklahoma Governor Grants clemency to Julius Jones, Halting His Execution.” CNN. November 19, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/18/us/julius-jones-oklahoma-execution-decision
  4. “Revolution Ready Podcast Ep. 26 and 27.” Facebook. June 2, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/revolutionready2020/
  5. “WI Need Better Bills.” Action Network. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/wi-need-better-bills/?fbclid=IwAR3PUAcgc3T7aoT7p3UW2i4uLJUjONpd4o6M5Qpo_i_fnefBKtPSlT0uzNc
  6.  Penner Robert. “No Charges for Cop who Shot Black Man in Kenosha, Wisconsin.” Liberation News. January 14, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://www.liberationnews.org/no-charges-for-cop-who-shot-black-man-in-kenosha-wisconsin/
  7. Pilarski, Karen. “Mother, Sisters of Alvin Cole Arrested During Wauwatosa Protest.” Patch. October 8, 2020. Accessed November 7, 2022. https://patch.com/wisconsin/wauwatosa/alvin-cole-family-members-arrested-wauwatosa-during-protest
  8. “Outreach Community Health Centers hosts U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin for ‘Maternal Round Table’” Milwaukee Times. June 10, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2022. https://milwaukeetimesnews.com/national-local-news-story/outreach-community-health-centers-hosts-u-s-senator-tammy-baldwin-for-maternal-round-table
  9. Salgado, Beck Andrew. “A Lawsuit Has Been Dismissed…” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 2, 2022. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://news.yahoo.com/lawsuit-dismissed-alleged-wauwatosa-police-143712934.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJYsCUKH0MM1tvmnJciQ9sPbN8Mm0dwqz0RhczVGWKxS0925h4fga2dhz6pzanmBUyYdLGLB_uW7pwShB3C5hcPyx2xWJdhiT3caBlI8J3gSS5y2jbh5mO05D45F3nLn2HmOfAU4tX7h-jGOOQ4GjcQJF5CETuSZXiG10YRa59fG
  10. Penner Robert. “No Charges for Cop who Shot Black Man in Kenosha, Wisconsin.” Liberation News. January 14, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2022.  https://www.liberationnews.org/no-charges-for-cop-who-shot-black-man-in-kenosha-wisconsin/
  11. Dirr, Alison.  “Community Members Honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Call for Rejection of COPS Grant.”  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. January 18, 2021. Accessed November 7, 2022. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2021/01/18/community-members-honor-martin-luther-king-jr-s-life-and-call-rejection-cops-grant/4206857001/
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Revolution Ready


Milwaukee, WI