In the new book “Huey P. Newton: I Am We,” Delio Vasquez synthesizes thousands of pages of Newton’s unpublished writings to explore a different side of the Black Panther Party co-founder. Piercing through the mythology surrounding this revolutionary icon, Vasquez engages deeply with Newton’s theories on the nature of power, gender relations, the rising dominance of technology, and much more. Additionally, the book investigates covert psychological experiments on prisoners in institutions where Newton was incarcerated, adding much-needed context to what some of Newton’s friends and family members described as his mental collapse.

On October 22, I interviewed Vasquez in front of a packed house at Local Economy. Listen to the podcast to hear our discussion on the legacy of the Black Panthers, anti-capitalism, mental health, and Newton’s prescient predictions on the rise of tech-fascism. Find the program via Apple, SoundCloud, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts. Special thanks to Alexis Madrigal and Regina Hunt for assisting with the production of the live event. 

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