Laura Flanders has provided critical reporting on issues impacting marginalized people from across the globe for more than four decades.
Her journey has brought her to a critical juncture in media and politics, with massive consolidation creating fewer opportunities for voices from outside the mainstream to make an impact and the electorate increasingly seeking out independent perspectives.
Flanders essentially built her career around media criticism, holding legacy outlets accountable for their establishment biases and bad faith reporting.
While much of her journalism today focuses on amplifying community voices, she has never stopped trying to hold media to account—whether by explicitly calling out biases or by hosting conversations on topics that are generally considered too complex for a four-minute cable news segment.
Of course, if you’re on the left, you’re likely well familiar with Flanders’ work. From her long career in radio, which began with her co-host duties on the show “CounterSpin,” to her foray into television and online streaming, Flanders has developed a loyal and committed following.
Her audience seemingly follows her wherever she goes, including anywhere you can catch the latest incarnation of the show that carries her moniker, “Laura Flanders & Friends.”
Formerly “The Laura Flanders Show,” LF&F provides deep dives into issues that matter and often includes voices of people from historically marginalized communities. Her recent shows have addressed everything from the right-wing’s “war on workers” and economic inequality to the rise of neo-fascism in North Carolina and taking on extremism in rural America.
Whether she’s interviewing labor organizers, environmental advocates, or prominent figures such as Angela Davis, Noam Chomsky, and Naomi Klein, among many others, Flanders consistently centers the voices of those most impacted by inequality and oppression. Her intersectional approach highlights the complex ways that race, gender, class, and sexuality shape social and economic realities.
Flanders is also the author of several books, including “Blue Grit: Making Impossible, Improbable, and Inspirational Political Change in America” and “Bushwomen: Tales of a Cynical Species.”
Another important aspect of Flanders’ work is that she doesn’t simply focus on the issues that people contend with each and every day but also investigates ways in which seemingly complex problems can be solved. Her commitment to uplifting marginalized voices and promoting grassroots activism offers a powerful counter-narrative to dominant media frameworks.
As she continues to host “Laura Flanders & Friends,” which you can also find on PBS, and contribute to the broader discourse on social justice, Flanders inspires a new generation of journalists and activists to challenge the status quo and fight for a better world. Her work serves as a reminder that real change starts at the grassroots level and that alternative perspectives are essential in the pursuit of a more equitable society.
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Image Description: The logo for Laura Flanders & Friends alongside a photo of Laura speaking into a microphone.
Rashed Mian
