Tool libraries, mutual aid, and community-led disaster response with Rachel Kinbar, Shelby Treichler, and Ben Wyatt

On October 21, 2025 Shareable and the Tool Library Alliance hosted a crossover event of the Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series and Library of Things Co-Lab for "Tool Libraries, Mutual Aid & Community-Led Disaster Response."  A panel of practitioners from tool libraries and mutual aid groups discussed the intersection of resource sharing and mutual aid. This session featured a particular focus on the role tool libraries can play during disasters, like last year's collaboration between the Asheville Tool Library, WNC Repair Cafe, and Mutual Aid Disaster Relief during the response to Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Today's episode is an edited recording of the inspiring event. About the speakers: Rachel Kinbar (they/zey/all) is actively engaged in building a new commons while exploring what it means to be human, heal lineage, and honor ancestors. Zey are working for collective liberation as a local community and mutual aid organizer with Central Florida Mutual Aid, Alternative Economy Fellow with the Center for Biological Diversity and Shareable, director of operations for Beautiful Trouble (and until recently as director of operations for the Jews of Color Mishpacha Project). They are also a writer, gardener, artist, half of noise/poetry duo Unfade, and co-editor of Bonk! magazine. Shelby Treichler is a volunteer with Asheville Tool Library and the Western North Carolina Repair Café. Ben Wyatt has been a volunteer and organizer with Mutual Aid Disaster Relief since 2017. He was part of the initial crew that set up the MADR Smith Mill Works hub (sharing space with the Asheville Tool Library) immediately after Helene that has been operating ever since to receive and deliver household necessities, building materials, first aid and cleanup supplies to direct distribution sites throughout the region. Ben works full time as the Project Manager for the Asheville Coalition for Home Repair (ARCHR) as an employee of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. Resources Video recording of "Mutual Aid 101: Tool Libraries, Mutual Aid & Community-Led Disaster Response"  Next Mutual Aid 101 event, "Navigating Conflict" with Dean Spade on 11/20 at 3:00 PM ET Tool Library Alliance Winter Weatherization Session on Wednesday, December 10 at 1:00 PM ET Central Florida Mutual Aid Central Florida Mutual Aid link tree  Central Florida Mutual Aid Tool Library link tree  Asheville Tool Library WNC Repair Cafe Meshtastic.org Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Smith Millworks Distrobution Hub "Hub Guide"  Shareable's Library of Things Toolkit   Shareable's Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit  The Response podcast: Fighting misinformation in the aftermath of the Mexico City earthquake Link document shared with participants Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats

In this episode of The Response, we hear from Jordan Seaberry, co-director of the US Dept of Arts and Culture (USDAC). In addition to being a working artist and a professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, he has built a career as a grassroots organizer and legislative advocate, helping to pass multiple criminal justice reform milestones, including probation reform, the Unshackling Pregnant Prisoners Bill, and the statewide Community-Police Relationship Act.  And that's just a small example of his organizing and mutual aid experience. We discuss the genesis of the US Department of Arts and Culture, the role of artists during fascism, and how to bring movement organizers and artists together to drive culture shifts. About Jordan Seaberry Jordan Seaberry is a painter, organizer, legislative advocate and educator. He is also the co-director of the US Department of Arts and Culture. Learn more about Jordan and view his work here. Resources: US Department of Arts and Culture Vital Conversations series: "The Role of the Artist During Fascism" (Comic) Artists and Cultural Workers Against Authoritarianism Workshop recording and resources Tool Libraries, Mutual Aid & Community-led Disaster Response (Tue, Oct 21st 2025 at 4:00 PM EDT) Mutual Aid 101: Navigating Conflict w/ Dean Spade (Thu, Nov 20th 2025 at 3:00 PM EDT) Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit from Shareable Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

The Response is back after a two-month hiatus. For today's show, we resumed our interview format and welcomed two of the seven co-founders of Survival Bloc, Daisy Carter and Aracely Jimenez-Hudis. Survival Bloc is a BIPOC-led network of leaders, movement organizations, and grassroots groups building power and community alternatives to survive the climate crisis. Survival Bloc recently released a new free guidebook, How to Build a Survival Program, filled with "insights, tools and practices for communities to build their own survival programs and other strategies for climate resilience." Daisy Carter (she/they) is a queer multi-disciplinary artist, yogi and climate justice organizer working at the intersections of grassroots leadership development, disaster resiliency, and mutual aid infrastructure. They work to implement strategies for self-determination, cultural revival, and alternative care that aim to protect frontline, ВІРОС (black, brown, and people of color) communities who are most vulnerable to climate disaster and political violence. As a movement consultant, they have trained over 500+ leaders in power-building strategies across the country, and worked for organizations such as CODEPINK, The Poor People's Campaign, The Climate Mobilization Project, and more. Born in New Orleans, LA, they are currently based in Louisville, KY. Daisy is a co-founder of Survival Bloc and works as Network Organizer. Aracely Jimenez-Hudis (she/they) is a queer community organizer and facilitator born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Over the years, they have led strategic communications + grassroots mobilizations for major movement organizations and campaigns, including The Sunrise Movement and Los Angeles Tenants Union. As a certified yogi with a background in sociology, they are mostly interested in how to build up marginalized communities capacities for intergenerational healing, processing systemic and disaster related traumas, and cultivating resilience within the body. Aracely is also a co-founder of Survival Bloc, and holds down Communications Support. Resources: Survival Bloc  Survival Bloc Network Member Application - for folks interested in joining the network, cross-movement collaborations, or building their own survival program Free Zine: How To Build a Survival Program  Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit from Shareable Support The Response: https://www.shareable.net/donate/  Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

We're back with the fifth installment in our Mutual Aid 101 mini-series. This episode is going to be a little different from what we've shared before. Rather than extended presentations, you'll hear six 5-10 minute "Rad Talks" covering examples of mutual aid in action.    We welcomed Sanae Lahgazi Alaoui from Metro Atlanta Mutual Aid Fund; Alexa Baiano and Rain from Mutual Aid Disaster Relief; Valinda Chan from Mutual Aid Eastie; Laurie Bertram Roberts from Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund; and  writer, organizer, and agitator Vicky Osterweil. These short talks explore the trans and queer underground, reproductive justice, immigration support, and community-led disaster response. At the live event, they were followed by breakout sessions on each topic, which were not recorded. So if you feel like the speakers were a bit reserved, it's because what they are up to may or may not be suitable for the public record…  Resources: Mutual Aid Session 4 video recording Mutual Aid Session 4 transcript Mutual Aid Session 4 public slides  Mutual Aid Session 4 link document Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series Mutual Aid 101 Community Canvas Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

Today, we're sharing excerpts from Shareable's Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series' third session. Elijah Baucom of Everyday Security & UC Berkeley Cybersecurity Clinic discusses security for mutual aid groups before Sarah Philips of Fight for the Future shares the current state of mutual aid financial surveillance and privacy tech. The third speaker from Session 3, Erika Sato from Sustainable Economies Law Center, opened with a 30 minute overview of legal basics and the benefits and limitations of formal structures for mutual aid groups. We've left it out of this episode, but you can watch/listen to the video on Youtube. Resources: Mutual Aid Session 3 video recording Mutual Aid Session 3 transcript Mutual Aid Session 3 public slides  Mutual Aid Session 3 link document Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series Mutual Aid 101 Community Canvas Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

We're back with the third installment in our Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series. Today, we're sharing the audio from the second half of Mutual Aid 101 Session 2, featuring Julian Rose from the New Economy Coalition and EndState ATL.  Julian will start with a 25-minute presentation about power dynamics and how to work with others before addressing questions submitted by the live audience.  Resources: New Economy Coalition Sources of Power Tyranny of Structurelessness (Jo Freedman) Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series Mutual Aid 101 Community Canvas Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Video) Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Transcript) Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Slides) Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Links from Stephanie, Julian + chat) Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

We're back with the second installment in our Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series.   Today, we're sharing the audio from the half of Session 2, and will be joined by Stephanie Rearick, to discuss how to start and build momentum for a new, or (re)newed mutual aid group. She's a longtime organizer and advocate for cooperative economies, and the founder of the international Humans United for Mutual Aid Networks. We had Stephanie as a guest on the show a couple of years ago and knew she would have an important voice to feature in this series as well. Stephanie starts with a 25-minute presentation before addressing questions submitted by the live audience. Next week on The Response, we'll feature Julian Rose from the New Economy Coalition and EndState ATL, who focussed on power dynamics and how to work with others during Session 2. Our next live event is tomorrow, Wednesday, March 5th, where we'll focus on the benefits and limitations of formal structures, financial basics, and fintech for mutual aid, as well as how to understand risk and safety protocols for mutual aid projects.  Presenters include: Erika Sato, Attorney of Sustainable Economies Law Center; Elijah Baucom, Founder of Everyday Security & Director of UC-Berkeley Cybersecurity Clinic; and Sarah Philips, a Campaigner at Fight for the Future. Resources: Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series Mutual Aid 101 Community Canvas Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Video) Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Transcript) Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Slides) Mutual Aid 101 Session 2 w/ Stephanie Rearick and Julian Rose (Links from Stephanie, Julian + chat) Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

Last week, we were blown away by the 2,200 people who registered for our new Mutual Aid 101 Series.    We were fortunate to have Dean Spade, organizer, teacher, and the author of "Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During this Crisis (and the Next)" and "Love in a Fucked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell, Together" lead the first session.   Dean dropped some serious knowledge for nearly 90 minutes straight. All the while, the chat was on fire while a new learing community was being formed.   The series continues tomorrow, on Wednesday February 26th with Julian Rose from the New Economy Coalition and Endstate ATL and previous guest on The Response, Stephanie Rearick from Human's United for Mutual Aid Networks. They'll be focussing on how to build and sustain mutual aid projects while not burning out.   The first phase of this series runs through the end of March with several more trainings scheduled throughout the rest of the year.   There's also the Mutual Aid 101 Community Canvas, where we're posting recordings, resources, and session updates.   There are links to everything I just mentioned in the show notes.   Through out this season of The Response, we'll be sharing a mix of original interviews, dispatches from the front lines of disasters, and excerpts from Mutual Aid 101 (like this one).    Today, we'll be playing the full recording from Dean's training. We've posted the video, slides, and transcript to Canvas, so you can create an account there to follow along. Resources: Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series Mutual Aid 101 Community Canvas Mutual Aid 101 w/ Dean Spade (Video) Mutual Aid 101 w/ Dean Spade (Transcript) Mutual Aid 101 w/ Dean Spade (Slides) Mutual Aid 101 w/ Dean Spade (Links from Dean + chat) Dean's Books Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

Nearly 20 years ago, The Response host Tom Llewellyn was fortunate to experience Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove's Voices of a People's History of the United States live at the Berkeley Community Theater.  In 2018, after we finished our first set of audio documentaries for The Response, it was clear that the personal stories shared with us by those on the front lines of climate, political, and social disasters should also be brought to the stage.  And so, in homage, we have called these live performances, Voices of The Response.  We're still developing the full performance, but we were invited to workshop excerpts at  the Oregon Country Fair last year. With the support of Eric Brahman, we worked with local spoken word artists to perform unique pieces each day of the festival during the Storytelling Smorgasbord.  Today you'll hear the recordings from that event, including stories related to previous California wildfires.  Resources: Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network Mutual Aid 101 Learning Series Audio documentaries: "The impact of Northern California fires on the undocumented community" "Radical approaches to disaster relief in New York" "Reimagining Paradise in an Age of climate disruption" Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Stories in this week's episode written by Robert Raymond Stories in this episode were read by Shachar Efrati, Jen Hernandez, Tom Llewellyn, Jeany Snider, David Snider, Eric Brahman, and Shachar Efrati. A special thanks to Tzula for playing the harp during the performances Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.

In this episode of The Response, we explore a devastating and ongoing story of environmental disaster, Indigenous resistance, and corporate exploitation in Brazil. This powerful installment brings listeners face-to-face with the catastrophic failures of Vale, a multinational mining corporation, and the resilient efforts of the Kamakã Mongoió people to protect their sacred land and water. The episode features a compelling conversation with journalist, filmmaker, and community organizer Allen Myers, whose recent article for Shareable,  Modern Day Colonialism and the Disastrous Fate of an Indigenous Water and Land Protector, offers a chilling look at the ongoing struggles in the region. Myers shares insights from his 2022 trip to Brumadinho, Brazil, where he witnessed the enduring scars left by a 2019 dam collapse and the fight for justice that followed. In January 2019, a toxic dam operated by Vale in the State of Minas Gerais failed catastrophically, releasing 12 million cubic meters of sludge into the surrounding environment. The disaster claimed 272 lives and decimated the livelihoods of countless others. This was not an isolated incident—just four years earlier, the Mariana dam collapse, also operated by Vale, caused Brazil's worst environmental catastrophe. Despite warnings and inspections highlighting structural vulnerabilities, Vale failed to act, prioritizing profits over safety. For the Indigenous Kamakã Mongoió, the collapse was not just a distant tragedy but a direct assault on their way of life. Chief Merong, a prominent leader of the tribe, emerged as a steadfast protector of his community's land and water, standing against the encroachments of Vale. He and other Kamakã Mongoió have faced threats, harassment, violence, and even death for their resistance, a chilling manifestation of what Myers calls "modern-day colonialism." While the subject matter of this episode of The Response is tragic, it's also a call to action. Myers draws parallels between the disasters in Brazil and the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, highlighting the universal dangers of corporate negligence and environmental exploitation. Both of these stories serve as stark reminders that disasters exacerbated by greed are not inevitable but preventable. Resources: Survivors for Peace www.allen-myers.com Donate to The Response Episode credits: Hosted and executive produced by Tom Llewellyn Produced and edited by Paige Kelly Theme Music by Cultivate Beats Follow The Response on Twitter and Instagram for updates, memes, and more. Our entire catalog of documentaries and interviews can be found at theresponsepodcast.org — or wherever you get your podcasts. The Response is an award-winning podcast series produced by Shareable exploring how communities respond to disaster — from hurricanes to wildfires to reactionary politics and more. Want to help spread the word? Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it makes a huge difference in reaching new people who may otherwise not hear about this show.