Tonight on MNN’s “Access for All”: Alternative Banking

You’ve heard of Occupy Wall Street, but how about Occupy Finance? That’s the title of the new book to be discussed tonight on MNN’s “Access for All,” a biweekly public-advocacy show from independent producer Gloria Messer and progressive journalist and blogger Heather Wokusch.

The book is a product of the Alternative Banking Group, an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street, which holds meetings and protests as part of an effort to explain the financial system and its dysfunction in terms that everyone can understand and to explore ways of improving it. Occupy Finance explores these themes in detail, offering interesting perspectives such as the ways in which banks and other financial entities turn everyday people into financial products. Fascinating!

Serving as guests on tonight’s episode are Cathy O’Neil, mathematician and creator of the blog MathBabe; and Tamir Rosenblum, a union-side labor lawyer and organizer for Alternative Banking. They discuss current challenges and activism tips for those interested in the movement.

“Access for All” is well known for its masterful and hard-hitting takes on complex topics. The program has offered groundbreaking coverage of serious, globally significant subjects like nuclear disasters, genetically modified foods and veterans’ mental health. And a 2012 interview on media criticism with NYU professor Mark Crispin Miller racked up tens of thousands of views on YouTube, plus a mention in The New York Times. Last year Gloria Messer, the show’s Executive Producer, snagged a Hometown Media Award in the category of Cultural Perspective.

Tune in Thursday, December 26 at 9:30 PM on MNN1 (TWC 34, RCN 33, FiOS 82 and streaming live on MNN.org).

“Access for All” airs every other Tuesday at 9:30pm on MNN1 and MNN.org. Follow producer/host Heather Wokusch on YouTube and friend her on Facebook, and check out Gloria Messer's Vimeo feed.