Exploring the Art of Radicalization at Socialism 2025
In 2016, it was laughable to imagine reality TV host Donald Trump as the President of the United States, but it quickly became our reality. Nine years and 34 felonies later, Trump has found his way back to the White House, signing the highest ever number of executive orders on his first day back in office. Though many were later challenged and deemed unconstitutional, Trump and his backers haven’t given up on their dream of a neo-fascist America. Rallying for white supremacy, media suppression, and putting their version of “Jesus” back in schools, Trump has three more years to bring his agenda to fruition.
Do most Americans approve of Trump’s politics? As of August 19, 2025, YouGov shows a 56% unfavourability rating of Trump among adult US citizens, and those who oppose him have not been a quiet majority. From South Park to Stephen Colbert, there has been no shortage of public outcry. Yet, if Americans do not want Trump and are even more disappointed with Democrats, what possible alternatives could there be?
Spotlighting revolutionary art
2025 saw the largest number of attendees to date at the annual Socialism Conference in Chicago, indicating that people are looking beyond the Democratic Party as the best way to fight back against right-wing politics. YouGov underscores this trend in their recent survey (conducted with the Cato Institute), which revealed that 62% of Americans aged 18-29 view socialism positively.
Despite his penchant for polarization, Trump cannot take all of the credit for the recent radicalization. Art and literature are among the main vehicles that drive exposure to socialist ideas. A bulletin posted in the center of the conference emphasized that point powerfully by posting the question "WHAT RADICALIZED YOU?" Art provides a platform for those who question the status quo and seek new and creative outlets, thereby empowering not only artists but also rank-and-file activists, journalists, and public intellectuals. Singer and filmmaker Boots Riley, as well as author and high-school teacher Jesse Hagopian spoke about this at length during their “Art and Communism” conference panel.
Having released notable tracks such as “The Guillotine” and “5 Million Ways To Kill A C.E.O.,” Riley talked with his audience about the difference between protest art and communist art, stating, “(w)hen [Marvin Gaye] finally had something to say, it was just a question…A lot of music that gets praise is just saying there are problems and there’s kind of no way to solve them.”
Riley went on to tell a story of a community that successfully banded together to defend a family facing police brutality, moving to action by a simple rallying cry: “Fight the Power!” This song, alongside many others from the 80s and 90s, paved the way for progressive music today, giving us songs such as "This is America" by Donald Glover and "Hind’s Hall" by Macklemore.
The Songs for Liberation Protest Music Collective performs on the lawn outside the hotel/conference center. (Photo: Lettie Kazian)
Progressive and revolutionary music is not all about big names, however. The local Chicago collective Songs for Liberation made an appearance at the Socialism Conference on July 4, calling for solidarity with victims of oppression as they played songs, including "Free Palestine" and "The Devil is Dead," with a pro-Palestine message.
Film, solidarity, and radicalization
There is a common sentiment held among leftists that right-wing politics are incompatible with good art. Whether one subscribes to that belief or not, from Star Wars to The Hunger Games, critiques of imperialism and capitalism have been recurring themes in countless independent and even some big-budget films. Such critiques remain relevant today in movies ranging from Sinners (2025) to Superman (2025). Both films allow viewers to see economic institutions and the US government through a critical lens, advocating for radical kindness as opposed to militarized capitalism and suggesting to the audience concrete actions they can take in solidarity with those affected by real-world conflicts, rather than simply exploiting their suffering and trauma on the big screen.
While at the conference, I attended a screening of the lesser-known documentary Demon Mineral (2023), narrated by director Hadley Austen and co-writer Tommy Rock, which was the most impactful film I have seen this year. Combining artistic cinematography and storytelling, this critically acclaimed documentary allows us to hear the Diné people from the Navajo Nation share their experiences with uranium mining on sacred land and subsequent radioactivity.
Hearing them talk about their experiences made me realize that there needs to be more room in left-wing spaces for Indigenous people to share their experiences and seek solidarity. Their struggle for a clean environment and healthy bodies is our struggle as well, as “critical mineral” mining spans across Africa and many other parts of the world, driven by the US, China, and Europe and their seemingly insatiable imperial and neocolonial greed.
Artistic expression for everyone
An art form that played a key role in my personal radicalization is theater and musicals. Exposure to musicals such as The Falsettos, Cabaret, and Les Misérables inspired me to think more deeply about class struggle and the many ways capitalism has affected us throughout different times and places. This art form was not neglected amongst the expansive list of panels offered at the Socialism Conference. It was spotlighted by The Infinite Wrench, a late-night show self-described as the performers’ attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to those unreached or unmoved by traditional theater.
The mediums of visual art were also discussed and showcased throughout the Socialism Conference. Tabitha Arnold’s artwork from her series “Gospel of the Working Class” was displayed beside the plenary conference room, depicting the history of the working-class struggle through punch needle and linen cloth, such as in her piece “I Walk” (2025), where she illustrates a trolley carmen’s strike in 1918.
A sampling of Tabitha Arnold’s “Gospel of the Working Class” series on display at the conference. (Photos: Lettie Kazian)
With panels like “Make a Community Constellation: Quilting Workshop” and “Zine Making for Social Justice,” panelists helped bridge the gap between radical creativity and physical creation for attendees. For those seeking alternative ways to access radical art and support socialist organizations, the convention featured a community hall showcasing groups with information and items for sale, including the Communist Party USA, Public Rail Now, and the International Marxist-Humanist Organization, each with its own particular goals and shared overarching aspirations. Attendees also had the option to take a break from the regularly scheduled panels, with a specific room being set aside for Crafting with Comrades, offering people a quiet space to color, make bracelets, or crochet.
Attendees participate in a yoga session on the lawn outside the conference center. (Photo: Lettie Kazian)
Literature for liberation
Alongside the physical pieces of media, the importance of literature in socialism cannot be overstated. Books were recommended in the “Art and Communism” panel, as well as across all panels of the Socialism Conference, with topics ranging from abortion rights to police brutality and militarization. Haymarket Books’ pop-up within the conference made it possible for people to get their hands on recommended titles, such as Boots Riley’s Boots Riley: Tell Homeland Security - We Are the Bomb, a collection of lyrics, writings, and photography by the hip-hop artist.
Among thousands of other influential books, I picked up Love and Capital by Mary Gabriel, We Too: Essays on Sex Work and Survival (edited by Natalie West with Tina Horn), and Against Architecture by Franco La Ceca. These various titles help shed light on the expansiveness of radical literature, showing us the importance of intersectionality and solidarity in the process.
“I was not sure what to expect going into the Socialism Conference for the first time, but something was made abundantly clear to me from day one: people were there in numbers, and they were hungry for radical change. Organization is critical amidst this influx of young American leftists, and this conference was the perfect venue for them to connect with new and experienced comrades alike, share perspectives, and learn from one another.”
Many panelists acknowledged the importance of writing and sharing literature, making it possible for attendees to experience workshops such as “Let It Be A Tale: A Writing Space” for conference reflections and “Letter Writing to Incarcerated Comrades.” Attendees could also attend reading studies, such as the panel centered around Let This Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba.
Radical horizons
I was not sure what to expect going into the Socialism Conference for the first time, but something was made abundantly clear to me from day one: people were there in numbers, and they were hungry for radical change. Organization is critical amidst this influx of young American leftists, and this conference was the perfect venue for them to connect with new and experienced comrades alike, share perspectives, and learn from one another. I felt grateful and privileged to be among them, and I hope to do my part in spreading the information I learned by writing articles like this one and sharing other forms of radical media with those who want and need it.
Upon attending the conference, I did not realize that I could be more radicalized than I was at the time, but I learned a great deal from the talented and thoughtful panelists who generously shared their time with attendees. I would encourage anyone looking to expand their horizons in left-leaning politics to explore the organizations that sponsored this event and check out the next Socialism Conference in Chicago in September 2026.
Seen in Chicago during the Socialism 2025 conference. (Photo: Lettie Kazian)
