Potkaars is citizen journalism via podcast with a candle in a jar, a guitar, a webcam (for those who want an image) and integrally recorded conversations with guests and a positive story. They are made by Rico Brouwer from Almere. Usually in my studio at home, sometimes on location such as at a demonstration. Since the 2008 financial crisis, I’ve been trying to read and listen to podcasts a lot to find out and understand what’s going on around me in the world you don’t hear about on TV. The podcast has existed since December 20, 2018 with a broadcast every week about activism, (geo) politics and what is current. “Potkaars – talk to everyone” who does things, activists and specialists who provide interpretation. People who give me hope. Potkaars is the report of my search.

After my training as a Social Pedagogical Counselor I worked in ICT at ao. Tridion, ING, the Academic Computing Center Amsterdam and as a teacher at Global Knowledge.

The crisis in 2008 changed my view of the world and it brought me back to school. In 2014 I became an activist. The reason was when – after Edward Snowden – Bolivian President Evo Morales’ plane was grounded in the EU on behalf of the United States because Morales joked that he might grant Snowden asylum and take him with him from Moscow.

“If the power in the Netherlands lies in The Hague, then perhaps the way to make things better is through politics? ” I would try and so I became a politician in the 2017 House of Representatives elections: candidate # 3 and campaign leader for the Pirate Party. After those elections, I continued as an activist with “Real Fairytales”. In music these are the reverse of fake news: the difficult themes in fun songs.

In 2018 I became a journalist. Now I do interviews with specialists on all subjects from all over the world. What my guests share is a message of hope.

I am writing a book about and with whistleblowers and live with my wife, our two children and the dog Sachi – in the Verzetwijk of Almere.