The Takeaway

Our host and our staff have remained dedicated to one thing: bringing you, the listeners, a quality news and information show.  Unfortunately, in February, The Takeaway staff found out that WNYC executives planned to cancel the show. The last day of the show was June 2nd, 2023. No official press release or external communications from NYPR mentions the end of the show, so in this episode, we address it head on with our former executive producer and current Executive Editor for GBH News, Lee Hill. Then, to celebrate the end of the show, we heard from the incredible people who have been making the show, both past and present. We want to say to all of you, thank you for being apart of the conversation and our community. The work of public radio is daunting, challenging, and often unrewarded. So, that's why we want you to remember this podcast as our final farewell. 

Rounding out our Producer Appreciation Weeks, intern David Escobar and host Melissa Harris-Perry look back at some of the stories he’s produced for The Takeaway: Does The Indian Child Welfare Act Hang in Peril?; An Enduring American Pastime: The State Fair; Working Out the Four-Day Work Week; Healing Trauma Through Nature in Wildcat; How A Doll Became a Queer Icon in M3GAN "David Escobar is a senior at Fordham University, double majoring in Journalism and Digital Technology & Emerging Media. His first memories of public radio started back in his hometown of San Francisco, where he remembers constantly listening to his local NPR-affiliate KQED in the car with his family. David began at WFUV in 2022, anchoring the midday newscasts at the station. Now David hosts the “Fordham Conversations'' public affairs program, where he taps into the Fordham University community to discuss and uncover issues that impact our world. His passion lies in political and cultural issues around the country, especially in New York City. David also regularly hosts WFUV’s “What’s What,” the station’s daily news podcast."

David Gebel spent many years working as a singer and actor, and in between shows would work as a temp at various corporate jobs. Little did he know that all those acquired office skills would help him end up at WNYC, initially supporting Radiolab, and then expanding his work to also include supporting The Takeaway and the podcast More Perfect. David focuses on the paperwork, the scheduling and the business support tasks, so that everyone else can focus on making great audio, but David was also incremental in shaping our "Aging While Queer" special series project and a number of other listener-involved segments. We are sending him lots of love and appreciation for all the incredible work he's done on The Takeaway.

"Atlanta influences everything."  As part of our Producer Appreciation Weeks, Host Melissa Harris-Perry talks with the professionals behind the scenes who bring you the stories you love.  Digital producer Zachary Bynum is a resident of Atlanta who's worked remotely with The Takeaway for the last 2 years. He produces, edits, and publishes all of our social media content, webpages, and podcasts. Zachary has also produced some enterprising coverage on the show, so today we are revisiting some of his favorite segments he produced: Cop City; Takeaway Report: A Teen Vogue State of the (Youth)ion; Dragphobia is on The Rise; Exploring Consumer Protection: The Kroger-Albertsons Merger; Black.Queer.Rising.:Moore Kismet (they/them) & George M. Johson (they/them) You can follow Zachary on Instagram and Twitter: @__zaby (2 underscores) You can pitch him here: zbynum360@gmail.com  Subscribe: Linktree: zabywrites 

As part of our goodbye to The Takeaway, Melissa Harris-Perry sits down with the beautiful folks behind the scenes who make the show happen every day! Today, we're highlighting the work of producer,  Monica Morales-Garcia, by listening back to a few of her favorite segments: "Black Maternal Health Week Comes to an End""Hospice Care Is Plagued by Exploitation""Brittney Johnson is Spellbinding""Keyla Monterroso Mejia is Taking the Lead""Now, Who Speaks [non-English]? "  Monica joined The Takeaway in 2022, after a year-long audio fellowship at the Peabody Award-winning show Latino USA, the longest running national Latino news and cultural public radio program. Where she produced long-form narrative stories like, "Chisme: An Ancestral Language,"  and "The Little Black Dress: A Hidden History." As an independent journalist and producer Monica has worked on, 30 Años: An Oral History of Latino USA, and has produced and fact-checked at Our Body Politic, the public radio show created and hosted Farai Chideya.    

As part of our farewell to The Takeaway, host Melissa Harris-Perry sits down with the people behind the scenes who make The Takeaway happen. Today, we're taking a look at some of the work done by Cat Sposato while here on the show. Some of her favorite segments include: Unpacking the Parkland Shooter VerdictA Conversation with MacArthur Fellow Kiese LaymonHurricanes, Puerto Rico and Bad Bunny's "El Apagón"The Polarizing Popularity of Pickleball Cat joined The Takeaway team in September 2022, while in the final semester of her Master's program at New York University's Journalism Institute. Previously, she's worked at NPR Music and their Alt.Latino podcast, and covered entertainment for NPR's Weekend All Things Considered. Her work has been featured in V Magazine and VMAN. In her spare time, she runs a Substack newsletter called Pop-Closure, where she rants and raves about all of the moments across our culture that she cannot get over.  Originally from Passaic, New Jersey, Cat is passionate about telling the stories of communities like hers.  You can find more of her work on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter at @CatVeryPopular and at catmariesposato.com

We continue our Producer Appreciation Weeks with Host Melissa Harris-Perry, who peels back the curtain and speaks with the talented folks that make The Takeaway every day. Today we're highlighting some of Morgan Givens' favorite segments produced during his time with The Takeaway: What Makes a Black ManElectric Literature Editor-in-Chief Denne Michele Norris Makes History and Makes SpaceAward Winning Poet Danez Smith Rises to the TopWhy Titus Kaphar Won't "Shut Up and Paint"Level Up: Accessibility in Gaming Morgan joined The Takeaway team in late 2022, and initially made his way into radio in a roundabout way. He spent years as a police officer in Washington, D.C., where he helped rewrite the training curriculum for the D.C. Police Academy before leaving the department for the non-profit sector, where he did work to eliminate sexual violence in the nation's prisons. Eventually, he interned with WAMU and NPRs 1A before becoming a producer for the program.  Morgan is a graduate of the Transom Storytelling Workshop, Neon Hum and Sony's Editor Bootcamp, and is an AIR New Voices Scholar and Mentor. He’s been named one of Variety’s Storytellers to Watch, has been featured in The Washington Post, NPR, Buzzfeed, NPRs Invisibilia, Crooked Media’s Work Appropriate and is frequently called upon to host The Moth storytelling events and perform for The Moth Mainstage in venues around the country. A frequent audio conference panelist, he's also spoken at the AFI Documentary Film Festival about the art of creating great audio. Morgan is also the creator of the award winning and critically acclaimed hopepunk fiction podcast Flyest Fables. Currently repped by CAA, he's hard at work on his debut memoir. Find him occasionally on Twitter at @Optimus_Mo and at MorganGivens.com

As part of our farewell to The Takeaway, Melissa Harris-Perry sits down with the folks behind the scenes who make the show happen every day. Today, we're highlighting the work of Mary Steffenhagen — an award-winning investigative journalist and producer who joined The Takeaway just over a year ago — by listening back to a few of her favorite segments: • "When Women’s Survival is Criminalized" and "Corrections in Ink" • "A Culture of Abuse and Cover-Ups in the Southern Baptist Convention" • "How Trains Left Indelible Tracks on American Culture" • "Music In Their Own Words: Sylvan Esso" • "The Realities of Race in Assisted Reproduction" • "Human Composting is Legal in New York—Now What?" Mary Steffenhagen's original reporting on labor organizing, social activism, and the political movement behind homeschooling has earned awards from the Sidney Hillman Foundation (Hillman Award), the Newswomen's Club of New York (Front Page Award) and multiple national student journalism associations. She has reported for outlets including Teen Vogue, City Limits and Chalkbeat. She was also a Fulbright scholar in the 2022 Berlin Capital Program and previously interned at Salon and Coda Media, where she helped produce a weekly news podcast. She earned a masters' in investigative and audio journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY in 2021.  Find her on Twitter @marynotmerry__ and at www.marysteffenhagen.com

We continue our Producer Appreciation Weeks with Host Melissa Harris-Perry, who peels back the curtain and speaks with the talented folks that make The Takeaway every day. Producer Ryan Wilde got his first taste of radio in an unlikely place: 104.5 Ice Radio in Antarctica.  After beginning his public radio career as an intern, and then producer for The Brian Lehrer Show, he also had a stop in Illinois to produce The 21st, a daily, statewide show produced by Illinois Public Media. After returning to New York City, he joined The Takeaway team in 2022. Ryan revisits some of his favorite segments, and shares highlights from two series he's spearheaded, from his past year producing for The Takeaway: "Downballot" Series"23 Mayors in 2023" SeriesMason, Tennessee is Fighting for its FutureA Fight For Survival: The "Salmon People" of the Columbia RiverRyans Only at the Ryan Meetup (and Definitely No Bryans)   Find Ryan on Twitter at @RyanAndrewWilde

As part of our Producer Appreciation Weeks, Host Melissa Harris-Perry talks with the professionals behind the scenes who bring you the stories you value and the shows you love.  Producer Katerina Barton revisits some of her favorite segments that she's produced throughout the past two years on The Takeaway: Gordon Plaza Residents Fight for Relocation from Toxic Land What is Driving the Truck Driver Shortage? What Does Queer Mean? Holiday Movie Prescriptions The Savannah Bananas Play Ball   Katerina joined The Takeaway as an intern in 2020 and came back as a temp producer in 2021, before she became an associate producer in 2022. She has produced nearly 300 segments for The Takeaway. Prior to joining the Takeaway, Katerina earned a duel master's degree at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism in Global & Joint Program Studies: Journalism & European/Mediterranean Studies Institute, worked as a reporter at a weekly paper in central Texas, and spent a year teaching English on a small island in Indonesia as part of a Fulbright English Teaching Fellowship. Find her on Twitter @KaterinaBarton.  

Over the years, The Takeaway has seen a long list of rotating staff made up of intrepid, outspoken journalists and producers. That list does not include Vince Fairchild who is a 'Takeaway veteran' in every sense of the word. Vince has worked as a broadcast engineer on the show since its first year on air in 2008 and now serves as our Senior Broadcast Engineer.  "He fact checks like no other. He sound designs with mastery. And he’s so good that when our Director Jay Cowit is out, Vince slides right into the director’s chair with aplomb." For those who know Vince, they know he is regarded as a quiet yet formidable leader. What that means is when he chooses to speak, Team Takeaway always listens. Melissa chatted with Senior Broadcast Engineer Vince Fairchild about The Takeaway as our final show approaches June 2nd.  Vince, we're sending you all the love and appreciation for what you've done. 

As the Takeaway comes to an end, we get one last set of movie prescriptions from Kristen Meinzer, a culture critic and host of the podcast "By The Book" and Rafer Guzman, a film critic for Newsday, and they bring us movie prescriptions about embracing change and fresh starts. Together Kristen and Rafer are the co-hosts of the podcast, Movie Therapy. KRISTEN’S PICKS: Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar, 2021 When middle aged best friends Barb and Star lose their jobs, they decide that a restorative vacation in Vista Del Mar is just what they need to help them ease into the next chapter. But things don't go quite as planned - with mysterious men, villains, and more throwing monkey wrenches into their getaway. Fortunately their friendship, optimism, and sense of humor keeps them strong and ready for anything that's thrown their way. The movie stars Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo.  The lesson: Things in life don't always go as planned. Sometimes we lose a job, and then things get worse from there. But leaning on our friends, and laughing at the absurdity of life can make it all more manageable.  Sister Act, 1992 Whoopie Goldberg stars as a nightclub singer who's forced to go into witness protection in a convent after witnessing a mob hit. While there, she struggles with the regimented life of the nuns. But thanks to her outstanding musical talents and charisma, she's able to turn the convent choir into a soulful chorus complete with a Motown repertoire. The lesson: Sometimes we're thrown into situations that feel wildly out of our purview. But that doesn't mean we can't handle them. In fact, those situations combined with our unique skills mean that we might excel in new ways.  Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, 2010 This documentary follows one year in the life of Joan Rivers. It was filmed when Rivers was 75, and coming out of what she considered a down year...after 40+ years of ups and downs as an actor, writer, and comedian. Along the way, she reveals some of her darker moments, biggest struggles, and incredible work ethic...along with lots of her biting wit.  The lesson: Even a legend like Joan Rivers has had lots of down years...times that could have broken her...but she chose to keep working, evolving, and trying new things. I'll also add that this film has a special place in my heart because when she was on her press tour for it, Rafer and I got to interview her...and she ended up being our first celebrity interview for the Movie Date podcast. RAFER’S PICKS: Harold and Maude, 1971 This is kind of the original cult movie, from 1971 -- before Rocky Horror, before Pink Flamingos, there was Harold and Maude. It’s the story of Harold, played by Bud Cort, and he’s a very rich, very mobrid young man who spends most of his time staging fake suicides to upset his mother. He hangs himself, cuts his throat, immolates himself and so on. For fun he attends random funerals, and that’s where he meets an 80-year-old woman named Maude, played by the great Ruth Gordon. And Maude is a rebel, even kind of an outlaw -- she's kind of a hippie, she poses nude for artists and for some reason she love to steal cars. She just loves to live. And these two start a friendship and despite their vast age difference, they fall in love. There was a time when you could see this movie at an art-house theater just about once a week, and I pretty much did, but I think it got oversaturated and it’s really fallen off the radar these days. But I think it’s worth revisiting. I like this movie because it seems morbid and perverse, and the humor is very dark. But as it goes on, it gets more and more tender and sincere, and these two characters start to feel very real. And in the end, Maude changes Harold, she gives him a new way of looking at life, she gives him a new spirit and she gives him a new way of expressing himself. She teaches him to play the banjo (and like Steve Martin always said, it’s impossible to be in a bad mood when you play a banjo.) And the final scene in the movie, which involves that banjo, it's a really hopeful, happy scene that tell us Harold is about to embark on a whole new life.   Castaway, 2000 Probably most adult humans have seen Castaway but just to refresh you: Tom Hanks plays a guy named Chuck Noland. Happy, likeable guy, works for Fed Ex, he has a girlfriend, played by Helen Hunt, they’re both deeply in love. He’s really got it all. And then he’s in a plane crash. He wakes up on a tiny island, somewhere in Pacific Ocean, surrounded by junk and debris from the plane, completely alone. And he’s stuck there for FOUR YEARS. And of course, the most famous thing about this film is probably Wilson, a soccer ball that becomes Chuck’s best friend as Chuck starts to go a little crazy. The scenes that always get me are in the second half of the film. Spoiler alert, Chuck gets rescued. And now he’s facing a world that moved on without him. His girlfriend is married! She thought he was dead, so she he had to move on. (What a scene that is -- I can’t believe Hunt didn’t get an Oscar nomination for that.) Anyway, in these scenes, Chuck actually starts to miss his life on the island. He misses sleeping on the hard ground, he misses the act of trying to spear a fish for food. And that really struck me as true. The thing about people is, they can adapt to anything. And once they do, they love it. But then things change and you have to adapt again. So I guess the lesson of this film is that no matter where you are, you aren’t at the end, you’re always in the middle. You’re always between the past and the future. But if you want to keep living, you’ve got to get to that next future. Inside Out, 2015 I loved this movie so much back in 2015 that I just fell all over myself praising it. I’m pretty sure it was number one on my top ten that year. It’s the story of two emotions, one named Joy, with the voice of Amy Poehler, and one named Sadness, voiced by Phyllis Smith. And this is your classic Pixar buddy comedy, with two opposing personalities, and it all takes place in these imaginary realms of your brain and your personality, like the Train of Thought and Friendship Island and Dream Productions, which is basically a movie studio in the mind. And it does a great job of bringing abstract concepts to life in these really, clever funny ways. But the reason I picked this movie is because Joy and Sadness live in the brain of a pre-teen girl named Riley. Her family has just moved from Minnesota to San Francisco when her father gets a new job. It’s a huge change, Riley doesn’t want to leave her old life, and she’s afraid of what her new life might be. So what we’re seeing as Joy and Sadness go on their adventure, is what’s happening in the mind of Riley as she grapples with change. And I really like how this movie shows that Sadness is important -- you have to feel it, you have to express it, and you can’t just bury it or shut it off, if you’re going to move forward on to the next thing.

You might not know this about our Line Producer Jackie Martin, but she is an Air Force Veteran who served from 2000-2005. On The Takeaway, she has produced segments about “Other Than Honorably” Discharged LGBTQ+ Veterans who were discriminated against and discharged due solely to their sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status. On top of that, she has coproduced a number of other segments about sports, politics, and culture. "After she left the AirForce she began her career in radio, where she worked for Howard Stern, and the SiriusXM sports channels. Jacklyn joined the Takeaway in January 2020 and has led production on a number of stories. She is the mother of two and enjoys traveling with her family, visiting every Major League Baseball stadium across the U.S. is her goal, and she also enjoys hiking, biking, or any outdoor activity." Jackie is thoughtful and empathetic, and most of all, unparalleled in the speed and quality of her work on the show. That is why we want to thank her for all her work and wish her all the best in her future endeavors. 

We went behind-the-scenes with our control room team: Jay Cowit, Vince Fairchild and Jackie Martin to find out how The Takeaway gets made every day. Then, we got a 1-on-1 conversation between show host Melissa Harris-Perry and Director Jay Cowit who's been working on the Sound design of The Takeaway for nearly 15 years now. "Jay has been with The Takeaway since its on-air inception in 2008, and has been the Show Director, Technical Director, and sound designer since 2009...He is responsible for the show's aural style, including, but not limited to, selecting the music used on the show, mixing interviews, producing the daily podcast version of the show, and creating sonic design used to convey news concepts." For more than a decade, Jay has carried the sonic vision of the show to its highest quality possible and for that, we thank him for all his leadership and work.

Original Air Date: August 30, 2022 More than 55,000 people across the U.S. are incarcerated with the sentence of life without the possibility of parole. This population been rising sharply in the past few decades, with an increase of 66% since 2003, according to research by The Sentencing Project. For those who are sentenced to live and die behind prison walls, there is a sense that they have been forgotten. But a new project is documenting some of their stories: The Visiting Room Project features interviews with more than 100 men who are serving with life without parole at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola.   The Takeaway spoke with Project co-creator, Dr. Marcus Kondkar of Loyola University New Orleans, and with Mr. Arthur Carter, who was recently released from Angola after his life without parole sentence was reduced. "I think that once you get a chance to see this is the person that the taxpayers are still holding in prison, I think the question should resonate: why they still are? Why are they still serving life sentences with no possibility of going home?" said Mr. Carter.

On Friday, June 2, we will broadcast our final episode.  As we head into these final days, we are taking the time to pause and show a little gratitude for the extraordinary team of producers who make The Takeaway every day.  Today, we are hailing our Senior Producer: Shanta Covington. Shanta and Takeaway host Melissa Harris-Perry have been working on media projects together for over a decade now. They first met when Melissa worked as a tv host on MSNBC's MHP Show (2012-2016). Shanta was a guest booking producer for the network with a profound impact. On the MHP show, she helped shape critically momentous coverage of things like the 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin and unrest in Ferguson following the police killing of Michael Brown.  WATCH: A Decade of Racial Violence | Melissa Harris-Perry  On The Takeaway, she co-produced award-winning segments, like our interview with feminist hip hop journalist and filmmaker of "Surviving R. Kelly," dreamhampton. "She is a passionate content creator and storyteller with more than 20 years in television/digital/film production as well as photography. She loves great movies, great stories and of course great content. In addition to her work for the Takeaway at WNYC, she owns and operates her own photography and video company." In less than a year of producing radio for the very first time, she went from a temporary producer to the show’s sole senior producer and has led the show's team of associate producers and temporary producers tirelessly. That's why Team Takeaway is sending her all the love and gratitude in this Producer Appreciation segment. 

The mounting death toll from the opioid crisis in the United States continues to wreak havoc in cities, towns, and rural communities across the nation. Over the past two decades, the number of people dying from opioid overdoses in New York, and across the United States, are rising each year.  But there is something that some public health experts say could help. Narcan, the brand name for the drug naloxone, is an overdose prevention tool that anyone can use. It’s a simple nasal spray, it's legal, it’s pretty quick and easy to learn how to use, and it can reverse the effects of opioid overdose, and potentially save a life. In March, the Food and Drug Administration authorized over the counter sales of Narcan, making a potentially live-saving drug even more widely available. A CDC study from 2020 found that nearly 40 percent of overdose deaths occurred while another person was nearby — which means the more people carrying Narcan, the better chance there is of saving a life. Takeaway producer Katerina Barton reports, and spoke with Joanna Kaufman, a nursing student, full spectrum doula and priestess in training, living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, whose brother, Benjamin, died in 2019 from a fatal opioid overdose. Katerina also received a Narcan training from Elena Rotov, an overdose prevention coordinator, Hep C/HIV tester, and Hep C coordinator at the Brooklyn-based harm reduction center After Hours Project. Narcan is currently accessible and mostly distributed outside of the traditional health care system from nonprofits and harm reduction organizations. It is also available in some states at participating pharmacies. Most cities offer free community Narcan trainings, where you will receive a free dose of Narcan, and you can also find trainings at nonprofits and harm reduction organizations near you, and online.New York City Public Overdose Prevention Programs  

Ruth E. Carter made history when she became the first Black costume designer to win an Oscar, and the first Black woman to win two Oscars, both for her work on Marvel’s Black Panther franchise. She’s been the premier designer for movies that portray iconic Black characters and cultures for three decades, having worked with the likes of Spike Lee, Denzel Washington and Ava DuVernay even before her Black Panther triumphs. Carter recounts pivotal moments and reflects on her career in a new book, "The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther," from out May 23rd. Carter sat down with The Takeaway to talk about her visions of Black history and for Afrofutures.

A group of dancers working at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, just won their battle to form the only current union for strippers in the country. Since being locked out on the job in March 2022, the dancers held a strike and picket for eight months before officially voting to unionize with Actors' Equity in November. But club management challenged the vote, prompting the National Labor Relations Board to set a hearing for May 15, 2023. Yet over this past weekend, the owners agreed to come to the table and recognize the union vote — handing the dancers a historic victory. We speak with Reagan, a dancer and union organizer with the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar dancers, about the months leading up to this moment and what's next for the new union. Click here to listen to our previous conversation with Reagan in August 2022.

The Writers Guild of America, which has over 11-thousand members, is entering week its third week of a work stoppage.  This is the first strike in 15 years, and comes at a time when the TV and film industry has seen some major changes in recent years. Amongst their demands, writers are seeking higher wages, better residuals, and assurances on the use of AI. First we hear from Monice Mitchell Simms, TV writer, screenwriter, author, producer and a member of the Writers Guild of America, who has been on the picket lines in Los Angeles. Then we speak with Alex Press, labor reporter and staff writer at Jacobin Magazine

Under the covid era immigration policy, Title 42 had expelled and turned away 2.6 million people at the U.S. Southern border without question. But that has not stopped the tens of thousands of migrants from gathering along the Southern border, hoping to be allowed to remain in the United States while awaiting a court date. While the Biden administration has rejected comparisons to the Trump administration, now as Title 42 measures have been lifted new asylum rules have been put into place. Causing migrant advocate groups to point out that the Biden administration has only “doubled down.” Joining us now is Faisal Al-Juburi, a spokesperson with RAICES a non-profit group defending the rights of immigrants and refugees, and Camilo Montoya-Galvez, immigration reporter at CBS News.

Sunday marked one year since the racist mass shooting in Buffalo. Melissa Harris-Perry sits down with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown to reflect on the tragedy and discuss how the city is coping right now. The tragic shooting is one of several disturbing massacres motivated by hate that have occurred in recent years. But the history of race based violence dates back to the beginning of what is now the United States, and some of the recent racially motivated attacks call to mind some of the racist violence that targeted Black communities in the early 20th century. We also speak with journalist and professor Jelani Cobb about this history.

We discuss what motherhood looks like when mothers and children are separated by borders, and how these families challenge Western stereotypes about what "good" motherhood is. We speak with Gabrielle Oliveira, associate professor at Harvard's Graduate School of Education and the author of "Motherhood Across Borders: Immigrants and their Children in Mexico and in New York City."  

Original Air Date: May 6, 2022 Motherhood and its many meanings and expectations are created and experienced within the particular realities of our society and history. And to better understand some of our shared national history with mothering we sat down with Professor Michele Goodwin of the University of California-Irvine who is author of the book Policing the Womb:  Invisible Women and the Criminalization of Motherhood.

Harpist Ashley Jackson seeks to shatter the traditionally narrow definition of "classical music," highlight Black history and pay homage to Black composers. Jackson, an Assistant Professor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Music Department at Hunter College, views the harp as a vehicle for storytelling. In a recent performance at New York City's Lincoln Center called "Take Me To The Water," Jackson explored the role and symbolism of water in Black stories.  Her upcoming album, "Ennanga," explores the intersections between West African folk music, Black American spirituals and contemporary jazz, featuring the works of composers like William Grant Still and Alice Coltrane. It will be released on June 16 by Bright Shiny Things.  

Washington state has long led on progressive policies and reform.  In late April, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a package of bills to address gun violence. House Bill 1240 prohibits the manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of assault-style weapons in Washington. Two additional measures require a 10 day waiting period and a training requirement for all gun purchases were also signed by the Governor.  We speak with Governor Jay Inslee about the legislation, and hear how Washington is leading on other progressive policies as well. 

On May 8th, 2023, Community Change Action, a nonprofit organization that aims to “dramatically improve material conditions for people struggling to make ends meet in the United States,” launched its “A Day Without Childcare” action. Thousands of parents, families and childcare providers came together to push for equitable access to childcare. Co-President of Community Change and friend of the show, Dorian Warren, joins The Takeaway to discuss this action.

Nebraska state senator from Omaha, Machaela Cavanaugh, promised to filibuster every bill that comes before the legislature this year — even those she supports. Why? She’s trying to stop a bill intended to outlaw gender-affirming care for people 18 and under. Senator Cavanaugh has been filibustering since February 23 and halfway through the legislative session in March, she’d managed to prevent even a single bill from passing. Her work took on a new urgency this week when Republicans introduced an amendment to the bill framed as a compromise: only gender-affirming surgeries would be banned, but a 12-week abortion ban would also be instated. We spoke with Sen. Cavanaugh prior to this development on Monday about her efforts.

Last week, Jordan Neely, a talented dancer whose impersonations of Michael Jackson made fans of many who watched him perform, was killed by a white former Marine on the New York City subway. Before the marine put Jordan in a chokehold that killed him, he’d been crying out for food. In the depths of despair, he said he wanted to die. But, what he needed was help. Countless others believe Jordan Neely should be alive today. Protests have rocked the city’s subways on behalf of a young man whose mental health deteriorated following the murder of his mother. He’d sought help from the New York City Department of Homeless services, but that help – from the city or his fellow passengers – didn’t arrive in time to save his life. The white man who killed him, has yet to be charged with a crime.  We speak with the President of Color of Change, Rashad Robinson. 

After speaking out on the Montana House floor against a bill that would restrict gender-affirming health care, Rep. Zooey Zephyr was censured by the legislative body. Zephyr, the state’s first openly transgender representative, will be barred from attending in-person debates and voting on legislation for the rest of the legislative session. That’s because Zephyr’s lawsuit against the Montana House, claiming her censorship violated her First Amendment rights, was denied by a Montana District judge. We speak with Rep. Zephyr about her censure, trans representation in the Montana state house, and anti-LGBTQ legislation currently on the docket.

A new investigation by Insider reveals flaws and failures of Facebook’s "Trusted Partner" program, which it heavily relies on in "Rest of World" regions which account for just 10% of Facebook's revenue. Trusted Partners are local NGOs contracted to provide local expertise and context to inform Facebook’s content moderation policies and practices. But Trusted Partners in Ethiopia told Insider that Facebook routinely ignored their recommendations and allowed hate speech that inflamed real life violence. We speak with Tekendra Parmar, Tech Features Editor at Insider, who led the investigation. Later we hear from Abrham Amare, whose father, Professor Meareg Amare, was murdered after Facebook posts calling for violence against him went viral. Amare and others filed a landmark lawsuit against Facebook last year.

During the past month, the new Republican majority controlling North Carolina’s state Supreme Court issued reversals of previous rulings on voting rights and overturned a trial court decision. These moves will have meaningful effects on the ability to cast a vote in the state and will have critical implications for local, state, and national election outcomes.  We speak with Ari Berman, National Voting Rights Correspondent for Mother Jones. 

The new investigative podcast series “Head Down'' explores labor trafficking happening within the U.S. government sponsored H2A visa program. It is sold as a “mutually beneficial” immigration program that allows migrant workers to come to the U.S. as temporary agricultural workers, but a close look into the program reveals a great disparity between how the program is described and what actually happens.  A recent investigation by Prism, LatinoUSA, and Futuro Investigates found that this program is rife with exploitation and abuse. The two part podcast follows the journey of Mexican farmworkers who soon after arriving in North Carolina with H-2A visas found themselves in a nightmare they were forced to escape. We speak with one of the podcast cohosts, editor-at-large of Prism News, Tina Vasquez. And while we’re on the topic of North Carolina, we also speak with Tina about the state’s recent move to ban abortion after 12 weeks. Listen to "Head Down": Head Down: Part I; Head Down: Part II

Original Air Date: March 3, 2023 As Americans faced soaring food prices, a proposed $24.6 billion dollar megamerger between Kroger and Albertsons was announced on October 14, 2022. These are two of the largest grocery chains in the country, accounting for more than 5,000 locations and employing over 700,000 people across its banner.  The United Food and Commercial Workers and Rocky Mountain Farm Workers Union- two of the nation's largest and oldest unions- are opposed to the merger citing its potentially monopolizing effects on the grocery industry and America's food system.  Back in 2015, Carol McMillian, a King Soopers groceryworker and a member of UFCW 7, remembers when Albertson’s acquisition of Safeway impacted her personally. Today, she joins us along with Dan Waldvogle, Director of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, to talk about why they are a part of a broad coalition to ‘stop the merger.’ They spoke with The Takeaway about how this potential megamerger impacts some of America’s most vulnerable workers and consumers. Editor's Note: We reached out to a Kroger's Spokesperson for comment. If interested, read below. “Our proposed merger with Albertsons is about growing jobs and careers, and we expect the merger to create meaningful and measurable benefits for our associates. We will invest an additional $1 billion to increase wages and expand our industry-leading benefits starting on Day one following close, and we expect to provide new and exciting career growth opportunities for many associates. This commitment builds on our track record of supporting associates, including the incremental $1.9 billion we have invested in wages and comprehensive benefits since 2018. The Kroger Family of Companies is one of America’s largest unionized workforces and this merger also secures the long-term future of union jobs by establishing a more competitive alternative to large, non-union retailers. Kroger is a customer-focused organization, and our ability to deliver value to customers is rooted in providing lower prices and more choices. This is of critical importance to us, and we have a long track-record of investing in prices to lower costs, including investing more than $5 billion in lowering prices since 2003. As we have in past mergers, we will hold ourselves accountable to our customer commitments. This includes investing $500 million to lower prices starting on day one post close. With Albertsons, we will also offer customers a broader selection of fresh products and expand Our Brands portfolio to deliver more value without compromise.” 

Original Air Date: May 02, 2023 On Monday, another multi-billion dollar banking institution collapsed — First Republic Bank. Wealthy investors had been pulling out billions of dollars in deposits over the past few weeks, in a 21st-century digital run on the bank. Federal regulators seized its assets, covered $13 billion in losses, and sold it off to JPMorgan Chase. This is now the second-largest bank failure in American history, and the third significant bank failure of the past two months after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. We discuss how this happened and what it means for the U.S. economy with Aaron Klein, Miriam K. Carliner Chair and senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution.

Jim Kenney was elected to the Philadelphia City Council in 1992 at just 32 years old.  After decades of service, he was elected mayor in 2016 then reelected in 2020.  As a term limited city leader, Mayor Kenney is in his final months of leading Philadelphia. We hear him reflect on his time as mayor, his efforts to address crime, and hear about some of the reasons why he is a proud Philadelphian.

A new study from the Brookings Institution reveals that Americans in four major cities — Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Seattle — believe that crime is out of control in downtowns. But the data shows that that’s not the whole story. While cities post-pandemic have seen an increase in particularly violent and property crimes, those increases haven’t happened in the downtowns, but in the areas that have been historically disadvantaged and disinvested in. So what accounts for this mismatch between what people are seeing downtown and what’s really happening? We speak with Hanna Love, Senior Research Associate at the Brookings Institution, to find out. Love is co-author of the study, "The geography of crime in four U.S. cities: Perceptions and reality."

In March, the actions of a local church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina received national attention for all the right reasons. The congregation at Trinity Moravian Church partnered with an organization called R-I-P Medical Debt to cancel 3,000 local residents’ medical debt, to the tune of $3.3 million dollars. They bought that debt for just a little over $15,000 dollars.  Rev. John Jackman, the pastor of Trinity Moravian Church held a symbolic “debt burning” ceremony to mark the occasion, with confetti and hymns.  In 2016, John Oliver, a comedian and host of the HBO series Last Week Tonight, purchased $15 million dollars in medical debt from 9,000 people, that he bought for “less than half a cent on a dollar.” And some state officials, like Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut, are currently proposing using federal pandemic aid to cancel billions of dollars in medical debt. Yes, these are happy stories of people working together to help their community members, neighbors, and even strangers.  But this is also a crisis. Millions of Americans carry the burden of outstanding medical debt – An investigation in 2022 by Kaiser Health News and the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 100 million people across the nation have some type of health care debt. Kaiser estimated that in 2019 –  the total medical debt in the country was around $195 BILLION dollars. For more on this we spoke with Emily Stewart, Executive Director at Community Catalyst, a national nonprofit focused on health justice.

Last month violence took over Sudan's capital, Khartoum… it has now spread through the entire country and thousands of civilians have fled from the chaos seeking refuge in Chad, Egypt, and other neighboring countries. Despite a second 72-hour ceasefire, violence has continued. Nations, including the US, have evacuated diplomats and citizens from the country. The violence stems from a long rivalry between two generals. The fighting between the two rivals has resulted in attacks on healthcare facilities and the destruction of the Airport… Civilians trapped in the capital are facing shortages of medicine, fuel, and food and are unable to leave their homes without the threat of being killed.  To get a closer look at what is happening in Sudan, on Tuesday Morning we talked with  Lynsey Chutel, New York Times reporter from the Johannesburg bureau.

As if winning the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee and holding three Guinness World Records weren’t already huge accomplishments, now Zaila Avant-Garde is adding the title of author to her name. She stops by and chats with Melissa about “It’s Not Bragging If It’s True: How to Be Awesome At Life” which is out now, and the upcoming Children’s Book, “Words of Wonder: From Z to A,” which is out June 27th.

Millions of American high school students take Advanced Placement Courses and Exams every year. AP Courses are standardized, college-level classes that students can take in high school, ideally exposing them to the depth, breadth and intellectual rigor of content they’d encounter in the university. But the author of a new book argues that these courses and exams are instead shortchanging students out of the liberal arts education that the AP was initially founded to foster. We speak with Annie Abrams, high school English teacher and author of "Shortchanged: How Advanced Placement Cheats Students." In response to a request for comment, The College Board, the nonprofit that runs the Advanced Placement Program, wrote: The great strength of the AP Program is the community of talented, dedicated teachers who care about their students and feel passionate about their subjects. We hear from thousands of those teachers every year, and their insights help make AP more effective and more inspiring for students. Annie Abrams' Shortchanged offers one, limited view, constrained by Abrams’ experience at a unique, highly selective high school. We find her examination of the AP Program not reflective of the experiences of the broader community of AP teachers and the students they serve. If she had consulted with any of the thousands of AP teachers educating across a variety of subjects, she would have found that students from all backgrounds can excel when they have the right preparation, a welcoming invitation, and a genuine sense of belonging.  Teachers choose to take part in AP because they find that it helps students engage deeply in subjects as diverse as English Literature, Physics, Art History, and Computer Science. Educators and college professors work together to guide AP frameworks, create and score AP exams, and make thoughtful revisions to course content as different disciplines evolve. The AP Program facilitates that large-scale collaboration between K12 and higher education, creating a uniquely valuable experience for students.  For schools across the country – urban and rural, large and small, well-resourced and economically struggling — AP provides a broad framework and a wealth of resources so that teachers at all levels can offer a college-level experience. AP frameworks are flexible by design so that teachers use their experience and creativity to expand and enhance the curricula. No two AP classes are alike, because they rely so thoroughly on the talent and commitment of individual teachers.  AP allows hundreds of thousands of students to engage in college-level work, regardless of the schools they attend. It offers an opportunity to earn college credit in high school, helping students and families save money, and graduate on time. We're incredibly proud to support the teachers who make that possible.

The recent death of Carolyn Bryant Donham, the woman whose words prompted the kidnapping, torture and brutal murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955, now means that the last person known to be involved in his kidnapping and murder…will never face accountability. We speak with Timothy B. Tyson, author of The Blood of Emmett Till and senior research scholar at Duke University, and Keith Beauchamp, an award-winning filmmaker behind the documentary “The Untold Story of Emmett Till” and producer of the movie “Till” about what Bryant’s death means in the quest for justice in Emmett Till’s murder.

Original Air Date: April 25, 2023 Only days after passing a measure that could dismantle Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs at public universities and colleges, the Texas State Senate passed a bill that would ban tenure offers to new professors at public colleges and universities in Texas. The measure has been opposed by professors across the state who say that this is an attack on academic freedom. Senate Bill 18 now moves to the Texas State House. We speak with Dr. Karma R. Chávez, Bobby and Sherri Patton Professor of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies and Department Chair, and Sergio Martinez-Beltran, reporter with The Texas Newsroom. 

Original Air Date: April 26, 2023 The sitcom Abbott Elementary has become a weekly favorite among all ages in the world of streaming and binge-watching TV. The network series created by Quinta Brunson is a comedy at heart set at a predominantly Black elementary school in Philadelphia, but under the brilliant writing and jokes, is a political commentary about the challenges faced by under-funded public schools. In season 2 (spoiler alert!), the series introduces a new nemesis which is a charter school network – Legendary Charter Schools, along with the continuation of the artful slow burn of the “will-they-won’t-they” plot line between two young teachers. We recap the season with Jessica Winter, an editor at The New Yorker and also writes about family and education, and dive into the tension between public schools and charters.   

Original Air Date: December 16, 2021 The Takeaway community is full of book worms and literary lovers, so we spoke with some incredible authors about their work and some titles to look out for. Feminist AF: A Guide to Crushing Girlhood Co-authored by Brittney Cooper , Chanel Craft Tanner , and  Susana Morris, this book walks us through their tips for surviving girlhood with a feminist flair.  These Precious Days: Essays New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! Author, host and executive producer of Netflix's "Bookmark," and 2021 Ambassador for the National Education Association’s Read Across Campaign Marley Dias speaks to kids about her passion for making our world a better place, and how to make their dreams come true! We talked to Marley about #1000BlackGirlBooks, her recent acceptance to Yale University, and how she's using her Netflix platform to expand engagement with books, reading, and ideas. WATCH: Melissa Harris-Perry & Marley Dias at ELLE Magazine The Takeaway Book Report: 2nd Edition Listen to the full episode here. Original Air Date: December 30, 2021 Our host Melissa Harris-Perry spoke with some amazing guest about the books they've been reading and writing. Guest in this episode include: Constance Grady, senior culture writer at Vox, talked about her picks for 2021. Treva B. Lindsey, author of America, Goddam: Violence, Black Women, and the Struggle for Justice discussed her upcoming book. Deep Dive co-host and co-president of the Center for Community Change Dorian Warren told us his favorite books of the year.  Kaitlyn Greenidge discussed her new work Libertie, a work of historical fiction that is one of the most buzzed about books of the year.  Torrey Peters author of Detransition, Baby discussed her national bestselling novel which tells the story of three people, transgender and cisgender, whose lives intersect thanks to an unexpected pregnancy.

In recent months, franchisees of companies from the Hilton Inn to Subway have been pushing back against their corporate franchisors, claiming they are being squeezed out of profits. And a new study from the Government Accountability office found that franchisees tend to lack basic control over the operational side of their local storefronts, which can make turning a profit difficult. Yet despite these problems, many franchisees forgo reporting the deceptive and unfair practices of their franchisors.  We speak to Lydia DePillis, an economics reporter at the New York Times, to discuss the relationship between franchisees and their franchisors and the ongoing hurdles for regulatory franchise legislation. We also speak to Dr. Marcia Chatelain, Professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, about how the struggle for civil rights and the growth of the fast-food industry in America have shaped one another. 

Thousands of New York Times contributors signed an open letter this February that raised concerns about alleged imbalance and bias in the paper’s coverage of trans people and issues. This month, the co-authors released another letter — this time addressed directly to Times’ publisher A.G. Sulzberger. Contributors continue to criticize both the Times’ coverage of trans people and issues, which they say is biased and harmful, as well as the Times’ response to the letter. Staffers who signed the letter in support have reported being disciplined, and anti-trans activists and lawmakers have continued to cite Times coverage in their justifications for bans on gender-affirming care. We speak again with Harron Walker, freelance journalist and letter co-author, about the state of the Times. Listen to our previous conversation with Walker about the letter here.

Democratic Senator from California Diane Feinstein has spent more than three decades in the U-S senate. Her tenure has won her praise from allied politicians like former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. The lawmakers have defended Senator Feinstein as questions arise surrounding her ability to serve. Despite the backing of some defenders, Senator Feinstein is facing calls to step down from within her own party. Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips and California Representative Ro Khanna have openly called for Feinstein’s resignation. Senator Feinstein made efforts to slow the calls for her resignation by asking Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for a temporary replacement in her role on the Senate Judiciary Committee. But the brouhaha over Senate Feinstein brings more to mind than the current gerontocracy. It calls into question power in the Senate: who has it, how it operates, and how much of a senator’s work output is dependent on the staffers surrounding them.  We speak with Jerry Goldfeder, professor of Election Law and Director of the Voting Rights and Democracy Project at Fordham Law School, for more.

An autopsy conducted by an independent examiner in March found Tortuguita's hands were in a raised position. A second autopsy report -conducted by the DeKalb County Medical Examiner-found no gun residue on Queer, Indigenous-Venezuelan activist Manuel Teran AKA Tortuguita's hands but only upon visual inspection. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation ran a gun residue kit, confirming gun residue was found on Tortuguita's body. The report noted that "it is possible for victims of gunshot wounds, both self-inflicted and non-self-inflicted, to have GSR present on their hands.” Some experts believe this means Tortuguita fired on officers first, and an absence of solid evidence has created speculation about what exactly sparked the gunfire exchange. The officers involved were not wearing body cameras, and questions about the nature of the officers' actions and the activist's death linger. Initial reports claimed Manuel Teran had been killed by 14 gunshot wounds after firing on an officer. An official autopsy from the DeKalb Medical Examiner's office shows Tortuguita's body suffered at least 57 gunshot wounds. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. We speak with Matt Scott, a member of the Atlanta Community Press Collective, which is a nonprofit media collective that’s been doing research on the development of cop city and providing community-embedded reporting. Matt joins us for an update on the situation in Atlanta after attending the City Council Subcommittee on the project and some bond hearings for some of those charged with ‘domestic terrorism.' You can listen to our other segments on cop city below: Editor's Note: This story was updated at 6:18 PM ET. You can listen to our other segments on cop city below: Cop City ; Cop City: Forest Defender Killed; Cop City: Welcome to RIOTSVILLE, USA; Cop City: Week of Action For transcripts, click the links above and visit our homepage.

Our nation constantly struggles to understand the lives and lived experiences of enslaved Black Americans. Discussing the lives of enslaved Black people can be complicated. That complexity can push us towards easy understandings and answers of who they were while inadvertently seeking rebellion in their every word and deed. This search for near constant rebellion through a 21st century lens flattens their lives and experiences. In Reading Pleasures: Everyday Black Living in Early America, Professor Bynum pushes us towards a deeper understanding of the everyday lives of Black Americans like: the poet Phyllis Wheatley, ministers John Marrant and James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw and pamphleteer David Walker who urged enslaved Black Americans to break free of slavery. She pulls us into their internal worlds, and demands we recognize the pleasures they enjoyed as they lived, in spite of their societal station.

When the dot-com bubble burst back in 2000, Allison Hemming was one of the many laid-off employees. At the time, she planned a get together and networking event with fellow-laid off employees to swap career advice, commiserate, and meet with recruiters, and this meetings turned into what she dubbed “pink slip parties.” Now, as more than 100,000 employees in the tech and media industries have faced layoffs over the past year, we talk to Allison Hemming, CEO of The Hired Guns, a tech-recruiting firm, about pink slip parties, advice for people facing layoffs, and how companies and CEOs can make these difficult moments better for their employees.

On Friday, the Supreme Court issued a stay on a lower court ruling. The stay ensures, that for now, the abortion pill, mifepristone, will remain widely available. Mifepristone was first approved as safe and effective for ending pregnancies more than 20 years ago. But earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a federal judge in Texas appointed by former President Donald Trump, suspended the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit challenged part of Kacsmaryk’s ruling – leaving mifepristone legal, but making it harder to access. Friday’s decision by the Supreme Court halted those 5th Circuit Court restrictions and reestablished the status quo. But the decision is temporary.  This is the first time the Supreme Court has taken action on abortion since overturning Roe v. Wade last year. But, because this was an emergency decision and not a full case, the Court did not provide reasoning, noting only that Justices Thomas and Alito dissented. For more on this, we spoke with Leah Litman, Professor of Law at University of Michigan Law School and co-host of the Crooked Media podcast Strict Scrutiny.

Noted Businesswoman and marketing maven, Bozoma Saint John, joins us to talk about her new book “The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss and Survival,” which chronicles the difficult moments she’s survived and her choice to live life urgently.

 The Takeaway is celebrating a very intersectional Earth Day Weekend with some of our favorite segments on environmental justice: How Indigenous Water Protectors Paved Way for Future Activism The Work of Black Girl Environmentalist What Queer Ecology Can Teach Us About Environmentalism The Intersection of Climate Justice and Racial Justice Young Voices Speak Out About Earth Day For full transcripts, see our website.

Original Air Date: April 19, 2023 It’s an act that’s familiar to countless older siblings around the nation: pick up your younger siblings from afterschool, the bus stop, maybe even another friend’s house and then walk them home. It’s an act that took a decidedly dangerous and near deadly turn for the 16 year-old “gentle soul”, clarinet player and member of his high school marching band – Ralph Yarl. Hundreds marched and called for justice after Ralph Yarl was shot twice – once in the head – by a white homeowner last Thursday. Ralph’s supposed wrongdoing? Accidentally ringing the wrong doorbell while trying to pick up his younger brothers and bring them home. Ralph Yarl has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home. The white man who shot him, will now face two felonies: assault in the first degree and armed criminal action. Young Black boys – children – are often viewed as far older and threatening than reality would suggest. This can have far reaching consequences on their lives, and their mental health. 

Original Air Date: April 20, 2023 As weekend one of Coachella wrapped up last week and we head into weekend two of the three-day music festival, we check in with Pitchfork staff writer Allison Hussey about the highs, lows, and the lesser-known artists of Coachella.  You can catch her Coachella coverage at pitchfork.com. 

The stoner classics Scary Movie and Friday envisioned a future where “puff, puff, pass” is the norm. And the majority of states across the nation have acquiesced. Recent years have seen a spate of laws in state legislatures that make weed legal for medical and recreational purposes. Federally, the issue of marijuana legalization appears to have stalled, but recent bills introduced in congress point towards a future of possible bipartisan support for the drug’s legalization. Senior editor of Marijuana Moment, Kyle Jaeger, joins us as we talk about the current state of weed legislation in the U-S, and what, if anything, President Biden can do to reschedule and decriminalize the drug.

Larissa Fasthorse is one of the first Indigenous women to have her play produced on Broadway. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY is one of six plays coming out written by Larissa Fasthorse in 2023. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY centers indigenous issues through the lens of a small community’s attempt at staging a “socially-conscious thanksgiving play.” Fasthorse joins The Takeaway to talk about THE THANKSGIVING PLAY, the pressures of being one of the first Indigenous women to have a play produced on Broadway and what it’s like to center Indigenous issues in an industry that often ignores Indigenous artistry. 

Little Richard was a larger-than-life entertainer and personality which is captured by the new documentary, “Little Richard: I Am Everything.” We speak with the film’s director, Lisa Cortes.

As part of our "23 Mayors in 2023" series, we head to Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 36, Michelle Wu was elected as the first woman and the first person of color to become mayor of Boston 2021. Boston is the 23rd largest city in America, with a population of almost 700,000. A diverse, and very young city, Boston has the highest percentage of 20-34 year olds of the top 25 largest cities in America. But challenges with racial inequality in Boston persist. We speak with Mayor Michelle Wu, mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, about her journey into politics, how her identity has been an advantage (and disadvantage at times) in her job, and overcoming some of the challenges facing Boston.

Hollywood and the writers that make movies and TV shows possible are in the middle of a labor battle, which could bring Hollywood to a halt for the first time in 15 years.  On Monday, members in the Writers Guild of America union cast their last ballots, and the union announced that 97.85 percent of members voted to authorized a strike.  The writers’ union is currently in negotiations with Hollywood studios. The current contract ends on May 1st, which is when the strike would begin if both sides don’t reach an agreement. At the core of this strike is the rise of streaming content and platforms, with writers feeling left behind with shorter seasons, longer production times, and smaller residual checks. For more on this, we spoke with Brent Lang the Executive Editor at Variety.

Making it to the NFL is the dream of countless young boys and men across the nation. Less than 2-percent of college football players make it to the NFL. For those who do make it, before they can don the uniform of a professional team and see those dreams realized, they must first be selected in the NFL draft. Draft day is like winning the lottery for those selected to play on an NFL team, but the draft isn’t without its critics who find the process dehumanizing. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and football executive Troy Vincent liken the process to a modern-day slave auction. With the N-F-L draft taking place later this month, we check in with Dave Zirin, sports editor of The Nation and author of The Kaepernick Effect, about the state of its draft and how it stacks up against other professional sports. 

Today marks the last day of Black Maternal Health Week. A week that sheds light on the rise of maternal mortality in the US. We speak with Loretta Ross an activist, educator, author, and co-founder of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, as well as the co-creator of the theory of reproductive justice. Ross has traveled the world at the invitation of leaders and activists to speak about reproductive justice, and in 2022 she was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant.” She is currently an Associate Professor for the Study of Women and Gender at Smith College. She joined us for some takeaways on this final day of Black Maternal Health Week.

Ryan Donovan, an Assistant Professor of Theater Studies at Duke University joins the show to talk about his new book, “Broadway Bodies: A Critical History of Conformity." In the book, Ryan looks at Broadway musicals and casting from 1970 to 2020 and the bodies that Broadway has historically excluded from its stages, based on size, gender, disability, and how that intersects with race and ethnicity, and the shows that are not making an effort to be more inclusive. 

Americans buy more than 800 million books a year. And even though the pandemic era bump in book sales has stabilized, publishing remains a multi-billion dollar industry. There’s a booming genre of online content that is transforming the publishing industry. It’s called “book influencing” where book reviewers online find creative ways across social media platforms to discuss what they are reading. Kelsey Weekman, internet culture reporter for Buzzfeed News, joins us to discuss how these influencers are promoting reading to entire communities online. 

Original Air Date: July 13, 2022 Since 2019, "A Black Lady Sketch Show" has served as a testament to just how wonderfully weird and insightful things get when some of the best Black women comedians gather.  Its success is due in large part to the vision of creator and star Robin Thede. On Tuesday, June 12, it was announced that Thede's timely and iconic sketch comedy show was nominated for a third year in a row. This year the show is nominatd for 5 Emmy nominations including: Outstanding Variety Sketch Series; Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series; Outstanding Editing for a Variety Series; Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series; and Outstanding Production Design .  Back in April, Thede joined The Takeaway to discuss the third season of "A Black Lady Sketch Show" and what it's like blazing trails as a Black woman in comedy. 

Original Air Date: July 29, 2021 The decision by gymnast Simone Biles to not compete in the Olympic Team Finals or the all-around individual competition in order to prioritize her mental health has left many wondering why.  Former Olympian and gold medalist Dominique Dawes joins The Takeaway to give an insider perspective on the pressure young women gymnasts face and why this decision by Biles may be her greatest feat yet.

Original Air Date: January 11, 2022 Actress, author and “gangsta mom of four” Holly Robinson Peete joins us to talk about her advocacy work for kids on the autism spectrum and her decision to go public about her son’s diagnosis.

In the face of so many environmental crises caused by climate change, more and more Americans have been thinking about their carbon footprints. Not only the footprints we make by living — but also the ones we make by dying. An alternative method to burial and cremation has been gaining interest across the country, and it recently became legal in New York: human composting. But legalization is really just the start of the story. Human composting still faces a few major barriers before New Yorkers can actually choose it, and competing interests between businesses in the death industry are complicating matters. The Takeaway producer Mary Steffenhagen reports on what’s next for human composting and what it says about how we commemorate our time on earth.

Jonathan Majors is one of Hollywood’s swiftest rising stars. And he presented a version of masculinity that pushed back against the heavily policed boundaries set by society and Black men themselves. Majors’ version of masculinity welcomed softness and vulnerability – it also drew the ire of those who found his gender performance emasculating and pointed towards the “feminization” of Black men. When he was arrested at the end of March on charges of domestic violence, Majors was arraigned and released, and Majors denies and disputes the charges. Curiously, following his arrest he was defended by many of the same people who decried his turn to a soft version of masculinity. We discuss the boundaries placed on Black men with regards to their masculinity, and why an act of alleged violence can rewrite a man’s place in performing society’s masculine ideals. Mark Anthony Neal, James B. Duke distinguished professor of African and African American studies at Duke University joined to discuss.  

On Monday, at Rutgers University in New Jersey, thousands of professors, part-time lecturers, and graduate and undergraduate students marched together holding signs that read, “We R on strike for a better Rutgers.” We spoke to Dr. Donna Murch, Associate Professor of History at Rutgers and the New Brunswick Chapter President of Rutgers AAUP, one of the unions on strike. In the midst of this standoff, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, took on a foundational role in preventing University President, Jonathan Holloway, from using an injunction on Faculty and staff. Governor Murphy instructed Holloway to hold off on issuing the injunction, and even spent two hours at the bargaining table himself. 

Librarians across the country are using TikTok to advertise their services, connect with communities and put their libraries on the national map... And they're pretty funny! We talk with three librarians about their strategies, goals, and experiences as library workers during a time of rising right-wing attacks on books and library funding. We speak with Rhea Gardner and Mychal Threets, both supervising librarians at Solano County Library in California — and they run the library's TikTok! Visit them on TikTok here. We're also joined by Lisa Varga, executive director of the Virginia Library Association, a chapter of the American Library Association. 

In the wake of Monday’s mass shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, we discussed whether there is any value to “thoughts and prayers” in moments of public violence and loss.   Dean Yolanda Pierce is currently dean of the School of Divinity at Howard University and will soon become dean of the School of Divinity at Vanderbilt University this fall. Dean Pierce joined The Takeaway to offer reflections on the contributions and challenges of public faith discourse in a secular democracy. 

Many of the Founding Fathers who signed the Constitution had a deep familiarity with Native nations, some having negotiated treaties or engaged in diplomatic relations with them. We spoke to Robert J Miller, Professor of Law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU, who enlightened us about the Native origins of the US Constitution

Takeaway producer Ryan Andrew Wilde recently came across a flier that said "Is your name Ryan? Wanna meet other Ryans? Join the Ryan Meetup!" At the bottom of the flier, it laid out some strict rules: "First name must be Ryan" and "No Bryans Allowed." A few weeks later, intrigued but unsure of what to expect, Ryan headed to Ryan Maguire's, a lower Manhattan bar and restaurant, with a microphone and some questions.  Ryan Andrew Wilde, associate producer for The Takeaway, shares the story. We hear all about some of the Ryans he encountered, the history of the name "Ryan," and what's behind the Ryan/Bryan rivalry.