1A

Public defenders are attorneys who are appointed to work on behalf of defendants who can't afford to hire their own representation. But they aren't always supported in the ways that maybe they should be. We talked to three professionals in the field about their work. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

In 2021 alone, 25 states have introduced over 70 bills targeting transgender people. Trans youth are especially affected by this recent legislative push, with a significant number of these bills focused on children specifically. We talked about what this legislation means for LGBTQ rights nationwide, and how likely the bills are to pass. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

The world reflects on a year since the WHO declared a global pandemic. The U.S. passes a new COVID-19 relief bill and Hawaii is in a state of emergency as floods rip through the state. Meanwhile, protests continue in Senegal. The world reacts to a World Health Organization report which reveals that about one in three women has faced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives. We get to all those stories, plus the latest on the global vaccination effort. Want to support 1A?...

A growing number of migrants are arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico every day. We talked about the steps President Biden has promised to take to manage immigration at the southern border. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, racism and harassment toward Asian Americans have increased. But anti-Asian racism isn't new and this uptick of violence forces us to examine the centuries of hate that has led to this moment. We talk about what's behind the rise in anti-Asian attacks and examine what history might tell us about the fight to be seen and to feel safe. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on...

Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., is President Joe Biden's choice to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior. If confirmed, she'd make history as the first Native American to lead the department responsible for maintaining and conserving federal lands. We talked about what Haaland's nomination means for the Department of the Interior. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

The latest COVID-19 relief package is now headed over to the House. With the expiration for unemployment benefits looming, Democrats hope to get it to Biden's desk soon. The plan's met changes along the way. We get into the details of those changes and more. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration and is now the third vaccine available to the American public. And the latest COVID-19 relief package heads to the Senate. Meanwhile, the Pope heads to Iraq, and São Paulo implements new measures to try and curb the spread of COVID-19. We discuss these headlines and more. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have...

The House of Representatives is set to vote on a sweeping set of voting rights measures known as H.R. 1 or the "For the People Act." The bill is an attempt to expand access to voting — something at least one GOP attorney is on record as saying would be bad for the Republican Party. What does HR-1 mean for the future of voting in the U.S.? Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Teaching orchestra, choir or band virtually in a pandemic presents some unique challenges. Even with schools reopening, it's difficult to hold in-person band practice in a way that's safe and socially distant. How has music education changed during the pandemic? And what does its future in U.S. education look like? Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

The latest COVID-19 relief plan recently passed the House and is on its way to the Senate. But the provision regarding an increase to the minimum wage and child allowance could prove a hurdle to the bill passing. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control over the weekend. We answer questions regarding its efficacy and talk to Dr. Anthony Fauci about the impact of the new vaccine as Americans begin thinking about returning to normal. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Over 500,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States. The Biden administration conducted its first known military operation, against Iranian-backed militias in Syria. Meanwhile, the Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was killed in an attack on a United Nations convoy earlier this week. And the push to distribute vaccines for COVID-19 continues around the world. We got to those stories and more on the News Roundup. Want to support 1A? Give to your local...

"We need to talk about increasing diversity in police forces," says Vida Johnson, law professor at Georgetown University. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

"For me, queer nightlife spaces have always been these places of possibility, of world-making, of learning to style yourself," says Madison Moore, professor of queer studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. What are queer bars and clubs doing to survive, and what happens to communities if they don't? Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Companies like MasterCard and Tesla are embracing cryptocurrency. But what does cryptocurrency's popularity mean for the U.S. dollar's global influence? Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

"Many, many, many people have student loan debt, but might not have finished their degrees and therefore aren't reaping the benefits of a degree," says The Atlantic's Annie Lowrey. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Texas continues to deal with the aftermath of a winter storm that left millions without power and disrupted water service to the state. The Biden administration projects any American who wants the COVID-19 vaccine will be able to get one by the end of July. Meanwhile, protests in Myanmar continue, as well as the World Health Organization's vaccination efforts. We got to those stories and more on the News Roundup. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to...

"The weather is playing a huge role in this situation. Our infrastructure isn't built to handle this much demand for heating under these conditions," says Joshua Rhodes, energy researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

"I decided to focus on mothers because of this further erasure that happens to mothers. Motherhood is so overlooked," says Anna Malaika Tubbs, author of "The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped A Nation." Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.