Our Body Politic

On this episode of Our Body Politic, we focus on two hot topics in the news: the wave of white supremacist sentiments that has taken hold inside and outside of government, and the state of voting rights in America. First, Our Body Politic host and creator Farai Chideya speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Wesley Lowery about his latest book,“American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress,” examining the “whitelash” to the notion of a “post-racial America” after the election of President Barack Obama. Then, Farai is joined by Tiffany Jeffers, associate professor of law at Georgetown Law and Our Body Politic contributor And Kimberly Atkins Stohr, senior opinion writer and columnist for Boston Globe Opinion, to discuss the latest Supreme Court ruling on voting rights, the legitimacy of SCOTUS, and President Donald Trump’s indictments, and how all of these factors may play a role in the 2024 presidential election.

Transgender rights are increasingly under attack in the United States, despite studies showing that the majority of Americans don’t want laws limiting transgender rights. But politicians on the right, who have long used gender and family issues to appeal to conservative voters, are now trying to reach broader audiences with anti-trans rhetoric. In this episode of “Our Body Politic,” guest host Imara Jones, founder and CEO of TransLash Media and host of the investigative series podcast, the Anti-Trans Hate Machine, gives listeners a thoughtful overview of what’s going on right now in the world of transpolitics – the politics impacting trans people and our communities. She also speaks with the trailblazing non-binary politician Mauree Turner about anti-trans issues and policies. And on our weekly roundtable, “Sippin’ The Political Tea,” Imara and journalists Orion Rummler and Samantha Reidel dig into how the media talks about trans people and legislation, and how two pivotal works have guided the cultural and political conversation.

On June 19, 1865, enslaved people were finally freed in Texas – a day of joy that would become known and celebrated in Black communities as Juneteenth. While the day became a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth's expansion is one indication of the ways Black memory and the commemoration of Black freedom is championed. In this special presentation, we look at the roots of the holiday, what has endured – and changed – and some of the ways Juneteenth is exploited. We also hear from you, our listeners, about your stories of celebration, liberation and community.

An elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. A grocery store in East Buffalo, New York. A mall in Allen, Texas. The list of locations where mass shootings have taken place in the United States continues to grow, with gun violence touching every aspect of American life. Even people who have not been directly affected by gun violence still feel trapped by the crisis our nation is enduring and feeling a loss of public safety. On this week’s episode of Our Body Politic, creator and host Farai Chideya focuses on the impact and intersections of gun violence. Plus, a special panel on gun violence and reproductive justice recorded live at the Center for the Study of Guns and Society at Wesleyan University and moderated by OBP guest host, Karen Attiah.

Between layoffs, show cancellations, downsizing and network shut-downs, some are calling the recent news about the news an all out “media massacre.” Will this disintegration of outlets cause increased polarization? The people who get the platform to tell the news – and how they tell it – will matter more than ever before.

In today’s image-obsessed world, the pressure from celebrities, beauty brands and pop culture toward changing and manipulating one’s body can be overwhelming. How can we cultivate joy and wellness within ourselves and the world of fitness and movement? In this week’s episode, Farai Chideya speaks with two guests who are helping their clients connect the dots between physical health and mental health; who are building their communities and businesses; and who are aging not with grace but with vigor. Plus, we answer questions from you, our listeners!

Our Body Politic was founded on a mission to give a platform to and uplift the voices of Black women and women of color. This week, we hand the mic over to three of our guest hosts to showcase the amazing interviews they’ve done. First, Natasha Alford speaks with Alisha Fernandez Miranda on embracing new paths in Alisha’s memoir, “My What If Year.” Then, Karen Attiah talks business and Black hair with Janell Stephens, the CEO and founder of Camille Rose Naturals. Finally, Emmy-nominated producer Tanya Selvaratnam leads our Sippin' the Political Tea roundtable on South Asian creators and filmmaking with Academy Award winning producer and director Joseph Patel; and founder of Anthem of Us, Anurima Bhargava.

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States. And people of Indian descent make up the largest part of America's South Asian diaspora, which includes Bangladeshi, Nepalis, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans as well as people from Bhutan and the Maldives. With such a diverse community, defining what it means to be a South Asian American can be complex. This week, we dive into that complexity, exploring identity, history, political representation and a pressing issue for the South Asian diaspora: caste discrimination.

This week, an Our Body Politic encore: Farai interviews Steven Thrasher, LGBTQ scholar, journalist and author of “The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Diseases Collide.” Thrasher offers insights from his new book on how systematic marginalization determines who is most affected by public health crises like HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and mpox. Then, Farai speaks to Howard Polskin, president and founder of “TheRighting,” a newsletter, site and social media feed that compiles and disseminates far-right political commentary to cross-pollinate the divided media audiences in the U.S. and combat disinformation in the news.

Guest host Mara S. Campo, Anchor and Managing Editor at Revolt Black News, looks at the ongoing national mental health crisis and talks to people who are working outside the box to make a difference.

More than fifty years after Title IX, we take a wider look at the treatment and coverage of female and transgender athletes. At the close of a dramatic NCAA women’s championship, Natasha Alford, Senior Correspondent at The Grio, sits in for Farai Chideya to talk about Black women athletes, college sports, and sports journalism.

Guest host Natasha Alford, in for Farai Chideya, explores political coalition building through three lenses. From the national stage - to hotly contested state races - to local politics - elected officials owe a duty of care to the constituents they serve. But how do politicians at all levels of government communicate with marginalized communities and how do those communities get their voices heard?

Guest host and Washington Post Columnist Karen Attiah sits down with writer, historian, and scholar Jelani Cobb at the 2023 Just Economy Conference to discuss the challenges facing journalists of color in today’s media landscape.

Guest host Hagar Chemali, foreign policy expert and Creator and Host of the YouTube show "Oh My World!" looks closely at the latest in international policy, from the conflict in Ukraine to US and China Relations, and finally, the recent election in Africa’s largest democracy, Nigeria.

Another OBP Extended Edition! Guest host Natasha Alford speaks with former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes on the hotly contested election for State Supreme Court in Wisconsin.

This week, we share a panel from the 92nd Street Y’s State of America Summit. Host Farai Chideya asks: who defines America’s Values? We discuss the power of storytelling and civil society with Bird Runningwater, CEO of Cloud Women Media, award-winning author and Harvard Professor Suketu Mehta, author Anna Malaika Tubbs, and Washington Post Contributing Columnist Danielle Allen.

Guest host and ESPN executive Marsha Cooke continues a conversation about black women in the media. Panelists share how they focus on building inclusive content for Black audiences including expanding coverage to undercovered topics and communities. The guests are Mary Annaïse Heglar, Co-creator and Co-host of the Hot Take podcast Lauren Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Capital B.

Three years after the first lockdowns in the US, we look at how public health has changed and how we have changed with it. Plus a new book, “Black Women Will Save the World: An Anthem,” explores black women’s contributions to the Biden administration.

The Turkish government's weak response to the region’s devastating earthquakes may signal the beginning of a political shift away from the current administration. We speak with Prof. Ali Tekin, a political scientist on the ground. Then we pivot to a conversation about apologies–how to give and how to receive– with co-authors of the book “Sorry, Sorry, Sorry: The Case for Good Apologies", Marjorie Ingall and Susan McCarthy.

When the College Board removed concepts like “intersectionality, mass incarceration, reparations, and the Black Lives Matter movement” from its Advanced Placement African American Studies course, both educators and students were alarmed. These changes are just one of the results of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ 'Stop “Wrongs to our Kids and Employees” Act,’ otherwise known as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, passed in 2022. Guest host Natasha Alford, Senior Correspondent for The Grio, speaks with Dr. Keisha Blain of Brown University and Sommer Brugal, reporter at the Miami Herald to learn how the policy is affecting students right now. Next Amara Abdullah, a student organizer and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Youth Vanguard talks about her work for justice for Black students in schools, and author Marisa Renee Lee describes collective grief and how the erasure of Black history prevents necessary healing.