Community Voices For Change

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired February 9, 2026
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.

The podcast for February 9  is a conversation with Professor Anthony Walton who is the author of several books including a collection of essays titled -  The End of Respectability: Notes of a Black American Reckoning With His Life And His Nation which was published in 2024.  He is a recognized author, editor and educator who  serves as a professor and writer-in-residence at Bowdoin College.   Anthony first talked about how Blacks have made steps forward such as serving as equals in WWII only to find themselves three steps back.  He admits that life has improved for many African Americans.  Each time the nation attempt to deal with racism, however  we enact a series of pantomimes and  feints that provide just enough wiggle room for a small percentage of blacks to take a few steps forward in our society, but allows many or most whites to evade any serious accounting of what has happened, what is happening and what needs to be done to move towards an equitable future.  He believes we are locked in a loop of our own making and are always in a state of reconstruction and fears that this pattern will never end.

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired February 2, 2026
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.

This week's podcast is an interview of Senator Mike Tipping  who is serving his second term in the Maine Legislature representing District 8  which includes a number of communities, township, plantations and  Penobscot Indian Island.    As chair of the Joint House/Senate Labor Committee, Senator Tipping talked about new labor bills that have  been considered and  passed into law during the 132nd legislative session.  This includes a  number of bills  which raise the minimum wage for  agricultural workers to $15.10 per hour, paid family and Medical Leave which was established in 2023, benefits are officially scheduled to become accessible on May 1, 2026 and minimum pay for reporting. Employers with 10 or more employees must pay workers for at least 2 hours if a shift is canceled or shortened without proper notice,   Tipping also talked about the new law that was passed last spring placing a one-year moratorium on the purchase of hospitals by private equity firms while a newly-formed Commission he chaired further studied the issue throughout the fall and winter of 2024-2025.

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired January 26, 2026
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.

The podcast is an interview of Representative Lori Gramlich who is serving her fourth term in the Maine House of Representatives.  She is also the Assistant House Majority Leader and previously served as the chair of the Legislature' Environment and Natural Resource Committee.  She talked about a number of bills that the legislature is considering including LD 1177 which was passed by both houses of the legislature, but was  carried over from last year's session in order to find funds to study the public health and environmental risks from the use of Synthetic Turf .  She talked  about some of the concerns that people have regarding the use of artificial grass.  Recent research has detected chemicals in the synaptic grass blades, infill and cushioning which can be transferred to students' skin during play.  There is also the problem of extreme heat. Artificial surfaces in Maine have been measured over 160 degrees F on sunny days. Representative Gramlich also talked about several other bills as well as a resolve to study Maine's Absolute Dominion and beneficial use laws relating to Water Rights.   Currently,  corporations  are able to extract water and profit from it even though the water may be flowing from other public and private property in the area.

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired January 19, 2026
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.
The podcast is an interview of Afroze N. Shaikh who is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education at the University of Texas in Austin.  She talked about  a recent article that she and two other colleagues have written -  "Impact of  Social Determinants of Health and Individual Characteristics on Suicidal Ideation and Treatment Utilization Among Young Adults Aged 18-25."    Their research findings point out that suicidal ideation is more likely among individuals with less education, rural residence, housing instability, exposure to community drug activity and infrequent religious service attendance.   It underscores the urgent need for public health strategies that address the structural and environmental barriers to mental health support.  Interventions that are focused on improving community safety, educational opportunities, economic supports and access to care, are critical for reducing suicide risk and enhancing treatment utilization in this vulnerable population.

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired January 12, 2026
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.

The podcast is an interview of James Myall, a lead policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy, He recently issued a new report - "State of Working Maine 2025: Strengthening Economic Opportunity in Rural Communities and Beyond". He talked about  how the metro Portland area is the most prosperous and economically dynamic part of the state and how the gap between Portland and northern and western Maine has significantly widened since 2001 due in part to federal and state responses to periods of recession.  Rural Mainers continue to face higher unemployment and lower labor force participation. Limited access to child care, health challenges, and seasonal or part-time work continue to keep many people out of  the workforce.   He talked about what can be done  and pointed out  that economic development strategies for rural areas often focus on attracting large employers through tax incentives.  However,  research consistently shows that these programs have little impact on employers' decisions to relocate.  He also pointed out that carve outs for small employers in Maine's labor protections may help small businesses compete for workers, but it overlooks the harm that it inflicts on workers.  In creating these carve outs lawmakers are creating greater economic hardship for rural Mainers.

Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.
The podcast is an interview of Ira Helfand who is the past president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.  He is also a member of the international steering group for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.  Ira talked about why it is past time to pursue a verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.  This coming January 22 marks the date that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)  entered into force in 2021 legally banning these weapons.  The TPNW makes it illegal for signatory states to develop, test, produce, stockpile, or use nuclear weapons, creating a comprehensive ban on these weapons, though nuclear-armed states and their allies have not joined.  This includes the U.S as well as eight other nation  states.  Ira also talked about how listeners can get involved in the effort to abolish nuclear weapons.

Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.
The program  is an interview of Carrie Baker, who is a professor and chair of the program for the study of women and gender at Smith College.  She recently wrote an op ed  "America is an increasingly dangerous place for women and girls".  She talked about the current situation that women are facing today regarding sexual violence and physical violence and the role that fire arms play in abusive relationships. Abortion bans that have been passed by male dominant state legislatures are also endangering women's lives and increasing maternal mortality.   She also discussed how  the Trump administration is reducing access to reproductive health care and family planning services.

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired December 22, 2025
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.


The podcast is an interview of Rachel Flehinger who has created a new organization called Activate Maine.   Her background includes teaching performance art in New York City and serving as the morning radio host on WPOR 101.9 FM.  She talked about her new endeavor which makes it easier for  Mainers to show up,  stay informed and support each other, without relying on social media algorithms or scattered information. She and a number of volunteers put together a weekly list of actions and activities   The organization's website also contains a  description of  the organizations that are involved in a variety of community activities.  (https://www.activatemaine.com)

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired December 15, 2025
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.

The podcast is an interview of Dylan Oliver, a native of Hodgson, Maine who is a staff member of the Alliance for Secure AI.  Dylan talked about how a number of communities in the state have installed AI surveillance cameras which log and store every single car that passes by a given location, creating a searchable database of our movements regardless of whether anyone is  suspected of a crime or not. He also talked about how the data can be shared with federal and local agencies for  "investigative purposes" even if a local police department chooses  to restrict data to its own officers.

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired December 8, 2025
WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 1:00 PM
Producer & Host:  Richard Rudolph, PhD.
The podcast is an interview of Gia Drew who is the executive director of Equality Maine   She talked about the latest efforts to ban transgender students from bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams and recognizing only two sexes: biological male and biological female according to the court filing.  Maine's Human Rights Commission is currently suing  five school districts.  It's the first time in recent memory that the Commission that enforces Maine's Human Rights Act has gone straight to court to enforce the law instead of rendering  its own complaint. Gia also talked about the latest Republican effort.  It is involved in the Protect Girls Sports in Maine Referendum campaign which is collecting signatures to put the question on the ballot next fall.