Equal Time with Mary C. Curtis

Rebellion and activism have always been necessary to move America toward progress, with always present obstacles to overcome, including violent opposition from those with their own view of what makes the country great. That truth, with all the contradictions that arise when ideals fail to match reality, is explored in “We’ve Been Here Before.” When mythmaking threatens to replace history, this book, by Angela P. Dodson and Michael I. Days, is an essential and timely present for America’s 250th birthday. Co-author Angela P. Dodson joins Equal Time to talk about the heroes and the hard work.

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When Black women show up – as election workers, activists, advocates, voters – they make a difference. So, when they step forward, why do they so often meet resistance, not just from opponents, but also from supposed allies? And why has that never stopped them. Atima Omara’s new book, “The Instigators: How Black Women Have Been Essential to American Democracy (And what we can learn from them),” is both a history lesson and a blueprint for the future. In an almost two-decade career, Omara, founder of the award-winning Omara Strategy Group, has worked at the intersection of electoral politics and advocacy in the progressive movement. She is my guest on this episode of Equal Time.

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If the line separating church and state in America has not yet disappeared, it is certainly fading fast. The evidence? A Supreme Court willing to rule in favor of faith-based lawsuits; a Secretary of Defense framing the war in Iran in apocalyptic terms; a president pushing a law restricting voting rights, exhorting legislators to pass it -- for “Jesus.” Is today’s elevation of a certain kind of Christianity at odds with the ideals of a diverse country where freedom of and from religion is guaranteed in the Constitution? David Gibson -- award-winning religion journalist, author, and filmmaker -- is director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, and the guest on this episode of Equal Time.

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Just who is a “domestic terrorist,” and what is the danger when a protest is labeled “an act of domestic terrorism”? President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has announced a drawdown of troops in Minnesota, where immigration raids swept up many, including U.S. citizens, triggered protests and left two of those citizens dead. But the administration hasn’t ruled out future surges across the country. In analyzing federal actions – in the past and yet to come -- Rachel Levinson-Waldman, director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, does not deny the presence of domestic terrorists among us. But does the Trump administration’s expansive definition of the term clash with First Amendment rights? And do recent enforcement activities make us more or less safe? Levinson-Waldman explains on this episode of Equal Time.

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November 2026 is closer than it may seem, with candidates already campaigning for the midterms. But are enough Americans paying attention to current action in the courts that could affect the process – and the result? You need a lawyer to sort out all-important voting rights battles. Elisabeth Frost, the Litigation chair of the Elias Law Group, is in the middle of many of these battles. With Marc Elias as chair, the firm’s stated mission is to help Democrats win, citizens vote, and progressives make change. On Equal Time, Frost answers the question: How is that going?

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As an aspiring equestrian facing obstacles, Jack Goldberg learned that even with good intentions and legislation, follow through can be uncertain. So, as a young teen, he leaned into leadership. While the dual American and Canadian citizen can appreciate progress -- the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities -- he is worried that what has been hard won may be dismantled unless advocacy and activism keep the pressure on. On Equal Time, the honored Para Equestrian explains.

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The Trump administration’s war on DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion policies, has left many companies that value a welcoming workplace more than a little confused. What is allowed — and legal? Barbara L. Johnson, the founder of BLJohnsonLaw and counsel with Potter & Murdock, is an accomplished employment lawyer and workplace consultant with a passion for creating safe, productive and thriving workplace cultures. She is a guest on this episode of Equal Time.

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Being a college president has never been the easiest job. But today, it seems an impossible one. The campus may still be a place that encourages students to think critically and to cultivate a network of fellow creative problem-solvers. But those goals have been overshadowed by concerns over academic freedom and free speech, the challenges of building a welcoming community in the face of anti-DEI legislation and more. In her latest book, “Perils and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times,” Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, an award-winning psychologist, president emerita of Spelman College and best-selling author, sees room for hope -- and solutions.

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There had been progress on the issue of environmental justice, with the contributions of citizen-activists, who spurred the government to protect historically marginalized communities. But in the past few months, the Trump administration has made staff, program, and budget cuts that leave rural, coastal, and frontline communities vulnerable. That’s one observation of Cameron Oglesby, internationally awarded environmental justice organizer and solutions journalist. But, Oglesby says, organizations, communities and grass-roots efforts aren’t giving up on their vision for a cleaner, greener country. She joins Equal Time to explain.

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It’s back to school time, with excitement mixed with uncertainty and anxiety. News from the Department of Education is primarily about cutting its budget or eliminating the department altogether. How will these and other proposed changes affect students? Will the traditionally underserved be short-changed, and fall further behind? James E. Ford, a former teacher of the year in North Carolina, is founder/director of CREED: the Center for Racial Equity in Education, a stand-alone nonprofit that deals explicitly with race and education issues in the state. He is also Principal at Filling the Gap Educational Consultants. Ford and his organizations have been working on solutions to education challenges the nation faces, and he is a guest on Equal Time.

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