Many people will celebrate March 31st as Cesar Chavez Day marking what would have been the iconic leader’s 96th birthday. Thirty years after his death, Chavez cemented his legacy in the farmworkers’ movement with strikes and a non-violence approach to create change for farmworkers’ rights. Yet, the deeper story of Cesar Chavez is much more complex and at times controversial. Some of his actions and comments in the past would even be considered hardline conservative in today’s politics. It’s undeniable that his work helped advance rights for many and gave Mexican Americans a symbol to look up to. Helping us unpack the legacy and controversies behind the icon that is Cesar Chavez is Miriam Pawel who has written a biography on Cesar Chavez and reported extensively on the farmworkers’ movement.   

Cooking is culture, and a crucial piece of how we enjoy food are stoves. There’s a heated debate taking place within California’s broad climate goals. As the state works to reach carbon neutrality in the coming decades, it’s finding ways to cut emissions in many parts of life, including the kitchen. This includes transitioning to all-electric appliances by 2045. However, gas stoves are a centerpiece of cooking styles across the world. From tortillas to naan, blistering vegetables, and wok stir fry cooking over a flame touches many cultures, and there is criticism that electric stoves simply don’t cut it. CapRadio’s Environment Reporter Manola Secaira joined Insight to share how one kitchen appliance impacts California’s energy future. 

CapRadio Race and Equity Reporter Sarah Mizes-Tan launches the new podcast Mid-Pacific. The podcast asks what it means to be Asian American / and the feeling of being caught between two worlds. Through food, politics, family, and much more, this six-episode exploration reveals that is a loaded question with a plethora of answers. New episodes drop every Thursday.