The wage gap persists between men and women in the U.S. — and it's even wider between Black women and white men. Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women's Law Center, talks about how the wage gap leads to a wealth gap for Black women. And, back to school is just around the corner for many families. Teacher and parent Abby Freireich answers questions about sending the kids back to school.

Amy McGrath grew up dreaming of becoming a fighter pilot at a time when women weren't allowed to fly in combat. The former Marine pilot tells the story of pursuing her dream in her new memoir, "Honor Bound." And, Mark Zuckerberg has said Facebook will transform into a "metaverse company" over the next five years. Bloomberg's Kurt Wagner explains the CEO's vision for turning the platform into a virtual-reality world.

"Black Widow" star Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney over the simultaneous release of the film in theaters and on Disney+. KPCC entertainment reporter John Horn discusses the lawsuit. And, the end of the federal eviction moratorium has left many struggling renters without any protection. Jill Schlesinger, CBS News business analyst, tells us more about what's next.

The head of Olympic broadcasting services announced that journalists' news feeds wouldn't highlight sexualized images of female athletes during the Tokyo Olympics. We speak with Akilah Carter-Francique, executive director of the San Jose State University's Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change. And, the Paralympics are just around the corner. We talk with Shahrad Nasajpour, a discus thrower who is among the six athletes on the Paralympic Refugee team this year.

Ghost kitchens have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic. It allows restaurants to have a business without the sit-down option. We speak with Tristan Roley, founder of The Feed, about his ghost kitchen in Logan, Ohio. And, LeVar Burton has held a number of iconic roles over the past four decades but this week he began his campaign for another legendary position: the host of "Jeopardy!" Femi Oke joins us to explore whether social media can get him the job.

American rock band Los Lobos has released "Native Sons," a new album that pays tribute to the music of their city — Los Angeles. We speak with singer, songwriter and guitarist David Hidalgo. And, an internal report at the CDC reveals vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant have measurable viral loads similar to those who are unvaccinated. Carolyn Y. Johnson, a science reporter for the Washington Post, has more on the story.

Billy Mills won the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Olympics in Japan. We revisit a 2014 conversation with Mills. And, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes was the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics. She sheds light on what it's like to be Simone Biles right now.

The documentary "Ailey" tells the story of the late dance great Alvin Ailey. We speak with the film's director, Jamila Wignot, and a dancer at Ailey's company. And, homelessness is a problem among the veteran population in the U.S. In Kansas City, Missouri, one organization is lending a hand and providing tiny houses for unhoused vets. KCUR's Chris Haxel reports.

We get a lesson in ice cream making from Here & Now resident chef Kathy Gunst at her home in Maine. Plus, back-to-school shopping is about to set a record, reaching $37 billion. Last year, it was all about desks and headphones. This year, it's time for clothes, shoes and more electronics. NPR's Alina Selyukh reports.

Nashville radio talk show host Phil Valentine has remained hospitalized in critical condition with COVID-19 for more than two weeks. Valentine is known for his COVID-19 vaccine skepticism. Now, the radio personality wants people to know that he was wrong — and that he should have taken the vaccine. His brother Mark Valentine joins us. Plus, we speak with poet Ruth Forman about "Curls" and "Glow" — her books for very young readers that celebrate Black children.