Author J. Courtney Sullivan's new novel explores the intense but often ephemeral relationship between a babysitter and her employer. She joins us to discuss "Friends and Strangers." And, birthrates in the U.S. are at a 35-year low, according to the CDC. Professor Christine Whelan explains why and how the pandemic could impact birthrates in the near future.

Chris Newman quit his software job to pursue farming in Virginia. We talk to him about his farming ethos, which draws on his ancestral heritage as a Piscataway tribe member. Also, after writing a historical memoir about his family's participation in the slave trade, Edward Ball decided to bring his Black and white descendants together to apologize. He joins us to discuss his new book "Life of a Klansman."

A judge in Zimbabwe ruled again not to release investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono from prison. Jason Rezaian of the Washington Post, who was held in Iran, says no other modern event has done as much to destroy press freedom as COVID-19 has. We speak with Rezaian. Also, Puerto Rico may have a different history than the continental U.S., but racial inequalities persist in both. We examine those throughlines and take a look at AfroLatino organizing on the island.

Cori Bush defeated longtime incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay in a primary race in Missouri this week. Bush talks about how the death of George Floyd galvanized voters in St. Louis to give her a chance. Also, Sunday marks 25 years from the death of the Grateful Dead's leader, Jerry Garcia. Colorado Public Radio's Vic Vela looks at his legacy and why his music means so much to so many Deadheads.

Housing insecurity makes accessing the ballot box harder and in an election year, this could mean lower turn out rates. We check in on homeless voter registration efforts in the Seattle area, which has one of the highest number of unsheltered people in the U.S. Also, OPB's Emily Cureton shares the story of a Native American couple and their baby in Oregon who survived the coronavirus.

Breland is a genre-defying artist whose breakout song "My Truck" mixes traditional country with hip hop production. He joins us to talk about protests and why country fans deserve more options. And, we talk to Alex Kaplan of Media Matters about the origins of the conspiracy theory QAnon.

Vox's Katelyn Burns joins us to discuss how the Trump administration has changed transgender protections in the U.S. Director of Gender Diversity Aidan Key also talks about the impact on families. And, more than 50 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic. We speak with Nathan Conner, a single father of one who lost his job at a manufacturing plant in March.

Many environmental organizations are speaking out against racism and looking at how they can promote racial equality within their own organizations and in the communities they serve. Julie Grant of The Allegheny Front reports. Also, the U.S. Postal Service is caught in the crosshairs of a major political battle over the integrity of the mail-in system. The American Postal Workers Union president weighs in.

As fall approaches, parents are strategizing about how to teach their children at home during the pandemic. Two homeschooling parents share tips for distance learning. Also, face masks pose problems for people who have impaired hearing. One work-in-progress is a hybrid mask that makes it easier to read a speaker's lips. Chuck Quirmbach of WUWM reports.

Artist and Monument Lab fellow Ada Pinkston joins us to discuss her work reimagining the space that Confederate monuments used to occupy. Also, the COVID-19 crisis is taking a mental health toll on doctors, nurses and other medical staff. In Nevada, psychiatrists are staffing a new phone line to help. The Mountain West News Bureau's Amanda Peacher reports.