Hot Off The Pod

This episode marks the second part of our special collaboration series focusing on the Unmasking Isla Vista reporting project spearheaded by the Daily Nexus and KCSB. 

First, we sit down with Atmika Iyer (Daily Nexus) and Ashley Rusch (KCSB) to talk about their reporting on Testing & Vaccines. Later, Katherine Swartz (Daily Nexus) and Alex Goldberg (KCSB) join us to discuss Local Businesses. Stay tuned for the next and final episode of our Unmasking Isla Vista collaboration.

Hosts: Melanie Ziment and Emily Kocis

Producers: Toni Shindler-Ruberg and Syd Haupt

Music: Alan Kocis

Logo Design: Daniela Gomez

Follow us on Instagram @hotoffthepod to stay up to date with all that’s hot.

Developed with support from the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Views expressed on the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Nexus, UCSB, or KCSB.

Today’s episode launches a special collaboration series focusing on the Unmasking Isla Vista reporting project spearheaded by the Daily Nexus and KCSB. Unmasking Isla Vista is a collaborative multimedia series documenting the ways in which UC Santa Barbara and Isla Vista community members have had to adjust almost all aspects of their lives to help mitigate the spread of Coronavirus. On these episodes of Hot Off The Pod, the reporters behind these stories take their reporter hats off and share their own experiences and opinions on the topics.

First, we sit down with Asumi Shuda (Daily Nexus) and Jennifer Yoshikoshi (KCSB) to talk about their segment, Human Struggle. Later, Sindhu Ananthavel (Daily Nexus) and Ashley Rusch (KCSB) join us to discuss University & Students. Stay tuned for the next episode of our Unmasking Isla Vista collaboration.

Hosts: Melanie Ziment and Emily Kocis

Producers: Toni Shindler-Ruberg and Syd Haupt

Music: Alan Kocis

Art: Luca Disbrow

Logo Design: Daniela Gomez

Follow us on Instagram @hotoffthepod to stay up to date with all that’s hot.

Developed with support from the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Views expressed on the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Nexus, UCSB, or KCSB.

On the Season 2 premiere of Hot Off The Pod, the HOTP team (Melanie Ziment, Emily Kocis, Toni Shindler-Ruberg and Syd Haupt) reassembles in the Nexus offices to discuss everything from LGBTQ+ representation in literature to changes in LA’s Little Tokyo, to the impact of tourism on Hawaiian communities to Gen-Z allegedly destroying email.

Hosts: Melanie Ziment and Emily Kocis

Producers: Toni Shindler-Ruberg and Syd Haupt

Music: Alan Kocis

Art: Daniela Gomez

Follow us on Instagram @hotoffthepod to stay up to date with all that’s hot.

Developed with support from the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.

What do cheerleaders, critical race theory and internet smear campaigns have in common? They’re all related to some of the most talked about issues involving free speech today. For the Season 1 finale of Hot Off The Pod, Michelle Deutchman, Executive Director of the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, updates us on the latest First Amendment news. In one case, a high schooler’s leaked Snapchat reaches the Supreme Court, raising questions about student speech in the social media age. Trump may be out of office, but his opposition to diversity education lives on in the form of state legislation banning critical race theory in schools. In higher education, the quotation of racial slurs in educational settings is a topic of fierce debate. Finally, we touch on the Associated Press’ recent firing of Emily Wilder for her history of college activism and what this means for a generation of journalists who have grown up documenting their lives and opinions online.

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-05-22/a-s-senate-vegetarian-bill-delayed-after-critique-and-controversy/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-05-18/niki-and-dominic-fike-headline-extravaganza-2021/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-05-23/how-the-2014-isla-vista-tragedy-spurred-safety-and-self-governance/

This week we explore the UCSB Library program UCSB Reads, the annual bookclub ran by and for students. Talking with Lupita Barragan, a group leader for the program and UCSB alumnus, we unpack this year’s book selection, When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Cullors and asha bandele. From reflections on identity to in-depth literary analysis, we discuss the importance of UCSB Reads' role in facilitating student-led spaces for vulnerable conversations sparked by this incredible book. To virtually attend the program’s author talk with Patrisse Cullors, reserve a free ticket at artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-05-04/ucsb-should-send-you-a-900-check-now-heres-why/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-05-08/students-staff-and-faculty-participate-in-work-stoppage-day-to-demand-cops-off-campus/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-05-03/tracks-of-the-month-april-2021/

On this week’s episode, we sit down with the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County’s marketing assistant and UCSB alumna Megan Halpin to tackle food insecurity in Santa Barbara. A staggering 48% of UCSB undergraduates and 38% of graduate students lack consistent access to or cannot afford nutritious food. We talk about how this hunger can affect student’s performance, the stigma around getting food help and the amazing food literacy and distribution programs that are provided by the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. To donate to or learn more about the Foodbank’s efforts you can visit https://foodbanksbc.org/.

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-04-23/spring-2021-commencement-to-feature-virtual-keynote-address-from-oprah-winfrey-and-in-person-grad-walk/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-04-22/a-s-spring-quarter-election-results-2021/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-04-24/breaking-the-silence-opinion-staff-writers-speak-up-after-2021s-day-of-silence/

For local film fanatics, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is simply the most wonderful time of the year. During the 11-day festival, which has taken place annually since 1986, State Street rolls out the red carpet for screenings, panels and events featuring awards season’s buzziest and brightest stars. Faced with the daunting prospect of putting on a major festival amidst the pandemic, Executive Director Roger Durling and his team were undeterred. At the tail end of this year’s festivities, we chat with Roger about adapting to a “hybrid” approach; his unconventional career path; and why film education and accessibility are at the heart of SBIFF’s mission.

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-03-22/gauchos-narrowly-fall-to-creighton-in-first-round-of-ncaa-tournament/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-04-07/deltopia-2021-yields-few-arrests-citations-and-no-medical-transports/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-04-09/your-performative-activism-is-showing-again/

The intersection of recent Black Lives Matter protests and the impact of the pandemic as a whole has brought focus to the many inequities that exist in systems across our country. The juvenile justice system is no exception. This week we talk with Professor Miroslava Chávez-Garcia of UCSB’s History Department about the impacts and organization of this institution in California. Listen for a guide through the past, present and future of juvenile justice including how the pandemic is negatively affecting the incarcerated population.

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-02-27/eight-arrested-at-save-the-san-marcos-foothills-protest/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-02-23/most-classes-to-be-held-remotely-reccen-and-university-library-hopeful-for-limited-reopening-in-spring-quarter/

Content warning: the following description and episode contain discussions about sexual violence.

In the past decade, sexual assault on college campuses has emerged as one of the most talked-about issues in the national discourse. Activists have succeeded in pressuring institutions on every level – from the White House to individual universities – to institute policies aimed at education and prevention.

But the ever-alarming statistics and survivors’ experiences demonstrate that the problem is too pervasive for institutions to fix on their own. That’s why students, such as the UCSB-founded organization Students Against Sexual Assault (SASA) are taking matters into their own hands.

Today on the pod, SASA president Deborah Williams joins us for a wide-ranging discussion about the current status of the fight to end sexual violence and the many forms that advocacy can take. Where do universities continue to fall short in supporting survivors? What are some alternatives to reporting to the police? How can we practice better allyship? Listen to hear us tackle these topics and more.

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-02-04/not-naive-necessary-a-short-case-for-hope-in-2021/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-02-09/womens-network-opens-ucsb-chapter/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-02-12/ucsb-womens-basketball-team-looks-to-break-rough-spell-against-hawaii/

In a normal year, finding housing in Isla Vista can be a huge hassle, but factor in Covid-19 and things get a lot messier. This week, we’re sitting down with Isla Vista Tenants Union Outreach Director Maia Surendra to discuss how UCSB students are adjusting to the new housing landscape. We talk about the prickly problems that arise from tenant-landlord relations, before diving into what happened when classes went online and how the pandemic is changing student’s housing plans for the future. Listen to learn about the unique ups and downs of beachside living.

Learn more about this subject:

https://ivtu.as.ucsb.edu/

https://dailynexus.com/2020-03-17/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-ucsb-students-grapple-with-i-v-leases-after-university-strongly-recommends-moving-home/

For more hot headlines, check out the links below:

https://dailynexus.com/2021-01-28/covid-19-cases-rise-in-i-v-as-rest-of-sb-county-sees-drop-in-new-cases/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-01-29/five-tips-for-meal-prepping/

https://dailynexus.com/2021-01-27/in-photos-new-construction-projects-on-campus-since-the-pandemic-started/