In It Together

Tom Mountain is vice chairman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee. Like many conservatives, he was deeply skeptical - contemptuous in his words - about the threat posed by COVID-19.

Until he got infected, and got sick. Very sick. He'll tell us about his painful journey from skeptic to believer and how he's now doing his best to convince other conservatives who are skeptical of the COVID vaccines that they need to step up, and get their shots.

The show continues to explore the concept of pandemic learning loss, as Arun Rath hears more about how education officials in the Somerville and Framingham public schools are working to fill learning gaps

Students have been living in an alternate reality these past 13 months as they attempt to learn in a pandemic. As we take stock of the gaps created and worsened by COVID, one teacher is advocating for a more humane approach, one that tackles student healing and trauma head on. Host Arun Rath talks about this with middle school civics teacher Neema Avashia.

With an end to the pandemic in sight, some of us may be feeling anxious at the prospect of reconnecting with people in the workplace and in social settings. Arun Rath speaks with psychiatrist Dr. Michelle Durham of Boston Medical Center and the BU School of Medicine about that kind of anxiety can be managed.

Happy Earth Day!

Ray Brown of the Talkin' Birds show and podcast stops by to discuss what birds he's excited to see and hear this spring and summer. Even as the state starts to re-open, the interest in birding remains strong.

Arun Rath checks back in with Heidemarie Floerke, a German teacher at the Boston Latin School, about teaching language through slam poetry and songwriting.

Arun Rath speaks with Norris Guscott, head of the Lynn Food and Fitness Alliance and Lynn’s food security task force leader, about fighting food insecurity amid the pandemic.

Today is the eighth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.

We'll look back with Jack Fultz, a longtime training advisor for the Dana-Farber Boston Marathon team. He is also the winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon. We'll also talk about what's next for this year's marathon in October.

Arun Rath speaks with Don Cox, head of the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, about the Food4Vets program and the increased need for food and housing in the veteran community.

Thousands of eviction cases are making their way through Massachusetts courts following the expiration of the state's eviction moratorium last year.

We'll hear from the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Greater Boston Legal Services about what rights tenants have in this process and where they can turn for help if they need it.