In The Thick

Maria and Julio are joined by ITT All-Stars Wajahat Ali, columnist for The Daily Beast, and Jamilah King, deputy inequality editor for Buzzfeed News. They dive into the latest on the COVID-19 crisis, including the new omicron variant, and what’s needed to fight global vaccine inequality. They also unpack the trial and conviction of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers, and the state of U.S. democracy as we approach the 2022 midterm elections. ITT Staff Picks: - Early findings of the new coronavirus variant, omicron, show that it might be more transmissible and better able to get around the body’s immune responses, reports Apoorva Mandavilli for The New York Times. - For BuzzFeed News, reporter Jamilah King contributed to a story about a Black man who shot and killed a white teen, which asks whether his self-defense claim will carry the same weight as those made by other defendants. - “We have less than a year to try and save our ailing Republic from an increasingly radicalized and weaponized GOP death cult,” writes Wajahat Ali for The Daily Beast. Photo credit: AP Photo/Ana Brigida  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria and Julio are joined by Al Letson, host of Reveal and the new podcast series, “Mississippi Goddamn: The Ballad of Billey Joe.” Billey Joe Johnson Jr. was a Black high school football star who was found dead in Lucedale, Mississippi in 2008 after being pulled over by a white cop. They get into his story, the problematic history of investigations when it comes to suspicious deaths of Black people in Mississippi, and journalists’ responsibility when covering these tragic stories. ITT Staff Picks: - Listen to the most recent episodes of “Mississippi Goddamn'' here. - The investigation into Billey Joe Johnson Jr. ’s death still haunts his family and many in the Black community because they don’t believe the authorities, reports Margaret Baker for Sun Herald. - For The Conversation, Professor Connie Hassett-Walker lays out the roots of racism in American policing, from slave patrols to Jim Crow laws. Photo credit: AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria and Julio are joined by Rowaida Abdelaziz, national reporter for the HuffPost covering immigration and Islamophobia, and Ali Latifi, Kabul correspondent for Al Jazeera English, to talk about the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. They discuss the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the impact on Afghan women and the latest with refugee resettlement. ITT Staff Picks: - Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who were relocated to U.S. military bases are living in limbo with limited access to essentials, reports Rowaida Abdelaziz for HuffPost.  - For Insider, Ali Latifi reports on the situation in Mazar-e-Sharif following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, including murders, a hoax security alert and an overall sense of unease. - Politico interviewed State Department employees, government officials and advocates about the “desperation and disorganization” that followed in the days after Kabul fell, and the mental health impact this had on staff.  Photo credit: AP Photo/Bram Janssen  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria and Julio react to the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, and talk about how white supremacy played out in his trial, the trial against Ahmaud Arbery’s killers, and the case against the organizers of the “Unite the Right'' rally. They also give an update on the Build Back Better bill and Maria’s latest reporting in Latin America. And, they talk about the House vote to censure Rep. Paul Gosar for his violent social media post attacking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. ITT Staff Picks: - The ongoing Unite the Right trial is exposing how some in the white power movement are turning against each other, reports Elle Reeve for CNN.  - For Roll Call, Suzanne Monyak reports that as Democratic efforts to protect undocumented immigrants continue to fall short, there is a chance that Republicans will make further gains with the Latino community. - Rebecca Klar writes about how social media posts like Paul Gosar’s can “dissuade women from participating in politics at all levels,” for The Hill.  Photo credit: Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP, Pool  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julio is joined by Elie Mystal, justice correspondent at The Nation, and Michael Harriot, senior writer at The Root, to talk about white supremacy and anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system. They get into the murder trials of Kyle Rittenhouse and the killers of Ahmaud Arbery. They also discuss the latest with the January 6th investigation, and the ramifications of rising inflation for communities of color.  ITT Staff Picks: - “Kyle Rittenhouse is white, so Kyle Rittenhouse is a hero,” writes Michael Harriot in his latest piece for The Root, which gets into “the values of the white community.”  - “The shapes some white people will twist themselves into in order to justify white violence falls into the uncanny valley,” writes Elie Mystal for The Nation. - Recent emails released by a congressional committee investigating the former Trump administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic show just how far they went to interfere with the CDC, reports Erin Banco for Politico.  Photo credit: Mark Hertzberg /Pool Photo via AP  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this crossover episode, ITT airs the second episode of Nuestro, a new podcast from Chuck Rocha, Democratic strategist and former Bernie Sanders campaign adviser.  Nuestro gives space to Latino artists, advocates, politicians and journalists, to get deep into the moments that have defined and shaped their lives. In this episode, Chuck talks to Jonathan Jayes-Green, vice president of programs at the Marguerite Casey Foundation and co-founder of the UndocuBlack Network. They talk about DACA, anti-Blackness in the immigrant rights movement, and how Jonathan’s journey as an Afro-Latinx, undocumented trans person, taught them about solidarity and the intersections of race and immigration.  Subscribe here to Nuestro, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Photo credit: Courtesy of Nuestro Podcast  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julio and guest co-host Jenni Monet, independent investigative journalist and founder of the newsletter Indigenously, are joined by S. Mitra Kalita, co-founder of URL Media and CEO and publisher of Epicenter-NYC, and Justin Worland, senior correspondent for Time Magazine covering climate change and policy. They reflect on the 2021 election results and unpack the latest with infrastructure spending and Biden’s Build Back Better plan. They also talk about the COP26 climate summit, and the latest on vaccine outreach. Staff Picks: - On the language around climate change, Mary Annaïse Heglar writes “as we look for new words and slogans, it should be for the purpose of galvanizing those who want to be on the right side of history,” for The Nation.  - Leaders in developing countries have faced hurdles in attending the COP26 climate conference, yet they are the most vulnerable to climate change, reports Justin Worland for Time Magazine.  - The 19th’s Washington correspondent Amanda Becker spoke with Arizona voters about what they are hoping to see from Biden’s Build Back Better plan, including a paid leave program.  Photo credit: AP Photo/Alastair Grant  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re proud to present Re-Imagination Nation, a new series that is part of the We Imagine… Us project by Futuro Unidad Hinojosa, the newest editorial division from Maria Hinojosa and Futuro Media. Re-Imagination Nation features interviews with thought leaders, artists and activists who are members of SCoRE (Solidarity Council on Racial Equity). In this episode, author Heather McGhee talks with Maria Hinojosa about her cross-country journey challenging the idea that progress for some must come at the expense of others. Then, sociology professor Manuel Pastor talks to Maria about models for a more inclusive economy designed so that we can all prosper together.  We Imagine... Us is available now wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe here for more episodes, including the companion fiction series, The Long Way Around.  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julio and guest co-host Imara Jones, founder and CEO of TransLash Media, are joined by Akela Lacy, politics reporter at The Intercept, and Renée Graham, associate editor and columnist for The Boston Globe’s Op-Ed section. They talk about the World Series games in Atlanta, and the racism behind the Tomahawk Chop. They also get into the latest with the investigation into January 6, and they hear from Antonia Hylton, a correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, on Republican strategies behind school board elections. ITT Staff Picks:  - Stefan Fatsis reports on the history of the racist Tomahawk Chop, including its hand motion and music origins, for Slate Magazine.  - On the recent uptick in threats against local officials and teachers, Renée Graham writes that “the endgame is taking shape — to replace them with people fixated on toxic ideologies instead of serving the public good,” for The Boston Globe. - Corporate interest groups, conservative groups tied to Donald Trump, congressional Republicans and the Koch network are lobbying against Biden’s Build Back Better plan, reports Akela Lacy for The Intercept.  Photo credit: AP Photo/Steve Helber  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria and Julio talk about what’s happening with President Biden’s spending bill and the issues within the Democratic Party. They also discuss the upcoming trial of Kyle Rittenhouse and the ongoing investigation into the January 6 Capitol insurrection.  ITT Staff Picks:  - As negotiations on Biden’s Build Back Better plan continue, reporters Amanda Becker and Candice Norwood write about how the fate of paid leave is still unclear, for The 19th News. - “Rittenhouse is the very definition of an “outside agitator” who came into somebody else’s community armed to do violence, but because he murdered-while-white, he will probably walk free,” writes Elie Mystal in this piece for The Nation. - In this exclusive for Rolling Stone, reporter Hunter Walker writes about how congressional members and staffers were involved in the Jan. 6 organizing. Photo credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci  

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for ad-free listening, early-access and exclusive bonus episodes with the chisme behind In The Thick and all our podcasts: www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.