Just Solutions

The Supreme Court looks poised to overturn Roe v. Wade and many states around the country are already passing what are effectively bans on abortion. In communities where clinics remain open, volunteer escorts shepherd patients safely to clinics to receive care in the face of harassment from protestors. Author Lauren Rankin writes about these everyday … Continued

The country is reeling from yet another school shooting and gun reform advocates are once again calling on Congress to take meaningful action to stop the epidemic of gun violence. A majority of Americans favor some type of gun safety regulation; however, a minority of Congress continues to block meaningful legislation.  Tom Mauser, whose son … Continued

The World Bank says global energy prices will soar over 50% this year. Low-income households are hit the hardest as they spend three times more of their income on energy costs than non-low-income households. One movement that is working to tackle this energy burden and the climate crisis is energy democracy – taking energy generation … Continued

What’s the future for democracy in Florida?  Gov. Ron DeSantis is rarely out of the national news. From signing bills that restrict discussions on gender, sexual orientation, and race in public schools, to efforts to restrict abortion access. Now a new congressional map, which was proposed by DeSantis himself will dilute the power of Black voters in the state.  Our guest today is Dwight Bullard, former state senator and senior advisor to Florida Rising, one of the groups that have filed a lawsuit challenging Florida’s new congressional map. So what’s happening in Florida, and why should the rest of the country be paying attention?

Earth Day 2022 comes at a time of dire warnings for the future of our planet. The latest UN Climate report warns that carbon emissions need to shrink by 43% by the end of this decade or we risk being hit by "unprecedented heatwaves, terrifying storms, and widespread water shortages".  But world leaders have failed to take the action needed. Earthday.org is mobilizing people and businesses in actions around the world, and they’re calling for real racial, economic, and environmental justice. Our guest today is Kathleen Rogers, president of the Earth Day Network.

The US criminal justice system is rife with inequality but there is one area that critics say is particularly bad, that is the misdemeanor system. An estimated 13 million misdemeanors are filed each year in the US. People arrested for minor crimes often lack lawyers, have their cases processed in mere minutes, and are punished long before they are convicted for crimes as lowly as jaywalking. This system traps the innocent and punishes the poor.  Our guest Alexandra Natapoff, has written about this in her book Punishment without Crime”. The book serves as the inspiration for a new documentary from Brave New Films, Racially Charged.

A wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation is sweeping across the country. From Florida’s don’t say gay bill which bans "classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity" in early grades to numerous states attempting to outlaw gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Human Rights Campaign are tracking more than 200 anti-LGBTQ+ equality bills around the country and they say the number keeps growing. Our guest today is Cathryn Oakley, HRC’s State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel.  She focuses on passing non-discrimination laws at the state and local levels and combating anti-LGBTQ legislation in state legislatures.

Ukraine’s leading climate scientist has said the human-induced climate crisis and the war against Ukraine have direct connections and the same roots: our dependence on fossil fuels. This of course is not the only conflict with connections to energy resources. Our guest today  Michael  Klare has examined this connection for many years. He is professor emeritus of peace and world-security studies at Hampshire College, defense correspondent for the Nation magazine,  and author of numerous books including All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon’s Perspective on Climate Change, and Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America's Growing Dependency on Imported Petroleum.

In 2015 the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite went viral in response to the lack of diversity in the nominations and prompted industry wide discussions on the issue.  But it’s not just on screen where a lack of diversity is problematic, behind the scenes there are still significant inequities. Daisy González is a content specialist with Free the Work, and Pamala Buzick Kim is the Executive Director of the nonprofit that is focused on equitable representation behind the lens.

Access to abortion is declining in an increasing number of states. The Texas Supreme Court has now effectively shut down a federal challenge to the state’s ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. It’s the most restrictive abortion law in the country and other states are following suit. Florida’s legislature passed a bill that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and in Kentucky, the state House has voted to pass new restrictions that could effectively shut down clinics in the state. Our guest today is Amanda Allen, Senior Counsel and Director with the Lawyering Project, one of the organizations that has been challenging the Texas abortion ban in the courts.