KPFA - Making Contact

In 2019, a well known romance writer began tweeting about other writers in her community and concerns about racism. It led to a huge reckoning within an organization called the Romance Writers of America, which is still unfolding. And although the online debate seemed to be isolated to a specific community of romance writers and their fans, it was really a microcosm of what’s been happening all over the US. We learn all about romance novels and how newer writers are changing the norms of the genre, and giving it a political power it’s never had before. And, we talk about what it means for organizations to change as they grapple with questions of race, including organizations such as ours, at Making Contact.

The post The Agony and the Ecstasy: Race and the Future of the Love Story Part 2 (Encore) – Making Contact – August 11, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

In 2019 a well known romance writer began tweeting about other writers in her community and concerns about racism. It led to a huge reckoning within an organization called the Romance Writers of America, which is still unfolding. And although the online debate seemed to be isolated to a specific community of romance writers and their fans, it was really a microcosm of what’s been happening all over the US. In this episode we learn all about romance novels and how newer writers are changing the norms of the genre, and giving it a political power it’s never had before. And, we talk about what it means for organizations to change as they grapple with questions of race.

The post THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY: RACE AND THE FUTURE OF THE LOVE STORY PART 1 (ENCORE) – Making Contact – August 4, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Covering the movements, issues and people fighting for some of the most important social justice issues of our time. Hosted by Amy Gastelum, Salima Hamirani, Anita Jonhson, and Lucy Kang. Sign up for program alerts and sneak peeks from Making Contact at: http://ow.ly/1FkV30aq1z2

The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Making Contact – July 28, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Covering the movements, issues and people fighting for some of the most important social justice issues of our time. Hosted by Amy Gastelum, Salima Hamirani, Anita Jonhson, and Lucy Kang. Sign up for program alerts and sneak peeks from Making Contact at: http://ow.ly/1FkV30aq1z2

The post Special Fund Drive Programming – Making Contact – July 21, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

This week we hear from artist Samora Abayomi Pinderhughes about The Healing Project, an abolitionist art exhibition. The work explores the structures of systemic racism, particularly the prison industrial complex in the U.S. and takes multiple forms including music, films, community gatherings, and live performances. A digital library of audio interviews centers the project. The stories, experiences, and ideas from intergenerational individuals across the country, including folks who are incarcerated form the foundation for The Healing Projects vision for societal transformation.

The post The Healing Project: An Abolitionist Story (Encore) – Making Contact – July 14, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

The Silicon Valley Bank collapse brings with it memories of the wider 2008 economic crisis. Jeet Heer and John Nichols from The Nation join us to discuss the 2018 bank deregulations that set the stage for this moment and the risky investment strategy at the bank itself. They argue that bailout and FDIC’s role in the collapse could set the stage for a dangerous economic future.

The post What the SVB Failure Teaches us About Investment Banking – Making Contact – July 7, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

In the mid 1990s, the Reproductive Justice movement was formed by Black and indigenous women as a response to the limitations of the “reproductive rights” movement. Movement leaders argue, “rarely do we find ourselves fighting for just one aspect of reproductive justice such as abortion rights” – SisterSong.

Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, scholar and writer, joined us to talk about her book Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Frontlines, her experience being a teenager during the formation of the Reproductive Justice Movement and what she’s reading now to inform this moment.

The post Revolutionary Mothering and Reproductive Justice – Making Contact – June 30, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

On this week’s Making Contact, we feature an extended interview with Ivey Camille Manybeads Tso, a queer Din filmmaker and director of the award-winning documentary Powerlands.

Powerlands traces how multinational energy corporations extract resources and profits while displacing and harming Indigenous communities around the world. The film follows Indigenous activists in Navajo Nation, Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines who are fighting back against corporations like Peabody Energy, Glencore and BHP.

The post Powerlands – Making Contact – June 23, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Long Description: This week on Making Contact, we bring you a story of urban planning and how race has shaped American cities. In a new book, Hella Town: Oakland’s History of Development and Disruption, Author Mitchell Schwarzer explores the origins and the lasting impacts of transportation improvements, systemic racism, and regional competition on Oakland’s built environment. Schwarzer, an architectural and urban historian, pulls from his experience as a city planner, and educator to tell the story of a city divided.

The post A History of Development and Disruption – Making Contact – June 16, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

It’s a lesser-known case in the docket for the Supreme Court, but if The Indian Child Welfare Act is overturned, it could have massive implications for the laws that govern Indigenous sovereignty in the United States. We talk with author and activist Rebecca Nagle about the case of Baby O and the Librettis and how their story led to Halaand v. Brakeen. But, we also investigate the money and interests behind the lawsuit. There’s a lot at stake. Maybe even the very nature of tribal laws, which were enshrined in the constitution itself. Though there are real Native children at the heart of the lawsuit, the overturning of ICWA is not just a custody battle.

Covering the movements, issues and people fighting for some of the most important social justice issues of our time. Hosted by Amy Gastelum, Salima Hamirani, Anita Jonhson, and Lucy Kang. Sign up for program alerts and sneak peeks from Making Contact at: http://ow.ly/1FkV30aq1z2

The post The Fight Over the Indian Child Welfare Act Is Not Just A Custody Battle (ENCORE) – Making Contact – June 9, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.