Reynolds HotBox

White supremacy on UNR campus, protests, issues related to diversity and even construction is what the news editor, Taylor Johnson, of the Nevada Sagebrush covers. In this episode of the Reynolds Hotbox, with host Lucia Starbuck and cohost Scott King, Johnson discusses her experiences writing for a student run print news publication, the time her work was plagiarized and why it’s important for her to capture student voices.

“When I've reported on diversity related issues, protests, what not, I like to focus on the students because to me, students are like the spirit of this university. They have a lot of power even if they don't see it and I love hearing their experiences and their voice, especially like when reporting,” Johnson said.

This semester, Johnson spoke to fellow students for her recent article, ‘White Supremacy Persists at UNR, Two Years After Charlottesville,’ which covered the actions of the white supremacist group, American Identity Movement, putting their fliers and posters on bulletin boards around campus. Johnson wrote about student and faculty responses and did what most media didn’t, included the AIM founder’s side of the story. The article brought Johnson publicity after the president of UNR shared the story with the entire school. Johnson said she received criticism from both sides. Take a listen to this episode of the Reynolds Hotbox to hear more about Taylor’s experiences writing this article and the impact it had, as well as what drives her to be a student journalist.

Filing public records requests is a lot like fishing, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Senior Investigative Researcher Dave Maass. In this episode of the Reynolds Hotbox, with host Lucia Starbuck and cohost Nico Colombant, Maass shares his proudest Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, when he uncovered that South Carolina corrections officials were punishing inmates for using social media. Maass even discovered that one person got 37 years in solitary confinement from cell phone use. Maass covers issues related to police surveillance, free speech and government accountability. Maass started reporting as a child when he was only eight years old. In his adult life he went on to be a muckraker, which is someone who digs into institutions in order to uncover injustices. “Over the years I've really developed a practice of using investigative reporting techniques with the idea of exposing things, but also incorporating a component to get change," he says. "So not just putting the information out there and expecting somebody else to do something about it, but putting the information out there and figuring out how I can make that difference.”

Maass is currently working on a project called Atlas of Surveillance, organized by EFF in partnership with UNR’s Reynolds School of Journalism. Take a listen to this episode of the Reynolds Hotbox to learn how Maass has accessed government records to uncover truths and why he thinks it’s so important for journalists to have these skills as well.

President Trump uses Twitter to suggest everything from nuclear war, to tout his personal good looks, and even lately, that he may be a victim of lynching. He's also used Twitter to communicate directly with would-be voters and with the media. If you think President Trump is a little out of control with his daily tweets, and what this may mean, in this episode, Dr. Paromita Pain deconstructs her 2019 paper called “The President Is in: Public Opinion and the Presidential Use of Twitter.” Dr. Pain is an assistant professor of Global Media Studies at the Reynolds School of Journalism, where she explores emerging newsroom practices and concerns in a global context. Her findings outline a calculated effort by the president to marshal his 60 million plus Twitter followers. The study may leave you asking if there is still hope of a more civilized future on Twitter and in our politics? The reporter for this episode is graduate student Norris Burkes, with Nico Colombant, the coordinator of the Reynolds Media Lab, as co-host.

Prince Nesta hosts anarchists Bancho, Emilio and Emma (real names withheld), as he explores the anarchist perspective on the state of American politics, Anti-Fascist movements, lawlessness, political resistance and different ideas of freedom. The guests also express their disgust on America’s double standards around foreign policy and its two-party system.

Prince Nesta hosts The Last Poets, a musical group formed in 1968 which laid the foundation for Hip-Hop. Many Hip-Hop historians consider them the grandfathers of the genre. The influential group talks about African-American consciousness, their influence on artists such as The Notorious B.I.G, Tupac Shakur, and their rollercoaster ride in the music industry.

Prince Nesta hosts The Last Poets, a musical group formed in 1968 which laid the foundation for Hip-Hop. Many Hip-Hop historians consider them the grandfathers of the genre. The influential group talks about African-American consciousness, their influence on artists such as The Notorious B.I.G, Tupac Shakur, and their rollercoaster ride in the music industry.

Prince Nesta hosts UNR graduate student, Temi Durojaiye who recently moved to the U.S. from Nigeria, and attended Reno’s biggest food festival. Temi recounts his experience at the festival, which included lots of ribs, amusement rides, and even a clown. We also explore the food culture back in Lagos, Nigerians’ most beloved foods, and the awesomeness of jollof rice.

Prince Nesta hosts sports enthusiasts and journalists Paul Mitchell, Myrton Running Wolf and Garrett Hirschberg as he explores the history of American sports, from basketball to boxing, the NFL’s plummeting ratings and controversies from the national anthem to Native American mascots.

Student journalist and Our Town Reno reporter Robyn Feinberg joins Prince Nesta to discuss reporting about homelessness, poverty, and gentrification. Robyn has spent the past three years pursuing investigations and street reporting in Reno, Nevada, and also provides her own experiences from recent travels. Prince Nesta has also been reporting for the Our Town Reno street reporting collective. He also provides insights and comparisons from his native country, Kenya.

Prince Nesta hosts Jill Vacchina Dobbs, the Executive Director of SPCA Northern Nevada, as he

explores America's lovey dovey relationship with their pets, using dogs to get dates, pet health and wellness, effects of dog abuse and unique exotic pets. Kenyans also express shock on America’s pet owners ‘weirdness’.