The story that leads off Chapter 6 of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal, Mass Deportation Disaster captures the struggles of 12-year-old Alvaro and his mother in a fictional detention center in West Texas. Alvaro expresses his hunger to his mother, who is too weak to properly care for herself. As they navigate the deteriorating conditions of the camp—overcrowded with diminishing food supplies, hostile guards, and a sense of fear from both authorities and fellow detainees—Alvaro reflects on lost friendships and longing for better times. His mother’s health declines as she sacrifices for him, giving him her piece of bread despite needing it more herself. This highlights Alvaro’s growing awareness of their desperate situation. He learns from a friend, Manuel, about possible escape routes and decides to plan his own escape to ensure both his and his mother’s safety.

In the second half of Chapter 6, in a parallel narrative, soldier Jake Caldwell describes the chaos of the detention center from his perspective. As he witnesses the overwhelming influx of women and children, he feels the systemic failures of the camp. The environment strips away humanity, leading children to escape in search of freedom. As both narratives unfold, Alvaro attempts to escape the camp, filled with hope for a future where he can see his mother smile again even as Jake grapples with the moral dilemmas of his role in the oppressive system. Their stories intertwine themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the harsh realities faced by both detainees and guards in the unjust conditions of the camp.

We'd like to thank all the artists who volunteered their time to make this episode:
Mark Ruffalo and Andrea Guidry who read the chapters and  others who contributed character voices.  

Sound design by Marilys Ernst and Jon Moser.

Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal is written by David Pepper and produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod.

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10.31.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Roland On The Road at Milwaukee Faith Rally, Bishop Clarence McClendon Criticizes VP Kamala Harris

LIVE at Milwaukee's Institute for the Preservation of African American Music and Art for a Faith Rally. 

Roland will address Bishop Clarence McClendon's remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris and the black clergy members who support her.

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10.30.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Roland On The Road in Wis Talking 2024 Elections, Burning Ballot Boxes, VA Voter Purge Can Resume

LIVE at Gee's Clippers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  We'll discuss the upcoming election with local lawmakers, community leaders, and students. 

Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro is here to discuss the racist rhetoric about Latinos and Hispanics. 

The Supreme Court says Virginia can continue its voter purge.

And the hunt continues in  Oregon and Washington state for the person blowing up drop-off ballot boxes. 

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10.29.24 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: VP Kamala Harris' Closing Argument Speech at the Ellipse

LIVE live in DC at the Ellipse, where Vice President Kamala Harris will address the nation one week before election day.  

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In Chapter 5 of Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal, Part one, the fictional characters Congresswoman Louise Getty and Senator Wade Stiller, former rivals, meet at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. They reflect on their pasts and express concern over a hostile political climate under Trump’s second term, feeling fear and paranoia about being surveilled and targeted by the government. Their conversation reveals a sense of vulnerability as they confront the reality that many of their colleagues have abandoned principles out of fear. Louise recalls the intense political maneuvering and betrayals leading up to and following the January 6 insurrection. 

In Part Two, Woody Nuxhall, the newly appointed head of the Treason and Political Crime Section of the DOJ, oversees his zealous young team of prosecutors, eager to pursue investigations and vendettas against political enemies. The group discusses tactics to surveil and undermine former colleagues and opposition figures, planning a strategy fueled by partisan loyalty and vengeance, while embracing a radical transformation of the DOJ's role in politics. The narrative emphasizes the deeply entrenched fear and moral compromise within Washington's political landscape, contrasting the idealistic memories of past sacrifices with the present-day weaponization of governmental power. Overall, the story highlights the erosion of democratic norms, and the personal toll this environment takes on the individuals involved.

While these stories are fictional, they are based on Trump's own words and Project 2025. In fact, the New York Times, just last week reported just how Trump would use the Justice Department to go after his enemies.

We’d like to thank the artists who contributed their time to make this episode:
Richard Schiff and Morgan Fairchild read the chapters and others who contributed character voices.

Sound Design by Marilys Ernst and Jon Moser.
Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal was written by David Pepper and Produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10.28.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Trump's Racist Rally, VP Harris Barbershop Visit, Exonerated 5 Sues Trump, Ronald Greene Case Update

Trump's Madison Square Garden rally unleashed some harsh criticism after a featured speaker made some vulgar, racist comments about Latinos and Puerto Rico.  He called them jokes; many called Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe tasteless.  Darren Soto, a Puerto Rican member of Congress from Florida, is here to talk about the fiasco.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited a Philadelphia barbershop to discuss black representation and the upcoming election. We'll show you that conversation. 

The exonerated five is suing the orange man for defamation.  We'll talk to one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit. 

The only Louisiana State Trooper who contributed to Ronald Greene's death pleaded guilty today.  We'll talk to Ronald's mother about the end of the case and legal analyst Candance Kelly about the plea. 

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10.25.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered live from Houston! VP Kamala Harris Rally

LIVE from Houston, Texas, at Shell Energy Stadium for Vice President Kamala Harris' rally. She will focus on reproductive rights, and Beyonce is expected to take the stage.

Once again, Trump insults the very country he wants to lead.  The Vice President has a few words for the convicted felon trying to return to the White House. 

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10.24.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered live from Houston! VP Kamala Harris Rally

LIVE from Houston, Texas, at Shell Energy Stadium for Vice President Kamala Harris' rally. She will focus on reproductive rights, and Beyonce is expected to take the stage.

Once again, Trump insults the very country he wants to lead.  The Vice President has a few words for the convicted felon trying to return to the White House. 

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The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platforms covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

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10.23.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Gen. John Kelly Issues Warning About 2nd Trump Presidency, Gen Z Rapid Response Fund

Trump's former White House chief of staff issued a stern warning that if elected again, his former boss would govern like a dictator, lack empathy, and have no understanding of the U.S. Constitution.  You'll hear what Kelly and Vice President Kamala Harris had to say. 

We'll show you some of Harris' NBC interview.

Justice + Joy National Collaborative launched its Rapid Response Fund, which will award grants to GEN Z voters to get out the vote on a rolling basis.  We'll talk to one of the organizers. 

We'll also talk to a professor who participated in a report that found nearly 4 million Americans will not be able to vote because of their felony convictions.

A judge gives Rudy Giuliani a week to turn over his $5 million co-op apartment to Georgia election workers he defamed.

And a judge upholds the Jan. 6 trespassing conviction of the first January 6th rioter who was removed from office under the Constitution's ban on insurrectionists.

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10.22.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Sen. Tim Kaine's Campaign, Roland's 1-on-1 with LeVar Burton, RMU Climate Change Special 

We are exactly two weeks away from the election. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine will join us to talk about his campaign. 

Actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton will be here in our studio.  You don't want to miss that conversation. 

Our second hour is dedicated to climate change.  Our experts will discuss how black and brown communities are hit first and worse, have the highest health impacts, and are least likely to recover from climate disasters. 

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The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platforms covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

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