The Takeaway

Janai Nelson

Janai Nelson, Associate Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund joins us to discuss the banning of books that teach a truthful version of history, and how she will lead the NAACP LDF in Spring of 2022 after the departure of current president, Sherrilyn Ifill. 

Arab Americans Are 'White' On The Census. But Should They Be?

In the fall of 2021, Boston mayoral candidate Annissa Essaibi George, like many other Arab Americans, chose to identify publicly as a person of color. But the thing is Arab Americans are considered “white” on government forms. That means Arab Americans and people from the Middle East...who descend from countries that span Africa and Asia...are left out of a process that decides the political map, federal funding and medical research. For decades, Arab American organizations have pushed the federal government to adjust official forms to stop what they say is erasure. But the question is, what is a person of color - and are Arab Americans a part of the group? Sarah Gualtieri, historian and professor of American studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC) and Maya Berry, executive director at the Arab American Institute, join The Takeaway to discuss more. 

Asian Americans Secure Historic Political Wins Across The Country

A report from Politico in 2021 revealed that elected officials from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community were the LEAST represented demographic in American politics, making up less than ONE percent of all people who hold office. But that’s starting to change. In fact, this November was a historic election cycle for AAPI communities across the country. Asian Americans will serve for the first time as Mayor in Boston and Cincinnati. 5 Asian Americans were elected to New York’s city council this year. Jane Junn, professor at University of Southern California and Arun Venugopal, Race and Justice Reporter at WNYC, join The Takeaway to discuss more. 

On the second edition of the Takeaway Book report, our host spoke with some amazing guest about the books they've been reading and writing in 2021.

Guest in this episode include:

Constance Grady, senior culture writer at Vox, talked about her picks for 2021.

Treva B. Lindsey, author of America, Goddam: Violence, Black Women, and the Struggle for Justice discussed her upcoming book.

Deep Dive co-host and co-president of the Center for Community Change Dorian Warren told us his favorite books of the year. 

Kaitlyn Greenidge discussed her new work Libertie, a work of historical fiction that is one of the most buzzed about books of the year. 

Torrey Peters author of Detransition, Baby discussed her national bestselling novel which tells the story of three people, transgender and cisgender, whose lives intersect thanks to an unexpected pregnancy.

CDC Cuts Recommended Quarantine Time as US COVID Infections Reach an All-Time High

Is the policy change about jobs and the economy, or about public health?

Deferring Student Debt... Again

Black borrowers experience the heaviest debt burden according to Andre Perry, senior fellow at Brookings Metro. He joined The Takeaway to share his research on how dated economic analysis ignores race and what cancelling student debt could do to boost Black wealth. 

 The Whitewashing of Reggaeton And Why J. Balvin's Apology Falls Flat

Artist J. Balvin received a ton of backlash after he received the Afro-Latino artist of the year award from the African Entertainment Awards.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Petroleum Spill In Hawaii Contaminates Drinking Supply For Thousands

We were joined by Mahealani Richardson, anchor and reporter with Hawaii News Now, to discuss what this fuel leak means for the people of Hawaii.

A Trucker Faces 110 Years in Prison Because of  Colorado's Mandatory-Minimum Sentencing

Rogel Aguilera-Mederos is facing 110 years in prison after a deadly crash. Truck drivers are threatening to boycott the state of Colorado over mandatory-minimum sentencing laws there.

Favorite Movie Moments of 2021

We walk listeners through some of our favorite movies of the year with Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and author of How To Be Fine. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Omicron Today: This Year in Pandemic Policy

Nsikan Akpan, health and science editor for the WNYC newsroom, joined with the latest updates and responses on the Omicronn variant while looking back on some of the policy choices that led to this moment. 

Other segments from today's episode include:

What is With the Cult of Resilience?

The Toll of Fibroids on Black Women

Study Finds Women Denied Abortion Access Fare Worse in Life

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Aging While Queer

Michael Adams is the CEO of SAGE, the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older people. He discusses the many unique challenges facing our LGBTQ+ elders and what his organization SAGE is doing to provide a life of dignity for this underserved community.

Affirming Housing for LGBTQ-SGL Elders

Dr. Woody discusses the importance of affirming housing for LGBTQ-SGL elders and how Mary's House serves as a model for inclusive elders of all gender, racial, and sexual identities.

Aging While Queer in Puerto Rico

Journalists Around The World Are Being Jailed And Detained At Record Highs

Journalists around the world are being jailed at a record high, according to a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Right now the number sits at 293. CPJ's editorial director Arlene Getz and Ohimai Amaize, an exiled Nigerian journalist, joined to discuss. 

The True Cost of a Common Cleaning Product

Air pollution in a series of southern communities is well above levels deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency following a chain of plants making the key chemical in Cascade. 

Violence Is Spiking on Airplanes 

Since the pandemic started, there’s been an uptick in violence on airplanes across the U.S., largely stemming from disputes over masking. 

What does the Diplomatic Boycott against the Beijing Olympics Mean?

The United States and a few other countries are boycotting the Beijing Olympics by not sending government officials to the games.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

The Trial of Kimberly Potter

The Takeaway spoke to Associated Press reporter Amy Forliti to discuss the charges being deliberated by the jury and how Minnesotans may react to the verdict. 

How Love and Relationships Have Changed in the Time of COVID-19

Dr. Lexx Brown-James, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of the Institute for Sexuality and Intimacy, and Logan Ury, the author of the book, “How To Not Die Alone” and director of Relationship Science at Hinge, talk about the changes the pandemic has brought about, give advice for making time for intimacy, and give tips on how to get out there and date for those folks who are looking. 

Parenting During the Pandemic

The Takeaway spoke with Yasmeen Khan the host and managing editor of a new podcast about parenting called “Childproof,” from Ten Percent Happier, about how parents can raise their kids without losing track of themselves. 

The New Matrix is About More Than the Movie

The Matrix Resurrections is set to be the first blockbuster directed by an openly trans filmmaker. Emily VanDerWerff, critic at large for Vox joins us to discuss The Matrix franchise.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

A Closer Look at Joe Manchin

Ken Ward Jr., co-founder of Mountain State Spotlight and distinguished local reporting fellow with ProPublica joined with Evan Osnos, author, staff writer for The New Yorker and CNN contributor, to discuss the political, social and local motivations behind Joe Manchin's decisions in congress. 

Military Documents Show U.S. Airstrikes Have Led to Thousands of Civilian Deaths

In the American air war in the Middle East, a New York Times investigation reveals flawed intelligence, rushed and imprecise targeting and the deaths of thousands of civilians.

Why The Final Frontier Matters

A conversation with science journalist Shannon Stirone about the JWST launch, recent discoveries in space, and why space exploration matters.

Hollywood's Obsession with Nuns Explained

Sister Act is far from the first — or last — movie about nuns. From horror films like 2018’s The Nun to the "nunsploitation" films of the 1970s, Hollywood has a habit of depicting the lives of nuns on the big screen. For more on this, The Takeaway with Alissa Wilkinson, film critic and culture reporter at Vox, about why pop culture is so obsessed with nuns. 

Migrant Workers At Dubai's Expo 2020 Report Unlivable Wages And Confiscated Passports

The World Fair in Dubai has employed migrant workers to build it out, and many are claiming they have been tricked into coming to the city for unlivable wages after paying an illegal fee to local recruiters. Some even claim they've had their passports confiscated, leaving them stranded in a foreign country. We were joined by The Associated Press' Gulf and Iran reporter Isabel DeBre to discuss labor and human rights issues at Expo 2020.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Omicron's on the Move in the U.S.

We put the current pandemic moment in perspective with WNYC science and health editor Nsikan Akpan who broke down what’s going on with this current Covid surge.

The Shady Business Behind Tree Equity

We spoke with Vivek Shandas, Professor of Climate Adaptation at Portland State University, about tree equity and how we might get closer to achieving tree equity with funding earmarked in the Build Back Better bill.

What's Causing the Rise of Deaths in Jail?

We asked Nafeesah Goldsmith and Samantha Melamed to discuss how this is happening.

The Facility: A Look Inside ICE Detention During The Pandemic

The new documentary The Facility shows the inside of the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia as the coronavirus pandemic first hit the United States. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.