The Takeaway

For the third installment of the Takeaway Deep Dive, host Melissa Harris-Perry and friend/collaborator Dorian Warren are tackling the important topic of the American Death Penalty. Joining our hosts to discuss the racial and class inequalities infecting application of the Death Penalty is Samuel Spital, Director of Litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. They speak with Sabrina Butler Smith, the first woman exonerated from death row, about her experience of being wrongly convicted of murdering her infant and sent to death row in Mississippi. We also get a look from a victim’s perspective through a conversation with Jennifer Pinckney, Widow of Rev. Clementa Pinckney. Dylan Roof murdered her husband, Rev Clementa Pickney. Finally, the hosts explore the processes and procedures of putting inmates to death with Lynden Harris, Director of Hidden Voices and Editor of "Right Here, Right Now: Life Stories from America’s Death Row" and Sister Helen Prejean, anti-death penalty activist, spiritual advisor to men and women on death row, and author of "Dead Man Walking," "The Death of Innocents," and "The River of Fire."

 For transcript, see segment page. 

The Role Facebook Played in the Attack on the U.S. Capitol

This week, Facebook is facing its latest round of scrutiny after a collaboration involving journalists from 17 American newsrooms started publishing a series of stories that they are calling The Facebook Papers. These newsrooms are sifting through thousands of pages of internal documents initially obtained by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who testified earlier this month before a Senate subcommittee. The New York Times report shows that employees repeatedly raised red flags about the mismanagement of content and far-right groups. For more on this, The Takeaway speaks with Ryan Mac, technology reporter at The New York Times.

Admissions and the Value of Higher Education

A conversation about the college admissions process and the value of higher education with Jeff Selingo, author of the book Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions.

Howard Students Protest University Living Conditions

Students are protesting poor housing conditions at the well-known, historically Black university. For Black people, proper housing has been an issue since the country was founded.

Biden Administration Dials Back Promise to Invest in HBCUs

President Biden promised to allocate $20 billion exclusively to HBCUs, but since the reconciliation process it’s now more like $2 billion. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Cost of Naloxone Soars as Overdose-Related Deaths Surge

As the coronavirus pandemic ravaged communities across the U.S., another epidemic was quietly unfolding in the background: the opioid overdose crisis. For the past two decades, the drug epidemic has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the country. Recent data indicates that things have gotten worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the CDC, around 100,000 people died of overdoses during the first year of the pandemic, the majority of which were opioid-related. That’s a 30 percent increase from the year before. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Melody Schreiber, a contributor to the Guardian US and editor of the book What We Didn't Expect: Personal Stories About Premature Birth. 

How 'Dopesick' Creator Danny Strong Brought the Opioid Epidemic to the Screen

The new Hulu miniseries “Dopesick” takes a comprehensive overview of the opioid epidemic, following the rise of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, while also spotlighting the communities whose members have dealt with opioid addiction. Danny Strong joined The Takeaway to discuss why he brought this story to the screen and what he wants people to learn about the opioid epidemic.

Affirming Housing for LGBTQ-SGL Elders

For the second installment of our Aging While Queer series, Dr. Imani Woody joined to discuss the importance of affirming housing for LGBTQ-SGL elders and how Mary’s House is due to open its doors in 2023 after over a decade of planning and fund-raising. As a long-time advocate for marginalized populations, Dr. Imani decided to create a safe space for the aging members of the LGBTQ-SLG (same-gender-loving) community. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Outgoing Congressman David Price Weighs in on Reconciliation Compromises

This week, Democratic Congressman David Price of North Carolina announced his retirement after decades in office. He joined The Takeaway to discuss the present and future of his party.

How Corporate Lobbying Influences Lawmakers

Democrats are still in the process of negotiating their social spending bill which is proposed to spend $3.5 trillion over 10 years to pay for huge investments in climate change, child care, education and health care. For a look at lobbying on Capitol Hill, The Takeaway talks with Lee Drutman, Senior Fellow at New America and author of “The Business of America is Lobbying.” 

New Poll Shows Black Adults Are Increasingly Dissatisfied With The Direction Of The Country

A new poll found that Black adults have become increasingly dissatisfied with the direction the country is headed. To discuss the findings of the latest poll, we spoke with Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, and the head of the Black to the Future Action Fund.

Labor Is Having a Moment 

Workers at several prominent companies across the U.S. have been going on strike in recent weeks. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke to Steven Greenhouse, former New York Times labor reporter and the author of Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present and Future of American Labor. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Why Offshore Oil Drilling is So Bad For The Environment

On October 1, a ruptured pipeline resulted in 25,000 gallons of crude spilling into the Pacific Ocean near Orange County, California. While the spill wasn’t as bad as initially feared, it reignited a debate over offshore drilling. California has an aging pipeline infrastructure with questionable federal oversight. And this wasn't the only large oil spill this year. Less than a month ago, after Hurricane Ida, a federal satellite detected the most oil spills from space in the Gulf of Mexico after a weather event. The federal government started using satellites to track spills and leaks starting a decade ago. The Takeaway spoke with Catherine Kilduff, Senior Attorney at The Center for Biological Diversity, and Wilma Subra, who deals with environmental human health issues, on behalf of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network.

Biden Administration Plans to Rein In "Forever Chemicals"

On Monday, the Biden administration unveiled its plans to rein in so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS. PFAS refers to a group of more than 4,000 toxic chemicals that don’t break down in the environment. PFAS are found in everything from our drinking water to our cookware. Even some rain jackets and cosmetics contain PFAS. But PFAS are also hazardous for our health. In fact, they’ve been linked with certain cancers, thyroid disease, and other health impacts, too. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke to Pat Rizzuto, chemicals reporter with Bloomberg Law. 

Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Are Now Running 24/7

Last week, President Biden announced that the Port of Los Angeles will move towards operating 24/7 to address the shipping delays that have led to nationwide supply chain disruptions this year. The Port of Long Beach has also expanded its operations towards a 24/7 schedule in an attempt to solve the supply chain issue. The Takeaway hears from Dr. Afif El-Hasan, Physician-in-Charge at Kaiser Permanente San Juan Capistrano Medical Offices and spokesperson for the American Lung Association, as well as Mario Cordero, the executive director of the Port of Long Beach.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Deep Dive with Dorian Warren: Child Care

In this installment of The Takeaway Deep Dive, we tackle the very personal system of child care. Affordable child care is often inadequately addressed in the United States. That was laid bare during the height of the pandemic which exposed the inequities of a system that is in need of drastic changes and repair. Joining our hosts to discuss what changes need to be made to the child care system is Aqeela Muntaqim, Michigan Deputy Director of Mothering Justice, and Karen D’Souza, a writer at Ed Source, an organization that works to engage Californians on key education challenges with the goal of enhancing learning success.

The Shadow Pandemic: Covid Creates Population of Orphaned Children

A devastating number of children have lost a parent or caregiver to Covid, and they lack the financial and emotional support they need. Federal statistics are not yet available on how many U.S. children went into foster care last year; however, researchers estimate COVID-19 drove a 15% increase in orphaned children. JoNel Aleccia, senior correspondent at Kaiser Health News, discusses the impact of Covid on our children and the need for more support.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

The Story of Jelani Day

In August, Jelani Day went missing and his car was found with no license plates or keys several days after he was reported missing. Ten days later, Jelani’s body was found in the Illinois River 60 miles from his campus in a town where less than 1 percent of the population is Black and he had no known connections. It's important to note that Jelani was an avid swimmer who’d competed on his school’s swim team. The Takeaway talks with Linda Foster, President of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP and James E. Wright II, assistant professor at Florida State University, specializing in policing, about the story of Jelani Day.

Jury Selection in the Trial of Ahmaud Arbery's Accused Killers Began Monday

Like the murder of George Floyd and so many others, Arbery’s death sparked a wave of racial justice uprisings across the U.S. in the summer of 2020. It also prompted the state of Georgia to make changes to its criminal justice law, including the passage of a hate crimes statute. For more on the trial, The Takeaway spoke to Nicole Lewis, senior editor of Jurisprudence at Slate. 

Christian Missionaries Held Captive by Haitian Gang

17 Christian missionaries building an orphanage in Haiti remain captive after they were abducted by the 400 Mawozo gang on Saturday, October 16th. Kidnappings in Haiti continue to rise counting 328 during the first 8 months of 2021. We discuss the situation in Haiti leading up to the kidnappings and what we can anticipate with Jaqueline Charles, Caribbean and Haitian correspondent for the Miami Herald.

The Life and Legacy of Colin Powell

Colin Powell, the first Black U.S. Secretary of State, passed away on Monday due to complications from Covid-19 at the age of 84. Powell, a 4-star Army general, was also the first black national security advisor and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. We look back at his life of public service and his role in leading the U.S. into the Iraq War.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

The Global Supply Chain Is A Mess 

One of the continuing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the disruption of supply chains. The global supply chain is slowing down at a time when demand is high. The Takeaway spoke to Derek Thompson, staff writer for The Atlantic, about the complex issues causing shortages on store shelves and slowdowns in services.

Are Toys Becoming More Gender Neutral?

Last week, LEGO — the world’s largest toy maker — announced it would make its toys more gender neutral. And earlier this month, the state of California passed a law requiring large retailers to display toys and childcare items in gender-neutral ways. All of this comes as the debate intensifies over whether toys create and perpetuate gender stereotypes. We spoke with Elizabeth Sweet, assistant professor of sociology at San Jose State University to look at both developments, the history of gendered toys, the push to make toys more gender neutral, and more.

Terence Blanchard is First Black Composer at Metropolitan Opera House

Terence Blanchard joined today's show.You may already be familiar with Terence Blanchard as a 6-time Grammy winner, jazz trumpet player and composer of over 40 film scores, earning him a BAFTA and Academy Award nominee for Best Original Score for Spike Lee’s 2018 film, BlacKkKlansman. Blanchard also happens to write operas. He composed Fire Shut Up in My Bones, based on Charles Blow’s memoir of the same title, and it is the first opera by a Black composer to be housed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

State Politics Heating Up Across Country

Jessica Taylor, the Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report, and Zach Montellaro, state politics reporter at POLITICO take a look at state politics and gubernatorial races around the country where candidates are debating issues around education, police reform, and abortion rights.

New Analyses Show Potential Undercount of Black Population During 2020 Census

The findings have brought up concerns that some jurisdictions and civil rights leaders have had about lower-than-expected totals in the 2020 Census. “This might be our greatest undercount since 1960, or 1950,” said Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans and president and chief executive of the National Urban League, which sued the bureau last year to stop the count from ending early. Morial joined us to discuss the undercount and the far-reaching implications it could have. 

The Experience of Resettling as an Afghan Refugee

Fifty-five thousand. That’s how many Afghans have relocated to the U.S. since mid-August.According to the Department of Homeland Security, about 40 percent are eligible for special immigrant visas because of the work they did aiding U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. But for other Afghan evacuees, it’s unclear what their legal status will be. Many entered the country not as traditional refugees, but instead under a temporary legal process known as parole. That means many of these refugees currently don’t have a direct pathway to permanent residency. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Naheed Samadi-Bahram, Women for Afghan Women's U.S. Country Director.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

What's Not So Funny About Dave Chappelle

The backlash against Dave Chappelle’s recent comedy special for Netflix continues with many Transgender individuals and groups speaking out against it. We're joined by Aryah Lester, deputy director of the Transgender Strategy Center and MX Dahlia Belle, a writer and comedian who penned "Dear Dave Chappelle, Transgender Comedians Can Take A Joke, But Why Are Yours So Unfunny” joined us to discuss the controversy and what Chappelle can and should do better.

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 SAGE is doing to provide a life of dignity for this underserved community.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.