As the Covid-19 crisis unfolded in public view, behind-the-scenes strategies to combat it fell on deaf ears. Author Michael Lewis joins host Krys Boyd to tell the stories of a biochemist, a public health worker and a federal government employee who worked in the White House during the early days of trying to contain the coronavirus. His book is “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story.”

The field of home economics often conjures images of domesticity, not training women for revolutionary roles in the workplace. Danielle Dreilinger joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how these courses opened doors for women outside the home, vaulting them to careers as scientists, businesswomen, professors and more. Her book is “The Secret History of Home Economics: How Trailblazing Women Harnessed the Power of Home and Changed the Way We Live.”

From suffrage to Civil Rights, the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha have played an important role in shaping American history. Deborah Riley Draper, an AKA herself, joins host Krys Boyd to tell the story of the oldest Black Greek letter sorority, which was founded at Howard University. Her new documentary about the organization is called “Twenty Pearls” and is available to watch on demand.

For young adults, living your most authentic life might require trying a little less. Rainesford Stauffer joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the social media-fueled pressure put on people in their 20s and 30s to find their purpose, and why allowing time to think and be still might be the best way for someone to grow. Her book is “An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional.”

In 1917, the U.S. Congress passed a law granting U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans. So what would it take for the island to become a state? Journalist Andrea González-Ramírez joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the political roadblocks to statehood, the option to become an independent nation, and the complex issues that face the future of the island. Her article for Medium is headlined “Is Statehood Next for Puerto Rico? It’s Complicated.”

Just 2 percent of all psychiatrists are Black, and the implications for mental healthcare are far reaching. Dr. Ruth S. Shim is professor of cultural psychiatry and clinical psychiatry at the University of California, Davis, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the lack of access to care for people of color and the links between structural racism and mental health. Her article, “To Achieve Mental Health Equity, Dismantle Social Injustice,” was published in Scientific American.

The history of Chinese immigration to the U.S. tends to focus on the West Coast, leaving out the deep roots in the American South. Filmmaker Larissa Lam joins host Krys Boyd to tell the story of one man’s journey to document his Chinese family’s history in the Jim Crow South. Her documentary made with Baldwin Chiu is “Far East Deep South” and is available now on the World Channel and PBS.org.

Maybe the trick to accomplishing more is to do less? Leidy Klotz is co-founder and co-director of the University of Virginia’s Convergent Behavioral Science Initiative and a columnist for the Behavioral Scientist. He joins host Krys Boyd to talk about why we need to start thinking as much about what we won’t do as what we will. His book is “Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less.”

It doesn’t matter if fashion brands make clothing in plus-sizes if an obese person is still denied medical care because of their weight. Aubrey Gordon is the previously anonymous writer behind the popular Your Fat Friend essays and social media posts, and she joins host Krys Boyd to talk about why the “body positivity” movement doesn’t go far enough to achieve real social justice and basic human rights. Her new book is “What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat.”

If you've ever wondered how Krys chooses who she talks to or what she wants to talk about, this is your chance to find out. Every weekend Krys will share highlights from the conversations she had that week and offer a behind the scenes look at the creation process of Think. On this week’s episode: growing up.