Even before the pandemic ravaged the country, some Americans struggled to keep their families fed. But a boost from pandemic emergency funding helped make access to food possible for many.

Remember how we used to complain — there’s nothing to watch on TV?

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

Superman, Wonder Woman, Black Panther — that's probably what most of us picture when we think about comic books.

But a local cartoonist argues that comics are much more than just superheroes or Sunday paper comic strips.

In his exhibit, “Comics Is A Medium, Not A Genre,” Joel Christian Gill includes almost 200 works, ranging from Charles M. Schulz’s first Peanuts comic in 1950, to Black cartoonists who have used their drawings to tell stories about race and social justice.

We sit down with Gill and discuss his argument why comics are not just for children, but everyone.

GUEST

Joel Christian Gill, cartoonist, author, chair of the MFA in Visual Narrative at Boston University, and curator of the “Comics Is A Medium, Not A Genre” exhibit at Boston University

From the 18th century philosopher, Thomas Paine, to 2020 Presidential candidate, Andrew Yang, the concept of guaranteed income — providing people in need with cash to meet basic needs, essentially — has been floating around for centuries.

Critics say no strings attached cash payments are not a long-term solution to uplift the economically fragile. But advocates point to successful pilot programs, including some in Greater Boston, are inspiring widespread support across the nation.

We sit down with leaders of the movement and a local program participant.

GUESTS

Sumbul Siddiqui, mayor of Cambridge

Saadia McConville, communications director of Mayors for Guaranteed Income

Victor, participant in the Cambridge RISE guaranteed income program. GBH is identifying Victor only by his first name to protect his privacy.

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

You may have already sampled sake, perhaps the best-known Japanese alcoholic beverage. But the popularity of Japanese whisky may soon rival Japan's most familiar drink.

And, many James Beard Award nominees are restaurants and chefs in Massachusetts featuring Asian cuisine.

Plus, from Back Bay to Watertown, local Black-owned restaurants are drawing new attention.

Join our food and wine contributors as we sip and savor those stories and more.

GUESTS

Amy Traverso, senior food editor at Yankee Magazine, cohost of GBH’s Weekends with Yankee and author of “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook”

Jonathon Alsop, founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of “The Wine Lover’s Devotional”

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

East Boston resident Reina Carolina Morales Rojas has been missing for months. Community advocates claim police were too slow to act in the search.

Plus, a conservative media startup is hoping to become “Fox News in Spanish” by hiring a swath of Latinx journalists and ramping up a $20 million marketing campaign.

And despite ongoing tension about laws governing immigration, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham joined Democrat Dick Durbin to reintroduce the Dream Act. The proposed legislation would allow immigrants brought to the United States as children to earn residency and, potentially, citizenship.

That and more on our Latinx News Roundtable.

GUESTS

Marcela García, an opinion columnist and associate editor at the Boston Globe

Julio Ricardo Varela, president of Futuro Media Group, co-host of the “In The Thick” podcast, founder of Latino Rebels, and MSNBC opinion columnist

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

Chances are, if you're an art fan and a museum-goer, you’ve seen Western artwork featuring Black people. Their likenesses are tucked in the corners of the canvasses but also boldly staring out from the frames of portraits.

Author Zaria Ware has unearthed the life and histories of the men and women who served as models for much of this work, as well as the Black artists who rose to the top of their profession in the early part of the 20th century.

We sit down with Ware to discuss who they were and how they came to be there – and why they are often overlooked.

GUEST

Zaria Ware, author of "BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art"

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

Governor Maura Healey wants Massachusetts to “lead the world” in its fight against climate change, and she has staked her claim by naming the first-in-the-nation cabinet-level climate chief to her Cabinet. But some advocates want more direct action.

And, a new study documents a dramatic 50 year rise of warmer climates during our region's winters. With less snow and fewer frozen ponds — is New England’s very identity melting away?

Plus, there's exciting buzz for a new vaccine for honeybees. Will it offer new protection for the indispensable pollinator?

That and more on our Environmental News Roundtable.

GUESTS

Beth Daley, editor and general manager of The Conversation, U.S.

Dr. Aaron Bernstein, interim director of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School

Cabell Eames, political director of Better Future Project, a Massachusetts-based grassroots climate action organization

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

Even if you don't know his name, you have probably heard his music. Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican superstar who has topped Billboard charts for years. For three years in a row he has been Spotify's most streamed artist in the world.

While he has won Grammys before, his global appeal hasn’t translated to wins in the Recording Academy's biggest categories. No Spanish-language album had ever been nominated for the the Grammys’ Album of the Year — until Bad Bunny's "Un Verano Sin Ti" was nominated for that honor in November.

Two experts examine why a handful of Spanish-language artists were finally able to transcend The Grammys' niche categories, and what this says about the rise and undeniable influence of Latin music in America.

GUESTS

Leila Cobo, journalist, author, and Billboard’s Chief Content Officer of Latin

Berta Rojas, associate professor in Berklee's Guitar department and winner of two 2022 Latin Grammys, Best Classical Album for “Legado,” and Best Classical Contemporary Composition for the song "Anido's Portrait: I. Chacarera”

This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley:

From heart disease to diabetes, chronic illness is the leading cause of death in the United States, and chronic disease is a major reason why the nation spends more than $4 trillion on health care every year.

But a growing movement believes reexamining our relationship with food is key to both improving our health and saving money. Food is medicine, they argue, and access to high quality food is essential to a longer, healthier life.

We speak with organizations leading the crusade in Boston and beyond to understand how food can assist, and sometimes even replace medication.

GUESTS

Olivia Weinstein, culinary nutrition director for Boston Medical Center

Jean Terranova, senior director of policy and research at Community Servings

Paul Hepfer, CEO of Project Open Hand