Under the Radar with Callie Crossley

In the 1950’s, two young women were born poor and motherless in rural Louisiana. From the cradle to adulthood, the two are bonded for life as each searches for love and belonging. “Kin,” the latest novel by author Tayari Jones, is the heartfelt and tender story of their unbreakable bond. It’s our March selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.”

The Pride flag is flying over New York’s Stonewall Inn once more, despite calls from the Trump administration to remove the symbol from the historic landmark. LGBTQ+ athletes are making history at this year’s Winter Olympics. And remembering civil rights icon and queer rights ally, the Rev.Jesse Jackson. It's our LGBTQ+ news roundtable!

• Get your tickets now to our Bookmarked: LIVE! event at Lovestruck Books in Cambridge on Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m.: https://bit.ly/miasosaUTR

What if your favorite TV show or movie series didn’t end when the credits rolled? That’s at the heart of fanfiction: the social, collaborative, and imaginative community of amateur writers creating new adventures – and new love interests – from established stories and franchises. We kick off our new series, How We Love, with a conversation about the intersection of romance and fanfiction.

• Get your tickets now to our Bookmarked: LIVE! event at Lovestruck Books in Cambridge on Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m.: https://bit.ly/miasosaUTR

Massachusetts mayors brace for an ICE surge, while Boston and Worcester mayors declare city property off-limits to ICE. President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans to lead an effort to nationalize elections is met with resistance, including from one of the President’s strongest supporters: Texas Governor Greg Abbott. And State Auditor Diane Dizoglio amps up her campaign for an audit of the legislature–with a lawsuit and financial support from a state GOP candidate. It’s a full hour of political analysis with the Mass Politics Profs!

• Join us at our Bookmarked: LIVE! event at Lovestruck Books on Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m. Get your tickets now: https://bit.ly/miasosaUTR

The ICE arrest of a 5-year-old and his father in Minneapolis has amplified the fear and outrage in Latinx communities across the country and calls for immigration reform legislation from Massachusetts’ Black and Latino legislators. President Donald Trump wants to open up Venezuela’s oil sector to U.S. investment. Will this “Make Venezuela Great Again”? And Bad Bunny isn’t the only one making history at this year’s Super Bowl. It's our Latinx news roundtable!

It’s been nearly four years since 15-year-old high school basketball player Preston Settles suddenly collapsed on the court, dying 22 days later. Now his parents are supporting legislation that could expand the use of AEDS -- or automated external defibrillators -- in the state, especially at gyms and sporting arenas. The proposed bill is making its way through the Massachusetts Legislature right now. 

Award season is in full swing, and now, it’s the Recording Academy’s turn onstage. This weekend marks the 68th Grammy Awards, with decorated stars like Kendrick Lamar, up-and-comers like Olivia Dean and global icons like Lady Gaga all vying for a chance to take home a trophy. Two music experts give us the inside scoop on this year's Grammys.

Two giants of African American History share a connection few understood … until now. Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to integrate Major League Baseball, and artist and activist Paul Robeson became opposing voices amid the anti-communist fervor of the 20th century. Author Howard Bryant reveals a never-before-told story of how their historic intersection helped shape racial progress for decades to come in his latest book, “Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America” -- our February selection for Bookmarked: The "Under the Radar" Book Club and part of our tribute to Black History Month.

It’s been scientifically proven that taking time to reflect on what you’re grateful for is good for your health – emotionally, mentally and physically. But in recent years, these documented benefits have been overshadowed by a huge cottage industry of wellness influencers promoting gratitude merchandise and practices. So is practicing gratitude worth the hype?

What would you do if you had all the money you needed to create your own vision of the world you want to live in? For multimillionaire Fergie Chambers, it meant building a self-described communist revolutionary base in Alford, Massachusetts. Fergie and his mission are the story in a new documentary, “All About the Money,” premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival. We speak with the film's director, Sinead O'Shea.