On this episode of West Texas Talk, Elise Pepple sits down with critical race theorist Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw. They unpack a term Crenshaw coined in 1989 as a framework for understanding how different forms of discrimination overlap to affect marginalized people -- intersectionality.

Crenshaw is a law professor at UCLA and Columbia Law school, where she directs the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies. She's also a co-founder of the African American Policy Forum, an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policymakers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. Her work has been central to understanding how race, sex, ability, gender, ag... Hosted by Elise Pepple for KRTS

On this episode of West Texas Talk, Diana Nguyen speaks to def.sound — a Los Angeles-based writer, producer, and musical artist. They discuss his music and influences.

His forthcoming album "Colored" is expected to be released in 2019.

You can listen to def.sound's music here. Hosted by Diana Nguyen for KRTS

This is a conversation from The Texas Tribune's symposium on rural Texas. The panel took place earlier this week in College Station, where lawmakers, advocates, and local officials discussed the future of rural education, health care, natural resource preservation, infrastructure investment, and the state’s economic future.

During this panel, Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith, Oldham County Judge Donnie Allred, Palmhurst Mayor Ramiro Rodriguez, and Marfa’s Mayor Ann Marie Nafziger discuss the changes and challenges rural communities face.

Hosted by Diana Nguyen for KRTS

On this episode, Diana Nguyen speaks to writer Lance Scott Walker, author of Houston Rap Tapes: An Oral History of Bayou City Hip-Hop (University of Texas Press, 2018). They discuss the history and far-reaching influence of Houston’s rap scene. Hosted by Diana Nguyen for KRTS

On this episode of West Texas Talk, reporters Diana Nguyen, Carlos Morales and Sally Beauvais discuss local races taking place across West Texas. Elections include Marfa ISD’s special election, The bond in Alpine, the Tax Ratification Election in Ector County, races for Midland School Board District 5 and District 6, and Midland City Council.

You'll hear a story reported by Marfa Public Radio's Carlos Morales and Texas Public Radio's Ryan Poppe about the diversity in people and perspectives in Congressional District 23.  Additionally, Diana Nguyen reports on Texas Senate candidates perspectives on climate change and the environment. 

You can view a list of local elections in sev... Hosted by Diana Nguyen for KRTS

On a special version of West Texas Talk, we hear more excerpts from the Marfa version of 'Ads.' 

In 2010, playwright and director Richard Maxwell started Ads, a play that features pre-recorded monologues of strangers —not actors— expressing what they believe.

Throughout this episode, we’ll listen to the monologues from the Marfa adaptation of Ads:

You'll  hear monologues from:

Eliseo Martinez, Darby Hillman, Jim Martinez, Lineaus Lorette, John Sufficol, Mary Farley, Tyler Spurgin, Austin Miligan, Natalie, Melendez, Liz Rogers, and JD DiFabbio.

Hosted by for KRTS

On this week’s episode, we’ll hear from playwright and director Richard Maxwell. In 2010, he started “Ads”, a play that features pre-recorded monologues of strangers —not actors— expressing what they believe.

Over the years, Maxwell has produced different versions of Ads to reflect the various communities he’s visited. Recently, he created a version of the play in Marfa.

Throughout this episode, we’ll listen to the Marfa monologues from Ads. But first, you’ll hear from Maxwell himself.

The New York-based artist sat down with Marfa Public Radio's Diana Nguyen before the Marfa performance of Ads.

"I wanted to make ads, but ads for the self," says Maxwell... Hosted by for KRTS

On this edition of West Texas Talk, Rachel Monroe sits down with current Lannan fellow, Laila Lalami.

Lalami, born in Rabat and educated in Morocco, Great Britain, and the United States, is the author of the novels Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, Secret Son, as well as a regular columnist and contributor for The Nation and Los Angeles Times.

Lalami's most recent work, The Moor’s Account, won the American Book Award, the Arab-American Book Award, the Hurston-Wright Legacy Award, was on the Man Booker Prize longlist, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Hosted by Rachel Monroe for KRTS

On this episode, we remember the late Boyd Elder and celebrate his contributions to the station. Elder was known for his artwork, but became a well-known personality on the air by giving weather reports from Valentine, his home. Marfa Public Radio’s most recent collaboration with Elder was a t-shirt design featuring one of his iconic cow skulls.

This conversation is an archived Talk at Ten interview between former station general manager Tom Michael and Boyd Elder. It was recorded in 2010 when Elder was the featured ArtWalk artist.

They discuss the well-known Big Bend resident's roots in Valentine, and his career as an artist.

Hosted by Diana Nguyen for KRTS

Ryan Paradiso speaks to Lannan resident Mai Der Vang about her collection of poetry, Afterland. The work explores the Hmong (an ethnic group in Southeast Asia) exodus from Laos after The Secret War.

In this conversation, Paradiso and Vang discuss the writer's decision to break the rules of grammar, the influence a grassroots writing circle had on Vang's writing, and what it means to create a body of work from the perspective of a Hmong Person.

“or me, it means so much to be able to have written this book, and  be able to offer my own kind of truth about the experience of the war, and the experience of growing up Hmong, and the experience of not having a written language or a defin... Hosted by Ryan Paradiso for KRTS