SCOTUS Poised to Rule Against LGBTQ Books in Elementary Schools; DOGE Attacks Non-profits & Tries to Control Vera Institute; Plus Resistance in Residence Artist Martin Lynch

The Trump Administration’s Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) has attacked the Vera Institute of Justice by cutting $5 million in federal funding and then to directly intervene in the work of that non-profit organization. We speak with Insha Rahman, the Vice President of Advocacy and Partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice, which is an organization whose purpose is to research, test, and scale innovative solutions to end mass incarceration.

Then, the Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday, April 21st, in the case of Mahmoud v Taylor, a case in which a group of Maryland parents are using religious justifications to advocate that their children not be exposed to books that portray LGBTQ families in schools. We’ll speak with Sarah S. Brannen, the author and/or illustrator of two dozen children’s books, including “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding”, which is one of the books listed in the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor. We also speak with Sarah & Ian Hoffman, authors of a series of childrens books about a character named Jacob. Their book “Jacob’s Room to Choose” is one of the books listed in the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor.

Read Sarah S. Brannen’s op-ed in the Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/16/opinion/childrens-book-lgbtq-supreme-court/

Read Sarah & Ian Hoffman’s op-ed in TIME: https://time.com/7266486/lgbtq-books-scotus-case-jacobs-room-choose-essay/

Our Resistance in Residence Artist this week is playwright and theatre director as well as a leading advocate for the community arts in Northern Ireland, and originally from Belfast, Martin Lynch.

Martin Lynch’s play In The Name Of The Sun will see its US premier at the San Francisco International Arts Festival in early May. More info: https://www.sfiaf.org/2025_green_shoot_productions

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