2:00 PM PACIFIC TIME: Fridays
Covering the movements, the issues, and the people fighting for some of the most important social justice issues of our time. Hosted by Amy Gastelum, Salima Hamirani, Anita Jonhson, and Lucy Kang.
Seeing Red: Marshalling Cultural Anger in Middle America In the last two elections, the conservative values rhetoric has been effective in getting working class voters in middle America to vote in spite of their own interests. On this edition, we’ll hear from Thomas Frank, author of What’s the Matter with Kansas: How Conservatives Won the … Continued
Capturing Dreams: Race and Public Policy in the United States President George W. Bush made headlines by appointing a number of people of color to his cabinet. But what does this mean for race and public policy in the United States over the next four years? On this edition, we’ll hear from leaders in the … Continued
The Third Option – Assisted Suicide In 1994, Oregonians voted to make doctor assisted suicide legal, the only law of its type in United States. Ten years later, it’s still controversial. On this edition, correspondent Barbara Bernstein speaks with activists and analysts on both sides of the issue.
Who Owns Our Water?Profits vs. Public Interest Water is essential to survival. Yet access to fresh, clean water has increasingly come under the control of private corporations, making it less affordable and harder to come by. On this edition, we’ll take a look at water as a basic human right. We’ll hear about a plan … Continued
Reaching for Peace in the Holy Land Although small in number, Israelis and Palestinians committed to peace provide a glimmer of hope for the future. On this week’s edition of Making Contact, Israeli women defend Palestinian human rights at military checkpoints near Jerusalem. In Ramallah, we hear from Palestinian high school girls confronting issues of … Continued
From Cradle to Grave:The Impact of Electronics The electronics industry has brought us gadgets galore, from mobile phones that take pictures to the computer we use to edit this radio show. But there’s also a dark secret: the electronics industry is one of the world’s dirtiest; its growing legacy includes poisoned workers and mountains of … Continued
Chemical Soup: Pollutants in the Body There are thousands of chemicals in our air, water, dust, and food coming from everyday products like detergents, cookware, cosmetics, paints, sofas, shower curtains, computers, and TVs. These chemicals accumulate in our bodies-in our fat, blood, and organs-staying there long after they are banned or removed from the market. … Continued
The Chemical Industry’s Toxic Toll What’s good for business, and what’s good for people, sometimes don’t mix. In the chemical industry, for instance, the products that fuel profits can also threaten our well-being. On this edition, we’ll look at the 20th anniversary of one of the world’s worst chemical disasters, at the Union Carbide factory … Continued
Hiroshima and its Legacy Today In August 1945, in an action that has provoked controversy ever since, the US dropped the first atomic bombs on Japan. On this special edition of Making Contact, producer Reese Erlich looks at how the Hiroshima bombing set the moral and political tone for future aggression. We’ll hear from both … Continued
Four More Years: Communities of Color Organize We came, most of us voted, but now what? This is a question many progressive activists are asking themselves, as they regroup and reflect on what was lost and what was gained. On this edition, we’ll hear from four activist leaders from communities of color addressing a number … Continued
