This week on Under the Radar : Up until 18 months ago, "9 to 5," with its traditional customs, was how millions of Americans went to work. But COVID-19 upended tradition, forcing many of us out of the office and back home working remotely. That’s been enough time for companies to see the pros and cons of remote work, and to start crafting future-of-work plans. Many workers expected to return to the office this fall, but both the Delta variant and rising demand for remote jobs have made employers...
Sep 26, 2021•33 min
This week on Under the Radar : If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that a lot of people love working remotely. Sure, many people might miss in-person meetings, and look forward to hallway chats again. But others who’ve experienced the flexibility that remote work provides don’t want to give it up. Major companies, like Facebook, Twitter and Spotify, have embraced this — now allowing employees to work remotely, permanently. But as we enter fall, other businesses are calling their employees b...
Sep 26, 2021•25 min
A humiliating breakup knocked Kate Campbell off her trajectory of a successful career and an enviable personal life. But it’s only after she returns to her hometown roots that she is able to find solace and a new direction for her life. " Rock the Boat " is author Beck Dorey-Stein’s first novel and our September selection for “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.” "Rock the Boat" is Dorey-Stein’s second book following her New York times bestselling memoir, “From the Corner of the Oval.”...
Sep 20, 2021•23 min
This week on Under the Radar : At-large city councilors Michelle Wu and Anissa Essaibi George topped the field in Tuesday's preliminary Boston mayoral race. How did Greater Boston's Latino voters impact the election results? And, as the COVID-19 delta variant spreads, so too does disinformation about COVID among Spanish-language sites. Plus, National Hispanic Heritage Month kicked off last week, but critics say it needs a rebrand. That and more on our Latinx roundtable. Guests: Julio Ricardo Var...
Sep 19, 2021•35 min
This is a special encore edition of Under the Radar with Callie Crossley . This segment originally aired on May 2nd, 2021. New Orleans natives are typically thought of as descendents of the Africans, French and Spanish who arrived on the Gulf Coast in the 17th century. But for nearly 50 years, the city has also been home to a community of Vietnamese immigrants. Eric Nguyen gives us an intimate look at that community through the fictionalized lives of a mother and her sons in his debut novel ”Thi...
Sep 12, 2021•24 min
This is a special encore edition of Under the Radar with Callie Crossley. This segment originally aired on May 2nd, 2021. First, it was the cable and satellite TV subscribers who started a movement by turning to the internet for entertainment. Streaming services got a big boost during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown as millions more Americans — desperate for distraction — willingly ponied up for paid subscriptions. Now, cable cord cutters find the streaming cord wrapped around their necks as...
Sep 12, 2021•34 min
Once it was clear that the 9/11 hijackers were Muslim, American Muslims became targets. The pain and anger of September 11th tragedy drove anti-American sentiment as well as ongoing suspicion and misconception of Islam. Has public perception towards Muslims shifted, as the 20-year marker of 9/11 approaches? We're examining the systemic and structural racism against Muslims that has long been embedded in this country. Guests: Amaney Jamal , the Edwards S. Sanford professor of politics at Princeto...
Sep 05, 2021•28 min
For some of us, September 11th, 2001 still rings clear in our minds, even 20 years now after the attacks. But newer generations have little to no memory of that tragic day – either having been too young to remember, or not yet born. We’re marking the upcoming 20th anniversary of 9/11 by reflecting on how Gen-Zers recognize an event that they learn about in history books. How does generational trauma affect those who didn’t even live through the event? Guests: Garrett Graff , journalist and histo...
Sep 05, 2021•30 min
“Code Red" -- that's the alarming state of our planet's health, according to a United Nations climate change report, published this month. Our catchy slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” doesn’t hold-up to such dire news. And it’s recently become clear that recycling is a glaringly broken system in our country. Only 8 percent of plastic waste gets recycled in the United States, according to 2017 EPA report . So, what are we to do? Maybe it’s time to start practicing ‘reducing’ and ‘reusing’ instead o...
Aug 29, 2021•34 min
You might not think you have too much in common with Henry David Thoreau – an American naturalist, author, and philosopher from the 1800s. Thoreau is best known for his book Walden , a reflection upon his two-years living in the woods around Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Suddenly his experience as the original “social-distancer” seems quite relevant. The famous New Englander had a poignant appreciation for nature – something many of us rediscovered this year as the world closed in and p...
Aug 29, 2021•24 min
This week on Under The Radar : Booze-free beverages are having a moment — and no, we’re not talking about your grandfather’s O’Doul’s or sugary sweet mocktails. A wide variety of non-alcoholic craft beers are popping up on liquor store shelves near you, while bar menus are expanding to make space for spirit-free cocktails. Alcohol sales did spike last year, as Americans drank more during the pandemic. But millennials are driving a boom in the non-alcoholic beverage business, and industry leaders...
Aug 15, 2021•32 min
The pandemic sparked a return to cooking at home, and with that, sales of cookbooks spiked. As home cooks search for new ways to spice up everyday meals, what are the new trends emerging? Cookbook fans unite! In this segment from Under The Radar, Callie Crossley and our food contributor Amy Traverso each pick three of their current favorite cookbooks — and dish on why they love them! Guest : Amy Traverso , food editor at Yankee Magazine, co-host of GBH’s “Weekends with Yankee,” and the author of...
Aug 15, 2021•25 min
This week on Under The Radar : While Massachusetts debates vaccine and mask mandates, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill into law last week that supporters say establishes "medical freedom." Residents in the state who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 can still access public facilities and services, under the new law. The law states that all residents have the “natural, essential and inherent right to bodily integrity, free from any threat or compulsion by government to accept an im...
Aug 08, 2021•31 min
Rosé wine sales have been climbing year over year worldwide, as wine lovers and others discover that it’s delicious and versatile. Now rosé fans will have even more to sample as wine producers are introducing new styles of the pink wine. We are continuing our summer fun series by answering the age-old question, 'Why rosé all day?' Guest: Jonathon Alsop , founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of “The Wine Lover’s Devotional.”...
Aug 08, 2021•27 min
On Under The Radar, we're diving into the popular genre of young adult (YA) fiction in this special August edition of “Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club.” YA fiction and nonfiction is targeted at older teens, positioned in the editorial space between books for children and adults. But half of the readers are adults drawn to the common themes of family dynamics, friendship, first love and coming of age. YA authors tell their stories through multiple literary genres, including science fict...
Aug 05, 2021•58 min
Climate deniers are on the hot seat, as temperatures soar and extreme weather blows through communities across the country. Plus, oil pipelines are on pause — or shut down completely — including the infamous Keystone XL pipeline. And a history-making appointment, as the first African American is named to lead the U.S. Forest Service. Those stories and more on our environmental roundtable. Guests: Dr. Aaron Bernstein , interim director of The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment...
Jul 26, 2021•32 min
Students and teachers had their worlds flipped upside down last year when the pandemic forced most to swap chalkboards for Zoom screens. A large part of teaching online, for many, became visual. But what about the challenges of online learning for those who are visually impaired or blind? Our neighbors at Perkins School for the Blind, in Watertown, had to think quickly about ensuring their students still received a quality education and maintained community when they went remote. A sense of touc...
Jul 26, 2021•26 min
You may know Amelia Earhart as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. But it's likely you don't know that she lived and worked right here in Boston. Her time spent here was brief, yet critical: This was the place that kicked off her worldwide stardom when she became the first female passenger to fly across the Atlantic in 1928. To mark her birthday this Saturday, which is celebrated as National Amelia Earhart Day, we're taking a look at who she was before she became a famous pilo...
Jul 19, 2021•26 min
What is the state of comedy like now in the state of Massachusetts as we emerge from the pandemic? In a year of such loss, increased violence against Asian Americans, and police brutality against Black lives, is it even okay to be funny? Well, if we ever needed a laugh it’s now, so we’re yukking it up with some local women comedians to kick off our summer fun series. Guests: Bethany Van Delft, founder of the “Artisanal Comedy” show, host of iHeart Radio’s “The Ten News” podcast, and co-host of N...
Jul 19, 2021•32 min
Digging in the dirt and pulling up weeds is so last century. Whatever you thought about farming is being reimagined, with a new generation plowing the industry into the future. The tools and rural open spaces — which have so long defined traditional farming — are being left behind. More and more, today's farms are in urban areas — with vertical farming taking agriculture to new heights, while ocean farming expands the industry’s depths — all in a sustainable manner. Guests: Bren Smith — executiv...
Jul 12, 2021•34 min
At first it seems like a familiar story of office politics, but very soon “The Other Black Girl” unfolds into a tension-filled tale exploring performative diversity policies, unconscious bias, microaggressions and old-fashioned backstabbing. Author Zakiya Dalila Harris’ pitch perfect dialogue, pop culture witticisms, and sharp-edged satire frames the plot of one Black woman’s path to success disrupted by the hiring of another Black woman. This twisty thriller of office intrigue may offer some of...
Jul 12, 2021•24 min
This is an encore edition of Under the Radar with Callie Crossley. This segment originally aired June 19th, 2020. A bicycling boom that emerged during the height of pandemic is still going strong, as people search for a socially distanced outlet for recreation and a safer mode of transportation. Most bike stores are besieged by the demand from would-be bike buyers for just about anything on two wheels. Mechanics, too, are overwhelmed by massive waitlists of customers’ requests for a tune-up on t...
Jul 06, 2021•34 min
This is an encore edition of Under the Radar with Callie Crossley. This segment originally aired November 20, 2020. Boston sure is known for its history – but the people most well known about the city are largely white and male - think Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and Henry David Thoreau. Some of that has changed during recent decades as Boston's all Black 54th regiment, for example, has helped highlight Boston's African American history. Still, most Boston guidebooks will lead you to the Freedom ...
Jul 06, 2021•24 min
State lawmakers blocked Gov. Charlie Baker’s attempt to dole out billions in stimulus funds immediately, insisting the spending priorities should be determined jointly with legislative and community input. Sixteen candidates are eyeing one of four at-large seats for the Boston City Council — that's four candidates for each seat. And, state legislators are lobbying for a specific addition to the president's infrastructure bill: a high-speed bullet train from Boston to New York. We’re spending the...
Jun 28, 2021•58 min
Have you heard the buzz? It’s the start of Massachusetts Pollinator Week – a time when advocates seek to raise awareness about the vital role that bees and other pollinators play in our lives. Yet we're all feeling the sting as pollinators — and bees in particular — continue to rapidly decline. In Massachusetts alone, colonies of bees dropped by 47% last winter, according to Bee Informed Partnership . But earlier this year, Massachusetts took steps to protect pollinators, becoming the first stat...
Jun 21, 2021•35 min
The Boston-based Roxbury International Film Festival, or RoxFilm, is back for its 23rd annual event. After last year's fully virtual festival, organizers are offering both outside and online screenings to make the films accessible to all attendees. The Roxbury Film Festival, New England’s biggest film fest dedicated to films by, for and about people of color, kicked off Thursday with a roster of 80 films — along with panel discussions and live Q&As. And this year, more than ever, the festiva...
Jun 21, 2021•23 min
Corporate logos turned rainbow during this year's Pride Month, even as some of those same companies made hefty donations to anti-LQBTQ politicians. Instagram and LinkedIn now offer a profile section displaying users’ pronouns — will other platforms soon follow? Those stories and more on today's LGBTQ Roundtable. Guests: Grace Sterling Stowell — executive director of the Boston Alliance of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Youth Janson Wu — executive director of GLAD - GLBTQ Legal Advocates ...
Jun 14, 2021•37 min
On Saturday, millions of people across America, including right here in Boston, will celebrate Juneteenth, first celebrated on June 19th, 1865. 156 years ago, the enslaved people in Texas found out they were free — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The event, which first had the most meaning for the people of Texas, has now become an observance that recognizes the history but also embraces the broader issue of the meaning of freedom today. Nearly every state in the country now recog...
Jun 13, 2021•21 min
Flowers in full bloom, warm breezes, brilliant sunlight — nature offers us the flawless qualities of summer. And this summer, especially, we are eager to leave behind the ever-present blue light of our computer screens for the blue skies of New England’s shortest season. With vaccinations up and pandemic restrictions easing, we summer readers are ready to take our novels out for a day on the beach, explore literary adventures under the shade of a tree, or venture back into the nearest public lib...
Jun 08, 2021•58 min
Hollywood celebrities are bouncing back from cancel culture with big film and TV offers. Plus, the plug is getting pulled on Internet Explorer, the internet browser we all loved to hate. And, teenage punk rock band The Linda Lindas hit back against anti-Asian racism with their viral song. Our experts discuss what’s happening in the world of pop culture. Guests: Michael Jeffries , dean of academic affairs and professor of American studies at Wellesley College Rachel Rubin , professor of American ...
Jun 01, 2021•34 min
