Maria and Julio are joined by Ayman Mohyeldin , host of the MSNBC show “Ayman” and host of the podcast “American Radical.” They dive into the story of Rosanne Boyland and her participation in the January 6 insurrection. They also talk about radicalization when it comes to white people, the issues with media coverage of war and a recent New York Times report about Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife, Ginni. ITT Staff Picks: In this piece for Vanity Fair , Ayman Mohyeldin and Preeti Varathan expa...
Mar 01, 2022•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Julio and guest co-host Jamilah King , deputy inequality editor at Buzzfeed News, discuss the latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the role of the United States in the crisis. They also get into Colombia’s recent ruling to decriminalize abortion, and the tenth anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s murder. ITT Staff Picks: For the latest on the situation in Ukraine, check out The Kyiv Independent’s Live Updates page here . Khanyi Mlaba and Tess Lowery round up a list of ways folks can help th...
Feb 25, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by ITT All-Star Wajahat Ali , columnist for The Daily Beast, to discuss his new book, “Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American.” They get into disparities in reactions to white violence versus nonwhite violence, the upcoming midterms, and reflect on who is seen as American in this country. ITT Staff Picks: For The Atlantic , Wajahat Ali writes about his parents' arrest in 2002, and the hardships that followed. Many Mu...
Feb 22, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio get into the latest on Russia’s increasing escalation in Ukraine. They also talk about the double standard in the Olympics’ treatment of U.S. athlete Sha’Carri Richardson compared to Russian athlete Kamila Valieva. And, they discuss the U.S. government’s extradition request for former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández. ITT Staff Picks: “I came to believe that Ukraine matters because its fate is, in some sense, our own,” writes Franklin Foer in this piece for The Atlantic....
Feb 19, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Bree Newsome Bass , artist, writer, activist, and organizer. They talk about where the movement for Black lives stands today, and the power of grassroots organizing. They also reflect on the rise of far-right movements globally, including ongoing protests in Canada, and the fight against voter suppression in the lead up to the midterm elections. ITT Staff Picks: In this special issue of New York Magazine, read essays, reflections and reporting on the last 10 years s...
Feb 15, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio get into the latest on COVID-19 and the states lifting mask mandates. They also challenge media narratives comparing the January 6th insurrection to the 1954 attack by Puerto Rican nationalists on the U.S. Capitol. They also talk about misinformation and racism on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and how Spotify is handling the controversy. ITT Staff Picks: Melody Schreiber writes about the blue states that are rolling back mask mandates and how some experts are warning it is too soon, for T...
Feb 11, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria is joined by LaTosha Brown , co-founder of Black Voters Matter, and Dr. Christina Greer , associate professor of political science at Fordham University and co-host of the podcast FAQ NYC . They get into the latest on the January 6th insurrection, and the connection between voter suppression and anti-Black racism. They also discuss the nuances of Black and Brown voters, and the recent wave of book banning in schools. ITT Staff Picks: On the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection, Kali Hol...
Feb 09, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast From Futuro Studios and Sonoro Narcocorrido superstar Chalino Sánchez sings to a sold-out crowd for the first time in Sinaloa. It's the best night of his career until someone hands him a note. His face turns pale and his smile slowly disappears. That night, after the show, Chalino will be executed. But who killed him and why? We begin a journey to understand Chalino's life and impact, and the theories behind his unsolved murder. For more episodes, subscribe here ....
Feb 07, 2022•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio talk about the Biden administration’s response to a U.S. raid in Syria that led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi. They also discuss the latest on immigration, Donald Trump’s interference in the 2020 presidential election results, and CNN president Jeff Zucker’s resignation. ITT Staff Picks “Despite these repeated tactical victories, from which U.S. presidents have extracted much political capital over the years, the underlying wars themselves have co...
Feb 04, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Anayansi Diaz-Cortes , senior reporter and producer at Reveal, and Kate Doyle , senior analyst at the National Security Archive. They discuss Reveal’s new podcast series “ After Ayotzinapa ”, a three-part investigation into the disappearance of 43 students from a Mexican teacher’s college in 2014. They also unpack the role of the U.S. in Mexico’s drug war, and the human consequences of corruption. You can listen to the full series here. ITT Staff Picks “It was evide...
Feb 02, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio discuss Justice Stephen Breyer’s decision to retire from the U.S. Supreme Court, and President Biden’s commitment to appoint a Black woman in his place. They also give an immigration update, and reflect on the heartbreaking killing of Mexican journalist Lourdes Maldonado López. ITT Staff Picks: Elie Mystal , justice correspondent at The Nation, gives a detailed look into the potential Black women nominees for the Supreme Court. Medical advisers are urging DHS to expand protection...
Jan 28, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Julio is joined by Danielle Moodie , host of the show Woke AF and co-host of the podcast Democracy-ish, and Nathalie Baptiste , opinion writer for HuffPost. They reflect on President Biden’s first year in office, and unpack the latest on voter suppression and ongoing threats to U.S. democracy. We also hear from ITT All-Star Terrell Jermaine Starr , senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and host of the Black Diplomats podcast, on the context behind Ukraine-Russia relations. ITT Staff Picks: On Pr...
Jan 25, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio talk about President Biden’s press conference to mark his first year in office, and they get into the latest on voting rights. They also discuss a new plan to resolve Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy and give an update on the COVID-19 pandemic. ITT Staff Picks: For Latino Rebels , correspondent Pablo Manríquez reports from the Senate chamber on the debate over the John L. Lewis Voting Rights Act. “Pandemics do not end ‘individually,’ and vaccines aren’t meant to work only as individual p...
Jan 21, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Elie Mystal , justice correspondent at The Nation, for a conversation about the latest on voting rights and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They unpack the whitewashing of Dr. King’s words, what he stood for, and how to meaningfully honor his work. ITT Staff Picks: In this article for The Nation , Elie Mystal writes about what the late Harvard Law professor and icon, Lani Guinier, taught him about voting rights. “When Biden fully entered the battle, the oth...
Jan 18, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio talk about the latest on federal voting rights legislation, a devastating fire in the Bronx, and give an update on grassroots organizing in New York City. They also reflect on the growing number of non-white NPR hosts who have recently left the network. ITT Staff Picks: - President Biden gave a strong speech on voting rights and filibuster reform, but it’s unlikely to make meaningful legislative change, reports Li Zhou for Vox. - This post from Epicenter NYC, a community journali...
Jan 14, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria is joined by Abdullah Shihipar, public health researcher at the People, Place & Health Collective at Brown University, and Jessica Malaty Rivera, infectious disease epidemiologist and a senior adviser at the Pandemic Prevention Institute. They break down the latest on the COVID-19 surge, including guidance on the new Omicron variant, and how capitalism is influencing the CDC’s shifting public health response. They also talk about ways to protect the most vulnerable, and what a post-pan...
Jan 12, 2022•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio reflect on the one-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. They get into President Biden’s remarks this week and what accountability looks like for the attack. We also hear from Renée Graham, opinion columnist at the Boston Globe, about the language surrounding the attack and how local extremist movements have expanded in the year since. ITT Staff Picks: - “It’s infuriating when someone in the media or a pundit insists on calling Jan. 6 a riot. What millions witnessed l...
Jan 07, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Jelani Cobb, staff writer at the New Yorker and co-editor of the new book “The Matter of Black Lives: Writing from the New Yorker.” They reflect on the history and legacy of the Black Lives Matter movement. They also unpack the latest in attacks on voting rights in the lead up to the midterm elections, and the state of U.S. democracy as we approach the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection. ITT Staff Picks: - As we approach the 10-year mark since the murde...
Jan 05, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Happy New Year ITT familia! In this special episode, Maria and Julio reflect back on 2021 and how they found joy throughout a turbulent year. They revisit some of the top ITT moments, from the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, where they spoke with journalists Jazmine Ulloa and Wajahat Ali to unpack the aftermath of it all, to the virtual live show featuring two Minneapolis-based journalists, which marked one year since the murder of George Floyd. To the roundtable episode the dove ...
Dec 31, 2021•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, historian, writer and professor at Princeton University, and Adam Goodman, professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, for a conversation about the deep-rooted history of white supremacy in this country. They discuss their chapters in a new anthology titled “A Field Guide to White Supremacy,” and also get into how white supremacy manifests in our society today, from the immigration system to policing. ITT Staff Picks - In this piece pub...
Dec 28, 2021•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Futuro Media is off for winter break, and Maria and Julio want to send all of you, our ITT familia, lots of love, light and appreciation during this holiday season. Be sure to keep checking your feeds, because we will be dropping fresh content for you throughout the break. And, we can’t wait to dive back into the latest news and political analysis in the new year. Photo credit: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information....
Dec 24, 2021•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast In The Thick is excited to share a recent episode from Latino Rebels Radio, which gets into the remake of West Side Story from director Steven Spielberg. Julio talks to Erica González Martínez and Frances Negrón Muntaner, who are part of a new series from the Women’s Media Center called “Latinas are not in love with West Side Story. Here’s why.” Subscribe to Latino Rebels Radio wherever you get your podcasts. Photo credit: Niko Tavernise/20th Century Studios via AP See acast.com/privacy for priv...
Dec 21, 2021•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio talk about former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s guilty plea for violating George Floyd’s civil rights, as well as the ongoing trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter, who shot and killed Daunte Wright last April. They also discuss the latest with the January 6th investigation, as well as a new House bill to combat Islamophobia. Finally, they reflect on the legacy of author, feminist scholar, and poet bell hooks. ITT Staff Picks: - The Minneapolis St...
Dec 17, 2021•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Karen Attiah, columnist for The Washington Post, and Aaron Morrison, national race and ethnicity writer for the Associated Press. They talk about the devastating tornadoes in Kentucky and other states this past weekend, and the connection to climate change. They also discuss the fatal truck crash in Mexico that killed 55 migrants, and unpack the latest with voting and reproductive rights in Texas. ITT Staff Picks: - This piece in Latino Rebels via the AP describes a...
Dec 15, 2021•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio reflect on conversations around use of the term Latinx, and highlight what’s missing from political outreach and media coverage when it comes to Latino communities. They also get into the new “West Side Story” remake, and unpack the broader need for more diversified narratives about Puerto Ricans and communities of color in Hollywood. ITT Staff Picks: - For MSNBC, Julio writes about how the debate over the term Latinx distracts from more important issues, including the Biden admi...
Dec 10, 2021•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Tina Vasquez, senior staff writer for The Counter, and Tanvi Misra, independent immigration reporter. They dive into the latest on immigration, including the Biden administration’s continuation of Trump-era, anti-immigrant policies. They also talk about alarming conditions in ICE detention facilities, and the experiences of immigrant workers. And, they discuss the fight for meaningful immigration reform in the Build Back Better bill. ITT Staff Picks: - President Bid...
Dec 08, 2021•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you are a fan of In The Thick, you know that our co-host Julio Ricardo Varela is a big Boston sports fan (even known as "The Bronx Judas"). For this special bonus drop on our feed, Julio and his family are featured in a new 10-part podcast series called The Man in the Arena from Religion of Sports and ESPN that looks at two decades of Tom Brady through the eyes of the fans and the haters, those in the arena and those outside. In 2001, Tom Brady became the Patriots’ savior when he helped the f...
Dec 05, 2021•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Julio and guest co-host Terrell Jermaine Starr, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and host of the Black Diplomats Podcast, discuss the Michigan high school shooting, Chris Cuomo’s suspension from CNN, and Representative Lauren Boebert’s racist comments against Representative Ilhan Omar. And, they dive into the Supreme Court case about a Mississippi abortion law. ITT Staff Picks: - This piece for The City breaks down an investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s inner circle, including his brother Chr...
Dec 03, 2021•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by ITT All-Stars Wajahat Ali, columnist for The Daily Beast, and Jamilah King, deputy inequality editor for Buzzfeed News. They dive into the latest on the COVID-19 crisis, including the new omicron variant, and what’s needed to fight global vaccine inequality. They also unpack the trial and conviction of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers, and the state of U.S. democracy as we approach the 2022 midterm elections. ITT Staff Picks: - Early findings of the new coronavirus variant, ...
Dec 01, 2021•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Maria and Julio are joined by Al Letson, host of Reveal and the new podcast series, “Mississippi Goddamn: The Ballad of Billey Joe.” Billey Joe Johnson Jr. was a Black high school football star who was found dead in Lucedale, Mississippi in 2008 after being pulled over by a white cop. They get into his story, the problematic history of investigations when it comes to suspicious deaths of Black people in Mississippi, and journalists’ responsibility when covering these tragic stories. ITT Staff Pi...
Nov 26, 2021•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
