Journalist and activist Ida B. Wells was in some ways, a forgotten figure, overlooked even in black civil rights history. But her reporting on lynchings across the South was unwavering in its mission: calling America out on racial injustice. And this week, that work received a special Pulitzer Prize Citation . Also, in 2018 we recorded a live episode remembering the life and work of Ida B. Wells at The Greene Space. Watch the whole event here . Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Inst...
May 08, 2020•30 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Three months ago, Kai Wright joined The New Yorker Radio Hour 's David Remnick, for a special episode about the effects of mass incarceration and the movement to end it. And now, as the coronavirus pandemic puts inmates in acute and disproportionate danger, that effort gains new traction. Wright and Remnick reconvene to examine the COVID-19 crisis in prison and its political effects. Kai Wright interviews Udi Ofer , the head of the ACLU’s justice division, who has been leading the organization’s...
May 01, 2020•22 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast As black people die from Covid-19 at disproportionate rates, the disease is highlighting health disparities we’ve long known about. Kai Wright speaks with Arline Geronimus , a public health researcher, about what happens to black people’s bodies — on a cellular level — while living in a racist society. Plus, we hear from senior producer Veralyn Williams ’ dad, an essential worker in New York who’s doing his best to weather the pandemic. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram an...
Apr 24, 2020•34 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Right now, many of us are sheltered in our homes — alone or with company — finding ways to connect in our “new normal.” And as we grapple with how COVID-19 has reshaped our day-to-day, all most of us can do is wait it out. So in this episode, we’re going to turn to a poem, 45 Questions to Ask While Waiting , our reporter Jenny Casas looks to when she wants to get to know the people around her. The poem was written in 2017, Chicago-based artist, educator and prison/police abolitionist, Benji Hart...
Apr 13, 2020•16 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast When health officials ordered everyone to wear face masks during the 1918 influenza pandemic, black women in Chicago got creative and crafted jewel-studded veils to stay safe. Kai Wright speaks with The Undefeated’s Soraya Nadia McDonald about seeking joy — and staying fly — in times of crisis. Show us how you’re staying safe and stylish: Get your look together and send us a selfie with the hashtag #USofAnxiety2020 . Read Soraya's full article at The Undefeated . Tell us what you think. We're @n...
Apr 08, 2020•10 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve got two dispatches from communities where "social-distancing" is not an option. And where decisions we made long ago about homelessness and immigration policy are getting in the way of our ability to protect against Covid 19. WNYC Investigative Reporter Matt Katz brings us calls from inside immigration detention centers. And our reporter Marianne McCune checks in with a homeless advocate, Sam Dennison , who lives and works inside San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, with the highest nu...
Apr 03, 2020•28 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Our current situation has left many of us asking fundamental questions about our work, about our relationships, and the meaning of home. This week, we're checking in on one another and taking stock. Host Kai Wright calls reporter Jenny Casas on her drive from New York to Chicago. Then, he and Dr. Gail Christopher , an expert in public health and founder of the Ntianu Center for Healing and Nature, connect for a conversation about Kai's "Katrina Feeling," how racism is poised to affect us all in ...
Mar 26, 2020•26 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast History tells us that, in a time of crisis, we have to be careful about how we respond. At the start of the Iraq War in 2003, Salah Hasan Nusaif al-Ejaili was working as a journalist when the U.S. military detained him inside Abu Ghraib, a prison that would become notorious for American abuses committed in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Only a handful of people were ever held responsible—all of them military personnel. But the private contractors who oversaw interrogations at ...
Mar 19, 2020•40 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Part of the mission of our show is to address our collective anxieties. The COVID-19 pandemic has already drastically reshaped our lives, our politics, and our health -- both physical and mental. Right now, it's not clear if or when things will feel normal again. In this bonus episode, host Kai Wright teams up with Anna Sale of Death, Sex & Money to take listener calls, and to talk about how everyone is coping so far. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter) . Ema...
Mar 13, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast A lot of people have a lot of opinions about the choices black people are making in the Democratic primary. But as we've seen in other election cycles, when the dust settles, the country seems to move on. This week, host Kai Wright sits down with Rashad Robinson , President of Color of Change , to discuss the Reconstruction-era origins of today's coalition between black voters in the South and liberal white voters in the North... and why this relationship often precludes a conversation about act...
Mar 12, 2020•27 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast The United States of Anxiety presents: What Next "One person, one vote" has not always been a given in America. After the Civil War, there was some debate over who should be counted in a congressional district: every person, or every person eligible to vote? The 14th Amendment aimed to settle this question forever, but as the demographics of our country have shifted and changed over the course of our nation's history, so too have the politics of how we count the people who live within our border...
Mar 05, 2020•22 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Mike Jackson, like many descendants of the Great Migration, has a family home that was built from protest, resilience and ingenuity. In the spring of 1950, his parents met in secret with 25 other families to create Better Homes of South Bend. Their efforts would later become a collection of homes on the 1700 and 1800 blocks of N. Elmer St. But today, the value of those houses doesn’t match the work it took to put them there. This week: what these family stories of housing in the “heartland” say ...
Feb 27, 2020•45 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Many of us associate the Statue of Liberty with the poem mounted on her pedestal: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” The monument has become a symbol of immigration. What fewer of us know is that Lady Liberty was originally conceived as a tribute to the abolition of slavery. In fact, what we find as we look into history is that our country's immigration policy is closely intertwined with the end of Reconstruction and rise of Jim Crow. In this episode, ...
Feb 20, 2020•42 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast As primary season kicks off, Democratic voters around the country face a deeper choice than electability: Is the best response to Donald Trump a return to comity and unity in our politics, or must they embrace the ugly conflict that fundamental change will likely require? We get advice on confronting the enormity of the choice from Deidre Dejear, a voting advocate in Iowa. Plus, a look back at another election in which voters faced a similar choice--and when politics collapsed into outright warf...
Feb 13, 2020•22 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Last year, the California Attorney General held a tense press conference at a tiny elementary school in the one working class, black neighborhood of the mostly wealthy and white Marin County. His office had concluded that the local district "knowingly and intentionally" maintained a segregated school, violating the 14th amendment. He ordered them to fix it, but for local officials and families, the path forward remains unclear, as is the question: what does "equal protection" mean? - Eric Foner ...
Feb 06, 2020•52 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Elbert Lester has lived his full 94 years in Quitman County, Mississippi, on land he and his family own. That’s exceptional for black people in this area, and some family members even say the land came to them through “40 acres and a mule.” But that's pretty unlikely, so host Kai Wright goes on a search for the truth, and uncovers a story about an old and fundamental question in American politics -- one at the center of the current election: Who are the rightful owners of this country’s staggeri...
Jan 30, 2020•43 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast When the Civil War ended, America set out to do something no other country had tried before: to build the world's first multiracial democracy. More than 150 years later, we’re still trying to pull it off. Will the 2020 election bring us closer to that goal? Follow Kai Wright on Twitter @Kai_Wright . Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter) . Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here ...
Jan 16, 2020•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast From host Kai Wright and the team that brought you The United States of Anxiety , a new show about what's not working about our society, how we can do better and why we have to. In episode one, we investigate o ne of the longest-running public health epidemics in American history and the ongoing fight for accountability. Subscribe to The Stakes here . Follow Kai on Twitter at @kai_wright . Support for WNYC reporting on lead is provided by the New York State Health Foundation, improving the healt...
Apr 23, 2019•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The junior senator from New York has quickly developed a reputation as a political firebrand - one who's willing to challenge men who abuse their power, even when they're among her closest allies. Think Al Franken and Bill Clinton. Over the past decade, she went from being a newly-elected U.S. Representative appointed to fill Hillary Clinton's Senate seat to become one of the Democratic Party's most-likely contenders for the 2020 presidential nomination. What does Kirsten Gillibrand's rise tell ...
Nov 15, 2018•24 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Before “Yes we can!”, there was “¡Sí se puede!” – the workers’ rallying cry coined by lifelong activist Dolores Huerta. In this episode, Huerta (now 88) is interviewed by her daughter Juana about the role gender played in her work and family life. Plus, what the midterm results mean going forward. This episode was produced in partnership with Latino USA , a weekly Latino news and culture program from NPR and the Futuro Media Group. Check out their version of this story here . The United States o...
Nov 09, 2018•26 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Shrill, strident, bossy. These are the misogynistic slurs women often face when they run for elected office. In this episode, we meet Rena Cook, a voice coach in Oklahoma who’s training progressive, female candidates on how to subvert our inbuilt biases about women’s voices. Plus, we look back on what the 1977 National Women’s Conference did (and didn’t) do for feminism. The United States of Anxiety is supported in part by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project . Additional support for WNYC’s e...
Nov 05, 2018•29 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Women running for office are often forced to play by different rules. We look at two candidates: Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Mikie Sherrill in suburban New Jersey. Both are Democrats fighting their way into Republican territory, but in very different ways. Plus, Michigan’s first female governor weighs in on all the “don’ts” for women politicians. This episode is a collaboration with Death, Sex, and Money , another WNYC Studios podcast. Check out their full episode on Jennifer Granholm , former ...
Oct 31, 2018•35 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Rural Texas has a reputation as solid Republican territory, but hidden within those large swathes of red are small, individual flecks of blue. In this episode, we bring you the story of a group of progressive, Texan women who are organizing — in secret — out of fear of retaliation from their neighbors. The United States of Anxiety is supported in part by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project . Additional support for WNYC’s election coverage is provided by Emerson Collective , The New York Comm...
Oct 25, 2018•22 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Journalist and activist Ida B. Wells is in some ways a forgotten figure, overlooked even in black civil rights history. But her reporting on lynchings across the South was unwavering in its mission: calling America out on racial injustice. And, why black women are no longer willing to play the role of “Magical Negro” in U.S. politics. The United States of Anxiety recently recorded a live episode remembering the life and work of Ida B. Wells at The Greene Space . Watch the whole event here . The ...
Oct 18, 2018•28 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Jeannette Rankin had a belief: That women were essential to the health of our democracy. She became the first woman elected to Congress over a century ago. Now, Kathleen Williams is vying to follow in her footsteps. Plus, what if we filled all 435 seats in the House with women? Would it make a difference? The United States of Anxiety is supported in part by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project . Additional support for WNYC’s election coverage is provided by Emerson Collective , The New York C...
Oct 10, 2018•33 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Playboy was never just about the pictures or the articles. The magazine helped create a men's liberation movement, founded on the notion that men could have anything they wanted. From Donald Trump to Harvey Weinstein, Hugh Hefner's concept of the "indoor man" has had a lasting influence. The United States of Anxiety is supported in part by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project . Additional support for WNYC’s election coverage is provided by Emerson Collective , The New York Community Trust , a...
Oct 02, 2018•32 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Paula Casey is on a mission. She wants to erect a statue in Memphis dedicated to those who fought for a woman’s right to vote more than a century ago. The problem: There’s a Confederate monument in the way. And… meet the woman who vowed to shut down women’s suffrage forever. The United States of Anxiety is supported in part by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project . Additional support for WNYC’s election coverage is provided by Emerson Collective , The New York Community Trust , and New York P...
Sep 25, 2018•27 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast When Barbara Mikulski arrived in the Senate, all the podiums were built for men… and so was Washington's power structure. So she changed it. In this episode, Mikulski and three of her female Senate colleagues look back at Anita Hill's testimony and the 1992 elections that followed it, the last “Year of the Woman.” The United States of Anxiety is supported in part by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project . Additional support for WNYC’s election coverage is provided by Emerson Collective , The N...
Sep 18, 2018•19 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Jennifer Willoughby was in an abusive marriage. Saily Avelenda was unhappy with her congressman, who'd held office for over two decades without facing a serious contender. They didn’t know they were about to topple two political giants. Plus, want to know the real reason the 2018 midterms could make history? It has to do with a number political scientists call the "gender gap." Note: WNYC made several attempts to reach Rob Porter for comment. He did not respond before this episode was released. ...
Sep 17, 2018•36 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Women gained the right to vote nearly a century ago. Yet, power is still concentrated in the hands of men. In a year that’s seen a surge of female candidates, the question at the heart of the 2018 midterms is: Who is our democracy for? Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter) . Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here . Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podca...
Sep 14, 2018•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
