Episode description

This week, Farai Chideya talks with Representative Veronica Escobar about Covid and immigration in her district of El Paso. Gina Pérez of the Texas State Board of Education explains how continued cuts to school programs inspired her to take action. Our political contributor Errin Haines brings updates from the political world, and business contributor Ruth Umoh analyzes Black homeownership. Medical student Nia Buckner explains why she and other students updated the Hippocratic Oath, and entertainment contributor Casey Mendoza reflects on the representation of Latinos on television. Plus, journalist Paola Ramos goes looking for the meaning of “Latinx."

EPISODE RUNDOWN

1:35 Representative Veronica Escobar describes the impact of Covid in her district of El Paso.

4:42 Rep. Escobar explains how the pandemic has laid bare the inequalities that exist in the country.

10:46 The incoming Biden-Harris Administration will be crucial in addressing immigration in border towns like El Paso, Rep. Escobar explains.

13:24 Gina Pérez sits on the Texas State Board of Education on behalf of District One in Texas and explains how Covid is impacting education in her district.

15:31 Pérez describes why she first got involved on the State Board of Education. 

19:30 The Covid update breaks down the issues rural communities might face distributing the vaccine.

22:26 Medical student Nia Buckner explains how her and other students intend to confront racism within the medical field.

24:42 Buckner explains the importance of understanding patients’ outside lives when treating them inside the clinic. 

26:27 Errin Haines talks about the significance of Deb Haaland being nominated for Secretary of the Interior in the upcoming Biden-Harris Administration.

27:55 The Biden-Harris Administration is on its way to breaking records if all 25 women who are nominated are confirmed to cabinet level positions.

31:20 Haines says civil rights leaders are looking for “real systemic change and not just kind of the incremental change” that has been happening in American politics. 

32:13 Ruth Umoh explains the disparities between Black and white homeownership in the U.S.

34:15 Discriminatory policies have historically prevented Black people from being able to buy homes and accrue wealth, Umoh states.

36:37 Umoh looks back on the financial commitments made by corporations in the wake of George Floyd protests, and says that they’re a step in the right direction, they are “a drop in the bucket” for many of these companies.

38:08 Our SPEAK callers share why self-care is important to them during the pandemic.

39:19 Paola Ramos discusses her new book, Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity.

40:56 Ramos digs into her own history to try to understand the systemic discrimination against Afro-Latinos among Latinos in the U.S., and abroad.

42:53 Ramos says President-Elect Biden will have to keep his promises to the Latinos who voted for him, or there will be important consequences for the Democratic party.

43:53 Entertainment contributor Casey Mendoza speaks about Latino representation on TV.

47:12 Mendoza goes over the films added to the National Film Registry this year, and how they show a growing understanding in entertainment about the importance of people of color in film.