Following the shooting of two national guard members, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has recommended expanding the administration's travel ban to 30 countries. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Madhuri Grewal. Grewal is an attorney and public policy consultant with expertise in civil rights, immigration, and criminal justice, and an adjunct associate professor of law at American University. She is the founder of Grewal Strategies, a firm that works primarily with civil and human rights organizations to develop and execute innovative and impactful campaigns, strategic communications, and policy initiatives. Previously, she was a lobbyist in the political department of the ACLU, where she managed advocacy related to immigrants’ rights, including on appropriations, immigration detention, and the Trump administration’s family separation policy. Media includes: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, NPR.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who is suspected of killing one national guard member and critically injuring another, has plead not guilty to all charges related to the shooting. To discuss, we FEATURE Tara Maller. Maller is Associate Director of Risk, U.S. Public Sector (Defense & National Security), at McKinsey & Company. She previously served as spokesperson and senior policy advisor for the Counter Extremism Project (CEP). CEP is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, international policy organization formed to combat the growing threat from extremist ideology. She was previously director of strategic communications for the newly formed Service Year Alliance, a joint venture of the Aspen Institute and Be The Change. She is also a research fellow in the International Security Program at New America. Maller previously served as a military analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. Media includes: Bloomberg, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing questions about whether he commited a war crime when he ordered a second strike on an alleged drug boat, killing two survivors. Laws of war state that survivors of attacks must be rescued. To discuss, we FEATURE Véronique Ehamo. Ehamo is a political scientist program manager at the University of London. She holds a master's degree from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and is currently completing her Ph.D. in politics and international relations. Her research centers on war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, approached from both legal and international relations perspectives. Media includes: HuffPost, VICE, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Informer, WWD.
On Tuesday, U.S. officials met in Moscow to negotiate with Putin on ways to end the war in Ukraine. To discuss, we FEATURE Kimberly Marten. Marten is a professor of political science at Barnard College. She specializes in international relations and international security, with a keen interest in Russia. Marten is also interested in a broad range of Russian security and foreign policy issues. She has analyzed Russia's Wagner Group "private" military company and its uses by the Russian state in Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mozambique, and Libya. She has also analyzed Russia’s intelligence agencies under Putin and Putin's decision to meddle in the 2016 U.S. elections, and to intervene militarily in Ukraine. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Quarterly, The Daily Show, MSNBC, CNN.
Devastating monsoons have hit South and Southeast Asia this week, killing more than 1,000 in the region. To discuss, we FEATURE Anita Chandra. Chandra is vice president and director of RAND Social and Economic Well-Being and a senior policy researcher at RAND. The division that she leads covers a range of topics at the intersection of social and economic policy and the organization of the economy, the environment, and social and physical infrastructure. As a researcher, Chandra leads studies on systems change, program and policy design and implementation, and measures development in the areas of health policy including positive health and health equity; civic well-being and community planning; disaster response and resilience; public health emergency preparedness; child health and development; and effects of military deployment on families. Media includes: The Washington Post, USA Today, Associated Press, NPR, NBC, PBS.
A winter storm is making its way through the northeast of the United States, covering the region with heavy snow. During snow storms, those facing homelessness often stuggle to find shelter from freezing weather conditions. To discuss, we FEATURE Jessica Therkelsen. Therkelsen is a nonprofit strategist, social housing advocate, and human rights lawyer. She is the founding executive director of Trusted Homes, a community land trust that is building permanently affordable homes for working people. Therkelsen formerly served as the director of legal protection at HIAS, an international refugee rights organization. As the director of the Pro Bono Justice Program at OneJustice, she organized life changing legal services for travelers trapped by the 2017 travel bans, survivors of 2017 wildfires across California, DACA recipients losing status, and immigrants seeking defense from deportation. Media includes: TIME, Bustle, Courthouse News, NPR.
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is a global campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10. To discuss, we FEATURE Pallavi Guha. Guha is an assistant professor of journalism at Towson University and visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Hear #Metoo in India: News, social media, and Anti-Rape and Sexual Harassment Activism. Her research focuses on anti-rape and sexual harassment activism on mass media and social media platforms, gender roles in the electoral campaign, and social media, for which she won multiple awards and grants. Media includes: Ms. Magazine, Baltimore Sun, Deccan Herald, Times of India, India Today, BBC.
Liz Theran
