The U.S. presidential election is next week. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Maria Teresa Kumar, the founding President and CEO of Voto Latino. Under her leadership, Voto Latino has become a key factor in national elections by directly registering over a quarter million new voters and influencing millions more through viral, celebrity-driven campaigns. Voto Latino has become a key factor in national elections by directly registering a quarter million new voters and influencing millions more through viral, celebrity-driven campaigns. Media includes: Washingtonian, Huffington Post, Univision, MSNBC.
This election year, voting and ensuring that all votes are counted has become an important issue. To discuss, we FEATURE Jazmin Kay. Kay is a voting rights activist and Executive Director of 18by.vote, a non-partisan youth-led organization that aims to help young people understand how to vote, when to vote, and why to vote. She is the former voting rights and civic engagement reporter at Generation Progress through the Center for American Progress. Media includes: The Today Show, Good Morning America, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Fast Company, The Nation, MTV.
On Monday, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. To discuss we FEATURE Jennifer Dalven. In her role as Director of the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project, Dalven oversees and directs the ACLU’s litigation, state advocacy, and communications work on issues affecting access to reproductive health services. That work runs the gamut from legal challenges to laws that would ban abortions and shut down women’s health centers to initiatives to stop state legislatures from passing further restrictions on access to reproductive health care to communications strategies to move public opinion and galvanize supporters. Most notably, she argued Planned Parenthood v. Ayotte, a challenge to New Hampshire’s parental notice for abortion law, before the United States Supreme Court. Media includes: Huffington Post, CNN, NBC.
This past week, the U.S. had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in a seven-day period. To discuss, we FEATURE Mana Kasongo, a board-certified emergency physician. Presently, Dr. Kasongo is an attending physician at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia. As an emergency doctor in one of the most socio-economically depressed areas in the country, Dr. Kasonogo is on the front line of the fight against COVID-19. She received her medical degree from Rush Medical School and completed her residency in emergency medicine from New York University in 2006. Media includes: Black Star News, InStyle Magazine, Newsweek, ABC.
Colleges across the U.S. are slashing budgets during the pandemic, with the potential for entire departments and staff to be cut, which could lead to admissions being delayed. To discuss, we FEATURE Emma Garcia. Garcia is an economist at the Economic Policy Institute. She specializes in the economics of education and education policy. Her areas of research include analysis of the production of education (cognitive and noncognitive skills); returns to education; evaluation of educational interventions (early childhood, K-12, and higher education); educational equity; human development; international comparative education; and cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis in education. Extensive media experience.
A Qatar Airways flight headed for Australia was recently halted and all the female passengers were taken offboard, strip-searched, and given invasive medical exams after an abandoned newborn baby was found in the airport restroom. To discuss, we FEATURE Marissa Hoechstetter. Hoechstetter writes and speaks about sexually abusive doctors, enabling institutions, and corrupt politicians. She has been fighting for change since her own reports of assault by an OB/GYN received totally inadequate responses from the medical system and law enforcement. Media includes: The New York Times, Buzzfeed News, Politico, USA Today, Bustle, CBS News.
On Wednesday, tech platform CEOs will testify before the Senate Commerce Committee after complaints of anti-conservative censorship. To discuss, we FEATURE Lisa A. Hayes. Hayes is Vice President, Strategy & General Counsel at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), working to champion individual rights and liberties in the digital age. Hayes leads CDT’s litigation practice, helping to inform courts about issues where technological advances are outpacing the law. Her recent work includes efforts to limit government surveillance, advance consumer privacy, protect free expression online, and preserve net neutrality. Media includes: The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, NPR, Fox News.
The Education Department has released data showing that K-12 schools saw a sharp increase in sexual assault. To discuss, we FEATURE Neena Chaudhry. Chaudry is General Counsel and Senior Advisor for Education at the National Women's Law Center, where she works to promote the rights of women and girls at school. Chaudhry participates in administrative and legislative advocacy, litigation and public education to protect the rights of women and girls to be free from sex discrimination in school, with a particular focus on Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Extensive media experience.