A large number of Iranians gathered for a rally in Tehran for the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. To discuss, we FEATURE Firoozeh Kashani-Sabet. Kashani-Sabet is the Robert I. Williams Term Professor of History and director of the Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a scholar of modern Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and the Persian Gulf, having published extensively on these topics.  She has studied Arab/Persian relations, as well as Sunni/Shia conflicts. She is also an expert on boundary disputes and politics in the Middle East, as well as an established scholar on the history of US—Iranian relations. Media includes: NBC, Voice of America, Newsday, NPR.

A recent investigation uncovered that Southern Baptist leaders were involved in multiple cases of sex abuse. The investigation shows that there were as many as 700 victims over the course of two decades. To discuss, we FEATURE Deborah Richardson. Richardson is the Executive Vice President of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights leading its  fundraising and program development. She is a nationally recognized leader on social justice for women and girls and an advocate to end child sex trafficking. She was Chief Program Officer at Women’s Funding Network in San Francisco, CEO of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation,  Director of Program Development for Fulton County Juvenile Court, founding Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Fund (now Youth Spark) and Managing Director of the National Black Arts Festival. Media includes: Huffington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Georgia Public TV.

Denver school teachers are going on strike over how their base pay is calculated. To discuss, we FEATURE Erica Smiley. As the co-Executive Director for Jobs With Justice, Smiley is known for developing innovative strategies to expand collective bargaining power—including strategies that position working people to negotiate directly with the corporate actors that impact all aspects of their lives. She serves on the board of the Highlander Research and Education Center based in Tennessee, the leadership council of the Workers Defense Project based in Texas and the board of the SEIU Education and Support Fund. Media includes: New Labor Forum, Dissent Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Reuters, MSNBC. 

Michael Cohen was originally going to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee today but has postponed it until February 28th. To discuss, we FEATURE Lenese C. Herbert. Herbert is a Professor of Law at Howard University School of Law, where she teaches Evidence, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, Social Media and the Law, and Administrative Law. Prior to entering law teaching, she practiced extensively as agency counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in both the Criminal and Civil Divisions under former U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Eric Holder. Professor Herbert co-authorsCONSTITUTIONAL CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, a problem-based casebook adopted in a number of law schools across the U.S., as well asCriminal Law: Skills and Values. Media includes: Voice of America, Al-Jazeera English, The Washington Post.

Following the discovery of a racist blackface photo on Virginia Governor Ralph Fairfax's yearbook page, and his subsequent acknowledgement that he had blackened his face when dressing up as Michael Jackson, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring also admitted to wearing blackface, and Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax was accused of sexual misconduct. To discuss the state of Virginia politics, we FEATURE Carah Ong Whaley. Ong Whaley  is Associate Director of the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement at James Madison University.  At the heart of her research interests is a desire to understand and illuminate how the interactions of political actors and institutions structure public access and participation in policy- and decision-making processes. Ong Whaley has developed innovative pedagogy melding scholarship and experiential learning to teach courses on campaigns and elections, state and local politics, and political and civic engagement. Media includes: CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, Associated Press.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, the number of tax returns received has decreased compared to last year and the average refund is 8.4 percent smaller than the year before. To discuss, we FEATURE Annette Nellen. Nellen is a professor at San José State University teaching graduate-level tax courses. Her tax policy work focuses on modernizing tax systems while respecting the principles of good tax policy. Her work looks at how tax systems can be brought into the 21st century ways of living and doing business, and how doing so will better serve governments, businesses and society.

 Media includes: San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, San Jose Business Journal, San Jose Mercury News.

The global population of insects has drastically declined and scientists are warning that they are on the path to extinction, which could lead to dire consequences for the Earth's ecosystems. To discuss, we FEATURE Jane Carter Ingram. Ingram is the Senior Manager of Climate Change and Sustainability Services at EY. Prior to her position at EY, she was the Director of the Ecosystem Services Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), where she worked with WCS staff and partners around the world to identify and develop innovative approaches such as Payments for Ecosystem Services that stimulate the sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems. Extensive media experience. 

Valentine's Day is coming up this week! To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Ramani Durvasula, PhD. Dr. Durvasula is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Santa Monica and Sherman Oaks, CA and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles. She is the author of the modern relationship survival manual Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist (Post Hill Press). Dr. Durvasula brings a wealth of expertise in relationships, sexuality, health and wellness. She recognizes that narcissism and technology have changed the landscape of love and relationships and provides keen insights on how to survive in the new territory of love and commitment. Media includes: CNN, NBC, ABC, Bravo, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue India.