Protestors have taken to the streets across the nation and around the world to condemn racism and demand police accountability. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Charlene Carruthers. Carruthers is a Black, queer feminist community organizer and writer with over 15 years of experience in racial justice, feminist and youth leadership development movement work. She formerly served as the national director of the Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100), an activist member-led organization of Black 18-35 year olds dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. Her passion for developing young leaders to build capacity within marginalized communities has led her to work on immigrant rights, economic justice and civil rights campaigns nationwide. Media includes: The Grio, The Huffington Post, The Chicago Tribune, MSNBC, NPR.
The importance of conversations about race and racism have become even more apparent following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer. To discuss, we FEATURE Loretta June Ross. Ross is an expert on women’s issues, hate groups, racism and intolerance, human rights, and violence against women. She was a Visiting Professor of Practice in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University teaching "Reproductive Justice Theory and Practice" and "Race and Culture in the U.S." for the 2018-2019 academic year. Previously, she was a Visiting Professor at Hampshire College in Women's Studies for the 2017-2018 academic year teaching "White Supremacy in the Age of Trump." Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, BET, ABC, CNN.
On Monday, Democrats unveiled a sweeping bill targeting police misconduct and racial bias. The bill will make it easier to track, identify, and prosecute misconduct among police officers. 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. She is the author "Why Properly Policing a Movement Matters: A Response to Alafair Burke’s Policing, Protestors, and Discretion," which was published in Fordham Urban Law Jorunal. She is also co-authors Constitutional Criminal Procedure, a problem-based casebook adopted in a number of law schools across the U.S., as well as Criminal Law: Skills and Values. Media includes: Voice of America, Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, NBC.
Five states had primaries yesterday, including Georgia, where some voters had to wait for hours in order to cast their ballots and numbers of voting machines were broken. To discuss, we FEATURE Beth Schapiro. Schapiro is a nationally recognized expert on campaign strategy and public affairs. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she has developed campaign strategy for successful candidates for all levels of office throughout the Southeast. She is particularly proud of her experience helping to elect several officials who were the first of their race, gender, or sexual orientation to win a particular office. Her areas of expertise include American elections, Southern politics, women in politics, women candidates, voter behavior, and gay candidates. Media includes: SA Today, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Roll Call, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Southern Political Report, Savannah Morning News.
COVID-19 is still spreading globally and health researchers continue to work to find treatments for the virus. To discuss, we FEATURE Victoria Maizes, who is from Arizona where COVID-19 numbers are particularly high. Dr. Maizes is the executive director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and a professor of medicine, family medicine and public health at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Maizes is internationally recognized as a leader in integrative medicine and is committed to pioneering change efforts that solve US health care system problems. Media includes: DGREE, TEDx Talks, Science Friday, Quartz, CNN.
While there has been a lot of discussion on COVID-19 in large urban areas, rural areas are often overlooked. To discuss, we FEATURE Jane Nelson Bolin. Bolin is director of the Texas A&M Southwest Rural Health Research Center (SRHRC), the associate dean for research at the Texas A&M College of Nursing and a professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health. Dr. Bolin is an attorney, and she teaches health law and ethics and human resource management for graduate students. Dr. Bolin's research focus is rural health disparities, diabetes and chronic diseases, cancer prevention and screening, and health law, regulation and ethics. Extensive media experience.
A recently released report shows that shutdowns have resulted in 60 million fewer coronavirus cases in America. To discuss, we FEATURE Carole R. Myers, PhD. Myers, a Professor at the University of Tennessee College of Nursing, is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement at George Washington University and past American Association of Colleges of Nursing Policy Fellow (2017-2018). Myers started her career as a Family Nurse Practitioner, owning and operating the only solely nurse-owned clinic rural primary care clinic in the state at the time. Myers's current work centers on access to health care, primary care, rural health and health care, public health and prevention, health disparities, Affordable Care Act (ACA), nurses, Medicaid, health policy and policymaking, and health reform and transformation. Media includes: HealthConnections, The Hill, Knoxville News Sentinel, i-24 News.
The presidential election is in November. To discuss the latest polls, we FEATURE Margie Omero, principal at the Democratic polling firm GBAO. Omero appears often in major news outlets and on every cable news channel and hosts “The Pollsters,” a top-rated political podcast covering the top polling stories driving the week’s news in politics, technology, and pop culture. Media includes: Bloomberg, The New York Times, Politico, The Huffington Post, MSNBC, FOX, CNN.
Prince Andrew has been facing increasing pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice to be interviewed as part of the federal criminal investigation into sex trafficking and related offences commited by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. To discuss, we FEATURE Judge Judy Harris Kluger. Judge Kluger was appointed Executive Director of Sanctuary for Families in January 2014 after serving 25 years as a judge in New York State. Sanctuary is New York’s leading service provider and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and related forms of gender violence. Media includes: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, NY1, CBS.
Tropical Storm Cristobal is making its way through the Midwest and western Great Lakes as well as areas in Louisiana. Heavy rainfall and wind is expected to follow in the storms tracks. To discuss, we FEATURE Jessica Blunden. Blunden is a climate scientist, working in the Center for Weather and Climate at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina. She holds Masters and Doctorate degrees in Atmospheric Science from North Carolina State University and has co-authored more than a dozen peer reviewed publications. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Associated Press.
June is LGBTQIA Pride Month. To discuss, we FEATURE Ana L. Oliveira. Oliveira became the President & CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation in 2006. She has worked in the health and human services field for over 22 years, developing programs for vulnerable populations throughout NYC. She served as the Executive Director of Gay Men’s Health Crisis for over seven years, overseeing a complete turn-around of the agency. Before working at GMHC, Oliveira directed innovative community-based programs at Samaritan Village, the Osborne Association, Kings County and Lincoln Hospitals. Ana has served as a member of the New York City HIV Planning Council, in the New York City Commission on AIDS, chaired the NYC Commission for LGBTQ Runaway and Homeless Youth, and, most recently, Co-Chaired Mayor Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative. Extensive media experience.















