The global death toll of COVID-19 has surpassed 5 million. To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Valda Crowder. Dr. Crowder is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who uniquely blends clinical knowledge with public health and business acumen. She has worked nationally and developed policy that is presently a part of today’s Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act legislation and Affordable Health Care Act. She has provided medical care in three pandemics (COVID-19, HIV, tuberculosis), gun violence incidents, a mass shooting associated with the US Postal Service and category four hurricane Maria in 2017. Outside of her medical practice, Dr. Crowder works holds webinars to answer the public's questions about COVID-19. Media includes: The Baltimore Times, The Dallas Examiner, NPR.

President Biden has unveiled a $1.85 trillion Build Back Better plan. To discuss the health care aspects of the bill, we FEATURE Laura Packard. Packard is a health care advocate and stage 4 cancer survivor. She founded a non-profit, Health Care Voices, to organize adults with serious medical conditions for affordable comprehensive health care. Packard is Executive Director of Health Care Voter, a national campaign to hold elected officials accountable for their votes on health care, and support those who fight to protect our care. She also serves as Executive Director of Get America Covered, promoting enrollment in Affordable Care Act health insurance coverage. Media includes: The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, USA Today, The Nation, Newsweek, MSNBC, NBC.

The UN Climate Change Conference, or COP26, is underway in Glasgow, UK and will continue until November 12th. To discuss, we FEATURE Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner. Jetnil-Kijiner, the Marshall Islands government’s climate envoy, who is in Glasgow, is a poet, spoken word artist, and teacher. She has used her poetry to highlight the struggles of her people including social justice issues such as the threat of climate change for her islands, the American legacy of nuclear testing in her country, and racism against Micronesians in Hawaii. She received international acclaim at the 2014 United Nations Climate Summit where she performed a poem to her daughter entitled, “Dear Matafele Peinam” which moved hundreds of world leaders to tears and launched her into global conversations on climate change. She also co-founded the youth environmentalist ngo Jo-Jikum based in the Marshall Islands. Media includes: Al Jazeera, Huffington Post, The Guardian, CNN.

Anonymous instagram pages that detail students' experiences with sexual assault have become increasingly common across college campuses. The pages are in response to Betsy Devos' Title IX rules that made it more difficult for students to report sexual assault. To discuss, we FEATURE Neena Chaudhry. Chaudhry 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, with a particular emphasis on improving outcomes for girls at risk for dropout, including girls of color, pregnant and parenting students, girls who experience harassment, are excessively disciplined, or attend schools where the climate is not conducive to learning. 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.

The jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial were made public on Monday. To discuss, we FEATURE Tia Sherèe Gaynor. Gaynor is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. Her research focuses on the unjust experiences’ individuals at the intersection of race, gender identity and sexual orientation have when interacting with systemic racism and social hierarchy in public administration. Gaynor’s research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Media includes: Huffington Post, PopSugar, Christian Science Monitor, NPR.

The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two people at a protest against police brutality in Kenosha, began yesterday. To discuss, we FEATURE Lenese 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. Herbert 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: Al Jazeera, Voice of America, The Washington Post.

Today, Virginia and New Jersey residents will vote for their governor. To discuss, we FEATURE Debbie Walsh. Walsh is the director of the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics. As director, Walsh manages and oversees CAWP’s multi-faceted programs that include national forums for political women and provide vital information and facilitate creative strategy-building. She also manages leadership and campaign training programs designed to empower women of all ages to participate fully in politics and public life. Finally, she tracks and oversees research focused on women as candidates, public officials and voters. Media includes: The Guardian, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, U.S. News & World Report, MTV.

November is American Indian Heritage Month. To commemorate, we FEATURE Rebecca Nagle. Nagle is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and a two spirit (queer) woman. Nagle is a community organizer and writer currently living in Tahlequah, OK and studying the Cherokee language. In addition to being an outspoken advocate for advancing Native rights and Native representation, Nagle lends her voice to fighting violence against women. With her years of organizing and advocacy work, Nagle empowers her audiences to build community advocacy movements that are diverse and inclusive. Recently, Nagle received The American Mosaic Journalism Prize, the largest cash prize for journalism in the United States. In 2016, Nagle was named one of the National Center American Indian Enterprise Development’s "Native American 40 Under 40" for her work to support survivors and advocate for policy change to address the crisis of violence against Native women. She has also been named to the "100 Most Creative People" by Fast Company, YBCA's "100 List", and "Best Editorial" by the Native American Journalist Association. Media includes: Bitch Media, The Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, CNN, NBC, NPR.