President Joe Biden has laid out a plan to start mandating vaccines for federal government employees, healthcare staff, and big businesses with over 100 employees. To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Susan Blumenthal. Dr. Blumenthal served as U.S. Assistant Surgeon General, Senior Global Health Advisor and the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Women’s Health in the US Department of Health and Human Services and was a White House Advisor on Health. She is currently a Senior Fellow in Health Policy at the New America, Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research and Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center where her work focuses on a broad range of public health and science issues facing the nation and world. Media includes: The New York Times, The Huffington Post, PBS.

Since taking over Afghanistan, the Taliban has introduced new restrictions targeted at Afghan women— including banning them from sports, segregating classes by gender, and new hijab requirements. To discuss, we FEATURE Lina Rozbih. Rozbih is an acclaimed and award-winning Afghan writer and poet in the Dari language. Her works include Dari and English short stories, poetry, as well as social and political commentaries. The recipient of several poetry awards and journalism awards, Rozbih’s literary contributions have been recognized and featured in books about contemporary Afghan poets and female writers. Rozbih is a frequent speaker and panelist on Afghanistan issues and has been interviewed by Afghan and international media including the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Afghan German Online, Washington Prism, and others.

After suing Texas over the state's new abortion restriction law, the Justice Department has reached out to a federal judge to ask that they temporarily block the abortion ban. To discuss, we FEATURE Alexa Garcia-Ditta. Garcia-Ditta is a reproductive health, rights and justice communications, policy and media professional dedicated to expanding access to reproductive health services, including abortion, for all Texans. She has five years of experience reporting on reproductive rights and health policy in Texas; has extensive strategic communications and messaging experience; has five years of expertise in the state legislative process. Media includes: Texas Observer, Rewire, TribTalk.

Congress is working on a social policy bill that would help ease the burden on businesses by providing federal funding for family leave. The bill would also provide child tax credits that would make it easier for new parents to have access to childcare. To discuss, we FEATURE Vicki Shabo. Shabo is Senior Fellow for Paid Leave Policy and Strategy at New America, a Washington, D.C. think and action tank, where she is focused on charting a path to winning paid family and medical leave for every working person in the United States, no matter where they live or work or the job they hold. She is an expert on workplace gender equity and work/family policies in the United States, including paid family and medical leave and equal pay. As a strategist and analyst, she is steeped in both policy details and the political dynamics that typically surround policymakers’ consideration of these policies. Media includes: The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, MSNBC, CNN, NPR.

The High Court in London will formally inform Prince Andrew about the civil law case Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's accusers, has launched against him. To discuss, we FEATURE Mary David. An advocate for women, girls, and victims of trauma, David has devoted her life’s work to empowering survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and human trafficking. As the Director of Communications for Journey Out, a Los-Angeles based nonprofit leading the fight against commercial sexual exploitation, she educates a range of key stakeholders on the dangers, realities, and mechanisms for assisting victims and survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Previously, while serving as a prosecutor in Baltimore City, David was the lead on human trafficking cases in District Court and handled almost 2,000 criminal cases. Media includes: Huffington Post, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, ABC, CBS, Fox.

Today marks the beginning of National Hispanic American Heritage Month. To commemorate, we FEATURE Erica Gonzalez. Gonzalez is the Director of #Power4PuertoRico, a national coalition of organizations working to clear federal hurdles in the way of the Island’s ability to become more self-sufficient. She is a lifelong advocate for social justice and Latino issues. As the former executive editor of El Diario/La Prensa, Gonzalez conceptualized “Sept.11 – the Latino experience,” a 10^th anniversary, ground-breaking, multiplatform project that focused on the implications of this devastating event on Latino workers, immigration policy, the New York City mayoral race, and gentrification. Media includes: USA Today, CNN, NY1.