Making Contact

From pedestrian plazas to pop-up-parklets…cities are looking to create spaces for people to gather, interact and create.  But are some people being left out of this new urban renaissance? This week:  from Detroit, to Montreal, to Istanbul, people are reclaiming the commons.  How do we create public spaces that are embracing and inclusive? Featuring: Susan Silberberg, MIT lecturer in Urban Design and Planning in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning;Jane Jacobs, urban planning expert; Shannon Franssen, coordinator at Solidarité St-Henri; Fred Burrill, housing rights advocate; Erik Howard, The Alley Project founder; Freddy Diaz, Mary Luevanos, Detroit artists; Hugo Camarena, Alley Project neighbor; Neil Brenner, Harvard Graduate School of Design Professor of Urban Theory; Roberto Bedoya, Tucson Pima Arts Council executive director 

Pregnant women in America’s prisons are being shackled to their beds and cells. Others are being sterilized, some say, against their will. Correctional institutions claim the policies are for safety’s sake, and that consent is always obtained. But others see a larger pattern at work. On this edition, from shackling to sterilization, thousands of incarcerated people are struggling to maintain control over their own reproductive health.    Featuring: Courtney Hooks, Justice Now! campaign and communications director Tina Reynolds, Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH) co-founder and chair Samantha Rogers, California Coalition for Women Prisoners program assistant Karen Shain, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children former policy director Victoria Law, “Resistance Behind Bars” author Kimberly, formerly incarcerated mother Joe Higgins, Rappahannock Regional Jail Superintendent Carolyn Sulfrin, former prison nurse

Locked up for month, years, or decades.  Poetry is form of self-expression that’s become vital to the incarcerated.  In Prison, Poetry can keep you sane, and help you move towards a better future.  To mark National Poetry Month, we bring you a special production by the Prison Poetry Workshop. We go from California’s San Quentin prison, to a group of Alabama prison poets. And we’ll meet a legendary prison poet of the 1960’s who helped spark a literary movement.     Featuring:  Andrew Gazzeny, San Quentin prisoner poet; Etheridge Knight, formerly incarcerated poet; Janice Knight-Mooney, Etheridge’s sister; James Depp, poet and friend of Etheridge; Melba Boyd, former Broadside Press employee; Ira Smith, Guy Carter, AJ Payne, Sarge Daniels, Calvin Green, Staton Correctional Facility poets; Keyes Stevens, Alabama Prison Arts and Education Project facilitator; Dwayne Betts, formerly incarcerated poet

Who's watching you? Nowadays it seems everyone wants to get their hands on our personal data. From the FBI to the welfare department, to some of the country's biggest retailers. On this edition, we take a closer look at the world of surveillance. Featuring:      Hasan Elahi, artist and Associate Professor at the University of Maryland Charles Duhigg, New York Times journalist and author of “The Power of Habit Jodie Berger, public benefits lawyer John Gilliom, Professor of Political Science at Ohio University Kaaryn Gustafson, welfare lawyer and University of Connecticut teacher 

Cesar Chavez has made it to the big screen. Millions of people are now learning about the legendary farmworker organizer. But where did Chavez get his organizing philosophies? This week, Paul Ingles and Carol Boss of Peacetalks radio take us down ‘The Non Violent path of Cesar Chavez’, through conversations with Chavez’ colleague and friend Delores Huerta, and Jose Antonio Orozco, author of the book, Cesar Chavez and the Common Sense of Nonviolence.

Noise pollution is a growing problem. Effecting everything from the lives of people living under airplane flight paths, to marine life. On this edition, we’ll hear from people struggling to be heard over the din of our noisy modern life and ask, is there anywhere left in the world you can get some peace and quiet?

Needle exchange programs began springing up in the 1980’s during the AIDS crisis. Countless lives have been saved by providing IV drug users with clean needles. But even now, with hundreds of programs across the US and throughout the world, some states still view distributing needles as illegal. This week, WABE reporter Jim Burress takes us to ‘The Bluff’, a neighborhood in Atlanta where a needle exchange program—breaking the law every day– has become a vital part of a struggling community.

Our world is generating more and more nuclear waste, but have no permanent place to dispose of it.  But the nation of Finland has a plan. They’re building an underground cave, to hold thousands of tones of nuclear waste, for at least 100 thousand years.   On this edition, we hear excerpts of the film, “Into Eternity”, which explores the logistical and philosophical quandaries around the construction of something that if it works, might very well outlast the entire human race.

Before it was legal in the United States, some doctors would risk arrest to provide women with access to safe abortions. When that wasn’t possible, some sought abortions from unsafe providers, often with deadly consequences. The Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973, and the numbers of people dying after having an abortion dropped, but are we now seeing a return to the past? On this edition, what can the time before abortion was legal tell us about the dangers of restricting access to abortion today? We’ll hear a special radio adaption of “Motherhood by Choice not Chance” a documentary produced and narrated by Dorothy Fadiman.

We profile women of Greenpeace, the legendary eco-activist organization. Hettie Geenan is first mate on the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior. Leila Deen leads the campaign against fracking. And Laila Williams connects Greenpeace with indigenous communities, women’s groups and people of color.  Happy International Women’s Day March 8th! Featuring:    Leila Deen, Greepeace Senior Campaigner Hettie Geenen, First Mate on the Rainbow Warrior Laila Wiiams, Ruckus Society program associate

On this edition of Making Contact we’ll explore how the privatization of public education is playing out across the country and how students and teachers are fighting back. We’ll start in Philadelphia and see how students are faring after 23 schools were shut down and 3,700 teachers, counselors and administrative staff were laid off. We’ll learn about Teach for America and how sending thousands of young, intelligent, idealistic teachers into classrooms may be doing more harm than good. Then we’ll go to California, where community colleges are under threat. Featuring:    Nuwar Ahmed, Philadelphia Student Union member Joanne Tien, Teach for America alum Su Jin Jez, assistant professor at California State University in Sacramento Justin Fong, Teach For America’s Vice President of Internal Communications Kerry Kretchmar, Caroll University professor Wendy Kaufmyn, teacher at City College of San Francisco and Save CCSF Coalition member Leslie Simon, teacher at City College of San Francisco and member of Save CCSF

How do we talk about race and racism in this country?Not as deeply as we should, according to filmmaker and educator Dr. Shakti Butler. On this edition, we hear excerpts from Dr. Butler’s film “Cracking the Codes”, and speak with her about using the medium of film to start conversations around the thorny issues of racial inequity. Featuring: Dr. Shakti Butler, World Trust founder and Creative Director Humaira Jackson, Hugh Vasquez, Y. Jelal Huyler, Aeeshah B. Clottey, Ise Lyfe, Cracking the Codes interview subjects. Thank you to production intern Lisa Barfai and to World Trust Educational Services.

They may not have made it to the Superbowl- but the “Washington Football team” has gotten a lot of attention this season- not so much for their performance on the field, but rather their refusal to change the name of their team.From FedEx Field to High School Football teams, pressure is increasing on teams to stop using American Indian names and mascots. The battle is playing out in stadiums, court rooms, and in the media. And some of America’s best known sports brands may be forced to change. Featuring:    Gregg Deal, member of Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, artist, activist Suzan ShownHarjo,  Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee advocate for American Indian rights Fili Sagapolutele, congressional aide David Grosso, DC councilmember Sadie Makarechi Jerry Neuwirth, Michael Wright, Washington football fans Robert Jordan, President and CEO Justin Siena High School Dawson Del Dotto, Paul Brown, Sam Hoff, Lupe Padilla-Aguayo, current and former Justin Siena students Scott Gabaldon, Tribal Chair Mishewal Wappo Tribe Find

Drone attacks on American citizens. Black sites around the globe where prisoners are tortured.  And the prison at Guantanamo is still in operation.  As we enter the 6th year of Barack Obamas presidency, his foreign policy legacy is becoming more clear. Independent journalist Jeremy Scahill investigated Obama’s “Dirty Wars” and says the President has put Americans in more danger through actions that fuel hatred and extremism. This speech was excerpted from a presentation by the Lannan Foundation.

The cost of American democracy is the most expensive in the world. In the 2012 elections billions of dollars were spent on political campaigns. But there’s a growing consensus that big business and wealthy individuals are buying power. Authors John Nichols and Robert McChesney have a name for the state we’re in: Dollarocracy. Thanks to Pirate TV for use of their recording

What are the roots of the historic mistrust between people of color, especially African Americans, and the police? And how does 911 really work? Is slow response time just perception, or reality? During the 2nd half of our 2-part special—The Race to An Emergency, we follow the path of a 911 call, and along the way, encounter decades of mistrust that fuel a lack of confidence in the system. Special thanks to KALW Radio.

When you call 911, who answers the phone? How do they decide who to send to the scene, and how fast will they get there? Many people of color believe the emergency response system is prejudiced. But is that really the case?We bring you a 2 part special "The Race to An Emergency, produced by KALW radio in San Francisco. We follow the path of a 911 call, and along the way, encounter decades of mistrust that fuel a lack of confidence in the system. Featuring: Lesley Phillips, Sharena Thomas, Peoples Community Medics co-founders Nikki Anjenique; Sharena Thomas daughter;  Rick Rocha, California Highway Patrol dispatcher;  Olivia Moy, Wolleen Jones, Oakland police Department dispatchers;  Terry Woodard, Oakland Fire Department Communications dispatcher;  Jason Murphy, Paramedics Plus dispatcher;  Tracy Chin, Rob Thrower, Oakland Fire Fighters;  Brian Murphy, Oakland Police Officer;  Regina Harris Gilliard, Johnna Watson Oakland Police Department spokespeople;  Benjamin Bowser, Cal State East Bay Sociology Professo

We bring you up to date on our most compelling and resonating stories of 2013. From pregnant women in prison who ve been mistreated; to the tomato fields of Florida, where the power of community radio helps workers take action; then out west, to a national forest in California, where wildfires are raising questions about fire management techniques. We ll also get updates on where those stories stand now.

Over 2 million Syrians have been displaced by that country’s ongoing civil war. Neighboring countries are overwhelmed with refugees. So where else to turn? Heading to more affluent nations isn’t so easy. On this edition, we meet refugees who’ve fled Syria to Turkey, Sweden, and Thailand. They’re trying to navigate a fragmented global refugee policy, in a time of extreme need. Special thanks to our freelance reporters Dalia Mortada, Christopher Holmback, Julia Lundberg, Simba Russeau. Featuring: Ahmad Dabbagh, Ayham Al Fares, Sania, Kais Badro, Syria refugees, Abu Sarah, Hassan Mohammad, Palestinian refugees from Syria. Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International Turkey researcher. Sanna Vestin, Swedish Network of Refugee Support Groups chairman. Gregor Noll, Lund University professor of international law. Anoop Sukumaran, Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network coordinator. Patra Jirawisan, Thai Committee for Refugees Foundation Policy & Research Officer. Mother Agnes Mariam, Mother Superior of St. James the Mangl

What does it mean to be an ally in a political movement? From white Americans in the civil rights era, to Israelis in Palestine, to Latino-Americans working with the undocumented…how does one work to support another’s struggle?  On this edition, from Mississippi to Zimbabwe, a roundtable discussion on the do’s and don’ts of how to be an effective ally. Featuring:    Darria Hudson, racial justice activist and divinity student; Rumbidzai Dube, Zimbabwean human rights lawyer; Leehee Rothschild, Israeli activist and blogger; Ingrid Cruz, immigrants rights activist; Mary King, former member of SNCC and Peace University Professor This conversation was recorded at the 2013 Narco News School of Authentic Journalism.