Tavis Smiley

Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), is in the studio, along with Max Arias, executive director of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99, with an update on plans to strike amid contentious contract negotiations. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Dylan Rodríguez, UC Riverside professor and co-director of the Center for Ideas and Society, returns to opine on the “Abolish ICE” movement and whether it will sway voters in this year’s midterm elections. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Leading public intellectual, author, scholar and special contributor Dr. Cornel West gives his analysis on racism in America and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Medaria “Rondo” Arradondo, former Minneapolis police chief, shares his thoughts on ICE operations in Minneapolis and how the city can move forward. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Christopher Sebastian Parker, UC Santa Barbara professor, author and founder of Black Insights Research, discusses Trump’s racist post about the Obamas and other trending political topics. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Rissi Palmer, the GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter who has performed at the White House, the Apollo and the Grand Ole Opry, shares her newest EP, “Perspectives,” and previews this weekend’s Opry 100 celebration. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Marc Morial, president of The Urban League, previews the Urban Civil Rights Museum, set to open later this year as part of their $300 million Empowerment Center. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Dylan Rodríguez, UC Riverside professor and co-director of the Center for Ideas and Society, explains why he believes the Democratic Party is the most effective counterinsurgency organization in modern history — where true change goes to die. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Jennifer Bendery, senior politics reporter for HuffPost, gives an update on the national reaction to the deadly shootings in Minneapolis and how the term “Abolish ICE” could shape the midterm elections. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

DeVon Franklin, award-winning producer, actor, and New York Times bestselling author, talks about his new autobiographical theatrical event and Audible Original, “Be True: My Journey From Breakdown To Breakthrough,” which focuses on the internal work men can do to pursue self-awareness, healing, and growth. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/...

Economist, professor and founder of the nonprofit Economic Education, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, shares her thoughts on Trump’s war on the right to protest and higher education, which began a year ago, and how women are faring in this new educational landscape. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Judge Faith Jenkins and her husband, R&B singer Kenny Lattimore, discuss their efforts to hold social media platforms accountable, calling for an examination of deceptive practices by foreign accounts that misrepresent them and other U.S.-based creators. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Nationally syndicated columnist and writer of the Navarrette Nation at Substack, Ruben Navarette, tells us why he believes law enforcement are expert liars and why ICE won't purge America of immigrants. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

LaDoris Cordell, retired Superior Court judge and author of “Her Honor: My Life on the Bench... What Works, What’s Broken, and How to Change It,” shares her insights on Trump’s push to nationalize elections and other trending political topics. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

GRAMMY award-winning hip-hop artist Rapsody is in studio to preview her Blue Note LA show and talk about her latest EP with Madlib called #MADRAPS. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Veteran New York Times reporter Anthony DePalma takes us inside his new book, “On This Ground: Hardship and Hope at the Toughest Prep School in America,” highlighting one of the most successful inner-city schools in the country, St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Pulitzer Prize‑winning columnist and director of the Center for Urban Journalism at Morgan State University, Leonard Pitts Jr., talks about Alex Pretti, the high price of giving a damn and other trending political topics.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Brothers Julien and Justen Turner are in studio, fresh off the big Sundance Film Festival premiere for their Ohio-based comedy pilot, “FreeLance." Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

CEO of AI Innovision and renowned AI strategist known as “The Queen of AI,” Alicia Lyttle, talks about how data center developers are targeting Black communities and how to keep your skills sharp as AI reshapes the workplace.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Global economist and author Jerome Nikolai Warren, originally from Alabama and now in Germany, reflects on lessons from a recent trip to Cuba, just as the threat of a U.S. invasion looms. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Leading public intellectual, author, scholar, and special contributor, Dr. Cornel West, shares his thoughts about celebrating the 100th anniversary of Black History Month and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, CEO of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, discusses the organization’s recent report, “State of the Dream 2026: From Regression to Signs of a Black Recession.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Minneapolis civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, Nekima Levy Armstrong, tells the story of her arrest while protesting in Minneapolis. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter and composer Keyon Harrold, dubbed “the future of the trumpet,” previews his upcoming performances at the Blue Note in Los Angeles and reflects on the legacy of his friend and longtime collaborator D’Angelo. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .

Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple marks the return of her classic 1991 documentary, “American Dream,” to the Sundance Film Festival, which is celebrating its final year in Park City, Utah. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support .