Battletested with Tanya Acker

Tanya talks to Matthew Goodman, author of The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Dueling Journalists and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth Century New York . The story is crazier than you can believe and no description here will do it justice. Enjoy the show.

Tanya talks to Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels about voting rights, building relationships across party lines, and new ideas for helping working people get a leg up.

9-yr old Grayson Roberts was born with little sight but great vision and an extraordinary mother, Terica. Listen as they talk about what it means to be “limitless.” 

Tanya talks to the Kool And The Gang frontman about being the most sampled group in hip hop; how the music business has changed over the years; music education for kids; and, making champagne.

Diana Grossman of Mallory’s Army Foundation talks to Tanya about her daughter Mallory’s legacy and what we all can learn from it.

Janelle Wood founded Black Mothers Forum to address concerns about how schools were treating Black children. Listen as she and Shannon Hayes talk about the alternative option BMF offers to all children, in the hope of providing a better educational experience.

For 35 years Oliver James was functionally illiterate - even though he had a high school diploma. Listen to what happened when he decided to stop mimicking life and start living it.

Tanya talks to human trafficking expert Dottie Laster about the consequences of sex trafficking and the impact of the Gilgo Beach cases on the families of the victims.

Tanya talks to Paul McEnroe, author of The Barcode: How a Team Created One of the World’s Most Ubiquitous Technologies , about innovation at the dawn of the Computer Age.

They helped secure a $787 million settlement for their client, Dominion Voting Systems, against Fox News. Tanya talks to Megan Meier, Daniel Watkins, Dustin Pusch and Andy Phillips of Meier, Watkins Phillips Pusch LLP about when to sue and when to move on.

Tanya talks to John Ray, attorney for the families of Gilgo Beach victims Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, about the investigation, recent developments in the case, and additional evidence he’s collected that he hopes the prosecution will consider.

Tanya talks to (her cousin!) Major Marisa Barnes of the Kansas City Police Department about keeping communities safe while building trust; why her career compels her; and the excitement of exposing young people to careers as first responders.

WJBE-Knoxville owner completed his sentence for a tax crime but the FCC is threatening his license anyway. Listen as he talks about why he believes his fight for Knoxville’s only Black station is so important.

While Uvalde remains a community that mourns; heals, and remembers its victims, it is also a community that moved Albert Martinez to drive 140 miles to teach music at Uvalde High School. Listen to the story of how he got a group of unlikely musicians to open up, and how they all brought victory and triumph to Uvalde.

After online sextortionists drove his son Gavin to suicide, South Carolina state senator Brandon Guffey changed the law and created a forum for saving young people through his charity, LessThan3.com (<3).  LessThan3 provides resources for targets and potential victims of sextortion and an important reminder too - Tomorrow Needs You.

How can you get the most of A.I.? How do you protect against it going rogue? Greg Mushen, software engineer and former hater of running, used ChatGPT to help him develop a running habit which led to a 26-lb weight loss. Listen as he explains how he made the most of “The Machine” while also guarding against some of its more troubling habits (which include “hallucinating”!) Then, Tanya speaks to Mar...

This special re-release with Ambassador Robert O’Brien, where we talk Russia and China, remains particularly relevant. You should tune in.

Tanya talks to Nathan Firesheets, the engineer who rose to the Disney Challenge, about his hacks for having the most fun in the Magic Kingdom.

Tanya talks to the member of the House Armed Services Committee about Russia’s war on Ukraine; the price of gas; and his new book, Dignity in a Digital Age: Making Tech Work for All of Us.

Tanya talks to Nora Langdon, a champion powerlifter with many titles (!!) about her recipe for a great life. 

Tanya talks to nationally syndicated advice columnist Amy Dickinson (“Ask Amy”) about the problems we always seem to have; her mother’s triumph; good apologies; and her “life hacks”. Plus: relationships, blending families, bullies… and more. (Apparently, we can’t stop Asking Amy.)

Tanya talks to the Kool And The Gang frontman about being the most sampled group in hip hop; how the music business has changed over the years; music education for kids; and, making champagne.

Tanya talks to award-winning performer Melba Moore about breaking the mold throughout her life and career and staying ready for new adventures!

Tanya and the author of The Courage of Compassion: A Journey from Judgment to Connection talk about justice, accountability, and why an extra shot of empathy might go a long way everywhere.

An estimated 37 million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease. Tanya talks to internist Dr. Sherril Rieux and nephrologist Dr. Vincent Anthony about beating this silent killer.