Basic Black

The wealth gap for people of color compared to Whites is widening with each passing year. This dilemma leaves future generations of people of color with fewer assets to get ahead. In this episode, we discuss current trends for the wealth gap widening, what it means for future generations of people of color and communities they live, and possible solutions to reverse the alarming trend. Glynn Lloyd...

Harvard’s admissions practices are in the spotlight as its inclusion of race has some prospective Asian-American students crying discrimination. Harvard denies the discrimination claims. Figuring race into the profile of prospective students has been hotly debated for decades. Now that this case could go all the way to the Supreme Court, affirmative action could be on the line. Phillip Martin, Sen...

The new movie, “The Hate U Give” tackles several issues including race, class, crime and more. The main storyline about a young girl who sees her childhood friend killed by a police officer struggles to find her voice and speak up. In this episode of Basic Black, we examine all of the issues the movie brings forth that serves as a reflection on modern society for people of color.

Throughout history, many athletes have taken a stand for social justice issues. Recently, activism by athletes has increased from taking a knee, wearing a t-shirt with a message to appearing in public service announcements, and some brands and companies that employ star athletes are supporting their social justice causes. Is this a smart business strategy? a discussion about what happens when athl...

What does it mean to have power? Having and holding power  does not necessarily require money or a particular station in life. The idea of power can  take on many forms both positively or negatively, and throughout the summer  issues around who holds power, who has it and how it is used raises issues of  debate around power structures in society and the cost within communities of color. Panelists:...

Host Callie Crossley speaks with some of Boston’s leading artistic director and choreographers about the challenges of running a company, working in Boston and inspiring the next generation of dancers when resources and opportunities can be limited.

Kanye West, Childish Gambino, and Bill Cosby. What do they tell us about the intersection of art, celebrity status and politics in the era of Trump and #MeToo?

It’s been 50 years since ‘Say Brother’ first aired, highlighting voices from within the black community during the civil rights movement. Since then, the show has broadened its scope to issues affecting other communities of color, and changed its name to Basic Black. But some things still remain the same.

Basic Black takes a look at the Suffolk County district attorney race -- the first competitive one in more than 15 years. Callie Crossley speaks with guest panelists Yawu Miller of the Bay State Banner, Rahsaan Hall of ACLU Massachusetts​, attorney Jose Lopez of the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, and WGBH​ senior investigative reporter Phillip Martin.

A look at the lasting impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Guests: Dr. Pedro Reina-Pérez, Harvard’s Puerto Rico Winter Institute; Julio Varela, founder of LatinoRebels.com; Phillip Martin, WGBH; and Juan Carlos Morales, Surfside Capital Advisors. Also featured: a pre-taped interview with Dr. David Hall, president of the University of the Virgin Islands.

Callie Crossley sits down with educators from across the greater Boston area to discuss the state of teaching today and their experiences as teachers of color.

Our panel discusses mentoring young men and boys of color. Our guests are Robert Lewis Jr, founder of The Base, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston, James Morton, Rev. Dr. Emmett G. Price III from BPR’s “All Revved Up,” and Shawn Brown, Executive Director of Boston BAM – Becoming a Man.

Feminism -- what does it mean in the current political and social climate?

"Black Panther" and Its Box Office Success

Guests: Marita Palavicini, co-manager of Vlima's Boutique. Chenita Daughtry, president of AKA Boston Chapter. April Effort Eugene, former Debutante.  Kathy Lucas, vice president of Boston Pearl Foundation. 

Callie and the guests talk about LGBT communities - what challenges do they face? What should the focus be? Healthcare, Housing, and Policing are among the issues discussed. Guests - Dwayne Steward, director of community affairs at Fenway Health. - Madina Agenor, assistant professor of social behavioral sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  - Chastity Bowick, director of Transgen...

Mental Illness and Communities of Color Guests -Christine Crawford, M.D., M.P.H., child psychiatry resident at MGH/McLean Psychiatry.  -Kwame Dance, clinical psychology doctoral student at William James College. -Xenia Johnson Bhembe, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. -Carolyn Reynolds, mental health and substance therapist at Whittier Street Health Center.

Basic Black discussed the first year of the Trump presidency for communities of color. Panelists: Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice; Dr. Saida Grundy, Assistant Professor, Boston University; Dr. Paul Watanabe, Director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at UMass Boston; Kim McLarin, Associate Professor at Emerson College.

This week, Basic Black discusses the Second Amendment, African-American gun ownership, and gun violence in communities of color. Panelists: Ayanna Pressley, Boston city councilor at-large; Dr. Chaitan Narsule, trauma surgeon at Boston Medical Center; Rachael Rollins, attorney and former prosecutor; and William Roach Jr., a certified firearms instructor at the Boston Gun and Rifle Association.

This week, Basic Black covers the Boston Globe Spotlight team's much-discussed series on racism in Boston. Panelists: Akilah Johnson, reporter and member of the Boston Globe's Spotlight team; Renee Graham, Boston Globe opinion columnist; Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston NAACP; and Phillip Martin, WGBH News senior investigative reporter.

This week, Basic Black discusses legendary playwright Lorraine Hansberry, who wrote 'A Raisin in the Sun.' Panelists: Lisa Simmons, director of the Roxbury International Film Festival; Tracy Heather Strain, producer of 'Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart,' a documentary about Hansberry; Kim McLarin, associate professor at Emerson College; and Michael Jeffries, associate professor at Wellesley College.

Basic Black discusses the #MeToo movement within communities of color. Panelists: Isa Woldeguiorguis, executive director of the Center for Hope and Healing; Dr. Cherita Cloy, crisis intervention counselor at Boston University; Carla Reeves, employment attorney; Duane de Four, senior prevention specialist at MIT and member of the Governor's Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.

Basic Black discusses the Massachusetts legalization of weed and how across the country few people of color have access to the cannabis industry. Tina Martin is joined by Brandon Banks, Saida Grundy, Rahsaan Hall and Shanel Lindsay talk about the community moving forward in the industry.

Guest host Chris Collins hosts a discussion on the politicization of sports in the era of Trump and anthem-kneeling. Panelists: Renee Graham, Boston Globe opinion columnist; Kim McLarin, Associate Professor at Emerson College; Gary Washburn, NBA writer for the Boston Globe; and Robert Lewis Sr., founder of The BASE, a non-profit that provides student-athletes with baseball and academic training.

Is President Trump working to dismantle President Obama’s legacy or just setting his own agenda for the country? Panelists: Renee Graham, Boston Globe opinion columnist; Phillip Martin, WGBH News senior investigative reporter; Dr. Keith Maddox, director of Tufts University's Social Cognitition Lab; and Julio Ricardo Varela, co-host of the national politics podcast "In The Thick."