Closer Look with Rose Scott

As the second-largest voting bloc in the U.S., Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump both need to appeal to Latino voters to win the November election. According to data gathered by the Pew Research Center, it's estimated 36.2 million Hispanics are eligible to vote in the 2024 presidential election. While data suggests Latino voters across the country voted for President J...

Gov. Brian Kemp has pledged to make Georgia the e-mobility capital of the world. In recent years, Kemp provided billions of dollars in incentives to lure automakers Hyundai, Kia and the startup Rivian to the state. However, a new report from Politico shows some Georgians are excited about the well-paying EV jobs, but they’re suspicious of electric vehicles. Reporter David Ferris from Politico's En...

Book bans are happening in Georgia and across the nation. According to PEN America, more than 10,000 book bans have been counted in public schools since 2021. Amanda Jones is an educator, an award-winning librarian, and an anti-censorship advocate. She talks with Rose about her new book, "That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America." The part memoir, part manifesto maps the book-bann...

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took center stage in their first presidential debate  Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Reproductive rights, immigration, the Israel-Hamas war, and the economy were among some of the top issues discussed during the debate. Both sides are claiming victory, but “Closer Look,” show host Rose Scott gets debate analysis from&nbs...

Roger Tutterow , a professor of economics at Kennesaw State University, joins “Closer Look,” to discuss the latest economic forecast and its impact on the 2024 presidential election.   Laura Judge , a volunteer with Moms Demand Action and Monisha Henley , the senior vice president of government affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety, discuss gun violence prevention following shooting at Apalache...

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made history in June 2022, when she was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s high court. Now, the 116th Supreme Court justice is telling her story in a new memoir, “Lovely One.” Justice Jackson’s book tour recently stopped in Atlanta at the Atlanta Symphony Hall. That’s where “Closer Look,” show host Rose Scott and the Justice had a one-on-one&nb...

Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn is being honored by the Fulton County Democratic Party with the Saving Democracy Award. While in Atlanta, he talks with show host Rose Scott about his experience responding to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, the upcoming election, and the current state of democracy.   Plus, for “Closer Look’s,” series focusing on the work of ind...

Four people are dead—two teachers and two students—and nine others were transported to local hospitals following a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia on Wednesday. Authorities say the 14-year-old suspect, who is in custody, will be charged with murder as an adult. Rose talks with WABE criminal justice reporter Chamian Cruz about the latest details in the ongoing inves...

Michelle Nunn , the president and CEO of CARE USA, returns to “Closer Look” to discuss how CARE teams and its partners are responding to the crises happening in Sudan, Gaza, Haiti, and Ukraine. Nunn also highlights how climate change is impacting their efforts and why it’s important to empower women and local groups in the humanitarian response.   Plus, we continue our series that focuses on...

Today, we begin a two-day series on third-party candidates in the 2024 presidential race and other local and state elections. First, we hear from Gerald Lee Green II. He joined the Party for Socialism and Liberation in 2022 after he says he was disillusioned with the Democratic Party. Green talks with Rose about PSL’s candidates, Claudia De la Cruz for President and her running mate, Karina Garcia...

For a special edition of “Closer Look,” Rose Scott and the team  head to downtown Atlanta  for  #Dragon Con 2024 . The annual five-day event kicks off Thursday. It’s one of the largest multi-media gatherings focusing on pop culture, gaming, comics, fantasy and more. Rose speaks with panelists about the ongoing debate: Star Wars vs Star Trek. We hear from fans and creators from both...

The Fulton County Jail opened in 1989. Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat says since the facility’s opening it’s been overcrowded, which over time has led to the current poor condition of the building’s infrastructure. For PART 1 of Rose’s conversation with Sheriff Labat, at the county jail, Labat reflects on his career in public safety and talks about why he’s pushing for a new jail to be built...

What are the top concerns for Black voters this election cycle? The Black Futures Lab surveyed Black folks across the country for its Black Census Project , which included election-related questions. Alexsis Rodgers , the political director at the Black Futures Lab, and the Black to the Future Action Fund, discusses the findings of the census, which was used to inform the Black Economic Agenda. &n...

Immigration, border security, gun safety, crime, reproductive rights, jobs, and the Israeli-Hamas War were among the top issues addressed during the 2024 Democratic National Convention.  Alan Abramowitz , a professor emeritus of political science at Emory University, returns to “Closer Look” for a recap of the convention.   Plus, the Georgia State Election Board is facing criticism along...

The  Little 5 Points Alliance  is honoring individuals and organizations who have made Little 5 Points unique, including the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, at its third annual “ People Make the Place ” event this weekend. We hear from Lauren Welsh, the executive director of Little 5 Points Alliance. Dr. Charles Steele Jr ., the president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership...

Earlier this year, Terri Lee was named the president and CEO of Atlanta Housing. Lee talks with Rose about the agency’s critical role in helping the City Of Atlanta reach its affordable housing goals. She also talks about her top priorities as the new leader of the agency and provides updates on several major developments, including the Civic Center and Summerhill Hotel.   Plus, Grant Wallace...

Rose talks with Micah Herskind, an Atlanta-based writer and organizer, and Ann Hill Bond, an Atlanta-based journalist and chair of Fulton County Remembrance Coalition. The two were mentioned in a new report from The Brennan Center For Justice . Micah was listed several times in the report for his association with anti-'Cop City' movements. Bond, who was also listed, discusses the work that the Ful...

The Democratic National Convention is underway this week in Chicago. Atlanta-based political strategist Fred Hicks returns to “Closer Look” to provide an analysis of the convention’s opening night and what to expect in the coming days of the event. Plus, Briana B. Franklin , the president and CEO of The Prosp(a)rity Project , talks about how the nonprofit organization is working to close the Black...

The 1954 Supreme Court ruling was intended to end racial segregation in America’s public education system. Yet 70 years later, public schools remain deeply segregated by race and socioeconomic status. Here’s the question: Are our public schools truly diverse and equitable for all, or have systemic barriers and persistent resistance hindered progress? For “Closer Look’s” first PRX national sho...

According to the National Institutes of Health, 8% of the U.S. population is living with an autoimmune disease , and out of that percentage, 80% of those people are women. Dr. Howard Chang , a dermatologist, a professor of dermatology and genetics and a Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Stanford University, discusses his latest research which, explores why women are at a greater risk of aut...

The 2024 presidential election is fast approaching and there are still ongoing concerns about fair elections and voter rights. Lauren Groh-Wargo, the CEO of the national voting rights organization Fair Fight Action , talks with Rose about these issues and her organization’s effort to prevent the fallout Georgia saw after the 2020 Election.   Plus, we air WABE education reporter Juma Sei ’s fe...

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs offers several affordable housing programs, including The Georgia Dream Homeownership Program , which includes two new programs launched within the last six months for first-time homebuyers. Commissioner Christopher Nunn and Deputy Commissioner for Homeownership Wesley Brooks discuss the current housing market in Georgia and their initiatives aimed to he...

Retired Atlanta detectives Vince Velazquez and David Quinn discuss their new TV One true-crime series, “DEADLY CASE FILES.” The show gives viewers an inside look at how homicide investigators work together to solve cases in the Atlanta area. Why Not Kids, a local nonprofit that provides affordable childcare to families in Conyers, GA., closed during the pandemic. Winston Stephens, from Why Not Kid...

Data suggests women are registered to vote in the U.S. at higher rates than men – that includes two-thirds of eligible Black women. On today’s special edition of “Closer Look,” we begin conversations with specific voter blocks leading up to the 2024 presidential election. Show host Rose talks with several guests about what issues are top of mind for Black women in Georgia. Guests include: Natasha...

Tropical Storm Debby’s winds and downpours have left thousands without power and killed a Georgia teenager, as well as four other people in Florida. Georgia could receive an additional eight inches of rain as the storm is expected to hit the state a second time. WABE environment reporter Emily Jones discusses the latest. We also hear from Maria Center, the executive director of the American R...