In The Thick

Monday night's Iowa caucus officially kicked off the 2020 presidential election, but it also had significant delays. Maria and Julio are joined by Shirley Wang, a freelance journalist based in Iowa City, to talk about the confusion that was Iowa's caucus and why the results took so long to come out. They also talk about the POC communities in Iowa and their importance in the 2020 election.  ITT St...

In this week's ITT Sound Off, Maria and Julio give us an impeachment trial update highlighting the arguments made by President Trump's defense team. They also discuss the tragic death of Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday along with eight others, including his daughter, Gianna. They discuss the complexities of his life from being an important figure for communities of color to is...

Maria and Julio talk with Imani Perry, Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, about her latest book Breathe: A Letter to My Sons. They discuss the complexities of raising black children in the United States, and how her career in academia has played a role. ITT Staff Picks: - Why Imani Perry Doesn't Like Jane Austen's Novels, via The New York Times - Watch Ima...

In Maria and Julio's first ITT Sound Off together of 2020, they discuss the ongoing impeachment trial with a focus on POC voices being underrepresented in the media and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries' historical context. They also talk about the migrant caravan traveling from Guatemala to Mexico and the ongoing protests in Puerto Rico. ITT Staff Picks: - Julio's opinion piece on Trump's figurative bo...

Maria and Julio are joined by Paola Ramos, Vice News correspondent, Telemundo contributor and an Emerson Collective fellow. They discuss the intersection of politics, activism and journalism in Paola's career. They also talk about what to expect in the 2020 election and how the Latino vote will play a role.  ITT Staff Picks: - In this opinion piece, Jorge Ramos explains why the Latino vote will de...

Julio is joined by our guest co-host, Jamilah King in today's ITT Sound Off. They discuss the ongoing impeachment trial proceedings with a focus on Lev Parnas' interview with Rachel Maddow. Tuesday's Democratic Debate in Iowa was a hot topic as Warren's and Sanders' friendship was questioned. They also discuss the appropriation of Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy after a new report by WalletHub was...

Julio and guest co-host, Jamilah King, are joined by Verónica Bayetti Flores, co-founder of The Center for Advancing Innovative Policy and co-host of Radio Menea, and ITT All-Star Wajahat Ali, New York Times contributing Op-Ed writer and CNN commentator. They discuss how 2020 candidates are doing with Latino voters and issues like reproductive rights. They also talk about the latest with Iran, imp...

Julio is joined by guest co-host, Jamilah King, for the first Sound Off of 2020! They discuss the latest in climate disasters from the devastating Australia fires to Puerto Rico's earthquakes, and how both governments have mishandled these crises. They also give an update on the latest with the conflict with Iran and impeachment.  ITT Staff Picks: - What young Iranians think about the latest US-Ir...

Maria and Julio are joined by  Karine Jean-Pierre , chief public affairs officer for  MoveOn , author, and political analyst for MSNBC. They discuss President Trump’s decision to assassinate Iran’s top military official and the mainstream media’s impact when covering war. They also talk about the latest in the 2020 Democratic race, and dive deep into Karine’s new memoir  Moving Forward .   ITT Sta...

Maria and Julio are joined by  Lauren Michele Jackson , a professor at Northwestern University and author of the new book,  White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation . They discuss the capitalization of black culture in pop culture, the rebranding of black aesthetics in white women, and the power of hashtag activism.  ITT Staff Picks Lauren’s piece in...

Maria and Julio look back at the most unforgettable moments of 2019 for In The Thick, from incredible live shows across the country, to their continued investigations into immigration and White House politics. They also discuss why joy and laughter are essential ingredients to making In The Thick magic.  ITT 2019 Picks: LIVE From South Texas: Borderland Life : A look at life on the border in the R...

Maria and Julio are joined for a second time by Cristina Tzintzún Ramírez who is now running for US Senate in Texas. They discuss her candidacy in a crowded Democratic field and the Republican response to Democrats' rising popularity in the state. They also talk about the major demographic shifts and strategies to get out the youth vote in Texas. ITT Staff Picks: - After uncertain filing period, D...

Maria and Julio are joined by Greg Grandin , professor of history at New York University and author of the book,  The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America . They discuss the history of the U.S.-Mexico border, immigration policy and the racist roots of the Border Patrol.    ITT Staff Picks When the Frontier becomes the wall, via  The New Yorker How border-cro...

In the final ITT Sound Off of the year, Julio is joined by guest co-host Jamilah King to talk about the impeachment of President Trump as well as Thursday's Democratic Debate in Los Angeles. They discuss male whiteness on the debate stage and how the candidates addressed LGBTQ rights, immigration and campaign finance.  ITT Staff Picks - The Los Angeles Times  gives five takeaways from the December...

This week Maria and guest co-host  Jamilah King  welcome  Molly Woodstock , journalist and host of the Gender Reveal podcast, and ITT All-Star  Imara Jones , creator and producer of Translash Media and 2019 Soros Equality Fellow. They discuss The Afghanistan Papers , a Washington Post investigative report showcasing numerous pages of internal government documents which reveal how the U.S. intentio...

In this ITT Sound Off, Julio and guest co-host Jamilah King talk about the latest in the impeachment proceedings and the Democratic primary race. They also discuss the recent UK elections and Golden Globes nominations.   ITT Staff Picks: The articles of impeachment against President Trump, via  The New York Times More on Joe Biden's immigration plan, via  Vox Wesley Morris' New York Times Magazine...

Maria and Julio welcome two ITT All-Stars, Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr ., the department chair of African American Studies at Princeton University, and  Terrell Jermaine Starr , senior reporter at The Root. They talk about the latest with impeachment and the 2020 Democratic primary, and how Nikki Haley's comments on the Confederate flag being "hijacked by Dylann Roof" are only a manifestation of genteel r...

Maria and Julio are back with an ITT Sound Off! They give updates on the impeachment inquiry and the 2020 Democratic primary race. They also discuss the latest reporting on immigration and border detention facilities.    ITT Staff Picks Democrats are moving fast on impeachment, via  Vox What an all-white debate stage would mean for the Democratic Party, via  The Atlantic The New York Times and Pro...

Maria and Julio are joined by Esther Wang , senior staff writer with Jezebel, and LaTosha Brown , cofounder of Black Voters Matter and 2019 Harvard IOP Fellow, to talk about Mayor Pete Buttigieg's struggle with Black and Latino support, and how that's an extension of his poor track record with those exact constituencies in South Bend, Indiana. They also discuss how at the backdrop of the impeachme...

In this episode we get into the issues of wealth when it comes to land/home ownership and the perils of capitalism. Maria and Julio talk with Aaron Glantz , senior reporter with Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting about his  new book , "Homewreckers: How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund Magnates, Crooked Banks, and Vulture Capitalists Suckered Millions Out of Their Homes a...

Maria and Julio are joined by Ai-jen Poo , senior advisor to  Care in Action , executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the co-director of Caring Across Generations, and  Alexsis Rodgers , Care in Action's Virginia state director, to discuss the history of the domestic care movement, and how its legacy of slavery and racism impacts labor rights to this day. Plus, they also...

Julio is joined by guest co-host Jamilah King  for this week's ITT Sound Off. They discuss highlights of the fifth Democratic debate and how some candidates have been talking about immigration. Plus, they give the latest on the public impeachment inquiry.    ITT Staff Picks: Coming out of this debate, the Democratic primary is still anyone's race, via  Vox Black voters don't trust Pete Buttigeig a...

In 1994, a ballot measure aimed at targeting undocumented immigrants in California by denying families public services —from barring children from public schools to access to non-emergency public health care— was passed 59 percent to 41 percent, but never implemented. That was Proposition 187. Maria and Julio are joined by Gustavo Arellano , L.A. Times reporter and host of the “This Is California:...

In this week's Sound Off, Maria and Julio talk the latest with the now televised impeachment proceedings and what it all means for our democracy. They also discuss the complexities and history of political turmoil in Bolivia with Evo Morales now seeking political asylum in Mexico amidst the ongoing protests and many outcrying this as a coup. Maria and Julio end with an update on immigration and th...

Maria and Julio are joined by L.A. based comedian,  Charla Lauriston  to talk about representation, the importance of comedy and the impact of political satire. Originally from Haiti, Charla has written for shows like  Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , Comedy Central’s  Why? W/ Hannibal Buress , and TBS’s  The Last OG  and she co-hosts the new podcast  The Secret Lives of Black Women .      ITT Staff Pi...