Making Contact

We’ll hear part two of a documentary called Heavy Weather, produced by freelancer Barbara Bernstein.  She’ll look at how climate change is creating new challenges in urban communities as they recognize the need to think and act sustainably.

On this edition, we hear from LGBTQ immigrants in the U.S. who not only have to hide  their legal identity, but their sexuality too. Their stories demonstrate why living illegally in the U.S. is not only their refuge, but also their biggest fear.

We’ll hear part one of a documentary called Heavy Weather, produced by freelancer Barbara Bernstein.  She’ll explore the connections between the increase in extreme weather and our changing climate and landscapes.

We take a look at tax revolt movements you might not have heard about, including upper income folks asking for tax increases on themselves.  And we compare the tax burdens and benefits in Europe and the United States.  

The business model of journalism is collapsing. Thousands of journalists have lost their jobs, newspapers are folding, and major dailies are in bankruptcy. This week we hear a discussion about government subsidies and new funding models to save the Fourth Estate.

Author Paul Loeb is re-releasing his book, ‘Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in Challenging Times’. He’s collected stories of everyday people working for social justice.  On this edition, we’ll hear from Loeb and two people profiled in the book.

We present a panel discussion that looks at net neutrality and the digital divide. What is it? Why should we care? What’s at stake for immigrant communities and communities of color in the fight over who controls the Internet?

The climate talks at Copenhagen closed in 2009 with no binding agreements or timetables for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Only pledges were made to avoid more than a two degree Celsius temperature increase and avoid dangerous climate change. On this edition, we hear from climate justice activists who went to Copenhagen. They say we need a system change, not climate change.

Social programs have been cut, living wage jobs are scarce and our economic system is in upheaval. On this edition, we bring you the ColorLines TV special “Race and Economic Recovery,” featuring untold stories of how racism hurts all of our economic futures.

Dr. Joanna Macy is a long-time peace, justice, and ecology activist.  A celebrated Buddhist teacher, Dr. Macy’s wide-ranging work spans Eastern and Western thought. She spoke at the 2009 Bioneers Conference held in San Rafael, CA. 

We continue our series, How We Survive . This week? It’s a time of crisis in higher education. And as administrators cast an eye toward privatization, students are mobilizing for change…and a voice in the system.

Are food, housing, and health care human rights? A round table discussion about the right to healthy food, the right to housing, and the right to healthcare. Do Americans have these, and if not, what’s standing in the way?

It's a time of economic transition, and systems that may have seemed stable over the past few decades are proving to be far from it. But how did we get here? This week, we hear from three people who've been sounding the alarm about capitalism's house of cards for years.

In the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters in recent history, we look at Haiti’s history with the United States, the militarization of American relief efforts, and the economic policies that have contributed to the devastation.

We go to two communities sorting through the aftermath of Bush-era federal immigration raids, and to Los Angeles, where American Apparel became the first test case of the Obama administration's new approach to workplace hiring violations.

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We profile two government leaders tackling the monumental problem of war –– Gambia's Fatou Bensouda, Deputy Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court and retired Colonel Ann Wright, a former United States military leader and diplomat for the State Department.

A look into how struggling communities around the U.S. are meeting each others needs, without charity, or even exchanging a dollar.   

Two wars continued, the economy remained in freefall, and as hardship ensued, people crafted creative solutions.  We look back at some of the most compelling stories we brought you during 2009, and find out where things are headed for 2010.

A look into the roots of a long-standing conflict between a powerful oligarchy and a dispossessed majority.

We hear from Israeli settlers in Palestine and get reactions to related Obama administration policy.

We revisit the voices from that Seattle WTO protests and find out how global economic forces have shifted in the past decade.

An agricultural renaissance has taken root among the Taos Pueblo people in New Mexico. Sustainable agriculture is returning, after years of unhealthy food, poor health and obesity.

Journalist Dahr Jamail talks about the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the growing refusal to serve in the US military.

A look at food deserts in both urban and rural areas, and the community gardens that are sprouting up in them