Notes from America with Kai Wright

Trump-to-Biden voters may decide the upcoming midterms. So, who are they? And what do they want from candidates now?  Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark , host of the podcast “ The Focus Group ,” and founder of the Republican Accountability Project , has studied voters throughout this midterm election cycle. There’s one group that she finds particularly fascinating: modern-day swing voters....

Beauty. Everyone wants it, but only some are considered to have it. What steps can we take to democratize beauty? Journalist Tracie Hunte is trying to foster real and honest conversations about what it means to be beautiful, and who has access to the power that comes along with beauty. Hunte speaks with Tressie McMillan Cottom, a New York Times columnist and sociologist who has thought and written...

We’ve received a lot of messages from listeners in response to our recent episodes. So producer Kousha Navidar and host Kai Wright open the listener mailbag and one voicemail inspires a conversation with Dr. Carol Anderson, author of “ One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying Our Democracy,” about the efficacy of voting and what we can do beyond it. And, we take your calls about wh...

If you identify as conservative, what is at stake for you during these midterms? Which issues matter to you most, and how are you thinking about your place in the future of conservative politics? We’re looking for messages to use in our November 6th episode with guest Sarah Longwell. Here's how to talk to us:  You can now record and send us a message right from   https://www.speakpipe.com/notesfro...

Higher education has traditionally been a pathway to achieving the American Dream for people of color and immigrants, but the high cost of tuition has resulted in a deepening of the wealth divide as student debt continues to create an economic crisis. Borrowers, including show producer Rahima Nasa, share their stories of how student loan repayment drastically changed their financial picture. Plus,...

Young Black voters are the key to changing the politics of Georgia. What can the rest of the country learn from the civic engagement in that state? Georgia’s two big midterm races may be the most consequential this election year. One will likely determine control of the Senate. The other is a bellwether for American politics – and democracy – overall. Out of this, can political power shift in the...

Young Iranian Americans are witnessing a historic moment, as deadly protests in Iran continue over the death of a 22-year-old woman who died while in custody of the Tehran Guidance Patrol, better known as morality police. We invited some of them to share how they are processing these events and finding ways to participate from afar. Narges Bajoghli, Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at th...

Christian nationalism – the push to have laws, policies and social norms reflect Christian values –  is a growing movement in the U.S. As its rise continues to influence contemporary politics, how should we consider and prepare for its impact on our government?  Pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, Doug Pagitt, walks us through the history of the movement, and tells us how he and oth...

Imani Perry introduces us to A Raisin in the Sun, the first show ever staged on Broadway written by a black woman – and the show’s legendary playwright, Lorraine Hansberry. In   Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry, author Imani Perry pays tribute to one of the most pivotal Black playwrights in modern history. In Perry's   2018 biography of Lorraine Hansberry, w...

Anti-Obama conspiracy theories and lies about the 2020 election still shape post-truth politics. What, if anything, is to be done about these conspiracies? It’s been more than a decade since Barack Obama moved into the White House and began his first term as U.S. President. But conspiracy theories about the history-making leader continue to influence today’s political landscape and polarize Americ...

‘The Woman King’  sits somewhere between the cringe of 'Coming to America' and the fantasy of 'Black Panther' in Hollywood’s troubled history of stories about Africa. Dr. Aje-Ori Agbese, professor in the Communication department of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, joins host Kai Wright to discuss Hollywood’s spotty history with stories about Africa and the cultural significance of the ne...

The world has changed a lot since 2020. We open the phones to hear how this change has shaped listeners’ relationships and political opinions. Angela Davis, host of Minnesota Public Radio’s daily call-in show, MPR News with Angela Davis, shares the changes she’s seen personally and politically–from money to mental health. Companion listening for this episode : The Dangerous Cycle of Fear   (4/11/2...

Host Kai Wright checks in with producer Regina de Heer about our summer playlist one last time. Hear the latest submissions from listeners and WNYC staff, about their songs of the summer and why they chose it. Stream the complete Summer Playlist on Spotify   here .  Plus, we end the playlist by unveiling our show's new name and theme music with our sound designer and engineer, Jared Paul.  Compani...

We’re inviting you into a more positive  –  less anxious  –  conversation.  Notes from America with Kai Wright airs Sundays at 6 p.m. ET on public radio stations and YouTube. Companion listening for this episode : A Pre-Midterms Vibe Check   (9/19/2022)An election is coming. Summer is over. And the vibe is…what? We open the phones to hear what’s on your mind–from democracy to baseball. “The United...

An election is coming. Summer is over. And the vibe is…what? We open the phones to hear what’s on your mind–from democracy to baseball. WNYC's own Brian Lehrer joins to help take your calls.  Tune in to   The Brian Lehrer Show ’s midterm election special, 30 Issues in 30 Days , starting on 9/27.  Companion listening for this episode : What Could Go Wrong? Everything (And It’s Ok)   (8/8/2022) What...

The story of one local NYC artist who uses digital technology to honor our city’s past. Meet Vladimir Nazarov, a visual artist living in New York City, who combined his love for the city and his love of art to create a special 9/11 NFT. Through his story of hope, grief, and artistry, find out what happened to his commemorative NFT – and how this technology can bring a whole new experience to the w...

So why don't more people vote in smaller elections? What motivates people to vote — and how that could inform greater participation in the upcoming midterm elections? Roxanna Moritz , former chief election officer from Scott County, Iowa, shares her story of what drew her to public service — and what made her walk away. Plus,   Zaki Hamid , Director of Community Engagement at KUOW, reports his rad...

A National Geographic explorer’s story of diving for sunken slave ships. Hear more of Tara Roberts' historic journey in the six-part podcast series,   Into the Depths . Companion listening for this episode : Revisiting A Conservative View of the Vigilante Right   (9/5/2022)Mona Charen discusses the true meaning of conservative and the radical shift in the GOP. *And stream our Summer Playlist on Sp...

Mona Charen discusses the true meaning of  conservative  and the radical shift in the GOP. Companion listening for this episode : Episode 1: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?   (9/22/2016) Listen back to our very first episode where we went to Long Island to find out if America has truly lost its mind. *And stream our Summer Playlist on Spotify  here .  “The United States of Anxiety” air...

Folashade Olatunde, a   WNYC Radio Rookie , shares a series of open and honest audio diaries, inviting listeners on her journey to rebuild a relationship with her dad. Folashade's   dad went to prison when she was two years old. She used to go visit him all the time with her mom. Until her parents got divorced. Now, it’s been more than a decade since she saw her father. In this extended version of...

He went to prison at age 19. When released, he had to learn how to be a father to two Black sons with very different life experiences. His letters to them have lessons for us all.  Read more from Shaka Senghor in his book, Letters to the Sons of Society: A Father's Invitation to Love, Honesty, and Freedom , available now. Audio included in the episode excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random House Aud...

Which election did you care about the most, and why? We want to hear your stories. Next month, we’re doing an episode about how we can make voting better. Is it an issue of motivation, or something else? So send us your stories, about any kind of election, political or not. It could be an election for a sports team, to the local PTA, or for your favorite reality competition show. Send us a voice r...

A listener voicemail sends the show’s Senior Digital Producer Kousha Navidar on a search for moral clarity with philosopher and senior lecturer in ethics and public policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Dr. Christopher Robichaud. Then, Shirin Ghaffary, senior reporter at Recode and co-host of the podcast Land of The Giants, shares the story of Facebook, and why it has been s...

Host Kai Wright checks in with producer Regina de Heer about our summer playlist. H ear the contributions from listeners,  and   some folks on our team, about their songs of the summer and why they chose it. S tream our Summer Playlist on Spotify  here . And k eep the song submissions coming by sending us your own summer song recommendations. Record a voice memo with your name, location and the st...

Host Kai Wright speaks with Joseph Osmundson, microbiologist, activist, writer, professor at New York University, and author of Virology: Essays for the Living, the Dead, and the Small Things in Between (W. W. Norton & Company, 2022). They welcome listener questions about the state of the monkeypox outbreak, and the polarizing narrative surrounding the LGBT communities that the virus is disproport...