Kai Wright appears in the following:
Affirmative Action is About More Than Acceptance Letters
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Everyone’s talking about affirmative action at elite universities. But they educate fewer than 5 percent of students seeking advanced degrees. So why should the other 95 percent care?
What Does “Color-Blind” Really Mean?
Monday, July 10, 2023
Affirmative action is gone. Ibram X. Kendi tells us the history leading up to this moment and what could be next.
Why It’s So Hard to Sound “American”
Monday, July 03, 2023
A culture war from our past: Before he could define America’s sound for the next century, Aaron Copland had to overcome conflict over what “America” meant.
The Coolest Music Parties You Didn’t Know Were Happening
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Arab Americans around the country are celebrating their diaspora. And it starts with two guys in a band blasting music at underground parties in Washington, D.C.
Why the Indian Child Welfare Act is the Gold Standard in Family Law
Monday, June 26, 2023
This is what happens when the law works the way it’s supposed to.
95 Unmarked Graves
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Sugar Land, Texas has a dirty little secret. A striking story about Black emancipation.
Juneteenth Is an Act of Bravery
Monday, June 19, 2023
It goes beyond the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s about liberating our own hearts and minds and staking a claim to freedom.
Comedian Sam Jay Isn’t Afraid of Getting Canceled
Thursday, June 15, 2023
At least not anymore. That confidence comes from her purpose, her identities, and how comedy has evolved from the sitcoms she used to watch as a kid.
Billy Porter Doesn’t Need a Month to Celebrate Pride
Monday, June 12, 2023
He celebrates all year long through art – and that’s been the journey of a lifetime.
Trust the Media? Yeah, Right.
Thursday, June 08, 2023
Our listeners call in and tell us about their frustrations – but in one case, a newfound respect – for the people who report the news.
January 6th Was Not a Secret Attack
Monday, June 05, 2023
One reporter had been listening to the online chatter of the militia movement, and heard them fantasizing about violence for over a year.
Padma Lakshmi’s Low-Key Subversive Food Show
Thursday, June 01, 2023
What exactly IS American food? And what makes us American?
No, We Can’t Stop Saying Their Names
Monday, May 29, 2023
George Floyd was killed on Memorial Day three years ago. Let’s remember his impact on us – but let’s also ask how the stories we tell about Black life (and death) shape our future.
How the Supreme Court Got So Supreme
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Black nationalism twisted its way to the country’s highest court unexpectedly. It started with one young man listening to Malcolm X records in his room on repeat.
Clarence Thomas and his Hotep Supreme Court
Monday, May 22, 2023
Justice Thomas is a Black nationalist — but that doesn’t mean he loves all Black people. We unearth his ideological roots and what they mean for the Court’s looming opinions.
Who’s Responsible for Jordan Neely’s Death?
Thursday, May 18, 2023
Brian Lehrer of WNYC and Elie Mystal of The Nation ask what Neely’s death says about each of us – not just the man who’s been charged with killing him.
Homelessness Hides in Plain Sight. So Does Its Fix.
Monday, May 15, 2023
Jordan Neely’s death on the New York City subway exposed a collective failure to see his humanity. We learn about a novel program in Houston – that sees people without homes as people.
Joy Harjo and Native Stories
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Before she was the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo’s journey as an artist began at a federal Indian boarding school. She reveals an unexpected perspective about her experience.
Indian Boarding Schools Are Not Ancient History
Monday, May 08, 2023
From 1819 and 1969, the U.S. removed thousands of Native children from their homes and tried to strip them of their culture. What would a reparations program for this history look like?
Money Shame, and How To Overcome It Through Financial Literacy
Thursday, May 04, 2023
The world of finance can be confusing for people who weren’t born into it – more often, that’s people of color. Berna Anat is a “Financial Hype Woman” on a mission to fix that.