Bayard Rustin: The Gay, Black Civil Rights Activist (Encore)
This episode has also been published as “Angelic Troublemaker: Bayard Rustin” and “Giving Bayard Rustin His Flowers” On today’s show, we take a look at the life and legacy of a central organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, Bayard Rustin. Rustin was an openly gay civil rights leader and a trusted advisor to labor leader A. Phillip Randolph and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This show first aired in June...
A Dream Remembered?: Martin Luther King Jr and the Grassroots Civil Rights Movement (ENCORE)
On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28th 1963, at the March on Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered one of the most famous speeches of all time. But it nearly didn’t happen. On this special edition of Making Contact, Gary Younge, author of The Speech: The Story Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream, talks about Martin Luther King Junior’s “Dream” and the story behind it. Special thanks to the New School...
The Cost of Deportations | 30th Anniversary Capsule
About two million Guatemalans live in the US. But, half of those here lack legal status, and tens of thousands of Guatemalans are deported back to their country each year. Are the countries these migrants left prepared for an influx of returnees? This episode, originally released in 2018, is part of the Making Contact Anniversary Capsule: celebrating 30 years of social justice journalism. The miniseries takes us from protests on the...
In the Shadow of the Wall: From Gaza to Arizona | 30th Anniversary Capsule
In dozens of countries, millions of people live beside militarized border walls, areas which can be quite dangerous. From Palestinian farmers to shootings at the US and Mexico border; living in the shadow of the wall.
Trade Shifts: Reflections on the Seattle WTO Protests | 30th Anniversary Capsule
On November 30th, 1999, tens of thousands of people shook the streets of Seattle, WA, in protest of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO symbolized the corporate takeover of human needs and the environment. On this edition, we revisit the voices from that week. This episode, originally released in 2009, is part of the Making Contact Anniversary Capsule: celebrating 30 years of social justice journalism. The miniseries takes...
Family Matters: How Communities Support Trans Kids in Conservative States | 30th Anniversary Capsule
In 2023, Kirin Clawson’s endocrinologist placed a puberty-blocking implant in her arm, a medical intervention that is associated with improved mental health for many trans kids with gender dysphoria. In February 2024, Indiana joined several other conservative states banning this treatment for minors. In this episode we hear from the Clawsons how the ban has impacted their family. And, we hear from psychologist, Dr. Myeshia Price about...
