The Nakba, the Naksa, and the Future of Palestine
In 1948, Zionist militias expelled over 700,000 Palestinians from their villages and towns. The event, and the ongoing destruction and occupation of Palestine are referred to as the Nakba – the catastrophe. How did the events of 1948 shape Palestine and its diaspora? And generations later, how are Palestinians fighting to return home? On this edition of Making Contact we reflect on the Nakba, the Naksa, and the future of...
Waiting for Home: The Refugee and Immigrant Experience
The root causes of migration vary widely. Some people migrate and return to their homes depending on the season. While others migrate and never return. Often, people are forced to leave or flee their homes indefinitely because of poverty, extreme environmental events, armed conflict, social strife, political turmoil, and economic hardships. On this edition of Making Contact, we hear stories from Central American migrants that take on...
Iran Belongs to its Youth
We often hear from the upper middle class, educated youth of Iran. But what about the majority of youth, the working class young people who live in South Tehran and similar neighborhoods? Reese Erlich explores how young people compare President Rouhani’s government with the rule of Ahmadinejad. We’ll also hear about how they are responding to conservative hardliners who are tapping into frustrations with high unemployment, and...
From Dreamers in Arizona to Muslims in Michigan: Immigrant Communities Upholding Democracy
This edition of Making Contact is Part I of our special series examining how immigrants are responding and participating in elections and politics today. From Dreamers in Arizona to Muslims in Michigan, we’ll meet immigrant communities upholding democracy. We’ll also have a conversation with the Brennan Center for Justice President and author of the Fight to Vote, Michael Waldman about how immigrants throughout history have...
Listen to our extended interview with Stanley Nelson on “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution”
Stanley Nelson’s “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” has sparked a renewed interest in the famed revolutionary organization. In November journalist Eric Arnold interviews Nelson for our show. Now listen to the full unedited...
Call for Pitches: Immigration and Elections
We want your pitches! Making Contact is assembling a team of freelance journalists to examine how immigrants in the U.S. participate in politics and are responding to the 2016 elections. Two freelancers have already joined the project. Their work will specifically examine issues Latino/a communities are confronting in the upcoming elections. We’re looking for character-driven stories that focus on how other immigrant...
