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School’s Out: The Decimation of Public Education
On this edition of Making Contact we’ll explore how the privatization of public education is playing out across the country and how students and teachers are fighting back. Featuring: Nuwar Ahmed, Philadelphia Student Union member Joanne Tien, Teach for America alum Su Jin Jez, assistant professor at California State University in Sacramento Justin Fong, Teach For America’s Vice President of Internal Communications Kerry Kretchmar, Caroll University professor Wendy Kaufmyn, teacher at City College of San Francisco and Save CCSF Coalition...
read more2/14/14 Call for Pitches: Coffee, Restorative Justice, Low wage workers
Making Contact is an award-winning, 29-minute weekly magazine/documentary-style public affairs program heard on 140 radio stations in the USA, Canada, South Africa, and Australia. Amplifying voices and perspectives rarely heard in mainstream media, Making Contact focuses on the human realities of politics and the connections between local and global events, emphasizing positive and creative ways to solve problems. We are seeking pitches on these themes: Coffee Restorative/Transformative Justice Low Wage Workers Movement Coffee...
read moreFoodopoly: Big agribusiness and the monopoly on the food industry
From farm to fork, few things matter more than the food we eat. We all want the freedom and opportunity to choose what ends up on our plate- but when a handful of companies control most of the brands you see at the grocery store- what choices are really left? On this edition Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food and Water Watch, author of Foodopoly, and one of the nation’s leading healthy food advocates, says it’s time to turn the tables on big agribusiness. The top companies controlled an average of 62.8% of the sales of 100 types...
read moreCracking the Codes: Dr. Shakti Butler on the System of Racial Inequity (Encore)
How do we talk about race and racism in this country?Not as deeply as we should, according to filmmaker and educator Dr. Shakti Butler. On this edition, we hear excerpts from Dr. Butler’s film “Cracking the Codes”, and speak with her about using the medium of film to start conversations around the thorny issues of racial inequity. Featuring: Dr. Shakti Butler, World Trust founder and Creative Director Humaira Jackson, Hugh Vasquez, Y. Jelal Huyler, Aeeshah B. Clottey, Ise Lyfe, Cracking the Codes interview subjects. Thank...
read moreInsult to Injury? American Indian Sports Mascots
They may not have made it to the Superbowl- but the “Washington Football team” has gotten a lot of attention this season- not so much for their performance on the field, but rather their refusal to change the name of their team. From FedEx Field to High School Football teams, pressure is increasing on teams to stop using American Indian names and mascots. The battle is playing out in stadiums, court rooms, and in the media. And some of America’s best known sports brands may be forced to change. Featuring: Gregg Deal, member of Pyramid Lake...
read moreJeremy Scahill on Obama’s Dirty Wars
Drone attacks on American citizens. Black sites around the globe where prisoners are tortured. And the prison at Guantanamo is still in operation. As we enter the 6th year of Barack Obamas presidency, his foreign policy legacy is becoming more clear. Independent journalist Jeremy Scahill investigated Obama’s “Dirty Wars” and says the President has put Americans in more danger through actions that fuel hatred and extremism.
This speech was excerpted from a presentation by the Lannan Foundation.
read moreDollarocracy: Corporate Cash in Politics
The cost of American democracy is the most expensive in the world. In the 2012 elections billions of dollars were spent on political campaigns. But there’s a growing consensus that big business and wealthy individuals are buying power. Authors John Nichols and Robert McChesney have a name for the state we’re in: Dollarocracy. Thanks to Pirate TV for use of their recording. Featuring: John Nichols, Washington, DC correspondent, Nation magazine Robert W. McChesney Gutgsell Endowed Professor in the Department of Communication at the University...
read moreRace to an Emergency-examining 911 responses Pt. 2
What are the roots of the historic mistrust between people of color, especially African Americans, and the police? And how does 911 really work? Is slow response time just perception, or reality? During the 2nd half of our 2-part special—The Race to An Emergency, we follow the path of a 911 call, and along the way, encounter decades of mistrust that fuel a lack of confidence in the system.
Special thanks to KALW Radio.
read moreRace to an Emergency-examining 911 responses Pt. 1
When you call 911, who answers the phone? How do they decide who to send to the scene, and how fast will they get there? We bring you a 2-part special—The Race to An Emergency, produced by KALW radio in San Francisco.
We follow the path of a 911 call, and along the way, encounter decades of mistrust that fuel a lack of confidence in the system.
Special thanks to KALW Radio.
read moreLooking Back, Moving Forward: 2013 Year in Review
Making Contact’s media mission is to give voice to those who don’t usually make it on to the airwaves. We look back on how we did in 2013 and bring you up to date on our most compelling and resonating stories of the year. From pregnant women in prison who’ve been mistreated; to the tomato fields of Florida, where the power of community radio helps workers take action. Then out west, to a national forest in California, where wildfires are raising questions about fire management techniques. We’ll also get updates on where those stories stand...
read moreFleeing Syria, Seeking Refuge
Over 2 million Syrians have been displaced by that country’s ongoing civil war. Neighboring countries are overwhelmed with refugees. So where else to turn? Heading to more affluent nations isn’t so easy. On this edition, we meet refugees who’ve fled Syria to Turkey, Sweden, and Thailand. They’re trying to navigate a fragmented global refugee policy, in a time of extreme need. Special thanks to our freelance reporters Dalia Mortada, Christopher Holmback, Julia Lundberg, Simba Russeau. Featuring: Ahmad Dabbagh, Ayham Al Fares, Sania, Kais...
read moreGreatest hits: Partners in the Struggle-allies in political movements
What does it mean to be an ally in a political movement? From white Americans in the civil rights era, to Israelis in Palestine, to Latino-Americans working with the undocumented…a roundtable discussion on the do’s and don’ts of how to be an effective ally.
read more2013: The Year the Prison System Changed?
Years of campaigning for basic human rights for people caught up in America’s criminal justice system may finally be paying off.
read moreConquest: Sexual Violence and Native American Genocide
Native American women experience the highest rates of violence of any other group in the United States. One in three native women have been victims of sexual assault and the murder rate of indigenous women is consistently higher than the national average. On this edition, Andrea Smith, author of “Conquest: Sexual Violence and Native American Genocide” explains the connection between violence against women, and the colonization of native lands and bodies.
read moreAtomic States of America: The Rise and Fall of Nuclear Energy
While countries like Japan, Italy and Germany begin to phase out their use of nuclear energy, the US aims to build the first new nuclear power plant in nearly thirty years. We hear excerpts from the film The Atomic States of America , which chronicles the rise of nuclear energy, the high price some communities have paid for it, and how the U.S. is pushing to redefine nuclear as green to meet our energy demand. Special thanks to Specialty Studios. Featuring: Kelly McMasters , author of Shirley: A Memoir from an Atomic Town; David Lochbaum ,...
read moreGreatest hits-Bigger Than Hip-Hop: Youth Speakin’ for Themselves
Spoken word. Its poetry…its hip-hop…and it’s increasingly, the chosen means of expression for today’s youth. On this edition we bring you the poets and students of Youth Speaks, from their annual event in honor of another master orator, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Special thanks to Youth Speaks. Featuring: James Kass, Youth Speaks founder & executive director; Talia Young, Dante Clark, Gretchen Carvahol, Prentice Powell, Justin Jodiatis, spoken word artists. —WEB SEGMENTS— Full length recording of Youth Speaks ‘Bringing The...
read moreBehind the Kitchen Door: Restaurant Workers’ Fight for Justice
Americans eat out more than any other people. But the workers who put food on our restaurant tables are struggling to feed themselves and their families. On this edition, Saru Jayaraman, co-director of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United and author of “Behind the Kitchen Door” makes the case for bringing justice to our restaurants, and how ordinary diners can help.
read moreInto Eternity
The nation of Finland is building an underground cave, to hold thousands of tones of nuclear waste, for at least 100 thousand years. We hear excerpts of the film, “Into Eternity”, which explores the logistical and philosophical quandries around the construction of something that if it works, might very well outlast the entire human race.
read moreDrones: A New Death From Above
We bring you voices from Pakistan of families destroyed by drone strikes. And, we hear from Medea Benjamin and other activists working to build a global movement against this controversial military technology, which accelerated after 9/11.
read moreHawaii: A Voice For Sovereignty
Some call it “Paradise”, but Hawaii isn’t just a tourist getaway. Look beyond the resorts, and you’ll find a history of opposition to US occupation. From sacred sites, to indigenous language, Hawaiians are fighting hard to protect their traditions, and their future. On this edition we hear excerpts from the 2012 film by Catherine Bauknight “Hawaii: A Voice for Sovereignty,” which explores the history of Hawaii – from the beginning of the US occupation up to statehood and the present day.
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