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Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry

Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry

By Peace By Peace Productions

Sorry Not Sorry tackles social, political and cultural issues from the perspective of unapologetic guests while highlighting activists doing amazing things throughout the country.
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Taking on the NRA: NoRA Co-Founder Ben Jackson

Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not SorryNov 18, 2019

00:00
59:58
Filmmaker Asha Dahya on Later in Pregnancy Abortions and Her Film "Someone You Know"

Filmmaker Asha Dahya on Later in Pregnancy Abortions and Her Film "Someone You Know"

One in four women in the United States will have an abortion–and that doesn’t even take into account trans men and nonbinary people. The barriers to care and stigma attached to these people is so unfair, and so crushing. Our guest this week is Asha Dahya. Asha is a filmmaker trying to break that stigma and tear down those barriers with her new short film “Someone You Know.”

Mar 25, 202447:23
Fighting Mad: Intersectional Perspectives on Protecting Abortion with Krystale Littlejohn and Rickie Solinger

Fighting Mad: Intersectional Perspectives on Protecting Abortion with Krystale Littlejohn and Rickie Solinger

For half a century, Roe vs. Wade was the law of the land. While states continued to attack the rights of pregnant people to our bodies, we had that basic fact to give us some refuge. That is now gone, thanks to an extremist Supreme Court. To discuss where we are and where we might go, we’ve invited Rickie Solinger and Krystale Littlejohn–co-Editors of the new anthology “Fighting Mad: Resisting the End of Roe v. Wade” onto the show.

Mar 18, 202446:09
The Power of Ballot Initiatives with Chris Melody Fields Figueredo

The Power of Ballot Initiatives with Chris Melody Fields Figueredo

Ballot initiatives can be an important way for citizens to directly legislate when their government refuses to listen. But now, politicians in some states are working to weaken citizen initiatives and increase veto power over them. To discuss, we’ve invited Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center onto the show.

Mar 11, 202437:56
Stacy Lentz and Angelica Christina of The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative

Stacy Lentz and Angelica Christina of The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative

The world is a dangerous place for LGBTQIA people. Not only do they have to fear hate and discrimination in communities–which would be bad enough–but now many of our governments are actively attacking their very existence. The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative is working to make sure safe spaces exist for LGBTQIA people across the nation, and we’re joined by Stacy Lentz and Angelica Christina to discuss.

Mar 04, 202443:17
Amitav Ghosh, Author of "Smoke and Ashes: Opium's Hidden Histories"

Amitav Ghosh, Author of "Smoke and Ashes: Opium's Hidden Histories"

The United States is in the midst of an opioid crisis, driven largely by the greed and deceptive marketing practices of large industrial corporations. However, it might shock most of us to know that the US, along with Britain and other Western nations triggered an opioid crisis in China that lasted for more than a century. In his book “Smoke and Ashes: Opium’s Hidden Histories,” renowned writer Amitav Ghosh explores the history of the opium trade and its relationship to the present day opioid crisis.

Feb 26, 202441:30
Black Women Taught Us: Jenn Jackson on the History of Black Feminism

Black Women Taught Us: Jenn Jackson on the History of Black Feminism

Intro: Somehow in 2024, we still live in a time where white people in power, mostly men, are trying to erase the contributions of Black people, and especially Black women, to our history. Our guest this week, Dr. Jenn Jackson, is asserting those feminist histories and lessons in her new book Black Women Taught Us: A History of Black Feminism.

Feb 19, 202451:06
Natalie Weaver on Facial Differences and Fighting the Trolls

Natalie Weaver on Facial Differences and Fighting the Trolls

When Natalie Weaver's daughter Sophia was born, she knew she was in for a whole new life. Born with facial differences, Natalie and her family had to navigate hate cruelty. But when her state tried to reduce essential health care benefits for medically complicated children, Natalie was forced to publicly fight for her family's well-being. What followed was a success in the activism realm and more hate from the social media trolls. Natalie joins us to discuss her activism, her fight to make the world a better place for people with facial differences, and coming to terms with grief.

Feb 12, 202453:54
Hudson Munoz of Guns Down America

Hudson Munoz of Guns Down America

The National Rifle Association has been one of the most powerful and most dangerous gun lobbying groups in America. But now a corruption trial is underway, and their visibility and potentially their influence is collapsing as a result. To hear more about it, we’ve invited Hudson Munoz onto the show. Hudson is the Executive Director of Guns Down America, a gun violence prevention advocacy organization

Feb 05, 202433:12
Denise Hamilton, Author of Indivisble: How to Forge our Differences into a Stronger Future

Denise Hamilton, Author of Indivisble: How to Forge our Differences into a Stronger Future

Our world seems more divided than ever, and bad actors are committed to exploiting and deepening those division. So how do we fight these divisions? How do we find our way to unity? Our guest this week is Denise Hamilton. Denise’s new book “Indivisible: How to Forge our Differences into a Stronger Future” is available February 6th, 2024.

Jan 29, 202449:28
2024 Preview

2024 Preview

With so much at stake in the New Year, we thought we'd take an in-depth look at all of the critical issues and elections taking the stage in 2024. Alyssa and Ben discuss the elections, abortion, gun control, AI, intellectual property rights, Trump's criminal trials and much more.

Jan 22, 202443:16
MLK Day: Revisiting 1,000 words on Race and Hope with Kwame Alexander

MLK Day: Revisiting 1,000 words on Race and Hope with Kwame Alexander

In what is becoming a tradition at Sorry Not Sorry, for Martin Luthor King Jr. Day, we are revisiting one of our all-time favorite episodes of Sorry Not Sorry with Kwame Alexander. When this episode first aired, Kwame's remarkable book "Light for the World To See: 1,000 Words on Race and Hope" had just released. As always, we need to continue having challenging conversations, and we need to do so in a spirit of hope and progress. Join us in celebrating Dr. King with Kwame's challenging and inspiring work.

Jan 15, 202450:33
Unshrinking: Kate Manne on Fatphobia and its Effects

Unshrinking: Kate Manne on Fatphobia and its Effects

What does it mean when other people feel entitled to our bodies? This is the reality that larger people have to deal with every day. From cruel comments online to fatshaming from well-meaning friends, relatives, and medical professionals, fat people navigate in a world where it is somehow socially acceptable to behave this way. Kate Manne argues for a better way. She is an associate professor of philosophy at Cornell University and an award-winning writer. Her new book, Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia, is now available.

Jan 08, 202450:52
When Rape Goes Viral with Anna Gjika

When Rape Goes Viral with Anna Gjika

The intersection of youth, technology, and sexual violence has proven to be a dangerous place. In her new book When Rape Goes Viral, Anna Gjika explores the origins, effects, and extent of this problem as well as the social dynamics that enable it. Listeners should be forewarned that this episode contains frank discussions of sexual assault.

Jan 01, 202445:26
Tim Alberta on Evangelical Voters

Tim Alberta on Evangelical Voters

Evangelical voters have been a key constituency for the GOP for decades. But as that party veers to Trumpism and extremism, often with words and actions that fly in the face of their faith, will evangelicals stay with them? This week, we’re joined by Tim Alberta. Tim is a staff writer for The Atlantic whose new book “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in the Age of Extremism” is now available.

Dec 25, 202354:09
Heidi Przybyla on The Federalist Society, Leonard Leo, and our Courts

Heidi Przybyla on The Federalist Society, Leonard Leo, and our Courts

The Federalist Society has emerged as a far right powerhouse reshaping the American judiciary. Many of the Supreme Court’s most controversial decisions use information from Amicus Briefs provided by the Federalist Society or related organizations—briefs which may contain fundamentally inaccurate information. Heidi Przybyla is POLITICO’s award-wining national investigative correspondent and a veteran Washington journalist who regularly breaks exclusive reporting on the White House, Congress, presidential and congressional elections and, most recently, the Supreme Court and state of democracy at home. She joins us to discuss her reporting.
Dec 18, 202342:39
At Your Cervix: A'magine Goddard on Nonconsensual Pelvic Exams on Anesthetized Patients

At Your Cervix: A'magine Goddard on Nonconsensual Pelvic Exams on Anesthetized Patients

I like to think we’re living in a more consent-aware world than we used to be. We speak about the sexual ideal of enthusiastic consent required before engaging in sexual acts. And yet, recent research demonstrates that in the medical community, what happens with our bodies is often far outside that consent, with almost 90% of medical students being asked to perform pelvic examinations on patients under anesthesia. Our guest this week, A’magine Goddard, is a filmmaker whose new documentary “At Your Cervix” examines how this happens and the effects of these exams. And listeners, be aware that this episode contains frank discussions of these non-consensual examinations.

Dec 11, 202343:52
The Rural Voter with Nick Jacobs and Dan Shea

The Rural Voter with Nick Jacobs and Dan Shea

The Democratic Party used to view the rural voter as part of its base. That’s shifted, with many attributing the shift to social, religious, and racial beliefs. Our guests today argue that the reasons are quite different from what we believe. Nick Jacobs and Dan Shea are professors of government at Colby College and the authors of The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America.

Dec 04, 202350:40
Who Owns Your Face? AI, Extremism, and Facial Recognition with Kashmir Hill

Who Owns Your Face? AI, Extremism, and Facial Recognition with Kashmir Hill

We live in a time where technology is advancing faster than our ability to regulate and culturally adapt to it—and sometimes that results in truly terrifying realities. Our guest this week is Kashmir Hill. Kashmir is a tech reporter at the New York Times. She digs into the intersection of facial recognition, Artificial Intelligence, unfettered capitalism, and privacy rights in her new book Your Face Belongs To Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know It, which is now available at bookstores everywhere.

Nov 27, 202336:38
Thanksgiving 2023 with Denise Kiernan

Thanksgiving 2023 with Denise Kiernan

In what's become a Thanksgiving week tradition, we revisit our 2020 Thanksgiving episode with Denise Kiernan. At this time, Joe Biden had been elected but had not yet taken office. Donald Trump was signaling the treason that would boil over into unthinkable violence aimed at our Democratic institutions on January 6th. Covid was roaring. And still, the national celebration of gratitude was taking place. As difficult as things are, and again, they seem fairly hopeless, we want you to know that Alyssa and the entire team at Sorry Not Sorry are grateful for you. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

It’s Thanksgiving week, and we have an episode for you that will change the way you see the holiday. My guest today is Denise Kiernan. Denise is an author, journalist and producer. Her books, The Last Castle, and The Girls of Atomic City were national bestsellers. She joins us to discuss her new book We Gather Together: A Nation Divided, A President in Turmoil, and a Historic Campaign to Embrace Gratitude and Grace.

Nov 20, 202347:58
Oxfam's Abby Maxman on Trying to Save Lives in Gaza

Oxfam's Abby Maxman on Trying to Save Lives in Gaza

Every day since October 7th, our hearts have been breaking. The unconscionable terrorist attack on Israel killed so many innocents. And yet, in the Israeli response, many times more innocents in Gaza have been killed. Across the region, children and civilians are suffering and dying unnecessarily. To help us understand the situation on the ground in Gaza and Israel and the role of aid organizations, I’ve invited Abby Maxman on the show. Abby is the President and CEO of Oxfam America.

Nov 13, 202353:10
Kristin Song on Ethan's Law: A common-sense, life-saving idea for gun safety

Kristin Song on Ethan's Law: A common-sense, life-saving idea for gun safety

We hear about mass shootings all of the time. They dominate our news for a couple of days, and then we move on, doing nothing. Sometimes, in our local news, we might hear about a local shooting which kills one or two or three people. But what we rarely hear about is the constant background of gun violence that takes place in our country every day when about 120 people die from gunshot wounds, and about 200 are shot and survive. People like Ethan Song, a teenager who was accidentally shot and killed when a gun was discovered in a cardboard box at a friend’s house. Ethan’s mother Kristin is fighting to make sure no other family experiences her heartbreak, and she joins us today.

Nov 06, 202337:14
Our Scariest Stories

Our Scariest Stories

It’s Halloween week, and we thought we’d cap off spooky season with a look back at some of the scariest stories we’ve covered over the years here at Sorry Not Sorry. So sit back, turn on all the lights, and prepare to be terrified.

Oct 30, 202352:35
A Needed Dose of Hope: Our Conversation with Kwame Alexander

A Needed Dose of Hope: Our Conversation with Kwame Alexander

The world feels very hopeless right now. This week's episode is a piece of magic that we hope makes it easier, even if just for an hour. We're revisiting one of our very favorite episodes with one of our very favorite people. Kwame Alexander joined us in 2021 to discuss his book "Light for the World To See: 1,000 Words on Race and Hope." His poetry, his words, and his spirit lifted us then, and we hope they will lift you now.

Oct 23, 202351:03
An Alternative to the Congressional Chaos

An Alternative to the Congressional Chaos

The Republican Party is in chaos. The far-right GOP in the House of Representatives is at the mercy of the extreme right GOP in the House. Matt Gaetz and a handful of GOP extremists ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy and holds the entire government hostage. It doesn’t have to be this way. Over the years, we’ve had a number of Democratic members of the House on the show. Today, we’ll revisit just a few of those interviews and show the possibility of what could be, if we oust the chaos-makers in the GOP and elect a competent Democratic majority with vision and commitment. Includes interviews with Congressmembers Veronica Escobar, Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, Ro Khanna, and Hank Johnson.

Oct 16, 202334:43
Cat Bohannon, author of EVE: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Evolution

Cat Bohannon, author of EVE: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Evolution

This shouldn’t shock any woman in the world: most medical research is based on male bodies. The effects of that reach out across our societies, leaving women behind not only in medicine but in so many other parts of our cultures. Cat Bohannon is working to change that—painting a picture of the evolutionary history of women in her stunning new book “EVE: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Evolution.” Cat is a researcher and author with a Ph.D. from Columbia University in the evolution of narrative and cognition. Her essays and poems have appeared in Scientific American, Mind, Science Magazine, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, The Georgia Review, The Story Collider, and Poets Against the War.

Oct 09, 202345:16
#BannedBooksWeek with Emily Drabinski, President of the American Library Association

#BannedBooksWeek with Emily Drabinski, President of the American Library Association

Nefarious groups, driven by hate, are challenging books in school and public libraries at an unprecedented pace. To discuss the problem, what's being done about it, and the state of this year's Banned Books Week, we've invited American Library Association President Emily Drabinsky on the show.

Oct 02, 202334:13
Colleen Eren, author of Reform Nation, on #Prison Reform

Colleen Eren, author of Reform Nation, on #Prison Reform

The United States imprisons more of its population than any other nation on earth. We also incarcerate more people than any other nation. This reality, combined with the conditions and injustices inherent in those statistics, has driven a growing movement for prison reform. Colleen Eren has looked inside that movement in her new book “Reform Nation: The First Step Act and the Movement to End Mass Incarceration,” and she joins us to discuss.

Sep 25, 202336:41
Fred Guttenberg on the State of Gun Violence in America and President Biden's Efforts to Close the Background Check Loophole

Fred Guttenberg on the State of Gun Violence in America and President Biden's Efforts to Close the Background Check Loophole

46,000 - That's the number of Americans who die every year from gun violence. More than double that number are shot but survive. Fred Guttenberg knows the toll of that devastation more than most: his daughter Jaime was murdered in the Parkland, FL mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. He joins us to talk about President Biden's new effort to close the background check loophole, the effect of racist and extremist politicians on gun violence, and more.

Sep 18, 202351:48
Esau McCaulley of the New York Times on his new book How Far to the Promised Land

Esau McCaulley of the New York Times on his new book How Far to the Promised Land

It is no secret that there are different standards for Black families than for white families in the United States. Our guest this week, Dr. Esau McCaulley, has a new memoir titled How Far to the Promised Land that explores these differences and the effects they have on our nation. Esau is an Associate Professor of the New Testament, the author of several books, and a contributing columnist for the New York Times. How far to the Promised Land is now available.

Sep 11, 202347:00
Natalia Abrams talks Student Debt and the End of the Repayment Pause

Natalia Abrams talks Student Debt and the End of the Repayment Pause

Student debt is a crushing burden to millions of families in the United States. Recent efforts by the Biden Administration to relieve some of the burden for some borrowers were dashed by the Supreme Court. To help put it in perspective and fill us on what can be done about this issue, we've invited Natalia Abrams back on the show. Natalia is the founder and president of the Student Debt Crisis Center.

Sep 04, 202325:33
Kai Cheng Thom on Falling Back in Love with Being Human

Kai Cheng Thom on Falling Back in Love with Being Human

The world is full of hate. Alyssa certainly sees a lot of it sent her way online—but people who hold less privilege see so much more. That hate, always present around us, has taken some of the joy out of being human. Our guest this week is trying to fix that. Kai Cheng Thom is the author of several books, including the newly released “Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls.”

Aug 28, 202337:52
Protecting Children and our Future with Senator Richard Blumenthal

Protecting Children and our Future with Senator Richard Blumenthal

Our guest this week is Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Senator Blumenthal is right at the heart of legislative initiatives that are so important for our nation, whether it’s regulating the role of AI, protecting kids online, or protecting kids offline in efforts to reduce gun violence. He's also been able to work across the aisle on critical initiatives in this incredibly polarized time, because he believes being effective is more important than being partisan. In this episode, we get into all of it and more.

Aug 21, 202340:33
Dr. Dave Rabin on tackling stigmas and activating mental health treatments

Dr. Dave Rabin on tackling stigmas and activating mental health treatments

One of the things Alyssa has been very open about is her mental health. We have stigmas in our culture which not only affect those who struggle with mental health conditions, but also new and exciting treatments for those conditions, like psychotropics and wearable technology. Dr. Dave Rabin helps people face these stigmas. He is a board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and inventor who has studied resilience and the impact of chronic stress on our lives for over 15 years. Dr. Rabin and his team collaborate with clients at the Apollo Clinic, empowering clients to take control of their mental and physical health by tapping into our abilities to adapt and heal ourselves.

Aug 14, 202335:14
Kate Brookes, Author of Transister, on raising a trans child

Kate Brookes, Author of Transister, on raising a trans child

We live in a time where right-wing politicians and activists are stoking anti-trans fear and hate for political gain. Around the country, legislators are enacting laws which prevent trans youth from receiving gender-affirming care, putting them and their families at risk. Our guest this week, Kate Brookes, is raising a transgender daughter. Her new memoir, Transister, brings us into her world in an unflinching and unvarnished way.

Aug 07, 202346:60
Ro Khanna on the State of the House

Ro Khanna on the State of the House

2023 has been a tumultuous year in the House of Representatives, to say the least. Kevin McCarthy barely won the speakership and has been chained to the whims of the furthest extremes of his party. The theatrics of McCarthy and the GOP have often overshadowed the important work sitting before Congress —issues that affect us all. California Congressman Ro Khanna is focused on those issues, and he joins us this week to discuss them.

Jul 31, 202328:33
Victim/Suspect's Rae de Leon and Nancy Schwartzman

Victim/Suspect's Rae de Leon and Nancy Schwartzman

One of the things that makes Alyssa angriest is when she sees men denying the scope of our national sexual violence epidemic by claiming that there are many false reports of sexual assault, and therefore victims cannot be trusted. In their stunning documentary Victim/Suspect, reporter Rae de Leon and director Nancy Schwartzman dig into cases where women were charged with filing false reports but insist they were telling the truth. What the investigation showed about police conduct when investigating reports of sexual assault was shocking. Rae and Nancy join us to discuss.

Jul 24, 202345:43
SCOTUS Decisions in Review

SCOTUS Decisions in Review

Once again, the Supreme Court ended its term with monumental decisions which will affect the way millions of Americans are able (or not able) to do important things in their lives. As usual, we covered many of those issues over the past year, and in this episode we revisit that coverage to contextualize the importance of the court's decisions and efforts to reform the court.

Jul 17, 202350:30
Bright Sunshine: Samuel Freedman on Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights

Bright Sunshine: Samuel Freedman on Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights

We live in dangerous times. Zealots on the extreme right are working to ban books which actively teach our history, particularly around civil rights and racial justice. That’s why it’s so important to remember and share our history on these issues. Our guest today is Samuel Freedman. Samuel is a journalist, author, and Pulitzer-prize finalist. His new book, Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights, is now available.

Jul 10, 202346:08
Fighting Book Bans with PEN America's Nadine Farid Johnson and Author Ashley Hope Perez

Fighting Book Bans with PEN America's Nadine Farid Johnson and Author Ashley Hope Perez

It’s hard to believe we have to say this in 2023, but across the nation, right-wing forces are banding together at all levels of government to ban access to books in schools and libraries. Florida, in particular, has been a hotbed of these bans under the dubious leadership of Ron DeSantis. Our guests this week are suing to make sure literature remains accessible. Nadine Farid Johnson serves as the Managing Director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs, and Ashley Hope Perez is an author and educator whose novel Out of Darkness has been one of the most challenged books in the country during this onslaught of anti-free-speech actions.

Jul 03, 202351:04
I Kick and Fly: Ruchira Gupta on Fighting Sex Trafficking

I Kick and Fly: Ruchira Gupta on Fighting Sex Trafficking

Fighting sex trafficking is a cause that we are passionate about at Sorry Not Sorry, and our guest this week has made it her life’s work. Ruchira Gupta is a former journalist and founder of Apne Aap, an NGO that works to end child sex trafficking. She’s the author of the acclaimed new novel I Kick and Fly which is based on her experiences.


Praise for I Kick and Fly:


"In I Kick and I Fly, Ruchira Gupta has given young readers an irresistible story, and also one that could save lives. This book is a gift." -- Gloria Steinem


"Any work from Ruchira Gupta is sure to further the cause of liberating women, especially, and in this novel, girls. It takes a strong belief in us, and especially in our young ones, to persevere as she does in both art and politics. The absolute belief that if the heart is moved, so might be the positive activities for justice and freedom, of the mind." -- Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple


"I Kick and I Fly is a powerhouse of a debut. Ruchira Gupta has crafted a page-turner of a read, stepped in place and full of indelible characters, managing to be at once propulsive and enlightening, infuriating and inspiring. But maybe most important, Heera’s story is a beacon of hope to a generation of young people trying to transform an unjust world." -- Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and We Are Inevitable


"Having been to the brothels and red-light district I Kick and I Fly so searingly captures, I can testify that this book is essential reading for anyone interested in how to empower girls to break free from intergenerational prostitution and sex trafficking. Ruchira Gupta is nothing less than a great hero, and in her book, she has created one in Heera, as she seeks to defy the destiny of rape that poverty and men have assigned her." -- Ashley Judd


"An empathetic and unflinching glimpse into a world little known to outsiders. We watch breathlessly, never sure until the very end how she will kick and punch her way past her circumstances to find her own path to freedom." -- Natalie C Anderson


"This book is a call to action, it an invitation for the rest of us to rise from the pall of apathy and join the movement to fight and fight and keep fighting―until we retrieve the last girl from the ugly jaws of the very worst effects of the patriarchy." -- Staceyann Chin


“Gupta renders Heera’s perseverance amid grueling circumstances via straightforward prose and imbues this searing tale with an ominous ambiance that complements its dark themes.” – Publisher’s Weekly


"The depth of the story’s details and its themes of bodily autonomy, community, and women’s empowerment reflect Gupta’s experience as the founder of Apne Aap, an NGO working to end sex trafficking... atriumphant debut." - Kirkus Reviews

Jun 26, 202343:56
Jamie Manson of Catholics for Choice on the Dobbs Anniversary

Jamie Manson of Catholics for Choice on the Dobbs Anniversary

This week marks a year since the Supreme Court's immoral and dangerous Dobbs decision. Unless you’ve been hiding with your head in the sand, you know that abortion rights are under threat in the United States, where many people now have little or no access to abortion healthcare. The Catholic Church has been a driving force in that charge to deny women and pregnant people the right to control our own reproduction—but there are those within the church fighting to change that. To discuss, we’ve invited Jamie Manson onto the show. Jamie is an internationally-known columnist for the National Catholic Reporter and President of Catholics for Choice.
Jun 19, 202342:27
Christian Cooper on Living Through Racism and Better Living Through Birding

Christian Cooper on Living Through Racism and Better Living Through Birding

Just a few hours before George Floyd was murdered, Christian Cooper was birdwatching in Central Park when he was the victim of a white woman who attempted to weaponize race and policing against him. The video of the event went viral, and luckily Christian was able to leave the area before police arrived, and is here with us today. His new book, Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World, is now available to order.


“Christian Cooper’s book is every bit as wondrous and captivating as the birds he so adores—a joyous tour across subcultures and continents, and a masterful account of a life full of song, full of heart, and fully lived.”—Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of An Immense World


“An uplifting and inspiring read. Christian Cooper is a national treasure.”—Van Jones, New York Times bestselling author and host of The Van Jones Show


“Utterly captivating, a marvel of storytelling . . . Christian Cooper’s memoir is tender, honest, funny, wise, poignant, piercing, and infused with brilliant observations on the nature of birds, humans, and his own extraordinary personal journey.”—Jennifer Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds


“I cannot think of a better guide to teach us all to slow down, look, listen, and grab our binoculars than Cooper, a self-described Black queer nerd, who delivers the best nature bath ever, in lyrical, lush, relatable prose.”—Brittney Cooper, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Eloquent Rage


“Funny, brave, kind, and eagle-eyed, Cooper brings into focus not only the spectacular winged creatures he loves, but also the glorious messiness, prejudice, courage, and passion of our own species—and how birding can show us all how to lead better lives.”—Sy Montgomery, author of How to Be a Good Creature


“Read this book if you want to discover the joys, struggles, and magic of birding, but even more because it’s a book about the joys, struggles, and magic of life. Christian Cooper is a brilliant storyteller who manages to pack history, science, and sociology—with just the right amount of laugh-out-loud sass—into his powerful memoir. This book soars!”—Juli Berwald, author of Spineless


“Christian Cooper writes with passion and honesty—even about that Central Park run-in and media storm, which he handled with aplomb. Birders are fortunate to have Mr. Cooper as a spokesperson for the modern age.”—Noah Strycker, author of Birding Without Borders


“In addressing the Central Park incident, [Cooper] elegantly frames it within both his own bird-focused narrative and a broader conversation about racism and police brutality. . . . This rewarding memoir adds heft and heart to the headlines.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

About the Author

Christian Cooper is a science and comics writer and editor and the host and consulting producer of Extraordinary Birder on National Geographic. One of Marvel’s first openly gay writers and editors, Cooper introduced the first gay male character in Star Trek, in the Starfleet Academy series, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. He also introduced the first openly lesbian character for Marvel and created and authored Queer Nation: The Online Gay Comic. Based in New York City, he is on the board of directors for NYC Audubon.

Jun 12, 202344:41
Mneesha Gellman of the Emerson Prison Initiative and the Importance of Education for Incarcerated People

Mneesha Gellman of the Emerson Prison Initiative and the Importance of Education for Incarcerated People

It’s no secret that there are huge cultural and structural barriers which prevent many people in the United States from accessing education.  These barriers are even higher when it comes to those who are incarcerated. And yet, there is good evidence that shows that obtaining an education makes huge differences in the lives of the incarcerated.  To discuss, we’ve invited Mneesha Gellman on the show. Mneesha is the founder and Director of the Emerson Prison Initiative, which makes college available to incarcerated students in Massachusetts. She is the editor of Education Behind the Wall: Why and How We Teach in Prison and co-editor of the forthcoming book Unlocking Potential: Education in Prison Around the World.

Jun 05, 202338:43
Organizer Michelle Eisen on Unionizing Starbucks

Organizer Michelle Eisen on Unionizing Starbucks

One of the interesting side effects of the post-Covid economy has been a surge in the power and influence employees hold. Wages in service industry jobs have risen dramatically as employers struggle to find workers. However, there have also been increasing stories of worker exploitation, leading to a surge in new unionization efforts. To discuss all of it, we’ve invited Michelle Eisen onto the show. Michelle is a Starbucks Barista and organizing member of Starbucks Workers United.

May 29, 202332:33
Built for the Fire: Victor Luckerson on the Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall Street

Built for the Fire: Victor Luckerson on the Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall Street

Many of us know about the Tulsa Massacre. But fewer of us know about the long history of innovation and the struggle for equity that continues in Greenwood to this day. Author Victor Luckerson aims to change that. Viktor is a journalist and author based in Tulsa who works to bring neglected black history to light. He is a former staff writer at The Ringer and business reporter for Time magazine. His new book Built from the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, America’ Black Wall Street, is now available.

May 22, 202344:33
Neil Gross on Police Chiefs Walking the Walk on Police Reform

Neil Gross on Police Chiefs Walking the Walk on Police Reform

Over the past decade, bad policing has been a constant presence in the headlines, particularly in coverage of police violence against people of color. It makes us wonder if policing can be improved and changes in culture can be achieved. In his new book Walk the Walk, today’s guest Neil Gross examines three cities where he argues police chiefs were able to make significant improvements and culture changes in policing. In addition to being an author and former police officer, Neil is a professor of Sociology at Colby College.

May 15, 202343:03
Amanda Zurawski and Molly Duane: Suing Texas Because Abortion Saves Lives

Amanda Zurawski and Molly Duane: Suing Texas Because Abortion Saves Lives

Since the right-wing activist judges on the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, pregnant people across the country have been put in great jeopardy. Our guests today are fighting back. Amanda Zurawski nearly lost her life when a Texas law prevented her from receiving an abortion after a medical emergency made her pregnancy nonviable. Molly Duane is an attorney helping Amanda and four other women sue the state of Texas in collaboration with the Center for Reproductive Rights.

May 08, 202349:29
Fred Guttenberg on guns and American Carnage

Fred Guttenberg on guns and American Carnage

46,000 deaths in America, every single year. We have more guns than people in the United States. And yet somehow, many states across the country are working to make it easier to get guns, easier to carry guns, and easier to kill people without consequence. This is partly because of the lies of the gun industry. To help us sort through the myths and find the truth, we’ve invited one of my favorite humans back on the show. Fred Guttenberg’s daughter Jaime was murdered in the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas school shooting in 2018. Since then, Fred has been one of the world’s leading voices in gun violence prevention. He is the co-author of the new book American Carnage, which is now available.



Editorial Reviews

Review

“American Carnage by authors Thomas Gabor and Fred Guttenberg is a must read. Fred, like far too many Americans, understands gun violence because of the murder of his daughter Jaime. His work with Thomas Gabor to take on the myths around guns and gun violence in America and to present an evidence-based approach has resulted in a book that should be read by everyone who cares about this issue.”

―Congressman Eric Swalwell, US Representative to California's 15th congressional district


“This book, one I will go back to many times, gives you every essential tool to become a well-informed member of a club I want you to join: committed citizens lifting their voices for the lifesaving changes to gun laws the vast majority of Americans want.”

―Steve Kerr, son, husband, father, grandfather, and head coach of the Golden State Warriors


“Let me say at the outset that Fred Guttenberg and I agree on very little when it comes to gun policy. But we listen to each other and we constantly search for common ground. This book written by Thomas Gabor and Fred Guttenberg is an important one. And even though I disagree with some of what's written here, I recommend this book to anyone interested in saving lives. Fred and Tom make a passionate & evidenced-based case for facts to consider when pursuing certain reforms, which I'm sure will spur further passionate debate on this issue between us. I highly recommend American Carnage.”

―Former Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois's 8th district


“There’s no single voice more important in the conversation in America about gun safety and avoiding the unthinkable tragedy of losing a child to gun violence than Fred Guttenberg. Fred’s voice rings like a clarion in American Carnage where he, along with Thomas Gabor, explores the crucially important issue of misinformation when it comes to gun violence. The assault on truth spreads through every aspect of American politics, and there is no issue more uniquely American or deadly than gun violence. American Carnage is an essential read on one of the most important issues of our time.”

―Nicolle Wallace, host of Deadline: White House on MSNBC and former White House communications director


“There are few issues in American life where the stakes are as high as gun violence, nor where the steps to prevent it are more straightforward. Virtually every American wants to see changes put in place to strengthen our laws and enforcement mechanisms to make gun violence more rare. Yet, those changes have been much harder to enact than popular sentiment would dictate. Why is that? Tom Gabor and Fred Guttenberg lay out why in this exceptional book, which explains the lies, half-truths, and myths propagated by the gun industry to fight common sense gun laws and to sell as many guns as possible, no matter the lives lost or cost to our society. For those of us in the gun violence prevention movement―which is all Americans wanting a safer country where gun violence is rare―this book provides all you need to break through those lies and mistruths, and help lead and participate in conversations that can result in real change, where public safety laws are advanced that protect all Americans from gun violence.”

―Kris Brown, president of Brady, United Against Gun Violence



May 01, 202347:23
Alyssa Milano in the Guest Chair - The ERA, Guns, Abortion Rights, and Supporting Women

Alyssa Milano in the Guest Chair - The ERA, Guns, Abortion Rights, and Supporting Women

Ben the Producer here! Every so often, we like to switch things up here, and we're doing it again this week. Alyssa Milano switches roles and joins us as the guest to discuss the GOP's immoral and dangerous attacks against women and women's autonomy.

Apr 24, 202342:10
Award-winning Journalist and Russia Expert Owen Matthews on Putin's Overreach

Award-winning Journalist and Russia Expert Owen Matthews on Putin's Overreach

As Putin's war in Ukraine continues to rage on more than a year after his initial invasion, the toll it is taking is astonishing. A private Russian army seems to be running rampant without Kremlin oversight, civilians and civilian infrastructure are routinely and illegally attacked, and the people of Ukraine continue to suffer. To help make sense of it all, we've invited Owen Matthews on to the show. Owen is a longtime Moscow-based award-winning journalist who served as Newsweek's Moscow Bureau Chief. He is the author of the new book Overreach: An Astonishing Investigation into the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Apr 17, 202346:50