The Takeaway

Why Offshore Oil Drilling is So Bad For The Environment

On October 1, a ruptured pipeline resulted in 25,000 gallons of crude spilling into the Pacific Ocean near Orange County, California. While the spill wasn’t as bad as initially feared, it reignited a debate over offshore drilling. California has an aging pipeline infrastructure with questionable federal oversight. And this wasn't the only large oil spill this year. Less than a month ago, after Hurricane Ida, a federal satellite detected the most oil spills from space in the Gulf of Mexico after a weather event. The federal government started using satellites to track spills and leaks starting a decade ago. The Takeaway spoke with Catherine Kilduff, Senior Attorney at The Center for Biological Diversity, and Wilma Subra, who deals with environmental human health issues, on behalf of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network.

Biden Administration Plans to Rein In "Forever Chemicals"

On Monday, the Biden administration unveiled its plans to rein in so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS. PFAS refers to a group of more than 4,000 toxic chemicals that don’t break down in the environment. PFAS are found in everything from our drinking water to our cookware. Even some rain jackets and cosmetics contain PFAS. But PFAS are also hazardous for our health. In fact, they’ve been linked with certain cancers, thyroid disease, and other health impacts, too. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke to Pat Rizzuto, chemicals reporter with Bloomberg Law. 

Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Are Now Running 24/7

Last week, President Biden announced that the Port of Los Angeles will move towards operating 24/7 to address the shipping delays that have led to nationwide supply chain disruptions this year. The Port of Long Beach has also expanded its operations towards a 24/7 schedule in an attempt to solve the supply chain issue. The Takeaway hears from Dr. Afif El-Hasan, Physician-in-Charge at Kaiser Permanente San Juan Capistrano Medical Offices and spokesperson for the American Lung Association, as well as Mario Cordero, the executive director of the Port of Long Beach.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Deep Dive with Dorian Warren: Child Care

In this installment of The Takeaway Deep Dive, we tackle the very personal system of child care. Affordable child care is often inadequately addressed in the United States. That was laid bare during the height of the pandemic which exposed the inequities of a system that is in need of drastic changes and repair. Joining our hosts to discuss what changes need to be made to the child care system is Aqeela Muntaqim, Michigan Deputy Director of Mothering Justice, and Karen D’Souza, a writer at Ed Source, an organization that works to engage Californians on key education challenges with the goal of enhancing learning success.

Sept. 16, 2021, file photo Pre-K teacher Vera Csizmadia teaches 3-and 4-year-old students in her classroom at the Dr. Charles Smith Early Childhood Center in Palisades Park, N.J.

(Mary Altaffer/AP Photo)

The Shadow Pandemic: Covid Creates Population of Orphaned Children

A devastating number of children have lost a parent or caregiver to Covid, and they lack the financial and emotional support they need. Federal statistics are not yet available on how many U.S. children went into foster care last year; however, researchers estimate COVID-19 drove a 15% increase in orphaned children. JoNel Aleccia, senior correspondent at Kaiser Health News, discusses the impact of Covid on our children and the need for more support.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

The Story of Jelani Day

In August, Jelani Day went missing and his car was found with no license plates or keys several days after he was reported missing. Ten days later, Jelani’s body was found in the Illinois River 60 miles from his campus in a town where less than 1 percent of the population is Black and he had no known connections. It's important to note that Jelani was an avid swimmer who’d competed on his school’s swim team. The Takeaway talks with Linda Foster, President of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP and James E. Wright II, assistant professor at Florida State University, specializing in policing, about the story of Jelani Day.

Jury Selection in the Trial of Ahmaud Arbery's Accused Killers Began Monday

Like the murder of George Floyd and so many others, Arbery’s death sparked a wave of racial justice uprisings across the U.S. in the summer of 2020. It also prompted the state of Georgia to make changes to its criminal justice law, including the passage of a hate crimes statute. For more on the trial, The Takeaway spoke to Nicole Lewis, senior editor of Jurisprudence at Slate. 

Christian Missionaries Held Captive by Haitian Gang

17 Christian missionaries building an orphanage in Haiti remain captive after they were abducted by the 400 Mawozo gang on Saturday, October 16th. Kidnappings in Haiti continue to rise counting 328 during the first 8 months of 2021. We discuss the situation in Haiti leading up to the kidnappings and what we can anticipate with Jaqueline Charles, Caribbean and Haitian correspondent for the Miami Herald.

The Life and Legacy of Colin Powell

Colin Powell, the first Black U.S. Secretary of State, passed away on Monday due to complications from Covid-19 at the age of 84. Powell, a 4-star Army general, was also the first black national security advisor and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. We look back at his life of public service and his role in leading the U.S. into the Iraq War.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

The Global Supply Chain Is A Mess 

One of the continuing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the disruption of supply chains. The global supply chain is slowing down at a time when demand is high. The Takeaway spoke to Derek Thompson, staff writer for The Atlantic, about the complex issues causing shortages on store shelves and slowdowns in services.

Are Toys Becoming More Gender Neutral?

Last week, LEGO — the world’s largest toy maker — announced it would make its toys more gender neutral. And earlier this month, the state of California passed a law requiring large retailers to display toys and childcare items in gender-neutral ways. All of this comes as the debate intensifies over whether toys create and perpetuate gender stereotypes. We spoke with Elizabeth Sweet, assistant professor of sociology at San Jose State University to look at both developments, the history of gendered toys, the push to make toys more gender neutral, and more.

Terence Blanchard is First Black Composer at Metropolitan Opera House

Terence Blanchard joined today's show.You may already be familiar with Terence Blanchard as a 6-time Grammy winner, jazz trumpet player and composer of over 40 film scores, earning him a BAFTA and Academy Award nominee for Best Original Score for Spike Lee’s 2018 film, BlacKkKlansman. Blanchard also happens to write operas. He composed Fire Shut Up in My Bones, based on Charles Blow’s memoir of the same title, and it is the first opera by a Black composer to be housed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

State Politics Heating Up Across Country

Jessica Taylor, the Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report, and Zach Montellaro, state politics reporter at POLITICO take a look at state politics and gubernatorial races around the country where candidates are debating issues around education, police reform, and abortion rights.

New Analyses Show Potential Undercount of Black Population During 2020 Census

The findings have brought up concerns that some jurisdictions and civil rights leaders have had about lower-than-expected totals in the 2020 Census. “This might be our greatest undercount since 1960, or 1950,” said Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans and president and chief executive of the National Urban League, which sued the bureau last year to stop the count from ending early. Morial joined us to discuss the undercount and the far-reaching implications it could have. 

The Experience of Resettling as an Afghan Refugee

Fifty-five thousand. That’s how many Afghans have relocated to the U.S. since mid-August.According to the Department of Homeland Security, about 40 percent are eligible for special immigrant visas because of the work they did aiding U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. But for other Afghan evacuees, it’s unclear what their legal status will be. Many entered the country not as traditional refugees, but instead under a temporary legal process known as parole. That means many of these refugees currently don’t have a direct pathway to permanent residency. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Naheed Samadi-Bahram, Women for Afghan Women's U.S. Country Director.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

What's Not So Funny About Dave Chappelle

The backlash against Dave Chappelle’s recent comedy special for Netflix continues with many Transgender individuals and groups speaking out against it. We're joined by Aryah Lester, deputy director of the Transgender Strategy Center and MX Dahlia Belle, a writer and comedian who penned "Dear Dave Chappelle, Transgender Comedians Can Take A Joke, But Why Are Yours So Unfunny” joined us to discuss the controversy and what Chappelle can and should do better.

Aging While Queer

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Jan. 6, 2021, file photo insurrections loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

(Jose Luis Magana/The Takeaway)

The Deep Dive with Dorian Warren: Political Cruelty

Most of us tend to think of cruelty as individual actions motivated by personal hatreds, but Professor Cristina Beltran offers up a definition of civic and political cruelty. Beltran’s interest in cruelty was prompted by seeing and hearing what was happening at rallies for Donald Trump a few years ago. For the first Takeaway Deep Dive, host Melissa Harris-Perry and friend/collaborator Dorian Warren explore the phenomenon of political cruelty. 

 Additional segments:

San Fransisco Program Intends to Make Jury Pools More Diverse

Julius Jones Awaits Clemency Hearing

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

New Report Sheds Light on Police Foundations

The new Police Foundation Report from Color of Change, exposes how corporations support Black Lives Matter on one hand and are also giving private money to police foundations. There’s no record of how that money is being used to fund police departments around the country which are often a threat to black and brown lives. Scott Roberts, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Campaigns for Color of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization joins us to discuss their campaign for accountability and transparency as steps to ensure and redefine public safety.

Adults Jailed Black Children for a Crime That Doesn't Exist

New reporting from Meribah Knight, Nashville Public Radio and Ken Armstrong, ProPublica investigates Rutherford County, Tennessee where Black children are being jailed at an alarming rate. The investigation explores the arrest of four young girls after a YouTube video surfaced of three boys fighting on the school playground of Hobgood Elementary School. We talk to reporter Meribah Knight about the story of why these kids get arrested at alarming rates and what’s being done to stop it. 

Newark Replaces Nearly All of Its Lead Pipes

Two years ago, lead pipes tainted the drinking water of Newark, New Jersey. The city faced a water crisis on par with what has happened in places like Flint, Michigan, and a number of other cities across the U.S. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Karen Yi, reporter covering New Jersey for WNYC. 

Ruben Santiago-Hudson on the Joy of Bringing "Lackawanna Blues" to Broadway

Writer, director, and actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson's one-man show Lackawanna Blues tells the story of Santiago-Hudson’s childhood and finds him embodying the many characters who populated his youth, including Nanny, the woman who raised him. The Takeaway spoke with Santiago-Hudson about putting on the show during the pandemic and what his dreams are for the next stages in his career.

For transcripts, see individual segments pages. 

Debt Ceiling Deal Extended but For How Long?

Join us for this week's political round up with Michael Steele, former Lt. Gov. of Maryland and previous chair of the RNC and Christina Greer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, co-host of podcast FAQ NYC, and author of the book “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration and the Pursuit of the American Dream." Michael and Christina share their thoughts about the debt ceiling extension and reproductive rights as well as the state of voting rights and the Democrat and Republican strategies ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

Why New York State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas is Fighting for Immigration Reform

New York State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas traveled to D.C. this week and was arrested while participating in that peaceful protest. She joined The Takeaway today to talk about why she's fighting for immigration reform.

Jason Rezaian Discuss his new podcast 544 Days

Jason Rezaian joins us to discuss his new Spotify Original Podcast 544 Days which chronicles his time in an Iranian prison and what it took to get him out.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Daniel Alarcón On Spanish-Language Media

Celebrated podcaster and writer Daniel Alarcón. Alarcón is the Executive Producer and host of NPR's Spanish language podcast Radio Ambulante. His podcast — which he started in 2012 — features a mix of investigative journalism and interviews, and covers a wide range of topics, from the refugee crisis in Venezuela to “killer bees” in Brazil. Alarcón is also a contributing writer at the New Yorker, a novelist, and he teaches at the Columbia Journalism School. His work dives deep into the social and cultural ties that connect Spanish-speaking populations across the United States and Central and South America. The Takeaway speaks to Alarcón about the importance of Spanish-language media and more.

When it Comes to Identity Which Word Wins?

Afro-Latinidad, Latino, Latinx and Hispanic are just a few of the terms used to identify people from a large portion of the world including Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. But which one of these is right? Michele Reid-Vazquez, an associate professor in the department of Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, who also serves as the director of the Afro-Latin American and Afro-Latinx Studies Initiative, and Ed Morales a journalist and author of Latinx: The New Force in American Politics and Culture joined to discuss. 

U.S. Officials Announce That 23 Species Should Be Declared Extinct

Last week, U.S. wildlife officials recommended that 22 animals and one plant within the United States and Guam be marked extinct and gone forever. In total, the extinctions include eight freshwater mussels, 11 birds, two fish, a bat, and a plant. Within the next decade, the issue could get worse due to climate change, but especially due to people taking over or changing habitats and diminishing global biodiversity. For more on this extinction and biodiversity crisis, The Takeaway spoke with Catrin Einhorn, who covers wildlife and extinction for The New York Times.

Preview of the Upcoming SCOTUS Term

Ian Millhiser, a senior correspondent at Vox, discusses some of the cases the Supreme Court is hearing this term. Its conservative leaning court will consider the fate of abortion rights, gun control, and the power Congress has over government agencies like the EPA and the Department of Labor.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.