Episodes
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Covid upended everyday life. What’s stuck around five years after lockdown?
It’s been five years since the Covid-19 lockdown of spring 2020. Covid changed every aspect of our lives – from the way we work, to how kids went to school and even some people’s views on science and vaccines. What changes have stuck around since the pandemic? And which will become so ingrained in our lives that future generations will forget they were brought about by the pandemic? -
Unbound Pages: Artist Karen Moss raises book-banning awareness through a series of portraits
Artist and avid reader Karen Moss felt overwhelmed by the never-ending news of book bans happening all across the country. As she’d previously done in addressing other social justice issues, Karen used her canvas to make a statement — this time, intimate portraits of her loved ones and their favorite banned books. The portraits are showcased in a new exhibit at the Boston Public Library’s central branch. This is the latest edition of “Unbound Pages,” our year-long series on the book-banning movement in America. -
Beyond body glitter and Total Request Live: How the Y2K era changed America
The year 2000 ushered in an era of shiny newness – from metallic clothing and furniture to a computer evolution turned tech revolution – alongside generation-defining events: a housing and financial crisis, 9/11 and early public recognition of climate change. Author Colette Shade argues the socio-cultural shifts ushered in during the early 2000s remain significant today in her debut book, “Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything (Essays on the Future That Never Was.)” It’s our March selection for Bookmarked: the “Under the Radar” book club. -
Trump’s anti-trans executive orders face pushback from New England states
It’s been a little over a month since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.And since his first day in office, he has kept his promise when it comes to rolling back protections and rights for people in the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans, nonbinary, genderqueer and intersex people. But communities around the country – and especially here in New England – are pushing back. That and more in this week’s LGBTQ+ news roundtable! -
More than ‘mere representation’ needed for Asian and Asian-American stories in media
It’s been 7 years since the glitzy and glamorous romantic-comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” topped the box-office charts. The film helped break open a new era of Asian and Asian-American representation in film, streaming and TV. Has that increased representation lasted? We continue our annual conversation examining movie and streaming projects from the past year featuring significant Asian and Asian-American representation. -
The Genius Next Door: Benjamin Van Mooy makes waves with his research on invisible sea organisms
He studies plankton, the smallest organisms in the ocean, from the Antarctic peninsula to Greenland, looking for signs of how the oceans are changing. Oceanographer Benjamin Van Mooy also created new techniques that helped reveal more precise information about the link between plankton and the changing oceans. The researcher is one of three New England 2024 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows. We speak with Benjamin Van Mooy for our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.” -
Ufot Family Cycle continues with the world-premiere of ‘The Grove’
The Huntington’s production of “Sojourners” in October 2024 marked the start of the two-year, city-wide production of Mfoniso Udofia’s nine-play collection, the Ufot Family Cycle. Now, the Nigerian-American Ufot family story continues 31 years later in “The Grove,” the world-premiere of the second play in the cycle. Callie speaks with playwright Mfoniso Udofia and actress Abigail C. Onwunali about the second chapter of the Ufot Family Cycle. -
Latinx news: Misinformation and ICE silence stoke mass-deportation fears
President Donald Trump promised drastic changes in immigration policy, particularly focused on mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, on Day 1 of his second administration. But with only a month into the new administration, local experts say it’s hard to judge if Trump is actually sticking to his promise. It’s our Latinx news roundtable! -
Environmental news: Will the aftermath of the LA fires affect Americans nationwide?
Now that the Los Angeles fires have been contained, Angelenos face health concerns from fire pollutants among many long-term consequences. Plus, President Donald Trump withdraws the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. Will Michael Bloomberg’s offer to pay for the U.S.’s portion of the group’s budget make a difference? And the homeowners’ insurance crisis on Martha’s Vineyard may soon be a problem for all of us. It’s our environmental news roundtable! -
Big flavors and small wine lists are two of this year's culinary trends
Black limes, global spice mixes and an abundance of sauces – it’s all on tap for food trends in 2025. And when it comes to wine, odds are you’ve foregone the cheap entry-level bottle for a higher price-point white and you’ve noticed shrinking wine lists at restaurants. We’ve got the latest news from the culinary world featuring our food and wine experts!
