Episodes
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The science and popularity of CBD, explained
Editor's note: This episode originally aired on Feb. 4, 2022. CBD — those three small letters have led to a billion-dollar industry. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a compound from the cannabis plant that does not produce a high. People can consume it, vape it or apply it to their skin. Manufacturers are putting CBD in everything from lattes to lotions. Proponents say that CBD helps manage many health conditions, especially pain and anxiety. "One of the things that we've found that CBD is wonderful for is bringing your body closer to homeostasis, back to alignment. We know that that affects everything from stress to the ability to sleep, etc.," Malaika Jones, co-founder of Brown Girl Jane, said on Under the Radar. "Especially these days, folks are finding themselves, you know, feeling out of whack. So, our consumers really tell us that it [CBD] has been most helpful with anxiety, stress relief and sleep. ... The brand and the products have really resonated with people who need these everyday solutions to their life," she said. But many researchers insist that the substance may not work, let alone be touted as a cure-all. "One particular formulation of [CBD] was FDA approved in 2018 for the treatment of three types of seizure disorders," said Dr. Kevil Hill, an addiction psychiatrist. "But the reality is that probably 95% or greater of the CBD that people are using is not that formulation and it's not regulated by the FDA. And with that come a host of issues and those issues are related to the risk." Guests: Dr. Kevin Hill, addiction psychiatrist, director of the division of addiction psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the author of “Marijuana: The Unbiased Truth about the World’s Most Popular Weed” Malaika Jones, co-founder of BROWN GIRL Jane, a Black woman–owned company that offers broad-spectrum CBD products. She was named one of the most powerful women of 2020 by Entrepreneur Magazine -
Can a healthy diet treat disease? Why some argue food is medicine
Editor's note: This episode originally aired on Feb. 3, 2023. From heart disease to diabetes, chronic illness is the leading cause of death in the United States, and chronic disease is a major reason why the nation spends more than $4 trillion on health care every year. But a growing number of researchers believe reexamining our relationship with food is key to both improving our health and saving money. "When you provide medically tailored meals to people who are experiencing food insecurity and chronic illness, you'll see a 16% net cost savings — and that's monthly," said Jean Terranova, senior director of policy and research at Community Servings. "That's 49% fewer in-patient hospital admissions, 70% fewer emergency department visits, and 72% fewer admissions to skilled nursing facilities." Food is medicine, these advocates argue. But changing your relationship with food can be difficult, says Paul Hepfer, CEO of Project Open Hand: "That's part of why it's so important for us to have our education piece that accompanies the meal. So, it's not just 'Here's your meals for six months or a year. Good luck. See you later.' ... We give people the tools to start cooking that way themselves." Eating more whole foods — including fruits, vegetables and grains — and fewer ultra-processed foods is key to a healthier diet. "I think of it as almost a reintroduction," said Olivia Weinstein, director of nutrition innovation and implementation for Boston Medical Center. "So, this was something that once was and then kind of left our daily living, and we're reintroducing it back in." GUESTS Olivia Weinstein, director of nutrition innovation and implementation for Boston Medical Center Jean Terranova, senior director of policy and research at Community Servings Paul Hepfer, CEO of Project Open Hand -
NAACP's annual ACT-SO competition brings youth talent to Boston
Local Black high schoolers will face off in a special competition at the 114th annual NAACP National Convention in Boston. Young scientists, musicians, dancers, and more will compete in one of 32 categories of ACT-SO, or Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. ACT-SO's categories are wide ranging, from visual and culinary arts to STEM, and business. "If I see all of these, like, white classical musicians, composers, just writing a bunch of music and we're just always playing that, why can't I just write a piece so that everyone else can play too?" said Sadie Caroll, an ACT-SO cellist participant. "I just had so much fun playing it, and it's great to share my work." The students' work will be on display at the NAACP hub at the Boston Convention Center July 28-30. The awards ceremony on July 29 is free and open to the public. Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as many other political and entertainment headliners, are scheduled to speak at the convention. This year's Olympics will draw participants from across the country. These competitors will be mentored in their selective fields and fight for a medal while being surrounded by supportive but competitive excellence. "When you show up at an actual competition, a national competition, you're being exposed to other young people who are just as bright, just as talented as you are," said Tanisha Sullivan, the president of NAACP Boston. "You are put into an environment where young people across all of the categories are committed to excellence. And when you're in an environment ... where there is rigor, you can't help ... but level up recognizing that there's a standard and that standard is excellence." ACT-SO is meant to uplift and applaud Black high school students for their academic and artistic achievements and is a signature event at the NAACP's convention. It's a competition that allows youth to be challenged, and then take those skills learned from the high-intensity environment and continue to develop them. "This is an opportunity to understand kind of your past and your history and the people that came before you in order to pour into everybody that comes after you," said Janay Trench-Lesley, a former ACT-SO poet participant. "[Understand] that this is bigger than yourself," Trench-Lesley said. "Kind of just [trust] your process, [trust] your talent and [trust] what you know, because that's how you got here in the first place." GUESTS Tanisha Sullivan, president of NAACP Boston Janay Trench-Lesley, ACT-SO former participant, poet Sadie Caroll, 2023 ACT-SO participant, cellist -
Hollywood's writers and actors strike together for the first time in over 60 years
Hollywood’s writers and actors are on strike, together. For the first time since 1960, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), is striking alongside the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Without their labor, Hollywood productions have ground to a halt. "This is a moment of reckoning for the industry," said Michael Jeffries, professor of American studies at Wellesley College. "This is a moment where the old system of figuring out what shows were doing well, how much the job and the labor was actually worth, has evaporated. ... If they don't, as an industry, come to some sort of fair agreement, now, I think we're gonna continue to see upheaval. It's going to trickle down to what we, the customers, are able to access. It's going to totally shift the labor dynamics of that industry, and everybody is going to be worse off." Meanwhile, the "Barbie" flick was released this weekend alongside "Oppenheimer," a movie about the making of the atomic bomb. Some experts think the duo — “Barbenheimer,” if you will — could bring the biggest crowds to theaters since before the pandemic. "I think the two movies, even though the people who are making them seem so different in their artistic visions, I think they're actually really complementary to each other," Karen Huang, lecturer on history and literature at Harvard University, told Under the Radar. "To be able to experience these two completely different films in cinema, I think effectively is a really different and really contained form of escape that is completely divergent from how we experience streaming services, for example, because when you're sitting in a movie theater, there's a kind of a shared intimacy among moviegoers that you don't get as much when you're just watching a movie at home." That and more on Under the Radar's Pop Culture Roundtable. GUESTS Michael Jeffries, dean of academic affairs and professor of American studies at Wellesley College Karen Huang, lecturer on history and literature at Harvard University -
‘Barbie’-themed boat party in Boston is the latest burst of excitement over the 64-year-old doll
The nearly years of anticipations for the new "Barbie" movie has sparked widespread enthusiasm for the 64-year-old doll. From Barbie-themed parties to Barbie-styled clothing, to visits to Barbie’s life-sized Malibu DreamHouse, Barbie is everywhere. Barbicore — and the "Barbie" movie itself — has put related items in short supply, like Barbie’s signature hot pink paint color. "We hosted a Barbie boat cruise out of the Boston Harbor on June 30, and we had over 600 Barbie fans come to celebrate the release of the new movie," said Julie Russell, CEO of Fangirl Fantasy, which hosts events themed around fan-favorite artists and other phenomena. "[There were] long time Barbie fans [at the event]. ... And this event in this movie is just giving them an excuse to bring out their fan excitement." More than 60 years ago, Barbie’s creator, Ruth Handler, was inspired to design a 3D-version of a paper doll. It was an immediate bestseller in the 1950s and remains one of the best-selling toys in the world. "Oh, I had many Barbie dolls. ... My sister and I played with them for many years," said Emily Tamkin, who wrote "A Cultural History of Barbie" for Smithsonian Magazine. Handler, who co-founded the Mattel Toy Company with her husband, rejected criticisms of Barbie’s idealized body type. "I totally understand and hear all of those critiques," Tamkin said. "But... Ruth Handler said Barbie has always represented that girls and women have choices. ... We had our Barbies go to college. We had our Barbies take part in feminist protests. ... When I talk about the pull [that] this doll has and how powerful it is to have this plaything that you could project onto, I speak from personal experience." Now a new live-action movie, simply titled "Barbie," has whipped up enthusiasm from adults about all things Barbie. Barbie is an aspect of American culture that has became a global phenomenum. "I was born and raised in Japan, and when I was a little, I didn't have any Barbie dolls," said Azusa Sakamoto, a renowned Barbie collector. "[Now], I don't even know much about other doll brands or anything, but I just love Barbie as a brand. So when I first met her, she was already like a huge American pop-culture icon to me," Sakamoto said. "She always just gave me, like, some positive vibes... just telling me how to have fun being a girl." GUESTS Julie Russell, founder and CEO of Fangirl Fantasy, an event-planning company based in Greater Boston Emily Tamkin, journalist and author of the Smithsonian Magazine article, “A Cultural History of Barbie” Azusa Sakamoto, a renowned Barbie collector and founder of Azusa Barbie Module -
Offering free food and shade, 'food forests' are sprouting up in Boston
Cities across the country are dotted with vacant lots — often overgrown with weeds, full of trash or surrounded by dilapidated buildings. The unused spaces are at best an eyesore. But some community groups see those empty spaces as an opportunity for food forests: vibrant, public spaces that can also feed their community. "They're open to all visitors. Humans and non-humans alike are welcome to the produce," Orion Kriegman, founding executive director of the Boston Food Forest Coalition, told Under the Radar. "So, if you see an apple growing in a food forest, you're welcome to pick it and eat it, unlike in a community garden where that might create some tension. And the gardening really happens collectively." "It's something that happens through community workdays, through volunteer time, and people really have to plan that. And ultimately, it's something that we own together, which is a little bit of a stretch in our culture, to think of ownership as something we can do collectively," said Kriegman. They kick-started the program in 2013, and now Boston has 10 food forests offer everything from fig trees to mushroom logs to shaded park benches. The Boston Food Forest Coalition is aiming to develop a total of 30 by the end of the decade. The coalition edged closer to its goal when the Edgewater Neighborhood Association officially opened a new food forest in Mattapan this May. Vivien Morris, the association's chair, said there was already a community garden in the area, but all the plots were taken. They wanted a space where everyone could have access to food, while also reflecting the diversity of the community and restrictions of cold weather. "Our neighborhood is largely Afro-Latino, Black, Afro-Caribbean, people from southern roots. That makes up the large majority of our neighborhood. And yet we are in New England, right? So, we had to select plants that will grow well here, as well as hoping to grow plants that people would want to see." Morris was pleased to see that there were already several black walnut trees on the plot of land, but it was a learning process to figure out what could grow together. "And as a person who grew up in the south and grew up eating black walnuts, that was great. On the other hand, what we found is that many of us thought, 'Oh, let's plant some apple trees.' And it turns out that apple trees can't grow near black walnut trees," said Morris. "We did plant cherry trees, pear trees, grapevines, raspberries, other things like that. But we listened to what people wanted to see grown as well as what was possible to be grown." GUESTS Orion Kriegman, founding executive director of the Boston Food Forest Coalition Vivien Morris, chair of the Edgewater Neighborhood Association Module -
Is barbecue growing in popularity in New England?
Many hold strong opinions about what barbecue flavor they prefer. Yes barbecue, not grilling. American barbecue hails from four different regions — Memphis, Texas, Carolina and Kansas City — each with their own distinctive style. Callie Crossley, host of Under the Radar, hails from Memphis where, as far as she is concerned, Memphis is the distinctive style. "For me, it's the layering of flavors. You might start with a rub, which could be as simple as salt and pepper as is done in Texas, or a little bit more complex with paprika and chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, which is done in your hometown of Memphis," said Steven Raichlen, author of "The Barbecue Bible." "A second layer of flavor might be a mop sauce or might be a spray with with vinegar or wine," he said. "Third layer of flavor might be that barbecue sauce that you brush on right at the end of cooking and then caramelize directly over high heat. Fourth layer of flavor might be a salsa that you would serve, or a chutney. So it's the complexity of flavors that really makes great barbecue, in my opinion." Barbecue's origins are in the South, but it has also become a summertime staple in the Northeast. "I took a chance on the Seaport because I knew, when I went down there, what was coming, and it was going to be a vibrant neighborhood that would draw people from all around the world," said Larry Jimerson, owner of Larry J’s BBQ Café. "I believe that barbecue is the quintessential Americana food. It is the number one thing that people really seek out," he said. "They would get in their car and drive 45 minutes to an hour for what they consider good barbecue... [I was not] able to find really good quality barbecue when I moved here way back in the 90s. Now there's quite a few more places around." We talk all things barbecue in the latest edition of our summer fun series. GUESTS Larry Jimerson, owner of Larry J’s BBQ Café in Boston's Seaport neighborhood Steven Raichlen, journalist, host of the PBS series, Planet Barbecue, and prolific author of more than 30 books, including "The Barbecue Bible" -
Democrats want South Carolina to lead 2024 primaries. New Hampshire has other plans
Earlier this year, the Democratic National Committee broke with decades of tradition when they proposed South Carolina, rather than New Hampshire, as the first state to vote in the 2024 presidential primary. But, making those changes official typically requires approval from state legislatures and governors. Considering the New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman just declared the Granite state will still vote first, what happens next? "It's beyond messy," Arnie Arnesen, radio host for WNHN in New Hampshire, told Under the Radar. The Democratic presidential primary "is officially run by the secretary of state in my state. And as a result, we have a law that says we must be first, we must be a week before anybody else. So, when the DNC made this decision to reward South Carolina and make South Carolina first on February 3, and then New Hampshire and Nevada on February 6, that might have been fine for the DNC, but it doesn't work in New Hampshire. And let me also remind you that even if we wanted to change it, the Democrats have no capacity to change it because the Republicans control the executive branch and the legislative branch, and they're not going to change the law because they know they make us miserable." Plus, nitrogen pollution in the ponds and waterways of Cape Cod is leading to algae buildup — and brand new regulations looking to curb it. Towns that don’t comply by designing and implementing solutions could leave homeowners with big septic bills. Module "The Cape has a bathroom problem. Not to be indelicate here, but every time a toilet is flushed, more often than not, that's going into the ground and running through the Cape's sandy soil and impacting a nearby waterway," said Steve Junker, managing editor at CAI. "The state has been on them to try to solve this issue, and the state is finally fed up that it's taken so long. So they came up with these new regulations in part to attempt to push this forward quickly, but also because while a lot of this sounds like the background noise of environmental policy, these new regulations really tie a direct cost to homeowners for the first time... Individual homeowners could be on the hook for $25,000 or $30,000 in mandatory upgrades to their septic systems." A Rhode Island official is also under fire after his casual sexist and racist comments during a business trip to Philadelphia were revealed. Ted Nesi, reporter and editor for WPRI, said, "Just to give one example of the flavor of it, according to this company, when the state properties director got there and saw the woman who was leading their tour from this consulting firm, he said something along the lines of, 'If I'd known your husband was out of town, I would have come last night.' ... So then the governor's office tried to keep the email a secret. ... And since then, it's spun out." It’s our Regional News Roundtable. GUESTS Arnie Arnesen, host of “The Attitude with Arnie Arnesen” on WNHN Ted Nesi, politics and business editor and investigative reporter for WPRI Steve Junker, managing editor of news at CAI, the Cape, Coast and Islands affiliate of GBH -
Brendan Slocumb's latest novel explores the Black experience in classical music
Brendan Slocumb's latest novel, “Symphony of Secrets,” centers the stories of Black characters who are deeply immersed in the world of classical music. The story takes place in two time periods. Dr. Bern Hendrix, an African American man, who uncovers that a famous opera may have been stolen from a young Black, autistic woman named Josephine Reed. "Symphony of Secrets" readers learn what happened then and now as they explore the themes of privilege and appropriation. Through his writing, Slocumb wanted to highlight issues that are still happening today. Slocumb joined Callie Crossley on Under the Radar for a conversation about "Symphony of Secrets," July's selection for Bookmarked: The Under the Radar Book Club. "It's kind of crazy that, you know, this story takes place basically 100+ years ago and these same themes still are relevant," Slocumb said. "You know, what was it, a month or so ago, the case with — I think it was Ed Sheeran and the family of Marvin Gaye. Was it appropriation? Did he steal the tune from a Marvin Gaye song? ... It's a good thing I wasn't on that jury, because it sounded an awful, awful lot like his song." He said it doesn't matter where someone comes from or what they look like, they deserve credit for their work. "It's a shame that people either don't realize that they have a right to their own work and they should fight for it," he said. For Slocumb, the book is also deeply personal. The character of Eboni, a tech-savvy assistant to Dr. Hendrix, represents experiences Slocumb has lived through himself. “I'd like to think that Eboni is a representation of what people like me, basically what people like me have to have had to endure for a very, very, very long time," he said. "You know, it's not just me. I would never be have so much hubris as to think that she's representing me directly. But I've heard so many different stories from people that say, 'You know, that exact same thing happened to me.'” -
Tastes like chicken! Is lab-grown meat an answer to climate change?
For the first time, the USDA has approved lab-grown chicken meat. This could make a significant impact if it leads to shifts in the American diet, as the average consumer is expected to eat 100 pounds of chicken in 2023, about twice the expected amount of beef and pork. Dr. Gaurab Basu, director at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Under the Radar that lab-cultivated meat's big promise is that it's better for the environment. He said reigning in agricultural emissions, which currently make up 24% of all global emissions, is key to fighting climate change. "Whether it's this one with chicken or, the Impossible beef-based [burger] ... we are going to need to just fundamentally transform the way we eat, not only for our personal health, but also because we are changing the Earth's composition by the way we're using the land," he said. As a former vegetarian, Sam Payne, a communications specialist for Better Future Project, is excited about the prospect of lab-grown meat. "We need to get meat eaters to switch over to cultured meat. Vegetarians are already having a significantly lower carbon footprint," Payne said. "So, I think if they can replicate the way that a steak breaks apart in your mouth, I think that this is a multibillion dollar idea, and I'm excited to see where it goes." But Payne said we're a long way off from lab-grown meat overtaking sales of real meat. Two companies, Upside Foods and Good Meat, are the first to get the go-ahead from the federal government. Still, it may not be available in grocery stores for some time. Upside has reported it be able to produce about 50,000 pounds of meat per year — enough to fully replace chicken in the diets of only 5,000 average Americans. Also, the ocean surrounding swaths of Europe is hotter than it's been since the mid-1800s. The warmer temperatures increase the moisture in the air, and fuel bigger and stronger hurricanes. "Of the global warming that we can attribute to human beings, our oceans hold about 90% of that warming, so our oceans have been protecting us dramatically from greater impacts of climate change," said Dr. Basu. And in Montana, 16 young people filed a lawsuit claiming the state violated their right to a clean and healthful environment. The final ruling in this first-of-its-kind climate lawsuit is expected within weeks. "I sometimes get pessimistic when I see so much effort by young people and not a lot of movement on the legal end. I will say this Montana case made me feel hopeful," said Beth Daley, editor of The Conversation, U.S. "I'm very curious to see how the judge rules. And I think it will also embolden — if they are successful — embolden many other lawsuits just like this across the country. So, hopefully it's a win for the climate." Those stories and more on our Environmental News Roundtable. GUESTS Dr. Gaurab Basu, director of education and policy at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Beth Daley, editor and general manager of The Conversation, U.S. Sam Payne, digital development manager and communications specialist of Better Future Project, a Massachusetts-based grassroots climate action organization
