Boston Public Radio

Boston is set to host the third annual Embrace Ideas Festival, a multi-day celebration of Black art, culture, joy and excellence. Imari Paris Jeffries, president and CEO of Embrace Boston, alongside author and historian Ibram X. Kendi, will spearhead this year's festivities.

Mayor Michelle Wu answered questions on how to increase the city budget and the future of congestion pricing.

Sarah Bartley from the nonprofit United Way of Massachusetts Bay and David Shapiro, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston, discussed the supporting migrants arriving in the state.

James Beard Award cookbook author Grace Young is raising awareness about the struggles facing Chinatown neighborhoods.

Andrea Campbell chose last week the head of her office’s newly created Housing Affordability Unit starting in July, focusing on expanding affordable housing across Massachusetts.

Joe Spaulding, the longtime president and CEO of the Boch Center, first met the theater’s current namesake in the ticket line for a Cat Stevens concert. The rest is history.

What influences you in your daily life? Celebrities, influencers, late night show hosts? We opened the lines to discuss. It was Live Music Friday with the Boston Lyric Opera, ahead of a free pop-up "Street Stage" show in Roxbury this weekend. Bradley Vernatter, CEO and General Director of BLO, Haris Lefteri, creative director of Hibernian Hall, and musicians Angela Yam, Brett Hodgdon and Cornell Coley.GBH's Callie Crossley discussed the Tim Walz & JD Vance debate, and the call to bring back speeding tickets if we really want safer roads.Marcela Garcia, associate editor and columnist for the Boston Globe, discussed the private equity coming for your cats & dogs. NAACP's Michael Curry discussed how DEI pushback is coming to medical care, and the legislature moving on maternal health.Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery discussed how two mules sold at auction are actually endangered Przewalksi's horses (the last remaining truly wild horses on earth). We ended the show by talking about summer jobs and the memories that came from them with listeners.

Today:Andrea Cabral fills in for Margery. We talk with Imari Paris Jeffries of Embrace Boston about the politics of hope, and a need to fundamentally change our political habits – if you want to start eating better, you’ve got to stop buying potato chips.And, we subject you all to the New England jingles that live rent free in our brains. Who even gets those cars for kids? And what about Wachusett?

BPR Full Show 8/14: Who is Herman Caesar?

Best Of BPR 8/14: "Another Appalachia" & Are You More Farm Or More Wilderness

BPR Full Show 8/13: How To Load A Dishwasher... Without Making Enemies