National Radio Project

Robert Neuwirth, author of "Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World", estimates that more than a billion people--thats 1 in 7--are squatters.  This week, we visit squats in Venezuela and the Philippines, and find out why squatters aren’t just tolerated...they are crucial to the growth of major cities and national economies.

Featuring:

• Robert Neuwirth, author of "Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World"
• Filomena Cinco, Barangay captain of Estero de San Miguel
• Luz Sudueste, Urban Poor Associates organizer
• William Gonzalez, Gladys Flores, Jacqueline Calderon and Yolimar Noriega, Toree David residents
• Andres Antillano, Universidad Central de Venezuela professor & activist for squatters’ rights.

Why are so many of those killed by police young people of color?

A recent ProPublica investigation found that a young black male is at twenty one times greater risk of being shot dead by police than his white counterparts.

On this edition of Making Contact we'll hear from one of the reporters who analyzed the data on police killings to come up with that startling conclusion, as well as stories of family and community members who say the justice system itself needs to be put on trial. 

Some call it a new civil rights movement. Others simply call it “black lives matter”. But its yet to be seen if the momentum for justice will result in systemic change. And to get there, what kind of strategies are needed?  On this weeks edition, a conversation about waging non-violence between civil rights movement veteran David Hartsough and Ferguson activist Reverand. Osagyefo Uhuru.Sekou.

Featuring:   

David Hartsough, civil rights activist and author of  “Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist,”

Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru.Sekou, activist and Pastor For Formation & Justice Church

Special thanks to Waging Nonviolence.

Before it was legal in the United States, some doctors would risk arrest to provide women with access to safe abortions. When that wasn’t possible, some sought abortions from unsafe providers, often with deadly consequences.

The Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973, and the numbers of people dying after having an abortion dropped, but are we now seeing a return to the past?

On this edition, what can the time before abortion was legal tell us about the dangers of restricting access to abortion today? We’ll hear a special radio adaption of "Motherhood by Choice not Chance" a documentary produced and narrated by Dorothy Fadiman.