Affirmative Action

Across the country, efforts to ban books at libraries are on the rise. In this episode, we discuss the challenges faced by libraries trying to defend the freedom to read, and share some of our favorite banned books.

Since its founding more than two centuries ago, a Black woman has never served on the United States Supreme Court, but that could change with the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. In this episode, we talk with two Black women about their experience as judges, the importance of diversifying the courts and how to educate the public about the judicial system.

As the stress of the ongoing pandemic mixes with other challenges like the nation’s racial reckoning, people are understandably feeling fatigued. In this episode, two therapists discuss the signs of burnout and offer tips for coping.

After making it to the end of another crazy year, we’ve decided to once again focus on some positive things that happened in 2021. In this episode, we speak with two African American women who are using TikTok to educate and uplift their communities.

Although a record number of Americans cast their ballot in 2020, Arkansas had the lowest voter turnout in the country. Organizations across the state are working to change that by engaging voters. In this episode, we talk with three BIPOC organizers from Fight Forward AR, the Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas and the Little Rock Freedom Fund who are education and registering voters across the state.

A recently published study found 1 in 5 first-generation college students have experienced period poverty. Latinas were most likely to report period poverty, followed by Black women. In this episode, we hear from three Black women who are making strides in menstrual equity through legislation, donations and product development.

While DACA recipients can pursue higher education in Arkansas, many could not obtain professional and occupational licenses because of their immigration status. New laws have changed that. In this episode, two students discuss how this legislation is impacting their career paths as the future of DACA remains uncertain due to legal challenges.

When gymnast Simone Biles stepped back from Olympic competition to care for herself, she put a spotlight on the importance of mental health. In this episode, we continue the conversation surrounding mental health among athletes and the Black community by speaking with three African American counselors.

While a lot of attention has been paid to anti-trans legislation this year, the transgender community is more than the struggles they face. There’s a lot of joy and celebration of being yourself and it exists year-round, not just during Pride Month. In this episode, we speak with two Latinas about their experiences as members of Arkansas’ transgender community.

The leading cause of death among Black males ages 1 to 44 is homicide, according to the CDC. In this episode, we learn about the Derek Olivier Research Institute for the Prevention of Violence, which was established at Arkansas Baptist College in 2016 to create awareness and seek solutions to violence against African American males.

Multicultural librarians and community liaisons are working to connect communities of color with their local public libraries. In this episode, four librarians and community liaisons discuss programming they've developed for BIPOC Arkansans as well as some of the challenges they face in educating community members about the free resources provided by libraries.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”2161″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]In March, a series of shootings at Atlanta-area spas left eight people dead, including six Asian women. The tragedy is part of a trend of increased attacks targeting Asian Americans. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino analyzed hate crimes in 16 of the country’s largest cities and found hate crimes targeting Asians increased by nearly 150 percent in 2020. Joshua Ang Price, president and co-founder of the Asian American Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus of Arkansas, says he had been tracking increased attacks on Asian Americans for some time and wasn’t surprised by the Atlanta shootings. “Dangerous” rhetoric like “China virus” or “kung flu” that blames Asians for the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a rise in attacks, Price says. “People are at the end of their rope. They’re out of work, maybe even out of work for months if not a year, having difficulty paying bills, sustaining their family and hey, here’s a group we can blame,” Price says. Activist Susie Reece was also not surprised by the Atlanta shootings. While attacks against Asian Americans have been on the rise during the pandemic, Reece says they haven’t gotten much attention in mainstream media. “We’re not being heard. We’re not even being highlighted that this is happening to us,” Reece says. Prompted by the attacks, Reece and Price took action by creating ArkAsians, a Facebook group for Asian American Pacific Islanders in Arkansas and their allies. Price also hosted a virtual #StopAsianHate virtual town hall. Shortly after the Atlanta shootings, a police report was released detailing an attack on an Asian man in Hot Springs by a Bentonville police captain who has since resigned. Councilwoman Gayatri Agnew says she was “shocked and saddened” to learn a leader within her city was the man involved in the assault. “Public servants at every level do need to be held to a higher standard,” she says. Agnew and a friend partnered with the Momentary, a contemporary arts venue in Bentonville, to host a Stop Asian Hate vigil in March to help create a sense of racial solidarity and send a message of belonging. “Everyone should feel a sense of belonging in the community where they live,” she says. You can hear more from this conversation by listening the podcast episode at the top of this page.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The governor of Arkansas has signed a stand your ground bill into law. In this episode, we hear reaction to the new law as well as the possibility of passing hate crimes legislation in the state.

Black History Month is a time to recognize and honor the contributions of African Americans. IIn this episode, we speak with three African American women working in the field of history about the importance of celebrating Black history year-round.

It's been almost a year since the pandemic upended the lives of teachers, students and parents, creating a challenging and uncertain time for education. In this episode, we hear from three teachers who continue to learn new platforms and adapt to teaching remotely amid the pandemic.

It was a tough year, so we decided to end 2020 on a positive note. In today's episode, we listen to stories about Arkansans doing good in their communities. He'll hear how one neighborhood is supporting a North Little Rock family who received a racist note about their Black Santa decorations. Also, a Fort Smith woman is receiving national recognition for her work to feed thousands in her city.

Black-owned businesses are taking a beating during the pandemic. They received some assistance over the summer when the death of George Floyd prompted calls to support Black-owned businesses. In this episode, we’ll see if that support has continued as well as what steps Black Arkansans are taking to keep their businesses afloat.

According to the CDC, African Americans and Hispanics are more than 4.5 times more likely to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 than white Americans. In this episode, we examine some of the contributing factors and what can be done to assist minority communities during the pandemic.

Although there are more diverse candidates seeking public office, there’s still room for growth. In this episode, we discuss the value of having elected leaders reflect the demographics of the constituents they serve, and some of the barriers preventing more people of color from running.

Affirmative Action is a new space where the voices from marginalized communities can be amplified. In our premiere episode, we examine the swift reaction by activists to George Floyd’s death and what it could mean for police reform.