In Good Society

Insulin is one of the most disproportionately expensive drugs in America, and for many diabetics, the consequences of that cost can be life-threatening. On this episode, activist and mutual aid organizer Zoe Witt explains how our current healthcare system prevents many diabetics from being able to afford their insulin and how that lack of access affects health outcomes. They also share their personal experiences rationing insulin and explain how their organization, Mutual Aid Diabetes, is tackling the problem head-on. Read more about the insulin crisis: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-10-07/insulin-cost-cap-democrats-biden-congress Contribute to MAD: https://mutualaiddiabetes.com/donate/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Not only do health outcomes in the US fall short of other developed countries, but some groups disproportionately carry the burden of poor health. In this episode, we look at how race, class, and gender affect the quality of care that people receive and their odds of living a long, healthy life. Licensed social worker and University of Texas at Austin doctoral candidate Liana Petruzzi walks us through the reasons why medical care varies so widely between these groups and how factors like immigration and gender nonconforming identities make things even more complicated. By the end of the show, you'll understand how identity impacts access to care and why universal healthcare is an important step towards resolving these disparities. Explore health disparities by race: https://americanprogress.org/article/health-disparities-race-ethnicity/ By gender: https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/60/Special_Issue_2/S40/2965171 By class: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/49116/2000178-How-are-Income-and-Wealth-Linked-to-Health-and-Longevity.pdf Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Around the world, the US is an outlier when it comes to healthcare policy. In this episode, University of Notre Dame PhD candidate Mette Evelyn Bjerre walks us through the ways that healthcare in the US sticks out from other countries. From how much we pay to how long we wait for the doctor, Eve shares the surprising facts and experiences that make American healthcare so different—and so much less efficient—than the other places she's lived. You'll also hear stories from Giulia Zattoni, an Italian international student at the University of Cincinnati, about the culture shock of American healthcare. Drug pricing data: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ways-and-means-committee-releases-report-international-drug-pricing Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

What is universal healthcare, and why is the United States the only major country without it? Throughout November and December, we're exploring the push for universal healthcare and investigating how it could benefit Americans. To kick off our discussion, Dr. Lindy Hern from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo answered my burning questions about the topic. We talked through our nation's current healthcare system and the problems it causes, what different types of universal systems look like around the world, and how a single payer system would make healthcare in the US more efficient, inclusive, and affordable. Read Dr. Lindy Hern's book: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-42764-1 Explore statistics about US healthcare: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/jan/us-health-care-global-perspective-2019 Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program that allows undocumented immigrants who came here as children to work and attend school legally for a limited period of time. To close out our discussion of the No Human Is Illegal movement, I talk with Dr. Alessandra Bazo Vienrich about how this legislation has helped young immigrants and where it still falls short. We discuss what it takes to get DACA status, how being undocumented inhibits students' educational success, and what would happen to these undocumented students if DACA ceased to exist. By the end of the episode, you'll not only understand how DACA works, but you'll also get a glimpse into the complicated process of making "good" immigration policies. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Each year, thousands of children show up alone at the US-Mexico border, and each new president tries to find an answer to the obvious yet unresolved question—how do we take care of them? In this episode, we'll explore how immigration policies have tried to protect unaccompanied minors and where the current programs fall short. Joining us is immigration reporter Laura Morel of Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. She has been on the front lines of exposing the harsh realities of unaccompanied children's experiences, from ice-cold detention facilities to police brutality, while simultaneously working to correct the ways that mainstream media has misrepresented the crisis. We discussed where unaccompanied children go once they reach our border, how facilities care for their mental and physical wellbeing, migrant children's interactions with police, and more. By the end of the episode, you'll understand how our current immigration policies protect and fail to protect children, and you'll learn some human-centered ways that we could change the system for the better. Listen to the podcast about police interactions with migrant children: https://revealnews.org/podcast/minor-violations/ Read Aura Bogado's article: https://revealnews.org/article/the-disappeared/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Dive deeper than the headlines and explore who undocumented immigrants really are. I sat down with Dr. Victor Espinosa, an assistant professor of sociology at The Ohio State University Newark campus, to answer all of the burning questions you never knew you had about the undocumented population. We discussed where these immigrants come from, how they find jobs in the US, the price tag of crossing the border, how Trump impacted the demographics of undocumented immigration, and more. And by the way, happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

The cruelty of how we treat undocumented immigrants is one of the biggest political issues being discussed in American media today, whether it's the border wall, family separation, or kids being kept in cages. This month, we're exploring the slogan "No Human Is Illegal" to understand the flaws in our current system and learn what a more humane, welcoming immigration process might look like. Immigrant rights activist and Ohio State biomedical engineering student Lia Gomez Perez kicks things off by sharing her personal story of immigrating to the US legally, a process which took over 11 years. You'll come away with an understanding of how complex and inaccessible the legal route to citizenship can be for even the most highly educated immigrants and how this broken system has led to the influx of undocumented immigrants that we see today. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

To wrap up this month's discussion about the movement to "Decriminalize All Drugs," we look back at everything that we've learned over the past five weeks. This episode features a conversation with my dad, Jason Sauer, about the link between drug policy and white privilege, how War on Drugs PSAs shaped his beliefs (and parenting) about drugs, our shared experiences interacting with a family impacted by drug addiction, and much more. If you're new to the show, this episode is a summary of the four preceding episodes, so check those out first! Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

As marijuana legalization has accelerated, psychedelics seem to be the next item on the decriminalization docket. But for people who have never experienced a psychedelic "trip," it can be difficult to understand the benefits of these powerful drugs and the contexts where they can be used safely. This episode features three different perspectives on psychedelics to answer all of your questions about the experience, covering everything from ego death to microdosing. You'll hear from Shane Norte, a public advocate for the legalization of entheogenic substances, and two anonymous college students about how psychedelics have affected their worldview, the role of these drugs in society, and why it's so important to honor their sacred roots. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

When you look closely, United States drug policy revolves around two things—money and race. Even during times when public fear of drugs has been at an all-time high, like the infamous "War on Drugs" that started in the 1970s, the dangers have been way more politically manufactured than scientifically based. I got to learn all about this from Dr. David Herzberg, a professor at the University of Buffalo who's an expert in the history of drug policy. We discussed how the War on Drugs came to be, the enormous role that race has played in drug policy, how the government decided which drugs are the most dangerous, and more. It turns out, a lot of things that society has taught us to believe about drugs and drug policy are rooted in a fear of certain people rather than a fear of certain substances. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

A new group of drug activists are working against the age-old idea of abstinence and instead focusing on how to make drugs safer. These "harm reductionists" provide support and resources to people who use drugs to help keep them safe from infections, overdoses, communicable diseases, and other drug-related harms. This episode, featuring Ohio-based peer support specialist Suzanne Plymale, gives the 411 on harm reduction, including strategies that these activists use to save lives, how we all use harm reduction principles in our day-to-day activities, and the risks of doing this often illegal work. You'll also learn how decriminalization is itself a form of harm reduction that has just as much power to save and rebuild lives. Order naloxone (Ohio residents only): https://www.harmreductionohio.org/get-naloxone/ Donate to The SOAR Initiative: https://thesoarinitiative.org/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Throughout August, we'll be exploring the movement to Decriminalize All Drugs. But what does that even mean? In this episode, we dig into the basics of decriminalization—what it is, how it works, and what it will take to get there—with the help of Douglas Berman, a law professor who leads The Ohio State University's Drug Enforcement and Policy Center. Learn the limits of decriminalizing versus legalizing a drug, how decriminalization has affected drug use in the past, and what happens if a state decriminalizes all drugs but the federal government doesn't. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ **Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/**

"Asian American" is an intentionally broad term meant to build solidarity between marginalized groups. But what are the limits of grouping such a wide range of cultures under one umbrella? In this episode, learn how the typical definitions and expectations of Asian Americans can leave South Asians, such as Indians and Pakistanis, out of the narrative. You'll first hear from sociologist Dr. Bhoomi Thakore how the limited and negative depictions of South Asians in the media reinforce real-world prejudices and stereotypes. Then, culture critic Anisa Khalifa shares her personal experience of building up her Asian American identity as a Brown, Muslim woman. Dramas Over Flowers podcast: https://dramasoverflowers.captivate.fm/ South Asian creators to follow: https://www.youtube.com/user/IISuperwomanII and https://twitter.com/hasanminhaj Model minority podcast episode: https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com/the-model-minority-myth-part-1 Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Educating the next generation about AAPI culture and history is crucial to building a more tolerant, equitable future for the Asian American community. But where do we even start? In this episode, you'll hear from two powerful voices how anyone, Asian or not, can help pass down the dynamic Asian cultures and experiences that make America beautiful. Jane Park is a Korean American mom from Seattle who posts the ups and downs of parenting on her viral Tik Tok account, and Karalee Wong Nakatsuka is an award-winning 8th grade history teacher from California. We discuss what it will take to raise a generation that understands and appreciates the AAPI community, including why personal connections are essential to learning about culture, how the classroom plays into children's perceptions of identity, and what parents can do to teach their kids about race. Follow Jane Park on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@janeparkang Follow Karalee Wong Nakatsuka on Twitter: https://twitter.com/historyfrog Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

For permanent residents, green card holders, and other non-citizens, committing certain types of crimes carries a penalty beyond jail time—deportation. On today's episode, we take a critical look at how immigration, schools, and the judicial system all connect to prevent thousands of AAPI immigrants from establishing their lives in America. You'll hear from Eddy Zheng, a formerly incarcerated Chinese-American activist who served a life sentence and faced deportation for a crime he committed at age 16. We discussed his personal fight against deportation orders, the struggle of assimilating in a new country, and how these systems form a broader pipeline from migration to deportation for Asian-Americans. Learn more about Eddy Zheng: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_Zheng Learn more about the Cambodian "Operation Menu": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAMf0MRqt40 Donate to the New Breath Foundation: https://new-breath.org/donate Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/

Although the Stop Asian Hate movement is only a few months old, the United States has a long, often hidden, history of anti-Asian discrimination, hate, and violence. This month, we're diving into the Asian-American experience, both past and present, to learn how we got to where we are today and what we can do about it. Joining us today to give an overview of the Stop Asian Hate movement is Telly Wong. He's the founder of #WashTheHate, a campaign started in 2020 to share the stories of how AAPI individuals have been affected by racial violence and discrimination, particularly during the pandemic. We discussed why this movement started now, what Asian hate has looked like historically, and how the rest of us can play a part in ending it. TW: This episode contains discussions of violence against AAPI individuals and a racial slur Learn more about #WashTheHate: https://www.washthehate.com/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Follow In Good Society on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingoodsociety/ Sound effects from Zapslat.com

What's the big deal about gay bars and drag? Today's episode takes a deep-dive into the inner workings of drag culture to understand why it's so important to the LGBTQ community. I talked to Columbus, Ohio drag queen Blonde Vanity about her experience as a professional performer, including what it takes to make it as a pro, how to make the industry more inclusive in the future, what drag queens do from 9-to-5, and much more. Follow Blonde Vanity on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bvanity1/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

In a world where gender rules all, the idea that "male" and "female" are made-up concepts sounds ridiculous at first. But when you take a closer look, masculinity and femininity aren't the straightforward, clear-cut categories that many people perceive them to be. In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Brandon Andrew Robinson, a professor of Queer Studies at the University of California Riverside, about how gender has varied over time and space, what it means for gender to be non-binary, and whether we'd be better off never having invented gender at all. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

Being gay is only one part of who you are, and sometimes, the rest of your identity can make things complicated. Today's episode is a conversation with Bernard Flythe, a professional tubist from Atlanta, Georgia, about his experience being both gay and Black. We talked about the burden of being a spokesperson for not only his sexual orientation but also his race, how being Black can make being gay a lot harder, and why he feels it's so important for people like him to speak up. Rising Stars Podcast: https://risingstarspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

The Christian church and the LGBTQ community have historically been in conflict, but according to today's guest, it doesn't have to be that way. Reverend Stacey Midge is the pastor of Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, an LGBTQ-centric faith community in Cincinnati, Ohio. She shares why her congregation believes Christian faith is meant for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and how her experience as a bisexual pastor has shaped her views about ally-ship, acceptance, and more. TW: Discussion of violence against the LGBTQ community Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

Welcome to Pride Month! For the next five weeks, we'll be investigating the history, stories, and sociology of Pride. This week's episode lays the foundation for our series with a crash course on Pride Month, covering everything from the influence of Stonewall to being a better ally. You'll hear from Jason Villemez, an editor at the iconic Philadelphia Gay News, which has been chronicling the gay liberation movement since 1976. If you've always wondered what rainbows have to do with being gay, how LGBT turned into LGBTQIA+, or why Pride Month is in June, this is the episode for you. Philadelphia Gay News: https://epgn.com/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

To conclude our month-long examination of the Eat the Rich movement, we investigate one of America's most time-tested solutions to inequality: unions. From child labor to standardized work hours, unions have made some of the biggest gains for workers' rights in our nation's history, and they are just as relevant today. Joining us to discuss the power of unions is Dr. John Logan, a professor at San Francisco State University and one of the leading experts on anti-union policy in the US and Europe. Before and after his interview, you'll also hear the story of an ice cream store scandal and a recap of the most important takeaways from this month. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

Out of all the advanced, industrialized countries, the United States is the most unequal. In this episode, we break down how wealth is distributed in America, the odds of moving up in society, and why the Eat the Rich movement argues that increasing social programs would change all of this for the better. Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/ Learn more about intergenerational income elasticity: https://www.oecd.org/centrodemexico/medios/44582910.pdf

From Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Bernie Sanders, many of the nation's most noteworthy politicians are advocating for Eat the Rich policies like free college, Medicare for all, and universal childcare. But how did these politicians end up on the far left, and why are they so passionate about the cause? This week, we talk with former congressional candidate and rising political star Morgan Harper about how her untraditional upbringing led her to devote her life to leveling the playing field. Learn more about Morgan: https://morganharper.org/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

Three Americans own more wealth than the bottom half of the country combined. This month, we're discussing Eat the Rich, the radical anti-capitalist movement that aims to tackle this problem by redistributing income and wealth from the rich to the poor. We begin our month-long examination by tackling some key questions: what it means to "eat the rich," where this idea comes from, and what concrete demands rich-eaters are making. Spoiler alert: Kanye West's jacuzzi (or lack thereof) and Jim Carrey's mom might have something to do with it. More info about wealth inequality in the US: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/06/25/six-facts-about-wealth-in-the-united-states/ Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

The rigorous journey through medical school prevents many potential doctors from making it to the top, but students with lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately left behind. This episode explores how high-status students have an advantage, what happens to students who don't make the cut, and why all of this matters for both doctors and patients. We hear from Dr. Tania Jenkins, UNC Chapel Hill professor and the author of Doctors' Orders, a fascinating new book that exposes the underpinnings of this hidden doctor hierarchy. Read Doctors' Orders: https://www.taniajenkins.com/doctorsorders Follow In Good Society on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ingoodsociety Follow In Good Society on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodsociety/

Standardized tests consistently overestimate college success for white, wealthy, male students and underestimate everyone else. How did we get here, and how do we fix it? With millions of dollars of financial aid and access to quality college experiences on the line, the answers to these questions are crucial. Hear from FairTest director and former MIT education researcher Bob Schaeffer about the failures of the testing industry, its racist origin story, and the exponential rise of the test-optional movement. Support In Good Society on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ingoodsociety Facts & Figures from FairTest: https://www.fairtest.org/fact%20sheets

Even decades later, the higher education system is tainted with the lasting effects of slavery and segregation. How does that legacy stifle Black students trying to find success in college today? With the help of Dr. Deborwah Faulk, a University of Richmond sociology postdoc and HBCU graduate, we explore the tough decisions that Black families (even those with the $ advantage) must make when sending their kids to school and why diversity initiatives just aren't cutting it. Become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ingoodsociety

For our premiere episode, we're exploring the crazy history of the Midwestern opioid crisis. You'll hear from Dennis Pales, director of community relations at The SOAR Initiative, how false advertising has lead to an enormous drug epidemic and what we can do about it. Spoiler alert: the best solution might just be to help people do drugs better. Become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ingoodsociety Learn more about The SOAR Initiative: https://thesoarinitiative.org/