The United States of Anxiety

This is the last episode of Notes from America with Kai Wright.If you've been with the show through its multi-year history and iterations as a NYC-based narrative podcast and local call-in show called The United States of Anxiety before becoming a nationally distributed program, then you may remember the conversation in this finale.It's with cultural historian, Columbia University professor and MacArthur fellow Saidiya Hartman, who introduces host Kai Wright to young women whose lives were obscured by respectability politics. Hartman is the author of "Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals," which offers an intimate look into some of the Black people that have been seemingly erased from the history books. Through a series of readings, they explore the complicated role of Black intellectuals like W.E.B DuBois, the Black family and how a damaging moralism continues to inform the policing of marginalized communities, public space and American cultural politics today.This episode was originally published as “The ‘Beautiful Experiments' Left Out of Black History” on February 8, 2021.Find Notes From America's archive of episodes here, including the following companion listening for this episode:“Faith Ringgold Creates Space for Black Americans” (1/5/2023)Faith Ringgold's art is an intimate dialogue and debate between generations of Black women, stretching from the formerly enslaved to today. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The drumbeat of Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area is not politics. It's go-go music.The genre developed by Chuck Brown in 1976 features syncopated rhythms, a large ensemble of musicians and a rich drum beat to create a live experience that has fans dancing 'till they can't dance no more. Go-go has been nurtured by D.C. natives for decades, from the time the District was considered a majority Black “Chocolate City,” and the music has significantly influenced the broader region into Maryland and Virginia, known as the DMV. Its influence can be seen from fashion to food to lingo, especially among Black residents of the region.Go-go became the official music of Washington, D.C. in 2020, and in early 2025 the Go-Go Museum and Café will open in the southeast neighborhood of Anacostia — the cultural heart of Chocolate City. However, it wasn't an easy road for go-go to become widely celebrated in the District. Its evolution mirrors the trials and transformations of a rapidly changing D.C. and the feeling of many Black people who have found it harder and harder to call Washington home.In this episode, host Kai Wright hands the mic to producer Siona Peterous, who grew up in the DMV and has spent much of her adult life immersed in D.C.'s vibrant arts and culture scene. With a deep love for go-go, Peterous sits down to learn more about it from the co-founders of the Go-Go Museum and Café, Ronald Moten and Dr. Natalie Hopkinson. She also talks with Chris Proctor, lead talker of the Take Over Band (T.O.B.), which will celebrate 20 years in the go-go scene this Christmas Day.This episode serves as a primer to the complex and rich history of go-go, taking listeners on a journey to explore how the genre was born, how it became a cultural touchstone during some of D.C.'s darker times, and breaking down the elements that make go-go so unique. Whether you're new to the sound or already a fan, this episode will help you better understand what makes go-go such a powerful, enduring force in the city's identity.After you listen to the show, check out our playlist of go-go essentials here. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Host Kai Wright celebrates the many years and iterations of Notes from America by revisiting some of the show's most engaging listener moments.He's joined by producer Regina de Heer to open up the listener mailbag of responses to recent episodes and highlights from live events and focus groups. Then, we listen back to a conversation with Lindsay Kimball, program director for Minnesota Public Radio's renowned music station The Current, accompanied by a holiday music playlist curated with the help of listeners (who also graced us with some impromptu live performances).Dear Listener, thank you for always spending time with us and adding your voice to our show.Check out our original holiday playlist here!Companion Listening:“Nikki Giovanni and Kimberly McGlonn on space travel, sustainable fashion and Black liberation” (November 13, 2023)Guest host Janae Pierre sits down with legendary poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, who is the subject of a new documentary, “Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.” Giovanni reflects on the legacy of Black storytelling, gospel music, what she describes as original libraries, and why she's working to get more Black women involved in space travel. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

College student Hisham Awartani, 21, was visiting family in Vermont over Thanksgiving break in 2023 when he and two of his friends were shot. All three victims are of Palestinian descent and were wearing traditional Palestinian scarves when the attack happened. Awartani and the other two young men, Kinnan Abdalhamid and Tahseen Ali Ahmed, all survived. However, Awartani was left paralyzed from the waist down and over the past year, he's been learning how to live a new life that involves using a wheelchair.Over that year, Notes From America has spent time with Awartani, following his physical recovery and the emotional hurdles he's grappled with at Brown University where he became a reluctant poster child of the movement for the university to divest from companies associated with the Israeli military. As Awartani prepares to return home to the West Bank for the first time since his injury, producer Suzanne Gaber takes us through his year in recovery and what he hopes for next as the war in his homeland continues to escalate.Series Coverage of Hisham Awartani's Story:A Palestinian-American Victim of American Gun Violence Becomes A Reluctant Poster Child (February 19, 2024) Still In Recovery From Being Shot, Hisham Awartani Commits To a Summer of Activism (June 6, 2024)  Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

This episode was originally published March 1, 2024.Host Kai Wright started his career covering the impact of HIV and AIDS on communities in America. A new project brings that experience full circle. Kai hosts the latest season of the Blindspot podcast, “The Plague In The Shadows,” which introduces listeners to people who were affected in the early years of the HIV and AIDS epidemics. Decades later, AIDS is still with us and its status as an epidemic remains accurate. In this episode, we learn why that is from two women whose careers have centered around this disease in different ways. Journalist Linda Villarosa is the author of “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation;” and June Gipson, Ph.D. is the director of the organization My Brother's Keeper, which works on both HIV prevention and access to treatment in Mississippi. They discuss the medical achievements in the field of HIV and AIDS treatment, as well as the barriers to eradication. Plus, listeners from across the country weigh in with their own stories and we hear from one of the people you meet in the Blindspot podcast, Victor Reyes, who was born with HIV in Harlem in 1989. To hear more of Blindspot: The Plague In The Shadows, listen and subscribe here. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Our guest on the final episode of “Notes on a Native Son” is British writer Ekow Eshun. He has been described as a cultural polymath. At a startlingly young age, 29, he became the first Black editor of Arena, a mainstream magazine in the UK. He continued to break new ground when he became the first Black director of a major cultural institution, London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace. These days, as chair of the Commissioning Group for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, he leads one of the world's most famous and sometimes controversial public art projects, always worth a visit if you're in London.Eshun's choice of Baldwin's work for our conversation is informed by a book he's recently written called “The Strangers,” about five prominent Black figures and their sense of isolation and exile. Host Razia Iqbal meets with Eshun at Princeton University where he was lecturing about art, curation, and happily for us, James Baldwin.You can find the entire "Notes on a Native Son" series here. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The public debate over policing has made more of us more familiar with ideas like defunding or abolishing the police, but these ideas are still often dismissed as infeasible. In this episode, host Kai Wright is joined by three experts who have seen communities sustain and improve public safety absent of law enforcement.First, we meet Dennis Flores, a Nuyorican multimedia artist, activist and educator born and raised in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He is the co-founder of El Grito de Sunset Park, a grassroots community-based organization that advocates around issues of discriminatory policing and housing rights. Flores is also the lead organizer of the Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day Parade, which, entering its third year, has created a celebration of Puerto Rican culture safe from police harassment. Flores shares how own experience with our justice system led him to find alternatives to police presence to keep his community safe.Next, Kai is joined by Philip V. McHarris, an assistant professor in the Department of Black Studies and Frederick Douglas Institute at the University of Rochester, and author of the book, “Beyond Policing.” McHarris breaks down the history of our police system and how learning about the white supremacist origins of law enforcement can help us discover better alternatives.Then Danielle Sered, executive director of the award-winning organization Common Justice, talks about developing and advancing solutions to violence that meet the needs of those harmed and foster racial equity without relying on incarceration. Sered is the author of “Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair” and her organization is at the forefront of alternatives to prison. She shares her takeaways from working on the frontlines — both with victims and perpetrators.Companion Listening: “People Feel Unsafe–and It's More Than Crime” (March 14, 2022)The social fabric is torn. People nationwide are scared, some going so far as to arm themselves. What can we learn from our history as we react to this fear? Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In the 10th episode of “Notes on a Native Son,” host Razia Iqbal sits down with writer and former architect Hisham Matar. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his profound and painful memoir, “The Return,” which chronicles his return to Libya after the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi. Gaddafi had his father Jaballa kidnapped and thrown into jail, never to be seen again. This has haunted Matar's life and work, an overshadowing that he has transformed into books of extraordinary power and beauty.For this episode, Matar speaks with Iqbal about one of Baldwin's profound television appearances in which Baldwin breaks down the foundational flaws of America's racial hierarchy. Matar says Baldwin's calm and patient demeanor on the program strengthens his powerful arguments, making it an even more compelling watch.Matar teaches at Barnard College in New York. His first novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and his third novel was longlisted for the same prize. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

This is Uncomfortable is a podcast from Marketplace. For their season premiere earlier in 2024, host Reema Khrais shared a conversation with one of our favorite writers, Hanif Abdurraqib, and we're excited to share it with you. He joins her for a wide-ranging conversation about the moral judgments we're quick to make about people's financial circumstances, notions of success and legacy, and what it means to be “good” versus “bad” in an unequal world. Abdurraqib also reveals one of the most challenging financial moments of his life and the reasons behind his commitment to giving away so much of his income.Hanif Abdurraqib is an award-winning poet, cultural critic and author from Columbus, Ohio. He's written six books, several of which are bestsellers, including his most recent, “There's Always This Year.” His work spans sports, pop culture and politics, often focusing on issues of race and class, while also delving into themes of grief, beauty and love. He's been the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” and a finalist for the National Book Award, among other accolades.Learn more about This is Uncomfortable here. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

For nearly a decade, Donald Trump and his political allies have made it clear that one of their primary goals is mass deportation of undocumented people living in the U.S. After the election, this rhetoric is set to become a policy reality, affecting millions of people across all sectors of society.While Trump and right-wing conservatives have proudly embraced an anti-immigration stance, it's important to recognize that Republicans aren't the only party that set the stage for mass deportations. Over the years, Democrats have also shifted rightward on immigration, increasingly echoing the foundational principles of conservative immigration policies. After all, there's a reason President Obama earned the nickname "Deporter-in-Chief": 3 million people were deported during his presidency. As questions arise about what mass deportations will look like under a Trump administration, many wonder how it will differ from the current system. In our latest episode, host Kai Wright speaks with Jasmine Garsd, NPR's immigration correspondent and the host of The Last Cup, as well as Ronnie James, director of national community engagement for the UndocuBlack Network, an organization that supports Black migrants who are either currently or formerly undocumented. They explore how both parties have mishandled immigration over the years, the myths and misconceptions that shape immigration policy, the economic impacts of mass deportations, and what these policies could actually look like in practice. James also shares how people can get involved in efforts to push back against these policies.  Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

As a young woman, poet and writer Nikki Giovanni could see that no one was interested in a Black girl writing what was seen as militant and revolutionary poetry. So she formed a company and published it herself. Her second book was launched at the famous New York jazz venue Birdland as she was making a name for herself. When she was 28, she flew to London to sit with James Baldwin and record a conversation for the PBS television series, “Soul.” Baldwin was in his late-40s and an established figure in literature.As event television, it was electric. And clips from that 1971 program continue to be shared. For many young people, that interview is how they first encounter Baldwin, and Giovanni. She's now 81 years old, and has had a garlanded career, including a Grammy nomination, bestselling books and work as a distinguished professor of English at Virginia Tech. Giovanni tells host Razia Iqbal why Baldwin's prose is a beautiful container for the fiery rage found in his messages. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

What do the results of the presidential election tell us about our country? We asked a veteran movement organizer to reflect on what feels like a rejection of her core values.To help him make sense of all the post-election feelings, host Kai Wright gets advice from his mentor in the movement for racial and social justice, Rinku Sen. Sen  is the executive director of the Narrative Initiative, which focuses on social movements working to root our multiracial democracy in equity and justice. She shares reflections and lessons from her own journey as an organizer and thinker.Plus, Kai turns to reporter Brandon Tensley, who covers national politics for Capital B News, to break down what we know and don't know about the incoming Trump Administration, and how he is preparing for what is to come professionally — and personally. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Award-winning Irish writer Colm Toibin has long admired James Baldwin, ever since he read “Go Tell It on the Mountain" as a teenager, and has now written a book about him called simply “On James Baldwin.” When he picked “Go Tell It on the Mountain" from a shelf years ago, Toibin hadn't heard or read anything about the novel, one of Baldwin's most famous works. And without any pretense, he found himself immersed in the book's words and characters. Reading it later in life as an accomplished author and professor, Toibin's respect grew for Baldwin's skill at depicting the human experience defined by interiority rather than external events. Toibin shares his insights with host Razia Iqbal, and describes how Baldwin managed to satisfy so many different kinds of readers — giving them  a diversity of ideas and perspectives to take away from the pages.Toibin is the author of 11 novels, including “The Master,” “Brooklyn” and “Nora Webster.” He's also written essays, journalism and a book of poetry. His work's been shortlisted for the Booker Prize three times and he has won the Costa Novel Award and the Impact Award. He writes regularly for the New York Review of Books, the London Review of Books, the New York Times and many other publications. He is the Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University in New York, where we sat with him in his office, teeming with books, papers, and as you'll hear, a love for Baldwin.  Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Former President Donald Trump has spent the last days of his 2024 campaign casting doubt on the U.S. election system, even taking the stage at a rally in Pennsylvania to say he “shouldn't have left” the White House in 2020. The rhetoric and lies coming from the Trump campaign have also included a false narrative that non-U.S. citizens are voting illegally in large numbers, setting a stage to justify mass deportations or, if needed, declaring a stolen victory.To put it bluntly, there will likely be no simple resolution to the outcome of this election. Anne Applebaum, a staff writer for The Atlantic, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and co-host of the podcast Autocracy in America, joins host Kai Wright to discuss and dissect the ways the Trump campaign has laid the groundwork for distrust in the election results, no matter what they are.Plus, we hear from NBC News disinformation reporter Brandy Zadrozny about the spaces where these lies are spreading and how to weed through disinformation on Election Day and beyond. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

 In the seventh episode of “Notes on a Native Son" our guest is writer, philologist and James Baldwin biographer David Leeming. In the biography, Leeming tells us that almost from the moment h e met Baldwin, he recognized that he was in the presence of a highly complex and driven individual, who was more intensely serious than anyone he had ever encountered.It was in 1961, during Leeming's time as head of English at the Robert College in Istanbul, that he first met Baldwin. Over the years, Leeming worked as an assistant to Baldwin, who gave him permission to take care of his papers. He tells host Razia Iqbal that he was at the author's side during some of Baldwn's liveliest years.Leeming eventually became professor of English and comparative literature at the University of Connecticut. He has written several books on comparative literature and mythology, as well as a biography of the painter Beauford Delaney, who Baldwin regarded as his spiritual father. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

This presidential election is likely to be a squeaker, decided by a handful of votes in some key swing states. In this episode from our friends at the podcast Code Switch, we visit one of them — Michigan — in order to hear from some of the most influential and misunderstood voters in the country: Arab Americans in Dearborn.Code Switch host Gene Demby reports that The Dearbornites they met said that the war in Gaza is one of the key issues weighing on their minds as they consider how to cast their ballots. But what that will mean in the voting booth is still a complex question. Will they go for Kamala Harris? Donald Trump? A third party candidate? No one at all?What these voters ultimately decide could have huge consequences for the whole country.Companion listening for this episode: "Voter Vibe Check: Democratic Voters Are Torn Over Biden's Gaza Policy" (published March 18, 2024) Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

With the 2024 presidential election right around the corner, all eyes are on the swing states. In this episode, host Kai Wright travels to Atlanta, the heart of one swing state where early voting numbers are at a record high, to hear about the historically large political gender gap.While the show was in town, Atlanta hosted homecoming festivities for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, two of the nation's most famous historically Black schools — and the perfect campuses to talk politics with students and alumni in between the parties.Kai is joined by Omar Ali, a local Atlanta business owner and political organizer; Rose Scott, host of the daily news magazine Closer Look on WABE, Atlanta Public Radio; and Errin Haines, co-founder and editor-at-large of The 19th, a newsroom that covers the intersections of gender, politics and policy. Plus, listeners tell us how the candidates' appeals to their gender identity will affect their vote.Thanks to our station partner WABE for collaborating on this episode. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In the sixth episode of “Notes on a Native Son,” writer Caryl Phillips shares the experience of getting to know James Baldwin beyond the pages of his work. Phillips not only respected Baldwin as a writer, but regarded him as a friend and perhaps a mentor, too. Phillips was born on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, and moved to Leeds, in northern England, when he was just 4 months old. It was as a student at Oxford where he first encountered the work of Baldwin. He tells host Razia Iqbal that meeting Baldwin was the first time he'd ever met a writer, something he knew he wanted to be.Caryl Phillips was on the 1993 Granta list of Best of Young British Writers. His literary awards include Britain's oldest literary award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, for “Crossing the River,” which was also shortlisted for the 1993 Booker Prize. “A Distant Shore" was longlisted for the 2003 Booker Prize, and won the 2004 Commonwealth Writers Prize. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Society of the Arts, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He currently teaches English at Yale University. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

There is a longstanding, widely held belief that the best chance at a better future is to go off to college – especially for people from marginalized communities.Whether it was your teacher, general political rhetoric, or one of many sitcoms that reflect middle class American life, the message was to go to school or risk failure — dismissing millions of people who decided not to go to college and created viable, sustainable careers in trade professions, from manufacturing and welding to plumbing and software engineering.And now, as college costs continue to rise and more people want to develop a sense of financial stability, education and careers in the trades through vocational schools are becoming not only more accepted, but also encouraged across all factors of society. In our latest episode, host Kai Wright talks to ​​Maya Bhattacharjee-Marcantonio, co-founder of The Marcy Lab School in Brooklyn, New York, and Eric Kelderman, a senior writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education about the shifting cultural cachet around earning a 4-year college degree. We talk about what motivates some students to pursue vocational education, what this change might mean long-term for Americans across demographics, and why some still prefer a professional path that includes college.Support of WNYC's coverage of economic mobility and opportunity is provided in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information about how the Gates Foundation supports economic mobility and opportunity, visit usprogram.gatesfoundation.org. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In the fifth episode of Notes on a Native Son, our guest is Turkish-British writer Elif Shafak. She has published 21 books, 13 of them novels — including “The Forty Rules of Love” and her latest, “There are Rivers in the Sky” — and her work has been translated into 58 languages. Shafak is among those contemporary writers who are both lauded with awards, and deeply beloved by her readers.Born in Strasbourg, France to Turkish parents, Shafak's early life was peripatetic, living in both Ankara and Istanbul for long periods of time before moving to London. She tells host Razia Iqbal that her love for Istanbul connects her to James Baldwin, who also lived there on and off during the 1960s and early 1970s.  Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson has always aspired to be a federal judge. In fact, the newest appointed associate justice of the United States Supreme Court wrote in her application to Harvard University that she wished “to attend Harvard Law School as I believed it might help me ‘to fulfill my fantasy of becoming the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage.'” She tells stories like these in her new memoir, "Lovely One."Justice Jackson joins host Kai Wright to discuss the bestselling book and more in a live conversation recorded at the U.S. National Archives in Washington D.C. They are accompanied by musical performances from the percussive and vocal group The Women of the Calabash.This episode was made in partnership with the March On Festival, telling stories that move, and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, through its We The People National Campaign, elevating the power of democracy for all Americans.Notes from America is a 2024 Signal Awards finalist! Community voting is now open for the show to earn a Listener's Choice honor for Best Live Podcast Recording, and we would be honored for you to take a minute to cast a vote our way. Click here to vote through October 17, and thank you for listening and supporting Notes from America! Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In the fourth episode of “Notes on a Native Son,” our guest is the writer and essayist Darryl Pinckney. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books and The Village Voice. Most recently, he's been the recipient of a highly prestigious award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for his contribution to American literature. Host Razia Iqbal meets up with Pinckney in Harlem, where James Baldwin grew up and eventually left in the 1940s. Pinckney lives there in a striking, sprawling house with the English poet James Fenton, and they find the perfect spot to record a conversation: in the library, directly beneath Pinckney's shelf of Baldwin's works. They talk about how Baldwin so eloquently documented the emotion of love — how it drives us and why we fear it.Notes from America is a 2024 Signal Awards finalist! Community voting is now open for the show to earn a Listener's Choice honor for Best Live Podcast Recording, and we would be honored for you to take a minute to cast a vote our way. Click here to vote through October 17, and thank you for listening and supporting Notes from America! Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

A year ago, the world was shaken when Hamas militants entered Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the kidnapping of hundreds more. It was one of the most devastating days for Israelis and Jewish communities around the world in decades. In the immediate hours after that attack, Israel launched an invasion of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 42,000 Palestinians and counting.Early on in the escalation of the war, two women came together to start having difficult dialogues in a moment of high emotions. Najla Said is an actor, author, activist and the daughter of renowned Palestinian intellectual Edward Said. Judith Sloan is an actor, radio producer and adjunct professor at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. They collaborated on a project they call “Imperfect Allies: Children of Opposite Sides.” In this episode, they join Notes from America guest host Suzanne Gaber to talk about their year-long work in progress that started as a discussion between two longtime-friends and evolved into a series of listening sessions around the country about the ongoing war in the Middle East. Plus, they give listeners advice on how to navigate difficult conversations about the conflict while managing immense trauma.Notes from America is a 2024 Signal Awards finalist! Community voting is now open for the show to earn a Listener's Choice honor for Best Live Podcast Recording, and we would be honored for you to take a minute to cast a vote our way. Click here to vote through October 17, and thank you for listening and supporting Notes from America! Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In the third episode of “Notes on a Native Son,” host Razia Iqbal sits down with the celebrated writer of novels and essays, Siri Hustvedt. When Hustvedt was invited to record a conversation for the podcast about her favorite passage from the work of James Baldwin, the timing in so many ways couldn't have been worse — it turned out to be the last few weeks of life for her husband, writer Paul Auster. However, a few weeks after his passing, Hustvedt reached out to say that she was ready.She felt that re-reading and talking about Baldwin would somehow be a balm for her grief. Hustvedt describes how Baldwin's novels “possessed” her as a young reader and discusses his intricate ability to recognize the oppressor within, even as he gave a voice to the oppressed.Notes from America is a 2024 Signal Awards finalist! Community voting is now open for the show to earn a Listener's Choice honor for Best Live Podcast Recording, and we would be honored for you to take a minute to cast a vote our way. Click here to vote through October 17, and thank you for listening and supporting Notes from America! Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Americans under 30 years old have been through a lot in their young lives. Perhaps living through and witnessing the volatile political moment that was Donald Trump's presidency, a global pandemic, a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, and growing devastation due to war in the Middle East, has led to their reported lack of trust in several key political and social institutions. And yet, as we hear in this episode, Gen Z is deeply engaged with the issues and ideas that will improve their experiences as young adults who want their personal rights protected, and the ability to have safe communities and economic security. Gen Z voter voices are at the center of this conversation, hosted live by Kai Wright at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. We hear from journalist Rachel Janfaza, who covers the political culture of the Gen Z generation; Askar Mirza, commissioner of Ridgefield, N.J.; and Alexis Williams, who is a coder and a political and social justice content creator. They join Kai for a conversation about how they became engaged themselves and what they know about their peers' political priorities this election year.Special thanks to the entire staff at NJPAC, especially Donna Walker Kuhne, Kitab Rollins, Megan Barry and Shira Vickar-Fox. Thanks also to the following colleagues at WNYC: Brenda Williams Butts, Kristina Newman-Scott, Ed Haber, George Wellington, Aaron Cohen, Bill O'Neill, Jim Stagnitto, Robin Bilinkoff and Matthew Marando. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Host Razia Iqbal sits down with the celebrated civil rights lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson, a man as dedicated to his chosen profession as James Baldwin was to his.Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, based in Montgomery, Alabama, which has not only transformed the conversation about the disproportionate numbers of incarcerated Black Americans, but has also challenged how we think about the criminal justice system and the system's treatment of children in particular. He's been described by the late South African bishop and civil rights activist Desmond Tutu as “America's Nelson Mandela.” Stevenson also initiated the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, and continues to make us all think about the lived legacy of more than 200 years of slavery in the U.S. By Stevenson's own admission, Baldwin has had a profound impact on his life, professionally and personally. When asked to choose a single Baldwin quote that inspires him, Stevenson chose three, and an exception was made in the interest of an exceptional conversation. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

More than 36 million Latinos will be eligible to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Who they will support in November is still very much in play — and this year, the candidates' approach to seeking that support can't be copied from playbooks of the past.In this episode, guest host Janae Pierre is joined by Mike Madrid and Chuck Rocha, co-hosts of the Latino Vote podcast, which looks at the voting trends and behavioral patterns among Latino communities in the U.S. from the view of two political strategists from different ends of the political spectrum. Madrid is a GOP consultant, co-founder of The Lincoln Project and author of a new book, “The Latino Century: How America's Largest Minority is Transforming Democracy.”  Rocha is a Democratic Party consultant and the former senior strategist for Bernie Sanders' campaign.They talk about whether Harris or Trump is resonating more with Latino voters, how different factions of this voting bloc view the issues, and why stereotypes about Latinos continue to cause candidates to miss opportunities to connect with these communities. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In the debut episode of “Notes on a Native Son,” host Razia Iqbal sits down with essayist and novelist Ta-Nehisi Coates to discuss one of his favorite passages from the works of writer James Baldwin. His choice comes from Baldwin's essay “On Being ‘White'…And Other Lies,” published in Essence Magazine in 1984. Coates shares why this piece resonates with him as a writer tackling whiteness, race and what it means to be an American today. Coates is the author of the bestselling books “Between the World and Me” and “The Water Dancer.” His latest book, “The Message,” (published October 2024) documents the time he spent in Palestine, Senegal and South Carolina — and details why the stories we do and don't tell from areas of conflict matter.  Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Warning: This episode contains profane language and detailed descriptions of sexual assault allegations.More than 20 women say a man who went by Officer “Champagne” sexually assaulted them while they were held at the Rikers Island women's jail. Their allegations span decades and they are now suing the city for more than $500 million. But the Department of Correction says there was no one with that name who worked there during that time.WNYC spoke with several women who say they were assaulted by Champagne, and started to unravel the mystery. Who was Correction Officer Champagne?What the WNYC investigation found led to more questions — including why city officials have done so little to investigate more than 700 recent claims of sexual assault at the troubled jail?.Related links:He was Officer 'Champagne' at Rikers. 24 women accused him of sexual assault in jailRikers guard charged with rape while off duty has a string of accusations from detaineesCREDITSReporter: Jesse EdwardsEditor: Christopher WerthExecutive producer: Ave CarrilloProducer: Jared MarcelleContributors: Jared Marcelle, Samantha MaxTechnical Director: Wayne ShulmisterAudio Mixing: Wayne Shulmister, Liora Noam-KravitzMusic: Jared Paul, Owen KaplanEpisode art: Rhe CivitelloThanks to:  Sean Bowditch, Stephanie Clary, Audrey Cooper, Lauren Cooperman and Ann Givens Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Come November, an estimated 36 million Latinos will be eligible to vote in the U.S. presidential election. Across the nation, there are Spanish language radio stations invested in them as an audience — and content on those stations is targeting listeners with disinformation about the candidates, the parties and political issues.In this special episode, host Kai Wright sits down with journalist Paulina Velasco to discuss “Frequency of Deception,” an investigation into the lies, rumors and propaganda that have been peppering Spanish language broadcasts in recent years. Velasco's reporting includes egregious examples of attempts to manipulate listeners, ideas about who and what is behind these nefarious efforts, and a look at the ongoing push to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation among vulnerable communities.This story is part of Frequency of Deception / Radiofrecuencia de engaños, a six-part series on the spread of dis- and misinformation on Spanish-language radio in the U.S. by Feet in 2 Worlds in partnership with WNYC's Notes from America, palabra and Puente News Collaborative. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

“Notes on a Native Son” is a new, limited audio series about how and why the writer James Baldwin continues to matter. We hear from people who turn to his words again and again for ideas and inspiration, including Ta-Nehisi Coates, Nikki Giovanni, Bryan Stevenson and many more.Hosted by journalist Razia Iqbal, each episode explores a Baldwin passage chosen and beloved by her guests. Their conversations underline Baldwin's lasting power and remind us of his prescience and acuity on issues such as race, class, sexuality, power, belonging and love.New episodes are available on-demand every Saturday in the Notes from America podcast feed. This project was made possible through partnership between Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs, Sea Salt & Mango Productions and WNYC Studios. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation, joins host Kai Wright “On the Call” to break down how Vice President Kamala Harris used classic trial lawyer tactics to take apart former president Donald Trump in their ABC News debate.Perhaps you've noticed: the news is newsing in overdrive lately. Notes from America is meeting the moment with an extra podcast drop on Thursdays like this one. It's a pop-up series of conversations about politics, voters and democracy right now that we're calling “On the Call.” Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The election is less than two months away and neither candidate has laid out specific terms or plans for environmental policies if they were to win the election. Here's what we do know.The Trump administration was vocally critical of policies meant to protect the environment and pursued policies that would retrace protective measures. Recently, it was reported that former president Donald Trump promised to ease regulations on big oil companies if they supported his campaign to the tune of $1 billion. Meanwhile, the Biden White House has been praised by some climate activists for its more progressive measures to implement pro-climate policies. It's easy to assume that Vice President Harris would follow in Biden's footsteps if she wins the election, however, no one is sure.In this episode, host Kai Wright discusses why there is lack of clarity on climate issues from the candidates with award-winning journalist Amy Westervelt, founder of the Critical Frequency Network. They also explore why there seems to be less discussion of climate change, not only from politicians, but from the general public as well.  Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The Biden administration says it's putting forward its best and final proposal to Israel for a ceasefire deal that would pause the violence in Gaza and give regional leaders and global stakeholders the opportunity to work toward a resolution. But the Netanyahu government has not seemed interested in a deal, and it's likely that the next president-elect of the U.S. will find their leadership and legacy defined by what happens next in Gaza.This week, host Kai Wright gets on the call with Iranian author Arash Azizi to talk about who is advising Trump and Harris on Israel's war in Gaza, the spreading conflict and even to consider what would happen should a deal get done ahead of November.Perhaps you've noticed: the news is newsing in overdrive lately. Notes from America is meeting the moment with an extra podcast drop on Thursdays like this one. It's a pop-up series of conversations about politics, voters and democracy right now that we're calling “On the Call.” Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Dancers and romantic partners Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane stood out in the modern dance movement of the 1970s and 1980s as they explored a new vocabulary of movement that helped redefine the landscape of dance.  Zane died of AIDS-related complications in 1988, and Jones vowed to continue their work with the company they co-founded.Shortly after, he began convening workshops across America with people who were living with a terminal illness. Jones studied their words, their expressions and their movements, and created a work called “Still/Here,” which debuted on stage in 1994. Journalist Bill Moyers and filmmaker David Grubin produced a documentary about the dance and its making. The stories depicted by the company dancers included inspiration from people with breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, HIV and other diagnoses — and it was both critically acclaimed and controversial.Jones is returning to this work 30 years on, staging it at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) this fall. In this episode, he talks with host Kai Wright about his reflections of creating such an essential piece of performance art while grieving, what he learned from spending time with the “survivors,” and his response to the criticisms he received. Jones also shares how “Still/Here” has evolved for a new generation of audiences, and discusses his legacy in the world of dance.For more information about the forthcoming performances of “Still/Here” and to purchase tickets, click here. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

In 2021, a trio of retired U.S. military generals co-authored an opinion piece in the Washington Post. It warned that what happened on January 6, 2021, would happen again — that America must prepare for another coup attempt in the aftermath of the 2024 election, one they predicted will have more help and coordination from members of the U.S. military. But how can the nation be prepared for more political violence aided by those who are supposed to protect it?A group of veterans decided to run a simulation. It assigned unscripted roles to elected officials, government agents and military personnel to examine how they would coordinate on a strategy to diffuse a violent insurrection in 2025. Their work was documented in real-time and presented in a chilling film called “War Game,” which is making the rounds on the festival circuit.In this episode, host Kai Wright gets a call to speak with Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss, the co-directors of “War Game,” and with Janessa Goldbeck, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation and a producer of the documentary. They talk about the real world challenge of radical extremism within the military and what resources the U.S. government has to employ to counter an attempt at overthrowing American democracy.Perhaps you've noticed: the news is newsing in overdrive lately. Notes from America is meeting the moment with an extra podcast drop on Thursdays like this one. It's a pop-up series of conversations about politics, voters and democracy right now that we're calling “On the Call." Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The 2024 Democratic National Convention was a spectacle filled with rhetoric around the middle class and the goal of creating an “opportunity economy.” But what does that actually mean for millions of Americans concerned about the cost of housing, childcare, gas and groceries in their communities?Host Kai Wright is joined by Today, Explained co-host Noel King to talk through her reporting on the DNC and how it was received by residents in its host city. They take a look at the differences between the conversations inside the convention hall and those happening in Chicago's poorest neighborhoods.Then, they speak with Kimberly Adams, Marketplace's senior Washington correspondent and co-host of the podcast Make Me Smart, to hear about how the Trump and Harris campaigns are framing their abilities to strengthen the U.S. economy. Plus, they examine how much our feelings about inflation, the housing market and more could impact election results in November. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Everything about the dynamic of the 2024 election changed when Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Kamala Harris to take his place on the Democratic Party ticket. But are the polls looking much different now that there's a new match-up? This week, host Kai Wright gets Patrick Toomey on the call to talk about some of the latest survey data in critical parts of the country. Toomey is a partner at BSG, a consulting and research firm that has collaborated with Cook Political Report and GS Strategy Group on The Swing State Project, which aims “to better understand how voters in the seven key battleground states are evaluating the many cross-pressures of the presidential and down-ballot races in their states.”  Toomey discusses their findings, and whether Harris's infusion of fresh energy is enough to steady the swing in pivotal places.Perhaps you've noticed: the news is newsing in overdrive lately. Notes from America is meeting the moment with an extra podcast drop on Thursdays like this one. It's a pop-up series of conversations about politics, voters and democracy right now that we're calling “On the Call.” Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The Vice President came of age inside collegiate institutions that have shaped Black, middle-class culture for generations. She says they imprinted deeply upon her as well. Kamala Harris's story is remarkable in numerous ways. If elected president, she'll be the first coming from several life experiences, including one that many Black commentators have noticed: She'd be the first president who's a graduate of an HBCU, and a member of one of the “Divine Nine” Black sororities and fraternities. She called her time at Howard University, and her membership in the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, an important part of her journey. So what can we learn about the would-be president by looking at those institutions?  In this episode, host Kai Wright discusses who the “Divine Nine” are and why they were created with Lawrence Ross, and then chats with historian Dr. Natalie Hopkinson. Political analyst Dr. Christina Greer gives us cultural context on how HBCUs like Howard shaped not only Harris, but a whole generation of Black university students. She talks about the influence of Black Greek life, and the nuanced politics of the 1980s. Every summer we crowdsource a Spotify playlist with our listeners built around a particular theme. This year, for the third edition of our seasonal soundtrack, we are asking you to contribute a song that represents your political identity or political priorities in 2024. See how the collection is shaping up so far, and add yours to the mix by leaving a message at 844-745-8255. Be sure to share your first name, where you're calling from and a little bit about what the song represents for you in the context of the 2024 election. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail gets “On the Call” with host Kai Wright to share his reporting on the “uncommitted” Democrats pushing Kamala Harris for an arms embargo on Israel — and the awkward scene he found at the Republican National Convention. Plus, they talk about the nominee's notorious “I'm speaking” moment at a rally in Detroit in response to interruptions from pro-Palestinian protestors, and the work the Harris-Walz campaign has to do to engage voters who are dismayed at the White House response to Israel's war in Gaza.Companion listening: A 9/12 Story: ‘I Forgot I Was a Muslim Kid'Ismail talks about his post-9/11 childhood in northern New Jersey, and what he learned about his identity as an adult. How did September 11, 2001, and its aftermath, affect the way anyone perceived as Muslim fit inside the American experiment?  Perhaps you've noticed: the news is newsing in overdrive lately. Notes from America is meeting the moment with an extra podcast drop on Thursdays like this one. It's a pop-up series of conversations about politics, voters and democracy right now that we're calling “On the Call.” Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

It's been a turbulent election year so far and artists at the forefront of the conversation match that energy. From Megan Thee Stallion debuting “Hotties for Harris,” to Sexxy Red sporting MAGA red, to Charli XCX declaring “kamala IS brat”, to Kid Rock's rally cry of “fight, fight” during his performance at the RNC — it's hard to imagine what song the candidates will be affiliated with next before their campaigns are over.In this episode, host Kai Wright is joined by two experts to break down what music can tell us about our current political moment. Noriko Manabe is professor and chair of music theory at Indiana University. Chris Willman is Variety's senior music writer and chief music critic. Together, they go song by song while taking your calls with submissions to our annual playlist.Every summer we crowdsource a Spotify playlist with our listeners built around a particular theme. This year, for the third edition of our seasonal soundtrack, we are asking you to contribute a song that represents your political identity or political priorities in 2024. See how the collection is shaping up so far, and add yours to the mix by leaving a message at 844-745-8255. Be sure to share your first name, where you're calling from and a little bit about what the song represents for you in the context of the 2024 election. Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

The Harris for President 2024 Campaign made its latest political move by announcing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Kamala Harris' choice for vice president. The selection of Walz signals that, for Democrats, this election is about more than just defeating Donald Trump, says author and political commentator Anand Giridharadas.He joins host Kai Wright in this episode of “On The Call,” our political pop-up series, to talk about how a Harris-Walz ticket sends a message about America's future that is sorely needed, and why this pairing gives off “vibes” that shouldn't be underestimated on the political stage this year.What are you vibing to this summer? We're building a playlist and we'd love your help! Leave a message at 844-745-8255 and tell us what's a song that speaks to your political priorities or your political identity this election year? We're growing this song collection all summer long and we'd love to add your selections to the mix! Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.