Under the Radar with Callie Crossley

Artificial intelligence data centers rely on electricity – and lots of it – which is leading to the draining of vital resources for local communities. President Donald Trump's administration has shut down the EPA's research arm and now plans to repeal the agency's climate change rule aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. And with the future of offshore wind up in the air,  is it solar power's time to shine? It's our environmental news roundtable!

Restaurants are still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Some of them didn't make it, while the survivors adapted to the moment and have continued to evolve. The recent changes in dining out have reshaped the dining experience for customers who are more discerning than ever, as their entertainment budgets become tighter. Is it working?

It's time for the Emmys! HBO Max lands the most nods it's ever received, and RuPaul becomes the most nominated host in Emmys history. Plus, there's been plenty of critical acclaim for the new “Superman” movie, which drew big crowds – and big money – at the box office. So what's with the controversy among right-wing circles? And how an AI-generated band got 1 million streams on Spotify in just a few weeks – it's our pop culture news roundtable!

What happens when a 12-year-old African boy connects with a Black American girl after settling down in New York City's Little Senegal? Emmy-nominated playwright Mfoniso Udofia explores that ensuing friendship in her latest project, the fifth production of nine in the Ufot Family Cycle: “Kufre N' Quay.”

Summer in Boston just got a new soundtrack: the third edition of its citywide mixtape. The City of Boston's “Dear Summer Vol. 3” features a variety of genres representing neighborhoods across the city, including up-and-comers from the Berklee College of Music, local legends and artists with Boston roots who've received national attention. We speak to two of its co-producers.

Offshore wind farms were poised to provide energy to millions in New England. Now those plans are stalled – maybe indefinitely. Broken promises are leading Rhode Island politicians to face plummeting approval ratings. Meanwhile candidates are lining up in the race to replace U.S. Representative Chris Pappas in New Hampshire. And bridges on Cape Cod and Rhode Island need more than a facelift – will the government pay up? It's our regional news roundtable!  

Curtis Wilson escaped his father's troubled world and grasped his lifelong dream of becoming a cellist. Then, he almost lost it all. The protagonist of writer, educator and classical musician Brendan Slocumb's new book “The Dark Maestro” reflects the author's own experience as a performer. “The Dark Maestro” is our July selection for Bookmarked: the “Under the Radar” book club.

The pro-birth movement, known as pronatalism, has long been popular in certain politically conservative circles. But in recent years, it has begun to gain traction more broadly. Many view it not only as a means to slow the declining population, but also as a way to preserve culture. But others worry that the singular focus on having more babies is intentionally exclusive and ignores the issues of economic inequality and women's reproductive rights. What exactly is pro-natalism? And why does it stir passionate debate?

The Los Angeles anti-deportation protests may not be on the front page, but the National Guard is still on the ground in LA. President Donald Trump wants to build “Alligator Alcatraz,” a detention center in the Florida Everglades. And the Milford teen who was held by ICE denies ICE's claims that he lied about the conditions of his detention. It's our Latinx news roundtable!

With warmer weather arriving, food and drinks are getting “swicy” – that's sweet and spicy. The adventurous blend has been trending for some time with the rise of hot honey and, now, as an added kick to already bold white wines. Plus, international food trends make a splash locally and could the Michelin guide boost much-needed dine-in traffic to local restaurants? Our food and wine experts tell us more!

Thousands of books are facing scrutiny throughout the country as the book-banning movement continues to gain supporters. Now, authors are joining together to fight back and use their voices off the page to spread awareness about how book bans threaten democracy and free speech. We speak with three members of Authors Against Book Bans in the latest installment of Unbound Pages, our yearlong series on the anti-book-banning movement in America.

In 1975, Boston native Donna Summer released her single, “Love to Love You Baby,” a sexy disco tune featuring shimmering strings and a funky bassline that would become a global smash. Fifty years later, her hometown will celebrate Summer's artistry and the lasting impact of her work with its eleventh Donna Summer Disco Party on City Hall Plaza. We speak with one of its organizers and UTR's pop culture expert to learn more.

It started as a minimalist, eerie musical phrase – one ominous note, then two, signifying the looming, underwater danger of a great white shark. Fifty years later, the theme to the 1975 Steven Spielberg blockbuster “Jaws” is just as recognizable and iconic as the film itself. We take a deep-dive into this musical masterpiece with two expert music professors.

It's been 160 years since the last enslaved people in the United States heard the news they were free. What was once celebrated on a city or state level is now celebrated nationwide as a federal holiday on June 19, also known as Juneteenth. In the spirit of the holiday, Cambridge's LabCentral is hosting a special exhibit and panel discussion, centering local Black artists and community activists in an event called “Juneteenth: Freedom & Form.” We speak with one of the artists and the event organizer.

It's Pride Month … or is it Title IX Month? President Donald Trump's administration continues to push back on the LGBTQ+ community through its ban on trans troops – and newly graduated trans cadets – in the military, potential federal budget cuts to a vital suicide prevention hotline that helps queer youth, and renaming a Navy ship dedicated to gay rights icon Harvey Milk. But Pride celebrations are still happening across the country, including an inaugural parade in a small town in West Virginia! All that and more in this week's LBGTQ+ news roundtable.

Throughout his career, artist John Wilson was inspired to capture the faces of his community: Black people who lived in Roxbury. He chose to do figurative paintings, drawings and sculptures, rather than abstract work, because he was determined  that Black people should be seen in the fullness of their humanity. That was the overall theme of his work, which is now in an exhibit at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts – “Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson.” Callie speaks with a curator and a John Wilson collector to learn more about Wilson's work.

It's nearly summertime, which means plenty of sunshine, slower days and lots of time to kick back with a new book. Whether it's a mystery, thriller, romance, fantasy or nonfiction, there's a perfect summer read for every book lover to enjoy by the beach, on an airplane or curled up on the couch. Three local librarians joined Callie Crossley for “Under the Radar”'s annual summer-reading special to share what they're adding to their summer-reading wishlist.For the full list of books – including Callie's picks! – go to gbhnews.org/UTR

On May 25, 2020, millions of people around the world watched in horror as white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, on a Minnesota street. Nine minutes and 29 seconds later, Floyd was dead. His murder led to what some called a racial reckoning, sparking global protests, demands for police reform, community dialogues and corporate pledges to fund opportunities and programs addressing the racial divide. So where do Americans and the United States stand, five years later? Experts in psychiatry, law enforcement and DEI tell us more.

In “Sojourners,” the first play of Mfoniso Udofia's Ufot Family Cycle, audiences are introduced to Disciple, a graduate student who eventually becomes the Ufot patriarch. But as the drama unfolds play after play, Disciple grows increasingly erratic and intense, often prone to fits of rage. And it's not until the third play in the cycle – “runboyrun” – that playwright Udofia focuses on Disciple, peeling back what's led to his unraveling by centering his story and his past. What's more is his story is told not in a theater but on the air as a podcast. We speak with the playwright and the actor playing Disciple to learn more about this unique production.

In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Carla Hayden as the 14th Librarian of Congress, making her the first woman and the first African American to hold the position. Dr. Hayden's tenure as Librarian of Congress abruptly ended on May 8, when she was fired from the position. Eight days before her dismissal, Dr. Hayden spoke with Callie Crossley in one of her final interviews with the media as part of our year-long anti-book banning series, Unbound Pages. 

For many Black women, the hair salon is a cultural safe space, where stories and secrets help build an intimate community. In SpeakEasy Stage's production of the Tony-winning play, “Jaja's African Hair Braiding,” the West African immigrants who do the braiding and the customers seeking their services come together in a funny play that also explores serious current-day immigration policies. Three members of the cast and crew join Callie to talk more about the production.

Societal and cultural norms say mothers must be kind and nurturing, they must have endless patience for their children, they must be doting, attentive and protective, and they should be able to do it all — and be thrilled to do it all. But what does it mean to be a “good” mother in this day and age? We explore the complex and nuanced nature of motherhood in honor of Mother's Day.

Rags-to-riches entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker and her daughter, A'Lelia Walker, built one of the most successful African American hair care businesses in American history. But it was only after A'Lelia broke free of her mother's singular vision that she found her calling in 1920s Harlem. That search for independence and purpose is at the center of A'Lelia Bundles' new book, “Joy Goddess: A'Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance.” It's our May selection for Bookmarked: the “Under the Radar” book club.

April 29, 2025 marked 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term in office. In a little over three months, the president, alongside administration officials, Cabinet members, and Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency – or DOGE –  have kept Trump's promise to reshape the government. What can Americans expect for the rest of Trump's presidency? And how have these first 100 days affected Massachusetts? It's a full hour of political analysis with the Mass Politics Profs!

Tony Cokes, a professor of modern culture and media at Brown University, is transforming the moving image to shine new light on some of history's darkest moments. By using text, music, found footage, journalistic writing and more, Cokes recontextualizes traumatic moments in American history and creates video-based artwork.  He is one of three local MacArthur “Genius” grant awardees, and the final installment of our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.”

Within his first 100 days, President Donald Trump and his administration have made major changes when it comes to environmental and climate-related policy and action. What will come of the significant shake-up of the Environmental Protection Agency? Plus, previously off-limits fishing grounds are open for business, wildfires as an East Coast problem and the relevancy of Earth Day – it's our environmental news roundtable!

Of the 50 million Catholics in America, only about 3 million are African American. The history of Black Catholics in the United States spans from colonization and enslavement to Black parishes founded by the church during the Jim Crow era. And throughout that history, Black Catholic communities have found ways to make the oldest form of Christianity their own. In honor of Easter, we examine Black Catholicism in Boston and beyond.

Book bans have been on the rise across the country in recent years prompting lawmakers to pass legislation to protect libraries and librarians. “Freedom to read” legislation has been adopted in four states, aiming to safeguard access to diverse materials in public and school libraries, and some lawmakers are hoping to make Massachusetts the fifth state on that list. This is the latest installment of Unbound Pages, our year-long series on the anti-book-banning movement in America.

Each year, thousands of Greater Bostonians observe Passover through Seder, the ceremonial meal of prayers, blessings and wine retelling the story of the Jews' exodus from ancient Egypt. It's a tradition passed down from generation to generation all over the world, but it didn't reach the White House until 2009. Author Richard Michelson wrote about this unique seder in his new children's picture book, “Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama's First Presidential Seder.”

He's known as a silversmith, a messenger and a patriot. But Paul Revere's role and contribution to the American Revolution was much more than a midnight ride.We take a walk through Revere's neighborhood and visit two pivotal locations – the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church – to learn more about the revolutionary and the world in which he lived in honor of the 250th anniversary of his famous ride.

Poet Tiana Clark's mastery of the language of emotions is fully displayed in “Scorched Earth,” her new deeply personal collection of poems, which takes readers from the charred landscape of divorce to searing moments where the intersection of history, race and gender explode on the pages. “Scorched Earth” is our April pick for Bookmarked: the “Under the Radar” book club. Callie spoke with Tiana Clark at the Boston Public Library as part of our new community-centric in-person book-club events: Bookmarked LIVE!

April is National Poetry Month! Enthusiasm for spoken-word poetry has skyrocketed in recent years, helping to increase the popularity of all poetry. We're diving into the art form and the poets who use their voices and bodies in staged performances. Who are the lyrical wordsmiths at the top of their game, including here in Massachusetts? We speak with Boston-based award-winning poet Amanda Shea, 2025 Poetry Out Loud Massachusetts champion Abigail Drumm and Grammy Award-winning spoken-word artist J. Ivy.

The Boston Comedy Festival has been showcasing comedic talent for 25 years! With so much competition from social media and digital platforms, what continues to make the festival a stand-up destination for comedians in greater Boston and across the country? We speak with the brother-sister duo who founded the festival and an up-and-coming comedian hoping to win this year's comedy competition.

It's not a moment – it's a movement. Women's sports teams from the WNBA to women's rugby teams are selling out games from coast to coast. Breakout stars like Olympian Ilona Maher, illustrious former collegiate turned pro players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and celebrity-backed teams like Angel City Football Club are in the spotlight. So are women's professional sports teams FINALLY getting the recognition they deserve?

Mfoniso Udofia's nine-play Ufot Family Cycle forges on! The latest onstage installment, “Her Portmanteau,” hits Central Square Theater later this month. And it picks up a loose thread from the very first play  — the story of Iniabasi, matriarch Abasiama's true eldest daughter. We speak with the playwright and the actress who portrays the daughter as part of our continuing coverage of the Ufot Family Cycle.

Will Smith, Jonathan Majors and Lizzo are all traveling the same road: the comeback trail. Nostalgia continues to reign – everything old is new again! Reboots and returns on the big and little screen. And Bad Bunny bares all … well, mostly all. That and more on our pop culture roundtable!

Most beer-drinking Americans choose lagers – crisp, pale beers like Modelo Especial, Bud Light or Coors Light. But Gen Zers and celebrities like Ed Sheeran, Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Kardashian have boosted renewed enthusiasm for the Irish stout, Guinness. We've drafted top beer experts to mark St Patrick's Day with a heady discussion about Guinness' culinary cache.

Boston's former ICE office director is chosen as acting director of the national agency, the latest in the controversy about the MBTA Communities Act, and can new liquor licenses in Dorchester and Mattapan help existing businesses … or are they too much trouble for restaurants AND the neighborhood? It's our local news roundtable!

It's been five years since the Covid-19 lockdown of spring 2020. Covid changed every aspect of our lives – from the way we work, to how kids went to school and even some people's views on science and vaccines. What changes have stuck around since the pandemic? And which will become so ingrained in our lives that future generations will forget they were brought about by the pandemic?

Artist and avid reader Karen Moss felt overwhelmed by the never-ending news of book bans happening all across the country. As she'd previously done in addressing other social justice issues, Karen used her canvas to make a statement — this time, intimate portraits of her loved ones and their favorite banned books. The portraits are showcased in a new exhibit at the Boston Public Library's central branch. This is the latest edition of  “Unbound Pages,” our year-long series on the book-banning movement in America.

The year 2000 ushered in an era of shiny newness – from metallic clothing and furniture to a computer evolution turned tech revolution – alongside generation-defining events: a housing and financial crisis, 9/11 and early public recognition of climate change. Author Colette Shade argues the socio-cultural shifts ushered in during the early 2000s remain significant today in her debut book, “Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything (Essays on the Future That Never Was.)” It's our March selection for Bookmarked: the “Under the Radar” book club.

It's been a little over a month since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.And since his first day in office, he has kept his promise when it comes to rolling back protections and rights for people in the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans, nonbinary, genderqueer and intersex people. But communities around the country – and especially here in New England – are pushing back. That and more in this week's LGBTQ+ news roundtable!

It's been 7 years since the glitzy and glamorous romantic-comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” topped the box-office charts. The film helped break open a new era of Asian and Asian-American representation in film, streaming and TV. Has that increased representation lasted? We continue our annual conversation examining movie and streaming projects from the past year featuring significant Asian and Asian-American representation.

He studies plankton, the smallest organisms in the ocean, from the Antarctic peninsula to Greenland, looking for signs of how the oceans are changing. Oceanographer Benjamin Van Mooy also created new techniques that helped reveal more precise information about the link between plankton and the changing oceans. The researcher is one of three New England 2024 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows. We speak with Benjamin Van Mooy for our annual series, “The Genius Next Door.”

The Huntington's production of “Sojourners” in October 2024 marked the start of the two-year, city-wide production of Mfoniso Udofia's nine-play collection, the Ufot Family Cycle. Now, the Nigerian-American Ufot family story continues 31 years later in “The Grove,” the world-premiere of the second play in the cycle. Callie speaks with playwright Mfoniso Udofia and actress Abigail C. Onwunali about the second chapter of the Ufot Family Cycle.