POPULARITY
On this episode of Our Body Politic, host Farai Chideya looks back on some of our favorite conversations with authors this past year. First we hear Farai's conversation with author Linda Villarosa about her latest book “Under the Skin” and the dangers of medical racism. Then guest host Karen Grigsby Bates speaks with Baynard Woods, about his book “Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness.” We round out the show hearing Farai's conversation with award-winning author Tananarive Due about her latest spooky book, “The Reformatory” and the true family story that inspired it.
On this episode of Our Body Politic, guest host Karen Grigsby Bates talks with Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the League of Women Voters, about the threats and issues poll workers face protecting democracy. Karen then speaks with Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny about some of the cases SCOTUS will hear this term. We round out the show with Karen discussing how to navigate medical bias with artist, author and doctor, Shirlene Obuobi.Additional InformationThe Democracy Group listener surveyOur Body Politic PodcastMore shows from The Democracy Group
On this episode of Our Body Politic, guest host Karen Grigsby Bates talks with Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the League of Women Voters, about the threats and issues poll workers face protecting democracy. Karen then speaks with Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and host of the podcast Strict Scrutiny about some of the cases SCOTUS will hear this term. We round out the show with Karen discussing how to navigate medical bias with artist, author and doctor, Shirlene Obuobi.
On this episode of Our Body Politic, guest host Karen Grigsby Bates talks about redistricting and newly redrawn maps in Alabama with Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Then Karen looks at redistricting on the city level with Los Angeles City Council Member Nithya Raman who represents the 4th district. We round out the show with Karen speaking with Jenisha Watts, senior editor at The Atlantic about her October cover story which details her upbringing in a crack house in Lexington, Kentucky.
Fall is on the way, and school is back in session. And THIS year, the summer heat and student loans are making big headlines. On this episode of Our Body Politic, host and creator Farai Chideya speaks with Neel Dhanesha from Heatmap who discusses the underestimated yet deadliest weather crisis - HEAT. We're also joined by climate activist Dany Sigwalt on how to build a climate movement that includes BIPOC voices. Then co-host Karen Grigsby Bates, who is a founding member of NPR's Code Switch team speaks with Persis Yu, the deputy executive director and managing counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center, about how the most vulnerable borrowers still recovering from the effects of a pandemic will be able to meet the demands of loan repayments.Additional InformationThe Democracy Group listener surveyOur Body Politic PodcastMore shows from The Democracy Group
Today's episode focuses on two thrillers that our host, Andrew Limbong, read while on parental leave. First, R.F. Kuang speaks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about her novel Yellowface and the complicated nuances of writing about friendship and cultural appropriation. Then, Japanese-American author Joe Ide takes a walk with Karen Grigsby Bates, formerly of NPR's Code Switch team, to explain how his upbringing in South Central L.A. informed his series I.Q. and his choice to write from the perspective of a Black protagonist.
Fall is on the way, and school is back in session. And THIS year, the summer heat and student loans are making big headlines. On this episode of Our Body Politic, host and creator Farai Chideya speaks with Neel Dhanesha from Heatmap who discusses the underestimated yet deadliest weather crisis - HEAT. We're also joined by climate activist Dany Sigwalt on how to build a climate movement that includes BIPOC voices. Then co-host Karen Grigsby Bates, who is a founding member of NPR's Code Switch team speaks with Persis Yu, the deputy executive director and managing counsel at the Student Borrower Protection Center, about how the most vulnerable borrowers still recovering from the effects of a pandemic will be able to meet the demands of loan repayments.
On June 29, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against a long-standing college admissions practice: affirmative action. For many, the conservative court's decision wasn't a surprise. But the fallout from the ruling will be felt for years to come. On this episode of “Our Body Politic,” guest host Karen Grigsby Bates, founding member of NPR's “Code Switch” team, is joined by experts and advocates to break down the history of affirmative action, what the recent decision means and who it's impacting. Plus we hear the voices and stories of those most affected by the ruling: students.
Today, YA adult novels – both of which have faced bans from schools and libraries – focus on conversations with kids regarding race and police brutality. First, Angie Thomas talks about The Hate You Give, in which an unarmed black teenager is killed by a police officer. Thomas reflects on victims of racial injustice in this discussion. Then, we hear from Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely about All American Boys, in which a white teen witnesses his black friend be brutalized by a cop. The two authors discuss in an interview with Karen Grigsby Bates the importance of being proactive in racial justice.
Jess and Trisha discuss some non-terrible Valentine’s week romance coverage, talk about the way romance represents the experience of being Black in history…and Trisha has a confession to make. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more romance recs and news, sign up for our Kissing Books newsletter! This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Book Riot may earn a commission. News As discussed, our fellow Rioters Silvana and Carole are just the best. Please enjoy the romance coverage from NPR via podcast and this interview Beverly Jenkins did with Karen Grigsby Bates. Also the New York Times has come a long way, y’all. [NYT] There WAS in fact a Reading Pathways piece on Book Riot about Beverly Jenkins! And it was written by yet another of the actual best, Amanda Diehl [insert heart eyes emoji]. This is your regular reminder (from Trisha) to read this Book Riot piece about Bridgerton (by Jess). Post show note: Okay, we were wrong, and Black Panther came out in 2018. Time is complicated! Books Discussed Indigo, Forbidden, and basically everything else by Beverly Jenkins That Could Be Enough and Agnes Moor’s Wild Knight by Alyssa Cole Confessions in B Flat by Donna Hill The Preacher’s Promise by Piper Hughley A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan Rafe and Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn Please send Trisha your favorite romances that aren’t especially plot-driven (she clearly needs the help). As always, you can find Jess and Trisha at the WIR email address (wheninromance@bookriot.com). You can also find us on Twitter (@jessisreading and @trishahaleybrwn), or Instagram (@jess_is_reading and @trishahaleybrown). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Karen Grigsby Bates is the author of two mystery novels that feature the journalist sleuth Alex Powell. These stories are set in the Black publishing world. Here two books are "Plain Brown Wrapper" and " Chosen People" https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/114
Listen, a lot has happened this year, and it's no shock that some things may have slipped under the radar. So our resident book expert, Karen Grigsby Bates, took a virtual trip around the country to talk to independent book store owners about their favorite underappreciated reads of 2020.
This bonus episode accompanies episode 3.1, "Wait, she's black?" As we talk to our experts looking for answers to the questions for the show, we sometimes have conversations that might not quite fit within the main episode - but we don’t think that should keep you all from hearing them. One of the things we've been hearing a lot, in all the conversations about race this summer, is an idea that “I don’t see color.” Karen Grigsby Bates and Nina Jablonski helped us gain insight into how to respond to that statement. www.lincolncottage.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Prompted by a recent essay calling for an end to using the pejorative 'Karen', Amy wrestles with how sexism interferes and overlaps with anti-racism work. She and Don discuss how they participate in the systems they want to change—even while they are being hurt—and the importance of being authentic in a world that values power. Additional resources:"How That 'Karen' Meme Benefits the Right" (The National Memo, by Nina Burleigh, July 18, 2020)https://www.nationalmemo.com/karen-meme"What's In a 'Karen'?" (NPR Code Switch, by Karen Grigsby Bates, July 15, 2020)https://www.npr.org/2020/07/14/891177904/whats-in-a-karen"'Karen' Isn't a Slur - It's a Critique of Entitled White Womanhood" (Bitch Media, by Rachel Charlene Lewis, by April 10, 2020)https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/very-online/the-karen-meme-isnt-a-slur-its-a-social-critique"How 'Karen' Became a Coronavirus Villain" (Atlantic, by Kaitlyn Tiffany, May 6, 2020)https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/05/coronavirus-karen-memes-reddit-twitter-carolyn-goodman/611104/"Just Because You Never Called a Woman a Bitch Doesn't Mean You Haven't Called a Woman a Bitch" (Esquire, by Kelly Stout, July 24, 2020)https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a33409041/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-house-speech-ted-yoho/"A small story ..." (Twitter, by Quinn Cummings, July 25, 2020)https://twitter.com/quinncy/status/1287099839726018560Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
This week, senior correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates talks with the best-selling author Terry McMillan, famous for her novels Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. The two longtime friends chat about McMillan's latest novel, It's Not All Downhill From Here, and the topics the book tackles: aging, friendship, race and sex.
NPR Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates steps in for Sam. She is joined by best-selling author Jennifer Weiner, who has written popular books like Good In Bed, In Her Shoes, and Little Earthquakes over the past two decades. Weiner talks about her latest novel, Mrs. Everything, the importance of having plus-size characters in books and speaking out against sexism.
Coal miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, camped out on train tracks this week to protest lack of payment from a coal company that declared bankruptcy earlier this summer. Is this part of a larger trend in the coal industry? There's a lot of new streaming content coming down the pipeline, and it could mean more subscriptions for viewers. Plus, what does the Federal Reserve's decision to lower interest rates indicate about the economy? Sam is joined this week by NPR TV critic Eric Deggans and Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates.
At a time of soaring corporate profits and plenty of HR lip service about "wellness." millions of workers—in virtually every industry—are deeply unhappy. Why did work become so miserable? Who is responsible? And does any company have a model for doing it right? For two years, Dan Lyons ventured in search of answers. From the innovation-crazed headquarters of the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, to a cult-like "Holocracy" workshop in San Francisco, and to corporate trainers who specialize in ... Legos, Lyons immersed himself in the often half-baked and frequently lucrative world of what passes for management science today. In Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us, he shows how new tools, workplace practices, and business models championed by empathy-impaired power brokers in Silicon Valley have shattered the social contract that once existed between companies and their employees. These new, dystopian beliefs, which are now seeping into virtually every industry, are often masked by pithy slogans like "We're a Team, Not a Family." And they have dire consequences: millions of workers who are subject to constant change, dehumanizing technologies—even health risks. A few companies do get it right. Dan Lyons makes an impassioned plea for business leaders to look at how they are running their companies and employees (into the ground) and a case for a new “approach to work and business that puts people first, profitability serves customers, and makes the world a little bit better in the process” (Tom Peters, New York Times bestselling author of In Search of Excellence). Lyons is in conversation with Karen Grigsby Bates, the Los Angeles-based correspondent for NPR News.
Sam is joined by NPR's Kelly McEvers, host of Embedded, and Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates. Questions continue to mount after the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. Plus, Sam digs into an elaborate hoax designed to discredit research in so-called "grievance studies" — what the hoaxsters call academic fields focused on identity. Tweet @NPRItsBeenaMin with feels or email samsanders@npr.org.
It's Friday: Sam slows it down just a little this week with NPR Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates (@karenbates) and NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans (@Deggans). They talk wildfires, Les Moonves, and QAnon. Tweet @NPRItsBeenaMin with feels or email samsanders@npr.org.
Sam lets the sunshine in with NPR Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates (@karenbates) and NPR Embedded producer and reporter Tom Dreisbach (@TomDreisbach). Also Rudy Giuliani, the Broadway musical "Hair," meatballs, and a call to Puerto Rico. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org and tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with feels.
NPR's All Things Considered and Embedded host Kelly McEvers (@kellymcevers) and Codeswitch reporter Karen Grigsby Bates (@karenbates), join Sam to talk about the rift between President Trump and Steve Bannon and a look on what's ahead for immigration in 2018. All that plus a call to a listener in Virginia Beach and the best things that happened to our listeners all week. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org or tweet @NPRItsBeenAMin with your feedback. Follow Sam on Twitter @samsanders and producers Brent Baughman @brentbaughman and Anjuli Sastry @AnjuliSastry.
Get some tools you can use to engage with your audience and form long term loyalty. With Note to Self’s Manoush Zomorodi, NPR’s Karen Grigsby Bates and Happier’s Gretchen Rubin. This podcast is the ICYMI, best-of version of Werk It. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors include Cole Haan, M.A.C. Cosmetics, and ThirdLove.com. You can find more information at www.wnyc.org/shows/werkit.
This talk took place on June 19, 2016 at the Moss Theatre in Santa Monica and is part of the Live Talks Los Angeles series. Twenty Five years ago, Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins came onto the literary scene—just back from World War II—and opened the door on a Los Angeles that had not been part of the signature Los Angeles noir novels written by the masters, Raymond Chandler and Ross MacDonald. Walter Mosley’s books on Easy Rawlins and his neighbors and friends touched a nerve; his deft capturing of the conversations, the deep connections and frustrations of his characters made his books both critical and popular successes. Since Devil in A Blue Dress set Easy out on his first job of detection, Mosley has published close to 50 books across genres and formats. His characters’ popularity and the critical acclaim his books drew opened doors for another generation of writers of color, not only in the mystery field but in other genres as well. At this quarter century mark, Mosley is being recognized for this series’ deep cultural importance and impact by his award of Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America organization. With the publication of the new Easy Rawlins, Charcoal Joe, we look forward to celebrating the anniversary of the Easy Rawlins series as well as the wider intellectual and political scope of the writer himself. Walter Mosley’s indelible detective Easy Rawlins is back, with a new detective agency and a new mystery to solve. Picking up where Rose Gold left off in Los Angeles in the late 1960s, Easy Rawlins finds his life in transition. He’s ready to—finally—propose to his girlfriend, Bonnie Shay, and start a life together. And he’s taken the money he got from the Rose Gold case and has, together with two partners, started a new detective agency. But, inevitably, a case gets in the way: Easy’s friend Mouse introduces him to Rufus Tyler, a very old man everyone calls Charcoal Joe. Joe’s friend’s son, Seymour (young, bright, top of his class at Stanford), has been arrested and charged with the murder of a white man from Redondo Beach. Rufus tells Easy he will pay and pay well to see his nephew exonerated, but seeing as how Seymour was literally found standing over the man’s dead body at his cabin home and the racially charged motives behind it, that might prove to be a tall order. Between his new company, a heart that should be broken but is not, a whole raft of new bad guys on his tail, and a bad odor that surrounds Charcoal Joe, Easy has his hands full, his horizons askew, and a life in shambles on the ground around his feet. Karen Grigsby Bates is a Los Angeles-based correspondent for NPR News, where she covers race, ethnicity and culture and how they each affect several aspects of American life. In addition, Bates often reports on authors and their work for NPR shows, especially Morning Edition. She’s been a reporter and substitute host for the Tavis Smiley show, and a correspondent for Day to Day. In her spare time, Bates has written several books, including two mysteries featuring reporter-sleuth Alex Powell.
The story of over 100,000 Japanese Americans enduring life in internment camps during WW II is well known, but a few thousand avoided the camps, entirely by, essentially, self-exiling. Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates talks with research historian Diana Tsuchida, about the hidden history of Japanese Americans who survived by creating farming communities, like the one in Keetley, Utah. We also hear directly from survivors about life as internally displaced American citizens.