Podcasts about Truth to Power

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about the scourge of plastics, the impacts of micorplastics on our health, and how you can get involved locally in addressing the issue! The special guest at the last meeting of Beyond Plastics Louisville on May 21, 2026, was Dr. Timothy O'Toole, associate professor at UofL's Division of Environmental Medicine, speaking about his research into how microplastics affect cardiovascular health. Dr. O'Toole shared research findings showing that mice exposed to microplastics in their drinking water developed obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. The presentation includes detailed explanations of how microplastics contribute to inflammation and white blood cell adhesion in blood vessels. Following the scientific presentation, the group discussed their new "Bring Your Own Coffee Cup" campaign, which aims to partner with local coffee shops to reduce single-use plastic waste. The campaign involves placing promotional stickers in coffee shops and encouraging customers to bring reusable cups, with plans to create a "coffee shop street team" to help contact and recruit participating businesses. Learn more about Beyond Plastics Louisville: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondplasticslouky Watch a recording of the meeting at https://youtu.be/6aPXi6bozic Follow up Action: If you would like to learn more about ways to minimize your personal microplastic exposure, you can check some new resources on the National Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) Microplastics are Micromonsters website at https://www.nrdc.org/stopmicromonsters You might notice that the NRDC's list of ten “Science-backed steps for avoiding microplastic exposure” includes “Bring your own nonplastic to-go cup”. This is the focus for the Plastic Reduction Project - Louisville “Bring Your Own Coffee Cup” campaign. Learn more at https://www.plasticreductionproject.org/louisville Volunteers are needed to help visit coffee shops, deliver stickers, and ensure they are displayed prominently. If you can help, please contact Louisville@PlasticReductionProject.org. You can also pick up stickers at The Refillery on the Douglass Loop (2200 Dundee Road). This is a list of local shops we hope to recruit for participation in the program: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L9icLR_ubHj8EViTUa_ImyzCoXUw-k__C8Pt8UzmUPY/edit?gid=0#gid=0 If you visit a shop, you can report the results with this online form: https://forms.gle/gJNgnAFTFjec5vmY6 Next meeting: Next month on Thursday, June 18, Beyond Plastics Louisville will meet again via Zoom at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be an opportunity to develop plans for Plastic Free July and to report on progress with our Bring Your Own Coffee Cup campaign. You can use this link to register for the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ggqzqjMdTJid4DzbCDyNpw#/registration Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

During the Cold War, hearings led by U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy soon turned into a witch hunt, as paranoia and political opportunism destroyed the careers (and lives) of actors, directors, singers, filmmakers, writers, and prominent scientists who were accused of disloyalty, subversion, and treason. But even as the accusers cited poems, plays, novels, and song lyrics to bolster their attack, literature mounted a counteroffensive, striking back at the powerful in what Marjorie Garber has termed "poetic revenge." In this episode, Jacke talks to Garber about her book A Treacherous Secret Agent: How Literature Spoke Truth to Power During the Red Scare about the long reach of authors like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, John Donne, and others, whose works exposed the lies and hypocrisies of one of America's darkest periods. PLUS Jacke takes a look at Arthur Miller's late-in-life reflections on his own work of poetic revenge, the great anti-McCarthyist play The Crucible. The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Ted Efremoff by WNHH Community Radio

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a statewide community conversation about "Data Centers in Kentucky" that took place online on May 26th and was organized by the Kentucky Waterways Alliance as part of its Kentucky Watershed Network Monthly (KWN) Virtual Sessions where you can hear from watershed partners, leaders, and experts from across the Commonwealth. Every other month is an evening meet-up and every other month is a lunchtime workshop. Our Speakers were: Byron Gary (Kentucky Resources Council) & Hank Graddy ("We are Mercer County") addressing KY Data Centers in Your Community. This conversation is for: concerned citizens, volunteers, professionals, students, elected officials. You will come away knowing more about data centers in Kentucky and how it may affect you, your community, your waterways, and how you can make a stand! Learn more and register at https://kwalliance.org Starts with intro by Laura Gregory (KWA), then Nick Hart (KWA Water Policy Director), and presentations by Byron Gary (KRC) and attorney Hank Graddy with We Are Mercer County. The second half of the session will be Q&A and community conversation. Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a conversation about "Interwar Germany and the U.S. Today: Are They Comparable Cases of the Failure of Democracy and the Rise of Dictatorship?" This virtual community conversation with Christopher R. Browning, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, took place on February 24, 2026, and was organized by the Oberlin Club of Washington, D.C. Given the propensity to invoke Hitler, Nazism, and fascism in current political discussion, historians of Europe in the era of fascist dictatorship, World War II, and the Holocaust should set a high bar for responsible and informed analogizing, against which facile and distorted attempts can be measured and found wanting. This talk will attempt a careful comparison and contrast between Hitler and Trump as personalities and politicians, as well as between the fall of Weimar and rise of Nazi dictatorship on the one hand and current events and trends in the U.S. on the other. Professor Browning will do so operating from the premise that insights based upon knowledge of the past are very important for illuminating and understanding our current situation, but the careless weaponizing of the past simply to stigmatize one's opponents is self-defeating. Christopher R. Browning is the Frank Porter Graham Professor History Emeritus at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where he taught from 1999-2014. He is a specialist on the Holocaust and renowned for work documenting the Final Solution, the behavior of those implementing Nazi policies, and the use of survivor testimony. Earlier, he taught at Pacific Lutheran University from 1974-1999. Christopher is the author of nine books, including three–Ordinary Men (1992), The Origins of the Final Solution (2004), and Remembering Survival (2010)—which received the National Jewish Book Award in the Holocaust Category. He has served as historical expert witness at two Holocaust denial trials: Ernst Zündel v. Crown Prosecution in Toronto in 1988, and David Irving v. Deborah Lipstadt and Penguin Press in London in 2000. Christopher was a History major at Oberlin and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2014. He earned his PhD in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with his wife Jenni Horn Browning '67. Watch a full recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgHQEEFeBWA. Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour Digital Creator Bob Greenberg by WNHH Community Radio

This week on Truth to Power, in this important mid-term election year, we bring you a conversation with U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn about his book "The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation," with Louisville's former Congressman John Yarmuth. Jim Clyburn is the U.S. Congressman representing South Carolina's 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993. He previously served as House Majority Whip from 2019 to 2022 and 2007 to 2010, making him the first African American to serve multiple terms as Majority Whip. Currently, he serves as the Ranking Member on the Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. The recipient of 39 honorary degrees, Congressman Clyburn's numerous awards include: the Lyndon Baines Johnson Liberty and Justice for All Award in 2015; the Harry S Truman Foundation's Good Neighbor Award in 2021; the NAACP's highest honor — the Spingarn Medal — in 2022, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation's highest civilian honor — in 2024. His endorsement of Joe Biden for president in 2020 is credited with boosting him to an overwhelming victory in the South Carolina and subsequent primaries and setting Biden on the path to the presidency. Clyburn's book, The First Eight, is an extraordinary work of living history. It explores the powerful, untold story of the pioneering Black politicians from South Carolina who were elected to Congress in the aftermath of the Civil War, and a revealing explanation of why it took nearly a century before the ninth, James Clyburn, was elected. Learn more about the book at https://www.carmichaelsbookstore.com/book/9780316572743 John Yarmuth is a former United States Congressman who served eight terms as the representative of Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District (2007-2023) and was chairman of the House Budget Committee from 2019-2023. He was the primary sponsor of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Yarmuth became the first Kentuckian to join the Progressive Congressional Caucus. He has been recognized for his work to improve education and expand access to affordable health care. Prior to his congressional career, he founded and edited the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO), a weekly alternative newspaper. During his 15 years with LEO, Yarmuth won nearly 20 awards for column and editorial writing. This conversation was held before a live audience at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in Louisville on November 24, 2025. It was produced by the UofL Kentucky Author Forum and was released in January as the fifty-ninth episode of Great Podversations (https://kentuckyauthorforum.com/podcast/great-podversations-episode-59-clyburn-yarmuth/). Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week on Truth to Power, we get you ready for the Primary Election here in Louisville taking place on Tuesday, May 19th (with early voting already underway!). Back on the evening of April 14th at Central High School, a Candidate Forum was held for Louisville's first-ever non-partisan Mayoral race. Eight candidates vying to become Louisville's next mayor participated to discuss their priorities and values. For the first time this year, the races for Louisville mayor and Metro Council are nonpartisan. Louisville Public Media, the Louisville Urban League and WDRB collaborated on this public forum to hear from candidates for mayor. Unlike in past years, every mayoral candidate will appear on all Jefferson County ballots in a nonpartisan section. The two who receive the most votes will move on to the general election in November. Kenya Young, the President and CEO of Louisville Public Media, co-moderated this Mayoral Candidate Forum with Gilbert Corsey of WDRB. All active candidates were invited to participate and eight did. Since then, one participant, Jeff Yocum, bowed out of the race. Two other candidates – Bill Wells and JusAustin Lane – previously withdrew. The candidates introduced themselves to the live audience at Central High School and responded to questions on a number of topics including affordable housing, data centers, police, public safety and business and development. Candidates from across the political spectrum attended the forum, and many were united in their criticism of incumbent Democratic Mayor Craig Greenberg, who did not attend. The full list of candidates who appeared at the forum includes: Lisa Holliday Harris Tina Burnell Matthew Solomon Bailey Jeff Yocum (withdrawn) Bob DeVore Stephen Dattilo Jody Hurt Shameka Parrish-Wright Early, no-excuse voting is taking place May 14-16 and primary election day is May 19. Find polling locations and sample ballots at https://GoVote.ky.gov You can watch the entire, un-edited two-hour forum at https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-05-11/watch-louisville-mayoral-candidates-take-part-in-forum-ahead-of-primary-election Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week on Truth to Power, we continue our community conversation focused on reviewing the results of the 2026 Kentucky Legislative Session. Last week we focused on Housing & Energy Bills with the Metropolitan Housing Coalition. This week we bring you "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!" Every year, the Kentucky Resources Council (KRC) publishes The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly to give Kentuckians a clear-eyed look at how the General Assembly's decisions are shaping our environment, energy systems, and communities. This year brought a mix of outcomes: some meaningful progress, but also bills moving Kentucky in the wrong direction by prioritizing polluters over people, sidelining science, and weakening protections for vulnerable communities. KRC's legislative wrap-up highlights key wins, setbacks, and everything in between, with a focus on what these decisions mean on the ground for communities across the Commonwealth. This virtual presentation hosted by KRC's Executive Director, Ashley Wilmes, took place on Monday, May 4th. Watch the presentation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wop4g3NU1s. Read the full report at https://kyrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-THE-GOOD-THE-BAD-UGLY.pdf Learn more and support the work of the Kentucky Resources Council at https://kyrc.org/ Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Dr. Robert Cotto, Trinity College by WNHH Community Radio

Nobody is perfect, but why anyone believed in Donald Trump I will never understand.I trust no politician on either side of the aisle except for Thomas Massie.Protecting people in the Epstein files should not be a priority.New YouTube channel Haloless: Decoded is tracking the kinda evil and will explain how we got here. #truecrime#Caregivers: refuelbyfaithandgasoline@beehiiv.com#HalolessDecoded #enron #fraud

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation focused on a 2026 Kentucky Legislative Session Review with respect to Housing & Energy Bills. This EveryHome webinar was held on Monday, April 28th at 1pm (monthly on 4th Tuesdays at 1pm - on May 26th, it'll be an expert from Union of Concerned Scientists on Urban Heat Islands). Stay tuned if you're curious about what happened to housing and energy bills during the 2026 Kentucky legislative session! Forward Radio's proud community partner, the Metropolitan Housing Coalition and guests panelists from Kentucky Conservation Committee, Coalition for the Homeless, and Kentucky Resources Council discuss what did and didn't pass, and the implications for Kentucky's housing and energy future. Speakers include: Sarah Pierce, MHC; Ashley Wilmes, KRC; Lane Boldman, KCC; George Eklund, Coalition for the Homeless, Director of Education and Advocacy; Byron Gary, KRC - Utility Disconnection Stories: Website for Stories: https://sites.google.com/view/leavetheheaton/story-lounge Story Collection form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12wP8GzR0bx2JgPYkOdMMaw-RnUryeXt2lVy4rgoWgks/edit Message Line: (859) 379-5306 - KRC's Model Guidance on Data Centers: https://kyrc.org/krc-releases-data-center-model-guidance/ - League of Women Voters reports on legislative transparency: https://www.lwvky.org/how-can-they-do-that - New study on energy burdens in Kentucky: https://aclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Lights-Out-Report-Final.pdf - Email Lane Boldman if you're interested in nuclear field trips: director@kyconservation.org Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a conversation with Joshua W. Busby, the recipient of the 2026 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. On April 14th, at UofL's Ekstrom Library, Joshua Busby was honored for his work to understand why climate change leads to negative security consequences in some places and not others. Joshua W. Busby is a professor of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He presented these ideas in his book, “States and Nature: The Effects of Climate Change on Security.” In the book, Busby explains how the combination of state capacity, political exclusion and international assistance determine the degree to which the impacts of climate change affect security for a country's citizens. “The effects of pollution from burning fossil fuels have fundamentally altered our climate and will get worse until we move to cleaner energy,” Busby said. “Even as we transition away from fossil fuels, we have to prepare for climate impacts, some of which are inevitable at this point. Countries with weak government capacity, where political institutions exclude some people from power and where foreign assistance is blocked or delivered to some groups and not others are likely to have the worst outcomes, including humanitarian emergencies and violent conflict,” he said. “But the hopeful story of my book is that the worst consequences of climate change are not inevitable. Governments, even very poor ones, can take steps to protect their populations from climate harms and prevent large-scale loss of life from exposure to climate-related extreme weather, including cyclones and droughts. With a little bit of outside help, governments have been able to reduce their vulnerability to climate disasters and concerted action can prevent climate shocks from escalating to violence.” Charles E. Ziegler, University of Louisville professor of political science, University Scholar and director of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, said Busby's book examines the crucial global governance topic of confronting the negative implications of climate change in the realm of security. “Busby's carefully conducted case studies allow for comparison of neighboring states that are confronted with similar climate hazards, yet experience very different outcomes,” Ziegler said. “The policy implications for confronting the security costs of climate change are clear and particularly timely given controversy about how to deal with the global climate crisis.” The Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order has been given annually since 1988 to those who have taken on issues of world importance and presented viewpoints that could lead to a more just and peaceful world. Each idea supports one noble cause: to inspire us all to work together for the common good. Learn more at https://grawemeyer.org/world-order/ Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Doctor Rachel Gabriel The Status of Literacy Instruction in Connecticut by WNHH Community Radio

This week on Truth to Power, we conclude or mini-series of highlights from the Metropolitan Housing Coalition's conference held on April 7, 2026 at the Muhammad Ali Center, entitled "Beyond The Rent: Policy Driven Solutions for Housing and Utility Burdens." Today we'll hear the Lunch Keynote: Kent Chandler, R Street Research Fellow and former KY Public Service Commission Chair on "How Utility Policy Works And Why It Matters for Kentucky." Hear from an expert with experience at the Public Service Commission and in utility policy, including current work at R Street. Gain a behind-the-scenes look at how good utility policy is shaped, what's happening in Kentucky's energy landscape, and the impact on housing affordability and utility costs. Learn more about the conference and speakers at https://beyondtherent.org Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week's In Class With Carr reflects on memory, leadership, and responsibility, using the passing of media giant Bob Law and global tensions like the Israel-US conflict with Iran to question how power is acquired, held and narrated. The work of educating through effective communication in order to help develop informed communities rather than passive masses requires us to first and simultaneously educate ourselves. Catalyzing the momentum of Africana memory, that work also requires creating flexible, people-centered institutions that harness memory for collective action, imagining futures beyond fading empires and inherited narratives. It challenges us to choose differently together with purpose.Are you a member of Knarrative? If not, we invite you to join our community today by signing up at: https://www.knarrative.com. As a Knarrative subscriber, you'll gain immediate access to Knubia, our growing community of teachers, learners, thinkers, doers, artists, and creators. Together, we're making a generational commitment to our collective interests, work, and responsibilities. Join us at https://www.knarrative.com and download the Knubia app through your app store or by visiting https://community.knarrative.com.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Follow on X: https://x.com/knarrative_https://x.com/inclasswithcarrFollow on Instagram IG / knarrative IG/ inclasswithcarr Follow Dr. Carr: https://www.drgregcarr.comhttps://x.com/AfricanaCarrFollow Karen Hunter: https://karenhuntershow.comhttps://x.com/karenhunter IG / karenhuntershowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Truth to Power, we bring you another highlight from the Metropolitan Housing Coalition's conference held on April 7, 2026 at the Muhammad Ali Center, entitled "Beyond The Rent: Policy Driven Solutions for Housing and Utility Burdens." Tune in to hear the afternoon panel: 2025 was a year of major reports on housing, energy, and water affordability. This panel brought together representatives from leading organizations (Mountain Association, Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, and Union of Concerned Scientists) to highlight key findings and discuss the policies needed to advance affordable utilities and housing across the commonwealth and the nation. Panelists included: 1. Dr. William Bryan, Director of Research at the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, Read Report: https://everyhomelou.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Affordability-Beyond-the-Rent-2025-Final-Report-min.pdf 2. Mary Cromer, Deputy Director, Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Read Report: https://aclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Lights-Out-Report-Final.pdf 3. Alicia Race, Climate Resilience Policy Advocate, Union of Concerned Scientists, Read Report: https://www.ucs.org/resources/colliding-crises 4. Chris Woolery, Energy Projects Coordinator, Mountain Association, Read Report: https://kyrc.org/energy-report/ Learn more about the conference and speakers at https://beyondtherent.org Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Dr. Ivelise Velazquez "A District On The Rise" by WNHH Community Radio

On this week's show, we bring you highlights from "Women Who Shape the Landscape," an event held at the Women's Club of Louisville on Monday, March 30, 2026. In recognition of Women's History Month, Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Women's Club of Louisville presented an exciting evening that featured a panel discussion with four Olmsted Parks Conservancy past and present CEO's, Susan Rademacher, Mimi Zinniel, Layla George and Mary Grissom. Hosted by Rachel Platt, VP of Mission at the Frazier History Museum. The special guest for the evening was Sue Breitkopf, President and CEO of the national Olmsted Network. This engaging panel reflected on the leadership, stewardship, and long view of caring for public landscapes. Set within the Woman's Club of Louisville, this event celebrated women who have shaped not only an organization, but he enduring green spaces that shape Louisville itself. Learn more at https://www.olmstedparks.org/events/women-who-shape-the-landscape/ Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The people and policies that control how humans treat the natural world are increasingly dominated by a small class of elite political entities and corporations, argues our guest, political ecologist Bram Buscher at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, on this week's Newscast. This power, he says, is concentrated on platforms that have no allegiance to fact or truth, but rather serve only what increases their bottom line. Understanding this power dynamic and speaking truth to it is essential for the environmental movement to succeed. "If you keep on doing the same kind of things and not take the root causes, the root structural forms of power into account, you may have nice terms like nature-based solutions, ecosystem services, natural capital, but they don't actually challenge the power structures to change," he says. That structure he refers to as "platform capitalism." Tasks humans used to do through various options or pathways are now gate-kept by tech companies. These companies have monopolized these platforms, including social media, generative artificial intelligence, and search engines that prioritize data collection over sincere citizen engagement. This makes it difficult for the environmental movement's message to find an open audience. In some cases, people cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not anymore. Buscher has written his thoughts in his book The Truth About Nature: Environmentalism in the Era of Post-Truth Politics and Platform Capitalism, which explains why "speaking facts to power" does not fundamentally change the policies currently failing the environment. Speaking truth to power, Buscher argues, is the only way to truly address the root causes of environmental destruction. "Unless we understand how power works … also authoritarian power … we can't go beyond it and or speak truth to it. To do something deliberately and consciously different." Please take a minute to let us know what you think of our podcast, here. Banner image: Wallace's Passage between Gam and Waigeo islands in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Image by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay. —- Timecodes (00:00) What is political ecology? (12:31) Why conservation is inherently political (17:03) What is 'speaking truth to power'? (29:35) Understanding 'platform capitalism' (42:02) How to speak truth to power (53:24) Convivial conservation

This week, we bring you highlights from the Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Mayoral Candidate Forum on Clean Energy organized by the Renewable Energy Alliance of Louisville (REAL). The moderator for the evening was Tom Fitzgerald (Kentucky Resources Council), and we were joined by four Mayoral Candidates: Shameka Parrish-Wright, Jody Hurt, Lisa Holliday Harris, and Matthew Bailey. Listen in as Louisville candidates for Mayor answer questions about achieving the city's resolution to reach 100% clean energy by 2040. All candidates were invited to attend. Brought to you by the Renewable Energy Alliance of Louisville (https://renewableenergylouisville.org/) and co-sponsored by: Interfaith Environmental Action Network, Kentucky Conservation Committee, Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light, Kentucky Resources Council, Kentuckians for Energy Democracy, Louisville Climate Action Network, Kentucky Chapter of the Sierra Club, Kentucky Chapter of the Sierra Club-Greater Louisville Group. There are 11 registered candidates for Louisville Mayor who will appear on your non-partisan ballot on the May 19, 2026 Primary: Matthew Bailey, Tina Burnell, S. Dattilo, Bob DeVore, Craig Greenberg, Lisa Holliday Harris, Jody Hurt, Douglas Edward Lattimore, Shameka Parrish-Wright, Bill Wells, and Jeffrey Yocum. Learn more about the May 19th Primary, get registered to vote at your current address before the Registration Deadline on April 20th, find out when and where you can vote, and access a sample ballot so you can research all the candidates beforehand at govote.ky.gov Watch a full recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_V1qIFnS_4&list=PLu1P1So1_KZe1BWYi167uEImKGIZqDnok&index=14&t=4s Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at http://forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Save Our Schools | Fix The Formula Governor Lamont by WNHH Community Radio

Tune in for a virtual Town Hall held on March 16, 2026: Our Common Health, Our Commonwealth: Who Decides What's Safe? hosted by Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Kentucky Resources Council, Kentucky Conservation Committee, and Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter. Connecting Legislation, Pollution, and Our Health. Environmental health, public health, and civic health are deeply intertwined. The condition of our air, water, and land shapes the wellbeing of our communities and the strength of our democracy. Who shows up, who speaks, and who votes determines whether decisions reflect the public's best interests or the priorities of corporate lobbyists. Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Kentucky Resources Council, Kentucky Conservation Committee, and Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter hosted this discussion on how environmental decisions affect public health and how current proposed legislation would prioritize polluter profits over the health and safety of every day Kentuckians — making it nearly impossible for communities to hold corporations accountable when our most basic necessities are at risk. Additionally, the League of Women Voters of Kentucky shared findings from their report How Can They Do That?, which examines how legislation can advance through the process with limited public visibility. The Town Hall starts out with testimony from Calvert City, Kentucky resident Joshua Tabor sharing his family's experience with angiosarcoma, a rare cancer linked to environmental exposures, and why these environmental protections are deeply personal for many Kentucky families. Together, we examined how decisions made in Frankfort affect Kentucky's natural resources and communities, and what Kentuckians can do to shape a healthier future. Speakers include: KWA's Michael Washburn, Joshua Tabor, KRC's Audrey Ernstberger, KWA's Nick Hart, KCC's Lane Boldman, LWA's Jeanie Lindel, and SC's Julia Finch. Watch full recording: https://vimeo.com/1174496139 Connect with the organizers: Kentucky Waterways Alliance: https://www.kwalliance.org/ Kentucky Resources Council: https://kyrc.org/ Kentucky Conservation Committee: https://kyconservation.org/ Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter: https://www.sierraclub.org/kentucky

This week on Truth To Power, we bring you an important conversation in the face of the 2026 mid-term elections. On January 15th, 120 Oberlin College alumni and friends participated in a widely anticipated online program called "What is the Democratic Party?" Professor Larry Jacobs of the University of Minnesota served as moderator for an energetic conversation that featured Holly Fechner and John Lawrence, both of whom worked for Democratic members of Congress and have decades of experience working in politics. Comments by Holly and John reflected optimism for the Democrats to take control of the House, but they considered prospects for the Democrats to take the Senate to be not so promising but possible. Historical trends favoring the opposition party in midterm elections, the unpopularity of Trump, and negative perceptions of the economy are among the key factors now favoring the Democrats. Wildcards that could trip the Democrats include disenfranchisement of Democratic-leaning voters through redistricting, restricting mail-in and early voting options, and deployments of military and other security forces to intimidate voters. It was posited that the Democrats still needed to change their approach and widen their appeal across class lines, because of perceptions that the Party is too West/East Coastal, too old, and too beholden to donors and the educated elite. Alternatively, it was argued that the Democrats have been pursuing policies that advance the welfare of “regular” Americans by pursuing policy initiatives that address “affordability,” health care, educational opportunities, and the environment, but the Party's messaging can get sidetracked by “cultural” issues that are important, but are distracting to the general populace. To wit, the priority of selecting candidates who could win elections was illustrated by a quote from former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who said that Democrats on the Hill would be merely resigned to having “a conversation” if they lacked majority control of the House. Panelists highlighted examples across America's history in which the forces of “illiberalism” were overcome, and they maintained that public protests are important to build solidarity and demonstrate the resilience of the opposition. Watch recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BE3WfkcWhg It is the civic duty of all adult U.S. citizens in Kentucky to vote in the Primary elections on Tuesday May 19th, including the Mayor's race, many Metro Council seats, Sheriff, County Clerk, County Attorney, and State Rep seats right here in Louisville. All Kentucky voters will also get to weigh in on who should replace Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate! Don't miss this opportunity! Find out where, when and how to vote, request an absentee ballot, and see a sample ballot so you can do your research on all the candidates at https://GoVote.Ky.gov On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

The last West Jefferson County Community Task Force monthly Community Meeting on February 17, 2026 featured Donovan Taylor, JD on HB 377, the Utility Disconnection Protection Law and the collaborative effort to get it passed in order to protect our vulnerable neighbors during extreme weather. The companion bill in the Senate is SB 88. Donovan Taylor is a West Louisville native and graduate of Central high school. He's enthusiast of local history and culture who has led walking tours of all nine West Louisville neighborhoods. He's an activist with over 20 years of experience in community and business development, as well as a legal professional with a Law degree from the University of Kentucky. Learn more about HB 377 at https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb377.html Learn more about SB 88 at https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb88.html This bill also got some great coverage in the Kentucky Lantern: "Kentucky lawmakers renew push to establish statewide residential utility disconnection protections. Republican lawmaker says disconnection protections are a part of housing affordability" https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/02/02/kentucky-lawmakers-renew-push-to-establish-statewide-residential-utility-disconnection-protections Learn more about the West Jefferson County Community Task Force, find excellent resources, get involved, and learn about their next monthly meeting topic and guests at https://www.facebook.com/WJCCTF. They meet every month of the year on third Tuesdays at 5:30pm online. Watch a full recording of the meeting at https://cardmaillouisville-my.sharepoint.com/personal/jlhart01_louisville_edu/_layouts/15/stream.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fjlhart01%5Flouisville%5Fedu%2FDocuments%2FAttachments%2FWJCCTF%2D20260217%5F185525%2DMeeting%20Recording%2Emp4&nav=eyJyZWZlcnJhbEluZm8iOnsicmVmZXJyYWxBcHAiOiJTdHJlYW1XZWJBcHAiLCJyZWZlcnJhbFZpZXciOiJTaGFyZURpYWxvZy1MaW5rIiwicmVmZXJyYWxBcHBQbGF0Zm9ybSI6IldlYiIsInJlZmVycmFsTW9kZSI6InZpZXcifX0&ga=1&referrer=StreamWebApp%2EWeb&referrerScenario=AddressBarCopied%2Eview%2E34bfd59e%2D99c0%2D4133%2D8999%2D65ce2c8ca2b4

Dr. Daisy Torres-Hill Assistant Dean of the School of Education at Central Connecticut State University.

Tom Joseph, business owner, social activist and innovator, believes he has come up with a legal and user-friendly method for removing money and outside influence from the candidate selection process. In this interview, Mr. Joseph explains his model for using the Internet to offer a "free and equal system for nominating members to Congress."

Forward Radio's proud community partner, the Greater Louisville Sierra Club (https://sierraclub.org/kentucky)organized this February program, focused on Central Appalachia as a central site of mass incarceration. Called "Cages in the Coalfields: Development, Criminalization, and Incarceration in Central Appalachia," it was held Feb 17, 2026 at 7:00pm at Crescent Hill Community Ministries (150 State St.) Central Appalachia is home to 16 prisons; there are 8 prisons alone in Eastern Kentucky, where full and overcrowded jails extend the expansive carceral geography to the local level. While these institutions reflect our national and state investment in criminalization and punitive sentencing policies, they also serve as rural development projects bound in various ways to the decline of coal. From calls for rural jobs in corrections to prisons built on mountaintop removal sites to jails as revenue strategies, the carceral expansion in the region must be understood as a response to multiple crises. This talk, by justice studies scholar and Sierra Club Executive Committee member Judah Schept, examines both the crises and the ways that prisons and jails have responded, as well as the work of the "Building Community Not Prisons" coalition to stop the construction of FCI Letcher (Federal Correctional Institution), the newest prison planned for the region. Judah Schept is a Professor in the School of Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. He is the author of Coal, Cages, Crisis: The Rise of the Prison Economy in Central Appalachia (New York University Press, 2022) and Progressive Punishment: Job Loss, Jail Growth, and the Neoliberal Logic of Carceral Expansion (New York University Press, 2015). He is co-editor of The Jail is Everywhere: Fighting the New Geography of Mass Incarceration (Verso Books, 2024). On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

This week we bring you a very important community conversation about environmental justice and addressing historical injustices. It took place on at the History & Science Forum on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 5th, at Roots 101 African-American Museum in downtown Louisville. This incredible line-up of discussants constituted the third installment of the “& Science” Forums organized by UofL's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. The panel discussed historic infrastructure affecting environmental health disparities; examined the policy and legal frameworks that shape local climate and environmental conditions; and encouraged widespread participation in strengthening Louisville's environment. The evening featured: • Dr. John Chenault (Associate Professor, Director of Anti-Racism Initiatives, UofL) • Ms. Hannah Drake (Cultural Strategist; Co-Executive Director, IDEAS xLab; Co-Founder, (Un)Known Project) • Dr. Swannie Jett (Chief Executive Officer, Park DuValle Community Health Center) • Dr. Lynn Pohl (Archivist, The Filson Historical Society) • The Honorable Attica Scott (Former Kentucky State Representative for District 41; Director of Special Projects, Forward Justice Action Network) • Dr. Monica Unseld (Founder and Executive Director, Until Justice Data Partners) Moderator: • Dr. Natasha DeJarnett (Assistant Professor, Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, UofL) About the Series: The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting this quarterly health forum called “& Science". This third installment of the series focused on History & Science, featuring leaders from different historical and scientific backgrounds. The “& Science” series provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. Watch a full recording of the evening at https://youtu.be/oxo8KT_3cBA On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Re-Imagining School Safety Coalition by WNHH Community Radio

On this week's show, we wrap up our highlights from the 2026 Kentucky Conservation Committee's Legislative Summit held on January 25th. Learn more about it and find links to all the great materials referenced at https://kyconservation.org/legislative-summit-2026 On today's show, we take a deep dive into Kentucky's energy past and potential energy future. Specifically, we respond to all the hype around nuclear as a supposedly rational response to the climate crisis and the exploding demand for electricity coming from data center development. Tune in to hear from Lane Boldman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee on Kentucky's troubling nuclear history and the proposals for new nuclear developments being pushed today. Then Sarah Lynn Cunningham, Executive Director of the Louisville Climate Action Network, shares her personal stories of successful local resistance to the nuclear build-out back in the 1970s. View Lane's Presentation Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mz-CL7BiqstWzOoHWvHzK1_guQqODVNL/view?usp=sharing Backgrounder on Nuclear Players in Kentucky: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bo5aGpCGauEQZaeChH5vT8VPrlWCrSkOwM_4TSLcJ8I/edit?usp=sharing KCC's Nuclear Energy Webpage: https://kyconservation.org/nuclear-energy We conclude with Byron Gary, Program Attorney, from the Kentucky Resource Council, about their new study released on December 11th, which evaluates Kentucky's electricity needs, and demonstrates how new state laws are hindering a transition to a cheaper, cleaner, and more dependable energy portfolio — at a time when many Kentuckians are struggling to afford their utility bills. The independent report, commissioned by KRC, Mountain Association, Metropolitan Housing Coalition, and Earthjustice, compares multiple energy pathways through 2050 and concludes that replacing aging coal-fired power plants with a mix of renewable energy, battery storage, and efficiency investments could save Kentuckians billions while maintaining reliability. Read the report at https://kyrc.org/energy-report/ The report investigates whether continued reliance on fossil-fuels is necessary to assure affordable and reliable electricity service in Kentucky. The report found that Kentucky Senate Bills 4 (2023) and 349 (2024) hinder the development of cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable alternatives to serve Kentucky's electricity needs. The most affordable and reliable option to serve Kentuckians' electricity needs is a modern and diverse energy supply that includes much more renewable energy, battery storage, and demand-side resources than are currently planned by Kentucky's regulated utilities. Kentucky Senate Bills 4 (2023) and 349 (2024) put up hurdles to retiring aging, uneconomic coal-fired power plants. The independent report explains that continued reliance on coal is not necessary, and it's more expensive. There are cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable alternatives for Kentucky's ratepayers. Kentucky could save upwards of 4 billion dollars by 2050 with a more diverse portfolio that includes less fossil fuels and more renewables – but these laws must be amended now. This report highlights costs and risks to ratepayers across the nation as other states, including Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Utah and Wyoming, have also considered or passed legislation that would slow closures of an aging fleet of coal-fired power plants. On Truth to Power each week, we bring you in-depth community conversations like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

On this week's show, we bring you more highlights from the 2026 Kentucky Conservation Committee's Legislative Summit that was held online on Sunday afternoon, January 25th. You can learn more about it and find links to all the great materials referenced at https://kyconservation.org/legislative-summit-2026 The Summit includes a review of conservation legislation and trainings on key conservation and environmental issues in Kentucky to provide you with all the necessary advocacy tools you need during the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly and beyond. These sessions included a broad look at the anticipated topics of the 2026 General Assembly, related federal legislative issues, basic training on ways for citizens to engage as a “citizen lobbyist”, plus tips on how to be more effective with your legislative advocacy in a virtual world or in person. On today's show, we take a deep dive into two environmental issues that have been very threatening to communities throughout the Commonwealth, but particularly in Appalachia: flooding and the construction of hyperscale data centers. After a brief welcome from KCC Director, Lane Boldman, you'll hear from Brian Storz, the Licking River Basin Coordinator at the Kentucky Division of Water on nature-based solutions for stormwater mitigation. After that, we switch gears to hear from Max Moran and Janet Garrison, two citizen activists with the “We are Mason County” Citizen's Group who have been mobilizing at a grassroots level to resist the steamrolling of data center developers over the health and wellbeing of their neighbors. Explore these great resources: View Brian Storz's Presentation Slides on Green Sink Stormwater Mitigation at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T6z9gwKJ4nkpc8qrkpvPuDwhdpX28FJn/view?usp=sharing Nature's Solutions for Stormwater Management: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/13muZspC-g1HgtXP9LDfIQSoQjZMzVA4J Building a Flood Resilient Kentucky: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HHpbDgj8B8X508C5ThrROLjv-RWbUge3/view?usp=sharing VIDEO of the presentation on data centers is at https://vimeo.com/1158645052 Presentation Slides: Data Centers and Community Action: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13OOBpwSNoJe47y9UFuFhrPL1yZVEv1Y-/view?usp=sharing KCC webpage on data centers: https://kyconservation.org/data KCC one-pager on data centers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KrXAucfipI5QRLDoqA9XqNYqOx85vphG/view?usp=sharing On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Deserving and Exceptional Women Leading Without Permission by WNHH Community Radio

On November 24th, 2025, Theater of War Productions returned to Columbia University to present a live, dramatic reading of Hua Hsu's June 2025 article in The New Yorker, "What Happens After A.I. Destroys College Writing?” to frame a guided audience discussion about the use of Artificial Intelligence in and out of the classroom and its implications for the future of higher education. The event featured performances by Paul Giamatti (Billions), Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers), Amy Ryan (The Office), Eric Berryman (Atlanta) and Marjolaine Goldsmith (Dress). Presented by Theater of War Productions, the Undergraduate Community Initiative, the Center for the Core Curriculum, Columbia Journalism School, Arts & Sciences, and CJS2030: The Initiative on AI, with special thanks to The New Yorker. Directed and facilitated by Bryan Doerries. Watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d52_MvN2dtk Learn about the Columbia Journalism School CJS2030 AI Initiative: https://journalism.columbia.edu/CJS2030/AI Read the article by Hua Hsu here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/07/07/the-end-of-the-english-paper On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

Here ya go, filthy animals.

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: School Equity, Broken Promises by WNHH Community Radio

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about “Fighting Injustice: A Lifelong Struggle To Do The Right Things” with civil rights lawyer and activist Eric Seitz. This virtual conversation was organized by the Oberlin Club of Washington, DC and it took place on December 3, 2025. After graduation, how do we apply the values and idealism developed during our student years to change the world and have a meaningful career and life? What can we learn from the inspiring examples set by alumni at a time when democracy, human rights and human dignity are under assault by the government? Eric Seitz (class of 1965), a civil rights attorney now based in Honolulu, is the quintessential Oberlin activist whose career has been guided by a commitment to the pursuit of fairness and justice. Across his career, he has challenged the establishment and represented all categories of political activists, including members of the Black Panther Party, the Chicago Seven, and Leonard Peltier the Native American political activist who was at the center of a nearly 50-year-long controversy surrounding the killings of two FBI agents at South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1993. While studying law at UC Berkeley, Eric counseled and assisted draft resisters and taught courses to lawyers and law students on the draft and military law. At Oberlin, Eric majored in Government and recalled how he was a firebrand advocate during his time as an student, even prompting college President Carr to send a note suggesting he might be happier at another school. Watch a full recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kb32I4JgCI On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Public Broadcast News, We Can Trust Past, Present, and Future by WNHH Community Radio

This week on Truth To Power, we bring you the Faith & Science Forum held on the evening of December 11, 2025 at St. Stephen Baptist Church on 15th St. During this, the second installment of the "& Science" Forums, we heard from an expert panel discussing the key intersections of faith & science. UofL's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is hosting this new quarterly series called “& Science"" which provides a community forum for conversations at the intersection of health, the environment & science. This installment of the series features leaders from different faith traditions with the following objectives: Explore key intersections of faith & science; Discuss challenges & opportunities for voices of faith in a time of climate crisis; Share examples of faith community responses to matters of health & environmental concerns; Envision a brighter future for faith & science. Panel Speakers include: • Dr. Kevin W. Cosby (Senior Pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church and President of Simmons College of Kentucky) • Dr. Angelique Johnson (CEO/Founder, MEMStim LLC) • Dr. Justin Mog (Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives, University of Louisville) • Waylon Riley (Youth Program Manager & Assistant Camp Director, Trager Family JCC) • Rev. Dr. Leah Schade (Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship, Lexington Theological Seminary)" Watch a full recording of the evening at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPI6O1u2lLo On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about one of Kentucky's most notorious antislavery slaveholders! "Cassius Marcellus Clay: The Life of an Antislavery Slaveholder and the Paradox of American Reform" was the topic of discussion at the Filson Historical Society's Gertrude Polk Brown Lecture Series on the evening of Thursday, December 4, 2025 at the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts' Bomhard Theater. Cassius Marcellus Clay, a fiery nineteenth-century Kentucky antislavery reformer, was both admired and despised. A duelist, newspaperman, and ally of Lincoln, he fought slavery's expansion while still enslaving people himself. Historian Anne E. Marshall's biography reexamines Clay as emblematic of white Americans who opposed slavery's economics more than its injustice. By portraying Clay's contradictions, Marshall reveals why emancipation required war and why true racial equality faced enduring resistance. Marshall is an associate professor of history at Mississippi State University and on December 4th she was in conversation with the Filson's President, Dr. Patrick Lewis, who fielded audience questions. Watch the event at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRSKtIEte_8 On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

This week on Truth to Power, we are thrilled to share a community conversation with two brilliant artistic minds who were awarded the 2025 Spalding Prize for the Promotion of Peace and Justice in Literature on November 11th at the Brown Hotel's 16th Floor Gallery. This year's winners are Irene Sankoff and David Hein, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the award-winning Broadway musical Come From Away. This remarkable, moving, and award-winning comedy is based on true events in the Newfoundland town Gander. Immediately after the 9/11 attacks on the United States, dozens of commercial aircraft with approximately 7,000 passengers aboard were ordered to land at Gander International Airport. The airport's impressive name belies the fact that Gander was and is a small town in Newfoundland; nonetheless, Gander residents scrambled to feed, shelter, and, most importantly, welcome thousands of passengers, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religious or sexual preference, or nationality. The compassion and kindness of the citizens of Gander and their generosity toward stranded passengers created enduring friendships and connections among people who were recently complete strangers. Come From Away highlights the many occasions for human compassion even in the midst of a global tragedy. After the play's immense success, Sankoff and Hein wrote the screenplay providing international access to the staged performance of Come From Away. Irene Sankoff is a Canadian Tony- and Olivier-nominated, Grammy-nominated writer for theatre, film, and television. A writer and actor, Sankoff has received a Meritorious Service Cross of Canada. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Writers Guild, and ASCAP. David Hein is an Olivier Award-winning, Tony- and Grammy-nominated writer. He and Irene Sankoff created My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding based on his mother's true story, earning Best Musical awards across America. The Spalding Prize is awarded by the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University. Learn more at https://www.goodriverreview.com/spalding-prize On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

The Readman Truth To Power Hour: Democracy Takes Work by WNHH Community Radio

Throughout history, the words of poets have often ignited change or unsettled those in power. In England particularly, poetry has both celebrated and criticised the country's greatest triumphs and darkest hours. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Catherine Clarke dive into the radical heart of poetry, where language has given rise to courage and resistance. MORE:John Donne: England's Greatest Love PoetListen on AppleListen on SpotifyBloody Massacres and the Puritan PoetListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about reducing single use disposable plastics in foodservice and the food safety codes that impact efforts to avoid disposables. This conversation was hosted by Beyond Plastics Louisville at their November 20th meeting, and it featured Alison Schleck, Environmental Health Supervisor for the Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Food Safety Program. Alison engaged in a rich dialogue with Beyond Plastics Louisville members about our food safety codes as they apply to reusable containers for food and drink. Learn more about Beyond Plastics Louisville at https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondplasticslouky. Watch a recording of the evening at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SniWcZrwwA The next meeting of Beyond Plastics Louisville will be a dinner gathering on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 at 6pm at Mashup Food Hall in NuLu (750 E Jefferson St.). Join fellow plastic haters at this in-person gathering for dinner, followed by a discussion of the new book, The Problem with Plastic, by Beyond Plastic's founder, Judith Enck. These are some things we learned from our conversation with Alison: • The Food Safety Program oversees 4,600 food facilities in the Louisville metro area, with 17 inspectors and 2 supervisors. Most facilities have two inspections per year. • When restaurant customers dine in, they may bring reusable containers for their leftovers, as long as the restaurant staff do not handle the containers. For other carryouts, the kitchen cannot accept a customer's container. • For coffee shops, the vendor may prepare beverages and transfer into the customer's container, as long as the transfer is contamination free, with no direct contact. Shops, such as Starbucks, may choose whether or not they will allow customers to bring their containers. • Another option (used at some college campuses and in other locales) would be for a food service to provide food in a reusable container that the customer would return to the business or a third party service to be cleaned and sanitized before being reused. • Pam asked if the food safety code addressed possible chemical or microplastic contamination from plastic packaging, containers, or utensils. Alison said the food code standards require that food contact surfaces not allow “migration of deleterious substances' into food. The current code prevents contact with some metals such as lead, copper, or galvanized metal. Regarding concerns about PFAS, Alison said the code specifies that cooking surfaces with Perfluoroalkyl non-stick coatings may not be scratched. • Pam also asked about processes where food is cooked in plastic. These are currently allowed by the code. • Beatriz asked about the process for adopting or changing the KY food code. Who decides which federal code is followed? Alison answered that the KY Dept. for Public Health adopts the code. This department is under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. • Beatriz also asked if the Metro Food Safety Program regulates food trucks. She has noticed that most food trucks seem to use Styrofoam containers. Food trucks are regulated and inspected, but Styrofoam is allowed by the code. • Arnita asked about educational resources for a friend who teaches fifth graders. Pam recommended programs from kNOw Waste Louisville. Both Pam and Shayla recommended the film Microplastic Madness. On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

Forward Radio was proud to be at the 19th Annual Anne Braden Memorial Lecture, entitled “Abolition Feminism and Anti-Racist Praxis” featuring Dr. Beth Richie of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Richie's extensive research examines how race and gender impact experiences of criminalization and justice, and she has long collaborated closely with communities, impacted individuals, and movements, including as a founding member of INCITE!: Women of Color Against Violence. She is Distinguished Professor of Criminology, Law, and Justice and of Black Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, author of “Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America's Prison Nation”; co-editor with teachers from Stateville Prison of “The Long Term: Resisting Life Sentences, Working Toward Freedom”; and co-author with Angela Y. Davis, Gina Dent, and Erica Meiners of “Abolition. Feminism. Now.” This event was held on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 at the University of Louisville's Strickler Hall, Middleton Auditorium. Read more about Dr. Richie's work and the lecture in her interview with the UofL College of Arts and Sciences at https://artsandsciences.louisville.edu/news/scholar-activist-dr-beth-e-richie-share-reflections-freedom-feminism-and-justice-annual-anne On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

The Readman, Truth To Power Hour: See The Child Not The Score by WNHH Community Radio

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about “Generational Shift: An Assessment of Evolving Student Attitudes on College Campuses Towards Israel” that was recorded October 22, 2025 as a virtual event organized by the Oberlin Club of Washington, D.C. Tune in for this conversation with Stephen Zunes (Oberlin College '79), Professor of Politics and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco. Dr. Zunes is in conversation with his former classmate, Clyde Owan (Oberlin College '79) from the Oberlin Club of DC who facilitates the conversation. Few issues have seen such a generational divide in terms of public opinion than Israel/Palestine. Professor Stephen Zunes '79 will assess political changes in the United States and the region, review polling data, and share anecdotes from his experiences at various campuses to explain how student attitudes appear to be evolving on this important and controversial topic, why the issue has been so polarizing, and how the impact has challenged institutions and relations between students. Join us for an informative conversation. Stephen Zunes has been at the University of San Francisco since 1995, teaching courses on the politics of the Middle East and other regions, nonviolence, conflict resolution, U.S. foreign policy, globalization, and the politics of war and peace. A prominent specialist on U.S. Middle East policy, Professor Zunes has presented hundreds of public lectures and conference papers in both the United States and over a dozen foreign countries and has traveled frequently to the Middle East and other conflict regions. He has served as a political analyst for local, national, and international radio and television and as a columnist for several print and online publications, has published hundreds of articles in academic journals, anthologies, and magazines, and has served as a writer and senior analyst for Foreign Policy in Focus, an associate editor for Peace Review, and a contributing editor of Tikkun. At Oberlin, Stephen earned a degree in Government and earned his PhD in Government from Cornell University. Watch a full recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xeaGhzwYM4 On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

What does it really take to challenge the status quo, fight for truth, and defend your values in a system built to silence dissent?For Aaron Siri, attorney and advocate, it began in courtrooms and regulatory filings, standing up for parental rights, informed consent, and transparent systems, even when the odds were stacked against him. Today, he navigates litigation, policy, and public trust in one of the most contentious debates of our time: vaccines.In this episode of Common Denominator, we unpack Aaron's journey from legal underdog to vocal defender of transparency, how he analyzes systems most ignore, and why courage isn't loud, it's consistent.In this episode, you'll learn:- What it looks like when regulatory systems prioritize power over process- Why informed consent and transparency matter more today than ever- The mindset shifts required to challenge conventional wisdom and speak truth to power- How to stay true to your values when pressure to conform is constant- What freedom of speech really means when you're up against the establishmentLike this episode? Leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/commondenominatorLearn more about Aaron Siri: Siri & Glimstad Law Firm: https://www.sirillp.com/aaron-siri/Book: "Vaccines, Amen: The Religion of Vaccines" https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FQ4JMV3M

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a vital community conversation with Chief Glenna J. Wallace of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and Jordan Lubetkin of the National Wildlife Federation on the importance of indigenous perspectives to the restoration of the Ohio River Basin. Glenna Wallace was elected to the office of the Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma in 2006. She is the first woman ever elected to this office. From 1968 to 2006, Chief Glenna worked at Crowder College in a variety of roles and received numerous honors and awards. Throughout the years Chief Glenna has been active in numerous organizations and boards in the community and for the tribe. As Senior Director of Ohio River Restoration at the National Wildlife Federation and Ohio River Basin Alliance Board of Trustees member, Jordan Lubetkin, has decades of experience in communications, public policy, and coordinating geographic restoration initiatives. Having worked on the Healing Our Waters: Great Lakes Coalition, he is very familiar with the success of sustained federal funding to improve water quality, restore ecosystem health, and support local economies through boosting recreation potential and maintaining commerce. In this conversation, Jordan explores the work that's been done by Ohio River watershed stakeholders and partners, including the drafting and release of the Ohio River Basin Restoration and Protection Report by the Ohio River Basin Alliance, the National Wildlife Federation, and the University of Louisville's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. This report, for which Jordan organized and facilitated 31 community listening sessions across the basin and worked with regional tribal chapters to recognize Indigenous stewardship, reaffirm Tribal rights, and forge authentic partnerships to advance Indigenous policy and conservation, makes a case statement to support the need for federal funding in the basin. Chief Glenna J. Wallace, the chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, will join Jordan to discuss their shared goals and the importance of collaboration with Indigenous groups in restoration. This work will help ensure that future investments in the Ohio River basin are guided by community knowledge to address the threats and challenges most important to constituents. After their conversation, the floor was opened for Q&A. This conversation took place on October 18, 2025 at the Ohio River Confluence (https://www.ohioriverway.org/2025-ohio-river-basin-confluence). For the first time, the Ohio River Basin Alliance, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, and the Ohio River Way held a special joint summit in place of their individual annual conferences. This event was co-hosted by the University of Louisville Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, and Thomas More University. The Ohio River Basin Confluence Summit took place October 16-18, 2025, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. The Summit brought together advocates, professionals, and water leaders of all kinds to learn, plan, and build a diverse identity across our important river basin. On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org