What A Day

Latest Episodes:

Visas Banned in DC Jun 23, 2020

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Trump signed a new executive order yesterday temporarily barring new foreign workers from coming to the US until the end of the year. The tech industry has warned that this order hinders their ability to recruit top talent.

In Minneapolis, a city council pledge to dismantle the police department could be harder to implement than expected. And one county jail is facing criticism for allegedly blocking non-white correctional officers from guarding former police officer Derek Chauvin.

And in headlines: CARES Act stimulus checks prevented poverty, four authors quit JK Rowling’s agency, and the FDA advises against nine brands of hand sanitizer.

To The Left, To The Left Jun 22, 2020

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New York, Virginia, and Kentucky have primaries on Tuesday. We speak with two progressive candidates for congress: Jamaal Bowman, who’s running against incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel for New York’s 16th congressional district, and Charles Booker, who’s running against Amy McGrath, for senate in Kentucky.

COVID-19 is still happening in the US, whether government officials recognize it or not. New daily cases have hit record highs in 12 states, with about 30,000 new daily cases countrywide.

And in headlines: an 18-year-old security guard is killed by police in Los Angeles, Bill Barr tries to fire someone quietly and fails, and a new name for Columbus, Ohio.

Head to crooked.com/podcast/to-the-left-to-the-left/ to read a transcript of our full interview with Jamaal Bowman.

DREAM On Jun 19, 2020

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The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can’ t immediately end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, because his administration’s reasons for ending it are not sufficient. We explain what comes next.

Today is Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. We discuss the day’s significance and why this year’s Juneteenth feels different than others.

And in headlines: Seattle’s largest labor group votes to expel the police union, California’s mask law, and a high-tech new ring for the NBA.

The Amazing Trace Jun 18, 2020

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COVID-19 cases have plateaued in the US at around 20,000 a day as some states are seeing outbreaks grow. That hasn’t stopped Texas governor Greg Abbot from enforcing his executive order that bans cities from making face coverings mandatory.

The police officer who killed Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, Georgia is now facing 11 charges including felony murder.

Contact tracers are working around the country to cut off chains of coronavirus transmission. We interview one of them, Alexander Miamen, about what a typical day is like for him and how he speaks to his community’s needs.

And in headlines: a price-fixing tuna CEO is going to prison, genetically modified mosquitos in Florida, and why you don’t need to buy John Bolton’s book.

Disqualified Immunity with Rep. Ayanna Pressley Jun 17, 2020

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Trump signed a fairly inconsequential executive order yesterday that is supposed to incentivize police departments to adopt reforms. Across the country, local officials are continuing to respond to protests against police brutality and systemic racism—some making more impactful moves than others.

We interview Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley about federal legislation on policing, and why ending qualified immunity is a central goal.

And in headlines: violent clashes along China and India’s border, the Black Lives Matter Foundation versus Black Lives Matter, and an aggressive cyberstalking campaign from eBay.

Pride And Joy Jun 16, 2020

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Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination in a 6-3 ruling. This is the first major case involving transgender rights, and it comes from a decidedly conservative court. We get into what it means, and how we got here.

Plus, the latest on coronavirus, where cases are on the rise and how states and business are reacting.

And in headlines: BLM protestor Oluwatoyin Salau found dead in Florida, hummingbirds see secret colors, and Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ delayed at movie theaters.

Akilah & Gideon’s book recommendations:

Obviously: Stories From My Timeline by Akilah Hughes

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby

Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin

Patsy by Nicole Dennis-benn

Where to buy:

The Lit Bar: thelitbar.com

Black-owned independent bookstores: lithub.com/you-can-order-today-from-these-black-owned-independent-bookstores/

Black Trans Lives Matter Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by a white officer in Atlanta this weekend, in another horrific instance of police violence. Atlanta’s police chief subsequently announced she would step down and the officer who shot Brooks was fired.

Tens of thousands of people protested violence against Black trans people this weekend in cities across America. These protests came just as the Trump administration moved to revoke discrimination protections for trans people in health care and health insurance.

And in headlines: an update on COVID-19 in the US and around the world, African nations call on the UN to address racism and police brutality, and FKA Lady Antebellum just can’t get it right.

Follow and donate to groups working to protect black trans people:

The Okra Project pays Black trans chefs to go into the homes of Black trans people to cook them a healthy and home-cooked meal: theokraproject.com

Black and Pink is an LGBTQ prison abolitionist organization working to support LGBTQ and HIV positive prisoners: blackandpink.org

The Marsha P. Johnson Institute protects and defends the human rights of Black trans people through organizing and advocacy: marshap.org

Find more: actblue.com/donate/black_led_lgbtq

Support our sponsors:

60 in 6 available on Quibi: link.quibi.com/60in6

CHAZ Good As It Gets Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

Police in Seattle abandoned their East Precinct building and ceded about six blocks of the city to protestors, who have now set up the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone or CHAZ. Some conservatives are comparing that area to “Lord of the Flies,” while those on the ground say it’s more like orientation week at Evergreen State College.

Another 1.5 million workers filed for unemployment last week. Trump plans to hold rallies again starting next Friday, building up to a packed RNC speech that’s now officially set for Jacksonville.

And in headlines: a giant fuel spill in Siberia, a new police unit in Hong Kong, and Twitter wants you to read.

Plus, Erin Ryan fills in for Akilah Hughes. Listen to her podcast! http://apple.co/hysteria

More Police Money, More Police Problems Jun 11, 2020

Show notes

More than a third of states are seeing increases in Covid-19 cases in the last week. It’s hard to draw conclusions about what’s behind that trend—among states that reopened early, some are seeing cases plateau, while others are seeing cases ramp up.

Plus, journalist and lawyer Josie Duffy Rice fills in for Akilah Hughes. We discuss the culture of policing in this country and how shifting money from law enforcement to social services could cut down on the need for law enforcement.

And in headlines: Amazon won’t let police use its facial recognition for one year, racist statues and monuments keep coming down nationwide, and the pandemic’s effects on king coffee chain Starbucks.

Check out Josie's work at The Appeal: theappeal.org

Listen to Josie's podcast: theappeal.org/topics/justice-in-america/

Georgia In My Line Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

Georgia held its primary yesterday, and in a state where officials have been accused of voter suppression, the elections were rife with issues. Polling stations saw hours-long lines that invariably led some voters to give up.

Raquel Willis, writer and trans activist, fills in for Akilah Hughes. We discuss how we can better support black queer and trans leadership in this moment.

And in headlines: Brazil’s Supreme Court orders Bolsonaro to stop hoarding COVID data, an art dealer’s buried treasure, and the legal battle for a radio in the Titanic.

Find more of Raquel's work: raquelwillis.com

Support these Black-led LGBTQ+ organizations: actblue.com/donate/black_led_lgbtq