• What does 'sanctuary' mean to Black immigrants?
    Oct 29 2025

    With executive orders aimed at withholding federal funding from jurisdictions with sanctuary policies and a call from Attorney General, Pam Bondi, for several cities to comply with ICE in civil deportation, Paris Alston speaks with Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune about how these issues impact Black immigrants.

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    24 mins
  • No shade, but why aren't the kids reading?
    Oct 22 2025

    Entering the 2025-2026 school year, Massachusetts, like many states, struggles with dwindling literacy rates among its youth. To better understand the issues happening in and outside the classrooms, Paris invited GrubStreet Black Teaching Fellows, Jonathan Todd and Toni Bee, to unpack their teaching methodologies and experiences working with the underserved youth of the greater Boston area.

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    27 mins
  • First. Fierce. Fearless. NPR’s Race Correspondent Looks Ahead
    Oct 15 2025

    NPR’s first national race-relations correspondent—discussed his retirement and the legacy of a career defined by fearless reporting on race, justice, and inequality. Martin, a multi-award-winning journalist,, shared personal reflections on his journey from Detroit to Boston, the formative experiences that shaped his voice, and his commitment to storytelling.

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    27 mins
  • Joy as Resistance: Embrace Con Salsa & the Power of Celebration
    Oct 8 2025

    In this powerful episode of GBH News Rooted, host Paris Alston sits down with Imari P. Jeffries and José C. Massó III to explore the vibrant spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month and the transformative energy behind the Embrace Con Salsa Festival. Together, they unpack how joy, music, and cultural celebration serve as acts of resistance—especially in communities of color facing systemic challenges like ICE crackdowns. This conversation is a tribute to resilience, heritage, and the power of coming together in defiance and delight.

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    27 mins
  • Black Women's Unemployment: The Real Recession Indicator
    Oct 1 2025

    Black women lose over $1 million in lifetime earnings due to pay disparities and are routinely charged more for everyday goods—just for being who they are. In The Double Tax, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman breaks down this brutal economic reality with sharp analysis and lived insight. She joins Paris Alston on Rooted to unpack the data, the history, and the truth behind why women of color are overcharged and underpaid.

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    27 mins
  • Introducing Rooted
    Sep 24 2025

    You've already got the news, but have you gotten to the root of it? Join Paris Alston weekly on Rooted where she explores topics in Black culture, navigating the news through nuance and politicizing pop culture.

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    1 min
  • Will Black and Brown Voters Turn Out on Super Tuesday as the Presidential Election Cycle Begins?
    Feb 23 2024

    Basic Black discusses the upcoming Super Tuesday primaries/caucuses and the presidential election. While the 2024 election cycle is underway, it is hard to tell. Will voters turn out, given voter fatigue and low enthusiasm? Questions about Biden’s age (Trump’s too), whether Biden can hold on to Black and young voters are a growing concern. Plus, many people believe the presidential candidates have already been decided, so why bother to vote. How can the candidates and political parties energize Black and Brown voters and why voting matters?

    Panelists:

    Renée Graham, Associate Editor, Opinion Columnist, and author of the weekly newsletter, Outtakes, The Boston Globe.

    Diana Hwang, founder and executive director of The Asian American Women’s Political Initiative (AAWPI).

    Phillip Martin, Sr. Investigative Reporter, GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting.

    State Senator Liz Miranda, representing the Massachusetts Senate's 2nd Suffolk district.

    Tanisha Sullivan hosts.

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    43 mins
  • Reparations in Boston and Beyond - What is Owed? A Podcast Produced by GBH News
    Feb 16 2024

    The new GBH News podcast, What is Owed?, a 7-part podcast examines reparations in Boston, nationally and internationally. The first episode, When a City Tries to Heal Itself was recently released.

    Panelists:

    Jerome Campbell, senior producer for the GBH News podcast, "What Is Owed?"

    Saraya Wintersmith, politics reporter for GBH News, and host of the new podcast, "What Is Owed?"

    Kellie Carter Jackson, Chair of the Africana Studies Department at Wellesley College, and author of, "Force and Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence."

    George “Chip” Greenidge, member of the Boston Task Force on Reparations and the Founder and Director of Greatest MINDS.

    Phillip Martin hosts.

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    40 mins