Code Switch
What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between. This podcast makes all of us part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story. Code Switch was named Apple Podcasts' first-ever Show of the Year in 2020.Want to level up your Code Switch game? Try Code Switch Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/codeswitch
Latest episodes
Feb 22, 2023 • 35min
Black History's Family Tree
Brett Woodson Bailey grew up knowing he was the descendant of "the father of Black history," Carter G. Woodson. He also grew up with the support and guidance of his "cousin" Craig Woodson, who is white. In this week's Code Switch, what it means when a Black family and a white family share a last name, and how the Black and white Woodsons became family.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Feb 15, 2023 • 43min
The Merengue War
From the dance floors of weddings and bar mitzvahs to the Billboard Hot 100, chances are, you've enjoyed some merengue music – think about the 1998 Puerto Rican hit 'Suavemente,' which topped charts across the globe. But did you know that merengue's path to global fame started in the Dominican Republic, before it made its way to Puerto Rico? In this episode, we hand the mic to our friends at La Brega to unpack the story behind that famous merengue single and how it sums up a complicated and tense history of cultural exchange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Feb 8, 2023 • 35min
Reckoning With The NFL's Rooney Rule
The large majority of NFL players are people of color. The coaches on the sidelines? Not so much. In this episode, we're looking at the NFL's famous diversity plan and what it might tells us about why so many corporate initiatives like it don't work.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Feb 1, 2023 • 35min
Celebrating Lunar New Year In A Time Of Grief
In this week's episode, we dive into the traditions and stories that shape Lunar New Year, and why violence and tragedy in the U.S. on the eve of the holiday cuts deep for celebrants. We also visit Monterey Park, California, and talk to its Asian American residents and neighbors about what the "ethnoburb" means to them beyond the shooting on January 21.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Jan 25, 2023 • 24min
The Original Rainbow Coalition
In this episode we turn to late 1960s Chicago, when three unlikely groups came together to form a coalition based on interracial solidarity. It's hard to imagine this kind of collaboration today, but we dove into how a group of Black radicals, Confederate flag-waving white Southerners, and street-gang-turned-activist Puerto Ricans found common ground.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Jan 18, 2023 • 39min
Bad Bunny, Reggaeton, and Resistance
Bad Bunny, the genre- and gender norm-defying Puerto Rican rapper, is one of the biggest music stars on the planet. He has also provided a global megaphone for Puerto Rican discontent. In this episode, we take a look at how Bad Bunny became the unlikely voice of resistance in Puerto Rico.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Jan 11, 2023 • 27min
Meet Lori Lizarraga—Our Newest Co-host
From the world of local TV news, meet Code Switch's newest co-host, Lori Lizarraga! Before she was born, her mother had the nickname "Lori" ready for her, even though her legal name is Laura. The story behind why starts more than a decade before she was born, when Lori's mom came to the U.S. as a kid and had to make a difficult decision.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Jan 4, 2023 • 32min
Revisiting 'How The Other Half Eats'
How do race and class affect the way we eat? What does it mean to "eat like a white person?" And if food inequality isn't about "food deserts," what is it really about? We're getting into all those questions and more with Priya Fielding-Singh, author of the book, How the Other Half Eats.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Dec 28, 2022 • 30min
How cumbia has shaped music across Latin America
Whether you're from Ushuaia or East Los Angeles, you've likely heard cumbia blaring from a stereo. From our play friends at NPR's Alt.Latino, Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras talk about their common love of the musical backbone of Latin America.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Dec 21, 2022 • 46min
Unlocking family history in 'Before Me'
It wasn't until Lisa Phu had her own child that she started unlocking her mother's history. In her new 5-part series called Before Me, Lisa asks her mother, Lan, the questions she should have asked years ago. Lisa tells us what she learned in getting to know Lan in this way.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
