Dr. Romie Mushtaq, a physician and chief wellness officer, discusses the struggles of Type-A individuals with 'busy brain,' a syndrome linked to chronic stress. She shares insights on how stress impacts mental and physical health and offers strategies to manage modern distractions. Dr. Mushtaq highlights the hidden dangers of consuming caffeine with high glycemic carbs and stresses the importance of vitamin D3 for mental wellness. Her practical advice aims to help listeners regain focus, tame anxiety, and improve sleep.

Real progress on racism and other social issues requires the imagination to think beyond our current approach. Ruha Benjamin is a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, where she is the founding director of the Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we are failing at imagining a better world and how thinking big is the path to unlocking good. Her book is “Imagination: A Manifesto.”

Ruth Reichl, an award-winning food writer and novelist, shares her journey from culinary journalism to fiction with a focus on her latest novel set in Paris. She discusses Stella, a young woman's transformative trip that leads to self-discovery amidst the backdrop of 1980s Parisian culture. Themes of identity, family, and the sensory joys of food are woven throughout, as Reichl reflects on her experiences as a food critic and the need to reassess America's food systems. The conversation celebrates creativity and the art of cooking as essential to life's pleasures.

For generations of Black Americans, when times were tough – or when it was time to celebrate – gospel music provided the soundtrack. Shayla Harris is director and producer of a new PBS documentary series called “Gospel,” and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the legacy of this American art form, from its birth in churches to its rise to the mainstream.

Being a “third culture” kid—someone pulled between their immigrant parents and U.S. culture—can take a mental toll. Sahaj Kaur Kohli is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy, a mental health and wellness community organization for adult children of immigrants, and an advice columnist for the Washington Post. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why seeking out therapy is really difficult for the children of immigrants—from finding someone aware of cultural nuances, to understanding why sometimes family isn’t supportive. Her book is “But What Will People Say?: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures.”

For comedian Hari Kondabolu, becoming a father changed how he accesses pure joy. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how becoming a parent has shifted his worldview, how he sees roles for Indian Americans changing in Hollywood and how making a live audience laugh helps him process his new philosophies. His most recent comedy special available for streaming is “Vacation Baby.”

President-elect Trump has promised mass deportations starting day one of his second term; how far will he really be able to take it? Edward Alden is a columnist at Foreign Policy, the Ross distinguished visiting professor at Western Washington University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss this unprecedented effort to expel undocumented immigrants, how Trump might utilize the military, how the economy might be impacted and how this might shape immigration policy going forward. His article is “The Great Deportation of 2025.”

One surprise from the presidential election is that a voter’s class, not race, was a greater factor in which box was ticked in the voting booth. Wall Street Journal economics reporter Jeanne Whalen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why Democrats are reeling from being labeled the party of “elites” when they could always count on communities of color for votes in the past, how Republicans have capitalized on economic concerns, and what this means for race relations moving forward. Her article is “The New Driving Force of Identity Politics Is Class, Not Race.”

Simon Rabinovitch, U.S. economics editor for The Economist, dives into the bold proposal by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to slash $2 trillion from the federal budget. He explores the complexities of achieving such sweeping reforms and the necessity of bipartisan support. The discussion reveals the impact of rising interest rates on federal debt management, the need for IRS modernization, and strategies to navigate budget cuts. Rabinovitch emphasizes that real change requires careful planning and incremental approaches rather than drastic eliminations.

Despite some progress, Black Americans continue to have worse health outcomes than other racial groups. KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we’re failing to close the health gap – especially for rural, low-income African Americans – and why access to quality care is sometimes blocked by the states. Her article, written with Fred Clasen-Kelly, is “Black Americans Still Suffer Worse Health. Here’s Why There’s So Little Progress.”