In this episode, "On the Issues" continues its Road to Confirmation series, unpacking Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's historic Supreme Court confirmation hearings, including her seeming walk through fire. We examine the hearings, including Judge Jackson's judicial temperament, judicial and legal experience, as well as conduct of the Senate Judiciary Committee. How did a process meant to be rigorous, but respectful and fair turn into days of badgering, bullying, and a litmus test on religion? We also probe what happens next.Joining us for this timely discussion are very special guests.Syovata Edari is a criminal defense attorney, former state and federal public defender, and international award-winning chocolatier. Ms. Edari is recognized as a leading voice and advocate in the U.S. criminal justice system, both in the public and private sectors.Danielle Holley-Walker is the Dean and a professor of law of Howard Law School, and a former clerk for Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart on the 5th Circuit. Her research focuses on the governance of public schools, and diversity in the legal profession.Zinelle October is the executive vice president of the American Constitution Society, the country’s foremost progressive legal organization.Steve Vladeck is a nationally recognized expert on the federal courts, constitutional law, national security law, and military justice and the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law. Vladeck has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court and the lower federal courts. He is also the co-host of the award-winning National Security Law Podcast.Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

President Biden has announced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the nominee to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer on the United States Supreme Court.  Who is she?  What’s her background? And why is she one of the most qualified and prepared nominees that this process has seen in nearly a century? In this episode, we unpack Judge Jackson’s qualifications and examine what’s next in the process.   This episode is the second installment of our Road to Confirmation series. “On the Issues” will be taking you through each step of the confirmation process as it happens in real time, with commentary and analysis from experts.   Helping us to answer these questions and more is a very special guest.   Danielle Holley-Walker is the dean and a professor of law of Howard Law School, and a former clerk for Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart on the 5th Circuit. Her research focuses on the governance of public schools, and diversity in the legal profession. In this episode we also hear from an "On the Issues" regular guestSteve Vladeck is a nationally recognized expert on the federal courts, constitutional law, national security law, and military justice and the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law. Vladeck has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court and the lower federal courts. He is also the co-host of the award-winning National Security Law Podcast. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we kick off our Road to Confirmation series. “On the Issues” will be following the nomination and confirmation process of President Biden’s nominee to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. The Road to Confirmation series will take you through each step of the confirmation process as it happens in real time, with commentary and analysis from experts.   We launch the series with this robust discussion about what Justice Breyer’s retirement means for the Supreme Court.  And, we dig deep on President Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman on the Supreme Court.  Who are the most likely candidates?  What credentials and experience would they bring to the role? What distinguishes the speculated short-list candidates from each other? If confirmed would a Biden nominee have power to influence the Supreme Court?    Joining us to tackle these questions and more are very special guests:Zinelle October, executive vice president of the American Constitution Society, the country’s foremost progressive legal organization. Franita Tolson, vice dean for faculty and academic affairs, and professor of law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She is a nationally recognized expert in election law, and has testified before congress on voting rights issues, and has written for or appeared as a commentator for outlets including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and more.  Steve Vladeck. a nationally recognized expert on the federal courts, constitutional law, national security law and military justice and the Charles Alan Wright chair in federal courts at the University of Texas School of Law. Vladeck has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court and the lower federal courts. He is also the co-host of the award-winning National Security Law Podcast. Danielle Holley-Walker, dean and a professor of law of Howard Law School, and a former clerk for Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her research focuses on the governance of public schools, and diversity in the legal profession. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

 In this episode, we’re delving into the fight for a $15 minimum wage. Even before COVID, Americans in all 50 states were facing severe economic struggles, making it difficult to afford rent, mortgage, childcare and basic needs. The pandemic has made economic disparity exponentially worse. Admittedly, then, it may be hard to understand why discussion of minimum wage is controversial at all.  So why is a livable minimum wage so important to feminists and labor organizers everywhere? And how can a living wage boost the U.S. economy?  Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight is our very special guest:Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents over 2 million members throughout the United States and Canada. She is the first woman to lead the union, and was named one of TIME magazine’s most influential people of the year in 2020. She’s also helped spearhead the Fight for $15 movement, which is advocating for a livable wage for workers internationally in hundreds of cities. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media.   Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.  Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com.Support the show

Saturday, Jan. 22, 2021, marks the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. But it may very well be its last. In a few short months we face the likelihood the Supreme Court will overturn Roe. Already, 2021 was the worst year for abortion rights in almost half a century. And in Texas, abortion has already been virtually outlawed.In 1972, Ms. ran a bold petition in which well-known U.S. women declared they had undergone abortions—despite laws rendering the procedure illegal. We know it is time again.  (To add your name to the petition for safe, legal and accessible abortion and birth control, go to MsMagazine.com)In this episode, we discuss the relaunch of the iconic “We Have Had Abortions” petition, the history of the evolution of abortion access in the U.S. and the future of abortion rights in a possible post-Roe world.Joining us for this episode is a friend to Ms. and a signatory to the petition:Amy Brenneman, an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor and producer best known for her extensive television work in shows like NYPD Blue, Frasier, Private Practice, The Leftovers, and Judging Amy, which she co-created and starred in. She has also starred in various films, including Heat (1995), Fear (1996), Daylight (1996), Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000), Nine Lives (2005) and The Jane Austen Book Club (2007). She is the founding member of the Cornerstone Theater Company which specializes in site-specific original theater productions centered on the themes of social justice.  She is a longtime advocate for various social justice causes and organizations including: The Feminist Majority Foundation, NARAL and The Brady Center for Gun Control. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we’re bidding farewell to 2021 and hello to 2022 with our annual year in review episode!  It’s been just over a year since armed insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an effort to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential win. In the year since, what have we learned about the attack, and what it says about the current state of American democracy?  It’s also been a year of public health crises, political crises, and more—and we’re going to be breaking it all down.   Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight are very special guests:Joan Biskupic, lawyer and journalist. Currently, she serves as a Supreme Court analyst with CNN. Biskupic has covered the Supreme Court for 25 years and is the author of several books on the judiciary and justices of the Supreme Court, including The Chief: The Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John Roberts. She’s previously worked for Reuters, the Washington Post and USA Today. Senator Russ Feingold is the president of the American Constitution Society. He served in the U.S. Senate as an elected member from Wisconsin from 1993 to 2011. Prior to that, he served as a state senator. Feingold is also the author of While America Sleeps: A Wake-Up Call for the Post-9/11 Era, and contributes regularly to various publications, appearing frequently on MSNBC and CNN. Dahlia Lithwick, lawyer, writer and journalist. She is a contributing editor at Newsweek and a senior editor at Slate. Lithwick hosts the popular podcast “Amicus.”Dr. George Woods, MD, president of the International Academy of Law and Mental Health. Woods also teaches on the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley Law School. His practice focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders, cognitive impairments secondary to neuropsychiatric disorders, traumatic brain injury, ethnopsychopharmacology and workplace safety. In addition to his clinical practice, Woods consults around the world with legal teams dealing with complex criminal and civil litigation.   Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we are on the ground after the oral arguments in one of the most important Supreme Court cases of a generation. On December 1, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—a case that some believe could overturn Roe v. Wade. The case involves a Mississippi abortion provision, banning most abortions after 15 weeks, with no exceptions for rape or incest. So, what’s at stake in Dobbs—both in terms of abortion rights, and in terms of the Supreme Court’s legitimacy?    Joining me to address these issues and more are a group of special guests:  Hillary Schneller: Hillary Schneller is a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, and is co-lead counsel (along with Julie Rikelman) in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which the Supreme Court heard earlier this month.   Brigitte Amiri: Brigitte Amiri is deputy director of the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project and expert in reproductive rights law.   Aziza Ahmed: Aziza Ahmed is a professor of law at the University of California, Irvine. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Feminism’s Medicine: Law, Science, and Social Movements in the AIDS Response, to be published by Cambridge University Press.   Renee Bracey Sherman: Renee Bracey Sherman is an activist, writer and reproductive justice activist, focusing on the visibility and representation of people who have abortions in media and pop culture. She is the founder and executive director of We Testify, an organization dedicated to the leadership and representation of people who have abortions.  Shannon Brewer: Shannon Brewer is the clinic director at Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi. She has worked at the clinic for 20 years.   Special thanks to the contributing journalist Anoa Changa for interview work on this episode. Support the show

In this episode, we’re talking about a uniquely American form of terrorism — violence at the abortion clinic. Our episode comes as Americans grapple with the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse on five counts in the wake of his killing two protestors and injuring a third last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  Meanwhile in Georgia, the fate of three men caught on camera killing Ahmaud Arbery has yet to be decided.  Many are concerned about whether there is a two-tiered system of justice in the United States.  We turn to the often overlooked violence at abortion clinics.  As the December oral arguments date for Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case fast approaches, all eyes are on the Supreme Court. But we’re wondering — what’s happening at the on the ground, at clinics that provide abortions and reproductive health services where persistent, even daily violence against patients and providers goes overlooked and under-addressed?    Joining us to sort out these important matters are three special guests. Diane Derzis is a reproductive rights activist and the owner of Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the clinic at the center of the case that will be heard at SCOTUS in December, and the only remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi. She is also the owner of several other clinics in the south.Dr. Monica McLemore is a professor of nursing at the University of California, San Francisco, where she is also the co-director of the Abortion Care Training Incubator for Outstanding Nurse Scholars. Her research at the intersection of nursing and public health and policy delves into abortion, birth, human sexuality and more from a reproductive justice lens. Frances Kissling is an activist in the fields of religion, reproduction, and women's rights. She is currently the President of the Center for Health, Ethics and Social Policy, and was President of Catholics for Choice from 1982 until 2007. She is a visiting professor at the Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas at UNAM, Mexico City. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

In this episode, we take our program to the community: We are on the ground with the American Constitution Society (ACS) for a show with Colorado state Representative Leslie Herod and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford. Along with host Michele Goodwin, Herod and Ford discuss being Black in public office: namely, how they deal with the challenges and demands while staying true to themselves. (This program is the final in a four-part series elevating Black lives in the wake of the tragic deaths of Ahmaud Arbery,  Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.)     Joining us are very special guests: Attorney General Aaron D. Ford, Nevada’s 34th attorney general, who took office on January 7, 2019, making him the first African American to hold statewide constitutional office in Nevada. A former state senator, Ford previously served as both the majority leader and minority leader in the Nevada Legislature.  He started his career of public service as a public school math teacher, shaping hundreds of lives. Colorado state Representative Leslie Herod was elected in 2016 as the first LGBTQ African American in the General Assembly, while receiving the highest number of votes of any candidate running in a contested election. She serves as the chair of the House Finance Committee, vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee and Chair of the Committee on Legal Services. Herod also chairs the Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show

It’s been just over a year since Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. We reckon with recent revelations and ask the important questions: How did her death shape the current fight around abortion rights and other issues? Should she have retired? And what comes next at the Supreme Court?  Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight is special guest:Irin Carmon, senior correspondent at New York Magazine and the co-author of Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Rate and review “On the Issues with Michele Goodwin" to let us know what you think of the show! Let’s show the power of independent feminist media. Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Tips, suggestions, pitches? Get in touch with us at ontheissues@msmagazine.com. Support the show