Making Contact

Frequencies of Change Media
undefined
Sep 10, 2025 • 29min

Miami's Battle Over Bilingual

This week, we're sharing a guest episode from our friends at Project Pulso: Miami's Battle Over Bilingualism. The path for Miami to get as bilingual as it is today has been hard. Deep discrimination and mass resistance were what it took to get here. Today’s episode is about a decades-long power struggle between those who embraced diversity and those who fought to repress it. Produced in July 2024. Featuring: Dr. Paul George, Eduardo Padron, Gregory Samms Making Contact Team - Episode Host: Jessica Partnow - Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang - Executive Director: Jina Chung - Engineer: Jeff Emtman - Digital Marketing Manager: Lissa Deonarain Pulso/In Confianza Podcast Team - Host: Liz Rebecca Alarcón - Producer, engineering, scoring, mixing: Charlie Garcia - Editor: Mark Pagán Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
undefined
Sep 3, 2025 • 29min

Black Panthers in Algeria (Encore)

This story is brought to us by the podcast Kerning Cultures. “Black Panthers in Algeria" tells the story of  Elaine Mokhtefi as she landed in newly independent Algeria in the early 1960s and found herself at the center of a special period in the country’s history when it was known as the “Mecca of revolution.” Elaine encountered world famous radicals, ragtag political parties, spies and military leaders – and became an unlikely sidekick to one of the most iconic liberation groups of our time. This episode first aired on Making Contact in September 2024 and Kerning Cultures in April 2023. Featuring Elaine Mokhtefi Natalia Bin Khaled Vince Justin Gifford Eldridge Cleaver Making Contact Credits Episode host: Anita Johnson Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: [Jeff Emtman](https://jeffemtman.com/) Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain  Kerning Cultures Credits Produced by Deena Sabry and Alex Atack Edited by Dana Ballout Fact checking by Eman Alsharif Sound design by Mohamad Khreizat, Paul Alouf and Alex Atack Our team also includes Zeina Dowidar, Nadeen Shaker and Finbar Anderson Learn More Algiers: Third World Capital | Revolution or Death: The Life of Eldridge Cleaver | Kerning Cultures  
undefined
Aug 27, 2025 • 29min

Beyond the Glass Wall

The Department of Homeland Security, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was created in the aftermath of 9/11. To contextualize what's happening with immigration today under Trump 2.0, we bring you one person’s story of being caught in the anti-Muslim fervor post-9/11 and how she became an organizer advocating for the immigrants’ rights. We'll also hear what her story teaches us about avoiding burnout in doing social justice work. This story comes to us by way of Re:Work from the UCLA Labor Center. Featuring: Ainee Athar, immigrant rights and climate justice Making Contact Team Episode host and producer: Lucy Kang Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain Music:  "Documentary Piano Ambient" by BoDleasons via Pixabay Re:Work Episode "Beyond the Glass Wall" Credits: Hosted by Veena Hampapur and George Chacon Produced by Veena Hampapur, George Chacon, and Saba Waheed Sound design and editing by Veena Hampapur Mixing by Aaron Dalton Learn More:  Re:Work from the UCLA Labor Center | FOC Media Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
undefined
Aug 20, 2025 • 29min

Culture & Spirituality As Substance Use Treatment in Indigenous Communities (Encore)

In the late 1990s, psychologist Dr. Joseph Gone, a professor and member of the Aaniiih Gros Ventre tribe, returned home during his doctoral training to the Fort Belknap Reservation in north central Montana. There, he set aside Eurocentric concepts of psychology he was learning in school and instead asked tribal members how mental illness is addressed using traditional Indigenous practices. What he learned changed the trajectory of his career. Listen to find out how he helped bring precolonial cultural and spiritual practices into substance use disorder treatment in contemporary Indigenous settings. This show first aired in July 2024. Featuring: Dr. Joseph Gone, psychologist and interdisciplinary social scientist at Harvard University and member of the Aaniiih-Gros Ventre Tribal Nation of Montana Credits: Making Contact Team: Episode Host: Amy Gastelum Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Editor: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong Engineer: Jeff Emtman  Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain Music credits: Songs: The Horses are Coming, The Gift, Song of Honor Album: The Return of the Buffalo Horses Artists: Darrell Norman and Ramon Kramer Learn More:  **Learn More:** Dr. Joseph Gone American Indian Health and Family Services, Detroit, MI Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
undefined
Aug 13, 2025 • 29min

Crosswinds: Change

On this week’s show, we’ll continue with the podcast mini-series Crosswinds from the University of Virginia’s Repair Lab and producer Adrian Wood. The show looks at the impact of coal dust pollution on Black neighborhoods in Virginia through the lens of environmental racism. In this episode, we'll listen to how the looming gentrification of one community might impact the pollution. Featuring: Lathaniel Kirts, practitioner-in-residence at University of Virginia's Repair Lab Mark'eta Kirts, resident Lawrence Turner, resident Donquitta Clements, founder and executive director of Break the Cycle Sheila McAllister, Director of City Planning for the City of Newport News Yugonda Sample-Jones, founder and president of EmPower All Millie Taylor, resident Making Contact Team: Episode host and producer: Lucy Kang Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: [Jeff Emtman](http://www.jeffemtman.com/)  Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain Music Credit: "That Documentaries" by The\_Mountain via Pixabay Crosswinds Episode 2: Change Credits Hosted, written, produced, mixed and mastered by Adrian Wood Editing by Oluwakemi Aladesuyi of Rough Cut Collective  Scoring by Torrin Purkett and Adrian Wood Produced through the Repair Lab at the University of Virginia Learn More:  Making Contact homepage | Coal Dust Kills | The Repair Lab Listen to the entire _Crosswinds_ series: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
undefined
Aug 6, 2025 • 29min

Crosswinds: Friendship

We take a deep dive into coal dust air pollution in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, where trains transporting coal expose residents of predominantly Black communities to harmful dust. We look at this issue of environmental racism with the help of the podcast Crosswinds, featuring producer Adrian Wood. Featuring: Lathaniel Kirts, practitioner-in-residence at University of Virginia's Repair Lab Malcolm Jones, practitioner-in-residence at University of Virginia's Repair Lab Grace Holmes, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality  Dr. Kim Fields, environmental policy expert at the University of Virginia and assistant professor in African American Studies Michael Mines, community leader in Newport News with Flow Church and Peninsula Baptist Association Carl Poole, advocate with New Virginia Majority Making Contact Team: Episode host and producer: Lucy Kang Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain Music Credit: "That Documentaries" by The\_Mountain Pixabay Credits - Crosswinds Ep. 1: Friendship: Hosted, written, produced, mixed and mastered by Adrian Wood Editing by Oluwakemi Aladesuyi of Rough Cut Collective Scoring by Torrin Purkett and Adrian Wood Produced through the Repair Lab at the University of Virginia Learn More:  Making Contact homepage | Coal Dust Kills | The Repair Lab Listen to the entire Crosswinds series:  Spotify |  Apple Podcasts    
undefined
Jul 30, 2025 • 29min

Geraldine’s Story: How Public Schools Are Failing Black Students with Dyslexia (Encore)

Black students with dyslexia all too often carry a heavy burden in our public schools. This documentary centers around a grandmother who fought for years to get her grandkids — particularly her grandson — properly assessed for dyslexia. Like too many African American boys, Geraldine Robinson’s grandson had been erroneously labeled with an “intellectual disability” and deprived of proper reading remediation. Monica Lopez hosts this episode, which first aired in 2021. Featuring: Geraldine Robinson, Oakland matriarch raising her grandkids Cheryl Theis, Education Advocate, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund Megan Potente, Educational Therapist and Co-State Director, Decoding Dyslexia CA Kareem Weaver, Oakland NAACP Education Committee Episode Credits: Reporter/Producer: Lee Romney Editor: Monica Lopez and Lisa Morehouse Engineer: James Rowlands Making Contact Team: Episode Host: Monica Lopez Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonorain Learn More: International Dyslexia Association Decoding Dyslexia California Dyslexia Guidelines Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
undefined
Jul 23, 2025 • 29min

70 Million: Why Policing Our Schools Backfires (Encore)

School resource officers are often called upon in middle and high schools to help with routine discipline. But for many children, especially those with disabilities, a law enforcement response to their behavior can lead to the school-to-prison pipeline. This week on Making Contact, we hear a story from our podcast partner 70 Million about the relationship between students with special needs and school resource officers and the changes some would like to see in an edited version of “Why Policing Our Schools Backfires.” 70 Million Team Episode Reporter: Claire McInerney Editor: Monica Lopez and Juleyka Lantigua Host: Mitzi Miller Sound Designer: Erica Huang Photo Editor: Michelle Baker Staff Writer and Designer: Kori Doran Lead Fact Checker: Kate Gallagher Lead Producer: Pamela Kirkland Episode Photographer: Zerb Mellish & Michael Minasi Creator/Executive Producer: Juleyka Lantigua Making Contact Team: Host: Anita Johnson Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
undefined
Jul 16, 2025 • 29min

Disability: Our Culture Ourselves (Encore)

In this episode we discuss disability, culture and identity from the perspective of disability communities themselves.   Seattle based activist Dorian Taylor talks about the specific challenges disabled people face while accessing public transportation and Professor Sara Acevedo discusses the powerful ways that common language and terminology can shape our perceptions of disability, and why even today we are seeing further exclusion of disabled people. This program originally aired in 2019. Featuring: Dorian Taylor, Sara Acevedo. Episode Credits Special thanks to CIIS, the California Institute of Integral Studies and the CIIS Public Programs Podcast for use of the Sara Acevedo talk. To learn more about the CIIS Public Programs Podcast log onto https://www.ciispod.com/. The story of Dorian Taylor was produced by Yuko Kodama and Mona Yeh in partnership with KBCS and Finding America, a national initiative produced by AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio Incorporated. Financial support was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Wincote Foundation, The John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Making Contact Team Host: Anita Johnson Executive Director: Jina Chung Engineer: Jeff Emtman Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain   Learn More:  CIISPod | Sara Acevedo | Hampshire-Dorian Taylor | Krip Hop Nation | Fixed The Movie Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.
undefined
Jul 9, 2025 • 29min

Caring Relationships Negotiating Meaning Maintaining Dignity (Encore)

The vast majority of care recipients are exclusively receiving unpaid care from a family member, friend, or neighbor. The rest receive a combination of family care and paid assistance, or exclusively paid formal care. Whether you’re a paid home care provider, or rely on personal assistance to meet your daily needs, or a family member caring for a loved one, the nature of the working relationship depends on mutual respect and dignity. In honor of Disability Pride Month, we’ll revisit the dynamic and complex relationship of care receiving and giving. Camille Christian, home care provider and SEIU member Brenda Jackson, home care provider and SEIU member Patty Berne, co-founder and director, Sins Invalid Jessica Lehman, executive director, San Francisco Senior and Disability Action Kenzi Robi, president, San Francisco IHSS (In Home Supportive Services) Public Authority Governing Body Rachel Stewart, queer disabled woman passionate about disability and employment issues Alana Theriault, disability benefits counselor in Berkeley, California Ingrid Tischer, director of development, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) Alta Mae Stevens, in-home caregiver Episode Credits: Host: Laura Flynn and Anita Johnson Contributing Producers: Alice Wong and Stephanie Guyer-Stevens Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang Executive Director: Jina Chung Editor: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong Engineer: Jeff Emtman  Digital Media Marketing: Lissa Deonarain Music: Dexter Britain: The Time To Run (Finale) Gillicuddy: Adventure, Darling Steve Combs: March Jason Shaw: Running Waters Jared C. Balogh: BRICK BY BRICK DAY BY DAY | INCREMENTS TOWARDS SERENITY Nheap: Crossings Cherly KaCherly: The Hungry Garden Trio Metrik: Vogelperspektive Kevin MacLeod: Faster Does It Learn More:  UCSF: UCSF Study Projects Need for 2.5M More Long-Term Care Workers by 2030 SEIU: Longterm Care Worker Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund Disability Visibility Project Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network National Disability Leadership Alliance Senior and Disability Action Sins Invalid San Francisco In Home Supportive Services Public Authority Family Caregiver Alliance Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app