121. Prison Ecology: Live with David Pellow (1:00:00)

Date:
2020-09-03
Main contributors:
Pellow, David, Shanahan, James, Miles, Emily
Summary:
This summer, people in United States and beyond took to the streets to demand racial justice. One of the loudest calls was to defund and abolish the police, but not just the police. Abolitionists have long worked to dismantle the broader U.S. carceral state, which imprisons more people than any other nation. "Abolition has to be 'green.'" Ruth Wilson Gilmore told Chenjerai Kumanyika for the Intercepted podcast. "It has to take seriously the problem of environmental harm, environmental racism, and environmental degradation." In the first episode of our prison ecology series, we go live with critical environmental justice researcher David Pellow to discuss the intersection of mass incarceration and environmental justice.

122. Building resilience through parks (37:16)

Date:
2020-03-23
Main contributors:
Jarzen, Joe, Olson, Ethan, Reynolds, Heather, Balsley, Tom, Ogata, Irene, Sawatsky-Kingsley, Aaron, Miles, Emily, Shanahan, James
Summary:
When we learned about the storm-resilient Hunter's Point South Park, we immediately took interest in the resilience potential of urban public space. Then came the questions. How can we manage public space to work in line with local ecology and protect residents from the effects of climate change, all while respecting neighborhood identity and keeping that space truly public? In this two-part series, we look for answers. In this series: Joe Jarzen, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful vice president of program strategy Ethan Olson, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful director of native landscapes Heather Reynolds, Indiana University biology professor and ecologist Tom Balsley, SWA/Balsley landscape architect Irene Ogata, Tucson Water urban landscape manager Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, Goshen city forester and director of environmental resilience

123. Air Check: Elections, ghost towns, and refuges (16:42)

Date:
2020-11-03
Main contributors:
Miles, Emily, Shanahan, James
Summary:
We voted, and we hope you did, too! On this election night Air Check, we only prognosticate a little bit. We otherwise discuss climate ghost towns, climate refuges or "havens," and the columns on Emily's future home spreadsheet.

124. Educating (virtually) for Environmental Change (39:53)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Milks, Kirstin, Scribner, Adam, Hamburger, Michael, Speaks, LaStelshia, Boileau, Catherine, Shanahan, James, Miles, Emily
Summary:
In this bonus episode, we talk with organizers and participants from the award-winning Educating for Environmental Change program. Kirstin Milks, Adam Scribner, Michael Hamburger, LaStelshia Speaks, and Catherine Boileau explain how they've adapted their practices for the challenges we face today.

125. What's Next: Live (59:05)

Date:
2020-11-06
Main contributors:
Meyer, Robinson, Funes, Yessenia, Wray, Britt, Noor, Dharna, Sampathkumar,Mythili, Shanahan, James, Miles, Emily
Summary:
In the first episode of our post-election series, we go live with Robinson Meyer of The Atlantic, Yessenia Funes of Atmos Magazine, Britt Wray of Gen Dread, Dharna Noor of Earther, and independent reporter/consultant Mythili Sampathkumar to discuss the environmental news you need to watch (and how to cope with the associated anxiety) as we move forward.

126. Interview with Oliver Thompson, Boise, Idaho (06:16)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Oliver Thompson
Summary:
Oliver Thompson (Boise, Idaho) Oliver Thompson started playing classical violin as a kid and progressed to bluegrass, blues and rock, and finally jazz when he earned a B.A. in Music from San Jose State University. While studying East Indian music in the San Francisco Bay Area, he started to develop his interests in world music styles. He has recorded with several artists including Bob Culbertson, Mondo Raga Samba, Amuma Says No, and Steve Fulton. Oliver currently plays with Serenata Orchestra and the Basque group Kalimotxo Cowboys. In addition, he performs and records with the Moody Jews of Boise, a band that favors a high-energy klezmer (Eastern European), Jewish-American jazz, and Sephardic (Middle Eastern and Spanish) and Israeli tunes. Audience favorites at events like Deli Days: Idaho’s Jewish Festival, World Village Festival, and Hyde Park Street Fair, the Moody Jews of Boise have entertained and educated listeners about the multi-faceted world of Jewish Music. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/09/2020.

127. How Much Prison Time is Enough? (05:44)

Date:
2020-02-09
Main contributors:
Maharis, Mercedes
Summary:
Presents an actual Nevada parole board hearing during which a disabled sex offender hopes to be released from prison after being eligible many years earlier and repeatedly refused. His traumatic journey finds him caught between prison officials and board members, who place him in a mental double bind, unable to fulfill conflicting requirements to make parole so that he can get the medical care he needs to survive. Includes revealing statistics 2007 - 2019 about death during prison custody for Nevada sex offenders, as compared to total deaths in custody. WARNING: MAY BE UNSUITABLE FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS AND CHILDREN. a mercedes maharis film. 6 minutes.

128. Interview with Hasu Patel, Cleveland, Ohio (05:03)

Date:
2020-10-20
Main contributors:
Hasu Patel
Summary:
Hasu Patel (Cleveland, Ohio) Hasu Patel is a composer, performer, and educator based in Cleveland, Ohio. Born in Baroda, India, Hasu plays sitar in a style known as Gayaki Ang (vocal style), and has studied with teachers including Prof. N.B. Kikani, and Ustad Anwar Khan Sahib. She has performed nationally and internationally at venues including the Beijing International Congress on Women in Music at the China Conservatory of Music. She has been honored for her achievements in music and public service with awards including the International Peace Ambassadors from the United Nations and the Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award from the Ohio Arts Council. Hasu has recorded and released multiple albums and has composed dozens of compositions in both Indian and Western Classical contexts. She served as a faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for over twenty years, teaching students who went on to play professionally across genres. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/20/2020.

129. Interview with Jea Street, Jr., Wilmington, Delaware (05:27)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Jea Street, Jr.
Summary:
Jea Street, Jr. (Wilmington, Delaware) Jea Street, Jr. is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. Jea has sung professional operatic and Broadway roles, produced a hip-hop album, and recorded several of his own projects. He was commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Art Museum to co-write a work that told the story of the 1968 occupation of Wilmington, Delaware after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Jea has completed a recording project entitled “The Sit Down,” which tours as a production of Artivism brought to life in the form of a musical experience, and he performed the inaugural set of Firefly CHATs in 2019 on the topic of Artivism. Jea created Ronapalooza, one of the first online music festivals “by artists and for artists,” at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a way to continue creating music and engaging with fans. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/14/2020.

130. Interview with John Stevens, Swoyersville, Pennsylvania (05:46)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
John Stevens
Summary:
John Stevens (Swoyersville, Pennsylvania) John Stevens is an accordion player and polka musician based in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania. In 1995, he founded the John Stevens Polka Band. The band has released eighteen cassettes and albums, including Doubleshot Preview (1995) and Come On Let’s Dance (1996). They have performed across the United States, appearing at festivals including Pillar Polkabration (CT), Pulaski's Big Polka Celebration (WI), Polka Spree By The Sea (NJ), The Bethlehem Musikfest (PA), Polka Fireworks (PA), and Polkamotion By The Ocean (MD). In 1997 their song “Everyone’s having Fun” was named number one tune of the year on the Jolly ST. Nick’s Polka Revolution show heard over WPHB 1260AM in Houtzdale, PA. The band has been on numerous Television shows including Pennsylvania Polka, The Jolly Joe Timmer Show, Let’s Polka, and The Bethlehem Musikfest. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/30/2020.

131. Interview with Jemar Phoenix, New Haven, Connecticut (05:58)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Jemar Phoenix
Summary:
Jemar Phoenix (New Haven, Connecticut) Jemar Phoenix is a musician and organizer born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He is a singer and acoustic guitarist specializing in genres ranging from pop, R&B, hip-hop, soul, and Latin music. Along with Cajon player Mike D, he formed the music duo The Hooch, which has performed across the Northeast Metro area. Their EP Cold Fusion (2020) features original lyrics and poetry, and fuses traditional aesthetics of guitar, percussion, and vocals with elements of contemporary American genres. Outside of music, Jemar is also an active member of Ignite the Voice, a non-profit New Haven based youth organization with a mission to equip the youth with the ability of self-expression through the arts. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

132. Interview with Keith Brintzenhoff, Kutztown, Pennsylvania (05:15)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Keith Brintzenhoff
Summary:
Keith Brintzenhoff (Kutztown, Pennsylvania) Keith Brintzenhoff is an autoharp musician and school teacher by profession based in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. He studied autoharp with leading musicians including Bryan Bowers, Bonnie Phipps, and Becky Blackely, and was a consultant for the large size autoharp built by Folkcraft Instruments of Connecticut. He is an expert researcher on the mountain dulcimer and its Pennsylvania German connections. Keith also plays guitar and old-time banjo, and has performed solo, duo or with his band the Toad Creek Ramblers both in Pennsylvania and in Germany. He has performed in venues including the Hershey Museum and the Historic Schaefferstown, Der Dutch Peddler Homecoming (Ohio), and has served as musical advisor for the Kutztown Pennsylvania German Festival. His performances in Germany included a tour for the 700th anniversary of Switzerland Fescht in his ancestral hometown. Keith has also recorded music for various videos and films. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/05/2020.

133. Interview with Jrdarappr, Richmond, Virginia (05:12)

Date:
2020-09-26
Main contributors:
Jrdarappr
Summary:
Jrdarappr (Richmond, Virginia) Jrdarappr aka JR is a rapper based in Richmond, Virginia. His debut album Highway To Hell was released in the spring of 2020 and explores subjects like police brutality, homicide and the ups and downs of living in the United States. The album was made in collaboration with Richmond-based producer NameBrand, along with members of the Poverty Crew, composed of JR, Vonton Soup, and Esco. Other featured artists on the album include Richmond hip hop artists Michael Millions, Young Flexico, and Nickelus F. Beyond the album, JR has performed in open mics around the city, and released a number of music videos driven by visual aesthetics and narrative flow, including “Way 2” and “This That.” JR has collaborated with the Poverty Movement, a project of his and the Poverty Crew that uses creative mediums to further Black radical liberation. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/26/2020.

134. Interview with Marika Hughes, New York City, New York (06:06)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Marika Hughes
Summary:
Marika Hughes (New York City, New York) Marika Hughes is a cellist based in Brooklyn, New York. Although trained in Western classical music, Marika has worked with a wide range of artists and musical genres including Whitney Houston, Lou Reed, Anthony Braxton, Adele, Henry Threadgill, D’Angelo, and Idina Menzel. She was a founding member of the Bay Area-based bands 2 Foot Yard and Red Pocket. She is a teacher and director for Young Arts, a teacher at the Heifetz Institute, and a teaching artist at Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project. Marika has released a number of albums, including The Simplest Thing (2011), Afterlife Music Radio (2011) and New York Nostalgia (2016). She has led her own bands Bottom Heavy and the New String Quartet and played as a cellist in the Tony award-winning show Hadestown on Broadway. Beyond playing music, Marika has been a guest host for All Ears on WQXR and is a featured storyteller on The Moth. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/07/2020.

135. Interview with Moises Nuñez, Portland, Maine (05:55)

Date:
2020-10-26
Main contributors:
Moises Nuñez
Summary:
Moises Nuñez (Portland, Maine) Moises Nuñez aka Mosart212 is a DJ, producer, electronic artist, and educator based in Portland, Maine. His productions and DJ sets feature breaks, funk, bloops, bleeps, and rare finds from far corners of the globe. His released recordings include the EP 212 Pill (Morebeats.lesssleep Collective, 2018), and he is the host of the podcast Symphony Sessions. A mainstay in the Portland, Maine, arts community, he has performed at venues including Space Gallery and the Portland Museum of Art, in addition to touring across the Northeast and beyond. Nuñez was the winner of the Phoenix’s best DJ Music Award in 2011. Outside of music, he has worked as an educator with the Great Schools Partnership, where his focus is on issues of teen violence, restorative justice practices, the social-emotional education of teens, family engagement, and creating inclusive school environments for students. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/26/2020.

136. Interview with Miss Kam, Baltimore, Maryland (05:41)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Miss Kam
Summary:
Miss Kam (Baltimore, Maryland) Miss Kam, born Kamaria Alexis, is a West Baltimore emcee. Miss Kam’s work moves between viral appeal on social media, freestyle series, and prolific collaborative efforts in and out of her community. Miss Kam has collaborated with multiple artists in the DMV region, including Chris Cassius, Baby Kahlo, and Kam’s collective group People Like Us Global. She has gained placements on The Demo Tape’s 2018 playlist and performed with renown acts like JPEGMAFIA. Her performances include cyphers, The Boiler Room, and Red Bull Miss Kam. Beyond live shows, Miss Kam has released multiple singles, including a number produced by producer Doowy Lloh. Her debut EP Birthday Pack was released in 2020. Miss Kam’s music videos, such as “We Are The World, ft. Zadia” seek to feature strong visuals of Baltimore in order to capture the city’s essence. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

137. Interview with Nique Love Rhodes, Detroit, Michigan (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Nique Love Rhodes
Summary:
Nique Love Rhodes (Detroit, Michigan) Nique Love Rhodes is a hip-hop artist and organizer/activist from Detroit, Michigan. As a performer, Nique leads a multi-faceted ensemble of musicians known as the NLR Experience, playing interactive shows that fuse hip-hop music with jazz and rock. Nique has performed at festivals and headlined venues including the South by Southwest Music Festival (Texas), the North by Northeast Music Festival (Toronto), Dally in the Alley (Detroit), and the Nuyorican Poets Café (New York City). Nique has independently released studio albums including Against All Odds (2019) and The NLR Experience (2018). Nique is also involved in initiatives that are rooted in community and culture. She launched the nonprofit Rise Up Higher, which aims to use music as a tool for social good, and is also the co-founder of D.Cipher, a music mastermind collective dedicated to advancing the Detroit music economy through collaboration and partnerships. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

138. Interview with Morgan Morrison, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (05:49)

Date:
2020-11-02
Main contributors:
Morgan Morrison
Summary:
Morgan Morrison (Harpers Ferry, West Virginia) Morgan Morrison is a musician based in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Morgan comes from a family of professional musicians across diverse genres. She began studying the music of Virginia in her teens in various music festivals across the state, but her musical interests span many genres across the world. She plays guitar, bouzouki, and sings. Morgan is a band member and principal manager of the band Furnace Mountain, and performs extensively in the United States and internationally. She teaches mandolin and guitar to local students. Morgan also coordinates more than 200 volunteers for the annual River & Roots Festival and Watermelon Park Festival in Clarke County, and is the Program Director of Barns of Rose Hill, a nonprofit performing arts venue and community center located in historic downtown Berryville, Virginia. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 11/02/2020.

139. Interview with Pablo Batista, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Pablo Batista
Summary:
Pablo Batista (Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania) Pablo Batista is a master percussionist based in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He has performed, recorded and toured internationally since the 1980s with renowned musicians across genres, receiving the rare distinction of having performed on Grammy-winning releases in jazz, R&B and gospel. Pablo worked with Grover Washington, Jr. since 1985, and served as his touring percussionist 1991-1999. Between 2000-2012, Pablo recorded and toured with Alicia Keys, performing alongside her at such venues as the 2010 World Cup ceremonies in South Africa for an estimated audience of over one billion viewers. Pablo has received grants for research on Afro-Cuban percussion and composer commissions from organizations including the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. Pablo leads his own ten-piece Mambo Syndicate salsa conjunto. As an instructor, he has taught at the Curtis Institute of Music, as well as taught low-income students at schools and community centers in North Philadelphia. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

140. Interview with Pepe Santana, Stanhope, New Jersey (05:55)

Date:
2020-10-16
Main contributors:
Pepe Santana
Summary:
Pepe Santana (Stanhope, New Jersey) Juan Pepe Santana is a musician, educator, and instrument maker based in Stanhope, New Jersey. Born in Ecuador, Pepe moved to the U.S. in the 1960s, where he has performed and taught Andean traditions. Pepe plays over twenty Native wind instruments and multiple string instruments. He founded the Festival of the Andes at Waterloo Village, and directed several Andean festivals at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and Symphony Space. Pepe has lectured nationally and internationally. He was an artist in residence at the National Museum of the American Indian: Smithsonian Institution, and has delivered workshops on instrument making in venues including the Museum of Natural History. Pepe founded the ensemble INKHAY (Quechua: “to tend the fire”), which interprets traditional music from the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Pepe was a master folk musician in the Apprenticeship Program of the NJSCA, and was awarded the National Merit and Title of Great Gentleman by the Ecuadorian Government. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/16/2020