Oakland Reacts to #Ferguson in photos and audio
Yesterday evening was a time of protests, marches and mourning across the country as news broke that a grand jury had decided to not indict police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Micahel Brown on August 9th. Making Contact’s George Lavender and Jasmin Lopez collected photos and videos from Oakland, CA as the verdict was released and emotional protesters took to the streets. All photo and recording by Jasmin Lopez....
Islamic state, Kurdistan, and the new U.S. war in Iraq
More than a decade after the start of the second Gulf War, the United States has embarked on a bombing campaign targeting Islamic State forces inside Iraq and Syria. It’s the third U.S. military action inside Iraq in as many decades. But the reasons for the new war keep shifting, from protecting ethnic and religious minorities, to preventing terrorist attacks on the U.S. As independent producer Reese Erlich reports from Northern...
Voice Recognition
What do our voices say about us? On this edition we explore voice and identity. We’ll hear from someone who nearly lost their voice, the challenges that come with ordering a pizza with a speech generating device, and and how voice contributes to trans women’s sense of safety and of self. Featuring: Mya Byrne, singer-songwriter Kathe Perez, creator of EVA app Samuel Sennott, assistant professor of special education at...
Shh! Life in a State of Surveillance
Who’s watching you? Nowadays it seems everyone wants to get their hands on our personal data. From the FBI to the welfare department, to some of the country’s biggest retailers. On this edition, we take a closer look at the world of surveillance. Featuring Hasan Elahi, artist and Associate Professor at the University of Maryland Charles Duhigg, New York Times journalist and author of “The Power of Habit” Jodie Berger,...
Not My War: The Military Deserters’ Dilemma
You make our radio programs possible! Please make a generous donation today. More than 150,000 people sign up for the US military every year. Their reasons for joining vary widely, from those hoping for financial help through college, to others looking to follow in the footsteps of parents or grandparents. In recent years getting into the military has gotten harder, with criminal records and low academic scores proving the...
Concussions: Your Brain or the Game?
They say a smart athlete will use their head. But what if using your head cost you everything? That’s a question being asked in locker rooms the world over. Whether it’s boxing, hockey, or soccer, it seems that head injuries are finally being taken seriously. In the United States, lawsuits brought by players, as well as a body of scientific evidence, has lead to growing awareness about the impact American football has on...
