Podcasts
Podcasts
Monday, March 31, 202503/31/2025
Panorama — Episode 104 — Anti-Social Media?
In Panorama
Originally aired on March 28, 2025. Two locals, Jesse Hassinger, “the human monk,” and Bill Dwight, a citizen of the world/Northampton, debate the role of technology on the human condition. Is technology a force for good? Wasn’t social media supposed to bring us together? Is technology fostering a “recipe of loneliness”? And what should we expect from Artificial Intelligence?
Friday, March 28, 202503/28/2025
The Hustler Files Ep 105
GIVING A VOICE TO THE SILENCED
With over two decades of experience, reporter Katie Johnston shares her journey from reporting on arts and entertainment to focusing on work and income inequality, specifically with incarcerated and justice-involved populations. Katie’s dedication to offering a voice to those who don’t have one, is the driving force behind her writing. In this episode, Katie discusses her recent articles that highlight the challenges and triumphs of individuals navigating reentry into society, including innovative programs in Maine that allow incarcerated individuals to work remotely from their jail cell and earn substantially more than the average worker in the US. Katie delves into the nuances of storytelling in journalism, the importance of giving a voice to marginalized communities, and the evolving landscape of criminal justice reform. It is and will continue to be the power of storytelling that offers hope to those striving for a second chance.
Friday, March 28, 202503/28/2025
Darkness and Light
3/28/25: MTA Pres Max Page w/ labor activist Stephen Lerner: light in dark times. Rep Mindy Domb: Trump rewriting history, leg transparency & priorities. EM Kennedy Inst CEO Adam Hinds: the constitution’s survival. Amherst Survival Ctr Exec Dir BenEzra: the Empty Bowl Fundraiser. Donnabelle Casis w/ Sierra Myers, Dir, Art for the Soul Gallery: neon art.
Thursday, March 27, 202503/27/2025
Ensemble Show
3/27/25: Easthampton HS teacher Kelley Brown w/ her students in We the People – this year’s competitors and the student-mentors. ACLUM Exec Dir Carol Rose: fighting ICE & defending the LGBTQIA+ community. Rev Carole Bull: holding dear the disappeared. Live in studio: saxophonist & educator Frank Newton – All That Jazz w/ Jon Anz.
Wednesday, March 26, 202503/26/2025
Films, Frogs & an Astronaut
3/26/25: UMass Prof Anna Nagurney on tariffs. CDH’s new Pres Kevin Whitney: a community hospital. Larry Hott, Lisa Newman & Deb Krivoy: the Pioneer Vly Jewish Film Fest — “Midas Man” (Brian Epstein & the Beatles) &“Welcome to Yiddishland.” Astronaut Cady Coleman: “Sharing Space.” GCC science man Brian Adams: spring frogs, salamanders & Donald Duck.
Tuesday, March 25, 202503/25/2025
Coming Soon
3/25/25: Josh Silver: Trump will be wildly unpopular within six months. Mary Witt of Dear Ella: their concert this Saturday. MHC Prof Kerstin Nordstrom w/ UMass Biology Prof Jeff Podos: tomorrow’s Sci-Tech Café — all about birds. Patrick Gabridge of Plays in Place — “Light Under the Dome”– get yr tix now.
Monday, March 24, 202503/24/2025
Moving Movements
3/24/25: Jonathan Moldover: “The Oxbow Since Thomas Cole: The Story of a Landscape, a Painting, and a Community.” Megan Zinn w/ Emma Donoghue: “The Paris Express.” UMass Prof. Amilcar Shabazz: Trump’s attack on Black Studies. Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman: the school budget & construction, rewilding Hickory Ridge & amphibious crossings.
Saturday, March 22, 202503/22/2025
Western Mass Business Show on 3.22.25 — The Hartsbrook School
In The Western Mass. Business Show
Well, get ready for an exciting show. I don’t think that I’ve had as many people in the studio has, I did with this episode. From Virginia McWilliam, Head of School, Angela LeClerc, 4th Grade Teacher, Katherine Payne, Practical Arts Teacher, Tyler Young, School Counselor, Anne Griffin, Director of Development, Paule Sustick, Assistant Director of Land Stewardship, to the 4 students, Erin, Selena, Rosa, and Rowan-we had a blast. The School has been an independent Waldorf School since 1981, and they serve birth to 12th grade students. Nestled on a 54-acre property in Hadley and enrolling over 260 students, Hartsbrook focuses on experiential learning and creating self confidence in the kids they oversee. The focus on land and community is paramount, listen in to hear how you can support the school or get your kiddo enrolled. I wish I was still young enough to attend as it sounds like a dream place to educate a human. Mark your calendar for the spring 5K Dandelion Dash or the Farm to Table Dinner and Auction in the fall. Thanks for listening and for more information on The Hartsbrook School please visit: www.hartsbrook.org.
Friday, March 21, 202503/21/2025
The Hustler Files Ep 104
AN UNINTENDED LIFE
To be in the wrong place at the wrong time cost William Allen 28 years behind bars for an unintended crime. William shares his tumultuous journey from his early days of family dysfunction, the guilt he carried from a childhood accident, and the pivotal moments that led him into a life of crime. He candidly recounts the fateful robbery that resulted in a tragic death and how he found himself facing life without parole. As he navigated the harsh realities of prison life, William discovered his passion for barbering and the importance of community support. After years of advocacy and a campaign for commutation, he emerged from incarceration with a renewed purpose. Now a leader in Second Chance Justice, William is dedicated to reforming the reentry system and helping others avoid the struggles he faced. Join us as we explore themes of redemption, responsibility, and the power of second chances in this heartfelt episode.
