Elections We Make

9/1/26, Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz

Sen Paul Mark: election day issues, union solidarity, GOTV, your vote matters, gerontocracy, local races.

Sen Ed Markey: his age, his issues, accomplishments, fears & hopes.

Mass Fair Housing Ex Dir Vineeth Hemavathi: from this non-profit in Holyoke, their nationwide lawsuit against the U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development to prevent Trump from gutting fair housing – and the injunction they achieved last week.

Eric Ross, UMass grad student & Co-Founder of Massachusetts Cuban Solidarity: conditions on the island; protesting and organizing against Trump’s policies.

The Real Story

8/31/26, Co-Host–Megan Zinn
 
Michel and Leyla Moushabeck, founders, writers, editors and publishers of Northampton-based Interlink Publishing: Read and Resist; the Interlink Foundation; cookbooks; the world at War; Gaza.
 
Nationally known local author Suzanne Strempek Shea: “Composition: A Memoir in 42 Essays by 1 Kid on Her 8 Years in Catholic School, Handed in 60 Years Late.”
 
Raymond LaRaja, UMass Prof of Political Science and Co-Director of the UMass Poll: the poll released today: how under water is Trump? Is the MAGA base shrinking ? How accurate are the polls? What are the implications for the midterms? How about polls for local races?
 
Michael Klare:  Prof of Peace & World Security Studies and Visiting Fellow at the Arms Control Council: the Wars in Iraq and Ukraine, NATO, the U.S running low on missiles, a possibility of nuclear weapons?

Headliners

8/28/26, Co-Host Josh Silver

Congressman Seth Moulton, candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, on the biggest issues, the polls, and what distinguishes him from Sen Markey.

Tatishe Nteta, Dir of the UMass Poll: the Markey-Moulton matchup, the midterms and can we believe the numbers—what they really say.

Rep Mindy Domb on What the Flock!! Massachusetts responds to nationwide ALPR surveillance. Also, the Protect Act—safe places for all

Andrew Munson from the Florence Civic and Business Ass’n: Florence is a happening place! — upcoming events and free concerts.

Art Beat with Trevor Powers and Hannah Brookman on the upcoming Northampton Print and Book Fair.

Powerful

8/27/26: Co-Host Andy Bukowski

“A Nation Wrestles with God”—Ilan Stavans, Amherst College Professor,of Humanities, Latin American and Latino culture & Co-founder and Publisher of Restless Books, shares insights and questions from his new book, including what the Founders really thought about the place of religion in their new country.

Dan Crowley, Ex Editor, Daily Hampshire Gazette & Greenfield Recorder, on Tuesday’s elections: Jeromie Whalen v Richard Neal, Seth Moulton v Ed Markey, Lora Wondolowski v Corrine Coryat, & the South Hadley override: how editorial, news and Opinion Page decisions are made and space allocated in an election cycle; how editorial cartoons are chosen; and when the coverage stops.

Rev. Carole Bull on our spirit and values and the power of prayer and meditation in troubled times and as impetus for social action and fighting for justice.

All that Jazz: John Anz with truly extraordinary musician and composer Champian Fulton—live from the North Sea, coming to the Northampton Jazz Festival.

Community Issues

8/26/26, Co-Host Andy Bukowski

Eric Nakajima, Holyoke Dir of Planning and Development, pulls back the tofu curtain and shares a vision for regional planning and cooperation.

Dr. Sunny Shukla, Cooley Dickinson Assoc Chief Medical Officer & Emerg Dept physician, and Meredith O’Leary, Nhmptn Commissioner of Health and Human Services: the scourge of opioids here and how our community is responding.

Atty Michael Fenton, candidate for Governor’s Council, on considering and confirming the Governor’s nominees for the all the courts in the Commonwealth & the parole board, promoting diversity, and advocating for western Massachusetts.

Lisa Wong, South Hadley Town Administrator, on the Override –what’s at stake; what happens if it passes; what happens if it is defeated.

Fighting for Change

8/25/25 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz

Jeromie Whalen, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives First Mass District, addresses the personal attacks and explains his vision for change.

Eric Reeves, Northampton-based expert on Sudan and Darfur, on how to change the narrative about the world’s response to the starvation and genocide in Sudan.

Lora Wondolowski, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the First Franklin District: Flock out of Greenfield, schools, housing, families & her experience as an environmental and political activist and organizer.

Duke Goldman, Northampton-based Negro League expert, on Monte Irvin, the New York Baseball Giants first Black player, and challenging racism.

What Are the Odds?

8/24/26. Co-Host Megan Zinn

Mass Head Start Ex Dir Michelle Haimowitz: Trump’s threats to Head Start and what you can do to help—which is a lot.

Writers Block: Megan Zinn interviews Juliet Faithfull, author of “Liar’s Dice” — family secrets, class struggle, and overcoming enormous odds — illiteracy and disability –her debut novel with a major publishing house.

Ehmptn Mayor Salem Derby: a bike path for all –where is this going? Also, new housing and the budget after the override.

Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman and Comms Dir Samantha Giffen: openings – the new Amethyst Brook Elementary School (and public art in that school) –and yes, move-in day at UMass & Amherst College; also, the town’s Block Party and the All About Amherst Civil Academy.

Big Deals

8/21/26, Co-Host- Josh Silver

Max Page w/ Ray Madoff, Prof & Dir of the Forum on Philanthropy, author of “The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy.” Do you think the super rich aren’t paying anything like their fair share? You’re right—here’s how the tax system really works.

Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa: why is $1Billion in Fair Share money—for education and transportation—just sitting in a state bank account? The new abortion-access bill and the Protect Act –both now law. Congratulations to the advocates, the legislature and the governor.

Amherst College Professor Austin Sarat: Todd Blanche’s confirmation as Attorney General – why the country is in even deeper trouble; how the Republican-controlled Congress can seat the persons it wants regardless of the actual outcome of the 2026 elections.

Political Gold with Josh Silver: can the Democrats win control of the Senate in 2026? Here’s the story.

ArtBeat with Donnabelle Casis and Emma Chubb, Assoc Dir of Curatorial Affairs at the Smith College Museum of Art: the extraordinary exhibit of works by Alma Thomas, from the Smithsonian.

Music to Our Ears

8/20/26 Co-Host-Andy Bukowski

Mafer Bandola , one of the Ladama’s three absolutely amazing women musicians from across the Americas –high energy, soul-restoring joy and music –- coming to Whately this Saturday.

Tara Jacobs, Governor’s Councilor and candidate for re-election: confirming (or not) Parole Board members and Supreme Judicial Court nominees, operating as a check and balance, promoting diversity and Western Massachusetts.

Righting Wrongs: Carol Rose, Exec Dir, ACLU of Mass, on fighting Flock city by city and town by town; victories in important voting rights and immigrants’ rights cases!

All That Jazz: Northampton Jazz Festival President Ruth Griggs with Ken Longstreeth and Jeff Gavioli, members of the 19-piece Bad News Jazz and Blues Orchestra—a preview of their performance at the Jazz Festival.

Do Look Up!

8/19/25, Co-Host Brian Adams

Courtney Andre, Dir, Mass. Ctr for the Book: the new anti-censorship, anti-book banning, law in Massachusetts, “An Act Regarding Free Expression;” the upcoming Mass Book Awards; and promoting love of reading.

Julie Sanders, Dir of Clinical Practice at Tapestry Health: the state of reproductive health care and reproductive rights in Massachusetts; tele-medicine, the mobile health van, health care for all.

Allison Bell, co-owner of Quonquont Farm, & Laurie Sanders, naturalist & Co-Dir of Historic Northampton, on “Valley Wild”—raptors, caterpillars & snakes—closeup encounters of an unforgettable kind—this Sunday.

Cool Films with Larry Hott and Smith Professor Gillian Kendall: the apocalypse is coming, the apocalypse is coming, the apocalypse is here — films and books on climate fiction, vampires, zombies, cauliflower heads and Shakespeare.