Fighting for Freedom

7/7/26, Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz

Sen Paul Mark, Commission Chair of America 250 in Mass, on how and why we are celebrating the Declaration of Independence; also, freeing children from social media exploiters.

Amilcar Shabazz on freedom in our history, celebrating Juneteenth, & “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

Tom Weiner on “In Defiance: 20 Abolitionists You Were Never Taught in School.”

Monica Cage, owner of Crown by Cage & Sec of Black Business Assoc of Amherst Area on Black entrepreneurship in western Mass, community support & the road ahead.

Noah Bullock, Ex Dir, Cristosal, the Central American human rts org, on human rts abuses & the death of the rule of law in El Salvador & the tight friendship between Pres Trump &, El Salvador’s authoritarian right-wing President, Nayib Bukele.

Facts Force

7/6/26, Co-Host Megan Zinn

Sen. Jo Comerford: Reading Frederick Douglass Together, recent Supreme Court decisions, the legislature’s approval of bonds for our future.

Writers Block — Megan Zinn interviews Cara Benson on “An Armsfull of Birds: A Personal Field Guide to Love, Loss, and Commitment” — at Broadside Bookshop this Wednesday.

Dr. Xiomara Herman, Amherst, Pelham & Amherst Regional School Superintendent: why is she leaving at the end of this school year?

Mayors Monday w/ Northampton’s Gina Louise Sciarra: the July 4 Naturalization Ceremony, the Declaration of Independence this Wednesday at Memorial Hall, and the FACT Force (Fiscal Assessment Community Taskforce) – the override in the City’s future.

“We have it in Our Power to Begin the World Over Again.”  — Thomas Paine, 1776.

7/2/26, Co-Host Andy Bukowski.

Award-winning poet Martín Espada on “Shame” – the story of, his poem on, Alligator Alcatraz, featured in this month’s special edition of the Nation Magazine along with pieces by Jane Fonda, Bill McKibben, Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders and other progressive luminaries.

Max Page, Pres of Mass Teachers Ass’n: ballot questions on taxes and rent control stuck from November’s ballot—for different reasons; Trump’s school voucher program in Mass; more $ for our schools?

Congressman Jim McGovern: celebrating the 250th, government dysfunction, the housing bill, wars in Iran, Ukraine & Gaza, USAID, Trump’s 2026 election-rigging plans, & reflections on the reflecting pool.

Kristin Neville, Ex Dir, Blues to Green, & Lorenzo Gaines, Social Media & Community Engagement Guru, on the next weekend’s  joyous Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival – free and open to all—an amazing lineup of musicians.

Dredging Things Up

July 1, 2026, Co-Host Brian Adams

District Attorney for Hampshire and Franklin Counties David Sullivan reviews this week’s Supreme Court decisions – a sobering assessment.

Catherine (Cat) McEachern from ServiceNet’s Autism Connections on the Autism Prom, the Blue Envelope Bill, autism’s stigma—or not, & her journey.

Rosalie Starvish, Water Resource Engineer: the Mill River, Smith College, dredging or not; culverts and Conway – stream restoration; & when a lake is a pond –an existential question for limnologists—and you!

Cool Films with Larry Hott. Larry recommends “Marty, Life is Short” and “Steve (Martin)—a Documentary in Two Pieces.”

Looking Ahead

6/30/26 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz

Lisa Wong, So Hadley Town Administrator: overrides, budget-busting health insurance costs, what towns and cities are saying to each other.

Tara Jacobs, Governor’s Councilor, on pardons, commutations, judicial confirmations & parole board nominees.  

Salman Hameed, professor and astronomer, on cotton-candy planets, signs of life, Project Hail Mary & airbags in space.

Laurie Millman & Urszula Wolanska-Fettes, from the Center for New Americans, on becoming a citizen & the July 4th ceremony.

Staking Our Ground

6/29/26, Co-Host — Megan Zinn.

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, Founder of National Martyrs Day, July 5, honoring social justice warriors who died for the cause. Prof Browne-Marshall is the author of “A Protest History of the United States,” an award-winning playwright, and a Professor of Constitutional Law.

Writers Block. Megan Zinn interviews Debra Curtis on “Laws of Love and Logic,” sisterhood, forgiveness, and the complicated nature of love. Smith College plays a part.

Eric Nakajima, Holyoke Dir of Planning & Econ Devel: new data centers have been banned in the City—why?

“A Stake in the Ground 1774”—opening soon in Historic Deerfield, the resonance of dissent and revolution, with Historic Deerfield’s Claire Carlson and Plays in Place Producing Artistic Dir Patrick Gabridge.

Politics & Cellos

6/26/26, Co-Host Josh Silver

Political Gold with Josh Silver:  the secret recording of RFK pushing to elect a loyal Trump Republican. A crime?

Easthampton Mayor Salem Derby: the BIG ongoing World Cup party and performances in his city w/ a sidebar on the  Prop 2 ½ Override.

Rep Mindy Domb on Amherst Pride, the Blue Envelope legislation—now law! & the anti-book-banning bill.

Josh Silver on this week’s electoral victories for progressive Democrats & the influence of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on the midterms.

LIVE in studio—Jeremy Harman and Stijn Kuppens, members of the Intergalactic Cello Quarter, workshop leaders at this week’s New Directions Cello Festival at Smith College, & the performances at Bombyx this weekend.

Let the SunShine In

6/25/26, Co-Host – Andy Bukowski.

Nancy Talanian, Co-Founder, the western Mass-based Guantanamo Survivors Fund on her fund and tomorrow’s U.N. International Day In Support of Victims of Torture.

Carol Rose, Exec Dir of the ACLU of Mass, on the passing of 40+year  ACLUM Legal Director John Reinstein, SCOTUS, birthright citizenship, and celebrating July 4 –”Beyond 250” and “Fired Up for Freedom.”

Carole Bull, Northampton-based UCC Pastor, on Paki Wieland, non-violent direct action, L-3Harris demonstrations, the necessity defense & the relevant lessons of scripture.

John Anz, host of All That Jazz, with pianist and composer Jen Allen on her life in Music & her upcoming performance July 13 at Bushnell Park in Hartford

A Natural World, Stars & Rising Suns

6/24/26 Co-Host Brian Adams

Stephen Platt, UMass History Prof & 2026 Guggenheim Fellow: China rising, isolated, capitalist, run by CCP, WWII internment camps, & more –a fascinating conversation.

Kevin Whitney, Pres & COO Cooley Dickinson Hospital: emergency & urgent care, how the relationship with MGB actually works, keeping money loca,l & a shout-out for the new coffee shop!

Stephen Rich, UMass Microbiologist: everything you ever wanted and didn’t want to know about ticks & protecting yourself.

Sonya Clark, Amherst Coll Art & Art History Prof & 2026 Guggenheim Fellow: Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye, marigolds, hair, ancestors, creativity, genius.

You Can’t Trump This

6/23/26, Co-Host — Amilcar Shabazz

Ivy Meeropol — her newest documentary film is “Ask E. Jean,” on E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump’s sexual assault of her— now at the Amherst Cinema.

Paul Newlin, founder and Director of Watermelon Wednesdays, on the upcoming concert of Skye Consort with vocalist Emma Bjorling and the quarter century history of Watermelon Wednesdays.

Lora Wondolowski, Gfld City Council Pres, on the state’s refusal to certify “free cash,” a tough budget year, & alarm over possible layoffs at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.

Duke Goldman, Negro Baseball League expert, on ongoing discrimination in professional sports.