Vaya Con Muñoz April 9th 2022

This week we are joined by Tanisha Arena, Kate Albright-Hanna, and Nathaniel Waring in discussing Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, and what it means for for the current makeup of the court, and it’s future; conversations that white families should have with their children, and how “real talk” plays into privilege; intersectionality, and the way it can work at both ends of the privilege spectrum; opting out of caring about certain things based on one’s privilege, and how that can lead to people with the most privilege caring the least; how people who have privilege have a hard time imagining what it’s like not to have that privilege, but people without have no trouble imagining what it’s like to have privilege; the cost of being poor, and how poverty makes small costs snowball into huge costs; how rising fuel costs have ripple effects, and how that cost is felt in our grocery bills; the goddess worshiping time before the patriarchy, and how history is fraught with women’s firsts being ignored in favor of men who got there second.

Vaya Con Muñoz 4.2.22

This week Natalia is joined by Nathaniel Waring, Dan Torres, Kate Albright-Hanna, and Larry Hott in discussing the state of housing costs in Massachusetts, and in the country; how the cost of housing, combined with inflation, is squeezing the working class in America; President Biden’s announcement that the Federal government will be releasing 1,000,000 barrels of oil a day for the next 6 months from the strategic reserve, and how we feel about that; what direction we should be moving in terms of energy independence, and what role that has in our national security; the infamous slap at the Oscars, and the many different angles there are to it; and Larry Hott breaks down his take on the Oscar winners, and of course the slap.

Vaya Con Muñoz 3.26.22

3.26.22
This week Natalia and Dan Torres are joined by Larry Hott – documentary film maker and oscar judge – in discussing the upcoming oscars, and Larry’s picks for best picture; the way in which modern cinema is being changed by the internet, and what movies will look like going forward; the influence of authoritarian regimes in censoring film, and how modern films have more than language dubbed in them for international audiences, why the editing category is an important category, and why everyone should watch the film that’s nominated for that category every year; and modern animated features, and how they seem to all be apocalyptic.

Vaya Con Muñoz 3.12.22

This week we are joined by our regulars Matt Szafranski, Dan Torres, and Nathaniel Waring – and are joined by a new guest, Chloe Soto, in discussing “the end” of covid, and what things will look like going forward; what working from home has meant for the pandemic, and how much of a role it will have in the future; the length of the campaigns in America, and how that length is part of a larger scheme to keep things in deadlock; the difference in response to the situation in Ukraine versus the response to humanitarian crisis like Yemen and Syria; The ongoing saga at the Holyoke Soldiers home, and how it shined a light on public entities that were failing to keep the public safe; and the price of gas, and who is to blame for it

Vaya Con Muñoz 3.5.22

Vaya Con Muñoz 2.26.22

Vaya Con Muñoz 2.19.22

This week on the show Natalia is joined by Kate Albright-Hanna and Nathaniel Waring in discussing the Superbowl halftime show, and how representation of the rap industry is overdue; how music nostalgia makes each of us feel like the music we listened to in our teens is the best music; the micro-generation between genX and Millennials that Nathaniel and Kate belong to, and how this halftime show was geared towards us; the divide between those who grew up with computers, and those who didn’t, and the ground in between; internet in the 90s, and how the sound of dialup will always be recognizable by those who lived during that decade; how Worlde could replace Q-Anon as Boomers’ cult of choice, and why we think Q-Anon is starting to wane in general; and then we are joined by Dan Torres and Larry Hott to discuss the nominations for best picture for the Oscars.

Vaya Con Muñoz 2.12.22

This week on the show we are joined by Nathaniel Waring, Tanisha Arena, Kate Albright-Hanna, and Matt Szafranski to discuss a new state program that will help minorities get state contracts, and how Gov Baker added LGBT owned businesses to the program; former State Representative Ray Jordan of Springfield’s passing, and his legacy in western mass and beyond; Kate’s new interest in a supposed mythical creature in western mass, and it’s half man – half deer appearance; the ways in which different groups approach fear and monsters, and how that is related to privilege; Black History month, and how white supremacy will do anything to keep people from talking about the real threats; and then we are joined by Larry Hott to discuss the top 5 films up for best documentary, and why he’s very excited about the choices.

Vaya Con Muñoz 2.5.22

This week we are joined by Tanisha Arena, Dan Torres, Matt Szafranski, and Nathaniel Waring in discussing the recent suspension from the View of Whoopi Goldberg, and how the intersection of different privileges – or lack of privilege – is more nuanced than it may appear; Black History Month, and how we’d all rather action than performative going through the motions; the NFL and the Rooney rule, and how the ownership are skirting the nature of the rule to exclude qualified black coaches from getting head coach jobs within the league; and the upcoming race for the State Senate seat being vacated by Eric Lesser, and the race for the MA District Attorney.

Vaya Con Muñoz 1.29.22