Our Body Politic

KCRW, KPCC, and KQED

Our Body Politic is unapologetically centered on reporting on not just how women of color experience the major political events of today, but how they're impacting those very issues

ABOUT

Our Body Politic

Created and hosted by award-winning journalist Farai Chideya, Our Body Politic is unapologetically centered on reporting on not just how women of color experience the major political events of today, but how they're impacting those very issues. Weekly episodes feature in-depth conversations about the economy, health, politics, education, the environment, and the most prescient issues—because all issues are women's issues. Tune in every Friday everywhere you listen to podcasts, and on public radio stations around the country. Presented by KCRW, KPCC, and KQED.

Featured Guests

Where To Start

Senator Tammy Duckworth on a Lifetime of Service, Breaking Down the “WoC Vote,” and the Freedom to Imagine Liberation

This week Farai Chideya speaks with Senator Tammy Duckworth about serving in the military, becoming a mother, and advocating for safe and equitable environments for veterans. Washington insider Stephanie Valencia breaks down the so-called Latino vote, and challenges the major parties to show up beyond an election year. Farai talks to our finance contributor Ruth Umoh about the significance and optics of Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris for women of color. And journalist S. Mitra Kalita and Farai get real on the role of journalists in a pandemic.

Senator Elizabeth Warren on what an economy should do, how Covid-19 vaccination protects others, and a new book confronts the stigma of intimate partner violence‪.

This week, Farai Chideya talks with Senator Elizabeth Warren about why she still pushes for student debt relief and an increased minimum wage, and why she believes these are racial-justice issues. Epidemiologist and Our Body Politic contributor Dr. Kavita Trivedi takes our most pressing questions about Covid-19 vaccinations. Film producer and author Tanya Selvaratnam discusses her new book “Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence.” Plus, our political roundtable with Errin Haines and special guest Brittany Packnett Cunningham, unpacks the racial resentment behind the aftermath of the January 6th insurrection, CPAC, and Senators’ grilling of the Biden-Harris Cabinet picks.

Understanding Disinformation Campaigns, Congresswoman Deb Haaland on Leading as a Laguna Pueblo Native, Why Flu Shots Are Vital Right Now

This week on Our Body Politic, Farai Chideya talks with Congresswoman Deb Haaland of New Mexico about leading with her Laguna Pueblo heritage. Farai digs into politics and the economy in conversations about income taxes and the role of disinformation in our elections. Our weekly Covid update puts President Trump’s diagnosis in context with other impacted Americans. Our Rise segment looks at one woman uplifting families of police-violence victims, and how exotic dancers in Atlanta are getting out the vote.

CORRECTION: This episode’s COVID update misstated the likelihood of Black and Hispanic patients dying of Covid as 3 and 4 times more likely than non-Hispanic whites. But they are roughly 2.5 times more likely to die than white patients.

Meet The Hosts

Farai Chideya

Host

Farai Chideya is an American novelist, multimedia journalist, and radio host. She produced and hosted Pop and Politics with Farai Chideya, a series of radio specials on politics for 15 years. She currently produces and hosts One with Farai, a podcast for Public Radio International (PRI), in which she interviews distinguished individuals with a range of stories and opinions. Guests whom Chideya has interviewed include Melissa Harris-Perry, Urvashi Vaid, and Alec Ross. Additionally, since 2012 Chideya has held the position of distinguished writer in residence at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University, where she teaches courses in radio production and media economics.

Where To Listen

Apple Podcasts listen button spotify listen buttongoogle podcasts  listen button

FEATURED BLOG ARTICLES

Learning Guide Image
July 8, 2024
·
min read

Celebrate Juneteenth with episodes on racial justice, political activism through Black history

Juneteenth signifies the end of a painful chapter of American history and reaffirms the nation’s commitment to racial justice and equality.

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
June 3, 2024
·
5
min read

Elections and dialogue on college campuses

Student affairs staff and campus administrators were unprepared when election polarization and toxicity took campuses by surprise in 2016.

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

Democracy Good News: The Role of Business in Democracy

The third episode of our Democracy’s Good News series takes us to New York City where we talk with American venture capitalist and author Patrick McGinnis.

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

📢 New Podcasts Alert: Episodes from our 2023 Podcast Fellows

A new year means new episodes!

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

🗳️ A 2023 election recap

States and counties across the nation held key elections in early November 2023 where abortion access took center stage.

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
8
min read

Shining a spotlight on the states

For the latest in our series on organizations that inspire us to take action to build a stronger democracy, Democracy Group community manager Jessie Nguyen caught up with Bree Grossi Wilde, executive director of the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

What a female president means for Mexico

In what many deem a patriarchal country, two women are on track to make history as they are both presidential nominees in Mexico’s leading parties. Polls showed the two female candidates are currently front runners and the most likely to be elected presidents in the general election on June 2, 2024.

Jessie Nguyen
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

An inside look at Issue 1 in Ohio

A surprisingly large number of Ohioans flocked to the polls in August to cast their vote on Issue 1, where 57% voted "no" to defeat the measure.

Megan Goldstein
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

The End of Affirmative Action

On June 29th, the supreme court ruled to make affirmative action unlawful in The Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.

Megan Goldstein
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

The Democracy Group's Summer Reading List

Looking for a new book to read this summer? Here are 10 recommendations from our network's hosts and producers.

Megan Goldstein
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

Podcasts and Political Engagement

In 2022, the number of podcasts increased by 20%. This is a staggering number that no doubt indicates the future of an ever growing industry.

Megan Goldstein
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

Why Americans deserve better news

News, news, news. Right news, left news, fake news, and more. America's news landscape is a hot topic of conversation.

Megan Goldstein
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

A new perspective on democratic backsliding

In order to understand how to strengthen democracy, we must understand how this erosion happens.

Megan Goldstein
Read Post
Learning Guide Image
May 7, 2024
·
5
min read

Civic Learning Week

Civic education is critical to a healthy democracy, which is why we're excited to be part of national Civic Learning Week!

Megan Goldstein
Read Post

all The Latest & Greatest Democracy Podcasts.
Delivered to Your Inbox.

Subscribe